EP0163841A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fine line print enhancement
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1985-04-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-04-02
Abstract
Abstract This discloses an electrophotographic printing machine with circuits to enhance the printing of fine lines, such as lines of a single picture element (pel) in width. Provision is made for broadening such lines in one dimension by adding small "black" areas to each edge of the fine line in order to broaden it. In a second dimension, perpendicular to the first dimension, lines are broadened by placing gray pels next to black pels.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry William Bassetti
- 👤 Sherwood Kantor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/128; G06K15/18; G06K15/1867; G06K15/1872; G06K15/1873; G06K15/1874; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/40093
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
An electrophotographic printing machine of the typecomprising: drive means (90); movable carrier means (11) driven by said drive means; photoreceptive material (12) mounted on said movable carrier means for cyclic movement through electrophotographic process stations; charge corona means (13) located at a first station for placing a relatively uniform electrostatic charge on the surface of said photoreceptive material; exposure means (14, 16) located at a second station for selectively discharging the charged photoreceptive material to cause the formation of a latent image on said material; toner for developing said image; developer means (51) located at a third station for applying said toner to said image to produce a developed image; image receiving material; storage means (62, 63) for holding a supply of image receiving material; transfer means (52) located at a fourth station for transferring said developed image from said photoreceptive material to said image receiving material; storage means (62, 63) for holding a supply of image receiving material; finishing means (17) located at a fith station; forwarding means (20, 21) for serially moving image receiving material from said storage means through the transfer station to said finishing means; and control means (1.9) for operating said exposure means, said control means comprising: a character generator (200) for producing data signals to drive said exposure means to produce the desired image on said photoreceptive material; characterized in that it further comprises: enhancement means(202) for altering certain of said data signals before presentation of said signals to said exposure means to produce broadened image lines on said photoreceptor where said lines occur in either of two dimensions perpendicular to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
An electrophotographic printing machine of the typecomprising: drive means (90); movable carrier means (11) driven by said drive means; photoreceptive material (12) mounted on said movable carrier means for cyclic movement through electrophotographic process stations; charge corona means (13) located at a first station for placing a relatively uniform electrostatic charge on the surface of said photoreceptive material; exposure means (14, 16) located at a second station for selectively discharging the charged photoreceptive material to cause the formation of a latent image on said material; toner for developing said image; developer means (51) located at a third station for applying said toner to said image to produce a developed image; image receiving material; storage means (62, 63) for holding a supply of image receiving material; transfer means (52) located at a fourth station for transferring said developed image from said photoreceptive material to said image receiving material; storage means (62, 63) for holding a supply of image receiving material; finishing means (17) located at a fith station; forwarding means (20, 21) for serially moving image receiving material from said storage means through the transfer station to said finishing means; and control means (1.9) for operating said exposure means, said control means comprising: a character generator (200) for producing data signals to drive said exposure means to produce the desired image on said photoreceptive material; characterized in that it further comprises: enhancement means(202) for altering certain of said data signals before presentation of said signals to said exposure means to produce broadened image lines on said photoreceptor where said lines occur in either of two dimensions perpendicular to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that said enhancement means produces a first type of altered signal to expand said data signals, the expanded signal modulating said exposure means to produce a broadened image line in a first dimension.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A machine according to claim 2 characterized in that said enhancement means produces a second type of altered signal which modulates said exposure means to produce an intermediate discharge level adjacent the transition from fully charged levels to fully exposed levels to provide a broadened image line in a second dimension.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
A machine according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that said enhancement means includes: means (206)for receiving a stream of data signals representing a first print line; means (204) for analyzing said data stream to identify data signals representing fine line data, said fine line data signals having a first value level; means (228) for producing a leading signal of said first value directly leading said fine line data signals; means (230) for producing a trailing signal of said first value directly trailing said fine line data signals; and means (210) for combining said fine line data signals with said leading signal and said trailing signal to provide expanded fine line data signals of a first value level within the data signal stream.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A machine according to claim 4 characterized in thatsaid expanded fine line data signals are produced for modulating an image one pel in width.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
A machine according to claim 3 characterized in thatsaid enhancement means further includes: means (206) to store a stream of data signals representing a first line; means (209) for reading said stored data signals during reception of a stream of data signals representing the second line; and means (220) for operating upon said data signals representing said first line to produce a separate data signal corresponding to the location of each data signal of a first level in said first line, said separate signals capable of producing a modulated exposure to said intermediate discharge level on said photoreceptive material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A machine according to claim 6 characterized in that it further means for combining said separate data signal with said stream of signals representing said second line before presentation of the second line data stream to said exposure means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A machine according to claim 7 characterized in that it further includes means (232, 236)for reducing the width of each of said separate signals to a time period less than a full data signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
68 words
In a printing machine having imaging means for producing an image to be reproduced on work material, control means for operating said imaging means to create the desired pattern on said material in accordance with image producing data signals, characterized in that said control means includes enhancement means for enhancing the print output of said printing machine by broadening fine lines occurring in either of two perpendicular directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
In a printing machine having imaging means for producing an image to be reproduced on work material, control means for operating said imaging means to create the desired pattern on said material in accordance with image producing data signals, characterized in that said control means includes enhancement means for enhancing the print output of said printing machine by broadening fine lines occurring in either of two perpendicular directions.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for broadening the width of fine lines in a printed image produced by an electrophotographic printing machine, characterized in that comprises the steps of: charging the photoreceptive material of said machine to a first charge level; utilizing exposure means to selectively discharge portions of said photoreceptive material; obtaining said selective discharge by modulating said exposure means to discharge said photoreceptive material to a second charge level by exposing said material in discrete picture elements in accordance with a stream of data signals; altering said stream of data signals in a first manner to produce expanded picture elements in a first dimension to broaden fine lines in said first dimension; and altering said stream of data signals in a second manner to produce an intermediate charge level on said photoreceptive material in picture elements directly adjacent fine line picture elements in a second dimension perpendicular to said first dimension.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for broadening the width of fine lines in a printed image produced by an electrophotographic printing machine, characterized in that comprises the steps of: charging the photoreceptive material of said machine to a first charge level; utilizing exposure means to selectively discharge portions of said photoreceptive material; obtaining said selective discharge by modulating said exposure means to discharge said photoreceptive material to a second charge level by exposing said material in discrete picture elements in accordance with a stream of data signals; altering said stream of data signals in a first manner to produce expanded picture elements in a first dimension to broaden fine lines in said first dimension; and altering said stream of data signals in a second manner to produce an intermediate charge level on said photoreceptive material in picture elements directly adjacent fine line picture elements in a second dimension perpendicular to said first dimension.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
74 words
A method according to claim 10characterized in that said step of altering said stream of data signals in a first manner further includes the steps of: identifying fine line data signals; producing a leading edge expansion of said fine line data signals; and producing a trailing edge expansion of fine line data signals; thereby producing expanded data signals with which to modulate said exposure means to broaden said fine lines in said first dimension.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 11 characterized in that said step of altering said stream of data signals in a second manner further includes the steps of: storing a first group of data signals representing a first line; reading said stored signals simultaneously with the reception of a second group of data signals representing a second line; and operating upon said groups of data signals to produce an altered stream of data signals to produce said intermediate charge level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
A method according to claim 12 characterized in that said step of operating upon said groups of data signals further includes the steps of: in said first group of signals, identifying those signals of a value level which will modulate said exposure means to produce said second charge level on said photoreceptive material; producing a modified signal to replace each of the identified signals in said first group, said modified signals for producing said intermediate charge level on said photoreceptive material; and combining said modified signals with said second group of signals prior to modulating said exposure means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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