Patent ID: 7832819

Claim:
A system for controlling print speed of a phase change ink imaging device, the system comprising: a level sensor configured to generate a first signal indicating an open loop state in response to an ink volume in a print head reservoir being below a setpoint level and a second signal indicating a closed loop state in response to the ink volume being at or above the setpoint level; a pixel counter configured to measure an image density for at least a portion of a print job; and a controller in communication with the level sensor and the pixel counter, the controller being configured: to adjust print speed of the phase change ink imaging device from a first speed to a second speed in response to the first signal indicating an open loop state, the second speed corresponding to the image density and both the first speed and the second speed being greater than zero; to adjust the print speed to the first speed in response to the second signal indicating a closed loop state; and to damp transitions from the second speed to the first speed with reference to a rolling solid area coverage (SAC) average.