BACKGROUND:

[0001] Printing devices may form markings on print media through the application of printing fluids, such as containing colorants, pigments, dyes, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Various examples will be described below by referring to the following figures.

[0003] FIG. 1 is block diagram illustrating an example printing device;

FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating an example modular drying mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example printing device;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another example printing device;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer-readable medium; and FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example method of forming markings on print media.

[0004] Reference is made in the following detailed description to accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, wherein like numerals may designate like parts throughout that are corresponding and/or analogous. It will be appreciated that the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale, such as for simplicity and/or clarity of illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] Some printing devices use fluids to form markings on print media (or to enable formation thereof). For instance, two-dimensional inkjet printing devices may eject droplets of printing fluids onto a print medium (e.g., a sheet of paper) in order to form text, images, and/or objects on the print medium. Upon making contact with the print media, the fluids may cause an alteration of media characteristics. If the print media is paper-based, for instance, the fluids may weaken the bonds between fibers, may cause the fibers to swell, may lower sheet stiffness, may increase sheet-to-sheet friction, may yield media with a damp and cold feel, etc. Wet media may be more prone to mishandling within the media path (e.g., increased likelihood of jams) and reduced throughput (e.g., fewer pages per minute). Wet media may curl or cockle, may reduce output capacity, may negatively impact output stack quality, may hinder finishing of output stacks including, without limitation, stapling and folding, by way of example. Wet media may leave printing fluid residues on parts of the printing device, and the fluid residues may be picked up by subsequent print media and/or an end user. [0006] Some printing devices may include integrated drying and/or conditioning mechanisms (referred to both singly and in combination hereinafter as “drying mechanisms” for ease) to accelerate media drying and/or maintain media characteristics. Media calendering is an example form of conditioning, such as to reduce media cockle. However, integrated drying mechanisms may add cost, complexity, and increased power usage to a printing device and thus may not be desirable in some cases. For instance, a business may have a number of print devices and there may be a desire to assign particular tasks to the devices that are best suited for those tasks. In one example, for a printing device intended to provide large volumes of print jobs at a lower print quality and/or that include less printing fluid, an integrated drying mechanism may not be warranted. Of course, there may be other reasons for using a printing device without an integrated drying mechanism. For example, print jobs with lower printing fluid densities (e.g., text only) or print jobs for which there is no finishing (e.g., stapling or folding). On the other hand, an integrated drying mechanism may be desirable for a printing device to provide higher quality, printing fluid dense output, higher printing fluid density (e.g., graphics or photos), jobs using finishing, etc. Additionally, the presence of a drying mechanism may be desirable to increase printing device reliability, increasing output capacity, and improving output stack quality.

[0007] Nevertheless, needs may change over time and there may be a desire to modify functionality of a printing device based on those changes. For instance, there may be a desire to alter a printing device that was initially purchased for high volume, low density and/or quality printing to provide higher quality output with higher density of printing fluids, and/or to add finishing capabilities. Such changes may be costly (e.g., disposing of devices, purchasing new devices, etc.) and inconvenient (e.g., time investment learning to use new devices, etc.). There may be a desire, therefore, for a device capable of reducing adverse effects of fluid-based printing without adding unnecessary cost, complexity, and/or power usage.

[0008] The present description proposes a modular drying mechanism and firmware to enable switching between default and drying print modes, as desired by the user. For instance, a printing device without an integrated drying mechanism may be operated in a default mode in which printing fluids are applied to print media without drying or conditioning the print media. But with the addition of a modular drying mechanism, the printing device will alter its operation, for instance, selectively providing drying energy to print media. The drying mechanism may have contacts to enable the exchange of signals between the printing device and the drying mechanism (e.g., such as to enable detection of drying mechanism installation) and a computer-readable storage medium, such as to store information that may be provided to the printing device.

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates one example printing device 100 with a modular drying mechanism 104 In this example, modular drying mechanism 104 is arranged within a receptacle 102 of printing device 100 The receptacle may be entirely or partially within a housing of printing device 100 For instance, printing device 100 may include empty space between components into which modular drying mechanism 104 may be inserted. In another example, modular drying mechanism 104 may lie in a receptacle that is in part external to the housing of printing device 100 Receptacle 102 may include an existing space within the housing of printing device 100, or may include space created by swapping out other components. [0010] Modular drying mechanism 104 may be in the form of an integrated module to be inserted into a receptacle as a single part. Alternatively, modular drying mechanism 104 may include a number of different parts to be arranged in respective locations within the receptacle.

[0011] Modular drying mechanism 104 may include contact- and non-contact- based drying and conditioning mechanisms. Example mechanisms include, but are not limited to, heated air dryers (e.g., comprising a fan component, a heating element, a thermistor, ducting, etc.), infrared (IR) dryers, ultraviolet (UV) dryers, and heated pressure rollers and plates.

[0012] One example modular drying mechanism 104 may include both a heated air drying mechanism and a heated pressure roller. Conduits may be included to direct heated air towards desired drying zones (e.g., a pre-divert drying zone, a post-divert drying zone, an eject drying zone, a duplex drying zone, etc.). Additionally, air conduits may be included to lead heated or dried air back to modular drying mechanism 104, such as to enable air circulation. The heated pressure roller of modular drying mechanism 104 may be in electrical communication with the module and may be placed at selected locations along a media path (e.g., at or near an output). Signals may be received by modular drying mechanism 104 to enable operation of the drying mechanisms, such as the heated air drying mechanism and the heated pressure roller. For instance, in response to reception of a print job modular drying mechanism 104 may operate drying mechanisms to dry and condition print media.

[0013] The operation of modular drying mechanism 104 may be controlled in part by controller 106. Controller 106 refers to a processing mechanism comprising a combination of hardware and/or software (but not software per se) capable of receiving instructions, such as in the form of signals and states, and executing the received instructions to enable functionality of the controller and/or other components of the device (e.g., modular drying mechanism 104). Example controllers include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASiCs), and general-purpose processing units, by way of nonlimiting example.

[0014] in operation, controller 106 may detect insertion of modular drying mechanism 104 and may alter an operation of printing device 100 in response to the presence of modular drying mechanism 104. For instance, due to characteristics of a print job, drying may be selectively applied to print media. [0015] Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, an example printing device (e.g., printing device 100) may include a receptacle (e.g., receptacle 102) to receive a modular drying mechanism (e.g., modular drying mechanism 104), and a controller (e.g., controller 106). In response to reception of the modular drying mechanism in the receptacle, the controller is to cause formation of markings on media using a drying print mode. And in response to a determination that the modular drying mechanism is not installed, the controller is to cause formation of markings on media using a default print mode.

[0016] The controller of the example printing device may determine on a page- by-page basis operational characteristics of the modular drying mechanism based on parameters of a print job. For instance, the controller may determine that a first-page-out (FPO) time is be to as small as possible (e.g., a shortened FPO time), such as based on an indication of a shorted FPO time in print job parameters, and thus, printing is to be performed without the use of the modular drying mechanism (at least for the initial page). Additionally, printing fluid density may be determined to warrant concentrated drying on one print medium surface or one portion of a print medium surface. Thus, additional drying energy may be applied to the surface in question. Alternatively, in response to a determination of a lower printing fluid density, less drying energy may be applied to a surface of a print medium or a portion of a surface of a print medium. In one example, the controller may be capable of switching to a safe mode of operation upon determination of a failure of the modular drying mechanism. In one example, a safe mode of operation may include returning a printing device to a default mode of operation (e.g., operation without a modular drying mechanism). In another example, a safe mode of operation may include reducing performance characteristics and alerting end users to a need for servicing, such as to avoid damaging the device. The modular drying mechanism may include multiple drying units, such as including contact- and non-contact-based drying and/or conditioning mechanisms in different numbers (e.g., one contact-based drying mechanism and one non-contact-based drying mechanism, etc.).

[0018] The modular drying mechanism may use structural elements to enable the above-mentioned functionality. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, example modular drying mechanisms like modular drying mechanism 204 may include electrical contacts 208 and computer-readable media, such as computer- readable medium 210. It is noted that modular drying mechanism 204 may be similar in form and function to modular drying mechanism 104 of FIG. 1. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the following discussion of examples and implementations is not intended to teach or suggest that structure or function of particular implementations are to be construed as necessarily being present in other examples and implementations. For example, the implementation of modular drying mechanism 204 discussed with relation to FIG. 2 includes contacts 208 and computer-readable medium 210, which may not necessarily be present in every implementation of claimed subject matter. This distinction applies to other components that are discussed herein (e.g., printing device 100 of FIG. 1, printing device 300 of FIG. 3, and printing device 400 of FIG. 4 may share structural and functional similarities, but limitations of one example are not intended to be construed to be necessarily present in each example).

[0019] Returning to modular drying mechanism 204 of FIG. 2, contacts 208 include conductive elements to enable the exchange of signals and power between modular drying mechanism 204 and the printing device (e.g., printing device 100 of FIG. 1). For instance, contacts 208 may facilitate detection of modular drying mechanism 204 upon installation in the printing device. Contacts 208 may facilitate transmission of information regarding drying and conditioning functionality enabled by modular drying mechanism 204. Further, contacts 208 may facilitate transmission of signals from the controller (e.g., controller 106 of FIG. 1 ) to enable operation of modular drying mechanism 204 to provide contact- and non-contact-based drying energy to print media.

[0020] Computer-readable medium 210 may include different forms of volatile and non-volatile computer-readable media (but not transitory media). Example computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, resistive memory, magnetic memory, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and the like. Computer- readable medium 210 may include data stored thereon to enable identification of modular drying mechanism 204. It may also store data to enable an alteration in functionality of the printing device (e.g., enable printing in a drying print mode, identification of a type of drying module, etc.).

[0021] Thus, by way of example, a modular drying mechanism (e.g., modular drying mechanism 204) for installation within a receptacle of a printing device may include contacts (e.g., contacts 208) and a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., computer-readable medium 210). The contacts may enable exchange of signals between the printing device and the modular drying mechanism. And the computer-readable storage medium may enable storage of data to be used to enable printing by the printing device in a drying print mode.

[0022] To further illustrate operation of the modular drying mechanism discussed with relation to FIGS. 1 and 2 (e.g., modular drying mechanism 104 and 204, respectively), FIG. 3 illustrates an example printing device 300 including a power supply 312, a printing fluid reservoir and delivery system 314 (also referred to herein as an IDS), an ejection device 316, and a media path 318. [0023] Power supply 312 may provide power to printing device 300 to enable operation (e.g., forming markings on print media, drying print media using a modular drying mechanism, etc.). At times, power supply 312 may be selected to provide enough power for default print operations, but may be insufficient to provide power for operation of a drying mechanism. There may be a desire, therefore, for a power supply capable of providing power to a modular drying mechanism. On the other hand, such a power supply may be costly and unnecessary for other use cases.

[0024] IDS 314 may include reservoirs for storage of printing fluids, fluid conduits for delivery of printing fluids to ejection device 316, valves, pumps, and like components. In some cases, such as for high volume, low printing fluid density print jobs, there may be a desire to provide large reservoirs of printing fluids. However, storage of large volumes of printing fluids may present challenges, such as solid separation of printing fluids. While mechanisms may exist to maintain solid suspension (e.g., stirrers for periodic stirring), they may add cost and/or complexity to the device. They may also introduce potential failure points into the system (e.g., gaskets sealing a portion of stirrers within the reservoirs may fail and printing fluids may escape).

[0025] As shall be discussed in greater detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4, there may be structures and methods to respond to the above-referenced concerns with regards to power supply 312 and IDS 314.

[0026] Ejection device 316 refers to a device capable of ejecting droplets of printing fluid onto print media that passes in a print zone 328. For example, ejection device 316 may include an inkjet printhead and may be capable, in some implementations, of moving between an ejection and a service position.

[0027] Media may be conveyed to print zone 328 via media path 318, which may include a number of sub-portions. For instance, media path 318 may include an input path 324, a duplex path 322, and an eject path 326. Arrows have been included in FIG. 3 to illustrate a direction of conveyance of print media at different portions of media path 318. For instance, at input path 324 media engages the path and travels in an upwards motion. A number of guides and rollers assist in conveying media to a desired location in media path 318 and to avoid media handling errors (e.g., jams). Two example rollers are highlighted, as roller 330a and roller 330b (a star roller). The guides and rollers may be selected based on need. For instance, rollers in a star roller form may be desirable for contact with a wet surface of print media, such as to avoid smearing print fluid with so! id -type rollers. After leaving input path 324, media is conveyed towards print zone 328 as indicated by the arrows. A divert 320 is illustrated schematically as a junction in media path 318. Divert 320 may include a component, such as a paddle or flapper to direct media along a desired portion of media path 318. For instance, after leaving print zone 328, media is directed upwards past divert 320 and towards eject path 326. However, if the print job is a duplex job (e.g., forming markings on both surface of the print media), after the trailing edge of the medium passes divert 320, the rollers may convey the medium in an opposite direction (e.g., duplex direction), as indicated by arrow 332. Divert 320 may move into a duplex position such that media returning towards it will be directed onto duplex path 322 and conveyed back to print zone 328. Once the trailing edge of a medium passes divert 320 and engages duplex path 322, divert 320 returns to a default position such that after leaving print zone 328 a second time, the medium will be directed out via eject path 326.

[0028] It is noted that at a variety of locations upon media path 318, drying energy may be applied to print media. For instance, in a pre-divert drying zone (e.g., after print zone 328 and prior to divert 320) drying energy may be applied to accelerate drying immediately after application of printing fluids. In a post-divert drying zone (e.g., after divert 320 but before engaging eject path 326) further drying energy may be applied. The increased length of the post-divert drying zone may be beneficial, such as to enable application of increased amounts of drying energy. Furthermore, additional drying energy may be applied in an eject drying zone (e.g., after the post-divert drying zone and corresponding to eject path 326). In some cases, contact-based drying, such as via heated pressure rollers may be beneficial in the eject drying zone. Drying energy may also be applied in a duplex drying zone (e.g., corresponding to duplex path 322).

[0029] As noted, power supply 312 and IDS 314 may present certain challenges. FIG. 4 illustrates in implementation of a printing device that proposes an approach to those challenges that also creates space within the printing device for a modular drying mechanism. Turning to FIG. 4, power supply 412a, IDS 414, ejection device 416, and media path 418 of printing device 400 may be similar in structure and function to previously presented components (e.g., power supply 312, IDS 314, ejection device 316, and media path 318 of FIG. 3, etc.). Nevertheless, it will be noted that IDS 414 is considerably smaller as compared with IDS 314 of FIG. 3. In one implementation, IDS 414 may be a modular component that can be switched out in favor of a larger IDS (e.g., IDS 314) and vice versa. Such flexibility may be desirable, such as to overcome challenges presented by use cases of certain devices and potentially uncertainty as to eventual use of a printing device at a time of purchase. For instance, there may be a desire to alter a printing device that was purchased to function as a high volume, low quality or low density printing device to a device may print lower volumes but may do so at a higher quality (e.g., increased printing fluid density being deposited on print media, etc.). In such cases, a larger IDS (e.g., IDS 314 of FIG. 3) may be swapped out for a smaller IDS (e.g., IDS 414 of FIG. 4). Such a change may make room within the printing device (e.g., printing device 400) for a modular drying mechanism (e.g., modular drying mechanism 404). Said otherwise, a receptacle may be formed for a modular drying mechanism by altering a type, size, and/or arrangement of other components. It is noted that the example of replacing one IDS for another may be performed for other reasons beyond merely changes to use cases. Indeed, it is a tradeoff that may be made for a number of possible reasons and the foregoing description is merely intended to be illustrative of one possibility, without limitation.

[0030] As noted above, the power supply of the printing device may be insufficient to power both normal printing operations and drying and conditioning operations. In such cases, the modular drying mechanism (e.g., modular drying mechanism 404) may include a power supply 412b. Alternatively, the power supply itself may be swapped for a more powerful model. For instance, in one example, the power supply may be modular in nature, and it may be possible to swap it for another component with sufficient power output to power both printing and drying operation. As such, in one example, a hybrid power supply made up of multiple power supplies, such as is shown in FIG. 4 with power supply 412a and power supply 412b, may power both print and drying operations. In other examples, power supply 412b of modular drying mechanism 404 may be sufficient to power both print and drying operations. And in another example, the power supply may be swapped for a different one capable of powering both print and drying functionality.

[0031] Modular drying mechanism 404 may include a number of drying mechanisms in the form of both contact- and non-contact-based drying. The drying mechanisms may provide drying energy to selected drying zones of printing device 400. For instance, the illustration of printing device 400 includes arrows with dotted lines pointing from modular drying mechanism 404 towards drying zones of media path 418. In one implementation, drying energy may be transmitted towards selected drying zones based on parameters of a print job. Modular drying mechanism 404 also includes contact-based drying mechanisms in the form of pressure roller pinches 434a and 434b, placed at or in proximity to an eject path. Such an arrangement may be beneficial to facilitate conditioning of wet print media. Pressure roller pinches 434a and 434b may be in electrical communication with modular drying mechanism 404, such as to receive signals indicative of drying or conditioning. Pressure rollers pinches434a and 434b may also be moveable, such as to be able to move into contact with print media and stow out of the way of print media in response to signals received from modular drying mechanism 404 or the controller of printing device 400.

[0032] In some implementations, it may be advantageous to arrange modular drying mechanism 404 in proximity to output tray 438. For example, some printing devices, such as printing device 400, may have space for a receptacle beneath the output tray. In fact, the receptacle to receive modular drying mechanism may share a housing wall with output tray 438. In one example, an air intake may be arranged in the shared housing wall of output tray 438. The air intake may hold sheets down against the shared housing wall surface. In another example, air may be directed from modular drying mechanism 404 to direct or push media within output tray 438.

[0033] Operation of printing device 400 is explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 illustrates an example computer-readable medium 536 of printing device 400 and includes a number of boxes illustrative of possible instructions stored thereon (e.g., instructions 502-520). Computer-readable medium 536 may take the form of volatile or non-volatile memory, similar to computer-readable medium 210 of FIG. 2, discussed above. The instructions are to be implemented by the controller of printing device 400 (e.g., controller 106 in FIG. 1). FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating sample operation of printing device 400, illustrated as an example method 600. It is to be understood that these examples of operation are not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0034] In operation, for instance, printing device 400 may receive a print job, such as in the form of signal packets received from an external device, as illustrated by block 605 of example method 600. If it is determined that modular drying mechanism 404 is present within printing device 400, then different print modes may be used, as illustrated by block 610 of method 600 (e.g., different print modes may be used in response to reception of modular drying mechanism 404). In FIG. 5, instruction block 502 represents possible instructions to enable printing device 400 to detect modular drying mechanism 404.

[0035] Block 615 of method 600 illustrates a case in which modular drying mechanism 404 is not installed (or not functioning) and markings are to be formed without providing drying energy. On the other hand, a drying print mode may be usable if it is determined that modular drying mechanism 404 is present. Detection of modular drying mechanism 404 may also trigger behavior alterations of printing device 400, such as having printing device 400 present a different service menu, present different print options (e.g., increased throughput), different print modes, finishing options, etc. Instruction block 520 of FIG. 5 represents instructions that may enable such altered behavior, an altered service menu in this case.

[0036] instruction block 510 of FIG. 5 illustrates sample instructions for switching between different print modes. This instruction block corresponds to instructions that may be used to switch printing device 400 to a drying print mode, such as may be done at block 610 of method 600, discussed above. However, these instructions may also enable switching between different forms of drying print modes. For instance, while in a default print mode no drying energy may be provided to print media. In contrast, in a print mode favoring FPO, drying energy may not be applied for a first page of a print job, as opposed to waiting for modular drying mechanism 404 to reach desired operational ranges (e.g., desired heat levels of a heating element). By way of example, instruction block 518 represents instructions to cause printing device 400 to operate so as to yield a shorted FPO. In a standard drying mode, drying energy may be applied in a default configuration. In a duplex drying mode, drying energy may be applied to a duplex drying zone and drying energy to a post-divert drying may be selectively turned on and off to avoid over drying. Etc.

[0037] At block 620 of method 600, parameters of a print job are identified. Such identification may be enabled by execution of instructions, such as those illustrated by instruction block 504 of FIG. 5. Example parameters include, but are not limited to, whether a print job is to be performed in a simplex (e.g., single- sided) or duplex (e.g., double-sided) mode, whether a print job is mono (e.g., black and white) or color, whether a print job is in a high quality mode or a lower quality mode (e.g., a draft mode), whether there are regions of the print job that have density levels above a threshold (e.g., whether corresponding printing fluid density levels also will exceed a threshold), etc. Such parameters may be useful for enabling printing device 400 to provide drying energy to print media.

[0038] in response to the identified parameters, appropriate operational characteristics of printing device 400 may be determined, such as illustrated by block 625 of method 6. Such determination may be enabled by execution of instructions, such as those illustrated by instruction block 506 in FIG. 5. Example characteristics may include print throughput speed, amounts of drying energy to be applied to surfaces of print media, forms of drying energy to apply, and drying zones within media path 418 at which drying energy is to be applied, by way of non-limiting example. Such determinations of operational characteristics may be made on a page-by-page basis, as illustrated by instruction block 508 of FIG. 5. For instance, increased levels of drying energy may be applied to selected, pages, surfaces, portions of surfaces, etc. of print media. Instruction block 514 of FIG. 5 represents instructions to cause drying energy to be concentrated on a particular page, surface, portion of surface, etc. of print media.

[0039] Block 630 of example method 600 illustrates formation of markings, similar to block 615. However, operation of the printing device (e.g., printing device 400) may nevertheless differ in response to the presence of a modular drying mechanism (e.g., modular drying mechanism 404), such as, for example, using a higher quality print mode (e.g., application of greater densities of printing fluids, etc.). For example, a print medium may be picked and enter media path 418 to be advanced towards a print zone. After application of printing fluids, drying energy may be applied by modular drying mechanism 404, such as in the form of non-contact-based drying energy (e.g., heated and/or dried air), in one example, heated air may be sent to a pre-divert drying zone, a post-divert drying zone, a duplex drying zone, and/or an eject drying zone based on parameters of a print job. instruction block 512 of FIG. 5 represents a set of instructions to enable such selective application of drying energy. Additionally, contact-based drying energy may be applied, such as in the form of a heated pressure roller, as illustrated by pressure roller pinches 434a and 434b in FIG. 4. Instruction block 516 of FIG. 5 represents a set of instructions to enable such application of drying energy using heated pressure rollers. And the application of drying energy is represented in method 600 of FIG. 6 by block 635. After application of drying energy, print media may be stacked in output tray 438, such as for retrieval by a user or finishing operations (e.g., stapling or folding).

[0040] With the foregoing in mind, an example printing device (e.g., printing device 400) may include a liquid ejecting printing engine (e.g., ejection device 416), a controller, and a media path for conveyance of print media from an input tray to an output tray (e.g., media path 418). The media path may include a plurality of drying zones along the media path (e.g., a pre-divert drying zone, a post-divert drying zone, a duplex drying zone, and/or an eject drying zone, as discussed with relation to FIG. 3) at which drying energy is to be received from the modular drying mechanism (see, e.g., FIG. 4). The modular drying mechanism may include a non-contact drying mechanism (e.g., heater and blower fan) to provide drying energy along the media path of the printing device between a print zone and an output of the media path (e.g., the aforementioned zones). The modular drying mechanism may include a heated pressure roller (HPR) (e.g., pressure roller pinch 434a), and the HPR may be arranged to be in proximity to an output of a media path of the printing device. The controller may alter print functionality of the printing device in response to detection of the modular drying mechanism (e.g., as discussed above in relation to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6).

[0041] As described, there may be a desire for certain design arrangements. For instance, the receptacle may share a housing wall with a surface of the output tray (e.g., output tray 438). By way of further exampie, the modular drying mechanism may include a power supply (e.g., power supply 412b) to provide power to both the modular drying mechanism and the printing device, and the power supply may be arranged beneath the output tray. In one implementation, the power supply may comprise a single power source arranged in the modular drying mechanism. For example, the power supply of the modular drying mechanism may provide power for operation of both the modular drying mechanism and also for operation of the printing device. In an alternative implementation, the controller may selectively receive power from a power supply of the modular drying mechanism or power from a power supply of the printing device.

[0042] As described, above, a modular drying mechanism may be desirable for a printing device, such as to enable selective application of drying energy to print media. The printing device may be capable of detecting the presence of the modular drying mechanism and altering behavior of the printing device in response to such detection. And drying energy may be applied on a page-by- page basis, such as based on parameters of a print job. [0043] In the preceding description, various aspects of claimed subject matter have been described. For purposes of explanation, specifics, such as amounts, systems and/or configurations, as examples, were set forth. In other instances, well-known features were omitted and/or simplified so as not to obscure claimed subject matter. While certain features have been illustrated and/or described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and/or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications and/or changes as fall within claimed subject matter.