Abstract: A printer operable to print on a multi-layer print media includes a non-impact printhead, an impact printhead, and a controller operable to control the non-impact printhead to produce an image on a first layer of the print media and to control the impact printhead to produce a corresponding image on a second layer of the print media.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, it has been determined that the bandwidth, guaranteed periodic delivery and error correction characteristics of a USB High-Speed Interrupt OUT pipe of the USB 2.0 standard enable the Interrupt OUT pipe to be used to transfer print data from the host computer to the printer. By using the Interrupt OUT pipe for this purpose, it is no longer necessary to store an entire rasterized page in the formatter memory of the printer before commencing printing of the page. Consequently, the size of the formatter memory device can be relatively small compared to the size of the formatter memory device that is currently used to store an entire rasterized page. Alternatively, the same size memory device as that currently used to store an entire rasterized page may be used to enable higher resolution pages to be printed.

Abstract: The invention provides an architecture and method for implementing a programmable I/O interface. The primary function provides a generic reconfigurable interface for serial communications between a laser printer controller and the print mechanism. The design also supports vertical page synchronization (top of page detection).

Abstract: A method for intervaled memory transfer access provides periodic authorization signals to a memory access controller. The method cycles between: 1) inhibiting the memory access controller from writing data to a memory until the memory access controller receives a periodic authorization signal to cause the memory access controller to remove the inhibition and write a predetermined amount of data to the memory through a data bus, and 2) releasing the data bus following writing of the predetermined amount of data to the memory by inhibiting the memory access controller from writing further data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing data on a print medium is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to format print data to pixel data, the pixel data including pixel values; identify a grid of pixels having a predetermined pattern of pixel values; obtain predetermined pcode grid from memory for the identified grid of pixels; and send the predetermined pcode grid to controller circuit for printing.

Abstract: A method for image processing loads a cache line width column of image data into a data cache. The cache line width column of image data is then processed to enhance the image data; and the enhanced image data is then outputted.

Abstract: A method and system for integrating a printer controller with a PC card. This system includes an office machine and a removable PC card that can be operationally coupled with the office machine. The office machine has a rendering engine for rendering images and a PC card slot for operationally coupling to a removable PC card and for receiving print engine ready data (PERD). The PC card slot is coupled to the print engine for providing the PERD thereto. The PC card has a printer formatter for receiving printer formatter ready data and for converting it into PERD and providing printer formatter functions. When the PC card is operationally coupled to the PC card slot, the print engine ready data can be selectively transferred from the PC card to the office machine.

Abstract: A handheld printer that provides an appropriate application of ink to a print medium without a bulky and complex mechanical system for positioning a print head with respect to the print medium. A handheld printer according to the present teachings includes a navigation subsystem that tracks a motion of the handheld printer with respect to a printing surface and a print head controller that causes a print head to fire ink drops onto the printing surface in response to the motion and in response to an image contained in an image buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for economical testing of dies in a multichip module. Internal I/O pins on a die are logically connected to external I/O pins of the multichip module through the use of a silicon interposer on which the dies are attached. Multiplexers on the interposer can select between the external pins of the multichip module and the internal pins of the dies. The silicon interposer can be economically manufactured using manufacturing technology having relatively a large feature size, such as is found in a relatively mature IC fabrication plant. Further, use of the present invention allows multichip modules to be tested for faults without the necessity of redesigning test circuitry or adding additional pins to the package.

Abstract: A system and method of testing IP cores contained in a system-on-chip integrated circuit is disclosed. An operation command is received on an input/output port of the circuit. The operation command includes an operation code component, data component(s), and expected time component. The received operation command is processed to supply test data to each of the IP cores being tested. Result data is received in response to the supplied test data from each of the IP cores being tested. The result data is processed and from the processed result data is generated a status data packet. The status data packet includes the operation code component and a status flag component and is provided on the input/output port.

Abstract: A lid structure, apparatus and method for displaying graphical information uses beams of coherent light that are emitted in a scanning manner to project the beams of coherent light onto a display surface to form the graphical information on the display surface.

Abstract: A method and system for integrating a printer controller with a PC card. This system includes an office machine and a removable PC card that can be operationally coupled with the office machine. The office machine has a rendering engine for rendering images and a PC card slot for operationally coupling to a removable PC card and for receiving print engine ready data (PERD). The PC card slot is coupled to the print engine for providing the PERD thereto. The PC card has a printer formatter for receiving printer formatter ready data and for converting it into PERD and providing printer formatter functions. When the PC card is operationally coupled to the PC card slot, the print engine ready data can be selectively transferred from the PC card to the office machine.

Abstract: A test method for an ASIC uses an embedded processor in the ASIC to execute test routines from an embedded memory or an external memory. During ASIC production, the test routines can comprehensively test of the blocks of the ASIC without a complicated test pattern from test equipment. The test routines can also perform power-up tests in systems or end products containing the ASIC. Test selection, activation, and result output can be implement using a few terminals of the ASIC.

Abstract: A technique that improves image analysis efficiency by reducing the number of computations needed to detect constant regions. Constant region detection according to the present techniques includes determining whether an image analysis window at a current position contains a constant region by analyzing a new line of pixels in the image analysis window if a pixel at a predetermined location in the image analysis window in the current position has a value equal to a pixel at the predetermined location from a previous position of the image analysis window. Analyzing only the new line of pixels saves the computational time that would otherwise go into analyzing all of the pixels in the image analysis window.

Abstract: A handheld printer that provides an appropriate application of ink to a print medium without a bulky and complex mechanical system for positioning a print head with respect to the print medium. A handheld printer according to the present teachings includes a navigation subsystem that tracks a motion of the handheld printer with respect to a printing surface and a print head controller that causes a print head to fire ink drops onto the printing surface in response to the motion and in response to an image contained in an image buffer.

Abstract: A printer has voice recognition capabilities to transcribe a recorded voice message into printed text. The printer has a communication interface that is connected to a communication line for receiving a voice message. The printer also has an extended memory that stores the voice message, and a speech bank that stores speech patterns and vocabulary words. After the voice message is stored in the extended memory, a speech recognizer compares the voice message to the speech patterns and vocabulary words in the speech bank and translates the voice message into text data. The text data is stored into a print buffer, where the text data may be accessed by a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU controls a print mechanism that actually prints the text data.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a first communication interface operable to receive a decoded digital data set from an apparatus remote from the electronic device, and a first circuit coupled to the first communication interface and operable to enable an output device to provide an output representing the data set.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus and method for entering a user input into the apparatus uses a non-electrical control device having a target undersurface, which can be manually manipulated to a particular setting. The particular setting of the non-electrical control device is determined by processing an image of at least a portion of the target undersurface captured by a scan sensor of the scanning apparatus.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle array includes a plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle includes a chamber having an input aperture adapted to receive ink into the chamber and an output aperture through which ink is ejected from the chamber. Each chamber further includes a window adapted to receive electromagnetic radiation and operable to heat ink in the chamber responsive to the electromagnetic radiation and eject an ink droplet through the output aperture.

Abstract: A printer cable that is configured for coupling to a printer having an enclosure and a printer port. The printer cable includes a first connector for connecting to the printer port and a second connector for coupling to a host device (e.g., a personal computer (PC)). The printer cable includes a printer formatter for providing formatting services to the printer via the first connector. Since the printer formatter is integrated into the printer cable, the printer formatter is external to the printer enclosure and is easily removable and configurable by a user.