Patents by Inventor Steven Billow
Steven Billow has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9914309Abstract: Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.Inventors: Steven Billow, Leon Williams, Ghilad Dziesietnik
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Publication number: 20180022112Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles included in printer nozzles used to print an image on a medium. The method includes detecting defective printer nozzles, and initiating a print job in a print mode. The print job can include image data used to print the image on the medium in accordance with a print mask that maps the printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method further includes modifying the print mask or the image data to print using the image data with printer nozzles that may be complementary to the defective printer nozzles, and printing the image on the medium in accordance with the print mode and the modified print mask or the modified image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Inventor: Steven BILLOW
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Publication number: 20170341372Abstract: Disclosed is an industrial single-pass inkjet printer/press incorporating an line-scan camera. The line-scan camera enables system software to inspect every sheet for quality assurance purposes. These inspection results are tied back to a digital printer to take one or more of several possible actions. Actions include ensuring a particular number of acceptable prints are generated and sorted. Actions further include performing nozzle checks without pausing or interrupting production orders.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: Steven A. BILLOW, Ghilad DZIESIETNIK, John A. WEISMANTEL, Darin SCHICK, Boris LIBERMAN
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Publication number: 20170342284Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for single pass printing on an absorbent non-white substrate. The method comprises: (a) applying a primer composition to one or more selected surfaces of an absorbent non-white substrate to form a primer layer to seal the selected surfaces of the substrate, (b) drying the primer layer, (c) printing a white ink on the primer layer, and (d) drying or curing the white ink. The present invention also relates to low odor radiation curable white ink compositions. The composition comprises 10-40% w/w of 4-hydrobutylacrylate, 0.5-10% of a urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer, 10-55% of diacrylates, one or more photoinitiators, one or more additives, and one or more white pigments. The composition excludes many monofunctional monomers that have distinct odor and are commonly used in an ink jet composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: Joshua Samuel, Steven A. Billow, Frank J. Bruck, III, Huilei Zhang
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Patent number: 9764564Abstract: A system and methods for printing and curing ink deposited on a substrate using a first light source and a second light source. In various embodiments, the first light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC), and the second light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype A (UVA), subtype B (UVB), subtype V (UVV), or a combination thereof. The substrate is configured such that any ink deposited on the substrate by a printer head is predominantly exposed to the first light source prior to the second light source.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.Inventors: Dan-Cristian Grigore, Paul Andrew Edwards, Steven Billow
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Publication number: 20160257135Abstract: A system and methods for printing and curing ink deposited on a substrate using a first light source and a second light source. In various embodiments, the first light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC), and the second light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype A (UVA), subtype B (UVB), subtype V (UVV), or a combination thereof. The substrate is configured such that any ink deposited on the substrate by a printer head is predominantly exposed to the first light source prior to the second light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2015Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: Dan-Cristian GRIGORE, Paul Andrew EDWARDS, Steven BILLOW
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Publication number: 20150360491Abstract: Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2014Publication date: December 17, 2015Inventors: Steven BILLOW, Leon Williams, Ghilad Dziesietnik
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Patent number: 8422082Abstract: A method for modifying an input digital image having three color channels, to form a modified digital image suitable for use by an inkjet printer having reduced ink bleed artifacts comprising computing a transformed digital image containing at least a black color channel and a color dependent scale factor channel, computing a filtered black color channel using a convolution operation, and forming the modified digital image in response to the corresponding pixel values of the color dependent scale factor channel and the filtered black color channel, so that when the modified digital image is used to produce a printed image on an inkjet printer there are reduced ink bleed artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2009Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Kevin E. Spaulding, Steven A. Billow
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Patent number: 8356883Abstract: A printing method includes applying at least one of a plurality of pigmented colored inks to a receiving surface. A colorless ink is applied to the receiving surface. A majority of the colorless ink is ejected from of first nozzles on a printhead used for ejecting the colorless ink. At least 30% of an area on the receiving surface, which is passed over by the first nozzles, is covered with the colorless ink during a single pass of the printhead over the area.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2008Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Steven A. Billow, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, James A. Mott, Yang Shi, Richard C. Reem
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Publication number: 20110019238Abstract: A method for modifying an input digital image having three color channels, to form a modified digital image suitable for use by an inkjet printer having reduced ink bleed artifacts comprising computing a transformed digital image containing at least a black color channel and a color dependent scale factor channel, computing a filtered black color channel using a convolution operation, and forming the modified digital image in response to the corresponding pixel values of the color dependent scale factor channel and the filtered black color channel, so that when the modified digital image is used to produce a printed image on an inkjet printer there are reduced ink bleed artifacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2009Publication date: January 27, 2011Inventors: Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Kevin E. Spaulding, Steven A. Billow
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Patent number: 7837285Abstract: A method for modifying an input digital image having one or more color channels corresponding to one or more color inks and a protective ink channel corresponding to a substantially clear protective ink, each channel having an (x,y) array of pixel values, to form a modified digital image including computing a first value responsive to corresponding pixel values of the one or more color channels; computing a second value responsive to the corresponding pixel value of the protective ink channel; and modifying the corresponding pixel value of the protective ink channel responsive to the first and second values.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Steven A. Billow, Richard C. Reem
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Patent number: 7832824Abstract: A method for printing input digital images using an inkjet printing system having a first and second drop ejector arrays for ejecting drops of a particular ink, wherein ink paths supplying drop ejector arrays have different length projections. The method comprising printing a first combined number of ink dots using the first and second drop ejector arrays during first and third time intervals where the printhead is accelerating and decelerating; and printing a second combined number of ink dots using the first and second drop ejector arrays during a second time interval where the printhead is moving at a substantially constant velocity, wherein the percentage of ink dots that are printed by the drop ejector array having a longer length projection is less than 40% of the corresponding combined number of ink dots in at least one of the first or third time intervals.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2009Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: David Erdtmann, Steven A. Billow, James A. Reczek
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Publication number: 20100277533Abstract: A method for printing input digital images using an inkjet printing system having a first and second drop ejector arrays for ejecting drops of a particular ink, wherein ink paths supplying drop ejector arrays have different length projections. The method comprising printing a first combined number of ink dots using the first and second drop ejector arrays during first and third time intervals where the printhead is accelerating and decelerating; and printing a second combined number of ink dots using the first and second drop ejector arrays during a second time interval where the printhead is moving at a substantially constant velocity, wherein the percentage of ink dots that are printed by the drop ejector array having a longer length projection is less than 40% of the corresponding combined number of ink dots in at least one of the first or third time intervals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Inventors: David Erdtmann, Steven A. Billow, James A. Reczek
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Patent number: 7715043Abstract: A method of computing swath data in response to a digital image having a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, each pixel having a multitone code value, the swath data suitable for commanding an inkjet printer containing at least one printhead having plurality of nozzles, wherein the inkjet printer is capable of ejecting ink drops in response to the swath data.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Steven A. Billow, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Richard C. Reem, Kevin E. Spaulding
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Publication number: 20090195579Abstract: A method of printing comprises providing a carriage-type inkjet printer having a printhead, with the printer being responsive to digital signals and capable of printing in a multi-pass printing mode, supplying the printer with pigment-based inks, supplying the printer with a receiver surface suitable for printing of photographic images, detecting a degree of texturing on the receiver surface, selecting a number of passes for the multi-pass printing mode based on the detected degree of texturing of the receiver surface, and passing the print head over the receiver surface in accordance with the selected number of passes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Inventors: Susan H. Tousi, Steven A. Billow, Richard C. Reem
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Publication number: 20090195601Abstract: A printing method includes applying at least one of a plurality of pigmented colored inks to a receiving surface. A colorless ink is applied to the receiving surface. A majority of the colorless ink is ejected from of first nozzles on a printhead used for ejecting the colorless ink. At least 30% of an area on the receiving surface, which is passed over by the first nozzles, is covered with the colorless ink during a single pass of the printhead over the area.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Inventors: Steven A. Billow, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, James A. Mott, Yang Shi, Richard C. Reem
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Publication number: 20080309952Abstract: A method of computing swath data in response to a digital image having a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, each pixel having a multitone code vaule, the swath data suitable for commanding an inkjet printer containing at least one printed having plurality of nozzles, wherein the inkjet printer is capable of ejecting ink drops in response to the swath data.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2006Publication date: December 18, 2008Inventors: Steven Billow, Douglas Couwenhoven, Richard Reem, Kevin Spaulding
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Publication number: 20080225081Abstract: A method for modifying an input digital image having one or more color channels corresponding to one or more color inks and a protective ink channel corresponding to a substantially clear protective ink, each channel having an (x,y) array of pixel values, to form a modified digital image including computing a first value responsive to corresponding pixel values of the one or more color channels; computing a second value responsive to the corresponding pixel value of the protective ink channel; and modifying the corresponding pixel value of the protective ink channel responsive to the first and second values.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Inventors: Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Steven A. Billow, Richard C. Reem
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Patent number: 7387361Abstract: A method for compensating for failed nozzles in multi-pass printing using an inkjet printer having at least one printhead containing a plurality of nozzles to print an input image having a plurality of raster lines on a receiver media.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2007Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Christopher Rueby, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Steven A. Billow
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Patent number: 7350902Abstract: A fluid ejection device and a printhead including one or more such fluid ejection devices are provided. The fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, each array having a plurality of nozzles and being arranged along a first direction, the first nozzle array being arranged spaced apart in a second direction from the second nozzle array. A first fluid delivery pathway is in fluid communication with the first nozzle array, and a second fluid delivery pathway is in fluid communication with the second nozzle array. Nozzles of the first nozzle array have a first opening area and are arranged along the first nozzle array at a pitch P. Nozzles of the second nozzle array have a second opening area, the second opening area being less than the first opening area. At least one nozzle of the second array is arranged offset in the first direction from at least one nozzle of the first array by a distance which is less than pitch P.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2004Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Steven J. Dietl, Steven A. Billow, William E. Bland, James M. Chwalek