Abstract: In a method and apparatus for obtaining a hard copy of an electronic image, a plurality of image luminescence values corresponding to pixels of an electronic image are received and a probability distribution of the plurality of image luminescence values is generated. Each image luminescence value has a first binary bit length. From the probability distribution, the luminescence values having less than a desired quantity of image luminescence values associated therewith are determined. Two or more adjacent groups of continuous luminescence values are identified from the probability distribution. Each luminescence value of each group has greater than or equal to the desired quantity of image luminescence values associated therewith. The two or more adjacent groups are separated by one or more of the luminescence values having less than the desired quantity of image luminescence values associated therewith.

Abstract: A modular peripheral error warning device for use with printers having a CENTRONICS parallel port. The peripheral error warning device monitors various voltages of connecting wires that interface with the computer and the printer and includes an interface box, an alarm box and a power supply. Activation of an alarm, such as a buzzer or LED, will occur if the monitored voltage corresponds to printer error, such as a paper jam. Correction of the printer error results in deactivation of the alarm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning pickup and feed rolls of machines such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines and the like. The method utilizes a roll cleaner which includes an absorbent layer and cleaning solution provided within the absorbent layer. The roll cleaner is sufficiently thick to prevent the roll cleaner from feeding through the machine. The pickup and feed rolls will spin against the absorbent layer for cleaning. The roll cleaner may be stored in a resealable cellophane bag.

Abstract: A printer and method of operating same which receives print jobs from a host computer encoded in any one of several printer control languages. The printer has the capability of interpreting print jobs in each printer control language. The printer samples a portion of each print job and, using a resident algorithm and data sets obtained by statistical techniques, analyzes the sampled portion of the print job to identify the printer control language in which the print job is encoded.