Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer is configured to generate a printed predetermined test pattern on a substrate in the printer with a plurality of ejectors in a printhead. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern and a controller identifies a z-axis distance between the printhead and the substrate using a dispersion identified between cross-process direction distances separating printed marks in the test pattern.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer is configured to generate a printed predetermined test pattern on a substrate in the printer with a plurality of ejectors in a printhead. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern and a controller identifies a z-axis distance between the printhead and the substrate using a dispersion identified between cross-process direction distances separating printed marks in the test pattern.

Abstract: A method of operating a three-dimensional object printer includes generation of a printed predetermined test pattern on a substrate in the printer with a plurality of ejectors in a printhead. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern and a controller identifies a z-axis distance between the printhead and the substrate that receives the test pattern with reference to an identified dispersion between cross-process direction distances separating printed marks in the test pattern.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for calculating a transaction quality score of a merchant are disclosed. For example, the method analyzes fraudulent transaction data in a fraudulent transaction data table for each one of a plurality of merchants, calculates a transaction quality score for the each one of the plurality of merchants based on the fraudulent transaction data, filters the plurality of merchants having a respective transaction quality score above a threshold and transmits the plurality of merchants having the respective transaction quality score above the threshold for display.

Abstract: A device management application (DMA) contacts printing devices connected to a computer network to obtain the device type, configuration parameters, and configuration settings from the printing devices. The device type, the configuration parameters, and the configuration settings are stored for each of the printing devices in a nested hash table. The configuration settings are grouped for each of the printing devices by device type in a working file, such as an XML tree that has leaf nodes for each configuration parameter of each different device type group. These methods identify the most common configuration settings for each of the configuration parameters in the leaf nodes, and map the most common configuration settings for the configuration parameters to configuration setup files for each the device type group. The configuration setup files are then deployed to the printing devices.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer ejects drops of a build material from a plurality of ejectors in a first printhead to form an object on a first region of a member and ejects drops of a support material from a plurality of ejectors in a second printhead to support the object on the first region of the member. The second printhead ejects drops of the support material onto a second region of the member that is separate from the first region to form a substrate layer. The first printhead ejects drops of the build material onto the substrate layer to form a printed test pattern. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern to identify an inoperable ejector in the first printhead.

Abstract: A method and system for parking occupancy detection comprises collecting video of the parking facility with a video capturing device, counting an occupancy of a parking facility using at least one sensor to establish a sensor occupancy count, classifying each of a plurality of parking spots as occupied or vacant with a classifier according to the classification threshold in order to establish a video occupancy count, determining a difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count, and setting the sensor occupancy count to equal the video occupancy count if the difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count exceeds a difference threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for parking occupancy detection comprises collecting video of the parking facility with a video capturing device, counting an occupancy of a parking facility using at least one sensor to establish a sensor occupancy count, classifying each of a plurality of parking spots as occupied or vacant with a classifier according to the classification threshold in order to establish a video occupancy count, determining a difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count, and setting the sensor occupancy count to equal the video occupancy count if the difference between the sensor occupancy count and the video occupancy count exceeds a difference threshold.

Abstract: A method uses a sparse test pattern to identify a spatial relationship between a printhead and an image receiving surface in a printer. The method includes operating a plurality of ejectors in the printhead to form a printed marks on the image receiving surface, generating image data of the test pattern, and applying a predetermined disjoint template to the image data to identify a location of the printed marks. The disjoint template matching process improves the accuracy of identifying the printed marks in noisy image data and for sparse test patterns.

Abstract: A printer uses closed loop control to keep material drops ejected by a printhead within a predetermined range. The printer forms at least two objects on a support member and then operates a specular sensor array to obtain image data of the two objects on the support member. The two objects have different predetermined heights to enable a controller in the printer to identify the mass or volume of the material drops forming the objects to adjust operational parameters of the printer to maintain the mass or volume of the material drops in the predetermined range.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing video-based tracking of an object of interest are provided. A video of a regularized motion environment that comprise multiple video frames is acquired and an initial instance of an object of interest in one of the frames is then detected. An expected size and orientation of the object of interest as a function of the location of the object is then determined. The location of the object of interest is then determined in a next subsequent frame using the expected size and orientation of the object of interest.

Abstract: A method of operating a three-dimensional object printer includes generation of a printed predetermined test pattern on a substrate in the printer with a plurality of ejectors in a printhead. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern and a controller identifies a z-axis distance between the printhead and the substrate that receives the test pattern with reference to an identified dispersion between cross-process direction distances separating printed marks in the test pattern.

Abstract: A printer compensates for printing errors occurring during production of the layers for the formation of an object in a three-dimensional printer. The printer includes an optical sensor that generates data corresponding to edges of each layer of the object after each layer is printed. Differences between the raster data used to eject the material to form a layer and the data received from the optical sensor are used to modify the raster data that operates a printhead to form a next layer in the object.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer ejects drops of a build material from a plurality of ejectors in a first printhead to form an object on a first region of a member and ejects drops of a support material from a plurality of ejectors in a second printhead to support the object on the first region of the member. The second printhead ejects drops of the support material onto a second region of the member that is separate from the first region to form a substrate layer. The first printhead ejects drops of the build material onto the substrate layer to form a printed test pattern. An image sensor generates image data of the printed test pattern to identify an inoperable ejector in the first printhead.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for calculating a transaction quality score of a merchant are disclosed. For example, the method analyzes fraudulent transaction data in a fraudulent transaction data table for each one of a plurality of merchants, calculates a transaction quality score for the each one of the plurality of merchants based on the fraudulent transaction data, filters the plurality of merchants having a respective transaction quality score above a threshold and transmits the plurality of merchants having the respective transaction quality score above the threshold for display.

Abstract: Methods and systems print test patterns in different test pattern areas on print media using a printer to produce a printed item. The printer has a printing width in a cross-process direction, and each of the test pattern areas is in a different cross-process location of the printing width. The test pattern areas are distributed across the entire printing width, and each of the test pattern areas partially overlaps at least one other test pattern area in the cross-process direction. Next, these methods and systems individually scan the sections of the printed item using a scanner that has a scanning width that is less than the printing width. This produces individual scans of the test pattern areas. The widths of the test pattern areas are equal to or less than the scanning width. Then, these methods and systems can calibrate cross-process characteristics of the printer based on the scans.

Abstract: Methods and systems print test patterns in different test pattern areas on print media using a printer to produce a printed item. The printer has a printing width in a cross-process direction, and each of the test pattern areas is in a different cross-process location of the printing width. The test pattern areas are distributed across the entire printing width, and each of the test pattern areas partially overlaps at least one other test pattern area in the cross-process direction. Next, these methods and systems individually scan the sections of the printed item using a scanner that has a scanning width that is less than the printing width. This produces individual scans of the test pattern areas. The widths of the test pattern areas are equal to or less than the scanning width. Then, these methods and systems can calibrate cross-process characteristics of the printer based on the scans.

Abstract: A method of generating a test pattern for use in identification of a z-axis distance between a printhead and a substrate in a three-dimensional object printer includes forming a first predetermined test pattern on a substrate with the printhead and generating image data of the first test pattern. The method further includes identifying cross-process direction offsets of marks in the image data of the first test pattern and generating second test pattern data for the printhead using only a portion of the ejectors in the printhead and not including a mark from at least one ejector in the printhead with a cross-process direction offset that is less than another cross-process direction offset of at least one ejector in the portion of the ejectors.

Abstract: A printer compensates for printing errors occurring during production of the layers for the formation of an object in a three-dimensional printer. The printer includes an optical sensor that generates data corresponding to edges of each layer of the object after each layer is printed. Differences between the raster data used to eject the material to form a layer and the data received from the optical sensor are used to modify the raster data that operates a printhead to form a next layer in the object.

Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for verifying a validity of a communication from a fraud detection service are disclosed. For example, the method receives the communication from the fraud detection service indicating that a credit card number is associated with potentially fraudulent activity, provides a personal identification to the fraud detection service via a secured connection to request a confirmation that the communication is from the fraud detection service, wherein the personal identification is used to identify the credit card number and receives the confirmation that the communication is valid and was sent from the fraud detection service based upon a verification performed by the fraud detection service that compares the credit card number to a database containing a plurality of credit card numbers that are flagged for potentially fraudulent activity.