Including Control Of Format And Selection Of Type-face By Programmed Control-system (e.g., Input Typewriter) Patents (Class 400/61)
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Patent number: 6578474Abstract: A work surface is subjected to a corona discharge treatment and then to printing or coating. A container surface is subjected to a corona discharge treatment and preheating and then to printing or coating. The printed or coated container is heated to dry the ink or coating material and the filled materials in the container are also heat-treated. The printing or coating used is of the non-spray type. The preheating device and heating device used are of the high frequency heating type. A direction change mechanism is provided to make it possible to apply printing or coating to one container at two or more places therein and to subject containers in general to preheating and a corona discharge treatment.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2000Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Surfcoat Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takashi Sasaki
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Patent number: 6572288Abstract: A printing system includes a plurality of networked printers where macro data can be stored efficiently and quickly in selected printers. First, a host computer reads macro data stored in a HDD of a predetermined printer and displays the macro data on a CRT display. Then, upon the user's selection of macro data to be copied and the IP addresses of destination printers, the selected macro data is transmitted to each of the destination printers. Each of the destination printers receives the selected macro data and stores it in its HDD.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2000Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroyuki Funahashi
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Patent number: 6558054Abstract: A method for manufacturing mailing-ready printed products, that consist of at least one sheet printed on at least one side and mailed in a closed state, printing data, originating from a client, are transmitted through a network to a printing facility. The transmitted printing data are printed onto the at least one sheet. A mailing-ready printed product is produced from the at least one printed sheet. The envelope for the mailing-ready printed product is produced from at least one printed sheet folded so as to form an envelope without producing waste portions.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Inventor: Jürg Paul Haller
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Publication number: 20030081973Abstract: A print apparatus having a spell checking feature has a processor and a memory for storing a spell checking program. A computer coupled to the print apparatus may be used to instruct the print apparatus to spell check a document file before printing the document file. The print apparatus incorporates the results of the spell check into the printed document by highlighting, bolding or underlining the misspelled words. Alternatively, the print apparatus operates like a network server to provide spell checking services to the computer and/or to a plurality of computers coupled to the print apparatus via a computer network.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2001Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventor: John D. Laughlin
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Patent number: 6543349Abstract: The present invention is an image recording method and apparatus for recording an image represented by at least two sets of image data separated by colors. Based on the image data, images corresponding to the image data are each recorded on different sections of photosensitive material moving in a sub-scan direction, while the photosensitive materials subjected to main scan by a plurality of light beams. Thereafter, the sections of the photosensitive material are superimposed over one another to produce the final image. Relative positions of the images on each section of photosensitive material are provided to substantially coincide with each other by setting a selected number of blank raster lines in a first main scan for each section of the photosensitive material. As a result, an amount of displacement of each of images on the photosensitive materials is reduced when the sections of photosensitive material are superimposed and aligned with one another to produce the final image.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2000Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takahiro Hideshima
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Patent number: 6540418Abstract: Sheet ejecting apparatuses, which are connected to a recording apparatus, are selectively operated during the operation of the printer. When a sheet transported in a recording unit reaches a paper ejecting sensor, the recording unit outputs a predetermined signal to an image control unit. When the predetermined signal is inputted, the image control unit outputs a sheet ejection notice command of the sheet to a sheet ejecting apparatus, which is selected by the operator. The sheet ejecting apparatus to which the paper ejection notice command is inputted starts a drive motor and the like to eject the recording paper.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1997Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kaoru Sato
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Patent number: 6517266Abstract: A hand-held printer system is designed for printing a stored image onto a surface or other media. In particular, various embodiments are adapted for hand-held printing onto the surface of a whiteboard. In embodiments, the printer system comprises a marking mechanism including at least one print head, a global position sensing system that senses a position of the at least one print head, and a control mechanism that actuates the at least one print head based on the sensed position. In other embodiments, the system comprises a local position sensing system that senses a position of the at least one print head relative to a drawing surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2001Date of Patent: February 11, 2003Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Eric Saund
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Publication number: 20030026634Abstract: A printing system and printing method and a recording medium are capable of conducting the printing efficiently. Regarding the first printing means for printing images per one print in the first size and discharging these images, and the second printing means for printing images per multiple copies in the first size and discharging these images; the number of prints to be allocated to the first and the second printing means is determined so that the printing is finished in a minimum amount of time corresponding to the total number of prints of the first size to be printed. And based on the determination result, the first and the second printing means is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Masahiro Uehara, Tatsuya Kuroda
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Patent number: 6505980Abstract: A printing system, for instance, for printing labels makes use of one or more sequence generators (13, 14; 113, 114) which can return an indicium definition in response to an input value. Typically, the input value is a sequence position, modified by step and repeat values. The sequence generators (13, 14; 113, 114) are used during the printing operation, avoiding the need for the data source file required in conventional mail merge and label printing systems.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2000Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Silver Fox LimitedInventor: Nik Allday
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Publication number: 20030007818Abstract: When one print job is distributed and printed by a plurality of printing apparatuses, it is intended that a desired print result of the user can be certainly obtained. A virtual distribution printer 12 detects an attribute of the print job which is inputted from an application 11, sets the minimum division unit, in accordance with the detected attribute, in which even if the inputted print job is divided, the print result is not changed, divides the print job on the basis of the minimum division unit, and distributes and outputs the divided print jobs to a plurality of printers 13 to 16, thereby enabling the print result expected by the user to be certainly obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2002Publication date: January 9, 2003Inventor: Kazunori Kato
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Publication number: 20020191998Abstract: Method and apparatus for reprogramming a programmable product, such as, a printer, a wireless communication device, or a portable computer. A software programmable product that includes memory for storing product operation information and a method for configuring the software programmable products is provided. Software is configurable by data stored on an RFID tag. Data stored on the RFID is transferred reprogramming circuitry of the production which sets the configurable operating parameters. This configures the products features and options as desired by the specific user without requiring an external programming device or destructive entering into the packages or internals of the product. An RFID located in an electronic product, within or upon its packaging, or on an accessory may be loaded with reprogramming data such as media configuration data or usage data. The RFID reader may be located on a kiosk.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: Mats Cremon, Pixie Ann Austin, Patrick Helton, Howard Nojiri, William Kelly, Steven Winter, Duane Fox, Christopher A. Wiklof
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Patent number: 6494628Abstract: A heat-sensitive transcription printer system 100 is made up of a heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette 10 and a heat-sensitive transcription printing device 50 on which said heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette is loaded. On the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette is bonded an IC label 20 having an IC memory 21, a power receiving/supplying coil 23 and a diode 24 connected to the IC memory 21 and a signal communication coil 22 for performing communication of signals between the IC memory 21 and the heat-sensitive transcription printing device. The inherent discrimination information is previously recorded on the heat-sensitive transcription ink sheet cassette 10 and can be read out from it electrically. In this heat-sensitive transcription printing device 50, the driving power is supplied from a power supply unit 55 through a power supply coil 61, power receiving/supplying coil 23 and the diode 24 to the IC memory 21.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2000Date of Patent: December 17, 2002Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yukie Konoshita, Kazuhide Shiratori, Toshiaki Nakanishi, Masanobu Hida, Hiroshi Kikuchi
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Patent number: 6491453Abstract: A printing apparatus, a control method therefor, and a medium on which the control method is stored, enable selection of a resume operation to be performed when the printing apparatus resumes operation following an off-line state. The resume operation to be performed after an off-line state is determined by a command received from a host device according to the cause for the off-line state. The resume operation thus determined is performed when the printing apparatus goes on-line again following the off-line state. A marker indicating a particular location in a continuous data stream can be set. If the marker is placed at the beginning of a particular data stream, printing can be resumed from the beginning of the data stream after recovery from an off-line state. By also storing various printer definitions (settings) when a marker is set, the printing apparatus can also be restored to the printer definitions in use when the printer went off-line.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2000Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kazuko Fukano, Yoshiaki Kinoshita
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Publication number: 20020181986Abstract: A method of determining a registration offset in a hard copy apparatus, the apparatus comprising a pen arranged to mark a print medium and a sensor arranged to detect marks on the medium along a sensor path, the method comprising the steps of: marking a alignment pattern on the medium, the pattern being at least partially located along the sensor path; detecting the position along the sensor path of a portion of the pattern; and, determining a distance by which the pattern is offset from the sensor path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sensor path, the pattern being configured such that the detected position is indicative of the offset distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Inventors: Jorge Castano, David Toussaint
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Publication number: 20020181985Abstract: A printing system is provided with a controller and a printing device that houses sheets of printing paper of a plurality of kinds. The controller has a storing means for storing cover page data used for forming a front cover and a rear cover of a booklet and body page data used for forming a body of the booklet, and, after having set different print formats with respect to the cover page data and body page data, successively outputs the cover page data and the body page data to the printing device. The printing device, with respect to the cover page data and the body page data transmitted from the controller, prints the cover portion and the body portion on sheets of printing paper of different kinds based upon the print formats respectively set. Thus, it is possible to successively supply printed sheets corresponding to the cover portion and the body portion to an automatic bookbinding machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Applicant: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG CO., LTD.Inventor: Fumihiro Hatayama
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Publication number: 20020168204Abstract: Sensitive consumable components of printing devices involved in the process of transferring and fixing an image with toner onto a print medium are protected from harmful exposure to the environment and handling through designating and consistently positioning non-use regions of the components toward exposure gaps in their protective housings upon the completion of every printing process. The need for shutter mechanisms on consumable housings to cover up exposure gaps to protect consumables while in a general handling environment is therefore reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2001Publication date: November 14, 2002Inventor: Quintin T. Phillips
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Patent number: 6474881Abstract: The object is to print continuously in the specified order by one operation a series of print jobs printed in any timing by a plurality of host computers for the same printer even if a usual print job is spooled together in a print server. In a method for solving the problem, a print server identifies ordered print jobs for which print order is to be specified and non-ordered print jobs out of a plurality of print jobs transmitted in any timing from a client, the print order for each print job identified as such is rearranged and aligned in specified order, and the output order for each print job aligned for a printer based on the state of alignment.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koichiro Wanda
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Publication number: 20020159807Abstract: At the time of placing an order for printing image data via a network, the order can be efficiently rerouted in the case where a printing service provider designated according to an agency specified by a user cannot process the order. A database in a service center stores a laboratory information table. The printing service provider registers with the laboratory information table in advance the printing services available thereat and rerouting information to automatically send order information representing processing that cannot be processed by the printing service provider, such as large-size printing and postcard printing, to another printing service provider. An order reception server judges the content of order information sent from the user and sends the order information to the printing service provider designated by the rerouting information in the laboratory information table if necessary.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2002Publication date: October 31, 2002Inventor: Hironobu Ishida
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Publication number: 20020159806Abstract: If bus resetting occurs during transmission of printing data (ST21), a printer device is requested to transmit the information output before the occurrence of bus resetting by a STB (C18). Responsive to a request from the STB, the information input before the occurrence of the bus resetting is output from the printing device to the STB (R18). Based on the information input responsive to the request, printing data is again output from the STB to the printing device (C19). So, the system itself recognizes the information output by the STB before the occurrence of the bus resetting to re-initiate data transmission as from mid data (S14). Thus, data transmission is to be carried out in a shorter time even when the bus resetting occurs to shorten the entire printing time.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2002Publication date: October 31, 2002Inventors: Yushi Ihara, Takashi Kojima
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Patent number: 6471423Abstract: Print control method and apparatus in which when a character and an overlay overlap or when there is a character in an overlay which is spooled on the foreground, it is possible to prevent a periphery of the character from being displayed as a blank image are provided. For this purpose, when the overlay is spooled on the background, a draw command of each print page of the overlay is spooled earlier than a draw command of each print page of a print document. When there is a character draw command in the draw command of the print document and the setting of the character draw command is set to a mode to paint the periphery of the character white, the setting is changed to a mode in which the periphery of the character is not painted white and the character draw command is spooled as a draw command of each print page.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1999Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Yamada
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Publication number: 20020154930Abstract: A Web server is accessed using a cellular telephone. When desired digital content desired to be printed is found, the user designates a location at which this digital content is to be printed. The digital content is transmitted from the Web server to a printing terminal that has been installed at the designated location, and the printing terminal prints the digital content. The user goes to the designated location and picks up the printout. Even if the user is on the road, therefore, desired digital content that has been stored in the Web server can be printed out and received.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2002Publication date: October 24, 2002Inventor: Yoshiki Kawaoka
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Patent number: 6467978Abstract: A system for automatically reproducing an image on a large surface, such as the external wall of a building or a billboard. The system includes a computer, a translator program, a controller card and image reproduction machinery. The computer is programmed with the translating program which converts a downloaded image file into a data file capable of being used by the controller card. The controller card is used to control drivers which control various motors on the image reproduction machinery. The image production machinery comprises a guide rail, a carriage, and a medium head assembly. The guide rail is suspended adjacent to the surface to be painted. During operation, the guide rail moves along one axis of the surface and the carriage moves longitudinally over the guide rail. The medium head assembly contains a plurality of airbrushes which are equally spaced apart with their tips aimed at a single point on the wall thereby producing a single pixel of various colors and shades.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1999Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Inventor: John D. Tideman, Jr.
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Patent number: 6461063Abstract: A sheet having at least one self-adhesive special purpose label arrangement set having a postage indicia label, and preferably a sender label and also preferably an addressee label, and a process for printing these special purpose label arrangement sets. The postage indicia label printed by the process is sized and shaped so that it can be applied to a variety of mail pieces, including mail pieces that have FIM patterns, and the printed postage indicia label can be applied to an upper right hand corner of a mail piece without encroaching on the FIM pattern. The invention also provides a process for printing the self-adhesive special purpose label arrangement set with postage indicia, sender information, and addressee information.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2000Date of Patent: October 8, 2002Assignee: Stamps.comInventors: Christopher Patrick Miller, Keith Bussell
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Patent number: 6457883Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the invention is specifically configured to allow a printer's or a user's account to accumulate a credit balance and for all or a portion of this balance to be presented to the corresponding user or users as a collection of “points”. If the printer account has a credit balance, then the corresponding points may be redeemed by the user or users for particular products or services. Users thereby learn to associate fee-earning activities in relation to the printer, such as the printing of advertising and online purchasing, with the accumulation of points, thus maximising the likelihood that a particular printer will not become a cost burden to its provider.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2000Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty LtdInventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
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Patent number: 6459943Abstract: A seal producing apparatus includes file storing and recalling procedures wherein calling of a file is permitted only when a seal loaded in the seal producing apparatus is a seal type having a shape and size suitable to contain the allowable number of lines and the allowable number of characters per line in the seal type associated with the file to be called and when the size of the seal type of the seal loaded in the seal producing apparatus is equal to or larger than the size of the seal type associated with the file to be called.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1999Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignees: King Jim Co., Ltd., Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takuya Suetani, Kiyoshi Ogawa, Tomoyuki Shimmura, Masahiko Nunokawa
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Patent number: 6450090Abstract: A system and method for printing directly on a mat board. A computer-readable medium includes a digital image having a size scaled to a size of the mat board. For example, the size can correspond to a border region of the mat board between an outer edge of the mat board and an interior region of the mat board that is open or configured to be open to allow visual access to a selected item placed behind the mat board. The digital image is transmitted to a computer printer coupled to the computer-readable medium, and the digital image is printed directly on the mat board with the computer printer while the mat board is engaged with the computer printer. The mat board can include a mat board body having a forward-facing surface with an at least partially non-porous print receiving medium configured to receive ink from an ink jet printer, and a generally non-porous medium at a rearward-facing surface configured to at least restrict moisture from passing into the mat board body through the rearward-facing surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Inventor: Wilbur S. Wridge, Jr.
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Publication number: 20020122682Abstract: A system for generating printed mail pieces, starting from a print file, having: a printer for printing; a processing device for processing printed items into mail pieces; a control unit for controlling the printer and the processing device, and memory. The memory contains processing code for controlling the control unit for processing the rough pint file into a processed print file, and representation code for causing the processing instructions of the processing code to be represented in humanly perceptible form. The representation code is editable for changing at least the representations of the processing instructions and convertible into the processing code. Alternatively, the memory can contain a set of processing subroutines with which processing subroutines representation codes can be composed which differ from each other at least as regards processing instructions included therein, and which are each convertible into corresponding processing code.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2001Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventor: Jelle Wiersma
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Patent number: 6428219Abstract: A sheet or roll having at least one self-adhesive special purpose label arrangement set having a postage indicia label and optionally a sender label, and process for printing the special purpose label set or printing the postage indicia directly on upper right hand corner of a business courtesy envelope. The postage indicia label and the indicia printed thereon or directly onto the business courtesy envelope is sized and shaped so that the postage indicia will not impinge on the FIM pattern or the automated postage handling markings on the business courtesy envelope.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Stamps.comInventors: Mark A. Stier, Keith Bussell, Christopher Patrick Miller
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Patent number: 6409401Abstract: A portable printer is provided having a printer mechanism capable of printing on media and an RFID encoder for encoding information onto RFID circuits coupled to the media. The printer mechanism and RFID encoder are contained in the housing of the printer with a programmed controller for controlling the printer mechanism and RFID encoder. The printer mechanism includes a print head and motor for driving a platen roller to advance the media across the print head and passed the antenna of the RFID encoder. The media may be stored in a compartment in the housing on a roll or fan-fold in which multiple RFID circuits are provided along the length of the media. The programmed controller in the housing operates, responsive to communication received from a host terminal or computer, to send information to the print head to print information on the media and/or information to the encoder to encode the RFID circuit.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2001Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Zih Corp.Inventors: Steven F. Petteruti, Majid Amani, Michael L. Lamontagne
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Patent number: 6411396Abstract: A method for imposing and rendering image data. The method formatting the image data for a surface of a media sheet in an output device space and including receiving one or more page description files defining one or more objects to be located on the surface of the media sheet, receiving a job ticket defining a layout of the objects on the surface in a sheet-defined space. Prior to ripping, the layout of the objects is transformed into output device space including rotation or translation of the objects. The objects are ripped creating raster data that is oriented in output device space. The raster data is blitted in blocks without shifting the raster data.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1999Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Adobe Systems IncorporatedInventors: Craig H. Benson, John T. Green, Michael Parker
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Publication number: 20020076246Abstract: A head member includes a plurality of first nozzles forming a first nozzle row, a plurality of second nozzles forming a second nozzle row that is paired with the first nozzle row, and an ink supplying unit that supplies a same kind of liquid to each of the nozzles. There is a slight gap between a moving track of a first nozzle by a main scanning unit and a moving track of a second nozzle paired with the first nozzle by the main scanning unit. A controlling unit is adapted to control an ink jetting unit and the main scanning unit in such a manner that an ink jetting from the first nozzle and an ink jetting from the second nozzle paired with the first nozzle are carried out in a same main scan, based on jetting data for a same jetting unit area. According to the invention, even if main scans are not repeated, liquid jetting for the same jetting unit area can be carried out from the two nozzles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2001Publication date: June 20, 2002Inventor: Junhua Chang
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Publication number: 20020076245Abstract: An image processing system wherein a data processing apparatus and a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected through a network. The data processing apparatus transmits a print job that is received through the network from a client and first instruction data that instructs to calculate a printing cost for the print job to each of the plurality of image processing apparatuses, and receives response data with respect to the transmission from each of the plurality of image processing apparatuses, and selects one of the plurality of image processing apparatuses based on a plurality of response data received. The image processing apparatus responds to reception of the print job and the first instruction data from the data processing apparatus, calculates a printing cost based on an image processing capability of the apparatus itself, and transmits the print cost calculated to the data processing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2001Publication date: June 20, 2002Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenji Aiyama
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Publication number: 20020067940Abstract: A transferring tray for a printing apparatus for printing on one major surface of a recording media having disc shape, wherein the printing apparatus includes, a carriage having a printing head, reciprocating in a main scanning direction, a transferring unit transferring the recording media in a sub scanning direction, a detecting unit detecting the recording media being transferred by the transferring unit, and a recording unit printing on the one major surface of the recording media, the transferring tray including: a tray body having a rectangular plate shape made of a material which is not detected by the detecting unit; a detected portion formed on either one of two major surfaces of the tray body, being detectable by the detecting unit; and a mounting portion having a mounting recess such that the one major surface of the recording media comes up to substantially same level as one of the major surfaces of the tray body when the recording media is mounted on the transferring tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2001Publication date: June 6, 2002Inventors: Yoji Sasai, Masaki Shimomura, Masahiro Isono, Mamoru Ukita, Hiroshi Asawa, Kenjiro Ishihara, Koji Hashiuchi, Kazuo Otsuka, Hiroyuki Tajima
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Patent number: 6394673Abstract: A printing system for printing application data instructed to be printed from an application at a printer, which comprises first intermediate data preparation means for preparing first intermediate data from the application data, second intermediate data preparation means for preparing second intermediate data having the same data format as the first intermediate data from the first intermediate data, and print data preparation means for preparing print data that can be processed at the printer from the second intermediate data.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2001Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ryuichi Horigane
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Publication number: 20020054778Abstract: A document editing method includes transferring document information to a printing device capable of printing the document information on a surface coded with a position-coding pattern. Editing information is received from a reading device capable of reading position information from the position-coded surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Inventors: Petter Ericson, Tomas Lundstrom
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Patent number: 6382850Abstract: An ink jet printer for making photographic prints includes at least one paper supply for holding a supply of print paper and a sheet paper transport belt arranged to receive sheets of print paper from the at least one paper supply and transport the sheets through the printer. A back printer is located between the paper supply and the paper transport belt for applying back prints to the print paper. A full print width color ink jet print head is located over a first portion of the transport belt for printing an image on a paper sheet. A paper support located under the ink jet print head is provided with ink overspill collection grooves to collect overspilled ink from the ink jet print head.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2000Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Michael N. Freund, Alexander Hirsch
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Patent number: 6379058Abstract: A system is provided for RF communication between a host terminal or computer system (“host”) and a portable printer through RF signal transmissions. The host has a RF communication interface and is programmed to send and receive data via the interface to a portable printer. The portable printer has a printing mechanism for printing on media and a RF communication interface to send and receive data from a host. The printer is programmed to link with a host and then operate responsive to data received in RF signals from a host linked to the printer. Each portable printer has a unique serial number which is recorded in a barcode present on the housing of the printer and/or in an RFID tag coupled to the printer. The host has either, or both, an optical scanner or an RFID transmitter/receiver to read the printer's barcode or RF signals from the tag to obtain the printer's serial number.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: ZIH Corp.Inventors: Steven F. Petteruti, Majid Amani, Robert Hoen
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Patent number: 6379059Abstract: A method and system for printing medical labels. A hand-held, portable computer, a printer and a wireless data communication interface communicating between the computer and the printer are provided. Medical data are organized in the computer into predetermined type files and are preferably further organized into sub-files for presentation on a display associated with the computer. A user selects from among the files through use of the computer, preferably by touching the display. The computer communicates ultimately selected data to the printer and the printer prints the data on a label which is applied to a medical document.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Inventor: Charles Kaplan
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Patent number: 6373510Abstract: There are provided a tape printing apparatus and a method of forming a print image for a tape. A basic image is deformed in the direction of width of a tape, based on a specific modification pattern, and then the deformed basic image is printed on the tape. Modifying data of the modification pattern is stored in a memory device. The basic image data representative of the basic image is developed into a dot matrix corresponding to a print area of the tape. Each dot of each dot line of the basic image data developed into the dot matrix, the each dot line extending in the direction of the width of the tape, is shifted in a direction corresponding to the direction of width of the tape, based on the modification pattern to thereby form the print image.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 1999Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, King Jim Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Hosokawa, Kenji Watanabe, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Kenichi Tanabe, Rie Sudo
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Patent number: 6371668Abstract: In order to reduce the number of signal lines of the cable between the controller and the carriage and to allow the print timing of each head to be adjusted in increments smaller than one pixel, the signal lines include a line for carrying serial print data to be supplied to a plurality of print heads in a predetermined order, a line for carrying a clock signal corresponding to individual bits of the data, lines for carrying signal HDSEL[1 . . . 0] indicating which print head corresponds to which print data included in the serial print data, and lines for driving the heads. When data is transferred over this cable, one slice section is divided into a plurality of sections, the slice section corresponding to a time slot required to transfer a unit of print data corresponding to a plurality of dot printing elements of the plurality of heads, each divided section is further divided into a number of subsections the number of which is equal to the number of the print heads.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Copyer Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuichi Sugiyama, Michitaka Fukuda
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Patent number: 6367993Abstract: A portable printer is provided which provides active cooperation between a computer and the portable printer unit. A number of different features are introduced into the printing unit which allow greater responsiveness from the computer responsive to actions taken at the printer unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2001Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Esselte N.V.Inventors: Robert Charles Lewis Day, Lawrence Archard, Jonathan Kemp, Charles Robert Sims, Adrian Michael Woodward, Chris McCleve, Martin Gibbs, Michel Woodman, Geert Heyse
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Patent number: 6367997Abstract: In a printer system comprising a plurality of printers, a printer in an output-impossible state can specify and confirm a backup printer. Each of the printers comprises display means, data storage means, printer information obtaining means, backup printer determining means, and data transfer means. One of the printers in output-impossible state stores output data in the data storage means and displays an error-state display in a status display unit thereof. The printer obtains information of the other printers via the printer information obtaining means. The backup printer determining means of the printer determines a backup printer based on a predetermined condition and displays which is the backup printer on the backup printer display unit thereof. At the same time, the printer reads the output data from the data storage means and transfers the data to the backup printer via the data transfer means.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tomohiko Ito
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Patent number: 6367992Abstract: A printing apparatus for storing total operation counters for individual consumable and nonconsumable parts of a printing apparatus. A nonvolatile storage retains stored count information even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus. An operations counter counts a value indicative of a printing apparatus operation. A counter storage stores a historical counter indicative of the printing apparatus operation history to the nonvolatile storage means based on a value counted by the operations counter, and stores a total printing apparatus operations count to the storage means. Specific printer operations, such as the number of characters printed, distance of recording medium transportation, and the number of times the automatic paper cutter is operated, can thus be individually accumulated, and the historical counts, that is, the cumulative counts since the printer was first used, can be stored to memory.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1998Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kazuhisa Aruga, Hidetake Mochizuki, Naohiko Koakutsu, Kazuko Fukano, Mitsuaki Teradaira
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Patent number: 6360656Abstract: A three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a shape recognition section for obtaining three-dimensional shape data about a surface shape of a three-dimensional object by measurement or the like; an ejection section for ejecting ink toward the three-dimensional object; a scanning section for causing the ejection section to scan relative to the three-dimensional object; and a control section for controlling an operation of the ejection section and/or the scanning section in accordance with information about inclination of the surface of the three-dimensional object, the information being indicated in the data obtained by the shape recognition section. The printing apparatus performs printing in accordance with the information obtained by measurement on the surface inclination of the object to achieve a high-quality printing process.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2001Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Kubo, Jun Koreishi, Hideaki Nakanishi
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Patent number: 6357939Abstract: The present invention includes a device for a method of printing images with a handheld printing device. The handheld printing device includes a navigation sensor, a controller to correlate image information and navigational information and a printhead to print the image on a printable object or media. The method of printing with a handheld printing device includes moving the handheld printing device in a series of continuous motions in which the handheld printing device determines its position and prints the portion of the image appropriate for its current position. The handheld printing device can be combined with a handheld scanning device to enable a user to scan and print with a handheld device.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2001Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventor: John M. Baron
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Publication number: 20020031386Abstract: A printing system, for instance, for printing labels makes use of one or more sequence generators (13, 14; 113, 114) which can return an indicium definition in response to an input value. Typically, the input value is a sequence position, modified by step and repeat values. The sequence generators (13, 14; 113, 114) are used during the printing operation, avoiding the need for the data source file required in conventional mail merge and label printing systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2001Publication date: March 14, 2002Inventor: Nik Allday
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Patent number: 6354752Abstract: A printing system includes an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus in which character image data transferred from the information processing apparatus is registered in the printing apparatus and the printing apparatus prints the same character by using the registered character image data. The information processing apparatus includes a compression unit for compressing the character image data to be transferred to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a registration unit for registering the compressed character image data and a decompression unit for decompressing the compressed character image data.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1996Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Nakagiri
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Patent number: 6354215Abstract: A method apparatus for printing a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater. A digital record of a customer image order containing at least one image captured underwater is obtained. The image captured underwater is determined and the digital record of the underwater captured image is modified in a predetermined manner. The determination of the existence of an image captured underwater may be provided by analyzing the image record or obtained by reading information received from the customer image order. Thereafter modified image may be printed and/or displayed.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2001Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: John R. Fredlund
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Patent number: 6351275Abstract: A printing device comprising user input means having function setting means for selectively instigating a background text state and an edit state and character selection means for selecting characters or symbols to be printed, a label memory for holding label data in the form of characters or symbols selected as background text and characters or symbols selected as foreground text, a printing mechanism for printing images based on said label data and a controller responsive to the user input means and the label data to control the printing mechanism, wherein the controller is operable to generate print data for the printing mechanism to print said selected background characters or symbols as grey shaded background.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Esselte NVInventors: Clive Lawrence Ayling, Michel Woodman, David Roger Tegerdine, Geoffrey Stuart Howe
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Patent number: RE38111Abstract: A document printer is provided comprising a printer housing, a user interface and an internal printer controller positioned within the printer housing. The internal printer controller is programmed to designate a document format according to a format command entered at the user interface. A data stream input port is in communication with the internal printer controller and is operative to receive a data stream. A document construction module is in communication with the internal printer controller. The document construction module enables the internal printer controller to (i) extract predetermined data fields from the data stream according to the designated document format and (ii) convert the extracted data fields to document data. A document data printing mechanism is responsive to the internal printer controller and is operative to print the document data in the designated document format.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2000Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: The Standard Register CompanyInventors: Philip G. LaDue, John H. King, Scott J. Haman, Loren Schafer