Patent ID: 6972857
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling consumable use in an image-rendering device, wherein images rendered are represented in the device by use of a consumable material having a consumable element specification, the consumable element having associated therewith a use factor for printing that is dependent on the particular associated consumable and amounts thereof, for which a threshold may be set, the method comprising: determining the presence of an optional override mode; in the presence of the override mode, rendering the image without implementation of at least one consumable reduction technique, and in the absence of the override mode, rendering the image with implementation at least one consumable reduction technique, so as to reduce use of the consumable material, according to the following steps: (a) providing an image having an associated consumable element specification; (b) determining at least one consumable material amount of the image; (c) determining the estimated consumable material use for the image based on the consumable material amount and its associated use factor; (d) determining whether the estimated material use exceeds the threshold; (e) if the estimated material consumption exceeds the threshold, reducing the consumable material amount to be used in rendering the image according to the consumable amount reduction technique, so as to provide a modified image; and (f) rendering the modified image.