Abstract: Drop deflector apparatus and methods for a continuous drop emission system comprising a plurality of drop nozzles emitting a plurality of continuous streams of a liquid that break up into streams of drops of substantially uniform drop volume having nominal flight paths that are substantially within a nominal flight plane are disclosed. A plurality of path selection elements corresponding to the plurality of continuous streams of drops is provided operable to firstly deflect individual drops from the corresponding continuous stream of drops along a first deflection flight path diverging from the nominal flight path based on pattern data.

Abstract: A method of printing includes associating a pixel area of a recording medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a fluid drop ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the recording medium; dividing the time interval into a plurality of subintervals; grouping some of the plurality of subintervals into blocks; associating one of two labels with each block, the first label defining a printing drop, the second label defining non-printing drops; associating no drop forming pulse between subintervals of each block having the first label; associating a drop forming pulse between each subinterval of each block having the second label; associating a drop forming pulse between other subintervals, the drop forming pulse being between each pair of consecutive blocks; and causing drops to be ejected from the nozzle based on the associated drop forming pulses.

Abstract: A method of printing includes associating a pixel area of a recording medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a fluid drop ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the recording medium; dividing the time interval into a plurality of subintervals; grouping some of the plurality of subintervals into blocks; associating one of two labels with each block, the first label defining a printing drop, the second label defining non-printing drops; associating no drop forming pulse between subintervals of each block having the first label; associating a drop forming pulse between each subinterval of each block having the second label; associating a drop forming pulse between other subintervals, the drop forming pulse being between each pair of consecutive blocks; and causing drops to be ejected from the nozzle based on the associated drop forming pulses.

Abstract: In a thermal imaging printer system, a method and apparatus of marking the specularly reflective receiver media with indicia differing in specularity from the surface specularity of the media. In either transparent or opaque receiver media having a specularly reflective or glossy surface, alphanumeric characters are imprinted by a linear or dot matrix thermal printhead without transferring ink to the media surface. The application of thermal energy to the surface by the energized printhead elements is effective to melt the surface layer and change its specularity sufficient to render the printed indicia visible without affecting images otherwise printed on the receiver media. The marking method may be employed in relation to receiver media printed by photographic, thermal, xerographic, laser or other printing techniques as long as the specularity of the media surface may be changed by the application of localized thermal energy.