The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 14, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 20, 1995
James T Stoops, Walworth, NY (US);
David A Johnson, Rochester, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for generating all of the print levels represented by an image data signal using a parallel input print head which has an input data bus which is narrower than the image data signal involves processing and printing image data multiple times. Each time the image data is processed, it is reduced from its original width down to the width which the print head can accept. The process includes the steps of determining the minimum number of times L.sub.min that the print head must be loaded to accomplish printing using the full width of the image data signal; processing the image data L times, where L.gtoreq.L.sub.min, to produce L output signals that (1) are no wider than the width of the input data bus and (2) have values such that the sum of the values of the L output signals equals the value of the input data signal; and using the L output signals to drive the print head.