Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection head has multiple ejection chips joined adjacently to create a lengthy array across a media to-be-imaged. The chips have fluid firing elements arranged along multiple fluid vias to seamlessly stitch together fluid ejections from different chips. Each of the chips has a shape defining a trapezoid. Adjacent chips are inverted from one to the next across the array. The geometry shortens a distance between same color fluid vias on adjacent chips. The fluid vias may parallel the two parallel sides of the trapezoid or only one non-parallel side. They may all have differing lengths. Same colored vias on adjacent chips may combine together to be equal to the length of fluid vias for other colors. Commonly configured modules define still other embodiments as do frames to seat the modules to define arrays of variable length. Singulating chips from larger wafers provide still further embodiments.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for detecting the presence of an ink jet printhead when a printhead controller fails to properly identify an installed printhead using a printhead identification device. The system includes a printhead including heater resistors and control elements, and a controller connected to the printhead via address and data lines. When the controller fails to properly identify an installed printhead, the controller operates to bias the control elements in a predetermined manner via at least one address line, detect a signal via the data lines, and generate a signal indicative of the presence of the installed printhead.

Abstract: A first method obtains a printer having a single-printhead horizontal resolution of H dpi. Dots are printed using first and second printheads in the same print pass. The first printhead is enabled and the second printhead is non-enabled during a first portion of a carrier-movement distance equal to 1/H, and the second printhead is enabled and the first printhead is non-enabled during a second non-overlapping portion of such distance. A printer and a printhead driver for performing the first method are described. A second method obtains a printer having a single-printhead resolution of H horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi. First print data for the first printhead and second print data for the second printhead of H/2 horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi are obtained, are horizontally interlaced creating H horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi, and are printed using the first and second printheads in the same print pass.

Abstract: A first method obtains a printer having a single-printhead horizontal resolution of H dpi. Dots are printed using first and second printheads in the same print pass. The first printhead is enabled and the second printhead is non-enabled during a first portion of a carrier-movement distance equal to 1/H, and the second printhead is enabled and the first printhead is non-enabled during a second non-overlapping portion of such distance. A printer and a printhead driver for performing the first method are described. A second method obtains a printer having a single-printhead resolution of H horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi. First print data for the first printhead and second print data for the second printhead of H/2 horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi are obtained, are horizontally interlaced creating H horizontal dpi by V vertical dpi, and are printed using the first and second printheads in the same print pass.