Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a preferred size for a Link LUT as used in conversion from an input color space defined by an input ICC profile into an output color space defined by an output ICC profile. The Link LUT may be incorporated within a device link structure as generally defined in the ICC specification or within a Link Color Conversion CMR in an AFP architecture system. The preferred size is determined from the size of an input LUT associated with the input ICC profile and the size of an output LUT associated with the output ICC profile. In AFP architecture systems, the input and output LUTs and profiles may each be incorporated in appropriate Color Conversion CMRs. The preferred size is determined as a reduced size that requires less computation to generate but does not cause loss of accuracy in conversion between the input and output color spaces.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for adding pages to a sequence of imprinted images used for flushing of inkjet features and then discarding the added pages following imprinting of the added pages. Features and aspects hereof within a printing system automatically insert additional pages (flush pages) in a sequence of imprinted page. The inserted pages are used for flushing ink-based nozzles (e.g., inkjet nozzles). The frequency of flushes and the volume of ink to be flush at each opportunity may be determined by automated features hereof based on statistics regarding operation of the printing system or may be statically pre-determined. Post-processing features (e.g., paper handling features) may scan the pages for marks identifying a page as a flush page inserted for flushing and may discard the added pages so identified.

Abstract: A printer, fax machine, copier, scanner, or any other office device used by multiple users from multiple locations is provided with improved apparatus and/or software for locking out all incoming commands from reaching the device's internal controller except for commands coming from a newly-designated primary controller used by the service technician. This lockout can be used with any type of office machine that has it's own internal controller, so it applies equally to all types of office machines and systems generally used in today's office environments.

Abstract: A toner brush for a printer and a printer including the toner brush. The toner brush includes a substrate (e.g. a core cylinder) with a cleaning brush and a residual toner brush superimposed over one another. During printing the printer holds the residual toner brush against a photoconductor or photoconductive surface, e.g., a photoconductive drum. For deep cleaning, the printer moves the cleaning brush closer to the photoconductor surface and holds it against the surface during deep cleaning. Deep cleaning may be automatically or manually (e.g., by an operator) initiated.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided for enabling multiple usages of the same printing job separator page. Separator pages are scanned and an image of the separator page content is obtained in order to determine the location on the separator page of prior print job identification information blocks. The prior identification information block is then obscured and identification information for a newly queued print job is printed in a new information block which is positioned in an unused area of the separator page. The separator pages may be reused until the full extent of each separator page has been filled-up with used or obscured print job identification blocks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for managing the print speed of a variable speed printer are disclosed. Embodiments include a print controller system having a raster image processor for rasterizing a print job to create a plurality of rasterized pages and a printer controller buffer for storing one or more of the rasterized pages. The printer controller buffer may also transmit at a print engine feed rate the one or more rasterized pages to a print engine. Embodiments may also include a speed control module in communication with the printer controller buffer for determining the print engine feed rate. Further embodiments may include the speed control module determining the print engine feed rate based on one or more of page processing times, page arrival rates, estimated print completion rates, and the number of pages in a print engine buffer.

Abstract: A halftone method and apparatus provides a line screen frequency of N/2 for a printer resolution of N without negative print effects. A 300 lines per inch halftone screen for a 600 dpi printer may thus be created by alternating white and saturated colored lines when half of a given color component's pels are on. Empirical rules are used to create the screens based on how that printer creates consistent and reliable levels for each color component. These rules allow intermediate intensity values between white and full-on at each pel. Since the halftoning is done in the hardware just before printing, the print direction relative to the threshold matrix is known. No rotation capability is needed in the hardware. If an image needs to be rotated, it can be done previously to being sent to the hardware. Furthermore, because a pair of pels are turned on for the lightest values (or possibly with a one level difference between the first and second dots in the pair), the electronics are stressed less.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an input color value in an input color space to an output color value in an output color space comprising a lookup table mapping an input value to an output color value, the lookup table having n number of possible values for a first fixed color component and q number of possible values for a second fixed color component, wherein q and a number m of possible values for t color components in the input color space are less than n. Surrounding input values are determined in the lookup table in a t dimensional space, wherein each surrounding input value has a same value for the fixed color component(s). Surrounding output values to which the surrounding input values map are determined. The determined input and output surrounding values and the input value are used to estimate an output value corresponding to the received input value.

Abstract: A printer system stores a trace of a printer job in storage that is either local or accessible to the printer system. A remotely implemented tool accesses the stored printer job trace. The tool includes a graphical interface that displays the printer commands in the printer job trace in a human readable format. The commands may be displayed in a first window of the interface. In one embodiment, the interface includes a second window where details of a command selected or highlighted in the first window are displayed. The tool may be implemented as a secure web browser that requires password verification to access the printer job trace. The tool may include the ability to replace confidential print data with generic or non-confidential data. The tool might further be able to display text that is embedded in a printer job trace command in ASCII and EBCDIC format.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating and associating meta-data with a final form presentation datastream document where the meta-data is structured in accordance with the datastream component architectures. Meta-data objects (“MDOs”) are architected as components of a presentation document and thus are well defined to allow applications to reliably access and process the meta-data contained therein. The MDOs may be associated with other components of the document and are architected to be extensible and flexible while still adhering to an architectural structure. The MDOs may be descriptive (no affect in document presentation) or operational (affects document presentation if processed). Standard types of MDOs may include XML standard information, JDF standard information, PWG standard information, and digital signature information. A variety of standard categories further define typical meta-data forms and applications thereof.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and program for checking and conditional processing of a print job printed with multiple transfer media. A print job indicates first print content to print using a first transfer medium and second print content to print using a second transfer medium. The first print content is printed onto a print medium with the first transfer medium. The printed first print content is read to determine whether the printed first print content satisfies a quality requirement. The second print content is printed onto the print medium with the second transfer medium in response to determining that the quality requirement is satisfied. Information is printed indicating an error on the print medium in response to determining that the print quality requirement is not satisfied.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for generating threshold values in a dither matrix. A dither matrix of threshold values is generated.

Abstract: A printing system and method for printing XML files directly using a formatting template is disclosed. The formatting template includes an XML Descriptor (XMD) associated with each XML data element in a tree structure of the XML document. XML Descriptors (XMDs) are identified by an associated qualified tag. The qualified tag includes a concatenation of a plurality of XML start tags representing start tags hierarchically traversed in the tree structure of the XML document to reach the XML data element associated therewith. The XMDs provide formatting to content associated with the XML data element. A printer prints the rendered XML document according to the template using the XMDs.

Abstract: An printer, such as a state of the art a high performance, electro-photographic printer. The printer includes at least one smart material sensor enclosed in the printer enclosure that monitors for the presence of a contaminant (e.g., toner or developer) above a selected threshold. Each smart material sensor is coupled to a control unit by a sensor driver coupling. When a smart material sensor finds that a contaminant is present the control unit may indicate the finding on a printer display and/or change operating mode.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing delay signals to perform print scan line synchronizations within a laser printer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a voltage-control oscillator, a frequency divider and multiple output control modules. The voltage-control oscillator converts a clock signal to a higher frequency signal. The frequency divider then reduces the frequency of the higher frequency signal. Then, each of the output control modules generates a delay signal, and each of the delay signals is delayed by no more than one tenth of a clock cycle from an adjacent one of the delay signals.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a halftoned image is disclosed. The method and system comprise scaling the halftoned image by performing pel repetition utilizing an error diffusion algorithm such that artifacts are minimized. According a system and method in accordance with the present invention performs pel repetition using error diffusion technology, so that any resulting “artifacts” are realized as high-frequency image addition, making them much less visible. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides adjustability in the computational complexity of the scaling, so that quality can be traded off continuously against the amount of processing power required.

Abstract: A printer monitoring interface is disclosed that uses a combination of dynamic three dimensional representations of a printing system and actual photographic images (still or video) of problem areas to give an operator monitoring the printing system realtime feedback, in both graphical and actual-image form, of areas of the printing system experiencing problems. The graphical images (which may also be actual photographic images) provide the operator with a representation of the overall system, and the actual images of problem areas provide the operator with the ability to actually see the problem that is occurring. The graphical and actual-image views are combined so that the operator can quickly and easily identify where in the system the problem is occurring, and quickly diagnose problems and determine solutions.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for handling an error that occurs during processing of a job in a manufacturing system are provided. The method, computer program product, and system provide for determining a first location in the job where a first subsystem of the manufacturing system is currently processing, identifying a second location in the job where a second subsystem of the manufacturing system completed processing before the error occurred at the second subsystem, the second subsystem being connected in series to and downstream from the first subsystem, and providing a controller-generated repositioning instruction for the first subsystem based on the first location and the second location.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, data processing system and computer program product for providing a data stream transform service, for example for transforming a data stream into a format suitable for printing. A data-stream is divided into one or more work units, each work unit is provided to one or more transform engines to transform the work unit into the required format, and each transform engine is monitored whilst transforming a work unit. By monitoring each transform engine details of, for example, resource usage are obtained which may be used to calculate a fee to charge a client for performing transformation of a data stream, and/or failure of a transform engine can be detected and corrective action taken should a transform engine fail.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a printer controller in a printing system to flexibly define conditions for notification to one or more recipients of intervention states of the printing system. The time delay for transmitting escalated intervention notification message may be dynamically determined in accordance with present operating parameters of the printing system. Other aspects provide that the recipients of such messages and the form of such messages may be dynamically determined in accordance with present operating parameters of the printing system. Policy rules may define the predicate conditions for determining the timeout values for escalation and for determining the message format and recipients.