Abstract: A system and method are provided for operating an image forming device in a first processor-controlled toner control operating mode to maintain a substantially constant dispense rate of toner material from a toner source or bottle. The disclosed systems and methods improve toner material dispensing from the toner source or bottle in the image forming device by transitioning to a second processor-controlled toner control operating mode as an amount of toner material in the toner source or bottle is determined to be in a depleted, or nearly-exhausted, state. The disclosed systems and methods compensate for a determined decrease in a toner dispense rate occurring as an amount of toner material remaining in the toner source or bottle is nearly depleted. One or more toner control parameters, including a pixel count gain, are modified in the second processor-controlled toner control operating mode.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for operating an image forming device in a first processor-controlled toner control operating mode to maintain a substantially constant dispense rate of toner material from a toner source or bottle. The disclosed systems and methods improve toner material dispensing from the toner source or bottle in the image forming device by transitioning to a second processor-controlled toner control operating mode as an amount of toner material in the toner source or bottle is determined to be in a depleted, or nearly-exhausted, state. The disclosed systems and methods compensate for a determined decrease in a toner dispense rate occurring as an amount of toner material remaining in the toner source or bottle is nearly depleted. One or more toner control parameters, including a pixel count gain, are modified in the second processor-controlled toner control operating mode.

Abstract: A tandem printing system for imaging a media web includes a first and second print engines. A controller identifies a change in a position over time of a bottom of the media web in a loop box that is placed in the media path between the first and second print engines. The controller identifies an effective diameter of a drive roller in one of the print engines with reference to the change in position of the bottom of the media web. The controller modifies a rotational velocity of the drive roller with reference to the effective diameter to maintain velocity of the media web at a predetermined level and control a position of the bottom of the media web in the loop box.

Abstract: A tandem printing system for imaging a continuous web of material includes a first printer serially coupled to a second printer wherein the speed of the web can be adjusted to maintain image quality and to compensate for a change in a diameter of a driver drum. The change in the diameter of the driver drum can be derived from characteristics of the printing system including the amount of sag of the continuous web of material moving between the first printer and the second printer.

Abstract: A method of duplex printing forms on a media web. The method includes identifying leading edges of a first side of the forms being printed in a first print zone and identifying leading edges of a second side of the forms being printed in a second print zone. The leading edges in the first print zone being identified with reference to a form length variation parameter and a drift parameter and the leading edges in the second print zone being identified with reference to another form length variation parameter and another drift parameter based on identification of leading edges in the first print zone.

Abstract: A method of printhead registration in a duplex printer enables process direction registration of a first group of printheads and a second group of printheads in a single print zone that print first and second sides of a print medium concurrently. The first group of printheads is registered to a first reference printhead based on the process direction locations of a first plurality of marks printed by the first group of printheads at a first time between printed images on the first side of the print medium. The second group of printheads is registered to a second reference printhead based on the process direction locations of a second plurality of marks printed by the second group of printheads at a second time between printed images on the second side of the print medium.

Abstract: A method of printhead registration in a duplex printer enables process direction registration of a first group of printheads and a second group of printheads in a single print zone that print first and second sides of a print medium concurrently. The first group of printheads is registered to a first reference printhead based on the process direction locations of a first plurality of marks printed by the first group of printheads at a first time between printed images on the first side of the print medium. The second group of printheads is registered to a second reference printhead based on the process direction locations of a second plurality of marks printed by the second group of printheads at a second time between printed images on the second side of the print medium.

Abstract: A method of duplex printing forms on a media web. The method includes identifying leading edges of a first side of the forms being printed in a first print zone and identifying leading edges of a second side of the forms being printed in a second print zone. The leading edges in the first print zone being identified with reference to a form length variation parameter and a drift parameter and the leading edges in the second print zone being identified with reference to another form length variation parameter and another drift parameter based on identification of leading edges in the first print zone.

Abstract: A tandem printing system for imaging a continuous web of material includes a first printer serially coupled to a second printer wherein the speed of the web can be adjusted to maintain image quality and to compensate for a change in a diameter of a driver drum. The change in the diameter of the driver drum can be derived from characteristics of the printing system including the amount of sag of the continuous web of material moving between the first printer and the second printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for gradually adjusting a look-up table (LUT) for a print engine in order to improve the regulation of color quality of printed images. The LUT is updated so that a target value for a particular color is achieved. This corrects for a measured or predicted change in a tone reproduction curve. Depending upon the severity of the required adjustment, a series of incremental adjustments rather than a single adjustment can be made to the LUT table over a period of time. Each adjustment in the series can be limited to a predetermined maximum delta so that any corrections made to the LUT following the generation and evaluation of one test image and before the generation and evaluation of the next test image for the same target color are gradually and imperceptibly implemented (i.e., unnoticeable).

Abstract: A system and method for printing target colors includes a print-engine interface and a neural network component. The print-engine interface is in operative communication with a print engine of a printing system. The neural network component is calibrated to the print engine for printing a target color on a substrate. The neural network is in operative communication with the print-engine interface and communicates a parameter associated with printing the target color on the substrate utilizing the print engine.

Abstract: A system and method control a consistent color quality of overlay colors and single separations of color. The method determines a first error for a first separation of a first color, wherein the first error has a first sign. The method identifies a second error for a second separation of a second color, wherein the second color is a different color than the first color, wherein the second error is based on an actual density value for toner particles printed transferred from the second separation, wherein the second error has a second sign. The method compares the first sign of the first error and the second sign of the second error. The method converges the actual density value of the second separation to a target position when the first sign is a different sign than the second sign.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for gradually adjusting a look-up table (LUT) for a print engine in order to improve the regulation of color quality of printed images. The LUT is updated so that a target value for a particular color is achieved. This corrects for a measured or predicted change in a tone reproduction curve. Depending upon the severity of the required adjustment, a series of incremental adjustments rather than a single adjustment can be made to the LUT table over a period of time. Each adjustment in the series can be limited to a predetermined maximum delta so that any corrections made to the LUT following the generation and evaluation of one test image and before the generation and evaluation of the next test image for the same target color are gradually and imperceptibly implemented (i.e., unnoticeable).

Abstract: A system and method for printing target colors includes a print-engine interface and a neural network component. The print-engine interface is in operative communication with a print engine of a printing system. The neural network component is calibrated to the print engine for printing a target color on a substrate. The neural network is in operative communication with the print-engine interface and communicates a parameter associated with printing the target color on the substrate utilizing the print engine.

Abstract: A development station that improves toner halftone dot development over a wide range of environmental conditions includes a developer housing for retaining semi-conductive carrier particles and toner particles, a first magnetic roll having a stationary core with at least one magnet and a sleeve having longitudinal grooves that rotates about the stationary core of the first magnetic roll, a second magnetic roll having a stationary core with at least one magnet and a sleeve having longitudinal grooves that rotates about the stationary core of the second magnetic roll, an environmental sensor for generating an environmental condition signal, a variable voltage supply coupled to the first magnetic roll and the second magnetic roll, and a control circuit for adjusting an output level for the variable voltage supply.

Abstract: A system and method control a consistent color quality of overlay colors and single separations of color. The method determines a first error for a first separation of a first color, wherein the first error has a first sign. The method identifies a second error for a second separation of a second color, wherein the second color is a different color than the first color, wherein the second error is based on an actual density value for toner particles printed transferred from the second separation, wherein the second error has a second sign. The method compares the first sign of the first error and the second sign of the second error. The method converges the actual density value of the second separation to a target position when the first sign is a different sign than the second sign.

Abstract: Density or reflectance targets for respective first and second marking engines of a document processing system are determined. A series of control patches is printed with the respective first and second marking engines. Relative reflectance values of each control patch printed with the first and second engines are determined. First marking engine relative reflectance error values of each control patch and second marking engine relative reflectance error values of each control patch are determined correspondingly based at least on (a) corresponding first engine relative reflectance value and target relative reflectance value and (b) corresponding second engine relative reflectance value and target relative reflectance value. Based at least on one of the first and second marking engine relative reflectance error values, at least one of the first and second engine relative reflectance targets is adjusted.

Abstract: A development station in an electrostatographic imaging machine may be controlled to improve toner halftone dot development over a wide range of environmental conditions.

Abstract: Density or reflectance targets for respective first and second marking engines of a document processing system are determined. A series of control patches is printed with the respective first and second marking engines. Relative reflectance values of each control patch printed with the first and second engines are determined. First marking engine relative reflectance error values of each control patch and second marking engine relative reflectance error values of each control patch are determined correspondingly based at least on (a) corresponding first engine relative reflectance value and target relative reflectance value and (b) corresponding second engine relative reflectance value and target relative reflectance value. Based at least on one of the first and second marking engine relative reflectance error values, at least one of the first and second engine relative reflectance targets is adjusted.

Abstract: A method by which the target of a toner concentration (TC) sensor can be set up based on the equivalent developability concept without using an expensive patch generator. First, use a black toner area coverage (BTAC) sensor to measure the relative reflectance (RR) of a 100% area coverage developed patch (ROS generated) at a series of development levels (Vem or Vdev) to generate a pseudo development curve and estimate VdO in real-time (VdO is the Vdev level that starts to develop toner onto the photoreceptor belt.) Then, add a nominal delta Vdev to VdO to get the development level (Vdev) needed to generate 100% area coverage gray patch. Finally, using a BTAC sensor to measure the RR level of a 100% area coverage (AC) gray patch, move the target of the TC sensor, and converge the sensor's reading to the sensor's target continuously until the RR level of the gray patch hits the RR target (predefined) within the tolerance range. Thus, the target of the TC sensor is set for the xerographic system automatically.