Abstract: Control circuitry associated with an electrophotographic imaging device is adapted to operate in conjunction with a sensor to adjust operating parameters, including an imaging power. The sensor detects a reflectivity of a developed image and the control circuitry uses this detected information and information related to reflectivity of the underlying surface and the developing toner to determine whether the developed image is produced as desired. The control circuitry adjusts imaging power in response to a comparison between the detected reflectivity and a target reflectivity. In one embodiment, a predetermined halftone pattern is developed over a range of imaging powers and an optimum operating point is determined from the iterations. A predictive model may be generated based on many data points to select imaging power based on optimized surface potentials.

Abstract: Control circuitry associated with an electrophotographic imaging device is adapted to manage bias levels of components in an image forming unit. A photoconductive surface is charged to a first bias level, a developer member is charged to a second bias level, and an imaging unit selectively discharges image feature locations on the photoconductive surface to a third bias level. In certain regions having a predetermined image feature density, the imaging unit may discharge an area in the vicinity of the image features to a fourth bias level that is between the first and third bias levels. The amount by which the imaging unit discharges the area in the vicinity of the image features changes as image feature density changes and as the difference between the first and third bias levels change.

Abstract: Methods and devices for setting an operating point within an image forming device. The operating point for one or more image forming stations may be determined without performing a toner patch sensing procedure. The operating points are determined based on other information, such as the operating points of one or more other image forming stations, information about the device, and information about the image forming stations themselves. The different factors may be weighted to more accurately determine the operating parameter(s).

Abstract: Control circuitry associated with an electrophotographic imaging device is adapted to operate in conjunction with a sensor to adjust a difference in electrical bias between a photoconductive surface and an associated roller. The sensor detects a reflectance or luminosity of a developed image and the control circuitry uses this detected information and information related to reflectance or luminosity of the underlying surface and the developing toner to determine whether the developed image is produced as desired. The control circuitry adjusts the difference in electrical bias between the photoconductive surface and an associated roller in response to a comparison between the detected and desired images. In one embodiment, a predetermined test pattern is developed over a range of electrical bias differences and an optimum operating point is determined from the iterations.

Abstract: An electrophotographic device comprises a printhead having at least one laser associated with a corresponding photoconductive surface. Where multiple laser beams are associated with the same photoconductive surface, the laser beams are spaced a predetermined distance from one another in a process direction, which is orthogonal to a scan direction in which the laser beams are swept. The electrophotographic device operates at one of at least two image transfer rates. A controller in the electrophotographic device selectively directs image data to the printhead based, at least in part, upon the selected image transfer rate, the facet resolution, and/or the desired output image resolution. The print speed can thus be adjusted over a relatively wide range.

Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating single or multi-colored toner coverage on a printed page. One method includes generating color plane bitmaps corresponding to each color in a contone bitmap and calculating pixel coverage values for each of the color plane contone bitmaps. Another method includes receiving image data to be printed, generating color separations for the image data corresponding to available toner colors, printing each color separation on a printed page, scanning each printed page comprising the color separation and calculating toner coverage on each of the scanned printed pages.

Abstract: Artificial toner consumption is triggered to minimize the incidence of “conditioned” toner when a comparison of the rate of toner consumption to the mechanical activity of the electrophotographic printing device indicates that the toner consumption rate is too low. The artificial toner consumption operation may be achieved through a dummy print operation where an intentionally un-printed image is formed on a photoconductive drum, but the corresponding toner is routed to appropriate waste toner reservoir(s) and the image is not printed on the recording medium. The dummy print toner may be cleaned from the photoconductive drum without being transferred to an intermediate transfer medium and/or may be cleaned from the intermediate transfer medium, both without transferring the toner to the recording medium. The dummy print operation may correspond to a next normally occurring interdocument gap or a dedicated dummy print period inserted between print jobs.

Abstract: Artificial toner consumption is triggered to minimize the incidence of “conditioned” toner when a comparison of the rate of toner consumption to the mechanical activity of the electrophotographic printing device indicates that the toner consumption rate is too low. The artificial toner consumption operation may be achieved though a dummy print operation where an intentionally un-printed image is formed on a photoconductive drum, but the corresponding toner is routed to appropriate waste toner reservoir(s) and the image is not printed on the recording medium. The dummy print toner may be cleaned from the photoconductive drum without being transferred to an intermediate transfer medium and/or may be cleaned from the intermediate transfer medium, both without transferring the toner to the print medium. The dummy print operation may correspond to a next normally occurring interdocument gap or a dedicated dummy print period inserted between print jobs.