Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing image data representing plural colors for output to a color display device such as a printer or soft display. A block of digital image data signals is generated representing rasterized image data of at least two colors. The block of digital image data is compressed and stored in a compressed form. The compressed image data is then expanded losslessly and output to a color display device.

Abstract: A non-impact recording apparatus and method is described for recording pixels on a recording medium by recording sub-pixel recording portions of the pixel represented by a multibit recording data signal having a most significant data bit and a least significant data bit in a series of consecutive subline recording intervals. The apparatus includes one or more recording elements that are drivable by driver currents to generate recordable output signals such as light or ink droplets or heat. A driver provides driver currents to each recording element during plural subline recording intervals to record the pixel. One driver current is provided during one subline interval for one duration that is different than a second driver current that is provided during a second subline interval for a second duration.

Abstract: In a copier/printer, production of signatures with high productivity is provided by storing in a job image buffer (JIB) image data in compressed form representing multiple pages of an original image to be reproduced as signatures. When a signature page is to be printed, the image data for one of two pages to be printed as a signature is output from the JIB by expanding the image data from compressed form to a rasterized form. The rasterized data is then output to a secondary buffer memory (SBM). There is subsequently output to the SBM from the JIB rasterized data of a second of the two pages to be combined into a signature. The two pages in the SBM are assembled to form an assembled data set of image data from the two pages. There is then output to a writer rasterized lines of image data representing data from the assembled data set wherein a rasterized line includes image data from the two pages of the original image.

Abstract: Unexpectedly good transfer of electrophotographically-produced images using small toner particles occurs when the image is developed on an electrostatographic recording member, preferably an organic photoconductive element, which has been overcoated with a thin (about 10 nm to about 10 .mu.m thick) layer of a material having a Young's modulus greater than 10 GPa and preferably greater than about 100 GPa. The image is then transferred to an intermediate member which is comprised of an elastomeric blanket between about 0.1 and about 3 cm thick, having a Young's modulus between about 0.5 MPa and about 50 MPa, and preferably between about 1 and about 10 MPa, and having an electrical resistivity between about 10.sup.6 ohm-cm and about 10.sup.12 ohm-cm, by applying an appropriate electrostatic potential between the transfer intermediate member and the photoconductive element.

Abstract: A corona charger in an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus includes a coronode and a power supply applying a voltage to the coronode. A detector detects pre-arc noise in the operation of the coronode and issues a signal that is used to adjust operation of the power supply to avoid arcing and/or to indicate a malfunction condition.

Abstract: A resampling application specific integrated circuit (RSA) supports image interpolation or decimation by any arbitrary factor in order to provide flexibility, and utilizes a neighborhood of up to 9.times.9 pixels to produce image data of high quality. The RSA contains a separate vertical and horizontal filter units for vertical resizing and horizontal resizing operations, vertical and horizontal position accumulator units, a configuration register unit for loading the vertical and horizontal position accumulator units, and a memory management unit to interface the RSA to external memory banks. The vertical and horizontal filter units contain nine multipliers and nine corresponding coefficient memories, with each memory preferably containing storage space for thirty-two coefficients. The coefficients are addressed on a pixel by pixel basis in response to the outputs of the vertical and horizontal position accumulator units.

Abstract: In an LED printhead or the like, a plurality of LED arrays are arranged in a row. Opposite the LED arrays are driver IC chips providing current in respective current driving channels to respective LEDS. Current to an LED for recording of a pixel will be provided for say a duration related to a multibit image data signal. A data bus is provided for carrying the data signals. The data signals are latched in respective data registers associated with each current driving channel. A token bit shift register is provided for identifying a respective data register for latching of the multibit image data signal presently on the data bus. A direction of shifting of the token bit is determined through automatic self-sensing of the token bit itself as the token bit is moved from a boundary scan register that forms a part of a boundary scan test architecture.

Abstract: A copier apparatus and method includes a scanning station for electronically scanning a set of document sheets to be copied as a copy job. The scanning station includes a platen or glass for supporting a document sheet scanned in a first mode wherein the document sheet is manually positioned on the platen by an operator and the scanning station operates in a second mode wherein document sheets are automatically fed to the station by a feeder. An operator control panel includes a display for indicating options for selection by an operator. These options include selection for scanning of a document sheet from the set in the first mode or the second mode. Another option available allows the operator to identify that all document sheets of the set are scanned for this copy job. A controller is responsive to signals generated pursuant to selections for actuating the scanning station to scan document sheets from the set in the first and second modes.

Abstract: A toner image having two or more levels of toner density is transferred to a receiving surface more efficiently by erasing voltage associated with the higher density portions of the image member to a different extent than voltage is erased in the lower density portions of the image member.

Abstract: An image forming method which forms a two color toner image or an image made up of two types of toners of the same color includes forming a first image with discharged area development (DAD) and a second image with charged area development (CAD). Resolution and sharpness of the first toner image is improved if the second toner image is formed by imagewise exposing a photoconductive member through a transparent base. Scavenging of the first toner image by the development of the second toner image and other aspects of the method are improved by use of a rotating magnetic core to drive a developer containing hard magnetic carrier in a soft brush through contact with the electrostatic image.

Abstract: A linear printhead is aligned across the direction of motion of a belt or web image member. The printhead is coupled to a roller supporting the belt which is castered about a caster axis. The castering of the roller causes it to align itself across the direction of motion of the image member. The printhead is responsive to this alignment of the roller for its own alignment.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optically reproducing information from an original document sheet together with electronically written additional information that may be either constant in content for all copies or may vary in content from copy to copy. Electrophotographic reproduction apparatus includes data entry apparatus for reading in the sets of variable information data items defining the electronically written information and is operable to format a template of one or more patches defining a minimal template area in which the variable information may be electronically reproduced onto the document without unnecessarily obscuring the optically reproduced information. Optionally, the template may be displayed to the operator who may format the size, style and font of alphanumeric and symbolic information in order to achieve a desired appearance on the composite copy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of producing images includes a primary charger for depositing a primary electrostatic charge on an electrostatographic recording member. A first electrometer measures or senses the primary electrostatic charge. A light source such as an EL panel is enabled to reduce the level of the primary electrostatic charge to provide a reduced voltage level suited for recording on the image frame. The reduced voltage level on the image frame is imagewise modulated to form an electrostatic image. The electrostatic image is then developed with toner. The output of the EL panel is adjusted in response to a first factor related to a measured value of the level of the primary electrostatic charge and a set point value for the level of the reduced voltage level and a second factor related to error in the level of the reduced voltage level from the set point value for the reduced voltage level.

Abstract: A non-impact printer apparatus includes a printhead having a plurality of recording elements. Nonuniformities in emission characteristics of the recording elements are corrected using look-up tables (LUT) assemblages that include a first LUT wherein the recording elements are binned in accordance with bin values associated with their emission characteristics and a second LUT wherein bin values, output from the first LUT are used to address various tables providing exposure correction. The first and second LUTs are advantageously dual port RAM devices that allow operation during printing while simultaneously allowing loading of data into the tables for use for subsequent printing. Thus, process conditions may be continually monitored and correction data updated without delaying of current printing which may occur using correction data already stored in the LUT assemblages.

Abstract: An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method includes recording of electrostatic images and a patch area on an endless imaging member. The recording is operative in accordance with adjustable parameters to adjust density of the patch area. A development station is operative in accordance with another parameter for adjusting density of the images and the patch area. A sensor senses density of a toned patch area and generates a first signal representing density of the toned patch area. A transfer station transfers images on the image member to a transfer medium. A cleaning station located downstream of the sensor and the transfer station cleans remnant toner and the patch area on the imaging member. The cleaning station is adjustable to alter cleaning performance.

Abstract: An electrographic primary imaging member upon which an electrographic image may be written includes a support member; a charge retention layer for the electrographic image; a compliant layer being formed on the support member as an intermediate layer between the charge retention layer and the support member, the compliant layer being formed of a material having a Young's modulus of between about 0.1 MPa and about 100 MPa and a thickness of between at least 1 mm and about 20 mm; and the charge retention layer being a dielectric and being substantially thinner than the compliant layer and being supported on the support member and having a Young's modulus of greater than that of the compliant layer and at least about 80 MPa. The imaging member may form part of an electrographic recording apparatus wherein the electrographic image is developed and transferred to a receiver sheet or transferred to an intermediate transfer member from which it is then transferred to a receiver sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for control of a stepper motor drive for controlling movement of a receiver sheet into transfer relationship with an image-bearing member that supports an image to be transferred to the receiver sheet. Initially, the stepper motor is driven by drive pulses generated in response to clock pulses not synched with movement of the member. However, in order to ensure accurate registration, stepper motor drive pulses are subsequently generated that are in sync with encoder clock pulses that are generated in response to movement of the member. The transition of generation of the drive pulses is determined by establishing a condition of concurrence of a non-synched stepper motor drive pulses with an edge of an encoder pulse. The term condition of concurrence may be established by generating a timing control pulse of relatively short pulsewidth to define an allowed period for determining the condition of concurrence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing an original image includes a scanner or other image source for generating digitized raw image data for each pixel of an image. For each pixel, the raw image data is transformed into a rendering gray level value by comparing the raw image data value with threshold values from a threshold mask set. There are various threshold mask sets that may be used in accordance with signals related to a toner particle size.

Abstract: A toner monitor particularly suited for monitoring toner concentration in a two-component development mixture includes an electrically conductive probe mounted in a wall of a development apparatus but the probe does not extend substantially into the developer mixture. A square wave generator or other multifrequency signal source generates a first signal so that electromagnetic energy is carried along the probe and into the mixture. A second signal is generated in response to an impedance mismatch between the mixture and the probe. In response to the second signal, a third signal is generated relating to adjustment of composition content of the development mixture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing high quality folded greeting cards or the like is described as is a package of receiver sheet stock used for making such cards. A toned image is formed on an image supporting member using preferably an electrostatographic recording apparatus. A discrete receiver sheet is fed into engagement with the image supporting member to transfer the image to the receiver sheet. The receiver sheet is of a card stock of the type having a weight of no less than 28# bond. The grain of the sheet is in the grain short direction and the receiver sheet is fed into transfer relationship with the image supporting member by movement of the sheet in a direction coincident with the direction of the longer edges of the sheet. The receiver sheet is further characterized by one or more scoring lines which extend generally parallel to and intermediate the shorter edges of the sheet to facilitate folding of the receiver sheet after formation of an image thereon.