Printer for printing an interface onto a surface using a complementary ink set

• US 7,180,609 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Douglas Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/983,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1, 358/1.8, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.12, 358/1.18, 358/1.9, 358/502, 358/504, 358/530, 358/488, 358/296
• US Class Current: 358/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1265 : Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1271 : Job submission at the printing node, e.g. creating a job from a data stored locally or remotely G06F3/1238 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

A printer for printing an interface onto a surface, the interface including visible text/graphics and coded data, the coded data being indicative of an identity of a region of the surface and of a plurality of locations on the surface, the printer comprising a data input module for receiving document data from a computer system, the interface being based at least partially on the document data, a coded data generator for generating the coded data using at least some of the document data, a printhead for printing the interface onto the surface, and an ink supply for supplying ink to the printhead, the ink supply comprising an ink set including at least one visible text/graphics ink and a coded data ink, wherein the or each visible text/graphics ink has an absorption of less than 20% at all wavelengths in the range of 800 to 900 nm, where 100% absorption is defined as the maximum absorption of the or each visible text/graphics ink when printed onto the surface.

Claims

1. A printer for printing an interface onto a surface, the interface including visible text/graphics and coded data, the coded data being indicative of an identity of a region of the surface and of a plurality of locations on the surface, the printer comprising:

a data input module for receiving document data from a computer system, the interface being based at least partially on the document data;

a coded data generator for generating the coded data using at least some of the document data;

a printhead for printing the interface onto the surface; and

an ink supply for supplying ink to the printhead, the ink supply comprising an ink set including at least one visible text/graphics ink and a coded data ink,

wherein the or each visible text/graphics ink has an absorption of less than 20% at all wavelengths in the range of 800 to 900 nm, where 100% absorption is defined as the maximum absorption of the or each visible text/graphics ink when printed onto the surface.

2. The printer of claim 1, wherein the or each visible text/graphics ink has a absorption of less than 10% at all wavelengths in the range of 800 to 900 nm.

3. The printer of claim 1, wherein the coded data ink is an IR ink having a absorption maximum in the range of 780 to 900 nm.

4. The printer of claim 3, wherein the ink set includes at least one colored ink selected from the group consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow, black, red, green, and blue.

5. The printer of claim 4, wherein the ink set has an IR contrast ratio of greater than 5 for at least one absorption wavelength in the range of 780 to 850 nm, wherein the IR contrast ratio at a given absorption value is defined as:

$\frac{\%<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{Absorption}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{IR}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{Ink}}{\%<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{Absorption}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{of}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{Cyan}<br><br><br><br>\mathrm{Ink}}$

6. The printer of claim 5, wherein the ink set has an IR contrast ratio of greater than 7 for at least one absorption value in the range of 800 to 830 nm.

7. The printer of claim 1, wherein the coded data ink can be sensed by the sensing device when the coded data overprinted on the text/graphics.

8. The printer of claim 1, wherein the coded data can be sensed by the sensing device when the visible text/graphics is overprinted on the coded data.

9. The printer of claim 1, wherein the coded data is substantially invisible to the unaided human eye.

10. The printer of claim 1, wherein the surface is defined by a substrate.

11. The printer of claim 1, wherein the printhead is a pagewidth inkjet printhead.

12. The printer of claim 1, wherein the printhead is configured for printing the visible text/graphics and coded data simultaneously.