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:
Oct. 21, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 01, 1999
Danjie Pan, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Chong-Hing Cheung, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
Viewahead Technology, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A printer that uses a number of control state machines to reconfigure logic array circuitry to perform image data processing in preparation for printing. The logic array circuitry is programmable and adaptable to accommodate a wide variety of printer components characteristic to digital image printing systems. The logic array circuitry is reconfigured, depending on the particular printer in which the invention is implemented, by the control state machines as they receive control state machine conditions corresponding to the printer components characteristic to that specific digital image printer. For example, the physical, mechanical, and electrical characteristics of the printer constitute the printer component that modify the control state machine conditions which in turn govern the configuration of the logic array circuitry through the control state machines. Examples of printer components used to determine the control state machine conditions include, among other things, the number of ink jet printer nozzles, the ink jet nozzle separation, the firing order of the ink jet nozzles, and other characteristics of the digital image printer including electrical processing circuitry characteristics of the digital image printer. Selected portions of the logic array of the printer is used to perform a variety of image data processing functions including, among other things, nozzle data shifting, nozzle data masking, nozzle dot counting, nozzle data mapping, and nozzle columns separation. Certain of these functions are performed using serial image data processing.