Halftoning run length encoded datastreams

Claim 2

A print controller comprising: an array operable to store pre-calculated halftone output values in storage entries, wherein the storage entries are addressable by Run length (RL) encoded data values that correspond with the pre-calculated halftone output values; an identification system operable to identify a first packet within a Run length (RL) encoded datastream, wherein the first packet comprises a first header and a first data block defined by the first header, and wherein the first data block comprises continuous tone data; and a control system operable to locate a storage entry in the array using one or more bytes of the first data block, and to retrieve a pre-calculated halftone output value at the storage entry to directly convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the first packet to halftone data for a print engine.

Claim 3

The print controller of claim 1 wherein: the control system is further operable to determine that the entries of the array comprise successive pels of halftone data; and the control system is further operable to determine that the first header defines a number (n) of repeating data blocks in the first packet, to index the array using the data block, and to output (n) successive pels of halftone data from the array based on the index.

Claim 4

The print controller of claim 2 wherein: the control system is further operable to determine that an entry of the array encodes a packed scanline of pel data for a halftone cell.

Claim 5

The print controller of claim 1 wherein: the control system is further operable to identify a second packet within the RL datastream, wherein the second packet comprises a second header subsequent to the first packet and a second data block defined by the second header; and the control system is further operable to index the array using one or more bytes of the second data block, and to output halftone data from the array for the print engine based on the index to convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the second packet to halftone data.

Claim 6

The print controller of claim 1 wherein: the control system is further operable to determine that the array is a 3-dimensional array of conversion values defining a halftone cell for halftoning the RL encoded datastream.

Claim 7

The print controller of claim 5 wherein: the control system is further operable to determine that the array indexes a byte of data that encodes multiple halftone pels for an output channel of the print engine, wherein a number of bits per pel corresponds to a width of the output channel.

Claim 8

The print controller of claim 1 wherein: the identification system is further operable to identify a successive number of repeat blocks of continuous tone data within an uncompressed datastream, and to identify a value of the repeat blocks; and the control system is further operable to generate an index for the array based on the number and the value of the repeat blocks, to index the array using the generated index, and to output halftone data from the array based on the generated index to convert repeat blocks of continuous tone data to halftone data for a print engine.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8 further comprising: determining that the first header defines a number (n) of repeating data blocks in the first packet, wherein the values of the array comprise successive pels of halftone data; indexing the array using the data block; and outputing (n) successive pels of halftone data from the array based on the index.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the array further comprises: identifying an entry in the array of conversion values that defines a packed scanline of pel data for a halftone cell.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 further comprising: identifying a second packet within the RL datastream, wherein the second packet comprises a second header subsequent to the first packet and a second data block defined by the second header; indexing the array using one or more bytes of the second data block; and outputting halftone data from the array for the print engine based on the index to convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the second packet to halftone data.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 wherein identifying the array further comprises: identifying a 3-dimensional array of conversion values that define a halftone cell for halftoning the RL encoded datastream.

Claim 15

The method of claim 12 wherein identifying the array further comprises: identifying an array of conversion values encoding multiple halftone pels for an output channel of the print engine, wherein a number of bits per pel corresponds to a width of the output channel.

Claim 16

The method of claim 8 further comprising: identifying a number of successive repeat blocks of continuous tone data within an uncompressed datastream; identifying a value of the repeat blocks of continuous tone data; generating an index for the array based on the number and the value of the repeat blocks; indexing the array using the generated index; and outputting halftone data from the array based on the generated index to convert the repeat blocks of continuous tone data to halftone data for a print engine.

Claim 17

A tangible computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor of a print controller, are operable for performing a method, the method comprising: storing, in an array, pre-calculated halftone output values in storage entries, wherein the storage entries are addressable by Run length (RL) encoded data values that correspond with the pre-calculated halftone output values; identifying a first packet within a Run length (RL) encoded datastream, wherein the first packet comprises a first header and a first data block defined by the first header, and wherein the first data block comprises continuous tone data; locating a storage entry in the array using one or more bytes of the first data block; retrieving, with the print controller, a pre-calculated halftone output value at the storage entry to directly convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the first packet to halftone data for a print engine.

Claim 18

A tangible computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor of a print controller, are operable for performing a method, the method comprising: storing, in an array, pre-calculated halftone output values in storage entries, wherein the storage entries are addressable by Run length (RL) encoded data values that correspond with the pre-calculated halftone output values; identifying a first packet within a Run length (RL) encoded datastream, wherein the first packet comprises a first header and a first data block defined by the first header, and wherein the first data block comprises continuous tone data; locating a storage entry in the array using one or more bytes of the first data block; retrieving, with the print controller, a pre-calculated halftone output value at the storage entry to directly convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the first packet to halftone data for a print engine.

Claim 19

The medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises: determining that the first header defines a number (n) of repeating data blocks in the first packet, wherein the values of the array comprise successive pels of halftone data; indexing the array using the data block; and outputing (n) successive pels of halftone data from the array based on the index.

Claim 20

The medium of claim 16 , wherein identifying the array further comprises: identifying an entry in the array of conversion values that defines a packed scanline of pel data for a halftone cell.

Claim 21

The medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises: identifying a second packet within the RL datastream, wherein the second packet comprises a second header subsequent to the first packet and a second data block defined by the second header; indexing the array using one or more bytes of the second data block; and outputting halftone data from the array for the print engine based on the index to convert the RL encoded continuous tone data of the second packet to halftone data.

Claim 22

The medium of claim 15 , wherein the identifying the array further comprises: identifying a 3-dimensional array of conversion values that define a halftone cell for halftoning the RL encoded datastream.

Claim 23

The medium of claim 19 , wherein the identifying the array further comprises: identifying an array of conversion values encoding multiple halftone pels for an output channel of the print engine, wherein a number of bits per pel corresponds to a width of the output channel.