Abstract: Apparatus including a plurality of droplet ejection devices, an electric source and a controller. Each droplet ejection device includes switches connected in parallel to a piezoelectric actuator. Each switch includes an input terminal to connect to an input waveform signal, an output terminal to connect to the piezoelectric actuator, a control signal terminal to control a connection of the switch with a control signal, and a resistance between the input terminal and output terminal. The apparatus has a waveform table with information to distribute the input waveform signal to an input of each of the droplet ejection devices. The waveform signal table includes waveform signal information for a step pulse, a sawtooth waveform, and/or a combination of two or more waveform patterns.

Abstract: A method and system of facilitating development of fluids having a variety of elemental compositions are disclosed. A graphical user interface allows user interaction with a lab deposition system to control fluid drop ejection of fluids through multiple nozzles. Fluid drop ejection and drop formation can vary from fluid to fluid, and require adjustments to waveform parameters of a drive pulse applied to the multiple nozzles. The system implements a drop watcher camera system to capture real-time still and video images of fluid drops as they exit the multiple nozzles. The captured drop formation of the fluid drops are displayed to the user, and based on the images the waveform parameters are adjusted and customized specific for individual fluid. In addition to adjusting the drive pulse that effects fluid drop ejection, a tickle pulse can also be adjusted and customize to prevent clogging of the nozzles.

Abstract: A cluster tool is described including a main chamber, a load chamber, a fluid deposition chamber and an environmental controller. The load chamber is coupled to the main chamber and configured to receive one or more substrates. The fluid deposition chamber is coupled to the main chamber and includes a fluid deposition device configured to deposit fluid onto the one or more substrates. A robot is included in the main chamber, the robot configured to transfer the one or more substrates between the load chamber and the fluid deposition chamber. The environmental controller is configured to maintain a substantially autonomous environment within the cluster tool.

Abstract: A fluid deposition device including a platen and a cartridge mount assembly is described. The platen is configured to support a substrate upon which a fluid will be deposited. The cartridge mount assembly includes a receptacle configured to receive a print cartridge and multiple electrical contacts configured to mate with corresponding electrical contacts on the print cartridge. In one implementation, the cartridge mount assembly further includes a vacuum connector configured to mate with a vacuum inlet included on the print cartridge. When the print cartridge is received in the receptacle, the print cartridge can form connections with the electrical contacts and with the vacuum connector of the receptacle at substantially the same timee.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method of driving an inkjet module having a plurality of ink jets. The method includes applying a voltage waveform to the inkjet module, the voltage waveform including a first pulse and a second pulse, activating one or more of the ink jets contemporaneously to applying the first pulse, wherein each activated ink jet ejects a fluid droplet in response to the first pulse, and activating all of the ink jets contemporaneously to applying the second pulse without ejecting a droplet.

Abstract: Ink jet printheads and printhead components are described. One printhead includes a flow path and a piezoelectric actuator. The flow path includes a pumping region and the piezoelectric actuator is associated with the pumping region. The actuator has a pre-fired piezoelectric layer with a thickness of about 50 microns or less. A bonding layer fixes the pre-fired piezoelectric layer relative to the flow path.

Abstract: Charge leakage prevention and voltage drift prevention on a droplet ejection device for an inkjet printer. In one method to prevent charge leakage on a droplet ejection device with a switch and a piezoelectric actuator, the method includes controlling the switch to drive the piezoelectric actuator with the waveform input signal during a droplet firing period, and controlling the switch to drive the piezoelectric actuator with a constant voltage level during a non-firing period.

Abstract: Apparatus including a plurality of droplet ejection devices, an electric source and a controller. Each droplet ejection device includes switches connected in parallel to a piezoelectric actuator. Each switch includes an input terminal to connect to an input waveform signal, an output terminal to connect to the piezoelectric actuator, a control signal terminal to control a connection of the switch with a control signal, and a resistance between the input terminal and output terminal. The apparatus has a waveform table with information to distribute the input waveform signal to an input of each of the droplet ejection devices. The waveform signal table includes waveform signal information for a step pulse, a sawtooth waveform, and/or a combination of two or more waveform patterns.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for printing on a workpiece. In one implementation, a print system has a collection of print elements arranged to span a print area, a workpiece conveyor to move a workpiece through the print area, and a detector to detect a position of the workpiece in the print area. The print system also has control electronics to instruct the collection of print elements to print an image on the workpiece substantially immediately when the collection of print elements receive the instruction through an optical communication path.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, and computer program products that facilitate image printing. A technique may include receiving an image to be printed, using a first software component to selectively pre-process the image depending on a format of the image, and using a second software component to generate image queues from the pre-processed image. In that technique, each image queue includes at least one portion of image data associated with an association of print elements that corresponds to a configuration of print elements at a printing device. The technique may be implemented in a scalable system, by having multiple first software components and multiple second software components, where each of the first and/or second components can reside on a separate computer system.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for printing on a workpiece. In one implementation, a data pump is used to create a packet of image data for a print head assembly. The data pump includes multiple state machines to receive image data from an image buffer on a computer, and a serializer to gather image data from each of the state machines. Each of the state machines is configured to send image data to the serializer at a different instance in time. The serializer is configured to arrange the gathered image data according to when the serializer received the image data from each of the state machines. The data pump also includes an optical fiber communication interface to connect with a communication channel.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for printing. In one implementation, a method includes printing, at substantially the same time, a first image on a first workpiece and a second image on a second workpiece.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, and computer program products for transmitting data between a computer system and an external printing device. A technique may include generating a data packet in accordance with a communications protocol such that generating the data packet includes encoding the data packet according to a second layer of the protocol in a frame format according to a third layer of the protocol, transmitting the data packet from the computer system to the external printing device according to the first layer of the protocol; and decoding the data packet in accordance with the second layer of the protocol. The protocol can be defined to include three layers. In that protocol, a first layer may define transmission line, transmitters, and receivers for transmission, the second layer may define encoding and decoding, and the third layer may define a frame format of the data packet.

Abstract: Ink jet printheads and printhead components are described.

Abstract: Ink jet printheads and printhead components are described.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method for driving a droplet ejection device having an actuator, including applying a multipulse waveform that includes two or more drive pulses to the actuator to cause the droplet ejection device to eject a single droplet of a fluid, wherein a frequency of the drive pulses is greater than a natural frequency, fj, of the droplet ejection device.

Abstract: Ink jet printheads and printhead components are described.

Abstract: A method and system for rewarding behavior beneficial to health are described.

Abstract: A method and system for managing personal data of subscribers via a network are described. In one embodiment, personal data of a subscriber is captured in a personal data capture device. The personal data is transmitted from the personal data capture device to a network server. The personal data is then analyzed to generate feedback information. This feedback information is presented to the subscriber via the network.

Abstract: A method and system for transmitting data over a network are described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a cradle to transmit data to a network server and an electronic device coupled to the cradle. The electronic device includes a sensor to trigger a data connection between the electronic device and the cradle. The electronic device also includes a transmitter to download the data to the cradle.