Setpoint registers to adjust firing pulses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260656-B2
Application number	US-201716763246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 15, 2017
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A fluidic die that includes at least one temperature sensor coupled to at least one zone of the fluidic die, a setpoint register to receive a target temperature setpoint for the fluidic die wherein a detected temperature presented by the at least one temperature sensor is compared to the target temperature setpoint using a comparator module to get a firing pulse adjustment value, and a firing pulse used to convey an amount of fluid within the die is adjusted using the firing pulse adjustment value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic die, comprising:
at least one temperature sensor coupled to at least one zone of the fluidic die;
a setpoint register to receive a target temperature setpoint for the fluidic die;
a comparator module to compare

a detected temperature presented by the at least one temperature sensor to the target temperature setpoint to get a firing pulse adjustment value; and
a pulse adjuster to adjust a firing pulse used to convey an amount of fluid within the die using the firing pulse adjustment value.

2. The fluidic die of claim 1 , further comprising an analog-to-digital convertor to which each of an output terminal of the at least one temperature sensor is electrically coupled.

3. The fluidic die of claim 2 , wherein the analog to digital converter converts an analog output of each of an output terminal of the at least one temperature sensor to a digital signal and provides the digital signal to the comparator module.

4. The fluidic die of claim 1 , further comprising a look up table maintained on a storage device to determine how a firing pulse is to be adjusted using the firing pulse adjustment value.

5. The fluidic die of claim 4 , wherein the target temperature setpoint is provided as a digital signal and the digital signal of each of an output terminal of the at least one temperature sensor are compared with the target temperature setpoint.

6. The fluidic die of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the firing pulse comprises trimming a portion of the firing pulse by ignoring a number of clock counts when the temperature of the zone is hotter than the target temperature setpoint.

7. The fluidic die of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the firing pulse comprises adding a number of clock counts to the firing pulse when the temperature of the zone is cooler than the target temperature setpoint.

8. A method for ejecting fluid, comprising:
loading a temperature setpoint value into a setpoint register on a fluidic die;
with a temperature sensor on the fluidic die, detecting a temperature value from at least one zone on the fluidic die;
comparing the temperature setpoint value with the temperature value to obtain a temperature difference value; and
adjusting, with a pulse adjuster on the fluidic die, a firing pulse sent to fluid ejection devices on the fluidic die based on the temperature difference value.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein an analog-to-digital converter converts an analog signal from the temperature sensor into a digital signal to be compared with the temperature setpoint value.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the firing pulse sent to the fluid ejection devices based on the difference value comprises implementing a look-up table to determine an amount the firing pulse is to be adjusted based on the temperature difference value.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the firing pulse sent to the fluid ejection devices based on the difference value comprises trimming a portion of the firing pulse by ignoring a number of clock counts when the temperature value is hotter than the temperature setpoint value.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the firing pulse sent to the fluid ejection devices based on the difference value comprises adding a number of clock counts to the firing pulse when the temperature value is cooler than the temperature setpoint value.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the fluidic die comprises multiple zones of fluid actuators;
the firing pulse is adjusted per zone; and
firing pulses for multiple zones are adjusted simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining the setpoint temperature value based on a type of fluid, materials of the die, and architecture of the die.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising passing a zone select signal to a zone to trigger detection of the temperature value from the at least one zone.

16. A fluid ejection die, comprising:
multiple zones of fluid ejection devices, each zone comprising at least one fluid actuator formed within a fluidic chamber;
at least one temperature sensor per zone of the fluid ejection die;
a setpoint register to receive a target temperature setpoint for the zone die;
a comparator module to compare a detected temperature presented by the at least one temperature sensor to the target temperature setpoint to get a firing pulse adjustment value for the zone; and
a pulse adjuster per zone to adjust a firing pulse used by the fluid actuator to convey an amount of fluid within the die using the firing pulse adjustment value.

17. The fluid ejection die of claim 16 , wherein the fluid actuator is a heating element.

18. The fluid ejection die of claim 16 , further comprising an analog-to-digital convertor to which each of an output terminal of the at least one temperature sensor is electrically coupled.

19. The fluidic die of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluidic die comprises multiple zones of fluid actuators; and
the firing pulse is adjusted per zone.

20. The fluidic ejection die of claim 16 , further comprising:
a setpoint register per zone;
a comparator per zone; and
an adjustment regulator per zone.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Gardner James Michael
• Anderson Daryl E
• Martin Eric

Classifications

• B41J2/04563

  detecting head temperature; Ink temperature · CPC title

• B41J2/0458 Primary

  controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/04591 Primary

  Width of the driving signal being adjusted · CPC title