Eastman-kodak Company

Megatek Corporation

Gregory Michael Burke

Gary Alan Kneezel

Richard A Murray

Del Ray Doty

Yang Shi

Michael E Jones

A method of determining a position of a mobile apparatus includes: firing a laser mounted on the mobile apparatus; rotating the laser and a first and second photo detector that are disposed proximate the laser while monitoring an amount of rotation; detecting a first amplitude of light received by the first photo detector and a second amplitude of light received by a second photo detector as a function of rotation; identifying a first orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to a position referencing structure; identifying a second orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; identifying a third orientation corresponding to perpendicularity of the laser to the position referencing structure; and calculating the position of the mobile apparatus based on the first orientation, the second orientation, the third orientation, and a predetermined distance associated with the position referencing structure.

Determining a position of a mobile apparatus

A position-referenced mobile system includes: a mobile apparatus including: a transport mechanism for moving the mobile apparatus along or substantially along a plane of motion; a rotatable position detection assembly including: a laser; a first photo detector; and a second photo detector; and at least one encoder for monitoring an amount of rotation of the position detection assembly; a controller for interpreting signals provided by the first photo detector and the second photo detector; and a position referencing structure including: a reflective linear reference member; a first reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a first end of the linear reference member; and a second reflective cylindrical surface disposed at a second end of the linear reference member.

Mobile apparatus with local position referencing structure

A method of printing with a mobile printing apparatus having an array of marking elements, the method includes moving the mobile printing apparatus to an initial starting position; providing a first swath of data; printing a first printed swath corresponding to the first swath of data using a first portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along a scan direction; printing a first set of position reference marks using a second portion of the array of marking elements while moving the mobile printing apparatus along the scan direction; providing a second swath of data; sensing the first set of position reference marks; and printing a second printed swath corresponding to the second swath of data, wherein operation of the mobile printing apparatus for printing the second printed swath is guided, at least in part, by the first set of position reference marks.

Positioning a mobile apparatus for adjacent printing swaths

A method for printing an image, the method includes the steps of defining a media support surface; advancing a print medium onto the support surface; emitting light from a first side of the print medium toward the defined surface; moving a sensor on a second side of the print medium along a scan direction; monitoring the position of the sensor as it moves along the scan direction; sensing the light on the second side of the print medium which is opposite the first side as the light passes through the print medium to a sensor; providing memory for storing patterns representing particular media types; providing a processor for comparing signals from the sensor to patterns stored in the memory in order to identify media type; identifying the print medium type; selecting a print mode based on the identified print medium type; processing an image according to the selected print mode; and printing the image on the print medium.

Method for identifying a media type and selecting a print mode based on the media type

A method of determining an amount of media in a stack of media that is disposed within a media holding receptacle of an imaging system, the method includes providing a stack-compressing element configured to contact a first piece of media in the stack of media; providing a sensor to detect a position of the first piece of media; applying a first compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media; applying a second compressive force to the stack of media via the stack-compressing element in contact with the first piece of media, the second compressive force being greater than the first compressive force; and using the sensor to detect the position of the first piece of media after the second compressive force is applied to the stack of media.

Measuring amount of media during stack compression

A method of detecting an edge of a piece of media in a printer, the method includes providing a carriage for moving a printhead and a photosensor along a carriage scan path; providing a light source; providing a light guiding element having a first end that is aimed at a first predetermined position along a media advance path between a media input region and a printing region and a second end that is aimed at a second predetermined position along the carriage scan path, moving the carriage to an edge-detection position such that the second end of the light guiding element is aimed at the field of view of the photosensor; directing light from the light source toward the first predetermined position; obtaining a signal generated in response to light received in the photosensor; and analyzing the signal to detect the edge of the piece of media.

Method of lead edge detection in an inkjet printer

A printer includes a carriage configured to move a printhead along a carriage scan path; a photosensor that is mounted on the carriage, the photosensor including a field of view; a light source; and a light guiding element having a first end that is aimed at a first predetermined position along a media advance path, and a second end that is aimed at a second predetermined position along the carriage scan path, wherein the carriage is movable to an edge-detection position such that the second end of the light guiding element is aimed at the field of view of the photosensor.

Lead edge detector for printer

An inkjet printer includes (a) a media support defining a surface; (b) an inkjet printhead oriented to eject ink toward a print region proximate the defined surface; (c) a carriage that is movable along a carriage scan direction; (d) a monitor for tracking the position of the carriage; (e) a light source directed toward the defined surface; (f) a light sensing device mounted on the movable carriage; and (g) an energy supply that provides a time-varying energy as a function of the position of the light sensing device relative to the light source in order to provide substantially uniform illumination from the light source toward a field of view of the light sensing device.

Printer with uniform illumination for media identification

A method for providing uniform or substantially uniform illumination to a field of view of a light sensing device that is moving with respect to a light source, the method comprises the steps of (a) providing an inkjet printhead to eject ink for printing; (b) providing a monitor to track the position of the light sensing device relative to the light source; and (c) providing an energy supply that provides a time-varying energy as a function of the position of the light sensing device relative to the light source in a manner that provides substantially uniform illumination from the light source toward a field of view of the light sensing device.

Providing uniform illumination to a moving sensor

An inkjet printer includes a media support defining a surface; an inkjet printhead oriented to eject ink toward the defined surface; a carriage that is movable along a carriage scan direction; a light source directed at the defined surface and positioned on a first side of the defined plane to provide an illuminated portion of the plane extending substantially along the carriage scan direction; a light sensing device mounted on the movable platform on a second side of the defined plane that is opposite the first side, which sensing device functions to sense media type by sensing light emitted from the light source and transmitted across the defined plane and to light sensing device; memory for storing patterns representing particular media types; and a processor for comparing signals from the light sensor to patterns stored in the memory in order to identify media type.

Inkjet printer for detecting the type of print media

A method is proved for analyzing frequency distribution of a reflection from a surface of a body to determine a type of body surface. Initially, a plurality of data points from a sensor that senses the reflection of the body's surface are provided. A first series of terms are summed together to provide a first magnitude, each term including a plurality of data points; wherein the plurality of data points being spaced apart by a first spacing. A second series of terms are summed together to provide a second magnitude, each term including a plurality of data points; wherein the plurality of data points being spaced apart by a second spacing. The first magnitude is compared to the second magnitude to determine the type of body surface.

Analyzing reflection data for recording medium identification

A graphics display system digital vector generator system includes three position vector generators generating position information for each of three different pixel location dimensions and three visual characteristic vector generators operating synchronously with the position vector generators to generate dynamic intensity information for three different dimensions of visual characteristics. Optical processing of visual characteristic vectors includes normalization to generate Phong shading intensity vectors, pattern shape generation, and mixing of hue and intensity information with selectable resolution to obtain a desired visual characteristic pixel data representation.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Gregory Michael Burke