Abstract: In an image formation apparatus having a function to detect a direction of an original image, in a case where an image formation mode is set by using a touch panel, a keybutton to instruct whether or not direction detection is to be performed is displayed on a setting screen of an image formation mode to which direction detection is effective, while such the key is not displayed on a setting screen of an image formation mode to which direction detection is not effective. The image formation mode to which direction detection is effective includes a mode to record images of one-face originals onto two faces of a sheet, a mode to arrange and record images of plural originals onto one sheet, a mode to perform stapling at designated corner positions of sheets, and the like.

Abstract: A Color Register Control system used to maintain close registration between colors printed on a surface by various printing cylinders. The control system acquires an image of a cluster of register marks printed by various printing cylinders. The register mark is a geometrically unique mark, The mark cluster is acquired by the camera and each mark pattern is identified by checking shape of individual marks. Resulting location of a mark is used to compute and correct registration errors. The image is analyzed to identify marks printed by various printing cylinders. Register error is determined by computing the lateral and circumferential distance between marks printed by a print cylinder and a master print cylinder. Any error detected in this process is corrected by activating correction motors typically stepper motors, on print cylinders. The control utilizes a commercially available IBM-PC compatible computer, which can accept additional boards in the expansion slots for indicated purposes.

Abstract: When print mode of a printing device is switched to a print mode with a higher print speed, after the direction of shuttle movement is reversed, a time duration that driving current is applied to a reversing coil is increased, so that shuttle speed is increased to a target speed. A time duration that driving current is applied to a constant velocity coil is decreased accordingly. On the other hand, when the print mode is switched to a print mode with a lower print speed, the time duration that driving current is applied to the reversing coil is decreased, and the time duration that driving current is applied to the constant velocity coil is increased accordingly. In this way, the print modes of the printing device can be switched quickly without stopping printing operations, thereby enhancing throughput.

Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a printing material processing machine (1, 2, 3), which has at least one processing unit in which the positional and speed data of a printing substrate to be transported through the printing material processing machine are recorded, where, on the basis of the recorded positional and speed data, the instantaneous position of the printing substrate is calculated and stored in memory means of the processing unit; in addition to the instantaneous position of a printing substrate to be transported through the printing material processing machine, additional command data being stored in the memory means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing rasterized images while economizing printing resources, on the basis of input image data corresponding to a predetermined original format, are provided. The method includes reducing the input image relative to the original format; on the basis of the reduced-scale image, forming a raster of image points each defining either a point to be printed or a blank point of the rasterized image; enlarging the raster of points to return to the original format by inserting blank image points in the reduced raster by a predetermined filling procedure; and printing the image on the basis of the point raster enlarged to the original format.

Abstract: Color imaging methods and systems are provided where each color separation image is to be registered in a composite manner under a variety of machine conditions. Registration sensors are provided to register the color separations under a variety of machine conditions while accounting for the different types of registration sensors used. A controller calibrates the registration sensors automatically based on set-up data and, using the calibrated sensors, controls the output of the image data for one or more of the color separation images to reduce or eliminate image registration offsets. The registration sensors are calibrated by directly measuring set-up marks during set-up. Each registration sensor outputs a feedback to the controller during set-up to account for phenomenon caused by variation in toner concentration or sensor susceptibility. The registration sensors provide a plurality of set-up sensor feedback values, one for each of at least four colors and one for a bare photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: Methods of guard-banding, methods of dynamic guard-banding, and related apparatus for real time image-data processing are described. In one embodiment, at least one image-processing pipeline variance is measured. Responsive to measuring the image-processing pipeline variance, a guard band is imposed around a processing parameter of the image-processing pipeline. In another embodiment, a first parameter relating to processing time of a predetermined amount of data through an image-processing pipeline is determined. A second parameter relating to processing time of the predetermined amount of data through the image-processing pipeline is determined. The second parameter is related to the first parameter. The first and second parameters are compared, and responsive thereto, a guard band is imposed on at least a portion of the processing which takes place in the image-processing pipeline. In preferred embodiments, the guard bands are adjustable dynamically or on-the-fly.

Abstract: An image forming device that is capable of performing transfer of paper constantly in a highly accurate manner, irrespective of types or conditions of paper. The image forming device is provided with a motion sensor in a paper transfer path thereof for detecting the surface condition of an idle roller moving in accordance with the paper, and transfer of the paper is controlled on the basis of surface condition signals generated by the motion sensor. The motion sensor makes laser light, which is irradiated by a semiconductor laser, hit on an outer peripheral surface of the idle roller that rotates accompanying the transfer of paper and the reflected light is received by a two-dimensional semiconductor image sensor. Then, the surface condition signals are detected on the basis of speckle patterns generated in the reflected light.

Abstract: A system that supplies permanent and human and machine readable evidence that a approved printer was used to print the indicia affixed to a mail piece. The system will first capture the postal customer's or mailers printer type and configuration setting information, paper, ink, or toner combination and then use the foregoing information to enable printing of the Information-Based Indicia, if the active printer going to print the indicia is found on a stored (local or remote) “Information-Based Indicia Approved Printer's List”. Then the system will add this same printer information to the USPS defined Information-Based Indicia print field format so as to provide evidence that an approved printer was used. The foregoing printer information may be printed in a coded form on the Information-Based Indicia to automate the sortation of indicium that can not be read.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a recording element array including plural recording elements, an image forming section for causing a relative movement between the recording element array and a recording medium, thereby to form an image, and a drive section for driving the recording element array based on image data. A duty control unit varies the recording duty of the recording elements according to the relative movement speed between the recording element array and the recording medium.

Abstract: A laser printer develops print data into first image data having a resolution of 1200×1200 dpi in the fine mode. Then, the laser printer breaks the first image data into blocks of two consecutive lines, retrieves image data A0, B0, A1, and B1 from the two consecutive lines of image data, and rearranges the retrieved image data alternately. As a result, two lines of image data are rearranged into one line of image data having a resolution of 2400×600 dpi. Based on the rearranged image data, the laser printer having an intrinsic resolution of 600×600 dpi executes printing while performing pulse width modulation of a laser beam. On the other hand, in the normal mode, the laser printer develops print data into second image data having a resolution of 600×600 dpi, and executes printing based on the second image data. Accordingly, the print mode can be changed appropriately between the fine mode and the normal mode.

Abstract: A basic hardware platform of a copier or printer is selectably enabled to operate at different speeds, such as 40 ppm or 30 ppm, by a combination of entering a password into non-volatile memory within the machine, and also altering a state of a hardware switch within the machine.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a reading function of reading the images of manuscripts, an attribute judging function of judging types of the attributes of the read-out images, a memory area for storing the images according to rules corresponding to the attributes judged, the function of changing the types of attributes of said images stored in the memory area, and an image forming function of forming images on the basis of the images stored.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for adjusting an optimum printing speed. The method includes the steps of converting a print data into a data having a predetermined size unit; calculating the time required for transmitting the converted data to a printer according to a predetermined rule; and performing a preprocessing print for printing the received data by doing the printing environment recognition operation earlier as much as a transmission time during the converted data is received, thereby enhancing the printing speed so that the printer engine can start the print environment recognition operation earlier as much as the time for transmitting the data from a host computer to the printer.

Abstract: A program with complete conditions for a usable mask yields a unitary mask, each try. One mask pattern is used throughout an image, but may be “tiled”. Preferably the program, for given mask position, expresses favorability of several candidate pass numbers as a “neighborhood constraint” in the form of a weight; distills the weights into one weight for each pass number; based on that, chooses a number for the position; and iterates for all positions. Many preferences are very useful, e.g. automatically balancing randomness vs. determinism, and several generalized relative notations. Another invention facet uses an input text file of mask constraints; a program reads constraints from the file, applies them, forms a mask and stores/uses it. Another reprocesses a mask for best image quality, fixing its own imperfections of first-round mask forming.

Abstract: A computer system which can be freely used by many and unspecified persons. A recording medium is loaded in a computer terminal (public terminal), and use condition confirmation processing is performed by using information recorded on the medium. Use of the public terminal for various processes is allowed to be started according to a result of the use condition confirmation processing. Communication of information necessary for use condition confirmation processing with respect to use of the public terminal or for one of the various processes executed as use of the public terminal can be performed between the public terminal and a server system.

Abstract: A printing system and method applies images to an object, such as a golf ball, through the use of one or more print heads. The object is mounted in a manipulator assembly that rotates the object as the image is transferred to the object. The print head is also movable with respect to the object so that it is at a desired distance from the object as it prints from one end of the object to the other. A plurality of print heads may be provided with each print head applying a different color to the object. These print heads may be arranged in a vertical fashion with the object traveling in a vertical direction between the print heads or the object may be mounted on a rotatable table with the print heads situated about the perimeter of the table. Images to be applied to the object are broken down into their constituent colors with the image data for each color being provided to a separate print head.

Abstract: An auditron system is provided for a multifunctional printing system including a printing machine with a plurality of document processing services, the auditron system includes a user interface and a programmable auditron subsystem communicating with the user interface and printing machine. The auditron subsystem is responsive to input at the user interface and the input causes the auditron subsystem to be disposed in one of a plurality of modes relative to one of the plurality of document processing services.

Abstract: A printer assembly and a method for determining the position of a printer component, such as a printer paper-feed roller, during a move of the printer component from an initial position toward a desired final position. An analog encoder is operatively connected to the printer component, and a threshold device is connected to the analog output of the analog encoder. The position of the printer component is determined from the digital output of the threshold device and a digitization of the analog output of the analog encoder.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus connected to a network transfers an unexecuted image processing job to another image processing apparatus connected to the network, during a rewrite time period from when new firmware for a rewrite purpose is obtained to when rewrite to the obtained new firmware is completed, the unexecuted image processing job being at least one of (a) an image processing job that is in a wait state for execution when the new firmware is obtained, and (b) an image processing job that is received during the rewrite time period.

Abstract: The digital synthesizer comprises a system control unit, a read control unit, and a write drive control unit, and based on a magnification fine adjustment value set using a magnification fine adjustment panel, in the copy mode, a magnification of an image in the main scanning direction is finely adjusted by controlling a write reference clock frequency for modulating a laser beam for image formation so that a desired pixel density is obtained and also a magnification of the image in the auxiliary scanning direction is finely adjusted by controlling a scan speed when reading an image from a document, while in the printer mode, a magnification of an image in the main scanning direction is finely adjusted by controlling a write reference clock frequency and also a magnification of the image in the auxiliary scanning direction is finely adjusted by controlling a rotational speed of a polygon mirror for scanning a photosensitive mirror with a write beam.

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 special parameterized transfer functions. 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 parameterized transfer functions are used to convert the unadjusted threshold data into adjusted threshold data for each color and type of print media. These parameterized transfer functions are stored in the printer's non-volatile memory, and take up very little memory space. 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.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for acquiring video signals with high resolution in the optical path of a photographic printing device for point-by-point color video signal generation by means of a video image sensor which receives the original negative image. For generation of the video signals, a sufficiently high-resolution black and white video sensor (27) is used. The three color separations are delivered separately to the video sensor by means of a plurality of color filters (4, 5, 6) which are present for printer illumination control and are brought consecutively into their active setting.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is equipped with a sensor device that recognizes a recording material determination sections 130 formed on recording material 100, an acquisition device that acquires image information that may be stored in an information control server connected via the Internet based on a recognition result from the sensor device, and an image forming and controlling device that forms an image on the recording material 100 based on the image acquired by the acquisition device.

Abstract: A computer based method is described for maximizing printing speed of a print job. The method comprises the steps of locating pages in the print job, creating an index of information relating to the locations of the pages in the print job, determining if the pages in the print job meet a criteria based on the information in the index, splitting the print job into a plurality of sets of pages if the pages in the print job meet the criteria, and delivering said plurality of sets of pages to a plurality of printers, respectively, based on the information in the index.

Abstract: A method and system for rendering accurate bar code images in a distributed network wherein a plurality of different types of rendering devices, such as printers, having different resolution characteristics are connected for rendering such images. The resolution of a connected rendering device is detected and the bar code image to be rendered by such device is scaled to effect proper alignment of the resolution units of the bar code and the rendering device whereby the need for interpolation is effectively obviated. The bar code is scaled by a whole integer multiplier of the minimum bar code size based upon at least one dimension of the print area of the bar code display and the resolution characteristic of the rendering device. The bar code image is aligned or mapped and is centered in the display area with equal units of the excess print area on either side of the image.

Abstract: A code image recorder controls the quantity of heat for printing the part of a pattern to be printed to a high definition level so as to reduce the area of each of the dots of the printed pattern, while printing many identical dots in an overlapping fashion to solidly print the remaining part of the pattern within a short period of time by use of a single pulse of an energization signal. In order to achieve this objective, the number of columns of a code image data area is doubled and an all “0” column data is inserted into every other column of the code image data to double the level of resolution only in the column direction. Thereafter, the portion of the code image data to be solidly printed is transformed in such a way that it is filled with “1s”.

Abstract: A color management method/apparatus generates image color matching and International Color Consortium (ICC) color printer profiles using a reduced number of color patch measurements. Color printer characterization, and the generation of ICC profiles usually require a large number of measured data points or color patches and complex interpolation techniques. This invention provides an optimization method/apparatus for performing LAB to CMYK color space conversion, gamut mapping, and gray component replacement. A gamut trained network architecture performs LAB to CMYK color space conversion to generate a color profile lookup table for a color printer, or alternatively, to directly control the color printer in accordance with the a plurality of color patches that accurately. represent the gamut of the color printer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copier/printer reproduction apparatus includes a marking engine that has a job image buffer (JIB) that queues jobs from a scanner and a raster image processor (RIP). The scanner supports the copier function of the apparatus and processes original documents by scanning the images thereon to form copier image data that is processed and stored in the JIB. The RIP processes printer data from a computer and transmits this data also to the JIB for further processing and storage. The RIP operates in two printer modes. In a first printer mode, data is sent to the JIB as it is RIPed and no provision is made for an interrupt for a copier job nor can a copy job be scanned in. This provides maximum efficiency for printer operation. In a second, less efficient, printer mode the JIB stores only a few and preferably one-print job at a time to leave room in the JIB for scanning in a copy job via an interrupt operation.

Abstract: A set of hardware and/or software elements, typically embedded as part of the input or output device, which operate cooperatively to select from a set of personality parameters to enable the outputting of image data created by different sources to different output devices. Included is a method for printing from embedded devices to inkjet and laser printers with a print preview of images to display devices such as LCD or video screens. The invention provides color management and color adjustments along with built-in output device drivers to generate data required to operate different output devices. In this manner, a single imaging subsystem in a source devices can be used to drive a larger number of output devices. Similarly, a single output subsystem in an output device can be used to obtain data from a large number of source devices. The configuration personality parameters are provided in a compact format, yet image and color quality are optimized for each output device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing on both sides of a medium by passing the medium through a printing device and printing on oppositely facing portions of the medium during a single pass of the medium through the printing device. Preferably, a first print head prints on one portion while a second print head prints on the other portion. The medium is preferably folded so that after the printing is completed and the folded medium is unfolded, the printed information on one portion of the medium correlates with the printed information on the other portion of the medium. The printed information is preferably data that has been measured with respect to time, and the printed data on the oppositely facing portions correlate with respect to time. Preferably, the data is medical patient data in the form of textual data, physiological waveforms, or a combination of both.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image scanning unit which has: a CCD substrate which is mounted on a block; three groups of adjustment fastening members to position the CCD substrate in three dimensional directions orthogonal to one another; and a springy member to press each of the adjustment fastening members against receiving part of each of the adjustment fastening members; wherein the three groups of adjustment fastening members are of a first group of fastening members to conduct the focus adjustment by independently positioning the CCD substrate in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the CCD substrate at both ends of CCD in the longitudinal direction, a second group of fastening members to conduct the sub-scanning adjustment by independently positioning the CCD substrate in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the CCD substrate within the plane of the CCD substrate at both ends of CCD in the longitudinal direction, and a third group of fastening member tot conduct the main-scanning adjustment

Abstract: To perform printing control to obtain printed products having different sizes in accordance with printing regions divided in the widthwise direction of a printing medium having a fixed width, a printing control method of performing heat transfer printing on a printing medium by using a heat transfer sheet checks whether to perform printing on the printing medium having a fixed width by dividing the printing region in the widthwise direction of the printing medium (S602). If printing is to be performed by dividing the printing region in the widthwise direction of the printing medium (YES in S602), the method controls printing for consecutive pages by making printing information of the consecutive pages to correspond to the printing regions divided in the widthwise direction of the printing medium.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selecting staple positions for printed documents are disclosed. A system and method for printing documents is disclosed which provide a user with extended staple position options. A user of a printer may specify where he wishes staples to be put into his document. The user is provided with a view of a sheet of paper on his computer screen, and can select with his mouse where he wants the staples to be put. By knowing the paper size, feed orientation and image orientation, the printer driver can then map the user's selected staple positions to the physical capabilities of the printer. The printer driver instructs the printer controller of the stapling position for the job, and how much rotation (if any) the controller should apply to the image before printing.

Abstract: Printing on a recording medium by lateral scans of a print head in accordance with print data. Content of print data is determined. Then, the print data is printed either with a first lateral scan process using a critical zone at edges in a lateral scan of the print head for printing, or with a second lateral scan process that does not use the critical zone for printing. The first or second lateral scan process is selected based on the print data. Preferably, the critical zone is sized in correspondence with ramp up non-uniformities of a print carriage on which the print head is mounted, so as to accommodate a distance between a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are noticeable to a point where print degradation due to speed non-uniformities are no longer noticeable. The second lateral scan process preferably is a process in which a predetermined margin is inserted into the first lateral scan process.

Abstract: A disk printer controller for controlling a disk printer in the application of a printed image to the non-recordable label face of a compact disk, the disk printer controller having a scanning assembly and an electronic control system for controlling the sequence of operations of scanning and printing. The electronic control system includes a host computer and computer software connected to the scanning assembly. Prior to the printing operation, the scanning assembly scans a portion of the label face of the compact disk, and the disk orientation relative to the printer is calculated. The image is rotated and adjusted in computer memory and is finally sent to the disk printer for application on the non-recordable label face of the disk at the proper location and angle.

Abstract: When an input image and a sender information image independent from each other are combined into one transmission image in which the sender information image which has a lower line count (smaller area) is laid out in the upper portion while the input image having a greater area than the sender information image is laid out in the lower portion, both the input image and sender information image are individually rotated by 180 degrees before encoding, then the transmission image is encoded by JPEG from the input image side having a greater area.

Abstract: Printing which accommodates carriage speed non-uniformities by allowing both forward and reverse printing despite the presence of ringing and other overshoot anomalies in carriage printing speed. A determination is made as to whether print data for a current scan and a prior scan overlap in either of two critical zones at lateral extents of the recording medium, where carriage speed ringing and overshoot non-uniformities are most prevalent. If print data for a current scan and a prior scan overlap in either of the two critical zones, the current scan is printed in the same direction as that of the prior scan. On the other hand, if print data for the current scan and the prior scan do not overlap in either of the two critical zones, then printing of the current scan is effected in a direction opposite to that of the prior scan.

Abstract: A copier is provided with: a photosensitive drum; a light source device for emitting light; a deflecting device for deflecting the emitted light in a main scanning direction; a light collecting device for collecting the deflected light, to thereby irradiate the original and the photosensitive drum with the collected light respectively; a guiding device for guiding the collected light to the original and the photosensitive drum respectively; a light detecting device for reading the image of the original by receiving a scattered light from the irradiated original; a sub-scanning direction moving device for relatively moving the collected light with respect to the original and the photosensitive drum respectively in a sub-scanning direction; a memory device for storing the image information for the each scanning line; a light recording device for recording the latent image onto the photosensitive drum for the each scanning line at a recording cycle by reading out the stored image information from the memory devi

Abstract: A printing device comprises a feed mechanism configured to advance the printing medium intermittently. The feed mechanism is adjusted so that an average feed error &dgr;ave is in the vicinity of zero with respect to a most slippery printing medium among plural types of printing media designed to be used in the printing device. Alternatively, a printing device comprises a controller to correct a feed amount such that an average feed error &dgr;ave is in the vicinity of zero with respect to at least one specific printing medium among plural types of printing media designed to be used in the printing device.

Abstract: Printing which accommodates carriage speed non-uniformities by allowing both forward and reverse printing despite the presence of ringing and other overshoot anomalies in carriage printing speed. A determination is made as to whether print data for a current scan and a prior scan overlap in either of two critical zones at lateral extents of the recording medium, where carriage speed ringing and overshoot non-uniformities are most prevalent. If print data for a current scan and a prior scan overlap in either of the two critical zones, the current scan is printed in the same direction as that of the prior scan. On the other hand, if print data for the current scan and the prior scan do not overlap in either of the two critical zones, then printing of the current scan is effected in a direction opposite to that of the prior scan.

Abstract: In a printhead having an element substrate on which a digital circuit including a printing element and a drive circuit for driving the printing element in accordance with input print data, and an analog circuit including a detection circuit for obtaining information, a voltage generation circuit for generating the voltage for driving the analog circuit when the value of the voltage for driving the digital circuit is different from that of the analog circuit is arranged on the element substrate, and when the voltage for driving the digital circuit is actually different from that of the analog circuit, only the voltage for driving the digital circuit is externally supplied except a power supply voltage for the printing element, thereby simplifying the overall arrangement.

Abstract: A drive system for a carriage, which is fitted with a scanning or recording device, in a reproduction appliance, in which the scanning or recording device scans or exposes a recording material periodically along scanning or recording lines. The carriage is moved forward with the aid of a drive apparatus along a straight line at right angles to the scanning or recording lines. The drive apparatus contains an electric motor whose rotation speed is determined by a frequency of drive pulses that are produced by dividing a master clock by an integer factor. The drive apparatus contains an apparatus for converting a rotary movement of the electric motor into a linear movement of the carriage. Furthermore, the drive system contains a device by which an identical number of drive pulses can be lengthened or shortened by one or more periods of the master clock in each scanning or recording period.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for altering the operation of printers and scanners to reduce vibration and/or acoustics. The technology involves altering the mode of operation of the printer or scanner to be in either “quick”, “quiet” or an intermediate mode. Additionally, means for achieving the different modes of operation are also disclosed.

Abstract: A distinction apparatus of a printing apparatus distinguishes data compression rate according to each of the data transferred from a host computer, and a mode selection apparatus selects a printing mode according to slow printing velocity when data compression rate is low and selects a printing mode according to fast printing velocity when data compression rate is high, and then the printing head can be controlled under printing velocity according to the selected printing mode.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for reducing or eliminating scan line magnification errors in digital copiers that use an input scanner and a raster output scanner. The input scanner integration period, and thus the input scan line rate, is synchronized with the rotation of the raster output scanner, and thus the output scan line rate. Synchronization might be achieved using either a one to one input scan line to output scan line ratio, or by scanning multiple output scan lines for each input scan line. Beneficially, the principles of the present invention are implemented by synchronizing the input scan rate of an input scanner with the rotation of a polygon of a raster output scanner using a start of scan detector.

Abstract: A shuttle-type printer has a movable carriage to carry and position at least one pen over a printing surface. The printer also has a carriage positioning system coupled to move the carriage at a slew rate in swaths over the printing surface. The carriage positioning system starts the carriage at a starting position for individual swaths. The carriage positioning system implements techniques for masking the effects of periodic vibrations in the printer. According to one technique, the carriage positioning system varies the starting position for the individual swaths. According to a second technique, the carriage positioning system makes multiple passes before advancing the recording media and varies the slew rate for individual passes. The techniques do not eliminate or reduce the vibrations themselves, but mask their effects in the print results that are caused by period vibrations in the printer.

Abstract: An electronic image registration system for a high-speed raster printer controller includes dedicated hardware for performing run-time registration, in both the horizontal and vertical directions, on a continuous stream of rasterized bit-map data generated by the rendering units of the raster printer controller. The registration takes place in hardware, between the rendering section of the controller and the print engine, thus allowing the registration to be performed in real-time without slowing the controller's processing speeds. The dedicated run-time electronic-image registration hardware for the vertical registration of the image includes a vertical holding register and a vertical counter. The vertical holding register is loaded by a CPU and indicates the magnitude of the vertical registration, which in turn indicates a length of delay in scan-line units before the start of the page-map's print cycle after seeing a “top-of-form” signal from the print engine.

Abstract: A circuit and a method of preventing errors in recording. The circuit includes a first detector to generate a detection pulse by determining whether or not a counted value, which is obtained by counting a cycle of an input wobble signal based on a system clock signal, is in the permissible range of a constant write rate. The circuit further includes a second detector to generate a recording control signal to allow or prohibit a record operation after determining whether the detection pulse meets a predetermined lock condition or a predetermined unlock condition. The circuit prevents errors in recording prevents errors in reproduction data caused by errors in recording, by prohibiting recording if the rotation speed of a disc is not at a desired constant rate in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which data can be reproduced at a constant or a variable rate and must be recorded at a constant rate. Thus, data can be stably recorded, thereby enhancing recording quality.

Abstract: In a printer, a paper positioning system is used to control feeding a printing medium, such as paper, through the printer. An optical encoder is used to generate analog current waveforms as the paper is fed through the printer. An integrated adjustable current to voltage converter and digital quadrature generator are used to convert waveforms received from the optical encoder into a digital form and then selectively converted to digital form for use by the paper positioning system.