Abstract: A method and system for compensating for scanner facet height error in a laser imaging application including a rotating polygon for directing a laser beam across a dimension of a photographic element. The present invention compensates for facet height error by measuring a scan interval for each facet of the rotating polygon and modifies the pixel clock for a subset of pixels of each scan line as a function of variations in scan intervals for the respective facets of the rotating polygon.Several advantages of the present invention have been illustrated including the low cost of such a compensation system and technique. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited in accuracy by the pixel clock as are conventional techniques. Furthermore, the modified pixels are evenly distributed over the entire length of the facet's corresponding scan line.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for forming a rotated image on an imaging element without requiring vast amounts of physical memory, virtual memory or specialized hardware. Furthermore, the system and technique is efficient and inexpensive to implement.The present invention effects efficient image rotation by decomposing the image into an array of data blocks defined by a plurality of data block columns and a plurality of data block rows. The present invention independently rotates each data block and writes the rotated data block to a temporary image file starting at a corresponding calculated position. The starting position is such that during a post-processing phase a plurality of rotated data blocks are retrieved and easily processed to form at least one complete scan line of pixels. Finally, the imaging element is sequentially exposed by a radiation source to form each scan line on the imaging element, thereby forming a rotated image on the imaging element.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recalibrating a multi-color imaging system are provided. The multi-color imaging system is capable of applying different colorants to a substrate based on a plurality of input color values. The input color values control amounts of the colorants to be applied to the substrate by the imaging system. A subset of the input color values is selected and used to control the imaging system to apply one or more of the different colorants to the substrate, thereby forming a plurality of different color patches on the substrate. The subset of input color values is selected such that one or more of the different color patches is formed by application of a combination of at least two of the different colorants to the substrate. Color values are measured for each of the different color patches, and compared to reference color values, representing a calibrated condition of the imaging system. An error value is calculated.

Abstract: A system that integrates active and simulated decisionmaking processes generates decisions in response to events representing changes in a domain model, and updates the domain model according to the decisions. The system includes a real-time mode for generating recommendations in response to real-time events, and a simulation mode for generating recommendations in response to simulated events. The simulation mode is capable of running on either randomly generated domain events or real-time domain events captured during the real-time mode. In addition, the simulation mode does not require development of a separate domain model for simulation. Rather, the simulation mode may use the contents of a domain model established during the real-time mode. Integration of an active decisionmaking tool with a simulation tool thereby eliminates the cost of constructing a separate simulation model, and avoids invalidation of the contents of the simulation model over time.

Abstract: A system and method for color characterization and transformation obtain color data representing output of a color imaging system, and convert the color data using a color space having a white reference vector that is adjusted during the conversion. The white reference vector can be adjusted according to intensities of the color data being converted. Adjustment of the white reference vector serves to avoid nonuniformities for color imaging systems having different imaging bases, and thereby eliminates, or at least reduces, the amount of empirical adjustment necessary to obtain an acceptable visual match between the color imaging systems.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the actual temperature of an intermittently operated heating means, at least one operating parameter is measured for a predetermined measuring time period (T) during a switch-on interval (86) of the heating means. On the basis of the measured value of the at least one operating parameter, the actual temperature of the heating element is detected. The length of the current switch-on interval (86) is changed in dependence on the result of a comparison between the actual temperature and a predetermined desired temperature. The minimum length of each switch-on interval (86) is equal to the measuring time period (T). The measuring time period (T) is selected to provide that, during the length of the measuring time period (T), the thermal energy supplied to the heating means is less than the thermal energy emitted during the following switch-off interval (88) extending up to the next switch-on interval (86).

Abstract: A heating element having an electrically heatable layer comprises a support tube (16) provided with an electrically resistive heating layer (14), and electrodes for applying a voltage to the resistive heating layer (14). At least one electrode is provided as an elastic electrode, having a contacting side for engaging the resistive heating layer (14) and being adapted for arrangement on the support tube (16), with the contacting side of the electrode abutting the resistive heating layer (14). The contacting side has free ends comprising a plurality of projections having abutment faces, abutment lines or abutment points for contacting the resistive heating layer (14).

Abstract: In the apparatus (10) and the method according to the invention, two temperature treatment devices (e.g., laminating rollers 14, 16) which are to be contacted with an element to be subjected to heat treatment (e.g., proof 50 with color particles 52), are temperature-controlled. One of the treatment devices (laminating roller 14) is provided with a heating means (22). For tempering the second treatment device (laminating roller 16), the second treatment device is brought into contact with the directly heated treatment device (laminating roller 14). This is carried out as soon as the temperature of the not directly heated treatment device (laminating roller 16) has dropped below a predetermined desired temperature or a predetermined desired temperature range.