Appeal No. 2001-1773
Application No. 08/732,864 Page 10
cause a variation in print quality to be avoided (col. 6, lines
41-45). Bullock further discloses (col. 6, line 56 through col.
7, line 3) that if alteration to parameters or modification of an
algorithm is required as a result of an engineering change, the
revised parmeters can be inserted into memory chip 76 upon
manufacture of ink cartridge 60, achieving an udating of the
printer without special efforts to distribute modified printer
drivers. The parameter date contained in the memory chip 76 may
include the actual count of drops emitted from the cartridge,
drop count from the print head, cartridge usage information, etc.
(col. 7, lines 4-11). From the data inputted, microprocessor 86
calculates an estimate of remaining ink in the cartridge 60 (col.
7, lines 14 and 15). Before starting a print job, the printer
will read the supply size from the ink cartridge and compare the
read parameters with an estimate of the amount of ink consumed
(col. 7, lines 34-36). The first time a cartridge is used, the
printer will have to assume a conservative (large) value for the
drop volume (col. 7, lines 37-40). When the supply is actually
empty, the printer recalculates the drop volume. In this way,
the printer "learns" and becomes more accurate at drop counting
(col. 7, lines 44-47). As printing progresses, microprocessor 86
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