Systems for configuring settings of an electronic device for customization thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9740161-B2
Application number	US-201615344654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A system for customizing settings of an electronic device includes a replaceable component having an optical member for receiving optical energy. The optical member has an optical characteristic for modifying an amount of the optical energy that leaves the optical member relative to an amount of the optical energy received by the optical member. A support is located on an outer casing of the electronic device and the replaceable component is mountable on the support. The system further includes an optical sensor including a detector positioned to receive the amount of the optical energy leaving the optical member when the replaceable component is mounted on the support. A controller determines one or more predetermined settings to be applied to the electronic device based at least upon the amount of the optical energy received by the detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for customizing settings of an electronic device, the system comprising:
a replaceable component having an optical member for receiving optical energy, the optical member having an optical characteristic that reduces an amount of the optical energy that leaves the optical member to a fraction of an amount of the optical energy received by the optical member;
a support located on an outer casing of the electronic device, the replaceable component removably mountable on the support, the optical member positioned immobile relative to the support when the replaceable component is mounted on the support;
an optical sensor including a detector positioned to receive the amount of the optical energy leaving the optical member when the replaceable component is mounted on the support; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the optical sensor and operative to determine one or more predetermined settings to be applied to the electronic device based at least upon the fraction of the optical energy received by the detector relative to the amount of the optical energy received by the optical member,
wherein the optical member includes a reflective member composed of a reflective material that reflects a fraction of the optical energy received by the optical member, the fraction of the optical energy reflected by the reflective material indicating the one or more predetermined settings.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor includes an emitter positioned to emit optical energy towards the optical member.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the replaceable component includes a nameplate of the electronic device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising memory having stored therein a plurality of possible configuration settings for the electronic device, wherein the controller determines the one or more predetermined settings from the plurality of possible configuration settings stored in the memory.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the replaceable component includes a frame having an aperture, the optical member being insertable into the aperture.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support includes a slot through which the optical member is inserted when the replaceable component is mounted on the support, the optical sensor being positioned adjacent to the slot to detect the optical characteristic of the optical member.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical member is formed as a unitary piece with the replaceable component.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optical member is detachably attached to the replaceable component.

9. An image forming device, comprising:
a replaceable component having a reflective region composed of a reflective material that reflects a fraction of optical energy received by the reflective region modifying an amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to an amount of optical energy received by the reflective region;
an optical sensor positioned to detect the amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region when the replaceable component is installed on the image forming device;
memory having stored therein a plurality of reflectivity values associated with a plurality of possible configuration settings for the image forming device; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the optical sensor and the memory, the controller operative to compare the detected amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to the amount of optical energy received by the reflective region to the stored plurality of reflectivity values to determine configuration settings corresponding to the detected amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to the amount of optical energy received by the reflective region, and to configure the image forming device based upon the determined configuration settings.

10. The image forming device of claim 9 , wherein the replaceable component forms part of an outer casing of the image forming device.

11. The image forming device of claim 9 , wherein the replaceable component includes a nameplate of the image forming device.

12. The image forming device of claim 9 , further comprising a housing having a support on which the replaceable component is mountable, the support having a slot through which the reflective region is insertable and the optical sensor being positioned adjacent to the slot such that reflective region moves into an optical path of the optical sensor when the replaceable component is mounted on the support.

13. The image forming device of claim 12 , further comprising a second replaceable component attachable to the housing, the second replaceable component having a second reflective region that is composed of a second reflective material that reflects a fraction of optical energy received by the second reflective region and that is positioned in the optical path of the optical sensor when the second replaceable component is attached to the housing, wherein the controller determines configuration settings corresponding to a detected amount of optical energy that leaves the second reflective region relative to the amount of optical energy received by the second reflective region.

14. The image forming device of claim 9 , wherein the reflective region is detachably attached to the replaceable component.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
a replaceable component having a reflective region composed of a reflective material that reflects a fraction of optical energy received by the reflective region modifying an amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to an amount of optical energy received by the reflective region;
an optical sensor positioned to detect the amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region when the replaceable component is installed on the electronic device;
memory having stored therein a plurality of reflectivity values associated with a plurality of possible configuration settings for the electronic device; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the optical sensor and the memory, the controller operative to compare the detected amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to the amount of optical energy received by the reflective region to the stored plurality of reflectivity values to determine configuration settings corresponding to the detected amount of optical energy that leaves the reflective region relative to the amount of optical energy received by the reflective region, and to configure the electronic device based upon the determined configuration settings.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the replaceable component forms part of an outer casing of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising a housing having a support on which the replaceable component is mountable, the support having a slot through which the reflective region is insertable and the optical sensor being positioned adjacent to the slot such that reflective region moves into an optical path of the optical sensor when the replaceable component is mounted on the support.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the reflective region is detachably attached to the replaceable component.

Assignees

• Lexmark Int Inc

Inventors

• Anderson John Douglas
• Nelson Christopher Michael
• Owens Brian Keith
• Wiedemann Adam Randal

Classifications

• G03G21/1619 Primary

  Frame structures · CPC title

• G03G21/1878

  Electronically readable memory · CPC title

• G03G15/5062

  by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material · CPC title

• G03G15/5066 Primary

  by using information from an external support, e.g. magnetic card · CPC title

• G03G15/55

  Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display · CPC title