Abstract: A system and methods for selecting a region of pixels in an image displayed on a touch-sensitive interface is disclosed. The method for selecting the region of pixels is based on determined connectivity of pixels in the image indicating content of the image and includes determining connected pixels on the image representing the content without performing character recognition, detecting a text selection gesture indicative of selecting the region in the image, determining coordinates of the text selection gesture performed on the touch-sensitive interface and selecting the region in the image by bounding a first set of pixels located at a proximity from the coordinates of the text selection gesture.

Abstract: A system and methods for selecting a region of pixels in an image displayed on a touch-sensitive interface is disclosed. The method for selecting the region of pixels is based on determined connectivity of pixels in the image indicating content of the image and includes determining connected pixels on the image representing the content without performing character recognition, detecting a text selection gesture indicative of selecting the region in the image, determining coordinates of the text selection gesture performed on the touch-sensitive interface and selecting the region in the image by bounding a first set of pixels located at a proximity from the coordinates of the text selection gesture.

Abstract: Systems and devices employ a power saving mode which disconnects power from the AC mains during periods of device inactivity to eliminate power drawn from the AC mains. To allow monitoring of user-associated events while disconnected from the AC mains, power is drawn from a power source separate from the AC mains to power up components and circuitries used for monitoring. When monitoring inputs are received, connection with the AC mains is re-established to provide AC power to the device to accommodate functions.

Abstract: Methods employ a power saving mode which disconnects power from the AC mains during periods of device inactivity to eliminate power drawn from the AC mains. To allow monitoring of user-associated events while disconnected from the AC mains, power is drawn from a power source separate from the AC mains to power up components and circuitries used for monitoring. When monitoring inputs are received, connection with the AC mains is re-established to provide AC power to the device to accommodate functions.

Abstract: A method for reducing the occurrence of print artifacts in an imaging machine includes the steps of applying an electronic printhead skew correction to image data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of image planes, e.g., of a cyan image plane, a magenta image plane, a yellow image plane and a black image plane, to generate skew corrected image data. Thereafter the associated halftone screens are modified to eliminated halftone noise introduced by the electronic printhead skew correction. If text characters are present, block boundaries are effectively shifted to reside in the spaces between adjacent text characters.

Abstract: A printer that stores a minimal number of unadjusted stochastic threshold arrays in non-volatile memory, in which the unadjusted threshold arrays are used to generate adjusted threshold arrays at run time by use of Transfer Function Tables (TFT's). The unadjusted array for a particular color is stored in the printer's ROM and preferably is stored in a packed configuration to save memory space. The TFT's are used to convert the unadjusted threshold data into adjusted threshold data for each color and type of print media. In a preferred embodiment, the unadjusted threshold array comprises a 128 row by 128 column sized array, and each element of this array comprises a 10-bit number. When the TFT is applied to this unadjusted array, the resulting numeric values for the adjusted array elements are produced as 8-bit numeric values. The greater precision in the originating unadjusted array provides more perceptual levels of intensity (i.e.

Abstract: A dispersed-dot stochastic dither array is provided for rendering halftone images having excellent visual quality. For color printing, a separate threshold array is generated for each of the color planes, however, the stochastic screens are interlocked so that the threshold arrays are generated while considering the other color threshold arrays. In this manner, a blue noise distribution may be produced by the individual arrays as well as by any combination of the individual arrays. When generating a single threshold array for a color plane, a particular criterion is used to determine where the next threshold value should be located, and the selection of a threshold location in each array considers the criterion for all the threshold arrays being generated. By using the interlocked threshold arrays approach, the overall visual affect will be improved for both individual threshold arrays and for a combination of more than one of the threshold arrays.

Abstract: An error diffusion halftoning technique calculates only two error terms with one being divisible by two and the other being divisible by four. This is accomplished through using a modified Floyd and Steinberg type filter preferably having weights of 8-0-4-4 expressed in clockwise sequence from the origin. The direction of scanning is preferably reversed each scan line.

Abstract: A method of enlarging a visual image including an M by N matrix of pixels, with each of the pixels having at least one color component, and each of the color components having one of a plurality of color values, includes the step of selecting a two pixel by two pixel submatrix within the M by N matrix. An enlarged image area, including an X by Y matrix of pixels corresponding to the two pixel by two pixel submatrix of the M by N matrix, is defined. The X by Y matrix includes four comer pixels and a plurality of intervening pixels, with each of X and Y being greater than two. Each of the pixels in the X by Y matrix has X and Y coordinates. The color value of the at least one color component of each of the pixels in the two pixel by two pixel submatrix of the M by N matrix is assigned to a corresponding one of the four comer pixels in the corresponding X by Y matrix. The X and Y coordinates of a selected intervening pixel of the corresponding X by Y matrix are identified.

Abstract: A method of converting a first set of input color values, such as RGB color values, into a set of device colorants, such as CMY color values, includes the step of providing a look-up table associating a respective, predetermined set of CMY color values with each of a plurality of selected sets of RGB color values. The first set of RGB color values includes a first red color value, a first green color value and a first blue color value. A first random number is added to the first red color value to obtain a randomized red color value. A second random number is added to the first green color value to obtain a randomized green color value. A third random number is added to the first blue color value to obtain a randomized blue color value. Each of the randomized red color value, the randomized green color value and the randomized blue color value are compiled together to obtain a set of randomized RGB color values.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using isochronous data transfer mode to communicate between a host computer and a printer. Preferably, the printer receives a sufficient volume of data from the host, such as a computer, over an isochronous communications channel, to begin but not complete one print pass (i.e., line scan or page scan). Subsequently, the print pass is initiated causing a print mechanism to move a printing device relative to a substrate without interruption. Thereafter, sufficient data to complete the pass without interruption is received over the isochronous communications channel during the print pass. The high speed transfer rates afforded by isochronous data transfer allow for printing to be initiated before all of the data necessary to complete a print operation without interruption is received. Moreover, the size of a printer buffer used to store the print data before printing may be considerably reduced to store only a portion of the data needed for an entire print pass.

Abstract: The present invention allows the operation of an attached external input device by a printer. The external input device may be, for example, a scanner or digital camera giving the printer the capability to function as a copier. Software to control or "drive" the input device is optionally contained within the printer ROM or can be downloaded dynamically from the host computer or from another source. Because the software to drive the input device can be downloaded to the printer dynamically, a wide variety of devices can be used.

Abstract: A dispersed-dot stochastic dither array is provided for rendering halftone images having excellent visual quality and are created by a minimum density variance method. By minimizing the variance in the number of dots within each local region of the image, a smooth and dispersed distribution of dots may be obtained. For color printing, a separate threshold array is generated for each of the color planes, however, the stochastic screens are interlocked so that the threshold arrays are generated while considering the other color threshold arrays. In this manner, a blue noise distribution may be produced by the individual arrays as well as by any combination of the individual arrays. When generating a single threshold array for a color plane, a particular criterion is used to determine where the next threshold value should be located, and the selection of a threshold location in each array considers the criterion for all the threshold arrays being generated.

Abstract: Apparatus, system and method is provided in which a primary printer prepares print data for use by its resident print engine, or by an alternate printer. The primary printer includes subsystems for receiving original print data from a device, such as a computer or scanner, and for converting the original print data into a data format compatible with the alternate printer.

Abstract: A dispersed-dot stochastic dither array is provided for rendering halftone images having excellent visual quality and are created by a minimum density variance method. The minimum density variance method considers the statistical distribution of the pixels in the image, and is unrelated to previous techniques based on either spatial frequencies or spatial distances, such as the blue noise mask and the void and cluster algorithm. By minimizing the variance in the number of dots within each local region of the image, a smooth and dispersed distribution of dots may be obtained. The method of the present invention also offers the flexibility to accommodate particular design considerations, through the selection of the size and shape of the image regions, the weighting of the cost function, and the option of guiding the selection of dots with "target" dot profile images.