Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining processor usable idle time in a system employing a software instruction processor. The method establishes an idle task with a lowest processor priority for a processor executing application software instructions, and uses the processor to execute an idle task. The method ceases to execute the idle task in response to the processor executing application software instructions. The amount of periodic idle task execution is determined and stored in a tangible memory medium. For example, idle time amounts can be determined per a unit of time, i.e. a percentage per second. In one aspect, the method generates an idle task report. The report can be a periodic report expressing the duration of idle task execution per time period, or a course of execution report expressing idle task start times, idle task stop times, and durations between the corresponding start and stop times.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for recovering from print assembly failure in a printer with printed medium assembly capabilities. The method generates a first print set including a plurality of physical medium sheets, and stores the first print set of a first interim stacker. A second print set is generated including a plurality of physical medium sheets. Sheets are accessed sheets from the first interim stacker and assembled with sheets from the second print set, generating a final print set with a plurality of sheets in a first order. The final print set is stored in an output stacker. In the event of a first print set failure, first print set replacement sheets are generating. In one aspect, generating the final print set includes directly merging first print set replacement sheets (bypassing the interim stacker) with sheets from the second print set.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for appending element files to a print container in a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) device. The method accepts a first element file and a print container including a second element file. Examples of element files other print containers, fixed documents, application-specific documents, page description language (PDL) documents, extensible markup language (XML) paper specification (XPS) fixed documents, facsimile documents, and scanned documents. The method modifies the print container to include the second element file and the first element file preserved as separate entities, and stores the modified print container in a tangible memory medium.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for generating rendered data for printing. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a master stencil may be formed from individual print-object stencils. The master stencil may provide a mapping such that rendered print data may be generated at a pixel without multiple renditions at each pixel for each print object. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the master stencil may provide a mapping such that processing operations may be minimized at each pixel. According to a third aspect of the present invention, individual print-object stencils may be processed serially at each line, or spatial portion. Print-object stencils may be processed in z-order for each line, or spatial portion, and pixels which overlap multiple print objects may be overwritten. According to another aspect of the present invention, a master stencil may be generated while rendering print data.

Abstract: Machine-enabled methods of, and devices for, encoding color bitmap data as indexed red-green-blue (RGB) data for display.

Abstract: Systems and devices for, and methods of, delayed meter reporting to a remote site via a local data-gathering device. The local data-gathering device is configured to: (a) sample, at a first sample rate, energy consumption related data of the local site; (b) store, at the data store, energy consumption related data of the local site; (c) filter the stored data based on the defined rule; and (d) transmit, at a second sample rate, the filtered data, wherein the first sampling rate is equal to or higher than the second sampling rate.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring performance of a multifunction printer (MFP) throughout the lifetime of the MFP. The MFP may include a task run-time controller to collect performance information from the MFP and to transmit the performance information to a receiver such as a host, an MFP front panel, or a website. The task run-time controller may include a high resolution timer to collect task execution times or idle time for tasks running on the MFP. The task run-time controller may also receive internal task scheduling policy alterations based on an analysis of the performance information.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for economically printing a physical media, such as paper. The method receives a print job with a plurality of logical pages, formatted as graphics commands. A raster image processor (RIP) renders the print job into a rasterized image. The rasterized image is accumulated as logical pages in a memory, as the print job is being rendered. The RIP sends the accumulated rasterized image logical pages to a printing device print engine. The print engine is warmed to an operating temperature in response to receiving the accumulated rasterized image logical pages. In one aspect, a printing device fuser roller is warmed to a temperature sufficient to melt toner on the physical medium. To conserve energy, the rasterized image logical pages are printed on a physical medium, while maintaining the print engine at the operating temperature between the printing of each logical page.

Abstract: A method is provided for creating a print container with a series of resident fixed documents. The method opens a user interface (UI). Using the UI, a first plurality of elements stored in memory is selected and a print container is created. The print container preserves a second plurality of elements as separate entities in the print container. For example, a print container may have an element hierarchy of jobs in the print container, fixed documents in a job, and fixed pages in a fixed document may be created. Elements are defined as print containers, fixed documents, application-specific documents, page description language (PDL) documents, extensible markup language (XML) paper specification (XPS) fixed documents, or combinations of the above-mentioned elements. In one aspect, the selected elements are extensible markup language (XML) paper specification (XPS) fixed documents, which are preserved as separate entities in an XPS container.

Abstract: A method for modifying settings in printing a document is disclosed. Document data is provided that comprises multiple graphical elements. The document data is converted into printing instructions. At least one setting is applied to the printing instructions. A preview is presented of the printing instructions to a user through a graphical display. The method enables the user to select a specific graphical element from the preview and to change the setting to a new setting. A device specific rendering is simulated using the new setting. The user is provided with the option of saving the new setting.

Abstract: In an exemplary method, a request is received to save an overlay document that comprises content for an overlay. Graphics commands for the overlay document are also received. The graphics commands are stored in an overlay file. The format of the overlay file is both application independent and device independent. A request is received to print a base document. In response to the request, the graphics commands in the overlay file are rendered, thereby creating printing commands for the overlay document. The printing commands for the overlay document are merged with the base document's printing commands, thereby creating a printing command stream. The printing command stream is sent to a printing device.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.

Abstract: A system for printing a book through use of booklet ganging is disclosed. The system includes a computer connected to a printer. A document is accessible on the computer and is compatible with an application running on the computer. The system includes a software component that is configured to obtain a style configuration after a print command has been executed by the application. The style configuration includes an indication of whether the document is to be ganged. The style configuration is not obtained by the application. The software component gangs booklets based on the style configuration if the indication indicates that the document is to be ganged. The book is then printed through use of the booklet ganging.

Abstract: Machine-enabled methods of, and devices and systems for, encoding color bitmap data as indexed red-green-blue (RGB) data for printing and optional multi-functional peripheral (MFP) device raster image processor (RIP) bypass.