Communication Between an Image Forming Device and a Replaceable Supply Item

Abstract

A method of processing commands from a controller of an image forming device by a chip on supply item in the image forming device is described. A toner container installable in an image forming device having a controller according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A chip is positioned on the housing and configured to receive a first write command from the controller of the image forming device. The chip is further configured to determine whether a transmission cycle bit of the first write command matches a transmission cycle bit of a second write command received by the chip from the controller of the image forming device previous to the first write command. The chip is further configured to resend to the controller of the image forming device a response to the second write command if the transmission cycle bit of the first write command matches the transmission cycle bit of the second write command.

1 . A method of processing commands from a controller of an image forming device by a chip on a replaceable supply item installed in the image forming device, comprising:
 receiving a write command by the chip on the replaceable supply item from the controller of the image forming device;   determining by the chip on the replaceable supply item whether a transmission cycle bit of the received write command matches a transmission cycle bit of a preceding write command received by the chip on the replaceable supply item from the controller of the image forming device; and   if the transmission cycle bit of the received write command matches the transmission cycle bit of the preceding write command, resending by the chip on the replaceable supply item to the controller of the image forming device a response to the preceding write command upon receiving by the chip on the replaceable supply item a read command from the controller of the image forming device corresponding to the received write command.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising if the transmission cycle bit of the received write command does not match the transmission cycle bit of the preceding write command, executing by the chip on the replaceable supply item the received write command and sending by the chip on the replaceable supply item to the controller of the image forming device a response to the received write command upon receiving by the chip on the replaceable supply item the read command from the controller of the image forming device corresponding to the received write command. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if the transmission cycle bit of the received write command matches the transmission cycle bit of the preceding write command, determining by the chip on the replaceable supply item whether a command ID of the received write command matches a command ID of the preceding write command; and   if the command ID of the received write command matches the command ID of the preceding write command, performing said resending by the chip on the replaceable supply item to the controller of the image forming device the response to the preceding write command upon receiving by the chip on the replaceable supply item the read command from the controller of the image forming device corresponding to the received write command.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising if the command ID of the received write command does not match the command ID of the preceding write command, sending by the chip on the replaceable supply item an error message to the controller of the image forming device upon receiving by the chip on the replaceable supply item the read command from the controller of the image forming device corresponding to the received write command. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining by the chip on the replaceable supply item whether the command ID of the received write command matches the command ID of the preceding write command includes determining by the chip on the replaceable supply item whether the command ID of the received write command indicates that the received write command is a request from the controller of the image forming device for the chip on the replaceable supply item to send a response to a most recent write command received by the chip on the replaceable supply item from the controller of the image forming device prior to the chip on the replaceable supply item indicating a busy condition to the controller of the image forming device.