Application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in the form of a printer processor

• US 7,349,125 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US11/737,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358/3.22, 358/3.3, 358/534, 358/502, 358/1.3, 358/3.01, 358/3.02, 358/3.09, 358/1.13, 358/3.06, 358/3.21, 347/43, 347/20
• US Class Current: 358/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/008 Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/42 Controlling printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0452 reducing demand in current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04528 aiming at warming up the head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04543 Block driving
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04551 using several operating modes
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04563 detecting head temperature; Ink temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0457 Power supply level being detected or varied
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04586 controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04591 Width of the driving signal being adjusted
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16505 Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16511 Constructions for cap positioning B41J2/16547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/515 line printer type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17569 : based on the amount printed or to be printed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/17 : Readable information on the head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 : Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 25/34 : Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 : Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/13 : Cases or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 : Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 : provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 : Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0697 : being an electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1823 : Cartridges having electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1213 : at an intermediate node or at the final node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1214 : at the submitting node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 : with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 : by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 : Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/102 : using ink jet print heads
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1814 : including print-ready data, i.e. data already matched to the printing process
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1815 : Receiving print data in mixed format
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1817 : Buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1852 : involving combining data of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1855 : Combining raster data and graphic primitives
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1856 : characterized by its workflow
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1857 : involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0094 : Colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 : using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32587 : Controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32598 : Bus based systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 : the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 : Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/41 : Bandwidth or redundancy reduction by scanning H04N1/17 ; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 : Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/642 : Adapting to different types of images, e.g. characters, graphs, black and white image portions

Abstract

A processor is provided for a printer. The processor includes an address, data and control bus. An expander unit is coupled to the bus and is configured to decompress a bi-level black layer of a page to be printed. A decoder unit is coupled to the bus and is configured to decompress a contone layer of the page to be printed. A halftoner/compositor unit is coupled to the bus. The halftoner/compositor unit is configured to halftone the decompressed contone layer to form a bi-level cyan, yellow, magenta, and black (CYMK) layer and then composite the decompressed bi-level black layer over the bi-level CYMK layer to form a bi-level CYMK image of the page to be printed.

Claims

1. A processor for a printer, the processor comprising:

an address, data and control bus;

an expander unit coupled to the bus and configured to decompress a bi-level black layer of a page to be printed;

a decoder unit coupled to the bus and configured to decompress a contone layer of the page to be printed; and

a halftoner/compositor unit which is coupled to the bus, and is configured to halftone the decompressed contone layer to form a bi-level cyan, yellow, magenta, and black (CYMK) layer and then composite the decompressed bi-level black layer over the bi-level CYMK layer to form a bi-level CYMK image of the page to be printed.

2. A processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises a printhead interface to couple the bus to a printhead so that the printhead can print the CYMK image.

3. A printer comprising:

a processor as claimed in claim 2;

a replaceable ink cartridge comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) which can be interfaced, in a releasable manner, to the processor;

the printhead interfaced to the processor via the printhead interface and being configured to print ink supplied from the ink cartridge; and

a second IC interfaced to the processor and which, together with the processor, can be used to authenticate the first IC and therefore the ink cartridge.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to:

count the number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and then write the updated remaining drop count to the second IC.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to perform respective ink counts for a plurality of different ink types stored in the ink cartridge.

6. A printer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to write the updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed.

7. A printer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the printhead forms part of a replaceable printhead module which is interfaced, in a releasable manner, to the processor.