Patents by Inventor Steven Billow

Steven Billow has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240109356
    Abstract: A novel printing system and associated printing methods that can overcome many of the obstacles presented by today's printing systems. In certain embodiments a printing vehicle is presented that may work in cooperation with other vehicles to produce a system capable of delivering a wide range of productivity and scale. This printing system is amenable to novel printing methods that can reduce printing defects and ink consumption by up to 30%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: DivergenTech LLC
    Inventors: Steven Billow, Kenneth Stack
  • Publication number: 20230286290
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventor: Steven Billow
  • Patent number: 11691437
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Billow
  • Publication number: 20210187964
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Steven BILLOW
  • Patent number: 10953665
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Billow
  • Publication number: 20200108632
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventor: Steven BILLOW
  • Patent number: 10507670
    Abstract: In a color printing environment, functions for printing color management are dissociated. An abstraction layer is also provided to facilitate setting and evaluation of all factors relating to color print and prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Billow
  • Patent number: 9914309
    Abstract: Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Billow, Leon Williams, Ghilad Dziesietnik
  • Publication number: 20180022112
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles included in printer nozzles used to print an image on a medium. The method includes detecting defective printer nozzles, and initiating a print job in a print mode. The print job can include image data used to print the image on the medium in accordance with a print mask that maps the printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method further includes modifying the print mask or the image data to print using the image data with printer nozzles that may be complementary to the defective printer nozzles, and printing the image on the medium in accordance with the print mode and the modified print mask or the modified image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventor: Steven BILLOW
  • Patent number: 9764564
    Abstract: A system and methods for printing and curing ink deposited on a substrate using a first light source and a second light source. In various embodiments, the first light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC), and the second light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype A (UVA), subtype B (UVB), subtype V (UVV), or a combination thereof. The substrate is configured such that any ink deposited on the substrate by a printer head is predominantly exposed to the first light source prior to the second light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Dan-Cristian Grigore, Paul Andrew Edwards, Steven Billow
  • Publication number: 20160257135
    Abstract: A system and methods for printing and curing ink deposited on a substrate using a first light source and a second light source. In various embodiments, the first light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC), and the second light source emits one or more wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation subtype A (UVA), subtype B (UVB), subtype V (UVV), or a combination thereof. The substrate is configured such that any ink deposited on the substrate by a printer head is predominantly exposed to the first light source prior to the second light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Dan-Cristian GRIGORE, Paul Andrew EDWARDS, Steven BILLOW
  • Publication number: 20150360491
    Abstract: Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Steven BILLOW, Leon Williams, Ghilad Dziesietnik
  • Publication number: 20080309952
    Abstract: A method of computing swath data in response to a digital image having a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, each pixel having a multitone code vaule, the swath data suitable for commanding an inkjet printer containing at least one printed having plurality of nozzles, wherein the inkjet printer is capable of ejecting ink drops in response to the swath data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Billow, Douglas Couwenhoven, Richard Reem, Kevin Spaulding
  • Publication number: 20070201054
    Abstract: A method of computing swath data in response to a digital image having a plurality of rows and columns of pixels, each pixel having a multitone code vaule, the swath data suitable for commanding an inkjet printer containing at least one printed having plurality of nozzles, wherein the inkjet printer is capable of ejecting ink drops in response to the swath data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Inventors: Steven Billow, Douglas Couwenhoven, Richard Reem, Kevin Spaulding
  • Publication number: 20060103691
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device and a printhead including one or more such fluid ejection devices are provided. The fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, each array having a plurality of nozzles and being arranged along a first direction, the first nozzle array being arranged spaced apart in a second direction from the second nozzle array. A first fluid delivery pathway is in fluid communication with the first nozzle array, and a second fluid delivery pathway is in fluid communication with the second nozzle array. Nozzles of the first nozzle array have a first opening area and are arranged along the first nozzle array at a pitch P. Nozzles of the second nozzle array have a second opening area, the second opening area being less than the first opening area. At least one nozzle of the second array is arranged offset in the first direction from at least one nozzle of the first array by a distance which is less than pitch P.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Steven Dietl, Steven Billow, William Bland, James Chwalek
  • Publication number: 20050185004
    Abstract: A method of determining and applying a protective ink amount to be printed in addition to a plurality of colored ink amounts to make colored pixels in an image including determining the protective ink amount such that the sum of the protective ink amount and the colored ink amounts is greater than or equal to a minimum ink amount necessary to provide adequate durability for the image, and applying using an inkjet printer the colored ink amounts and the protective ink amount to make the colored image pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Douglas Couwenhoven, James Reczek, Steven Billow, David Uerz
  • Publication number: 20050168539
    Abstract: A method of selecting inkjet nozzle banks for assembly into an inkjet printhead. The printhead when assembled includes at least two nozzle banks and is operative for printing one particular color ink or other liquid and each nozzle bank includes plural nozzles. The printhead is operational in a printer to print raster rows so that at least one raster row is printed using ink drops deposited at respective different pixel locations on the raster row by respective different nozzles on each of the at least two nozzle banks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Steven Billow, James Newkirk, Douglas Couwenhoven, Donald Hodge, Kenneth Stack
  • Publication number: 20050141008
    Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing a printer for driver settings and color profile in order to optimally print an image on a selected media. Data is stored in an index file for various combinations of printers, printer drivers, printer media and color profiles. The printer driver that is currently used on the user's machine for the selected printer is determined and the printer media selected for the printer is identified, e.g., by a simple query of the user. One set of steps involves choosing an appropriate stored color profile for the selected printer-media combination, and applying the chosen color profile to the image data, thereby generating transformed image data. Another set of steps involves retrieving printer settings for the selected printer-media combination and modifying the settings of the driver in use for the selected media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Steven Billow, Sean Skelly, Kenneth Stack
  • Publication number: 20050083364
    Abstract: A method is provided for reducing image artifacts in printers that employ two or more printhead nozzle banks that must be aligned and registered with respect to each other either through adjustment of orientation and/or position of one nozzle bank relative to another or through selective control of actuation. In the method, discrete dots are printed by the nozzle banks upon a target receiver medium. Examination of the receiver medium or a reproduction thereof is made by a scanner and information regarding location of the dots is generated. From information regarding location of the dots a determination is made of error placement of the dots from ideal locations. Alignment of the nozzle banks are made in accordance with any errors determined in placement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventor: Steven Billow