Abstract: A method of determining a position of a mobile apparatus includes: firing a laser mounted on the mobile apparatus; rotating the laser and a first and second photo detector that are disposed proximate the laser while monitoring an amount of rotation; detecting a first amplitude of light received by the first photo detector and a second amplitude of light received by a second photo detector as a function of rotation; identifying a first orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to a position referencing structure; identifying a second orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; identifying a third orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; and calculating the position of the mobile apparatus based on the first orientation, the second orientation, the third orientation, and a predetermined distance associated with the position referencing structure.

Abstract: A mobile printing system includes a mobile printing apparatus including: a chassis; a first wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis; a second wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis; a first motor for rotating the first wheel; a second motor for rotating the second wheel; a first encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the first wheel; a second encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the second wheel; a photosensor array; and an array of marking elements disposed proximate the photosensor array; a printing region for the mobile printing apparatus; a home base including a cap configured to surround the array of marking elements; and a controller for controlling the operation of the mobile printing apparatus.

Abstract: A mobile printing apparatus includes a chassis; a first wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis; a second wheel rotatably mounted on the chassis; a motor for rotating the first wheel; an encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation; a first photosensor array; and an array of marking elements disposed proximate the first photosensor array.

Abstract: A position-referenced mobile system includes a mobile apparatus having: a chassis having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge; a first wheel rotatably mounted proximate the first edge of the chassis; a second wheel rotatably mounted proximate the second edge of the chassis; a first motor for rotating the first wheel; a second motor for rotating the second wheel; a first encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the first motor; a second encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the second motor; a laser mounted on the chassis; and a photo detector mounted on the chassis; a controller for interpreting signals provided by the photo detector; and a plurality of reflective elements disposed at a corresponding plurality of locations that are observable by the photo detector when the mobile apparatus is located within a position detection region.

Abstract: A position-referenced mobile system includes: a mobile apparatus including: a transport mechanism for moving the mobile apparatus along or substantially along a plane of motion; a rotatable position detection assembly including: a laser; a first photo detector; and a second photo detector; and at least one encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the position detection assembly; a controller for interpreting signals provided by the first photo detector and the second photo detector; and a position referencing structure including: a reflective linear reference member; a first reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a first end of the linear reference member; and a second reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a second end of the linear reference member.

Abstract: A method of determining a position of a mobile apparatus includes: firing a laser that is mounted on the mobile apparatus; rotating the laser and a first and second photo detector that are disposed proximate the laser while monitoring an amount of rotation; detecting a first amplitude of light received by the first photo detector and a second amplitude of light received by a second photo detector as a function of the amount of rotation; identifying a first orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to a position referencing structure; identifying a second orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; identifying a third orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; and calculating the position of the mobile apparatus based on the first orientation, the second orientation, the third orientation, and a predetermined distance associated with the position referencing structure.

Abstract: A position-referenced mobile system includes: a mobile apparatus including: a transport mechanism for moving the mobile apparatus along or substantially along a plane of motion; a rotatable position detection assembly including: a laser; a first photo detector; and a second photo detector; and at least one encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the position detection assembly; a controller for interpreting signals provided by the first photo detector and the second photo detector; and a position referencing structure including: a reflective linear reference member; a first reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a first end of the linear reference member; and a second reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a second end of the linear reference member.

Abstract: A method of printing with a mobile printing apparatus having an array of marking elements, the method includes moving the mobile printing apparatus to an initial starting position; providing a first swath of data; printing a first printed swath corresponding to the first swath of data using a first portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along a scan direction; printing a first set of position reference marks using a second portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along the scan direction; providing a second swath of data; sensing the first set of position reference marks; and printing a second printed swath corresponding to the second swath of data, wherein operation of the mobile printing apparatus for printing the second printed swath is guided, at least in part, by the first set of position reference marks.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of media in a stack of media that is disposed within a media holding receptacle of an imaging system, the method includes providing a stack-compressing element configured to contact a first piece of media in the stack of media; providing a sensor to detect a position of the first piece of media; applying a first compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media; applying a second compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media, the second compressive force being greater than the first compressive force; and using the sensor to detect the position of the first piece of media after the second compressive force is applied to the stack of media.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of media in a stack of media that is disposed within a media holding receptacle of an imaging system, the method includes providing a stack-compressing element configured to contact a first piece of media in the stack of media; providing a sensor to detect a position of the first piece of media; applying a first compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media; applying a second compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media, the second compressive force being greater than the first compressive force; and using the sensor to detect the position of the first piece of media after the second compressive force is applied to the stack of media.

Abstract: A method is proved for analyzing frequency distribution of a reflection from a surface of a body to determine a type of body surface. Initially, a plurality of data points from a sensor that senses the reflection of the body's surface are provided. A first series of terms are summed together to provide a first magnitude, each term including a plurality of data points; wherein the plurality of data points being spaced apart by a first spacing. A second series of terms are summed together to provide a second magnitude, each term including a plurality of data points; wherein the plurality of data points being spaced apart by a second spacing. The first magnitude is compared to the second magnitude to determine the type of body surface.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a way of compressing an initial data structure that defines an image as an array of pixel elements. The method includes generating a new data structure that defines contours at least some of which are contours having a constant color value to within a tolerance.

Abstract: Both geometry and detail of an object's surface are simultaneously analyzed so as to generate a minimal set of data necessary to display the object with minimal visible errors at maximum drawing speed. All knowledge about the surface from high-level definitions (such as triangles, non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS), textures, etc.) reduced into an internal form (a surface map) is (i) optimized according to visibility rules and (ii) output as a minimized set of machine code (triangles with position, color and normals) to a processor, e.g., a specific graphic processor. Shapes and groups (areas of common lighting and material type) representing an object are first identified. Data in each group is then re-sampled as a vector-valued field in a parametric U and V grid space.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for migrating from a previous data structure for simulating surfaces of three dimensional objects to a new data structure that defines a surface of the three dimensional object in terms of contours. The contours sufficiently divide the surface such that an interpolative error between the contours is below a color error threshold and below a geometric error threshold.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a way of compressing an initial data structure that defines an image as an array of pixel elements. The method includes generating a new data structure that defines contours at least some of which are contours having a constant color value to within a tolerance.