Abstract: A device and process which eliminates potential moiré patterns in digitized images by employing a one-dimensional sensor array and a sampling method of the sensor signals which produces a data set of non-uniformly spaced sensor positions. This allows the spacing of the sensors to avoid having a strong “harmonic” which may interfere with details or harmonics present in the image source, which eliminates the occurrence of moiré patterns and the need for application of image processing to remove moiré patterns. Sensors are non-uniformly spaced along a first axis according to a predetermined, deterministic and predictable schema or function. Sensors are sampled during scanning according a non-uniform function in order to realize a non-uniform sampling scheme in a second dimension. Linear interpolation is applied to the non-uniformly spaced data set, synthesizing a uniformly-spaced data set for use in common imaging formats and processing.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media to calibrate a reprographic system are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention may calibrate a component like scanner and/or printer in response to user input and/or coupling the component to the reprographic system. More specifically, embodiments may generate a curve that describes tone differences between an image scanned by a scanner or an image printed by the printer by comparing the outputs to acceptable tone descriptions for the image. Some embodiments comprise a graphical user interface (GUI) to communicate with the user, allowing the user to select user preference curves to change, for example, the brightness of an image being copied. Some embodiments incorporate network and phone system interfaces to communicate with remote components as well as to receive input from and/or output to other systems via email, facsimile, etc.

Abstract: A multiple beam printer system having N laser beams receives print job information from a print host. A rendering application uses a threshold array to generate halftone image data from the print job. The threshold array is defined based on a spot function. The defined screen is non-orthogonal and includes Y pels in a direction that is perpendicular to a scanning direction of the laser beams where Y is an integer multiple of N. A distance between screen dots in pels is preferably equal to an integer multiple of N. The screen dot may be defined by a supercell encompassing two screen dots and having an odd number of pels in a direction that is parallel to the scanning direction. The spot function may include a snap feature that snaps a screen dot to the nearest printer grid pel. The spot function may include scaling to compensate for the distortion of the non-orthogonal screen dot.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for efficiently printing impositioned documents with using a wide spectrum of resources and document elements is disclosed. A print optimizer and an imposition engine operate cooperatively to generate and managed skeletonized document versions to efficiently effect changes to the impositioned document.

Abstract: Provided is a printing device comprising a hot roller having an inside surface and an outside surface. A heating element is present within the hot roller. The inside surface has a first region, wherein the first region is coated with a first type of material. The inside surface has a second region, wherein the second region is coated with the first type of material, and wherein second region is of a different dimension than the first region. The inside surface has a third region, wherein the third region is coated with a second type of material.

Abstract: A customer record is generated to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product. A job record including a status field is added to a job status table and set to a first status. A first worker is invoked if the selected job has the first status to generate output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job. The status for the selected job in the job status table is set to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker. A second worker is invoked if the selected job has the second status to determine whether a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job and transmits the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.

Abstract: A halftone spot function, for determining a shape of a halftone spot as a function of the intensity of an image being printed, is generated by creating one or two line segments forming a part of the shape of the spot function or by creating a number of contour lines that are interpolated to form the function. A halftone spot pattern is generated as a number of supercells, each of which includes a number of halftone spots, each defined within a halftone spot cell by a halftone spot function, with the supercell being defined to include a number of device pixels, each of which is fully inked of left without ink, a number of spot cells in each direction, and offset distance establishing angles of the lines dividing the spot cells from one another.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, a data analyzing system, an apparatus, and article of manufacture which reduce the error in transform equations in which constants are replaced by approximations. This is achieved by factoring an adjustment factor into the calculations which serves to reduce the error introduced by the approximations. For a forward transform equation this may be performed as part of a quantization step and for an inverse transform equation this may be performed as part of a de-quantization step. For example the adjustment factor could reduce the maximum error associated the approximations.

Abstract: Techniques for generating dither masks are provided. A dither mask is generated by selecting a sequence of at least three original patterns comprising pixels of at least one of a first color and a second color. At least two patterns are interpolated to generate interpolated patterns in the sequence between the at least three original patterns. If a pattern having at least one specified characteristic exists in the sequence, the steps of interpolating between at least two patterns, and determining if a pattern having at least one specified characteristic exists in the sequence, are repeated. The interpolation is between at least one pattern from each side of the pattern having at least one specified characteristic in the sequence.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and print server for discovering printers connected to a print server. A print server may transmit a HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) request to every Internet Protocol (IP) address in a range of IP addresses. A response, e.g., a document such as a web page, may be received by the print server from one or more devices at one or more IP addresses in the range of IP addresses. The print server may identify one or more out of these devices that transmitted a response as printers based on analyzing the responses from the devices. The print server may obtain printer attribute information from the identified printers and update a database with the obtained printer attribute information.

Abstract: The Management of color presented at end point devices such as a display or printer is based on the implementation of a Color Management Resource (CR). A CMR is an architected resource stored accessibly to a print server or other processor that is used to carry all of the color management information required to render a print file, document, page, or data object.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for performing a transform equation in which at least two sub-transform equations can be identified. According to the invention, each sub-transform is considered separately and the constants of each sub-transform are replaced with an approximation which is a function of an integer value and a second value, where the second value is common to each constant in a sub-transform. The transform equation is then performed with the integer values in place of the constants. As a result either the input to the transform equation or at least one of the result of the transform and a value to be compared the result, is modified with a value which is a function of the second values for each sub-transform. By considering each sub-transform separately the second values of each sub-transform can be different thus allowing more accurate approximations to be used with minimal degradation in performance.

Abstract: The management of color presented at end point devices such as a display or printer is based on the implementation of a Color Management Resource (CMR). A CMR is an architected resource stored accessibly to a print server or other processor that is used to carry all of the color management information required to render a print file, document, page, or data object.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, data compression system, apparatus, and article of manufacture which reduce the error in transform equations in which constants are replaced by approximations. According to the invention transform constants are replaced with approximations which are a function of an integer and a floating point value. The transform equation is then performed with the integers in place of the constants. The floating point value may be applied either to the result of the equation or to the data to be processed by the transform equation before the equation is performed. Further the floating point value may be applied using a fixed precision version of the value or a fixed precision value into which the floating point value has been factored.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system and program product for performing multiple-pel print quality enhancement (PQE). As in known methods of PQE, a determination is made of an adjusted sub-pulse value of each pel of an image. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, at least two adjacent pels are then grouped together and a determination is made of a combined pulse width value to charge the combined area of the at least two adjacent pels. Also determined is position information indicating the alignment of the pulse width within the combined area. The combined pulse width and position information is sent as input to a pulse width modulator operating at a speed equal to the video data rate of the printer divided by the number of pels for which the pulse width data is combined.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing system having an apparatus for improving image fidelity is disclosed. The electrophotographic printing system includes a photosensitive drum, a first and second retractors and a paper presser. The first and second retractors position a sheet of printing paper within a first and second predetermined distances, respectively, from the photosensitive drum. The paper presser, which is operatively secured to the second retractor, presses the printing paper firmly against the photosensitive drum when developed toner images on said photosensitive drum are being transferred onto the printing paper.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system for managing font resources using system independent references. A resource library may store a table, referred to herein as the “resource access table” that contains an entry for each base font resource. Each entry may include the following information on a base font resource: a native name, a file name, a unique identification, attributes, and possibly a link list used to identify any font resources that are linked to the base font resource. Since changes to the resource file such as updating a version of a font resource, changing the attributes of the font resource or changing the font resource's linked fonts, simply require an update to the resource access table, the data stream and the application program generating that data stream does not have to be changed.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system for detecting and compensating for color misregistration. A black/white edge or a solid color edge on a target may be scanned. A black/white edge may refer to a black image, e.g., black text, on a white surrounding background having a rapid spatial transition from black to white. A solid color edge may refer to a solid color image, e.g., solid color text, on a white surrounding background having a rapid spatial transition from color to white. A curve of gray values versus spatial pixel positions for each color channel, e.g., red, green and blue color channels, may be generated. A misregistration error may then be calculated by calculating the offset between the color channel curves. The misregistration error may then be used to calibrate the scanner to compensate for the detected color misregistration.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are provided, wherein the bandwidth necessary to transmit an item of image data is reduced. When items of image data are identified in a datastream, they are extracted from the datastream. The image data item is then divided into a series of subregions of variable size. Where efficiency dictates that the operation is appropriate, the subregions are replaced in the image data item with a unique identifier to produce a reduced image. The reduced image is then packaged into a new data structure containing a header, the reduced image, and a decoding table that will allow the replacement of the identifiers with the extracted subregions. Where subregions are repeated, as they frequently are in images of large size, this arrangement will allow for the compression of the image by the elimination of redundant data that merely represents a repeated subregions. When the image reaches its destination, the it is decoded to reproduce the original image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and logic for processing pixel data. Line work data and control data is received for pixels on a sheet from at least one object. The control data for one pixel indicates whether to use the line work data for the pixel or contone data for the pixel from the object. Multiple objects may provide line work data and control data for a same pixel. Line work data and control data from one object are outputted indicating to use contone data or the line work data for the pixel.