Patent ID: 7604315

Claim:
A method of operating an ink jet apparatus to form an image on print media, said ink jet apparatus having a printhead with an initial printhead operating frequency and a supply of ink, comprising: receiving a print job for forming said image on said print media; determining the volume of said supply of ink; comparing said volume of said supply of ink to a predetermined level, said predetermined level being independent of a current operating temperature of said printhead; calculating a revised printhead operating frequency in response to the comparison; operating said printhead at said revised printhead operating frequency to form said image on said print media, wherein said revised printhead operating frequency is lower than said initial printhead operating frequency when said volume of said supply of ink is lower than said predetermined level; and storing said determination of said volume of said supply of ink in a memory when said volume of said supply of ink is lower than said predetermined level, wherein the storing step includes unalterably storing said determination of said volume of said supply of fink in said memory so that said determination of said volume of said supply of ink cannot be changed.