Abstract:
Systems and methods are described that allow customization of user messages in a printing system. A printing device includes a replaceable component that includes component memory. First and second message data are stored in the component memory, the message data being message text or a pointer to message text. If the message data is a pointer to message text, the message text is stored in printing device memory, in memory of a host computer or on a remote site accessible via a host computer. A first message is displayed to a user in response to detection of a first event. A second message is displayed to the user in response to detection of a second event. If the message data are pointers to message text external to the printing device, an entity delivering the messages can change the message text without reconfiguring the printing device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/410,989 filed Oct. 1, 1999. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention generally relates to replaceable components installable into printing devices, and more particularly, to printing device components having a memory. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Most types of printing devices are equipped with replaceable components that have a life cycle during which the replaceable components are functional. Such replaceable components include toner cartridges, ink cartridges, fusers, drums, etc. At the end of the life cycle of a replaceable component, the component must be replaced for the printing device to continue to function properly. Typically, a new replaceable component is ordered from a vendor to replace the component currently being used. 
     For example, a toner cartridge is installed in a laser printer to provide toner for the printing process. As documents are printed, the toner supply is gradually depleted. When the toner supply is completely exhausted, the printer cannot print any further documents until the toner cartridge is replaced. At this time, a replacement toner cartridge must be ordered from a toner cartridge vendor to replace the used toner cartridge. 
     A printer user has many toner cartridge vendors from which to choose when purchasing a toner cartridge to replace a depleted toner cartridge. Not only can the user purchase a toner cartridge from the printer manufacturer or an authorized reseller, but there are toner cartridges available from many vendors who remanufacture toner cartridges. Remanufacturing toner cartridges consists of taking a depleted toner cartridge and restoring it by replenishing the toner supply and replacing some deteriorated parts. 
     Because of the competitive nature of the market for toner cartridges, manufacturers, resellers and remanufacturers seek any opportunity to reach printer users with advertisements for their products and services. Many advertising avenues are used by vendors to advertise to potential customers. Vendors place advertisements in catalogues, magazines, trade journals, etc. Unfortunately, these advertising avenues only reach a small percentage of the target audience. In addition, the advertisements may be included with similar advertisements by competitors, which can diminish the effect of the advertisement. 
     Toner cartridges and other replaceable printer components can be manufactured with memory which can be placed on the cartridge itself or within a label affixed to the cartridge. This memory is typically used to store printer-related data that the printer reads to determine various printing parameters. For example, the memory may store the model number of the cartridge so that the printer may recognize the cartridge as valid or invalid for use with that printer. The present invention contemplates utilizing this memory to provide direct messaging to printer users. 
     SUMMARY 
     Toner cartridges and other replaceable printer components can be equipped with a memory. This memory can be utilized to provide direct messaging to a printer user which affords the manufacturer of the replaceable component an excellent opportunity to reach every customer directly and greatly increases the likelihood of retaining the customer&#39;s business. One-time messaging, however, is inflexible and provides only a single message which is delivered to the user at one given time. 
     The present invention contemplates a printing system that provides dynamic messaging to printing device users by storing user message data in memory located on a replaceable component that is installable into the printing device. Multiple user messages are displayed to the user based on the occurrence of predetermined and/or user-determined trigger events. 
     This memory may also be utilized by a vendor to store the vendor&#39;s telephone number or Universal Resource Locator (URL) so the vendor can be automatically contacted by the user. This is not only a convenience for the user, but it provides the vendor that sold the toner cartridge to the user with an excellent advantage over competitors in marketing subsequent toner cartridges to the user. 
     The present invention contemplates utilizing such memory to store user message data from which multiple user messages may be derived upon the occurrence of certain trigger events. The trigger events may be predefined events designated at the time of manufacture, or they may be designated at a later time by the user or a vendor. The user message data may comprise the complete electronic representation of the messages. Alternatively, the user message data may comprise message identifiers that identify various messages that are stored in memory external to the cartridge, such as in the printing device or at a website on the Internet. 
     For example, a first user message may be designed to be displayed to the user when the replaceable component is initially installed, and a second user message may be designed to be displayed to the user when the replaceable component is nearing the end of its functional life cycle. The actual messages may be contained the component memory or in a table in printer memory. A first message is stored on the component memory, or a first message identifier is stored on the component memory and corresponds to the first user message in memory external to the component. A second message is stored on the component memory, or a second message identifier is stored on the component memory and corresponds to the second user message in memory external to the component. 
     When the replaceable component is initially installed, a detector detects that installation as the trigger event for the first user message. The first user message is retrieved and is displayed to the user. When the second trigger event is detected, the second user message is retrieved and is displayed to the user. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like components and/or features. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a laser printer. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a laser printer toner cartridge. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printing system. 
     FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a dynamic messaging process utilizing memory in printer components. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram of a messaging process that stores user messages on component memory. 
     FIG. 6 is a diagram of a messaging process that stores user messages in memory external to the component. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a laser printer  30  in which the present invention may be implemented. The invention may further be implemented in other units that employ printing devices, such as scanners, photocopiers, facsimile machines, and the like. For purposes of discussion, the invention is described in the context of laser printers. 
     FIG. 2 shows a toner cartridge  32  that is installable in the laser printer  30 . The toner cartridge  32  has a label  34  that contains information identifying the toner cartridge  32  to a user. The label  34  typically recites the name of the manufacturer, the model number of the cartridge, etc. Although the invention is shown and described herein embodied as a printer toner cartridge for a laser printer, it is noted that the invention may be embodied as any replaceable component (toner cartridge, ink cartridge, fuser, drum, etc.) installable in a printing device (printer, copier, fax machine, etc.). 
     A memory tag  36  is located underneath the label  34  on the toner cartridge  32 , although the memory tag  36  may be placed on the toner cartridge  32  at any location which may be practical for the purposes described herein. The memory tag  36  is preferably a radio frequency identification (RFID) memory tag. RFID memory tags and applications therefor are well known in the art. Further aspects of the RFID memory tag  36  structure and its functionality in the present invention will become more clear as the discussion progresses. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of printing system  40  that includes the printer  30  which has the toner cartridge  32  installed therein, and which may be removed and replaced by another toner cartridge (not shown). The toner cartridge  32  includes the memory tag  36  and a toner supply  42 . 
     As previously stated, the memory tag  36  is an RFID memory tag, although it is noted that the memory tag  36  may be conventional semiconductor memory. The RFID memory tag  36  has component memory  44 , a processor  46 , and an antenna coil  48 . The component memory  44  has message data  50  stored therein comprising message identifiers  51 ,  51 ′. The format and function of the message data  50  will be described in further detail below. 
     The RFID memory tag  36  is designed to operate in conjunction with an interrogating device, also known as an interrogator. An interrogator is a device that provides power to, reads from and/or writes to the memory tag  36 . Examples of interrogators include a memory tag reader or scanner, a memory tag writing device which stores data on the memory tag  36 , and the like. In the present example, the laser printer  30  includes an interrogator  52 . 
     The interrogator  52  emits a radio frequency field that provides power to the memory tag  36  via the antenna coil  48 . The memory tag  36 , therefore, does not require its own power supply, a feature that adds to the cost efficiency and practicality of utilizing RFID memory for the memory tag  36 . 
     Communications between the interrogator  52  and the RFID memory tag  36  are transmitted and received via the radio frequency field and the antenna coil  48  utilizing standard RFID method and protocol, such as promulgated in ISO 14443 and ISO 15693. Therefore, physical contact between the memory tag  36  and the printer  30  is not required for the printer  30  to communicate with the memory tag  36 . 
     The toner cartridge  32  communicates with the printer  30 , which includes printer memory  54 . The printer memory  54  contains a message lookup table  56  that contains user messages  58 ,  58 ′ to be displayed to the printer user. As will be discussed in greater detail below, user messages  58 ,  58 ′ correspond to the message identifiers  51 ,  51 ′ comprising the message data  50 . 
     The printer  30  also comprises a display  60  and a printer processor  62 . A detector  64  is located in the printer  30  and is configured to detect the occurrence of multiple trigger events that occur with the printer  30 . The detector  64  is also configured to correlate a message identifier  51 ,  51 ′ with a trigger event. A trigger event may be predefined by the manufacturer, such as when the toner cartridge  32  is initially installed into the printer  30 . A trigger event may also be a user or vendor defined event, such as activation of a toner low signal for the toner cartridge  32 , or printing a certain number of pages from the toner cartridge  32 . 
     A trigger event may be any type of event detectable by the printer  30 . For example, trigger events may include: when a certain user uses the printer; when the printer user changes from one user to another; when certain print jobs are printed; specific times (e.g., twenty days after the toner cartridge  32  is installed); and a specific number of pages (e.g., 500 pages after the toner cartridge  32  is installed). 
     The printer  30  is connected to a computer  66  which comprises memory  68  and a display monitor  70 . A graphical user interface (GUI)  72  is displayed on the display monitor  70  to provide visual information to the user. The memory  68  of the computer  66  may contain the message lookup table  56 . 
     The computer  66  is connected to a vendor system  74  via a network  76 , such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the like. The vendor system  74  comprises memory  78 , which may contain the message lookup table  56 . 
     It is also noted that although the functional components of the printing system  40  are shown in specific locations, the functional components may be located on the printer  30 , the toner cartridge  32 , the computer  66 , or the vendor system  74  provided the functionality of the printing system  40  is preserved. 
     FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a dynamic messaging process utilizing the RFID memory tag  36  in the toner cartridge  32 . At step  100 , the detector  64  monitors the toner cartridge  32  for an occurrence of a first trigger event. For discussion purposes, the first trigger event will be when the toner cartridge  32  is initially installed in the printer  30 . 
     Step  100  shows that the printer cartridge  32  is continuously monitored by the detector  64  for an occurrence of the first trigger event, the installation of the toner cartridge  32 . As shown at step  102 , when the toner cartridge  32  installation is detected, the detector  64  is configured to retrieve the first user message  58  that corresponds to the first trigger event (step  104 ). This can be accomplished in different ways, which will be explained in detail below with reference to FIG.  5  and FIG.  6 . 
     Once the detector  64  has retrieved the first user message  58  in response to the first trigger event, the first user message  58  is displayed to the user on the display  60  of the printer  30  at step  106 . Alternatively, the first user message  58  may be passed to the computer  66  for display on the graphical user interface  72  of the display monitor  70 . 
     The detector  64  continues to monitor the printer cartridge  32  for an occurrence of the second trigger event, the activation of a toner low signal. As shown at step  108 , when the toner low signal is detected, the detector  64  is configured to retrieve the second user message  58 ′ that corresponds to the second trigger event (step  110 ). Again, this can be accomplished in different ways which will be explained in detail below. 
     Once the detector  64  has retrieved the second user message  58 ′ in response to the second trigger event, the second user message  58 ′ is displayed to the user on the display  60  of the printer  30  at step  112 . Alternatively, the second user message  58 ′ may be passed to the computer  66  for display on the graphical user interface  72  of the display monitor  70 . 
     As stated previously, there are different ways that the detector  64  may retrieve the user messages  58 ,  58 ′. FIG. 5 shows that one way to accomplish this is to store the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ as the message identifiers  51 ,  51 ′in the message data  50  of the component memory  44  as shown in FIG.  5 . This can be accomplished if the component memory  44  is of sufficient size to contain the complete electronic representations of the user messages  58 ,  58 ′. The detector  64  is configured to retrieve a message identifier  51  from a specific memory location upon the occurrence of the first trigger event. 
     The detector  64  is configured to detect a first trigger event (‘Installed Toner Cartridge,  300 ) when the toner cartridge  32  is installed into the printer  30 . When the detector  64  detects the installation, the detector  64  is configured to read message identifier  51  from the message data  50  of the component memory  44 . The message identifier  51  in this instance is the user message “Thank You For Purchasing Genuine Hewlett-Packard Products.” This message is then displayed to the user by any of the methods described above. 
     The detector  64  is also configured to detect a second trigger event (‘Toner Low Signal,  304 ). When the toner low signal is activated, the detector  64  is configured to read message identifier  51 ′ from the message data  50  of the component memory  44 . The message identifier  51 ′ is the user message “Toner Level Low—Please Contact Hewlett-Packard At 555-123-4567 To Order A New Toner Cartridge.” This message is then displayed to the user by any of the methods described above. 
     Since it is likely that the component memory  44  will not have the capacity to store more than one user message in its complete form, another way that the detector  64  can retrieve user messages  58 ,  58 ′ to display to the user is to store the actual user messages  58 ,  58 ′ in memory external to the toner cartridge  32 , as illustrated in FIG.  3 . In the present example, the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ are stored in the message lookup table  56  in the printer memory  54 . When the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ are stored external to the toner cartridge  32 , the message data  50  comprises message identifiers  51 ,  51 ′, which correspond to the user messages  58 ,  58 ′, respectively, in the message lookup table  56 . The detector  64  utilizes the contents of the message identifier  51  for the first trigger event to locate the user message  58  to be displayed in response to the first trigger event. 
     FIG. 6 depicts the configuration used in this example. The detector  64  is configured to detect the occurrence of the first trigger event, installation of the toner cartridge  32  into the printer  30 . When the toner cartridge  32  is installed  400 , the detector  64  is configured to read message identifier  51  from the message data  50  in the component memory  44 . Message identifier  51  points to an entry in the message lookup table  56  in the printer memory  54  that contains user message  58 . User message  58  is the message “Thank You For Purchasing Genuine Hewlett-Packard Products.” User message  58  is then displayed to the user via the printer display  60 , or the GUI  72  of the display monitor  70  of the computer  66 . 
     Similarly, the detector  64  is configured to detect the occurrence of the second trigger event, activation of the toner low signal. When the toner low signal is activated  402 , the detector  64  is configured to read message identifier  51 ′ from the message data  50  in the component memory  44 . Message identifier  51 ′ points to an entry in the message lookup table  56  in the printer memory  54  that contains user message  58 ′. User message  58 ′ is the message “Toner Level Low—Please Contact Hewlett-Packard At 555-123-4567 To Order A New Toner Cartridge.” User message  58 ′ is then displayed to the user via either of the methods described above. 
     It is noted that if the message lookup table  56  is contained in the memory  68  of the computer  66  connected to the printer  30 , the process is similar to that described above, except that the printer  30  must communicate with the computer to retrieve the user messages  58 ,  58 ′. 
     Similarly, if the message lookup table  56  is contained in the memory  78  of the vendor system  74 , the printer must communicate with the vendor system to access the user messages  58 ,  58 ′. As shown, the communication is made over a network such as the Internet. In this case, the printer must first establish contact with the vendor system  74  through the network, either independently or through the computer  66 . An advantage to maintaining the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ on the vendor system  74  is that the vendor may then maintain control over the content of the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ and the system is more flexible because the vendor has the control to alter the user messages  58 ,  58 ′ at any time. 
     Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention.