Patent ID: 7289243
Filing Date: 2007-10-30
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
1. A method of data compression for use with a system having a computer operatively connected to a printing device, the printing device having a print head with a plurality of nozzles and being responsive to a print plan created by the computer, the print plan dividing a desired print page into print swaths, a print swath defined as an area covered by a print head traveling across the print page, the print swath being divided into a plurality of firegroups, a firegroup defined as activated nozzles and idled nozzles in the print head at a print location, the print plan having consecutive firegroups from a start point to an end point of a print swath and consecutive print swaths from a top to a bottom of the print page, the data compression method comprising the steps of: Numbering the plurality of nozzles; grouping the plurality of nozzles into consecutive groups of eight even numbered nozzles and consecutive groups of eight odd numbered nozzles; associating each consecutive group of eight even nozzles with an even nozzle byte; associating each consecutive group of eight odd nozzles with an odd nozzle byte; associating each even nozzle byte with an even bit in a control; associating each odd nozzle byte with an odd bit in the control; mapping a firegroup into said even nozzle bytes and said odd nozzle bytes; setting the even bit in the control to zero when the associated even nozzle byte has all idled nozzles mapped and setting the even bit in the control to one when an activated nozzle is mapped; setting the odd bit in the control to zero when the associated odd nozzle byte has all idled nozzles mapped and setting the odd bit in the control to one when an activated nozzle is mapped; coupling the control with the even nozzle bytes associated with an even bit in the control set to one; coupling the control with the odd nozzles bytes associated with an odd bit in the control set to one.