Patents Represented by Attorney R. Hutter

Find this attorney in the Justia Lawyer Directory

  • System for resetting the video offset from dark photosensors in an image sensor array
    Patent number: 6657662
    Abstract: In a photosensitive device wherein signals are read sequentially from a plurality of photosensors onto a video line, an offset control detects a condition in which the photosensors experience a predetermined number of integration periods without reading out signals onto the video line. In response to such a condition, the offset control resets the offset on the video line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Scott L. TeWinkle
  • Resettable pixel amplifier for use in a photosensor array
    Patent number: 6654058
    Abstract: A set of CMOS-based amplifiers amplify signals from a set of photosensors within a large photosensitive imaging device. When the imaging device reads out image signals, each amplifier is selected for operation only within a brief time window when the particular photosensor associated therewith is reading out. Incidental to reading out a signal through a particular amplifier, all nodes which are capacitively coupled to the input node of the amplifier are biased to a known magnitude. In this way, residual charges remaining in the amplifier from a previous readout will not distort subsequent signals read through the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Pravin N. Kothari
  • Photosensitive apparatus in which an initial charge on a photodiode is sampled and the retransferred to the photodiode
    Patent number: 6646247
    Abstract: In a photosensitive device wherein a photodiode is operated by placing an initial fat zero charge thereon before the integration of a light-induced signal, the actual dark level signal created by the fat zero charge is sampled with each readout from the photodiode, and then retransferred to the photodiode. After integration, the sampled dark level is subtracted from the total signal level on the photodiode. In this way both fixed-pattern and thermally-induced noise is obviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Jagdish C. Tandon
  • Sheet stack holding apparatus for a printer or copier
    Patent number: 6644502
    Abstract: Certain designs of paper feeding devices used in copiers and printers require that an edge of a stack of sheets be in close contact with a slanted surface. An apparatus engages an opposite edge of the stack to urge the stack against the slanted surface, so that the stack assumes a parallelogram shape. The apparatus includes a plate which is movable from a vertical, upright position to a slanted position. Means are provided to cause the plate to move to the slanted position in response to the closing of a paper tray of a printer or copier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Pearce, Jeffery W. Ryan, Brian Martin, Andy K. Balm
  • Print media supply identification for a copier or printer
    Patent number: 6647222
    Abstract: A digital printer retains in memory detailed alphanumeric data describing the contents of its paper trays, as well as describing any unusual features thereof. The alphanumeric data is entered at the local user interface of the printer, and is retained at the printer so it can be accessed by a remote user computer as needed. The alphanumeric data can be subject to search techniques by which a large number of printers can be searched for certain print media or other properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Digby, Andrew Perkins
  • Motion control for sheets in a duplex loop of a printing apparatus
    Patent number: 6644652
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus capable of producing duplex, or two-sided, prints, print sheets which have received a first-side image move to an inverter and a duplex loop which re-feeds the sheet to receive the second-side image. The sheets move through the duplex loop at different speed than through the main path where images are placed. A control system controls the time in which a change in speed of a sheet in the duplex loop is initiated. The control system takes into account a desired amount of buckle experienced by the sheet, which is useful in de-skewing the sheet before receiving an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Martin R. Walsh, Annmarie Brinsley
  • Photosensitive imaging apparatus sensitive to orange light
    Patent number: 6646248
    Abstract: A photosensitive imaging device for recording images across the entire visible spectrum includes a set of photosensors which have a peak response around the orange part of the spectrum, about 600 nm. The peak response is obtained by combining responses of, in one case, photosensors associated with a filter which admits red or infrared wavelengths and longer and photosensors associated with a filter which admits orange wavelengths and longer. In another case, the photosensor is structured to attenuate longer wavelengths, which, in combination with a filter which admits orange and longer wavelengths, can simulate a peak behavior around the orange part of the spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Jagdish C. Tandon, Josef E. Jedlicka, Gaurav Sharma, Alain E. Perregaux, Robert P. Herloski
  • Apparatus for facilitating jam clearance in a printer
    Patent number: 6640059
    Abstract: In an apparatus, such as a fuser for xerographic printing, wherein sheets pass through a nip formed by two moving rollers, a substantially enclosed, effectively funnel-shaped path is defined to direct sheets from the nip to a subsequent processing station. When a jam condition occurs in the path, a movable surface defining the path moves to increase a size of the path. The increase in size prevents impaction of subsequent sheets entering the path, and also facilitates manual jam clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Fromm, Richard C. Benton
  • Architecture for software for remote maintenance of a machine such as a copier
    Patent number: 6636899
    Abstract: Software in a computer which accesses one or more software-intensive devices, such as a digital copier or printer, is organized in a set of layers. A device-dependent layer converts data transferred over various means, such as a modem or network, to a uniform data format. A protocol layer converts data from a particular accessed machine to a set of function calls. A system interface associated with the computer restricts a user of the computer to seeing only a subset of function calls, depending permissions granted to a particular user. The modular architecture of the software enables a system administrator to restrict a user to viewing machine status for a specific set of machines on a network, or limits the user to viewing only a certain set of functionalities from a particular machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Khalid M. Rabb, Barbara E. Malinowski
  • System for avoiding image edge deletion in a digital printing apparatus
    Patent number: 6612674
    Abstract: Certain types of digital printers are susceptible to the deletion of image data toward the edge of print sheets of certain sizes. To avoid deletion of significant image information, an interpreter associated with a printer can reduce and translate each printed image slightly, to cause the printed image to be “shrunk away” from edge areas on the print sheet. A program associated with the interpreter reads the header of a job submitted thereto, and determines whether this image reduction is desirable, based on the identity or type of a source computer submitting the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jacqueline Holtzman, Steven H. Inouye, Kenneth B. Schleede, Ray U. Merriam
  • System for compensating for chip-to-chip gap widths in a multi-chip photosensitive scanning array
    Patent number: 6610972
    Abstract: In a photosensitive scanning apparatus, in which a plurality of chips are aligned to form a single linear array of photosensors, gaps of unknown width between photosensors on adjacent chips may have an effect on resulting image quality. A set of simple strategies can be used to overcome the problem. In a first strategy, for each chip, interpolation of output values of the photosensors is used to in effect displace the outputs of the photosensors by a predetermined amount toward a gap; within constraints, the predetermined displacement can be used without actual measurement of any gap width. In a second strategy, an interpolated output of a theoretical “phantom photosensor” disposed toward the gap is added to the output stream from each chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Alain E. Perregaux
  • Compact disk having associated display
    Patent number: 6611271
    Abstract: A removable memory media, such as a compact disk, has an alterable alphanumeric display thereon. The display comprises an array of elements, such as bichromal balls, which can be selectably altered in appearance. A head associated with a port for accepting the disk creates images in the display when the disk is ejected from the port, thus allowing the disk to be automatically labeled incidental to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Richard H. Harper, Michael G. Molloy, Marc B. Rene
  • System for enabling a printing apparatus to operate at multiple selectable speeds
    Patent number: 6563600
    Abstract: A basic hardware platform of a copier or printer is selectably enabled to operate at different speeds, such as 40 ppm or 30 ppm, by a combination of entering a password into non-volatile memory within the machine, and also altering a state of a hardware switch within the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: David K. Young
  • Selectable pixel amplifier for use in a photosensor array
    Patent number: 6552324
    Abstract: A CMOS-based voltage signal amplifier is particularly useful for amplifying signals from a single photodiode, or a small set of photodiodes, within a large photosensitive imaging device. When the imaging device reads out image signals from a large number of photodiodes, each amplifier is selected for operation only within a very brief time window when the particular photodiode associated therewith is reading out. The amplifier of the present design is suitable for rapid power-up and power-down when it is selected and deselected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Pravin N. Kothari, Paul A. Hosier, Scott L. Tewinkle
  • Photogate image sensor with fat zero injection on a middle node of an associated transfer circuit
    Patent number: 6545712
    Abstract: An electronic photosensitive apparatus, such as an image scanner in a digital copier, uses depleted-gate photosensors or photogates as the photosensitive elements therein. The linearity of the transfer circuit associated with each photogate or set of photogates is improved by placing a bias charge of predetermined magnitude on a phototransfer gate disposed downstream of the photogate prefatory to reading out an image signal from the photogate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hosier, Scott L. Tewinkle
  • Wireless interaction with memory associated with a replaceable module for office equipment
    Patent number: 6532351
    Abstract: In a printer or copier, a removable module, such as a marking material supply module or a marking device module, is provided with a non-volatile memory chip which retains information about the cumulative use of the module and other performance-related data. The non-volatile memory is accessed through a wireless interface, such as an RF loop or IR detector, which is also associated with the module. The memory can be accessed, through wireless means, either by the printer or copier itself or by an external device, and also while the memory is not installed in a printer or copier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Austin L. Richards, Michael B. Thomson
  • Versatile system for creating test images in a digital printing apparatus
    Patent number: 6526240
    Abstract: In a digital printing apparatus, such as a xerographic or ink-jet printer, test marks, such as halftone patches or fiducial marks for image registration, are generated on demand. Coordinates of a desired location of the test mark within an imageable area (such as on a print sheet or on a photoreceptor), as well as a selection of the desired type of test mark, are entered through a user interface. Also entered is data about conditions under which image-quality tests using the test marks are to be performed. Information about the test mark and test conditions is retained as a small number of scalar values. The system enables test methods for a machine to be changed easily, and a basic set of system software can be readily applied to different types of printing hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Thomas, Joseph W. Ward, Hung M. Pham, Daniel D. Truong
  • System for minimizing image defects in a hard-copy input scanner
    Patent number: 6522431
    Abstract: In a document handler associated with a scanner, such as for a digital copier or facsimile machine, an image-bearing sheet is moved over a window, through which the image is recorded by a photosensitive chip. When a spot of dirt attaches to the window, a streak results in the image data. This streaking problem is minimized by having the scan line viewed by the photosensitive chip move a small distance within the window of the document handler, so that any spot on the window will not be repeatedly exposed by the photosensitive chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Pitts, Duncan I. Stevenson
  • Xerographic printing apparatus, varying bias during the transfer step
    Patent number: 6510296
    Abstract: In a xerographic printing apparatus, during the transfer step wherein marking material is electrostatically transferred from the photoreceptor to the print sheet by a transfer corotron and the sheet is then detached from the photoreceptor by a detack corotron, the bias associated with the transfer corotron is maintained at a constant value while the bias associated with the detack corotron is progressively decreased to approximately zero as the print sheet moves through the transfer zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Krzysztof J. Less, Ian Pitts
  • Icon or label for display on cartridges for office equipment or electronic displays
    Patent number: D474200
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gerardo Leute, Eugene F. Young