Patent ID: 6776544
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: G06K,G07B

Abstract:
An arrangement for printing a print image with regions of said print image having respectively different print image resolutions comprising:a printhead adapted to print a print image on an item moving past said printhead; an encoder that generates signals indicative of movement of said item relative to said printhead; a pixel memory; a print data controller; a microprocessor connected to said pixel memory, said microprocessor causing pixel data to be stored in said pixel memory in compressed form in a plurality of data strings each containing a plurality of data words; said microprocessor being programmed to communicate a start value for high resolution to the printer controller via a bus; said print data controller being composed of a pixel data editing unit, a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller, an address generator and a printer controller, whereby the printer controller is connected in terms of control to the DMA controller, to the address generator and to the pixel data editing unit, said printer controller being connected to said encoder, said microprocessor, said pixel memory, and said printhead for controlling transfer of said pixel data word-by-word from said pixel memory to one of two buffer memories of said print data controller for intermediate storage therein in the form of a data string having a switchable number of data words with pixel data in compressed form and dependent on the required resolution for a region of said print image, for editing the data words stored in the other of the buffer memories and supplying the pixel data to said printhead, wherein said print data controller is equipped to supplement pixel data missing because of the comparison dependent on the required resolution for a region of said print image and for printing said image column-by-column with said printhead said print data controller having two buffer memories; and said microprocessor, for a selected region of said image, setting a print image resolution for said region and is programmed to supply at least one parameter for the control of the resolution to the print data controller and the print data controller correspondingly switches the resolution that will be achieved in printing.