Print media level sensor and method for use in printing devices

摘要

A print media level sensor and method for determining a height of a stack of print media for use in printing devices are disclosed. An embodiment of a print media level sensor includes a print media stack follower configured to contact a top of a stack of print media and remain in contact with the top as a height of the stack changes. The print media stack follower also includes encoded data representative of a plurality of heights of the stack of print media. The print media level sensor additionally includes a decoder configured to read encoded data on the print media stack follower and output a signal representative of the encoded data. The print media stack follower may further include a computing device that receives the signal representative of the encoded data from the computing device and converts the signal representative of the encoded data into a signal representative of the stack height. An embodiment of a method includes tracking a height of a stack of print media via a print media stack follower and encoding data representing a plurality of different stack heights via the print media stack follower. The method additionally includes decoding the encoded data and generating a signal representative of the encoded data. The method may further include converting the signal representative of the encoded data into a signal representative of the height of the stack. Further characteristics and features of this apparatus and method are disclosed herein, as are exemplary alternative embodiments.