Systems and methods for printing by using a position-coding pattern
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that identifies an absolute position on the surface; and
a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position by;
identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
determining said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window, wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded absolute position with the graphical information to be printed.
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Abstract
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention include a printer for printing graphical information on a surface. The printer includes a print head for printing indicia on the surface and an image sensor for recording an image of the surface. The recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that identifies a position on the surface. A processor converts the recorded image into a recorded position, and the print head then prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded position with the graphical information to be printed.
134 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that identifies an absolute position on the surface; and
a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position by;
identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
determining said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window, whereinthe print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded absolute position with the graphical information to be printed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for printing graphic information on a surface having a position-coding pattern thereon, wherein an arbitrary subset of the position coding pattern defines an absolute coordinate position on the surface, the system comprising:
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a print head for printing indicia on the surface; and
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the graphic information with the absolute coordinate position defined by a position-coding pattern in the recorded image, wherein said system converts the recorded image into the absolute coordinate position by;
identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
determining said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method for printing graphic information on a surface, comprising:
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accessing graphical information to be printed on the surface;
recording an image of the surface;
deriving an absolute position from the recorded image by;
identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
deriving said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window; and
printing indicia on the surface based on a comparison of a recorded position derived from the recorded image and the graphic information. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a nozzle for dispensing dye on the surface;
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that codes an absolute position on the surface; and
a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position, wherein the processor determines a predicted position of the nozzle based on the recorded absolute position, wherein the nozzle dispenses dye on the surface when the predicted position corresponds to a graphics position in the graphical information. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that codes an absolute position on the surface; and
a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position, wherein the processor determines a predicted position of the print head based on the recorded absolute position, wherein the print head prints the indicia on the surface when the predicted position corresponds to a graphics position in the graphical information. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A system for printing graphical information, comprising:
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a printing surface having a position-coding pattern thereon, wherein an arbitrary subset, having a predetermined size, of the position-coding pattern identifies a unique absolute position on the printing surface, wherein each absolute position on the printing surface is coded by a group of symbols included in said position-coding pattern, such that a number of symbols may be associated with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, with each code window comprising a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
a printing unit for printing the graphic information on the printing surface, wherein the printing unit further includes;
a print head for printing indicia on the printing surface; and
an image sensor for recording an image of the arbitrary subset on the printing surface, wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the identified unique absolute position on the printing surface with the graphical information to be printed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A hand-held printing device configured to print as:
- the device is moved over a surface upon which is recorded a position-coding pattern, the hand-held printing device comprising;
a housing configured to be held by a user;
a print head in the housing;
a sensor in the housing for reading the position-coding pattern;
a processor for determining, as the housing is moved over the surface, an absolute location on the surface based on the position-coding pattern read by the sensor, and for causing the print head to print based upon the determined absolute location, wherein said processor identifies a number of symbols in the position-coding pattern read by the sensor;
associates said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position; and
determines said absolute location based on the symbols of the associated code window. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
- the device is moved over a surface upon which is recorded a position-coding pattern, the hand-held printing device comprising;
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40. An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
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a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, which contains a partial surface of a predetermined size of a position-coding pattern on the surface;
said position-coding pattern being based on a cyclic number series, which has the characteristic that the position in the number series of each number sequence of a predetermined length is determined unambiguously and which is arranged a plurality of times on the surface with different rotations so that adjacent cyclic number series are displaced relative to each other by predetermined displacements; and
a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position by identifying a plurality of said number sequences from the position-coding pattern on the partial surface;
determining a position for each number sequence in said cyclic number series;
on the basis of these positions, determining the displacements between the adjacent cyclic number series containing the number sequences from the partial surface; and
determining, based on the displacements, said recorded absolute position;
wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded position with the graphical information to be printed.
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41. A method for printing graphic information on a surface, comprising:
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accessing graphical information to be printed on the surface;
recording an image of the surface, which contains a partial surface of a predetermined size of a position-coding pattern on the surface;
said position-coding pattern being based on a cyclic number series, which has the characteristic that the position in the number series of each number sequence of a predetermined length is determined unambiguously and which is arranged a plurality of times on the surface with different rotations so that adjacent cyclic number series are displaced relative to each other by predetermined displacements;
identifying a plurality of said number sequences from the position-coding pattern on the partial surface;
determining a position for each number sequence in said cyclic number series;
on the basis of these positions, determining the displacements between the adjacent cyclic number series containing the number sequences from the partial surface;
deriving, based on the displacements, an absolute position for said partial surface; and
printing indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the derived absolute position and the graphic information.
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Specification