Image forming apparatus for identifying undesirable toner placement

• US 7,957,030 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvell International Technology, Ltd. (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Technology, Ltd. (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Keithley, Douglas Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Thierry L
• Application Number:
  US12/353,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.2, 358/1.9, 358 111- 118, 382/165, 382/170, 382/173, 382/181, 382/254, 382/255, 382267-269
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1828 characterized by the kind of storage accessed
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1848 Generation of the printable image

Abstract

A method and apparatus for printing data on a print medium is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to format print data to pixel data, the pixel data including pixel values; identify a grid of pixels having a predetermined pattern of pixel values; obtain predetermined pcode grid from memory for the identified grid of pixels; and send the predetermined pcode grid to controller circuit for printing.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of predetermined pcode grids, wherein each location in the plurality of predetermined pcode grids includes a justification value and a pulse width value;

a processor configured to;

examine image data by comparing a predetermined pattern to a plurality of surrounding pixels that surround a pixel of in the image data, wherein the predetermined pattern corresponds to a risk of a toner condition; and

generate a command signal based on the comparison; and

a controller circuit configured to send one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids to a laser when the command signal indicates the risk of the toner condition.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the toner condition is toner explosion.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern with low risk of toner explosion.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the predetermined pcode grids correspond to a number of pixels greater than a number of surrounding pixels.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a printer, a copier, or a multifunctional appliance and the laser is configured to expose a drum in the image forming apparatus.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the toner condition is an overuse of toner.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern that uses less toner than the predetermined pattern.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predetermined pcode grids includes a first predetermined pcode grid corresponding to a first color and a second predetermined pcode grid corresponding to a second color.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the plurality of predetermined pcode grids based on repeating values for the justification value or the pulse width value.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the toner condition is an overuse of toner or toner explosion.

11. The image forming apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern that uses less toner and at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern with low risk of toner explosion.

12. An image forming method comprising:

storing a plurality of predetermined pcode grids in a memory, wherein each location in the plurality of predetermined pcode grids includes a justification value and a pulse width value;

receiving image data;

comparing a predetermined pattern to a plurality of surrounding pixels that surround a pixel in the image data, wherein the predetermined pattern corresponding to a risk of a toner condition;

generating a command signal based on the comparison; and

outputting one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids to a laser when the command signal indicates the risk of the toner condition.

13. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein the toner condition is toner explosion and at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids correspond to a toner placement pattern with low risk of toner explosion.

14. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein each of the predetermined pcode grids correspond to a number of pixels greater than a number of surrounding pixels.

15. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein the image forming apparatus is a printer, a copier, or a multifunctional appliance and the laser is configured to expose a drum in the image forming apparatus.

16. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein the toner condition is an overuse of toner and at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern that uses less toner than the predetermined pattern.

17. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of predetermined pcode grids includes a first predetermined pcode grid corresponding to a first color and a second predetermined pcode grid corresponding to a second color.

18. The image forming method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern that uses less toner and at least one of the plurality of predetermined pcode grids corresponds to a toner placement pattern with low risk of toner explosion.