Abstract: A thermoelastic device comprising an expansive element is disclosed. The expansive element is formed from a material, which is preselected on the basis that it has one or more of the following properties: a resistivity between 0.1 ??m and 10.0 ??m; chemically inert in air; chemically inert in the chosen ink; and depositable by CVD, sputtering or other thin film deposition technique.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface (ii) moving the roller into a first position in which a clean part of said contact surface is sealingly engaged with an ink ejection face of printhead; (iii) moving the roller into a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face; and (iv) rotating the roller to clean ink from the contact surface.

Abstract: A central processor integrated circuit for a printer controller of a pagewidth inkjet printer includes a bus. Host interface circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive compressed page data having a bi-level black layer and a contone color layer and to communicate the compressed page data to the bus. Black layer expansion circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive and expand the bi-level black layer. Color layer expansion circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive and expand the contone layer. Halftoner and compositor circuitry is connected to the bus and is configured to receive expanded bi-level black layer data and expanded contone layer data and to composite the bi-level black layer over the contone layer. Processor circuitry is connected to the bus and is programmed to control operation of components of the central processor integrated circuit.

Abstract: A reader and printer system is provided that is capable of reading data from a substrate, decoding the data and printing information derived from the data. The data is carried on the substrate as an array of dots. The substrate carries an image and the data is a digital representation of the image and so a digital copy of the image may be made from the data carried on the substrate.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device comprising: an inkjet printhead for printing to a media substrate; a drive shaft for feeding the media past the printhead; and, a print engine controller for operatively controlling the printhead; wherein during use, the print engine controller senses the number of complete and partial rotations of the media feed roller and adjusts the operation of the printhead in response to variations in the angular velocity of the drive shaft.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device is disclosed. The mobile telecommunications device includes an image sensor for sensing coded data from a printed interface whilst the mobile telecommunications device is used to physically interact with the printed interface. The mobile telecommunications device also includes a processor configured to decode the sensed coded data. The data generated by the processor is then transmitted to a computer system via a mobile telecommunications network and using a transmitter of the mobile telecommunications device. A receiver of the mobile telecommunications device receives response data via the mobile telecommunications network in response to the data being transmitted. An integral printer mechanism of the mobile telecommunications device is configured to print another interface onto print media. The other interface also includes coded data, but is at least partially based on the response data.

Abstract: The invention provides a printhead assembly for a printer which prints onto a moving web that follows a path. A full width printhead located across the path of the printer. The printhead is a color printhead which is at least as wide as the web. The printhead is supplied with a number of different inks which are remote from the printhead and which are supplied to the printhead through tubes. In some embodiments the printhead is retained by a rail which is located across the path and along which the printhead slides into and out of a printing position.

Abstract: A printhead is provided which has a plurality of fluid chambers defined in a substrate, a plurality of covers which each cover a respective fluid chamber, each cover having a plurality of radially extending supports supporting a rim thereby defining a fluid ejection nozzle, and a plurality of heating elements positioned in each cover between respective pairs of adjacent supports, actuation of the heating elements causing ejection of fluid in the chambers through the nozzle.

Abstract: A print media cartridge is configured to be received within a camera in fluid communication with a printhead of the camera. The print media cartridge comprises a cartridge shell having an ejection slot, and housing a print media dispenser including a supply of print media, the print media dispenser further including a cavity; an ink reservoir located within the cavity of the print media dispenser, the ink reservoir divided into a plurality of ink reservoir sections each for storing ink of a different type; and a plurality of bladders each provided in one of the plurality of ink reservoir sections, the bladders containing therein the inks. At least one of the ink reservoir sections has a volumetric dimension different to the other ink reservoir sections, and each of the ink reservoir sections have the same volumetric size.

Abstract: A nozzle for an inkjet printer comprises a roof layer defining a nozzle port through which ink is ejected; a substrate layer fast with the roof layer and defining a nozzle chamber wall; and an actuator assembly fast with the substrate layer and comprising a support. The actuator assembly comprises a lever arm cantilevered to extend from the support and terminating in a piston. The piston is positioned within a nozzle chamber defined by the nozzle chamber wall. The nozzle chamber wall is provided along a height thereof with a gap, the gap being dimensioned to pass the lever arm therethrough.

Abstract: A mobile telephone comprises a support structure around which the mobile telephone is constructed; a camera device positioned on the support structure for electronically capturing and processing an image; a detachable printing mechanism; and a receptacle, defined in the support structure, for receiving therein the detachable printing mechanism. The detachable printing mechanism defines therethrough a print media feed path along which print media is fed for printing. The print media feed path extends from a first longitudinal side of the support structure through to a second longitudinal side of the support structure opposite the first longitudinal side.

Abstract: A refill unit for refilling an ink cartridge that forms part of an inkjet printer. The printer also having a printhead, control circuitry and an interface for releasably engaging the refill unit. The refill unit has a body containing a quantity of ink, an ink outlet, and a memory circuit for storing information relating to at least one characteristic of the ink. During use the memory circuit allows to the control circuit to interrogate it to verify that the ink in the refill unit is suitable for the printer.

Abstract: A reading device for reading an interface surface provided on a product item, the interface surface having disposed thereon coded data. The reading device includes: a harness which is configured to tight fittingly receive at least a portion of a user's hand; a housing coupled to the harness, the housing including a void configured to tight fittingly receive therewithin a finger tip portion of a finger of the user's hand received within the harness, the housing including an aperture in a wall of the housing which is located, in use, adjacent the underside of the finger tip portion of the finger; a sensor provided in the housing for sensing at least some of the coded data through the aperture; and a processor for decoding at least some of the sensed coded data.

Abstract: A double-sided printer having two print engines are arranged on opposite sides of a print media path. Each print engine comprises an image transfer roller configured to operatively transfer an image onto a sheet of paper fed through the media path; an ink cartridge having an integrated printhead for printing onto said image transfer roller, said printhead spanning a width of the image transfer roller, and having an elastomeric capping seal; a cleaning station configured to clean the image transfer roller after said image is transferred to the paper; and a solenoid arrangement configured to park the elastomeric capping seal of the printhead against the transfer roller when the printer is not operational, and to move the printhead from the roller when the printer is operational. The elastomeric capping seal is provided on two sides of the printhead chip transverse to the span of the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly includes an elongate support defining a plurality of parallel ink supply channels. A shim is mounted on the support and defines a plurality of rows of openings through which ink from respective supply channels can be provided. A plurality of elongate printhead modules is mounted serially on the shim. Each module includes a carrier that carries a printhead. Each carrier defines a plurality of ink supply passages through which ink passes to its printhead from respective rows of the openings. Either end of each carrier defines complementary formations so that adjacent pairs of the carriers nest together.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement has a substrate with a layer of drive circuitry, the substrate defining an ink chamber with an ink supply channel etched through the substrate. The roof structure has a roof layer over the chamber which includes a nozzle rim, actuators, and a series of struts. The nozzle rim is positioned about an ejection port defined in the roof layer above the chamber. The actuators are radially spaced about, and displaceable with respect to, the nozzle rim, with each actuator configured to thermally expand upon receiving current from the drive circuitry. This expansion moves the actuators into the chamber to increase a fluid pressure inside the chamber to eject a drop of ink via the ejection port. The struts are interspersed between the actuators to support the nozzle rim to the roof layer.

Abstract: A substrate having a coding pattern disposed on a surface thereof. The coding pattern comprises a plurality of target elements defining a target grid. The target grid comprises a plurality of cells, wherein neighboring cells share target elements. A plurality of data elements are contained in each cell. Tags are defined by a plurality of contiguous cells and each tag comprises respective local tag data encoded by a respective set of the data elements. The data elements encode data values by pulse position modulation, which facilitates low-pass filtering during image processing.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image capture assembly, roll of print media and microelectromechanical stationary printhead. Upon capturing an image a central processing integrated circuit operates the printhead and associated transport assembly to print the captured image. A guillotine is provided to automatically severe each print. The guillotine operates a counter in order that an operator of the digital camera is able to keep track of how much print media remains on the roll.

Abstract: A photofinishing system is provided which has a processor, a printer, means for feeding print media to the printer from a roll of the print media, and drier means coupled to the printer; the processor being arranged to generate a drive signal that is representative of a photographic image, the printer being coupled to the processor and being arranged to process the drive signal and effect printing of the photographic image on the print media, and the drier means being arranged to receive printed media directly from the printer, to transport the printed media from the printer and, in use, to effect drying of the printed media during transportation of the media.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead integrated circuit includes a substrate defining an ink supply channel. An ink chamber structure is arranged on the substrate to define an ink chamber into which ink from the ink supply channel can be supplied and an ink ejection port from which ink can be ejected from the ink chamber and an internal rim interposed between the ink supply channel and the ink chamber. A support extends from the substrate outside the ink chamber. A thermal bend actuator extends from the support and terminates in a paddle within the ink chamber. The thermal bend actuator is configured to move the paddle towards and away from the ink ejection port upon actuation to eject ink in the ink chamber through the ink ejection port. A periphery of the paddle and the internal rim are shaped to limit flow of ink from the ink chamber back into the ink supply channel when the paddle is displaced towards the ink ejection port.