Patent US5459492A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5459492A
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Method and apparatus for printing stroke and contone data together
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1993-08-30
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Granted: 1995-10-17
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Expires: 2013-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for printing stroke and contone data together are provided in which data to be printed (102) is identified by a processor (100) as being either stroke or contone data. For contone data, processor (100) controls a light source (14), a spatial light modulator (12), and an optical photoconductive drum (16) to generate image quality graphics by using spatial light modulation in the process and cross-process directions. For stroke data, processor (100) controls light source (14), spatial light modulator (12), and optical photoconductive drum (16) for high resolution printing by using intensity modulation. Processor (100) is operable to control light intensities through the use of lookup tables stored in a memory (104).
Inventors
- 👤 Vadlamannati Venkateswar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/40025; H04N1/40043; G06K15/1238; H04N1/40031; H04N1/40062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of printing both stroke and contone data together, comprising the steps of: identifying data to be printed as either contone data or stroke data; rendering the contone data with spatial modulation in the process and cross-process directions; and rendering the stroke data with intensity modulation wherein said rendering the contone data and said rendering the stroke data steps are accomplished with a light source and a spatial light modulator.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method of printing both stroke and contone data together, comprising the steps of: identifying data to be printed as either contone data or stroke data; rendering the contone data with spatial modulation in the process and cross-process directions; and rendering the stroke data with intensity modulation wherein said rendering the contone data and said rendering the stroke data steps are accomplished with a light source and a spatial light modulator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of identifying data comprises the steps of: determining whether the location of the data is inside an edge or on the edge of an object to be printed; and identifying the data as contone if inside the edge and stroke if on the edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2, and further comprising the step of performing anti-aliasing on the stroke data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the contone and stroke data are rendered through use of lookup tables stored in a memory.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of printing both stroke and contone data together, comprising the steps of: identifying data to be printed as either contone data or stroke data; shining light on a spatial light modulator, the spatial light modulator having a plurality of rows of individual elements; for the contone data, reflecting the light from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows onto predetermined phases of pixels of a photoconductive drum operable to rotate in a process direction, the predetermined phases rendering the pixels at image quality gray scale levels; for the stroke data, reflecting the light from predetermined individual elements onto predetermined phases of the photoconductive drum, the predetermined phases rendering the stroke data at high resolution; attracting toner to the phases, the amount of toner attracted to a particular phase being based on the amount of light that has fallen on that phase; and transferring the toner to a print medium.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of printing both stroke and contone data together, comprising the steps of: identifying data to be printed as either contone data or stroke data; shining light on a spatial light modulator, the spatial light modulator having a plurality of rows of individual elements; for the contone data, reflecting the light from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows onto predetermined phases of pixels of a photoconductive drum operable to rotate in a process direction, the predetermined phases rendering the pixels at image quality gray scale levels; for the stroke data, reflecting the light from predetermined individual elements onto predetermined phases of the photoconductive drum, the predetermined phases rendering the stroke data at high resolution; attracting toner to the phases, the amount of toner attracted to a particular phase being based on the amount of light that has fallen on that phase; and transferring the toner to a print medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the stroke data is rendered at each pixel by reflecting light onto less than all phases of the pixel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said step of identifying data comprises the steps of: determining whether the location of the data is inside an edge or on the edge of an object to be printed; and identifying the data as contone if inside the edge and stroke if on the edge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7, and further comprising the step of performing anti-aliasing on the stroke data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the contone and stroke data are rendered by controlling the individual elements through use of lookup tables stored in a memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the rows are staggered such that there are at least two phase locations in the cross-process direction for each pixel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said step of shining comprises pulsing the light such that each individual element is operable to reflect light on at least two phase locations in the process direction of a respective pixel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5, and further comprising the step of periodically changing the intensity of the light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said step of shining comprises pulsing the light such that each individual element is operable to reflect light on at least two phase locations in the process direction of a respective pixel, and further comprising the step of periodically changing the intensity of the light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said step of reflecting comprises switching the individual elements such that each individual element is operable to reflect light on at least two phase locations in the process direction of a respective pixel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The printer of claim 14, wherein said rows are staggered such that there are at least two phase locations in the cross-process direction for each pixel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
142 words
A printer, comprising: a light source; a spatial light modulator operable to receive light from said light source, said spatial light modulator having a plurality of rows of individual elements; a photoconductive drum operable to rotate in a process direction and having predefined pixels with phases operable to receive light reflected from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows; a processor operable to control said individual elements such that for contone data, light is reflected from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows onto predetermined phases of pixels of said photoconductive drum to render the pixels at image quality gray scale levels; and said processor also being operable to control said individual elements such that for stroke data, light is reflected from predetermined individual elements onto predetermined phases of said photoconductive drum to render the stroke data at high resolution.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
142 words
A printer, comprising: a light source; a spatial light modulator operable to receive light from said light source, said spatial light modulator having a plurality of rows of individual elements; a photoconductive drum operable to rotate in a process direction and having predefined pixels with phases operable to receive light reflected from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows; a processor operable to control said individual elements such that for contone data, light is reflected from predetermined individual elements of a plurality of rows onto predetermined phases of pixels of said photoconductive drum to render the pixels at image quality gray scale levels; and said processor also being operable to control said individual elements such that for stroke data, light is reflected from predetermined individual elements onto predetermined phases of said photoconductive drum to render the stroke data at high resolution.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The printer of claim 16, wherein the stroke data is rendered at each pixel by reflecting light onto less than all phases of the pixel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
The printer of claim 16, wherein said processor is further operable to identify data as stroke or contone data by determining whether the location of the data is inside an edge or on the edge of an object to be printed, and identifying the data as contone if inside the edge and stroke if on the edge.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The printer of claim 16, wherein said processor is further operable to perform anti-aliasing on the stroke data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The printer of claim 16, and further comprising a memory containing lookup tables, said lookup tables accessed by said processor to control said individual elements to render the contone and stroke data.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-10-16 | 1999-04-17 | 1999-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-10-16 | 2003-04-17 | 2003-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-10-16 | 2007-04-17 | 2007-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |