Eastman-kodak Company

Color Savvy Systems Limited

The Mead Corporation

Coulter Systems Corporation

Ronald J Duke

James Alan Katerberg

Brad Smith

Thomas F Powers

Morgan A Smith

Eric Walowit

Gary N Bodnar

Christopher H Pearson

Karl F Seibert

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

Lysle D Cahill

John A Lawson

Kenneth D Fraser

John C Butler

John L Tibbits

John F Keane

E Raymond Thomas

Victor L Iseli

Long B Sam

Stanley C Harting

George H Kramer

Theodore A Kessis

Gary L Frank

Donald J Staufenberg

Joshua M Broehl

Bryan M Shova

Michael J Vrhel

Michael Joseph Piatt

Jack Beery

Sun Lu

Russell L Bartley

James R McLaughlin

Paul Rudolph

An imaging module including a plurality of imaging systems for capturing images of a receiver medium. An illumination system illuminates the receiver medium with an illumination pattern. First and second imaging systems are positioned to capture images of the receiver medium, each including at least a portion of the illumination pattern. The first and second images are analyzed to determine a relative position of the illumination pattern in the first and second images. Imaging system alignment parameters for use in aligning images captured with the first and second imaging systems are determined responsive to the determined relative position.

Imaging module with aligned imaging systems

A method for aligning plurality of imaging systems for capturing images of a receiver medium. An illumination system is used to illuminate the receiver medium with an illumination pattern. First and second imaging systems are used to capture images of the receiver medium, each including at least a portion of the illumination pattern. The first and second images are analyzed to determine a relative position of the illumination pattern in the first and second images. Imaging system alignment parameters for use in aligning images captured with the first and second imaging systems are determined responsive to the determined relative position.

Method for aligning imaging systems

A printing system includes a plurality of imaging systems for capturing images of a receiver medium. An illumination system illuminates the receiver medium with an illumination pattern, thereby providing a reflected illumination pattern and a transmitted illumination pattern. A first imaging system is positioned to capture a first image of a first side of the receiver medium including the reflected illumination pattern, and a second imaging system is positioned to capture a second image of an opposing second side of the receiver medium including the transmitted illumination pattern. The first and second images are analyzed to determine a relative position of the reflected illumination pattern in the first image and the transmitted illumination pattern in the second image. Imaging system alignment parameters for use in aligning images captured with the first and second imaging systems are determined responsive to the determined relative position.

Printer with front and back imaging systems

A first registration mark is printed by a first printhead on print media at a first initial encoder value. A second registration mark is printed by a second printhead on print media at a second initial encoder value. The second registration mark is spaced apart from the first registration mark. The first and second registration marks are detected using the mark detection system as each is transported past the mark detection system. The displacement signal is used to measure a displacement of the print media between the detection of the second and first registration marks by the mark detection system. A cue delay value is determined for the second printhead so that a subsequently printed first image plane and a second image plane are registered relative to each other using the displacement, the first initial encoder value, and the second initial encoder value.

Automated print and image capture position adjustment

An image registration system for determining a relative location of a first pattern and a second pattern includes a fiducial having a fiducial origin, a first side, and a second side. A first camera captures a first fiducial image of the first side of the fiducial and the fiducial origin and a first pattern image of the first printed pattern. A second camera captures a second fiducial image of the second side of the fiducial and a second pattern image of the second printed pattern. An image registration controller processes the first fiducial image, the first pattern image, the second pattern image, and the second fiducial image to determine the relative location of the first pattern and the second pattern.

Multiple sided media pattern registration system

A printhead includes a nozzle and a jet control element. The jet control element includes a continuous heater element positioned to surround the nozzle and a plurality of three or more electrical contacts in electrical communication with the continuous heater element. The plurality of three or more electrical contacts define a plurality of three or more continuous heater element portions that are actuatable with sufficient independence so as to control jet steering. The number of the continuous heater element portions equals the number of electrical contacts.

Control element for printed drop density reconfiguration

A continuous printing system includes a printhead and a controller. The printhead includes a nozzle and a jet control element including a continuous heater element positioned to surround the nozzle. A plurality of three or more electrical contacts is in electrical communication with the continuous heater element and define a plurality of three or more continuous heater element portions that are actuatable with sufficient independence so as to control jet steering. The number of the continuous heater element portions equals the number of electrical contacts. A controller is configured to apply a waveform to at least one of the plurality of three or more electrical contacts to affect at least one of the plurality of independently actuatable continuous heater element portions.

A method of printing includes providing a printhead including a jet control element including a continuous heater element positioned to surround a nozzle. A plurality of three or more electrical contacts is in electrical communication with the continuous heater element. The plurality of three or more electrical contacts define a plurality of three or more continuous heater element portions that are actuatable with sufficient independence so as to control jet steering. The number of the continuous heater element portions equals the number of electrical contacts. A liquid is provided under a pressure sufficient to eject a jet of liquid through the nozzle. A waveform is applied to at least one of the plurality of three or more electrical contacts using a controller to affect at least one of the plurality of independently actuatable continuous heater element portions to control the jet of liquid.

A method of printing includes printing first and second patterns at first and second locations on first and second sides of a media using first and second printheads, respectively. First and second fiducial images including a fiducial origin are captured using first and second cameras, respectively. First and second pattern images of the first and second patterns are captured using the first and second cameras, respectively. The locations of the first and second patterns relative to the fiducial origin are determined using an image registration controller. A relative printed location of the first pattern and the second pattern is determined. A deviation is determined by comparing the determined relative location of the first and second printed patterns with an intended relative location of the first and second printed patterns. The determined deviation is compensated for by adjusting at least one of the first and second printheads so that subsequently printed first and second pattern have the intended relative print locations.

Printing registered patterns on multiple media sides

A printing system includes a media transport system and first and second printheads that print first and second patterns on first and second sides of the media, respectively. An image registration system includes a fiducial including an origin and first and second sides. A first camera captures a first fiducial image of the first side and origin and a first pattern image of the first pattern. A second camera captures a second fiducial image of the second side and origin and a second pattern image of the second pattern. A registration controller processes the first and second fiducial images and pattern images to determine a relative position of the first and second patterns. A print controller, controlling printhead operation, adjusts the registration of subsequently printed patterns on at least one of the first and second sides of the media based on the determined relative pattern position.

Printing system having multiple sided pattern registration

A method of controlling a digital printing system that uses multiple metadata packets is provided. A controller including a metadata channel is provided. Information in a first metadata packet that is associated with an initial point of interest of a media is provided by a primary metadata packet creation unit. The first metadata packet is inserted into the metadata channel of the controller. A second metadata packet including new information associated with a new point of interest of the media is created using a secondary metadata creation unit. The second metadata packet with the new formation is inserted into the metadata channel of the controller based on the location of the new point of interest of the media.

Printing system control using multiple metadata packets

A method of determining a relative location of a first pattern and a second pattern includes providing a fiducial including a fiducial origin, a first camera, a second camera, and an image registration controller. A first fiducial image of the fiducial origin is captured using the first camera. A second fiducial image of the fiducial origin is captured using the second camera. A first pattern image of a first pattern is captured using the first camera. A second pattern image of a second pattern is captured using the second camera. A first location of the first pattern relative to the fiducial origin is determined using the image registration controller. A second location of the second pattern relative to the fiducial origin is determined using the image registration controller. A relative location of the first location and the second location is determined using the image registration controller.

Registering patterns on multiple media sides

A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; determining the brightness of pixels in the target area; accumulating the brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Method for collecting data for color measurements from a digital electronic image capturing device or system

A method for providing an intensity or brightness measurement using a digital image-capturing device comprising: selecting a target area within a field of view of the image-capturing device, the target area containing pixels; measuring the intensity or brightness of pixels in a target area; accumulating the intensity or brightness values of the pixels in the target area; and determining a pixel value representative of the intensity or brightness of the pixels in the target area. A device for making color measurements comprising an image-capture device, a processor or logic device, and a memory location for accumulating color data, and the processor or logic device is programmed to perform color measurements by accumulating the data for pixels located in the target area in memory, and determining a representative color value.

Growing community of inventors

Centerville, OH, United States of America

Ronald J Duke