Method and apparatus for metering printer/copier usage

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 6052547
SERIAL NO

09178444

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Abstract

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The invention accurately meters usage of an electrophotographic printer/copier (EPC) by counting the number of pages that are ejected to an output bin of the EPC and incrementing a user charge value accordingly. Further, the invention determines a toner parameter value that is related to an amount of toner used on each page and bases the user charge value, at least in part, on such toner parameter value. The toner parameter value is preferably determined by counting a number of pixels that are imaged on a page. The invention further utilizes a non-volatile memory to maintain copies of usage total values, while concurrently storing such usage total values on a disk memory. If an attempt is made to substitute a different disk memory in the EPC, usage parameter values are updated thereon through use of values stored in the nonvolatile memory.

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Patent Owner(s)

  • HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.

International Classification(s)

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Cuzzo, Clint S Star, ID 7 119
Meade, II W K Eagle, ID 2 103

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