Patents by Inventor Xin Wen
Xin Wen 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).
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Patent number: 6102513Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus and method using timing control of electronic waveforms for variable gray scale printing while eliminating image artifacts and while also reducing printing time and improving accuracy of ink droplet placement on a receiver medium. More specifically the prints an output image on a receiver medium in response to an input image file defined by a plurality of pixels, each pixel obtaining a pixel value. The apparatus includes a print head and a plurality of nozzles integrally attached to the print head. Each of the nozzles is capable of ejecting a plurality of ink droplets therefrom. A waveform generator generates a plurality of electronic waveforms, each of the waveforms being defined by a plurality of electric pulses supplied to the nozzles for ejecting the ink droplets. A printer performance look-up table is also provided for storing a plurality of waveform serial numbers therein.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1997Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6097406Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus for printing continuous tone images on a receiver in response to a digital image, including a structure defining a plurality of colorant or colorant precursor receiving chambers, and another structure defining at least one mixing chamber for receiving a plurality of microdrops of colorants or colorant precursors from the colorant or colorant precursor receiving chambers to produce a desired colorant. The apparatus further includes a microdrop nozzle for each receiving chamber and in communication with the mixing chamber and a printing nozzle for each mixing chamber for causing a mixed drop to be delivered to the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1998Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Anthony R. Lubinsky, Linda A. Kaszczuk, Xin Wen, David L. Cole, Richard A. Landholm
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Patent number: 6092890Abstract: Apparatus for providing an images on a receiver in response to a digital image, includes a print head adapted to transfer radiation curable inks on the receiver to form image pixels on the receiver, and a radiation source adapted to apply radiation for treating inks transferred on the receiver. The apparatus provides relative movements between the receiver, the print head, and the radiation source; and has circuitry coupled to the print head and the radiation source, and for providing relative movements in at least two directions between the receiver, the print head, and the radiation source, and for causing the print head in response to the digital image to deliver radiation curable inks to the receiver and for treating such delivered inks to thereby produce an image on the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Charles E. Romano
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Patent number: 6094207Abstract: A display apparatus responsive to an image file for displaying a plurality of pixels including a plurality of ink display chambers; ink channels for delivering melted inks to each ink display chamber; and first heater elements for melting solid ink which is to be delivered through the ink channels to the display chambers. The apparatus further includes second heater elements for melting solid ink in the display channels after an image has been displayed; and a computer for controlling the first heater elements for causing solid ink melted by the first heater elements to be delivered to the display chambers where it solidifies to form a display of an image and for controlling the second heater elements for melting solid ink in the chambers to discard ink in the display chambers whereby the display apparatus is conditioned to form a new display image.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1997Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Werner Fassler, Charles D. DeBoer
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Patent number: 6091433Abstract: A microfluidic printing apparatus responsive to an image file for printing a plurality of pixels on a display includes a plurality of ink delivery chambers; at least one ink channel for delivering ink to each ink delivery chamber; and an ink flow regulation controller (i.e., a piezo electric microvalve) for regulating the ink flow to the ink delivery chamber in response to the code values of the image file.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 1997Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6082853Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus for producing an image on an ink receiver in response to an in put image, comprising: at least one ink reservoir for providing ink for printing the image; a print head means coupled to an ink receiver and at least one ink reservoir, for disposing ink spots on the ink receiver; and a processing tank coupled to the ink receiver, for providing a fluid for treating the ink spots disposed on the receiver thereby improving the stability, durability and quality of the image.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1998Date of Patent: July 4, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, David Erdtmann, Charles E. Romano
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Patent number: 6081285Abstract: An electronic printing apparatus is disclosed for forming images on a receiver which stores a digital image. The apparatus uses a receiver that includes field-driven particles in a matrix that change optical density in response to an applied electric field, a substrate, and a conductive portion disposed between the matrix and the substrate. The apparatus further includes an array of electrodes cooperating with the conductive portion for selectively applying electric fields across the matrix at the image forming position so that the field-driven particles change optical density, and electronic control circuitry electrically coupled to the array and the conductive portion for selectively applying voltages to the array so that fields are applied at the image forming position to field-driven particles at particular locations on the receiver corresponding to pixels in the stored image whereby the electrodes produce an image in the receiver corresponding to the stored image.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1998Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Steven D. MacLean
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Patent number: 6079806Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus responsive to an input digital image for producing a halftone image on a receiver, such as a lithographic plate, having halftone dots with each halftone dot being formed by one or more microdots in a screen dot of selectable areas, including an adjustable printhead for delivering different volumes of ink droplets which, when they contact the receiver, forming microdots of different areas according to the selected screen dot size. The apparatus delivers ink to the printhead and is responsive to a selected screen dot size and the digital image to control the printhead to form ink droplets of different volumes to produce a halftone image on the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1997Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Seung H. Baek, Thap Dominh
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Patent number: 6078344Abstract: Printer apparatus and method for printing an image on a receiver, the printer having a non-contact heater for improving image protection and image stability on the receiver. The printer comprises a printhead for transferring a colorant to the receiver and a heater disposed in heat transfer communication with the receiver for heating the receiver, so that the colorant diffuses into the receiver. The heater is located adjacent to the receiver. The heater comprises a heating element capable of emitting radiant heat therefrom and includes a reflector oriented with respect to the heating element and the receiver so as to reflect heat from the heating element to the receiver. The heater also comprises a heater control arrangement connected to the heating element for controlling the heating element.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1997Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Teh-Ming Kung, David A. Johnson
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Patent number: 6078342Abstract: Thermal resistive printing apparatus for printing a fluorescent postal stamp image on a receiver in response to a digital image includes a donor web carrying at least one visible colorant material under visible light and an invisible fluorescent material which when illuminated by light in a predetermined portion of a spectrum, emits light in a different portion of the spectrum and a receiver for receiving colorant material and fluorescent material from the donor web and the receiver having a plurality of receiver portions in which the stamp images are to be formed. The apparatus further includes a thermal resistive head including a plurality of thermal resistive elements responsive to the digital image for selectively applying heat to the donor web so that colorant material and fluorescent material are transferred from the donor web to the plurality of portions on the receiver to form fluorescent postal images.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1999Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, William Y. Fowlkes
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Patent number: 6078340Abstract: A method for microfluidic printing of black images on a receiver, including providing a reservoir containing a reagent capable of reducing a silver salt to silver metal; providing a reservoir containing a silver salt; reacting the reducing agent with the silver salt to provide black pixels; and transferring the black pixels to a receiver.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1998Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: David L. Jeanmaire, Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6076917Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus forms a color image from the digital image file and high-resolution annotation information relative to the color image on a receiver in response to a digital image and annotation information. The ink jet printing apparatus includes a print bar disposed at a first image transfer position across at least a portion of the width of the receiver and adapted to deliver colorants to the receiver to form a color image on the receiver, and a print head assembly spaced from the print bar and disposed at second image transfer position and adapted to be moved in a direction across the width direction of the receiver for delivering ink to the receiver to form annotation information on the receiver. The ink jet printing apparatus further includes control circuitry which causes the print head assembly to be transported relative to the receiver and for transporting the receiver relative to the print bar and the print head assembly.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1998Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6074046Abstract: Printer apparatus capable of varying direction of an ink droplet to be ejected therefrom and method therefor. The apparatus includes a printhead having a first side wall and a second side wall defining a channel therebetween having an ink body residing therein. The first side wall and the second side wall are selectively movable for asymmetrically pressurizing the ink body. Selective movement of the first side wall asymmetrically pressurizes the ink body to eject the ink droplet therefrom and out the channel along a first predetermined direction. Moreover, selective movement of the second side wall asymmetrically pressurizes the ink body to eject the ink droplet therefrom and out the channel along a second predetermined direction. A pulse generator supplies a first electrical pulse to the first wall and a second electrical pulse to the second wall, so that the first and the second walls are selectively moved in a manner providing for variable ejection direction of the ink droplets.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1998Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6072509Abstract: A microfluidic printing apparatus includes plurality of ink reservoirs containing cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, respectively and a plurality of ink mixing chambers each for applying a dot of mixed ink to a receiver and a plurality of microchannels connecting each of the reservoirs to a mixing chamber. The apparatus further includes a plurality of microfluidic pumps each being associated with a single microchannel for supplying a particular ink into a particular mixing chamber and microvalves associated with each channel and moveable between two positions for blocking and permitting the flow of ink from the associated microchannel into its associated mixing chamber to regulate the ink flow into the ink mixing chambers, and controlling the microfluidic pumps and microvalves for causing the correct amount of colored ink to be conveyed into each mixing chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Charles D. Deboer, Werner Fassler
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Patent number: 6064410Abstract: An electronic printing apparatus responsive to a digital image for providing continuous tone optical density pixels forming an output image on a receiver includes a receiver including field-driven particles in a matrix that can change optical density in response to an applied electric field, the field-driven particles being responsive to fields of different amplitude and duration to change the optical density of the pixels formed in the receiver; an array of electrodes associated with the receiver for selectively applying electric fields according to the digital image forming pixels across the receiver; and electronic control circuitry coupled to the array and responsive to the digital images for computing appropriate voltage waveforms having amplitudes and durations selected so that, when the voltage array forms are applied to the array, fields are produced by the array and applied to the receiver to provide continuous tone pixels having optical densities corresponding to pixels in the digital image.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Steven D. MacLean
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Patent number: 6057864Abstract: An image producing apparatus which can produce a plurality of ink pixels on a display such as a receiver medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of ink delivery chambers; a plurality of microfluidic pumps, each associated with a particular ink delivery chamber; and a computer for producing pump parameters to compensate for variabilities in each ink delivery chamber. The apparatus further is responsive to the pump parameters for delivering the correct amount of ink into each ink delivery chamber which is compensated for variabilities in each delivery chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6055002Abstract: A microfluidic printing apparatus responsive to an image file for printing a plurality of pixels on a display is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of ink delivery chambers; ink channels for delivering ink to each ink delivery chamber; and heater elements associated with particular delivery chambers and effective for causing the transfer of heat to inks in such chambers for regulating ink flow from the ink delivery chambers to the display. The apparatus further includes a circuit for controlling the heater elements for regulating the ink flow in response to the code values of the image file.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Werner Fassler, Charles D. DeBoer
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Patent number: 6046822Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus and method for improved accuracy of ink droplet placement on a receiver medium by compensating for jet direction variabilities between ink nozzles. More specifically, the invention is an ink jet printing apparatus and method for printing an output image on a receiver medium in response to an input image file having a plurality of pixels. The apparatus includes a print head and a nozzle integrally attached to the print head. The nozzle has a droplet placement characteristic (e.g., undesired placement of the droplet on the receiver medium) associated therewith. A waveform generator associated with the nozzle generates an electronic waveform including a plurality of electronic pulses to be supplied to the nozzle for adjusting the droplet placement characteristic. In this manner, the invention compensates for the undesired droplet placement characteristic, so that the droplet is accurately placed on the receiver medium irrespective of physical variabilities between nozzles.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 1998Date of Patent: April 4, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Anthony R. Lubinsky
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Patent number: 6042208Abstract: An image producing method and apparatus is described which, in response to a stored image file, prints a plurality of microfluidic printing pixels on a display is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of ink delivery chambers, a look-up-table for converting code values corresponding to each pixel of the input image file to ink volumes to be pumped into the ink delivery chamber by microfluidic pumps, and computes the ink volumes of the inks to be pumped into each ink chamber from the code values of the corresponding pixels of the input image file. The apparatus further computes pump parameters for pumping inks of the correct volumes into each ink chamber according to the code values at each pixel of the input image file, and in response to the computed pump parameters pumps the correct amount of inks into each ink chamber, and the ink will be used to form an image pixel on the display.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1997Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Xin Wen
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Patent number: 6033059Abstract: Printer apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a substrate having a plurality of spaced-apart pairs of selectively actuatable side walls defining respective channels therebetween of different depths. Each channel receives an associated one of a plurality of ink bodies therein and the substrate is formed of piezoelectric material responsive to electric stimuli. The pairs of side walls are preferably separated one from another by means of an intervening cut-out for reducing mechanical coupling between the ink channels. A cover plate is connected to the substrate and has a plurality of orifices therethrough in registration with respective ones of the channels such that the orifices are off-set one from another. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, the channels have different depths and, therefore, the orifices, which are in registration with the channels, are off-set one from another to accommodate the different depths of the channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Xin Wen, Anthony R. Lubinsky