Ink-jet Patents (Class 358/502)
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Patent number: 6731413Abstract: In an ink-jet recording apparatus, when an intensity of the energy of electromagnetic waves of a predetermined region is E and an optical density of the image recorded on a recording medium based on an image signal is D, a controller conducts the image recording such that a characteristic curve representing a change of the optical density D for a logarithm of the energy intensity E becomes a monotone increasing function or a monotone decreasing function. When &ggr;1, &ggr;2 and &ggr;3 are defined on the characteristic curve such that an inclination of a line connecting points corresponding to E1 and E2 is &ggr;1, an inclination of a line connecting points corresponding to E3 and E4 is &ggr;2, and an inclination of a line connecting points corresponding to E5 and E6 is &ggr;3, the characteristic curve is determined so as to satisfy the following formulas: |&ggr;1|<|&ggr;2| and |&ggr;3|<|&ggr;2|.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2000Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Konica CorporationInventors: Masayuki Nakazawa, Chika Honda
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Publication number: 20040070792Abstract: An integrated circuit fabricated on a single substrate. The integrated circuit includes a data bus and purpose-specific functional units connected to the data bus. The functional units include a JPEG decoder, a compressed bi-level expander, a halftoner, and a printhead interface. A general-purpose processor may also be connected to the data bus for controlling the functional units. The processor may be connected to run software that coordinates the functional units to receive, expand and print pages.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Applicant: Silverbrook Research Pty LtdInventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040051904Abstract: A method of printing and the related printer architecture for receiving compressed page data that includes both contone data and foreground bi-level data. Both the contone data and the foreground bi-level data are decompressed. The contone data is halftoned to bi-level color data. The foreground bi-level data is composited over the bi-level color data to create composited bi-level color image data that is then printed. The related printer architecture includes an integrated circuit that includes a processor bus and purpose-specific functional units each connected to the processor bus. The functional units include a JPEG decoder, a bi-level decoder, a halftoner, and a program ROM. A general-purpose processor is connected to the processor bus for controlling the functional units. The processor runs software that coordinates the functional units to receive, expand and print pages.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Applicant: Silverbrook Research Pty LtdInventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040051889Abstract: Although almost the same color reproducibility as with a reference print head has been attained in single-color printing, inconsistency in color reproducibility has occurred in mixed-color printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Kuwata, Takashi Maruyama
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Publication number: 20040051903Abstract: A digital printing system that includes a personal computer and a printer. The computer includes a printer driver that receives and compresses print data. The printer is connected to the personal computer and includes a data expansion system and a page-width color inkjet printhead. A transmission system is connected to both the personal computer and to the printer for transmitting the compressed print data from the personal computer to the data expansion system of the printer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Applicant: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd.Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
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Patent number: 6707572Abstract: A computerized method for controlling the density of pixels deposited by a print engine includes the steps of: (a) obtaining a two-dimensional pixel map of an image to be printed; (b) comparing a value of a first pixel element in the pixel map with values of pixel elements adjacent to the first pixel element in the pixel map; (c) changing the value of the first pixel element responsive to a determination, in the comparing step, that a predetermined number of pixel elements adjacent to the first pixel element have the same value as the first pixel element; and (d) dispatching the pixel map to a print engine. The comparing step (b) includes the steps of assigning like-value pixel elements immediately adjacent to the first pixel element a first weight, assigning like-value pixel elements diagonally adjacent to the first pixel element a second weight, different than the first weight, adding the assigned weights together to produce a total weight, and testing the weight against a predetermined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1998Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Tesseron, Ltd.Inventors: James R. Walker, Alfonso J. Marmora, Jr., Robert D. Cheek
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Publication number: 20040042054Abstract: While a general large layer dither volume provides great flexibility in dither cell design, by decoupling different intensity levels, they are inefficient to access since each colour component requires the retrieval of a different bit from the volume. Therefore in a multi threshold dither volume for digital halftoning a contone colour image, in the form of an array of contone colour pixel values to bi-level dots, there is allocated for each dither cell location a fixed set of n thresholds defining n+1 intensity intervals within which said dither cell location is defined to be alternatively not set and set.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Applicant: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTDInventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040042024Abstract: While a general large layer dither volume provides great flexibility in dither cell design, by decoupling different intensity levels, they are inefficient to access since each colour component requires the retrieval of a different bit from the volume. Therefore in a multi threshold dither volume for digital halftoning a contone colour image, in the form of an array of contone colour pixel values to bi-level dots, there is allocated for each dither cell location a fix set of n thresholds defining n+1 intensity intervals within which said dither cell location is defined to be alternatively not set and set.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040042045Abstract: It is necessary that paper be moved past the printhead at a constant velocity to obtain artifact-free printing. Therefore the printhead requires a constant stream of data during printing. Whilst it is possible to rasterize the page using a page description language directly to the printhead, it is uneconomical. Hence the redering is carried out in the PC. However, the standard USB peripheral connection is the standard connection on PCs, which places a constraint on the limit of data per page that can be transmitted to the printer and still obtain a reasonable rate of printing. Thus the contone images and graphics are rendered in the PC to a pixel level, and the black text and graphics are rendered in the PC to a dot level, where the rendered data is compressed and transmitted to the printer. The transmitted data is decompressed and combined and the images overlaid and printed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: March 4, 2004Applicant: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTDInventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040036920Abstract: The printer's page description contains a contone layer and a black layer. The black layer is conceptually above the black layer and is composited over the contone layer by the printer. The print driver therefore maintains a page buffer which correspondingly contains a nedium-resolution contone layer and a high resolution black layer. It is therefore necessary to determine where an object being placed on the contone layer obscures something on the black layer. When an obscuration occurs the obscured black pixels are composited with the contone layer and removed from the black layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Applicant: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTDInventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040036919Abstract: It is necessary that paper be moved past the printhead at a constant velocity to obtain artifact-free printing. Therefore the printhead requires a constant stream of data during printing. Whilst it is possible to rasterize the page using a page description language directly to the printhead, it is uneconomical. Hence the redering is carried out in the PC. However, the standard USB peripheral connection is the standard connection on PCs, which places a constraint on the limit of data per page that can be transmitted to the printer and still obtain a reasonable rate of printing. Thus the contone images and graphics are rendered in the PC to a pixel level, and the black text and graphics are rendered in the PC to a dot level, where the rendered data is compressed and transmitted to the printer. The transmitted data is decompressed and combined and the images overlaid and printed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: February 26, 2004Applicant: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTDInventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040032617Abstract: An inkjet printer controller includes a processor for receiving incoming data relating to a description of a page to be printed. A memory in the form of a hard disk, in which the data are stored, is connected to the processor. The controller includes at least one raster image processor for rasterizing and compressing the data. The page data has image data and text data. The text data is compressed separately from the image data. A printhead controller receives, decompresses and processes the data for printing via a printhead under control of the printhead controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
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Publication number: 20040032620Abstract: Printing data containing a flag representing the type of printing mode is input from a host computer via an interface. An MPU selects either of print buffer 1 and print buffer 2 as a storage destination serving as a printing data holding destination on the basis of the flag in the input printing data that represents the type of printing mode. The printing data is stored in the selected storage destination. The stored printing data is transferred to a printhead.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2003Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventors: Souhei Tanaka, Masafumi Wataya, Akira Kuronuma, Toru Nakayama, Takuji Katsu
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Publication number: 20040032598Abstract: An apparatus and method to compress data for a print head divides print head nozzle firetime instructions into a plurality of bytes. A control word represents each byte by one bit. Bytes containing data are set from a host computer to a printer. Empty bytes are represented by a “0” in the corresponding bit in the control word. Empty bytes are omitted from transmission. At decompression, omitted bytes are treated as blank space. Bytes are organizing according to print head architecture, nozzle array and printing sequence, for example, in even and odd groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2002Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventor: Mark W. Fagan
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Publication number: 20040027616Abstract: It is necessary that paper be moved past the printhead at a constant velocity to obtain artifact-free printing. Therefore the printhead requires a constant stream of data during printing. Whilst it is possible to rasterize the page using a page description language directly to the printhead, it is uneconomical. Hence the redering is carried out in the PC. However, the standard USB peripheral connection is the standard connection on PCs, which places a constraint on the limit of data per page that can be transmitted to the printer and still obtain a reasonable rate of printing. Thus the contone images and graphics are rendered in the PC to a pixel level, and the black text and graphics are rendered in the PC to a dot level, where the rendered data is compressed and transmitted to the printer. The transmitted data is decompressed and combined and the images overlaid and printed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: February 12, 2004Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
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Patent number: 6690485Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1999Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Ramón Borrell, Hakan Fouren, Emiliano Bartolomé
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Publication number: 20040021879Abstract: A method to improve image quality in a printing device by storing in a memory of the printer at least a medium definition for a first medium, in a format which structures data about said first medium; and using the data contained in said medium definition when printing onto said first media. A downloadable media profile (210) for a first medium contains values for a plurality of parameters. A printing device comprises the downloaded media profile (210), firmware components (230) for managing the printing process, passing means (250), responsive to said firmware components (230), for passing data from said profile (210) to said firmware components (230) when printing on said first media.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Sebastia Castelltort, Alberto Such, Francisco Guerrero
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Publication number: 20040021885Abstract: A conversion relationship associated with generation of data for a plurality of inks which have the same color but different concentrations is determined. For combinations of four colors, data on patches are generated which can be printed without causing ink to overflow. Then, with reference to a maximum color material use amount, a possible total color material use amount is calculated for each combination of six dark and light colors Y, M, C, K, Lm, and Lc. Then, for each combination, M and C are each separated into dark and light colors in accordance with the possible total color material use amount. Thus, a color separation table is generated which corresponds to combinations of six colors Y, M, C, K, Lm, and Lc.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromitsu Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20040012818Abstract: A method of reducing artifacts in printing a scanned image includes scanning an image using a scanner having a characteristic defect to produce a scanned image having a first characteristic defect direction. In addition, the method includes printing the scanned image using a printer having a second characteristic defect direction generally orthogonal to the first characteristic defect direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2002Publication date: January 22, 2004Inventor: Stephen W. Bauer
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Publication number: 20040001211Abstract: A color image processing apparatus includes a first unit that predicts a bleeding occurrence level from input image data, a second unit that replaces pixels in a given area including boundaries between black ink and any of color inks with another pixels in accordance with the bleeding occurrence level, and a third unit that controls switching of multiple printing modes for each main scan in accordance with the bleeding occurrence level.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2003Publication date: January 1, 2004Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Fumihiko Ogasawara, Takeshi Nishimura
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Publication number: 20030231362Abstract: A method for printing shingling print data in a shingling print pass of a multi-shingling-pass print swath. One step includes compacting the shingling print data by removing the deterministic voids associated with the shingling print algorithm. Another step includes expanding the compacted shingling print data based on the shingling print algorithm. An additional step includes printing the expanded shingling print data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2002Publication date: December 18, 2003Inventors: John B. Bates, Thomas J. Eade, Mark W. Fagan
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Patent number: 6665091Abstract: An ink jet printer enabling dual-way printing has a head that can create different types of dots having different diameters. The printer creates small dots in the course of the backward movement of the head, and medium dots in the course of the forward movement of the head. This arrangement effectively prevents the positional misalignment of each type of dots in the main scanning direction. The positional misalignment of the dots in the main scanning direction significantly affects the picture quality in the case of a vertical ruled line formed with only the large dots or in the case of a low tone are expressed with only the small dots.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1999Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Toshihisa Saruta
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Patent number: 6646754Abstract: A system and method of backprinting image prints in which an order is received specifying one or more recipients and, for each specified recipient, a set of one or more images associated with that recipient. For each recipient specified by the order, the images associated with the recipient are separated into at least one printable unit of images, and, for each printable unit, each image in the printable unit is printed on a first side of an image print. Backprinting information is backprinted on the other side of one or more of the image prints. The backprinting information can be received from a user and backprinted onto one or images.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1999Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Shutterfly, Inc.Inventors: Jarret L. Redd, Daniel R. Baum
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Publication number: 20030184824Abstract: When some trouble occurs to a facsimile apparatus 1 that reads component-identification information of an ink ribbon cartridge 60 and it is impossible to read the component-identification information even if the ink ribbon cartridge 60 is a standard product, a permanent release mode is set to permanently prohibit an identification information reading processing (S24). On the other hand, when any trouble does not occur to the facsimile apparatus 1 but some trouble occurs to the ink ribbon cartridge 60, it is impossible to read the component-identification information so long as the ink ribbon cartridge 60 is used. Therefore, a temporary release mode is set to temporarily prohibit the identification information reading processing (S24). Accordingly, it becomes possible to reduce an economical burden on a user and to perform a printing operation with favorable printing quality.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Susumu Chida
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Publication number: 20030164985Abstract: A developing unit using a high concentration ink includes a developing solution supply unit supplying the developing solution containing the high concentration ink, a developing roller, whose lower half is soaked in the developing solution of the developing solution supply unit, absorbing the developing solution by a surface tension, and a photosensitive drum contacting the developing roller, receiving the developing solution absorbed on a surface of the developing roller and developing a latent electrostatic image formed on a surface of the photosensitive drum. Accordingly, as much as about 100% of a binary ink development (BID) is achieved, thereby providing a high quality image.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2003Publication date: September 4, 2003Applicant: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jeong-Hun Pang, Young-Ha No, Kwang-Ho No
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Patent number: 6588879Abstract: The present invention provides a method of printing a digital image on a textile including the steps of selecting 8 to 16 inks to form an ink set, calibrating the ink set to create an ink set profile, using the ink set profile to calculate hue and shade-based look-up tables directly correlating the inks with the color space coordinates of the pixels of the digital image. The present invention also is a system and an apparatus performing the calibration of the ink set and direct correlation of the color space coordinates. The printed fabric has a first plurality of dots having 8 to 16 differently colored inks per dot and a second plurality of dots having one color per dot. Significantly, the present invention produces printed textiles having a high detail, deep color, and broad shading, as well as a combination of dyes heretofore considered incompatible.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Supersample CorporationInventors: David S. Kushner, Charles R. Hoffman, III
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Publication number: 20030072022Abstract: A printing system is provided, which comprises means for acquiring the number of ink colors of ink cartridges loaded on a printer; means for accepting print setting including designations regarding a printing medium and a quality of printing; and means for deciding, based on the acquired number of ink colors and a content of the accepted print setting, use of seven color inks or six color inks to perform printing. Thus, in the printing system capable of performing printing with using different numbers of ink colors, especially both of printing with using seven colors and printing with using six colors, without imposing any excessive burden on a user, a good result of printing can be obtained according to a type of the ink cartridge loaded on the printer, and a content of the print setting.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2002Publication date: April 17, 2003Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Masahiro Someno
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Publication number: 20030072473Abstract: A method and a system for determining a characteristic of a printing system, the printing system including a printing device and a receiving substrate. Data from a pattern printed on the receiving substrate by the printing device are analyzed. Based on the analysis, an artifact characteristic of the printing system is determined automatically.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2002Publication date: April 17, 2003Inventors: Stefan Livens, Rudolf Bartels
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Publication number: 20030072036Abstract: An inkjet printer comprises a printhead that includes a number of printhead segments that span a print area so that portions of consecutive printhead segments overlap in common print areas. Each printhead segment defines a lead-in area in one common print area and a lead-out area in a consecutive common print area. An interface is configured to receive image data. A memory device stores data relating to characteristics of the printhead. A dithering unit communicates with the interface and the memory device. The dithering unit is configured to generate a lead-in dither matrix associated with the lead-in area and a lead-out dither matrix associated with the lead-out area, to generate lead-in/lead-out dither matrices for each common print area, to generate a variable probability value that is dependent on a scalar value that corresponds to a position along a line spanning each common print area and to interpolate the lead-in/lead-out dither matrices with the variable probability value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2002Publication date: April 17, 2003Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley
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Patent number: 6545773Abstract: Color printheads in a color inkjet printer are in a fixed order in the scanning carriage, which causes the colors to be printed in a different order when the carriage is scanned in an opposite direction. The different print order may result in a perceptible change in hue between passes in bi-directional printing. Depleted shingle masks are substituted for the nominal ones, based on print direction, at the shingle masking stage, to compensate for print-direction-induced hue shift. A look-up table indexed by a composite color tone value providing a depletion probability and a halftoning error diffusion value are used in determining when depleted shingle masks are to be invoked.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventor: Kevin R Hudson
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Publication number: 20030030840Abstract: A printing method, comprising the steps of: receiving data at a printer; determining whether a URL or external network option is enabled; detecting if a network address in the received data; sending on the Internet or other network an access request for a document to the network address; retrieving the document from the network address; and printing the document.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2001Publication date: February 13, 2003Inventor: Travis J. Parry
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Publication number: 20030025924Abstract: A direct device-space-to-device-space transform adjusts the amount of actual black ink, to avoid highlight and midtone granularity in incremental printing—but with no need for translation into perceptual space. If the amount of black ink specified in the input data for a particular color is very small or very large, then that specified color is passed through the transform without substantial change. Thereby the amount of actual black ink and other colorants is held as nearly as practical at levels dictated by device-space input specifications while minimizing visible granularity. Replacement behavior is chosen to smoothly blend between different kinds of operation in different tonal ranges. This system accommodates personnel trained in classical printing-press technologies, who are accustomed to full control over amounts of black and other colorants.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2001Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Johan Lammens, Jacint Humet Pous
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Patent number: 6509979Abstract: A method for printing an image on an absorbent substrate using liquid colorants. The colorants are assigned to pixel groups on the substrate surface that define the image. Some colorants are applied to pixels in quantities that exceed the absorption capacity of the substrate. These colorants migrate into adjoining pixels, blending with other colorants in those pixels and forming new, otherwise unavailable colors.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 1997Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: Milliken & CompanyInventor: Ronald Magée
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Patent number: 6498638Abstract: Optimization apparatus for photographic image data with a data input device for input of first image data which are present in a first color space and represent a photographic image or a set of photographic images, an optimization device for optimizing the first image data and a data output device for output of the optimized first image data which optimally represent the photographic image or the set of photographic images, whereby the optimization device carries out an optimization transformation on the first image data, whereby the optimization transformation corresponds to a combination of at least the following transformations: a first transformation which transforms the first image data from the first color space into another, second color space; a correction transformation, which corrects the transformed first image data in the second color space; and a second transformation which transforms the corrected first image data into a third color space.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2000Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Gretag ImagingTrading AGInventors: Peter Zolliker, Walter Kraft
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Publication number: 20020191217Abstract: Disclosed is a readily expandable printing apparatus which, despite having only a small memory capacity, is applicable to a number of types of printing processing. On the basis of the type of ink cartridge loaded in the printing apparatus and the content of information that is to be printed, a host computer retrieves from its own memory a program to be run in the printing apparatus. The host computer then transfers the retrieved program to the printing apparatus. The later stores the transferred program in an internal RAM and, when print data has been transferred from the host computer, executes the program.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2002Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventor: Tetsushi Kohno
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Patent number: 6473200Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with an input image on a recording material includes generating means for generating a predetermined pattern; superimposing means for superimposing the predetermined pattern on an input image; forming means for forming on the recording material the image superimposed with the predetermined pattern by the superimposing means; a controller for controlling an amount applied on the recording material of the predetermined pattern in accordance with the recording material.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1998Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Nobuhiko Ogata
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Patent number: 6459501Abstract: A small-gamut colorant set is a new system and mechanism for reproducing monochrome images on a wide range of color printing devices with an unprecedented combination of flexibility and quality. It is fundamentally unlike, and yet in certain ways similar to, both existing colorant systems for printing color images and existing colorant systems for printing monochrome images. It combines many advantages from both of these families of traditional colorant systems into a kind of system that is superior in many ways for printing monochrome images. It uses a set of at least three tinted gray colorants to create a color space within which a small amount of chroma adjustment and the full range of hue adjustment is possible. These three tinted grays may be accompanied by a black colorant, and/or other shades of gray, or a second set of three tinted grays, depending on the opportunities presented by the nature of the printing device.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1999Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Inventor: Joseph Holmes
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Patent number: 6443549Abstract: A method for improving tone reproduction in a digital printing system is provided. First, an image to be printed is defined. The image will have areas of minimal ink density and areas of medium to high ink density. A randomized dot placement scheme is used for dispersing ink drops in the minimal ink density areas of the image. An ordered structure scheme is used for dispersing ink drops in the medium to high ink density areas of the image.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2000Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.Inventors: William R. Bitticker, Michael J. Piatt
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Patent number: 6437879Abstract: In a method of colour printing using arrays of threshold value for interpolating between grey levels, the threshold values for each of the colours are provided by defining rows of threshold values, with each row having the same repeating sequence but offset. The repeating sequences are different for each colour but the offset is the same for all colours. The arrays best take the form Tijc=(i*pc−j*qc)%(rcS).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1998Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Xaar Technology LimitedInventor: Stephen Temple
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Publication number: 20020080375Abstract: A process for the reduction of artefacts during the reproduction of an image based on image data and having a plurality of image points, by a specific image reproducing device is disclosed, whereby the image points have appearance properties, the process including the following steps: device characteristics which describe the appearance properties of image points produced by the specific image reproducing device in answer to image data and describe the dependence of the appearance properties on the position assigned to the image data, are provided or input, reproduction image data are input, and the image data corrected based on the device characteristics and depending on the positions assigned to the image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2001Publication date: June 27, 2002Inventors: Stephan Waldner, Armin Kundig, Guido Keller
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Patent number: 6388767Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a function for detecting a specific original decides the degree of similarity between the image represented by input image signals and the image of a specific original which is not to be allowed to be copied, e.g., currency. The image processing apparatus determines the content of the image processing in accordance with the result of the decision, and processes the input image signals on the basis of the determined content.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1995Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yutaka Udagawa, Masahiro Funada, Ken-ich Ohta, Yoichi Takaragi, Toshiyuki Kitamura, Eiji Ohta
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Patent number: 6353675Abstract: A marking process used to mark an image on a substrate, such as a photographic marking process, a lithographic marking process, an ink-jet marking process, a line-on-line xerographic marking process or a rotated-screen xerographic marking process, is automatically detected using at least one image spatial characteristic obtained from image information picked up from the image. The at least one spatial characteristic, which is unique to the type of marking process, is obtained, for example, by generating an image power spectrum and analyzing the power spectrum according to the existence, position, and/or color of spectral peaks, and/or the existence or absence of abnormally high energy at the high frequencies in the power spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 1999Date of Patent: March 5, 2002Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Gaurav Sharma
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Patent number: 6344899Abstract: In an ink amount limiting section 4, there are obtained ink amount limiting coefficients which are used to limit the ink amounts of the respective colors in such a manner that, where the maximum number of times of repeated printing with respect to a unit pixel that can prevent the ink from being blurred and from soaking up to the back surface of the record medium is set for a given value, the maximum number of times of ordinarily repeated printing within the unit pixel can provide a limited repeated printing conversion number equal to or less than the above-set given value. And, based on the thus obtained ink amount limiting coefficients and the image signals of the respective colors output from the &ggr; correcting section 3, print signals are generated and output.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 1998Date of Patent: February 5, 2002Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Tabata, Hidetoshi Kawashima
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Patent number: 6339480Abstract: A color printer driver binarizes continuous tone color print data stored in raster form and stores the binarized data directly into column form, without the intermediary of storage in horizontal raster form, for printout by a print engine having vertically-arranged print elements.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 1997Date of Patent: January 15, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akitoshi Yamada, Hiromitsu Hirabayashi, Takao Aichi, Kazuyuki Masumoto, Akihiko Sukigara, Tetsuya Kawanabe, Masashi Kamada, Osamu Hirata
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Patent number: 6325478Abstract: When the printing instruction is issued in S100, it is judged in S110 whether the present mode is the printer mode. When the present mode is not set to the printer mode, it is judged in S120 whether the present mode is set to the facsimile mode. When the present mode is set to the facsimile mode, the driving waveform of the driving signal is set in S130 into a multi-pulse, comprised of two pulses, for every single set of print data. In S140, printing operation is performed with the multi-pulse driving signal. Accordingly, ink droplets are ejected twice from a single nozzle for a single set of data. Thus, the print density of the obtained image is increased.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 1998Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Imai, Shin Hasegawa
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Patent number: 6226101Abstract: Dot recording is carried out according to a first recording mode in the vicinity of an upper end of a record execution area on a recording medium, according to a second recording mode in a middle portion of the record execution area, and according to a third recording mode in the vicinity of a lower end of the record execution area. The third is different from the second recording mode at least in a sub-scan feed amount. In order to use a predetermined sub-scan feed pattern for a selected one of the first recording mode and the third recording mode, sub-scan feed pattern in the other mode is determined.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 1998Date of Patent: May 1, 2001Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akito Sato
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Patent number: 6211970Abstract: A binary printer for printing halftone color images on a substrate so that the determination of whether to print a dot or to not print a dot of each color ink at each pixel location is based at least in part upon an estimated temperature of the print head. The temperature of the print head may be estimated based upon direct measurement of the ambient temperature and/or direct measurement of temperature of some portion of the print head. Alternatively, the temperature of the print head may be estimated by counting the number of dots fired by the print head.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 1998Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Robert Wilson Cornell, Scott Michael Heydinger, James H. Powers
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Patent number: 6158834Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus, ink-jet recording method, and an image processing apparatus are disclosed in which the durability of an image formed with an ink on a recording medium is enhanced by applying a processing liquid to inked dots without causing an excessive application of the processing liquid thereby achieving a high-quality image including no distortion. The processing liquid having the capability of improving the recorded image in terms of resistance to water is applied to all inked dots located at edges while the processing liquid is applied to every predetermined number of inked dots at the other locations, Matrix patterns consisting of a plurality of dots for each gray level are selected so that the number of inked dots located at edges is minimized thereby minimizing the number of dots to which the processing liquid is applied thus achieving an improvement in the resistance to water using the minimized amount of the processing liquid.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1998Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minako Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Masao Kato
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Patent number: 6149257Abstract: A high resolution head having smaller ejection amount and a low resolution head having larger ejection amount are employed. With respect to an image to be printed, an image separating portion separates a portion of a field in an image from a portion other than the field. For the field, printing is performed by the low resolution head through process of an image processing portion and a head control portion. As a result of this, for the field in the image, large dot is formed to reduce gap between the dots. Thus, color of the field can be uniform.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1997Date of Patent: November 21, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiyuki Yanaka, Toshio Kashino, Yoshie Asakawa
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Patent number: 6137586Abstract: To provide a transmission device wherein a memory is prevented from being filled up with data. After printing of backup data stored in the memory, a display portion displays a message inquiring a user whether or not printing of the backup data has been performed properly. If the user indicates that the printing has been performed properly by performing predetermined key operations, then the backup data is automatically erased from the memory.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1998Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tokunori Kato