Processing of images for high volume pagewidth printing

• US 7,753,463 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Do; An H
• Application Number:
  US10/509,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,951 Days
• Field of Search: 347/9, 347/19, 347/54, 347/40
• US Class Current: 347/9
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/20 Modules
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/10 : by matrix printers G06K15/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 : Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An image processing apparatus for a printer (10) includes a print engine controller (48) that is configured to receive image data in an image storage format. The print engine controller includes data processing circuitry that is configured to process the image data at a rate of at least one billion pixels per second to transform the data into print data. The print engine controller includes data communication circuitry (176) that is operatively connected to the data processing circuitry and is configured to communicate the print data to a printhead (41).

Claims

1. An inkjet printer that comprises

a support structure;

a platen positioned in the support structure;

a print assembly positioned operatively with respect to the platen to define a printing zone between the platen and the print assembly, the print assembly comprising

an elongate carrier; and

a number of printhead chips positioned on the carrier, the printhead chips together defining a printhead and each having a plurality of ink ejection nozzle arrangements on a wafer substrate;

an image processing apparatus that is operatively arranged with respect to the print assembly, the image processing apparatus comprising

a data input means configured to receive image data in an image storage format;

a data processing means that is configured to process the image data; and

a data communication means that is configured to communicate the print data to the printhead to control operation of at least 10,000 nozzle arrangements of the printhead chips; and

a feed mechanism positioned on the support structure for feeding a print medium though the printing zone.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which the image processing apparatus is configured to control operation of at least 20,000 nozzle arrangements of the printhead chips.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the image processing apparatus is configured to control operation of at least 40,000 nozzle arrangements of the printhead chips.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 3, in which the image processing apparatus is configured to control operation of at least 70,000 nozzle arrangements of the printhead chips.