Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a bitmap suitable for high-speed variable printing, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a page description language file, the page description language file defining at least one variable data area and at least one static data area; (b) interpreting the page description language file, and during the interpreting step: (i) generating a static bitmap of the static data area, (ii) identifying the variable data area, and (iii) responsive to the identification of the variable data area, not adding a bitmap of the variable data area to the static bitmap; and (c) saving the static bitmap, whereby the saved static bitmap is used repeatedly in the generation of a plurality of documents, each of which contain the static bitmap and a variable data bitmap.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area, and the page description code further defines a graphics state corresponding to the data area, where the graphics state including at least one attribute which controls the appearance of data in the data area; (b) interpreting the page description code specification, and during the interpretation step, identifying the data area defined by the page description code specification; (c) upon the identification of the variable data area in step (b), applying the graphics state corresponding to the data area to a set of alphanumeric characters so as to generate a plurality of character bit maps; (d) storing the plurality of character bit maps; (e) retrieving a variable data item from a plurality of variable data items; (f) associating the variable data item with th

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a bitmap suitable for high-speed variable printing, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a page description language file, the page description language file defining at least one variable data area and at least one static data area; (b) interpreting the page description language file, and during the interpreting step: (i) generating a static bitmap of the static data area, (ii) identifying the variable data area, and (iii) responsive to the identification of the variable data area, not adding a bitmap of the variable data area to the static bitmap; and (c) saving the static bitmap, whereby the saved static bitmap is used repeatedly in the generation of a plurality of documents, each of which contain the static bitmap and a variable data bitmap.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a bitmap suitable for high-speed variable printing, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a page description language file, the page description language file defining at least one variable data area and at least one static data area; (b) interpreting the page description language file, and during the interpreting step: (i) generating a static bitmap of the static data area, (ii) identifying the variable data area, and (iii) responsive to the identification of the variable data area, not adding a bitmap of the variable data area to the static bitmap; and (c) saving the static bitmap, whereby the saved static bitmap is used repeatedly in the generation of a plurality of documents, each of which contain the static bitmap and a variable data bitmap.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area (b) providing a text file, where the text file includes a plurality of data items and the plurality of data items are associated with a field name; (c) monitoring the page description code specification, and during the monitoring step, identifying character strings that match a field name found in the text file; and (d) responding to a positive identification of a character string that matches a field name, where the response includes linking the data area containing the character string in the page description code specification with the plurality of data items in the text file associated with the field name.

Abstract: A method for flowing data, such as text data, into an arbitrary path defined by a page description language specification (“PDL specification”) generally comprises the steps of: identifying a path defined in the PDL specification as a datawrapping path; associating a data block with the data-wrapping path; and generating a bitmap representation of the data block according to the path boundary and according to a predefined flow rule. Preferably, the identifying step includes the steps of associating a graphics state with the path and storing the graphics state in memory, and the generating step includes the step of applying the stored graphics state to the data block. Therefore, the generating step can be repeated for multiple data blocks to generate multiple bit map representations. The text wrapping path is preferably identified in the PDL specification by an attribute string associated with the path.

Abstract: A method for flowing data, such as text data, into an arbitrary path defined by a page description language specification (“PDL specification”) generally comprises the steps of: identifying a path defined in the PDL specification as a datawrapping path; associating a data block with the data-wrapping path; and generating a bitmap representation of the data block according to the path boundary and according to a predefined flow rule. Preferably, the identifying step includes the steps of associating a graphics state with the path and storing the graphics state in memory, and the generating step includes the step of applying the stored graphics state to the data block. Therefore, the generating step can be repeated for multiple data blocks to generate multiple bit map representations. The text wrapping path is preferably identified in the PDL specification by an attribute string associated with the path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for simultaneously controlling a plurality of print engines connected together (in series, in parallel or otherwise) that facilitates electronic stitching between the print engines. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for synchronizing the pixel deposition frequencies and the drive mechanisms between the various inter-connected print engines so as to eliminate synchronization between the print engines.

Abstract: A method for flowing data, such as text data, into an arbitrary path defined by a page description language specification (“PDL specification”) generally comprises the steps of: identifying a path defined in the PDL specification as a datawrapping path; associating a data block with the datawrapping path; and generating a bitmap representation of the data block according to the path boundary and according to a predefined flow rule. Preferably, the identifying step includes the steps of associating a graphics state with the path and storing the graphics state in memory, and the generating step includes the step of applying the stored graphics state to the data block. Therefore, the generating step can be repeated for multiple data blocks to generate multiple bit map representations. The text wrapping path is preferably identified in the PDL specification by an attribute string associated with the path.

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes the steps of: a) generating a template PDL (page description language) specification, the template specification including template data and associated graphic attributes (i.e.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area, and the page description code further defines a graphics state corresponding to the data area, where the graphics state including at least one attribute which controls the appearance of data in the data area; (b) interpreting the page description code specification, and during the interpretation step, identifying the data area defined by the page description code specification; (c) upon the identification of the variable data area in step (b), applying the graphics state corresponding to the data area to a set of alphanumeric characters so as to generate a plurality of character bit maps; (d) storing the plurality of character bit maps; (e) retrieving a variable data item from a plurality of variable data items; (f) associating the variable data item with th

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area, and the page description code further defines a graphics state corresponding to the data area, where the graphics state including at least one attribute which controls the appearance of data in the data area; (b) interpreting the page description code specification, and during the interpretation step, identifying the data area defined by the page description code specification; (c) upon the identification of the variable data area in step (b), applying the graphics state corresponding to the data area to a set of alphanumeric characters so as to generate a plurality of character bit maps; (d) storing the plurality of character bit maps; (e) retrieving a variable data item from a plurality of variable data items; (f) associating the variable data item with th

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area, and the page description code further defines a graphics state corresponding to the data area, where the graphics state including at least one attribute which controls the appearance of data in the data area; (b) interpreting the page description code specification, and during the interpretation step, identifying the data area defined by the page description code specification; (c) upon the identification of the variable data area in step (b), applying the graphics state corresponding to the data area to a set of alphanumeric characters so as to generate a plurality of character bit maps; (d) storing the plurality of character bit maps; (e) retrieving a variable data item from a plurality of variable data items; (f) associating the variable data item with th

Abstract: An electronic image registration system for a high-speed raster printer controller includes dedicated hardware for performing run-time registration, in both the horizontal and vertical directions, on a continuous stream of rasterized bit-map data generated by the rendering units of the raster printer controller. The registration takes place in hardware, between the rendering section of the controller and the print engine, thus allowing the registration to be performed in real-time without slowing the controller's processing speeds. The dedicated run-time electronic-image registration hardware for the vertical registration of the image includes a vertical holding register and a vertical counter. The vertical holding register is loaded by a CPU and indicates the magnitude of the vertical registration, which in turn indicates a length of delay in scan-line units before the start of the page-map's print cycle after seeing a “top-of-form” signal from the print engine.

Abstract: A method for controlling a printer having a plurality of print engines and a print engine controller includes the steps of: (a) coupling each of the print engines to a corresponding print engine communication device; (b) coupling together the print engine communication devices and the print engine controller in a daisy chain configuration with a serial data link, the data-output port of the printer controller being directly coupled by the serial data link to a first one of the print engine communication devices and the data-input port of the printer controller being directly coupled by the serial data link to a last one of the print engine communication devices; (c) embedding commands and data in a data stream by the printer controller and transmitting the data stream on the serial data link to the first print engine communication device by the printer controller; (d) relaying the data stream from the first print engine communication device back to the serial data link by the first print engine controller; (e

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes the steps of: a) generating a template PDL (page description language) specification, which includes template data and associated graphic attributes (i.e.

Abstract: A method for flowing data, such as text data, into an arbitrary path defined by a page description language specification (“PDL specification”) generally comprises the steps of: identifying a path defined in the PDL specification as a data-wrapping path; associating a data block with the data-wrapping path; and generating a bitmap representation of the data block according to the path boundary and according to a pre-defined flow rule. Preferably, the identifying step includes the steps of associating a graphics state with the path and storing the graphics state in memory, and the generating step includes the step of applying the stored graphics state to the data block. Therefore, the generating step can be repeated for multiple data blocks to generate multiple bit map representations. The text wrapping path is preferably identified in the PDL specification by an attribute string associated with the path.

Abstract: A method for generating a stroke frequency signal on a plurality of ink jet printheads arranged along a moving web includes the steps of: (a) coupling the raster printer controller to the plurality of printheads with a plurality of data links in a daisy-chain configuration, where the printer controller is at the beginning of the daisy-chain; (b) embedding a web velocity signal indicative of web velocity in data, by the printer controller; (c) communicating the data with the embedded velocity signal to each of the printheads by transmitting the data with the embedded velocity signal onto the daisy-chain; (d) each of the printheads deriving the web velocity signal from the data received from the daisy-chain by each of the printheads; and (e) generating a stroke frequency signal from the web velocity signal by each of the printheads.

Abstract: The method for synchronizing the plurality of piezoelectric crystals on a corresponding plurality of ink jet printheads comprises the steps of: (a) coupling the plurality of printheads together in a daisy-chain configuration, (b) embedding a first clock signal in data; (c) transmitting the data to the printheads on the daisy-chain; (d) each of the printheads receiving the data; (e) each of the printheads deriving a second clock signal from the data received, which is directly proportional to the first clock signal; and (f) each of the printheads driving its corresponding piezoelectric crystal with the second clock signal. Accordingly, all of the piezoelectric crystal clock sources will be synchronized in frequency with each other, eliminating beat frequency drift errors between the printheads.

Abstract: A method for printing variable data with page description language, which enables the graphics states for a static page to be defined and stored; and which enables the stored graphics states to be associated with items of variable data from a database, so that once defined, the graphics states can be used to print multiple pages of variable data. The method of the present invention is implemented by means of a control task, which executes in a printer in conjunction with a page description program, to identify data areas in the program, and store the graphics states for the data areas as they are defined by the program. A merge task associates items of variable data from a data file with the graphics states, generates a bit map for each variable data area, merges the bit maps with the page template, and outputs the page from the printer. Accordingly, in the method of the present invention, bit maps for multiple pages of variable data are generated from a single page description program.