Abstract: One aspect of the invention lowers boundary artifacts by diminishing inking selectively at a boundary, only in high-total-inking areas—considering essentially all real colorant planes in the aggregate. In another aspect, printmasking helps define ink-diminishment regions. In yet another, a printer allocates inking-diminishment units within an emulation of a masking plane (e.g. a color plane), analogously to allocation of inking units in real color planes. The entire diminishment plane or “eraser plane”, however, is later applied subtractively. Localized diminishment bits can be set in the mask at pixels close to boundaries, to define diminishment regions that negate artifact-causing boundary coalescence specifically—or such bits can be generated adaptively from results of measuring nonuniformity in an area-fill test pattern.

Abstract: A program controls colorant-applying elements (e.g. nozzles) individually, to apply colorants in an order that yields consistent colorant-addressing sequences. In another aspect, the invention inhibits particular elements in particular installments (e.g. printing passes) to produce a fixed color bias between colorants of at least one colorant pair; the other colorant is statistically downweighted to correct the bias. In a third aspect, a printmask-generating program automatically makes a usable mask based on neighborhood and timing constraints; this program is constrained, so as to minimize or eliminate hue shift.

Abstract: In one form of the invention, one sensor determines mutual alignment of pens; a second sensor measures color of dots formed on a print medium by the pens. Another form has two carriages—one moving pens to mark on a medium and the second used to refine quality of images produced. In a third form, a sensor measures color of test patterns by one or more pens; a hood—generally around the sensor laterally relative to a sensing direction—excludes ambient light from the sensor during measuring; a mechanism advances the hood along the sensing direction toward the patterns. In a fourth form, a pen ejects multiple liquid-ink drops onto a medium, and a sensor infrequently measures color of resulting dots—only when the pen is not forming images. In addition to these four forms of the invention, three others are detailed in the text.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention lowers boundary artifacts by depleting selectively at a boundary, only in high-color-saturation areas. In another aspect, printmasking defines depletion regions. In yet another, a printer treats different drop-to-pass allocations as of opposite sign. Some preferred embodiments exploit the multilayer Shakes mask system: each mask represents a number of drops to fire, and masks are additive, depending on image content. In preferred embodiments the high-value mask is used in opposition, reducing the number of drops to fire. Bits are set in this mask at pixels close to boundaries, to define depletion regions that negate artifact-causing boundary coalescence. An adaptive version measures nonuniformity in an area-fill test pattern, and uses results to define localized depletion bits for high-value mask(s).

Abstract: A shingle mask has width mismatched to maximum-eye-sensitivity spatial frequency at reading distance or closer, so the mask is tiled with minimal patterning. A second invention facet forms a grid of optimum width—it corresponds to maximum sensitivity only if seen from much farther than reading distance. A third facet forms a 2D mask with width 0.25 to 2 inches, better 0.375 to 1.5, ideally 0.5 to 1 (progressively further from maximum sensitivity; as further increases help little, this enables bandfree printing without very large masks). A fourth facet optimizes width in terms of distance in the image, for aesthetics, speed and economy. Another facet automatically forms a mask that time-varies nozzle-use modulation. Another prints nontext images by a multinozzle pen, modulating use; still others by plural pens each with a multinozzle array, refraining from use of certain nozzles e.g. to simulate dynamic pen staggering.

Abstract: Computation and data-storage are minimized in both accounting for element condition and reallocation of print tasks away from subnominal elements. An accounting function maintains an element-condition tabulation partly in a cumulative form—representing element stability directly without later interpretation. A reallocation distributes print burden from a subnominal element to plural other elements without making a new mask. Rather, entries for a poor element in a current mask are shifted prospectively and quickly to other elements serving the same pixel rows.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for checking a plurality of printer nozzles in a printer device comprises: a print head comprising a plurality of nozzles; a means for detecting at least one droplet of ink ejected from at least one nozzle of said plurality of nozzles; and a means for performing a sequence of measurements on a first output signal of said detecting means, wherein a determination of performance of said print head is made by analysing detected output signals produced by one or a plurality of ink droplets passing the detector, the one or plurality of ink droplets containing a predetermined minimum volume of ink, and said sequence of measurements being measured at a plurality of time intervals.

Abstract: A print media handling device comprising a roller element having a rotational axis, the device being adapted to be mounted substantially coaxially between two adjacent pinch wheels of a ink jet apparatus such that in it is free to rotate about its rotational axis, the device being arranged in operation to limit the height of print media between said adjacent pinch wheels.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) for detecting ligands or substances in liquid or vapor media. The GPCR is based on in a cell or in a synthetic membrane or polymer system, and combined with means for obtaining a sample of a liquid or vapor medium, and with automatic optical detection system and monitoring system for detecting a ligand of interest. Methods are disclosed for detecting a ligand of interest using the GPCR apparatus.

Abstract: One invention form is a method using all input data for one or preferably plural colorants, one time to control colorant deposition in forming a pixel array on a printing medium, and at least one other time to control deposition of more of the same colorants. At least one “applying” includes choosing data-array pixels to deposit added colorant. The two data-usage times can be associated directly with depositing colorant in respective printer passes; or may be done at (or near) rendition, sending output data to printmasking for pass allocation. Selection preferably includes setting maximum density on the medium—and choosing locations for that density, best by analyzing data to find locally dense areas, e. g. counting neighboring pixels. Selecting also includes defining locations to receive particular density, and creating additional density levels based on densities in the data array.

Abstract: Apparatus defines a dither mask (DM) and printmask (PM) with corresponding dimensions. In one invention form the DM dimension is not an integral factor or multiple of the PM dimension. The two dimensions may be lengths or widths; preferably the apparatus manages both; the corresponding dimensions differ by at least three pixels, and by a multiple of two pixels—more preferably eight or a multiple of eight. Preferably one dimension is an integral multiple of 256 pixels differing by eight pixels from the other. Another invention form has a scanning printhead making multiple passes across a print medium to form swaths of marks, a mechanism to define an offset smaller than at least one of the two dimensions, and a unit to index one mask by that offset between forming of successive swaths. This is valuable if DM and PM are established by preprogrammed circuits (e.g.

Abstract: A precision moving table system for transverse translation and comprising: first and second relatively movable table members, the first member supporting the second member at respective opposing surfaces of the members, at least one of said members comprising a magnet; and a first set of rolling elements held firmly, by magnetic force developed by the magnet, between the opposing surfaces of the members for fully rolling motion along both members to support the second member in transverse translation; wherein at least some of the rolling elements roll along the magnet.

Abstract: An arbitrary 3D or 2D shape is formed by construction from colorant in a volume—which may be cylindrical, annular, or of arbitrary cross-section, depending on form of the invention. In some forms, a 2D-extended array of colorant-ejecting nozzles is disposed in a particular linear direction relative to the volume, and a programmed processor controls ejection of colorant from the nozzles to pass through the volume. A 2D colorant-retrieving frame (ideally back-to-back with the array) is disposed in a second linear direction opposite to the one particular direction, from the array, to recover the colorant and thus erase the image—which can then be refreshed, with animation changes if desired, by the writing array. Colorant is moved through the volume by gravity, or by continuous ejection of material from the array and suction at the frame to form a suspending fluid flow—the array moving at equal but opposite velocity so that the image is stationary.

Abstract: The final-hardcopy operating facility, “target facility”, converts the content provider's original data file to a different color space to form a proofing data file. A proofing facility, which is distinct from the target facility, uses the proofing file to produce a visible proof for viewing by the content provider, customer etc. A common proofing file is applied to both preparing the proof and printing the final hardcopy. Because it is the target facility rather than the content provider or the proofing facility that prepares the proofing file, using maximum available knowledge about the printing equipment which will be used and its color characterization and other technical behavior, this approach gives maximum assurance that the final hardcopy will represent the proof as accurately as practical.

Abstract: To decrease the total time required for feeding an inkjet printing medium to print an image, swath heights are reduced to values that depend on overall image height. A processor in the printer works out the swath height that just corresponds to an integral number of print-medium advances, over the total height of the image; and then prints the image using this swath height. This strategy optimizes throughput by minimizing the time occupied in advancing the print medium and in adjusting the print-medium position.

Abstract: At least one environmental condition that affects color of a printed image is automatically sensed, just before printing. That information is then used to modify printer operation, to compensate specifically for effects of the condition on color. This is preferably accomplished using a transfer function calculated just before printing. Also preferably taken into account is a principal color-calibration profile, not prepared just before printing but rather substantially constant. If a replaceable colorant-placing module is in use—selected from many such modules—and the particular module has a characteristic property (such as drop weight or age of an inkjet pen) which affects the color of printed images, then preferably information about that property of the particular module is also automatically used to modify printer operation, to compensate for effects of the distinctive property on color.

Abstract: Liquid conductivity and temperature are measured in respective sensitivity fields that are collocated—i. e., in volumes that nearly match by mathematical, geometrical, or functional criteria. Collocation is as distinct from mere adjacency or proximity; and is with respect to measurement volumes, not measuring hardware. Preferably pressure too is measured with sensitivity very generally collocated to the conductivity and temperature sensitivity. Preferably, respective temporal/spatial bandwidths of the two (or three) sensors are matched. Preferably the pressure sensor is a MEMS transducer, the conductivity sensor is a four-terminal device, the thermometer is a thermistor encapsulated in a silkscreened glass wall, and circuits (1) compensate for time lag between conductivity and temperature measurement, (2) remove artifacts due to detritus in or near either sensor, and (3) derive secondary parameters of the liquid.

Abstract: A unitary three-vane support bead (30) detunes the lowest-frequency transverse cavity modes, forcing resonances toward higher frequencies. Its impedance, compared with that of prior solid beads, is closer to the impedance of an air line. The bead is injection-molded in place, with a radial boss (35) at the radially outer end of each vane (32). Three apertures (14) in the outer conductor (11) capture the bosses, for economical but secure mounting; in fabrication these three apertures serve as injection gates. On its end (29) facing a mating device (65, 65f), the central conductor (21) has an axial bore (26) that holds a cylindrical sheet-metal spring (50). The outward-facing edge (56) of this spring protrudes slightly from the bore and is trimmed to form three distinct contact areas (52), each of relatively small circumferential extent, for kinematically stable engagement with the mating-device central pin (65).

Abstract: A small protective guard rides on the shaft of a needle. After the needle has been inserted into a patient to deliver or withdraw fluids, the guard is positioned to form a protective barrier crossing in front of the needle tip. The guard is fashioned to collapse inward in front of the tip when its front portion is advanced past the needle tip. The guard carries sharp blades that engage the needle shaft and prevent the guard from moving forward off the needle once the device is activated. An optional manually operated trigger mechanism deploys the guard automatically.

Abstract: A hollow needle projects from the "forward" end of a syringe barrel or an adjacent auxiliary retraction barrel. After use to inject or withdraw liquid from a patient, the needle is released from the end of the barrel and retracted into the barrel. The barrel has an aperture big enough for the needle but too small for fingertips. The needle rides in a carrier block that slides in the barrel. Initially a manually releasable latch secures the block in the barrel against the forward end, with the sharp end of the needle protruding out through the aperture. The latch includes mutually interfering stop elements on the exterior of the block and interior of the barrel. After the injection or withdrawal of liquid, the person using the device withdraws the needle from the patient and manually triggers the latch by manipulating the plunger. A coiled spring drives the block rearward to retract the needle into the barrel. At the rear end of the barrel a stop halts the carrier block and needle to safely confine them.