Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for processing data. In one method embodiment, the method includes defining a number of color channels, each channel to transfer a particular color element of a stream of color type pixel data. The method can also include identifying monochrome type pixel data within a data stream and allocating a color channel to transfer the identified monochrome type pixel data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enhance a color or grayscale raster image in a printer by identifying a working pixel in the raster image for anti-aliasing, and then modifying luminance data of the working pixel in a luminance chrominance color space such that an anti-aliasing effect is achieved relative to the raster image. The luminance component of the raster image data is converted to a binary format to identify the working pixel using RET template matching. The luminance data of the working pixel is modified by utilizing luminance data of adjacent pixels to produce a new luminance value which is then assigned to the working pixel. One of the adjacent pixels defines an edge of the object being anti-aliased in the raster image, and the other of the adjacent pixels defines an edge of a region in the raster image that is adjacent the object.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for the transfer of data/command between a master controller and one or more client controllers. The apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a bi-directional data bus for conveying plural bits of data or command between a master controller and one or more client controllers; direction signal controlling the direction in which data or command bits are conveyed on the data bus as between the master controller and a connected one of the one or more client controllers; a pair of ready signals including a transmit ready signal asserted by a source of data or command bits placed on the data bus and including a receive ready signal asserted by a destination for the data or command bits placed on the data bus; and a clock signal for indicating the presence of valid data or command bits on the data bus on a leading or trailing edge thereof. Preferably, a command/data signal is also provided to indicate the type of information placed on the data bus by the source.

Abstract: A hybrid bilinear scaling (Qscale) scheme produces output images that have comparable quality to traditional bilinear interpolation algorithms, but requires a less complex hardware implementation. The Qscale system does not reverse-map output pixels back to arbitrary locations in the input space as defined by the mapping function. Rather all pixel values and locations are calculated after all of the original input pixels are mapped to the output. That is, all of the original image pixels are used “as-is” in the resultant scaled image. New pixels are generated from the original input pixels to meet the desired output pixel dimensions. Because only new pixels are computed, the Qscale system is less computationally complex. The computational requirements are further reduced because new pixels are computed between original pixel pairs meaning only two pixels are involved in the computation. Coefficients can be chosen to be fractional powers of two (0.5, 0.25, 0.

Abstract: A method for halftoning an image to be rendered onto a media sheet includes the steps of: classifying data portions of a received data stream into one of plural image types, each image type to be subjected to a particular halftone procedure; assigning to each data portion of a common image type, a common identifier and then converting the data portions into a raster representation; subjecting segments of the raster representation to individualized halftone procedures, each segment of the raster representation that is assigned a common identifier being subjected to an identical halftone procedure; and rendering the raster representation onto a media sheet, subsequent to the halftone process. The apparatus for performing the halftone method places the halftone operation subsequent to the rasterization operation and thereby avoids anomalies which occurred in the prior art.

Abstract: A print data processing pipeline for use in a color electrophotographic printer optimizes print quality and minimizes memory usage by separately processing lossy and lossless print data. Lossy print data may include print data for images and lossless print data may include print data for text, line art, and graphics. Partitioning print data into lossy and lossless components allows application of the print data compression operations optimized for each type of print data. High compression ratios can be achieved on lossy print data by applying visually lossless compression operations designed for the lossy print data. In addition, high compression ratios can be achieved on the lossless print data by applying lossless compression operations designed for the lossless print data. A merge unit combines the lossy and lossless print data streams after decompression to reconstruct the original image.

Abstract: A print data processing pipeline for use in a color electrophotographic printer optimizes print quality and minimizes memory usage by separately processing lossy and lossless print data. Lossy print data may include print data or images and lossless print data may include print data for text, line art, and graphics. Partitioning print data into lossy and lossless components allows application of the print data compression operations optimized for each type of print data. High compression ratios can be achieved on lossy print data by applying visually lossless compression operations designed for the lossy print data. In addition, high compression ratios can be achieved on the lossless print data by applying lossless compression operations designed for the lossless print data. A merge unit combines the lossy and lossless print data streams after decompression to reconstruct the original image.

Abstract: A print data processing pipeline for use in a color electrophotographic printer optimizes print quality and minimizes memory usage by separately processing lossy and lossless print data. Lossy print data may include print data for images and lossless print data may include print data for text, line art, and graphics. Partitioning print data into lossy and lossless components allows application of the print data compression operations optimized for each type of print data. High compression ratios can be achieved on lossy print data by applying visually lossless compression operations designed for the lossy print data. In addition, high compression ratios can be achieved on the lossless print data by applying lossless compression operations designed for the lossless print data. A merge unit combines the lossy and lossless print data streams after decompression to reconstruct the original image.

Abstract: A printing media position sensing device provides sheet medium position status information for synchronizing media transfer operations in a hard copy machine using a sheet feeder system. When a sheet is picked and transferred from a stack in a replaceable cartridge, refillable tray, or the like, to the input registration and feed mechanism of the hard copy machine, a detector senses the further exit motion of the picked sheet, thus providing an indication that the input registration and feed mechanism has taken control of the sheet. A signal indicative of this condition is used to release the sheet pick and transfer mechanism associated with the stack so that the sheet is free to leave the stack uninhibited. The exit sensor automatically resets for the next cycle.