Patent ID: 6938984

Claim:
An inkjet printing system comprising: multiple premixed ink channels, wherein each premixed ink channel includes a first print head for receiving a premixed ink cartridge with a first machine-readable tag which identifies a color of the ink within the premixed ink cartridge, wherein each premixed ink channel is for printing ink on a target media; an ink cartridge sensor associated with each premixed ink channel for reading the first machine-readable means on the premixed ink cartridge associated with the premixed ink channel; an in situ mixed ink channel for receiving two or more premixed ink supply dispensers, wherein each premixed ink supply dispenser includes a second machine-readable tag which identifies the color of ink within the premixed ink supply dispenser, wherein the in situ mixed ink channel is for printing ink on a target media, the in situ mixed ink channel including: an ink supply dispenser sensor for each premixed ink supply dispenser received by the in situ mixed ink channel; a supply valve member for each premixed ink supply dispenser received by the in situ mixed ink channel, wherein each supply valve member is in fluidic communication with the associated premixed ink supply dispenser; a mixing reservoir in fluidic communication with all supply valve members; a pump motor in fluidic communication with the mixing reservoir; and a second print head in fluidic communication with the pump motor; a controller in communication with the print heads, the ink cartridge sensors, each ink supply dispenser sensor, each supply valve member, the mixing reservoir, the pump motor, and the second print head for controlling at least a portion of processing associated with printing operations within the inkjet printing system.