Abstract: This disclosure provides printing methods, systems and apparatus to compensate for distortions by fusing toner applied to a media substrate. According to one exemplary method, image data is processed according to media characterization data for a toner density value associated with the image. The processed image data compensates for media substrate distortions due to fusing of a printed image on the media substrate.

Abstract: A multi-functional multi-engine print platform engines schedules and processes job in order to minimize visibility of image defects. The print platform includes at least two marking engines that process jobs, a marking engine analyzer that determines image quality defects of the at least two marking engines, and a scheduler that creates a plan to process a job with the at least two marking engines based at least on the image quality defects each of the at least two marking engines in order to minimize visibility of the defects in images reproduced by the at least two marking engine.

Abstract: A printing system capable of binding a modified image data to an individual print engine in a multiple print engine system. The system includes an image processor such as a digital front end, a set of transformations, and a configuration of printers. The system can also include a scanner that scans a test image so that this image binding process can be repeated. Furthermore, the transformation binding can also take place in real time.

Abstract: A xerographic marking device includes an intermediate transfer unit, a media transport path and at least one two-color image-on-image (IOI) drum module. Each two-color IOI drum module includes in a process order around a photoreceptor: a) a first charging unit; b) a first exposure unit; c) a first development unit; d) a second charging unit; e) a second exposure unit; and f) a second development unit, wherein the intermediate transfer unit receives a first toned image and a second toned image from the photoreceptor in a single transfer and transfers those toner images to print media to produce a toned image on print media. In various embodiments, specific color pairings are provided.

Abstract: A xerographic marking device includes an intermediate transfer unit, a media transport path and at least one two-color image-on-image (IOI) drum module. Each two-color IOI drum module includes in a process order around a photoreceptor; a) a first charging unit; b) a first exposure unit; c) a first development unit; d) a second charging unit; e) a second exposure unit; and f) a second development unit, wherein the intermediate transfer unit receives a first toned image and a second toned image from the photoreceptor in a single transfer and transfers those toner images to print media to produce a toned image on print media. In various embodiments, specific color pairings are provided.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring gloss and spatial dependence of gloss. In a first embodiment, the system comprises: a first illuminator configured to emit a first light beam at a point on a target, thereby producing a generally specular reflectance in a first direction; a second illuminator configured to emit a second light beam at the point on the target, thereby producing generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; a linear array sensor configured to detect the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; and a processor configured to process the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance detected by the linear array sensor.

Abstract: A xerographic system and method use a tri-level development process in which at least one xerographic imaging unit includes a photoreceptor and a pair of developer units. A first developer unit includes a full strength toner of a given color and a second developer unit includes a reduced strength toner of the same or substantially the same color. By use of the tri-level process, excellent color-to-color registration can be achieved for each processed color separation. Moreover, by use of two strengths of the same colorant, a tighter control of a tone reproduction curve can be achieved. Additional xerographic imaging units can include a developer unit that provides spot color, custom color or specialty color capabilities. Additional benefits and gamut expansion can be achieved through use of a tandem architecture. A preferred implementation uses a four drum, eight color tandem architecture with full strength and reduced strength toners formulations of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CYMK) colorant.

Abstract: This disclosure provides printing methods, systems and apparatus to compensate for distortions by fusing toner applied to a media substrate. According to one exemplary method, image data is processed according to media characterization data for a toner density value associated with the image. The processed image data compensates for media substrate distortions due to fusing of a printed image on the media substrate.

Abstract: A multi-functional print platform includes at least two marking engines that process information at different processing rates and a scheduler that distributes portions of a job across the at least two marking engines based at least on a content of the job and the different processing rates of the at least two marking engines.

Abstract: A multi-purpose print platform includes a color print engine with color and black toners and a low-cost-per-page print engine having at least two image development systems in which each of the development systems is associated with a different type of black toner and/or highlight color toners. Jobs that include color and black and/or highlight color pages can be processed by using both print engines. The low-cost-per-page print engine typically is low cost in that it facilitates processing pages at a low per page cost relative to color and/or high cost black print engines while providing the productivity and reliability of a typical black only print engine.

Abstract: In a system including a plurality of elements, or plurality of subsystems of elements, each performing a process using process control to maintain operation within a latitude of a setpoint and having an output characteristic that contributes to an overall output quality specification of the system, a control method includes setting a desired overall output quality specification, and determining optimum setpoints and latitudes of the plurality of elements, within a range of possible setpoints and latitudes for each element, to achieve the desired overall output quality specification. The control method further includes dynamically re-setting the setpoints and/or re-allocating the latitudes of at least two of the plurality of elements (or subsystems of elements) to compensate for degradation of the attribute caused by variation in the output characteristic of one element within the desired overall output quality specification.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring gloss and spatial dependence of gloss. In a first embodiment, the system comprises: a first illuminator configured to emit a first light beam at a point on a target, thereby producing a generally specular reflectance in a first direction; a second illuminator configured to emit a second light beam at the point on the target, thereby producing generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; a linear array sensor configured to detect the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance in the first direction; and a processor configured to process the generally specular reflectance and the generally diffuse reflectance detected by the linear array sensor.

Abstract: A xerographic system and method use a tri-level development process in which at least one xerographic imaging unit includes a photoreceptor and a pair of developer units. A first developer unit includes a full strength toner of a given color and a second developer unit includes a reduced strength toner of the same or substantially the same color. By use of the tri-level process, excellent color-to-color registration can be achieved for each processed color separation. Moreover, by use of two strengths of the same colorant, a tighter control of the tone reproduction curve can be achieved. Additional xerographic imaging units can include a developer unit that provides spot color, custom color or specialty color capabilities. Additional benefits and gamut expansion can be achieved through use of a tandem architecture. A preferred implementation uses a four drum, eight color tandem architecture with full strength and reduced strength toners formulations of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CYMK) colorant.

Abstract: A printing system capable of binding a modified image data to an individual print engine in a multiple print engine system. The system includes an image processor such as a digital front end, a set of transformations, and a configuration of printers. The system can also include a scanner that scans a test image so that this image binding process can be repeated. Furthermore, the transformation binding can also take place in real time.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for designing two separable filters, LPP & HPP, that approximates the circularly symmetric frequency response achievable using a non-separable filter. The method selects a cut-off frequency and designs a 1-D low pass filter. Next, the method obtains a low pass 2-D filter and generates a 2-D contour plot therefor. The method designs a 1-D high pass filter and obtains a 2-D high pass filter and a 2-D contour plot therefor. A 2-D filter is generated having the dimensions of the 2-D high pass filter with the only non-zero entry of value 1 located at the center. A matrix is created by subtracting the 2-D high pass filter from the 2-D filter. The low pass 2-D filter is convolved with the matrix to obtain an approximation to a desired circular symmetry.

Abstract: A raster image path architecture having the capacity for supporting the rendering and output of a device-independent grayscale raster image, while also offering the capacity for supporting the rendering and output of a device-dependent binary raster image, thus offering the advantages of outputting a device-independent grayscale raster image while preserving the performance and image quality advantages of a conventional binary raster image path architecture.

Abstract: A photosensitive apparatus, such as scanner, includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel having associated therewith a set of photosensors, each photosensor filtered to record a primary color. The photosensors are exposed to light of each primary color separately, thereby deriving test signals. A cross-color correction factor for the pixel is derived from the test signals. The cross-color correction factor is used in processing signals output from the pixel when an image is being recorded, so as to isolate the effects of signal crosstalk between closely-spaced photosensors of different colors.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an input that receives a stream of image pixels such as high addressable bits, multiple bits per pixel or binary image bits representing an input image and a processor that processes and directs signals to an LED bar that selectively exposes areas of a photoreceptor. The exposed areas of the photoreceptor form a latent image, controlled by the processor, of areas of varied exposure based on surrounding pixels. The processor examines the pixels to determine an image structure beneficially adaptable to varied exposure and selects a pixel for varied exposure, such as increased or decreased exposure or altered timing to apply the pixel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for segmenting an image using a combination of image segmentation techniques. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved image segmentation technique for use in an image processing system that performs at least two distinct image segmentation processes on an image and combines the results to obtain a combined multi-layer representation of the image that can be suitably processed. In a specific example, a block based segmentation technique is performed on an image to generate a MRC (mixed raster content) representation—having foreground, background and selector layers. A pixel based segmentation technique is also performed on the image to generate rendering hints. The MRC representation and the rendering hints are then combined to obtain a four (4) layer representation of the image. The four layer representation is subsequently processed as required by the image processing system, e.g. compressed and stored.

Abstract: A raster image path architecture having the capacity for supporting the rendering and output of a device-independent grayscale raster image, while also offering the capacity for supporting the rendering and output of a device-dependent grayscale raster image, thus offering the advantages of outputting a device-independent grayscale raster image while preserving the performance and image quality advantages of a conventional binary raster image path architecture.