Abstract: A method for cleaning a wiper in which a printhead cartridge having an integral wiper cleaning station is moved in opposite directions along a path of travel, whereby a stationary wiper is scraped across wiping surfaces of the cleaning station. The wiper does not contact the printhead cartridge when the wiper is positioned over parts of the cleaning station sandwiching a printhead on the printhead cartridge so that the wiper is out of contact with the cleaning station when printhead cartridge reverses direction.

Abstract: A technique for making multiple copies that includes the steps of scanning a scan region that contains the image to be copied to produce an array of scan region pixel data that contains pixel data for the entire scan region; printing an image based on the array of scan region pixel data; processing the scan region pixel data to determine a subregion of the scan region that contains printable, non-background information; scanning the subregion of the scan region and providing to a print buffer print data only for the subregion of the scan region that contains printable, non-background information; and printing an image based on the subregion print data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer for use with a television receiver and monitor and responsive to commands from a remote device for printing user desired information. The printer has a box like rectangular shaped housing conforming in size to that of conventional electronic audio video components such as cable boxes, DVD players, amplifiers, video tapes and the like to facilitate the stacking of the printer with such other components. A base member supports in a front portion of the printer a printbar and associated printheads to provide the user with easy printhead head access. The base member has an open bottom for receiving a removable combination input/output tray cassette. Upon removal of the combination input/output tray cassette, front user access is made available for the purposes of removing a paper jam should one occur.

Abstract: A printhead cartridge has a generally box like shape, a recessed channel area on which a printhead is mounted, and an integrally formed wiper cleaning station. The wiper cleaning station includes a pair of spaced apart cleaning surfaces on right and left sidewalls for engaging a wiper, a pair of debris accumulation plateaus, and right and left recessed debris collectors which sandwich the recessed channel area and which are disposed below corresponding ones of the plateaus. The printhead cooperates with the right and left side walls to form right and left debris accumulation channels which extend into the right and left recessed debris collectors. A pair of spaced apart cutout areas are provided for allowing the wiper to disengage from the wiper cleaning station when the printhead stops and reverses its direction.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing machine, an ink drop error correction apparatus includes a position extrapolator that is responsive to conventional position encoder pulses and uses a second order polynomial equation to compensated for ink drop distortions induced at higher carriage velocities of at least 25 inches per second for generating a series of nozzle firing sub-pulses that account for different carriage velocities. A fire pulse generator responsive to the sub-pulses further adjusts the firing time of the printing machine nozzles to correct for the carriage velocity induced ink drop positional errors for both non constant and constant carriage velocity conditions.

Abstract: Methods of printing a desired color image on a printing medium by construction from individual ink drops deposited in pixel arrays includes passing a multiple-nozzle ink-discharging pen or an odd number of staggered pen cartridges across the medium multiple times, each pass creating a portion of a respective segment of the image, and periodically advancing the medium so that portions of successively different segments are created by the pen(s). During each pass, the “portion-creating” function includes discharging from the pen(s) an odd submultiple of the full density of ink desired in the segment of the desired image that is being created, so that printing full density in each segment requires an odd number of passes. The medium is advanced by an odd submultiple of the height of the segment being created in each pass and is preferably advanced after each pass of the pen(s). The portion-creating includes creation by the pen(s) of a multiplicity of spaced-apart diagonal lines.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing machine, an ink drop positional error correction apparatus includes a position extrapolator that is responsive to conventional position encoder pulses and uses difference equations to predict future carriage positions by mapping a position profile of the traveling carriage to a polynomial equation of an arbitrary order for generating a series of nozzle firing subpulses that account for non constant carriage velocity. A fire pulse generator responsive to the subpulses further adjusts the firing time of the printing machine nozzles to correct for the carriage velocity induced ink drop positional errors for both non constant and constant carriage velocity conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer for use with a television receiver and monitor and responsive to commands from a remote device for printing user desired information. The printer has a box like rectangular shaped housing conforming in size to that of conventional electronic audio video components such as cable boxes, DVD players, amplifiers, video tapes and the like to facilitate the stacking of the printer with such other components. A base member having defines an interior cavity for receiving a removable combination input/output tray cassette and supports from below a low profile printbar including its feed motor, drive motor, associated electronic drivers for controlling the firing of low profile printheads, carriage movement and the moving of paper to print user desired images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer having a removable combination input/output tray cassette. An elongated opening centrally disposed in a front wall of the cassette allows a user to determine the amount of paper stored in the cassette without withdrawing the cassette from the printer body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low profile stackable internet appliance printer having a removable combination input/output tray cassette with a support mounted therein for holding the output tray in substantially horizontal plane when the output tray is extended outwardly from the cassette a sufficient distance to support from below individual sheets of media discharged from the printer.

Abstract: A service station for use in servicing one or more inkjet print cartridges includes a service station sled assembly movably attached to a service station chassis. The sled assembly includes at least one wiper and at least one cap. In one embodiment, the service station includes a cam and cam follower that interact to move the sled assembly. The cam is shaped so that movement of the cam to a first position causes each cap to contact a printhead of a corresponding inkjet print cartridge. Movement of the cam to a second position causes the cap to move away from the printhead and moves the wiper into a wiping position. In another embodiment, a service station according to the invention for use with a facsimile machine including inkjet printing apparatus includes a motor that is positioned so as to minimize the footprint of the service station.

Abstract: The present invention provides a low profile stackable Internet appliance printer for use with a television receiver and monitor and responsive to commands from a remote device for printing user desired information. The printer has a box like rectangular shaped housing conforming in size to that of conventional electronic audio video components such as cable boxes, DVD players, amplifiers, video tapes and the like to facilitate the stacking of the printer with such other components. A base member supports in a front portion of the printer a printbar and associated printheads to provide the user with easy printhead head access. The base member has an open bottom for receiving a removable combination input/output tray cassette. Upon removal of the combination input/output tray cassette, front user access is made available for the purposes of removing a paper jam should one occur.

Abstract: An exercise kit includes a lightweight garment having at least a pair of elongated pockets. An elongated bent plastic member is secured within desired ones of the pockets to provide resistance when deformed and no resistance when restored resiliently to an original shape. The method of using the kit includes performing physical activities that includes movement of at least some portion of the body sufficient to cause the plastic member to deform and to provide sufficient resistance to the movement to tone the muscles of the user experiencing such resistance. In another embodiment an exercise kit includes at least one elongated plastic member having a distal end pair of slots and a proximate end pair of slots. A pair of securing straps conformed to fit within respective ones of the slots helps secure the plastic member in a position extending longitudinally along a limb portion of a user.

Abstract: A borderless inkjet printer includes a hollow open end platen having a block of ink absorbent material disposed there within and exposed to a plurality of inkjet cartridges. A front set and a rear set of upstanding cockle ribs extend upwardly from the platen a sufficient distance to substantially prevent either a leading edge and a trailing edge of a sheet of print medium travel across a print zone within the printer from making contact with the absorbent material. A print engine having at least one print head travels in a rectilinear path above the print zone to eject ink droplets onto edge portions of the print medium to provide a borderless print image thereon.

Abstract: A color imaging system in which the lamp spectrum is tuned so that, in the charge coupled device, the signal to noise ratio is maximized for all three RGB channels equally. This result is obtained by a process wherein the fluorescent lamp output is adjusted by alteration of the relative amounts of red, green and blue phosphors which coat the inside surface of the lamp. In this manner, when the lamp spectrum is tuned so that the RGB channels of the CCD have equal levels when scanning a white background, the signal to noise ratio can be maximized for all three channels equally. Thus, it is possible to scan a white paper without saturating and all three colors can be scanned simultaneously, since the lamp brightness can be set at a level which maximizes signal strength for all three color signals. That is, the lamp output spectrum and the RGB response of the CCD are tuned to provide balanced system response.

Abstract: A system incorporating the invention controls ink deposition from a multi-orifice inkjet printhead. The printhead is adapted to deposit shingled dots, of plural colors, during multiple passes across a media sheet. The system includes an image buffer which stores image data, the data configured into plural color planes, each color plane including single color subpixels. Each subpixel is a multibit value that is representative of a color intensity. Multiple color plane deposition masks are stored for use with subpixel data from associated color planes, each color plane deposition mask including plural threshold values. Subpixel values from each color plane are compared with logically corresponding threshold values from an associated color plane deposition mask and print control signals are produced in accordance with the comparing action. If the subpixel value equals or exceeds an associated threshold value, a print signal is issued and if not, a no-print action occurs.

Abstract: A new and improved low power GPS signal receiver system includes a GPS signal receiver device and control processor for powering up the signal receiver device for a first sufficient period of time to locate and acquire a time signal from a single GPS satellite and then powering down the GPS signal receiver device after establishing a local time and for waiting another sufficient period of time after receiving a user request to update time before powering up the signal receiver device to facilitate about an immediate sync on another GPS navigation message subframe indicative of the time maintained by said single GPS satellite vehicle. Once the second sufficient period of time has elapsed, the control processor powers up the GPS signal receiver device for a third sufficient period of time to acquire and process 29 bits of subframe message information indicative of time maintained by the GPS satellite vehicle.

Abstract: An inkjet color printer accesses image data to be printed on a pixel by pixel basis and determines the Z number of drops of different color inks to distribute per pixel over a predetermined number of passes in a multi-pass print mode of operation. Predetermined constraints relative to the maximum number of drops of a single ink color per pixel and per pass permit maskless drop ordering and an even distribution of ink over time per pixel.

Abstract: An ink printing system is described herein which includes a print cartridge, having an ink reservoir and an ink fill hole, and an ink refill system for engaging the print cartridge's ink fill hole and transferring ink to the ink reservoir. The ink fill hole has a stopper blocking the hole to prevent ink leakage through the hole. The ink refill system containing a supply of ink has a male valve, resembling a hollow needle, which is inserted through the ink fill hole and pushes the stopper into the ink bag. The male valve creates an airtight fluid communication path between the print cartridge and the ink supply in the ink refill system. Ink is then transferred from the ink refill system into the print cartridge. The ink refill system is then removed from the print cartridge. The male valve of the ink refill system has a releasable tip which is pulled into the ink fill hole to seal the ink fill hole. The tip is then released from the male valve such as by unscrewing the male valve from the tip.

Abstract: A mask generation subroutine forms Z number of stacked n by m blank mask matrix arrays to provide a plurality of columnar mask locations. The subroutine then selects randomly any previously unselected column of mask locations from the stack of blank mask matrix arrays and assigns best print mode parameters to the individual mask locations in the selected column. The process of selecting and assigning is repeated until all columns of mask locations have been selected and all mask locations have been assigned best print mode parameters to provide a complete set of Z number of configured mask matrix arrays. A control program selects desired ones of the Z number of masks and applies the selected mask to control indicia patterns so that the depositing of indicia forming material in adjacent pixel locations is spaced in time to occur in different ones of the Z passes.