Abstract: Methods include pumping a fracturing pad fluid into a subterranean formation under conditions of sufficient rate and pressure to create at least one fracture in the subterranean formation, the fracturing pad fluid including a carrier fluid and a plurality of bridging particles, the bridging particles forming a bridge in a fracture tip of a far field region of the formation. Methods further include pumping a first plurality of fibers into the subterranean formation to form a low permeability plug with the bridging particles, and pumping a proppant fluid comprising a plurality of proppant particles.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system at least one physical memory device to store ink estimation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device, to execute the ink estimation logic to receive a histogram for each of a plurality of color planes, receive one or more printer system settings and generate estimated ink usage data for each of the plurality of color planes based on the histograms and the one or more printer system settings.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for image scaling with efficient pixel resolution conversion. One embodiment is an image scaling system that includes a processor that receives an instruction to scale an input image having a first resolution by a scaling ratio to create an output image having a second resolution, and determines a rational fraction approximation of the scaling ratio to obtain a numerator integer representing a first block of consecutive pixels in the output image and a denominator integer representing a second block of consecutive pixels in the input image. The processor also calculates pixel values of the first block of pixels by: bit shifting pixel values of the second block of pixels, obtaining a sum of bit shifting operations of neighboring pixel values of the second block of pixels, and correcting the sum with a correction value to compensate for rounding errors in the bit shifting.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for image scaling with quality control. One embodiment is an image scaling system that includes a processor configured to receive an instruction to scale an input image by a scale factor to create an output image. The processor is configured to determine an integer quality level to use in scaling the input image to create the output image, to divide the input image into regions of consecutive pixel pairs based on the scale factor and the integer quality level, and to determine region factors corresponding to each of the regions. The processor is further configured to scale the input image by applying the region factors to pairs of pixels in the corresponding regions of the input image to create output pixels in the output image.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system at least one physical memory device to store ink estimation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device, to execute the ink estimation logic to receive a histogram for each of a plurality of color planes, receive one or more printer system settings and generate estimated ink usage data for each of the plurality of color planes based on the histograms and the one or more printer system settings.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for image scaling with efficient pixel resolution conversion. One embodiment is an image scaling system that includes a processor that receives an instruction to scale an input image having a first resolution by a scaling ratio to create an output image having a second resolution, and determines a rational fraction approximation of the scaling ratio to obtain a numerator integer representing a first block of consecutive pixels in the output image and a denominator integer representing a second block of consecutive pixels in the input image. The processor also calculates pixel values of the first block of pixels by: bit shifting pixel values of the second block of pixels, obtaining a sum of bit shifting operations of neighboring pixel values of the second block of pixels, and correcting the sum with a correction value to compensate for rounding errors in the bit shifting.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for image scaling with quality control. One embodiment is an image scaling system that includes a processor configured to receive an instruction to scale an input image by a scale factor to create an output image. The processor is configured to determine an integer quality level to use in scaling the input image to create the output image, to divide the input image into regions of consecutive pixel pairs based on the scale factor and the integer quality level, and to determine region factors corresponding to each of the regions. The processor is further configured to scale the input image by applying the region factors to pairs of pixels in the corresponding regions of the input image to create output pixels in the output image.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for scheduling high priority print jobs with minimal paper waste. One embodiment is a printing system that includes a print controller having a print data path with intermediate queues and a last queue to store print ready bitmap data. The print controller monitors the last queue to determine an estimate time for printing the print ready bitmap data stored in the last queue, determines whether the estimate time exceeds a time threshold, and determines whether a high priority print job is detected in the job storage system. In response to determining that the estimate time exceeds the time threshold and detecting the high priority print job, the print controller halts processing of at least one of the plurality of print jobs that is not the high priority print job, and advances processing of the high priority print job on the print data path.

Abstract: A mechanism is described to facilitate virtual page generation according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes performing a virtual rasterization of print job data to generate a virtual sheet, fitting the virtual sheet to a job sheet, and printing the job sheet to a physical medium.

Abstract: One embodiment comprises a system that stores a pre-defined color conversion table and a hash table. The system receives user-defined color conversions for a print job, stores them in first locations in the hash table, and marks the first locations as persistent. The system processes the print job utilizing the color conversion table to convert colors in the print job to the output color space, and responsive to encountering colors in the print job that do not have color conversions in the color conversion table, interpolates between color conversions in the color conversion table to generate new color conversions, stores the new color conversions in second locations in the hash table, and marks the second locations as non-persistent. The system determines that the hash table is to be re-initialized, allows reuse of the second locations in the hash table, and prevents reuse of the first locations in the hash table.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes intersecting a clip polygon with a source image, determining destination coordinates of the clip polygon, rasterizing the clip polygon, determining a bounding box, dividing the bounding box into a plurality of logical destination tiles, processing the destination tiles to determine coordinates of source tiles corresponding to each of the destination tiles and performing rotation processing of the source tiles, wherein each tile is processed independently.

Abstract: A printer is described. The printer includes a processor. A memory is coupled to the processor. The memory contains instructions that when processed by the processor cause a method to be performed. The method includes presenting a list of printing substitutions on a display. The printing substitutions are each associated with a respective printer profile. The list of printing substitutions identify which ones of the printing substitutions are enabled and which ones of the printing substitutions are disabled. The list also identifies the printer profiles that the substitutions are associated with, wherein at least one printer profile that is not enabled for a current print job is included in the list.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for the reuse of some locations in a hash table of color conversions during processing of a print job, while preventing the reuse of other locations. If a determination is made that the hash table is to be re-initialized, then the locations in the hash table that are marked as non-persistent are marked as saved to allow them to be reused, while the locations in the hash table that are marked as persistent are prevented from being reused. During processing of the print job subsequent to re-initialization of the hash table, if a color in the print job does not have a color conversion, then a location in the hash table is identified that is marked as saved. If the location stores the color conversion for the color, then the non-persistent mark is restored for the location to bypass performing a color conversion for the color.

Abstract: An application of clear protectant to a printable medium is described that allows for different amounts of protectant to be applied to the medium based on the amounts of colorant that is applied to the medium. Colorant bitmaps are analyzed to calculate an amount of colorant coverage for a medium. Printable features in the colorant bitmaps are replicated into different intermediate protectant bitmaps based on the colorant coverage for the printable features, where the intermediate protectant bitmaps specify different amounts of protectant to apply. Features in the intermediate bitmaps are expanded and replicated into a final protectant bitmap. A determination is made for the amount of protectant to apply to the medium that is based on the different amounts specified by the intermediate bitmaps.

Abstract: One embodiment comprises a system that stores a pre-defined color conversion table and a hash table. The system receives user-defined color conversions for a print job, stores them in first locations in the hash table, and marks the first locations as persistent. The system processes the print job utilizing the color conversion table to convert colors in the print job to the output color space, and responsive to encountering colors in the print job that do not have color conversions in the color conversion table, interpolates between color conversions in the color conversion table to generate new color conversions, stores the new color conversions in second locations in the hash table, and marks the second locations as non-persistent. The system determines that the hash table is to be re-initialized, allows reuse of the second locations in the hash table, and prevents reuse of the first locations in the hash table.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes intersecting a clip polygon with a source image, determining destination coordinates of the clip polygon, rasterizing the clip polygon, determining a bounding box, dividing the bounding box into a plurality of logical destination tiles, processing the destination tiles to determine coordinates of source tiles corresponding to each of the destination tiles and performing rotation processing of the source tiles, wherein each tile is processed independently.

Abstract: One embodiment comprises a system that includes a first print head that applies a colorant to a medium based on a first bitmap that indicates printable features for the medium, and a second print head that applies a clear protectant to the medium based on a second bitmap. The system receives the first bitmap, and replicates the printable features in the first bitmap to generate the second bitmap. The system identifies boundaries of the printable features in the second bitmap, and expands the boundaries of the printable features in the second bitmap where the clear protectant is applied to the medium. The system directs the first print head to apply the colorant to the medium to form the printable features based on the first bitmap, and directs the second print head to apply the clear protectant to the printable features formed on the medium based on the second bitmap.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for the simulation of preprinted forms is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first image as a back drop of a form, the image including a plurality of printable features corresponding to positions of the image. A second image is received as data to be filled in to the form, the second image including a second plurality of printable features corresponding to positions of the image, wherein the second plurality of printable features each have an assigned ink transparency. A feature of the first image is blended with a corresponding feature of the second image based on the assigned ink transparencies to form a blended feature. The blended features are combined to form a blended image that blends the first and the second images and is suitable for printing.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request to perform color conversion during rasterization of a print job object at a printer, determining if a substitution mapping file is available for an output color space to be generated by the color conversion, determining if the substitution mapping file includes a substitution entry for the input color space color value to the output color space in use, generating the output color by using the substitution mapping file to map an input color from an input color space to an output color space if the substitution entry is available and generating the output color by using a color management system to map the input color from the input color space to the output color space if the substitution entry is not available.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes analyzing color planes of a compressed sheetside image and generating an overcoat plane based on the color planes.