Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/575,119 filed May 23, 2000. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a compact printer system able to print full-color, business card size documents from a device about the size of a pen. The system includes various hot-connectable modules that provide a range of functions. In particular the invention relates to a controller for a printer module of the compact printer system.  
         [0003]     Reference may be had to co-pending applications claiming priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application number PQ0560 dated 25 May 1999. The co-pending applications describe related modules and methods for implementing the compact printer system. The co-pending applications are as follows:  
                                                   USSN   Title                           09/575,182   Compact Color Printer Module           09/575,173   Modular Compact Printer System           6,416,160   Nozzle Capping Mechanism           6,238,043   Ink Cartridge for Compact Printer System           09/575,135   Controller for Printer Module           09/575,157   Image Processor for Camera Module           6,554,459   Memory Module for Compact Printer System           09/575,134   Effects Module for Compact Printer System           09/575,121   Effects Processor for Effects Module           09/575,137   Timer Module for Compact Printer System           09/575,167   Color Conversion Method for Compact Printer               System           09/575,120   Method and Apparatus of Dithering           09/575,122   Method and Apparatus of Image Conversion                      
 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Microelectronic manufacturing techniques have led to the miniaturization of numerous devices. Mobile phones, personal digital assistant devices, and digital cameras are very common examples of the miniaturization trend.  
         [0005]     One device that has not seen the advantage of microelectronic manufacturing techniques is the printer. Commercially available printers are large compared to many of the devices they could support. For instance, it is impractical to carry a color printer for the purpose of instantly printing photographs taken with known compact digital cameras.  
         [0006]     A compact printhead has been described in co-pending United States Patent Applications filed simultaneously to the present application and hereby incorporated by cross reference:  
                                                   USSN   Title                           09/575,152   Fluidic seal for an ink jet nozzle assembly           6,428,133   Ink jet printhead having a moving nozzle with an               externally arranged actuator           6,526,658   Method of manufacture of an ink jet printhead               having a moving nozzle with an externally               arranged actuator           6,328,417   Ink jet printhead nozzle array           6,390,591   Nozzle guard for an ink jet printhead                      
 
         [0007]     In order to construct a compact print module for a compact printer system it is necessary to address the problem of control of the printer and communication of the image to the printhead. Methods of very large scale integration and microelectronic manufacturing are known but have not been applied to the needs of a compact printer system. No suitable print controller exists for a compact color printer module.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In one form, the invention resides in a method of controlling a printer module having a printhead that prints an image on printable media, said method including the steps of: 
    storing an image in image storage memory;     sensing the presence of printable media in the printer module;     activating a motor to advance said printable media past said printhead in said printer module;     retrieving said image from said image storage memory;     transforming said image to a form suitable for said printhead; and     transferring said transformed image to said printhead in a synchronous manner for printing by said printhead on said printable media.    
 
         [0015]     In another form, the invention resides in a controller for a printer module having a printhead that prints an image on printable media, said controller comprising: 
    a central processing unit;     program memory associated with said central processing unit, said program memory storing program steps for execution by said central processing unit to operate said printer module to print said image;     one or more interface units communicating with components of said printer module;     image storage memory storing said image; and     an image access unit in communication with said image storage memory, said central processing unit and a printhead interface, said image access unit accessing said image in said image storage memory and transferring said image to said printhead interface on command from said central processing unit; 
 
 wherein said printhead interface transforms said image for printing by a printhead. 
   
 
         [0021]     Further features of the invention will be evident from the following description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     In order to assist with describing preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will be made to the following figures in which:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a printer module;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a camera module;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a memory module;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a communication module;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a flash module;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a timer module;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a laser module;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is an effects module;  
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a characters module;  
         [0032]      FIG. 10  is an adaptor module;  
         [0033]      FIG. 11  is a pen module;  
         [0034]      FIG. 12  is a dispenser module;  
         [0035]      FIG. 13  is a first compact printer configuration;  
         [0036]      FIG. 14  is a second compact printer configuration;  
         [0037]      FIG. 15  is a third compact printer configuration;  
         [0038]      FIG. 16  is a fourth compact printer configuration;  
         [0039]      FIG. 17  is a block diagram of a controller for the printer module of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0040]      FIG. 18  is a schematic block diagram of a printhead interface;  
         [0041]      FIG. 19  is a schematic block diagram of a print generator unit; and  
         [0042]      FIG. 20  is a schematic block diagram of an up-interpolate, halftone and reformat for printer unit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  12 , there are shown various modules that together form a compact printer system. Individual modules can be attached and detached from the compact printer configuration to allow a user-definable solution to business-card sized printing. Images can also be transferred from one compact printer to another without the use of a secondary computer system. Modules have a minimal user-interface to allow straightforward interaction.  
         [0044]     A compact printer system configuration consists of a number of compact printer modules connected together. Each compact printer module has a function that contributes to the overall functionality of the particular compact printer configuration. Each compact printer module is typically shaped like part of a pen, physically connecting with other compact printer modules to form the complete pen-shaped device. The length of the compact printer device depends on the number and type of compact printer modules connected. The functionality of a compact printer configuration depends on the compact printer modules in the given configuration.  
         [0045]     The compact printer modules connect both physically and logically. The physical connection allows modules to be connected in any order, and the logical connection is taken care of by the compact printer Serial Bus—a bus that provides power, allows the modules to self configure and provides for the transfer of data.  
         [0046]     In terms of physical connection, most compact printer modules consist of a central body, a male connector at one end, and a female connector at the other. Since most modules have both a male and female connector, the modules can typically be connected in any order. Certain modules only have a male or a female connector, but this is determined by the function of the module. Adaptor modules allow these single-connector modules to be connected at either end of a given compact printer configuration.  
         [0047]     A four wire physical connection between all the compact printer modules provides the logical connection between them in the form of the compact printer Serial Bus. The compact printer Serial Bus provides power to each module, and provides the means by which data is transferred between modules. Importantly, the compact printer Serial Bus and accompanying protocol provides the means by which the compact printer system auto-configures, reducing the user-interface burden on the end-user.  
         [0048]     Compact printer modules can be grouped into three types: 
        image processing modules including a Printer Module ( FIG. 1 ), a Camera Module ( FIG. 2 ), and a Memory Module ( FIG. 3 ). Image processing modules are primarily what sets the compact printer system apart from other pen-like devices. Image processing modules capture, print, store or manipulate photographic images;     housekeeping modules including an Adapter Module ( FIG. 10 ), an Effects Module ( FIG. 8 ), a Communications Module ( FIG. 4 ), and a Timer Module ( FIG. 6 ). Housekeeping modules provide services to other modules or extended functionality to other modules; and     isolated modules including a Pen Module ( FIG. 11 ) and a Laser Module ( FIG. 7 ). Isolated modules are those that attach to the compact printer system but are completely independent of any other module. They do not necessarily require power, and may even provide their own power. Isolated Modules are defined because the functionality they provide is typically incorporated into other pen-like devices.        
 
         [0052]     Although housekeeping modules and isolated modules are useful components in a compact printer system, they are extras in a system dedicated to image processing and photographic manipulation. Life size (1:1) illustrations of the compact printer modules are shown in FIGS.  1  to  12 , and example configurations produced by connecting various modules together are shown in FIGS.  13  to  16 .  
         [0053]      FIG. 1  shows a printer module that incorporates a compact printhead described in co-pending United States Patent Applications listed in the Background section of this application, incorporated herewith by reference, and referred to herewith as a Memjet printhead. The Memjet printhead is a drop-on-demand 1600 dpi inkjet printer that produces bi-level dots in up to 4 colors to produce a printed page of a particular width. Since the printhead prints dots at 1600 dpi, each dot is approximately 22.5 μm in diameter, and spaced 15.875 μm apart. Because the printing is bi-level, the input image should be dithered or error-diffused for best results. Typically a Memjet printhead for a particular application is page-width. This enables the printhead to be stationary and allows the paper to move past the printhead. A Memjet printhead is composed of a number of identical ½ inch Memjet segments.  
         [0054]     The printer module  10  comprises a body  11  housing the Memjet printhead. Power is supplied by a three volt battery housed in battery compartment  12 . The printhead is activated to commence printing when a business card (or similar sized printable media) is inserted into slot  13 . Male connector  14  and female connector  15  facilitate connection of other modules to the printer module  10 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 2  shows a camera module  20 . The camera module provides a point-and-shoot camera component to the compact printer system as a means of capturing images. The camera module comprises a body  21  having a female connector  22 . A lens  23  directs an image to an image sensor and specialized image processing chip within the camera  24 . A conventional view finder  25  is provided as well as a lens cap  26 . An image is captured when the Take button  27  is pushed. Captured images are transferred to the Printer Module  10  for subsequent printing, manipulation, or storage. The Camera Module also contains a self-timer mode similar to that found on regular cameras.  
         [0056]      FIG. 3  shows a Memory Module  30  comprising a body  31 , LCD  32 , IN button  33 , OUT button  34  and SELECT button  35 . The Memory Module  30  is a standard module used for storing photographic images captured by the Camera  20 . The memory module stores  48  images, each of which can be accessed either at full resolution or at thumbnail resolution. Full resolution provides read and write access to individual images, and thumbnail resolution provides read access to  16  images at once in thumbnail form.  
         [0057]     The Memory Module  30  attaches to other modules via a female connector  36  or male connector  37 . The male and female connectors allow the module to be connected at either end of a configuration. Power is provided from the Printer Module  10  via the Serial Bus.  
         [0058]     A Communications Module  40  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The communications module  40  consists of a connector  41  and a cable  42  that terminates in an appropriate connector for a computer port, such as a USB port, RS232 serial port or parallel port. The Communications Module  40  allows the compact printer system to be connected to a computer. When so connected, images can be transferred between the computer and the various modules of the compact printer system. The communications module allows captured images to be downloaded to the computer, and new images for printing to be uploaded into the printer module  10 .  
         [0059]     A Flash Module  50  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The Flash Module  50  is used to generate a flash with flash cell  51  when taking photographs with the Camera Module  20 . The Flash Module attaches to other modules via female connector  52  and male connector  53 . It contains its own power source. The Flash Module is automatically selected by the Camera Module when required. A simple switch allows the Flash Module to be explicitly turned off to maximize battery life.  
         [0060]      FIG. 6  shows a Timer Module  60  that is used to automate the taking of multiple photos with the Camera Module  20 , each photo separated by a specific time interval. The captured photos are stored in Memory Module  30 . Any flash requirements are handled by the Camera Module  20 , and can therefore be ignored by the Timer Module. The Timer Module  60  consists of a body  61  housing a LCD  62 , START/STOP button  63  and UNITS button  64 . A SELECT button  65  allows the user to select time units and the number of units are set by UNITS button  64 . The Timer Module  60  includes a male connector  66  and female connector  67 . The Timer Module takes its power from the Printer Module  10  via the Serial Bus.  
         [0061]     A Laser Module  70  is shown in  FIG. 7 . The Laser Module  70  consists of a body  71  containing a conventional laser pointer operated by button  72 . As the Laser Module is a terminal module it only has one connector, which in the example is a male connector  73 . The Laser Module is an isolated module, in that it does not perform any image capture, storage, or processing. It exists as a functional addition to the compact printer system. It is provided because laser pointer services are typically incorporated into other pen-like devices. The Laser Module contains its own power supply and does not appear as a device on the Serial Bus.  
         [0062]     The Effects Module shown in  FIG. 8  is an image processing module. It allows a user to select a number of effects and applies them to the current image stored in the Printer Module  10 . The effects include borders, clip-art, captions, warps, color changes, and painting styles. The Effects Module comprises a body  81  housing custom electronics and a LCD  82 . A CHOOSE button  83  allows a user to choose between a number of different types of effects. A SELECT button  84  allows the user to select one effect from the number of effects of the chosen type. Pressing the APPLY button  85  applies the effect to image stored in the Printer Module  10 . The Effects Module obtains power from the Serial Bus. Male connector  86  and female connector  87  allow the Effects Module to be connected to other compact printer system modules.  
         [0063]      FIG. 9  shows a Character Module  90  that is a special type of Effects Module (described above) that only contains character clip-art effects of a given topic or genre. Examples include The Simpsons®, Star Wars®, Batman®, and Dilbert® as well as company specific modules for McDonalds® etc. As such it is an image processing module. It consists of a body  91  housing custom electronics and a LCD  92 . SELECT button  93  allows the user to choose the effect that is to be applied with APPLY button  94 . The Character Module obtains power from the Serial Bus through male connector  95  and female connector  96 .  
         [0064]     The Adaptor Module  100 , shown in  FIG. 10 , is a female/female connector that allows connection between two modules that terminate in male connectors. A male/male connector (not shown) allows connection between two modules that terminate in female connectors. The Adaptor Module is a housekeeping module, in that it facilitates the use of other modules, and does not perform any specific processing of its own.  
         [0065]     All “through” modules have a male connector at one end, and a female connector at the other end. The modules can therefore be chained together, with each module connected at either end of the chain. However some modules, such as the Laser Module  70 , are terminating modules, and therefore have either a male or female connector only. Such single-connector modules can only be connected at one end of the chain. If two such modules are to be connected at the one time, an Adaptor Module  100  is required.  
         [0066]      FIG. 11  shows a Pen Module  110  which is a pen in a module form. It is an isolated module in that it attaches to the compact printer system but is completely independent of any other module. It does not consume or require any power. The Pen Module is defined because it is a convenient extension of a pen shaped, pen sized device. It may also come with a cap  111 . The cap may be used to keep terminating connectors clean in the case where the chain ends with a connector rather than a terminating module.  
         [0067]     To assist with accurately feeding a business card sized print media into slot  13  of the printer module  10 , a dispenser module  120  is provided as shown in  FIG. 12 . The dispenser module  120  comprises a body  121  that holds a store of business card sized print media. A Printer Module  10  locates into socket  122  on the dispenser module  120 . When correctly aligned, a card dispensed from the dispenser module by slider  123  enters slot  13  and is printed.  
         [0068]     In the sense that a minimum configuration compact printer system must be able to print out photos, a minimum compact printer configuration contains at least a Printer Module  10 . The Printer Module holds a single photographic image that can be printed out via its Memjet printer. It also contains the 3V battery required to power the compact printer system.  
         [0069]     In this minimum configuration, the user is only able to print out photos. Each time a user inserts a business card  130  into the slot in the Printer Module, the image in the Printer Module is printed onto the card. The same image is printed each time a business card is inserted into the printer. In this minimum configuration there is no way for a user to change the image that is printed. The dispenser module  120  can be used to feed cards  130  into the Printer Module with a minimum of fuss, as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0070]     By connecting a Camera Module  20  to the minimum configuration compact printer system the user now has an instant printing digital camera in a pen, as shown in  FIG. 14 . The Camera Module  20  provides the mechanism for capturing images and the Printer Module  10  provides the mechanism for printing them out. The battery in the Printer Module provides power for both the camera and the printer.  
         [0071]     When the user presses the “Take” button  27  on the Camera Module  20 , the image is captured by the camera  24  and transferred to the Printer Module  10 . Each time a business card is inserted into the printer the captured image is printed out. If the user presses “Take” on the Camera Module again, the old image in the Printer Module is replaced by the new image.  
         [0072]     If the Camera Module is subsequently detached from the compact printer system, the captured image remains in the Printer Module, and can be printed out as many times as desired. The Camera Module is simply there to capture images to be placed in the Printer Module.  
         [0073]      FIG. 15  shows a further configuration in which a Memory Module  30  is connected to the configuration of  FIG. 14 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 15 , the user has the ability to transfer images between the Printer Module  10  and a storage area contained in the Memory Module  30 . The user selects the image number on the Memory Module, and then either sends that image to the Printer Module (replacing whatever image was already stored there), or brings the current image from the Printer Module to the specified image number in the Memory Module. The Memory Module also provides a way of sending sets of thumbnail images to the Printer Module.  
         [0074]     Multiple Memory Modules can be included in a given system, extending the number of images that can be stored. A given Memory Module can be disconnected from one compact printer system and connected to another for subsequent image printing.  
         [0075]     With the Camera Module  20  attached to a Memory Module/Printer Module compact printer system, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the user can “Take” an image with the Camera Module, then transfer it to the specified image number in the Memory Module. The captured images can then be printed out in any order.  
         [0076]     By connecting a Communications Module  40  to the minimum configuration compact printer system, the user gains the ability to transfer images between a PC and the compact printer system.  FIG. 16  shows the configuration of  FIG. 15  with the addition of a Communications Module  40 . The Communications Module makes the Printer Module  10  and any Memory Modules  30  visible to an external computer system. This allows the download or uploading of images. The communications module also allows computer control of any connected compact printer modules, such as the Camera Module  20 .  
         [0077]     In the general case, the Printer Module holds the “current” image, and the other modules function with respect to this central repository of the current image. The Printer Module is therefore the central location for image interchange in the compact printer system, and the Printer Module provides a service to other modules as specified by user interaction.  
         [0078]     A given module may act as an image source. It therefore has the ability to transfer an image to the Printer Module. A different module may act as an image store. It therefore has the ability to read the image from the Printer Module. Some modules act as both image store and image source. These modules can both read images from and write images to the Printer Module&#39;s current image.  
         [0079]     The standard image type has a single conceptual definition. The image definition is derived from the physical attributes of the printhead used in the Printer Module. The printhead is 2 inches wide and prints at 1600 dpi in cyan, magenta and yellow bi-level dots. Consequently a printed image from the compact printer system is 3200 bi-level dots wide.  
         [0080]     The compact printer system prints on business card sized pages (85 mm×55 mm). Since the printhead is 2 inches wide, the business cards are printed such that 1 line of dots is 2 inches. 2 inches is 50.8 mm, leaving a 2 mm edge on a standard business-card sized page. The length of the image is derived from the same card size with a 2 mm edge. Consequently the printed image length is 81 mm, which equals 5100 1600 dpi dots. The printed area of a page is therefore 81 mm×51 mm, or 5100×3200 dots.  
         [0081]     To obtain an integral contone to bi-level ratio a contone resolution of 267 ppi (pixels per inch) is chosen. This yields a contone CMY page size of 850×534, and a contone to bi-level ratio of 1:6 in each dimension. This ratio of 1:6 provides no perceived loss of quality since the output image is bi-level.  
         [0082]     The printhead prints dots in cyan, magenta, and yellow ink. The final output to the printed page must therefore be in the gamut of the printhead and take the attributes of the inks into account. It would at first seem reasonable to use the CMY color space to represent images. However, the printer&#39;s CMY color space does not have a linear response. This is definitely true of pigmented inks, and partially true for dye-based inks. The individual color profile of a particular device (input and output) can vary considerably. Image capture devices (such as digital cameras) typically work in RGB (red green blue) color space, and each sensor will have its own color response characteristics.  
         [0083]     Consequently, to allow for accurate conversion, as well as to allow for future image sensors, inks, and printers, the CIE L*a*b* color model [CIE, 1986, CIE 15.2 Colorimetry: Technical Report (2 nd  Edition), Commission Internationale De l&#39;Eclairage] is used for the compact printer system. L*a*b* is well defined, perceptually linear, and is a superset of other traditional color spaces (such as CMY, RGB, and HSV).  
         [0084]     The Printer Module must therefore be capable of converting L*a*b* images to the particular peculiarities of its CMY color space. However, since the compact printer system allows for connectivity to PCs, it is quite reasonable to also allow highly accurate color matching between screen and printer to be performed on the PC. However the printer driver or PC program must output L*a*b*.  
         [0085]     Each pixel of a compact printer image is therefore represented by 24 bits: 8 bits each of L*, a*, and b*. The total image size is therefore 1,361,700 bytes (850×534×3).  
         [0086]     Each image processing module is able to access the image stored in the Printer Module. The access is either to read the image from the Printer Module, or to write a new image to the Printer Module.  
         [0087]     The communications protocol for image access to the Printer Module provides a choice of internal image organization. Images can be accessed either as 850×534 or as 534×850. They can also be accessed in interleaved or planar format. When accessed as interleaved, each pixel in the image is read or written as 24 bits: 8 bits each of L*, a*, b*. When accessed as planar, each of the color planes can be read or written independently. The entire image of L* pixels, a* pixels or b* pixels can be read or written at a time.  
         [0088]     To provide the required control functions and image processing the print module  10  includes an application specific integrated circuit configured as a printer controller. A block schematic of the controller is shown in  FIG. 17 . Each element of the controller is described in detail below together with examples of operation of the elements. The controller is designed to be fabricated using a 0.25 micron CMOS process, with approximately 9 million transistors, almost half of which are flash memory or static RAM. This leads to an estimated area of 16 mm 2 . The controller contains:  
         [0089]     a CPU/microcontroller core;  
         [0090]     program storage memory, which is suitably 8 Kbytes of flash memory;  
         [0091]     program variable storage, which is suitably 2 KByte of RAM;  
         [0092]     a parallel interface;  
         [0093]     an Image Access Unit and associated image storage memory; and  
         [0094]     a Printhead Interface.  
         [0095]     The controller may also include a number of housekeeping and administration elements including;  
         [0096]     a Serial Bus Interface;  
         [0097]     2 QA Chip interfaces;  
         [0098]     a joint test action group (JTAG) interface;  
         [0099]     a clock; and  
         [0100]     a memory decoder.  
         [0101]     The controller is intended to run at a clock speed of approximately 48 MHz on 3V externally and 1.5V internally to minimize power consumption. The actual operating frequency will be an integer multiple of the Serial Bus operating frequency. The CPU is intended to be a simple micro-controller style CPU, running at about 1 MHz, and can be a vendor supplied core.  
         [0102]     Referring to  FIG. 17  the controller  170  incorporates a simple micro-controller CPU core  171  to synchronize the image capture and printing image processing chains and to perform general operating system duties including the user-interface. A wide variety of CPU cores are suitable, it can be any processor core with sufficient processing power to perform the required calculations and control functions fast enough to meet consumer expectations.  
         [0103]     Since all of the image processing is performed by dedicated hardware, the CPU does not have to process pixels. As a result, the CPU can be extremely simple. However it must be fast enough to run a stepper motor to advance the card during a print (the stepper motor requires a 5 KHz process). An example of a suitable core is a Philips 8051 micro-controller running at about 1 MHz.  
         [0104]     Associated with the CPU Core  171  is a Program ROM  172  and a small Program Scratch RAM  173 . The CPU  171  communicates with the other units within the controller via memory-mapped I/O supported by a Memory Decoder  174 . Particular address ranges map to particular units, and within each range, to particular registers within that particular unit. This includes the serial and parallel interfaces.  
         [0105]     The CPU Memory Decoder  174  is a simple decoder for satisfying CPU data accesses. The Decoder translates data addresses into internal controller register accesses over the internal low speed bus  175 , and therefore allows for memory mapped I/O of controller registers. The bus  175  includes address lines  175   a  and data or control lines  175   b.    
         [0106]     The small Program Flash ROM  172  is incorporated into the controller to store simple sequences for controlling the stepper motor and other functions (expanded below). The ROM size depends on the CPU chosen, but should not be more than 8 Kbytes.  
         [0107]     Likewise, a small scratch RAM  173  is incorporated into the controller for, primarily, program variable storage. Since the program code does not have to manipulate images, there is no need for a large scratch area. The RAM size depends on the CPU chosen (e.g. stack mechanisms, subroutine calling conventions, register sizes etc.), but should not be more than about 2 Kbytes  
         [0108]     The optional Serial Bus interface  176 , is connected to the internal chip low-speed bus  175 . The Serial Bus is controlled by the CPU  171  and preferably follows the USB protocol, although other protocols may be suitable. The Serial Bus is described in a co-pending application referred to above. The Serial Bus interface  176  allows the transfer of images to and from the Printer Module  10 , by external control from the camera module  20 , memory module  30 , effects module  80 , other modules or a computer. For example, the memory module  30  sends and receives images using the USB protocol on the Serial Bus.  
         [0109]     The parallel interface  177  connects the controller to individual static electrical signals. The CPU  171  is able to control each of these connections as memory-mapped I/O via the low-speed bus  175 . The following table shows the connections to the parallel interface.  
                                                 Connections to Parallel Interface                Connection   Direction   Pins                       Paper transport stepper motor   Out   4           Nozzle capping solenoid (optional)   Out   1           Buttons   In   2                      
 
         [0110]     As indicated in the table, the parallel interface  177  provides communication to a stepper motor  187  in the printer module  10  and can receive signals from buttons  188  (such as a paper sensor to detect the presence of printable media in the printer module).  
         [0111]     There are two optional low-speed serial interfaces  178 ,  179  connected to the internal low-speed bus  175 . A first interface  178  connects to a QA chip  189  in the ink cartridge of the printer module  10 . The second interface connects to a QA chip  190  on the print module  10 . The reason for having two interfaces is to connect to both the on-module QA Chip  190  and to the ink cartridge QA Chip  189  using separate lines. The two QA chips are implemented as Authentication Chips. If only a single line is used, a clone ink cartridge manufacturer could usurp the authentication mechanism and provide a non-proprietary cartridge.  
         [0112]     A CPU-mediated protocol between the two QA chips is used to authenticate the ink cartridge. The controller can then retrieve ink characteristics from the ink cartridge QA chip, as well as the remaining volume of each color ink. The controller uses the ink characteristics to properly configure the printhead  186 . It uses the remaining ink volumes, updated on a page-by-page basis with ink consumption information accumulated by the Printhead Interface  180 , to ensure that it never allows the printhead to be damaged by running dry.  
         [0113]     The Image Storage Memory  181  is used to store the current print image. It is suitably multi-level Flash RAM (2-bits per cell) so that the image is retained after the power has been shut off. It is referred to as ImageRAM for convenience. The image held in ImageRAM is kept in an interleaved format (the color components for a given pixel are stored together). Images are stored in one of two formats: either as CMY or L*a*b*, with each image represented by 850 lines containing 534 sets of 3 8-bit color samples each.  
         [0114]     The total amount of memory required for the interleaved linear CMY/L*a*b* image is 1,361,700 bytes (approximately 1.3 MB). The image is written to ImageRAM by the Image Access Unit  182 , and read by both the Image Access Unit  182  and the Print Generator Unit  193  of the printhead interface  180 . The CPU does not have direct random access to this image memory. It must access the image pixels via the Image Access Unit  182 .  
         [0115]     The Image Access Unit (IAU)  182  is the means for the controller to access the image in ImageRAM  181 . The controller can read pixels from the image in the image storage memory and write pixels back. The IAU allows planar and interleaved access. It also allows for 90 degrees rotation.  
         [0116]     Pixels are read by the controller when the image is to be transferred to another Module. Pixels are written by the controller when the image is being loaded from another Module. The registers of the IAU allow pixel transfers to be planar, interleaved or rotated by 90 degrees as desired.  
         [0117]     The Image Access Unit  182  is a straightforward access mechanism to ImageRAM  181 , and operates via the register set as shown in the following table.  
                                                           IAU Registers            Name   Bits   Description                    ImageAddress   21   Address to read or write in ImageRAM       Delta12   12   Amount to add to ImageAddress when stepping               from one pixel to the next in reads/writes for the               first 2 of each set of 3.       Delta3   12   Amount to add to ImageAddress when stepping               from one pixel to the next in reads/writes during               the 3rd access of each set of 3.       Mode   3   0 = Read from ImageAddress into Value.               1 = Write Value to ImageAddress.       Value   8   Value stored at ImageAddress (if Mode = Read)               Value to store at ImageAddress (if Mode = Write)                  
 
         [0118]     The data is read from or written to the appropriate address in Image RAM whenever the Value register is read from or written to, according to the sense of Mode. Interleaved/planar and rotated access is accomplished via the two Delta registers. The values are set as shown in the following table.  
                                                     Register Settings for Different Image Access Modes                Image Read or   Image               Access Type   Written as   Address   Delta12   Delta3               Interleaved   850 rows × 534 pixels   0     1     1       (each pixel 3 colors)   534 rows × 850 pixels   0     1       1600 a         Planar - plane N   850 rows × 534 pixels   N     3     3       (each pixel 1 color)   534 rows × 850 pixels   N       1602 b     1602                   a 534 × 3-2              b 534 × 2             
 
         [0119]     The controller  170  may also include a clock phase-locked loop  184  that provides timing signals to the controller. The clock  184  draws a base signal from crystal oscillator  185 . Some CPU include a clock so the clock  184  and crystal  185  would not be required.  
         [0120]     A standard JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) Interface  183  is included in the controller for testing purposes. Due to the complexity of the controller, a variety of testing techniques are required, including BIST (Built In Self Test) and functional block isolation. An overhead of 10% in chip area is assumed for overall chip testing circuitry.  
         [0121]     The Printhead Interface (PHI)  180  is the means by which the controller loads the printhead  186  with the dots to be printed, and controls the actual dot printing process. The following description describes one implementation of a method of converting the image stored in ImageRam to image printed on a card.  
         [0122]     The Printhead Interface  180  is a wrapper for a number of units as shown in  FIG. 18 , including:  
         [0123]     a Memjet Interface (MJI)  191 , which transfers data to the Memjet printhead  186 , and controls the nozzle firing sequences during a print;  
         [0124]     a pair of Line Synchronization Generator units (LSGU)  192 , which provide synchronization signals for the MJI  191  and the stepper motors  187 ; and  
         [0125]     a Print Generator Unit (PGU)  193  which takes an image from the ImageRAM  181  (in L*a*b* or CMY) and produces a 1600 dpi dithered CMY image in real time as required by the Memjet Interface  191 . In addition, the PGU has a Test Pattern mode, which enables the CPU  171  to specify precisely which nozzles are fired during a print.  
         [0126]     The units within the PHI are controlled by a number of registers that are programmed by the CPU  171 .  
         [0127]     In the PHI  180  there are two LSGUs  192 . The first LSGU  192   a  produces LineSync 0 , which is used to control the Memjet Interface  191 . The second LSGU  192   b  produces LineSync 1  which is used to pulse the paper drive stepper motor  187 .  
         [0128]     The LineSyncGen units  192  are responsible for generating the synchronization pulses required for printing a page. Each LSGU produces an external LineSync signal to enable line synchronization. The generator inside the LGSU generates a LineSync pulse when told to ‘go’, and then every so many cycles until told to stop. The LineSync pulse defines the start of the next line.  
         [0129]     The exact number of cycles between LineSync pulses is determined by the CyclesBetweenPulses register, one per generator. It must be at least long enough to allow one line to print (200 ms for the low speed printing) and another line to load, but can be longer as desired (for example, to accommodate special requirements of paper transport circuitry). If the CyclesBetweenPulses register is set to a number less than a line print time, the page will not print properly since each LineSync pulse will arrive before the particular line has finished printing.  
         [0130]     The following table shows the interface registers contained in the LSGU:  
                                         LineSyncGen Unit Registers            Register Name   Description               CyclesBetweenPulses   The number of cycles to wait between generating           one LineSync pulse and the next.       Go   Controls whether the LSGU is currently           generating LineSync pulses or not.           A write of 1 to this register generates a LineSync           pulse, transfers CyclesBetweenPulses to           CyclesRemaining, and starts the countdown.           When CyclesRemaining hits 0, another           LineSync pulse is generated,           CyclesBetweenPulses is transferred to           CyclesRemaining and the countdown is           started again.           A write of 0 to this register stops the countdown           and no more LineSync pulses are generated.       CyclesRemaining   A status register containing the number of cycles           remaining until the next LineSync pulse is           generated.                  
 
         [0131]     The Memjet Interface (MJI)  191  connects the controller  170  to the Memjet printhead  186 , providing both data and appropriate signals to control the nozzle loading and firing sequences during a print.  
         [0132]     The Memjet Interface  191  is a state machine which follows the printhead loading and firing order described, and includes the functionality of a preheat cycle and a cleaning cycle. The MJI  191  loads data into the printhead from a choice of two data sources:  
         [0133]     All 1s. This means that all nozzles will fire during a subsequent print cycle, and is the standard mechanism for loading the printhead for a preheat or cleaning cycle;  
         [0134]     From a 12-bit input held in a transfer register of the PGU  193 . This is the standard means of printing an image, whether it is a photo or test pattern. The 12-bit value from the PGU is directly sent to the printhead and a 1-bit ‘Advance’ control pulse is sent to the PGU.  
         [0135]     The MJI  191  knows how many lines it has to print for the page. When the MJI is told to ‘go’, it waits for a LineSync pulse before it starts the first line. Once it has finished loading/printing a line, it waits until the next LineSync pulse before starting the next line. The MJI stops once the specified number of lines has been loaded and/or printed, and ignores any further LineSync pulses.  
         [0136]     The MJI is started after the PGU has already prepared the first 12-bit transfer value. This is so the 12-bit data input will be valid for the first transfer to the printhead. The MJI is therefore directly connected to the PGU, LineSync 0 , and the external Memjet printhead.  
         [0137]     The following table shows the connections between the MJI  191  and the Memjet printhead  186 .  
                                                 Printhead Connections            Name   #Pins   I/O   Description               ChromapodSelect   4   0   Select which chromapod will fire (0-9)       NozzleSelect   4   0   Select which nozzle from the pod will fire                   (0-9)       Aenable   1   0   Firing pulse for phasegroup A       Benable   1   0   Firing pulse for phasegroup B       CDataIn[0-3]   4   0   Cyan output to cyan shift register of                   segments 0-3       MDataIn[0-3]   4   0   Magenta input to magenta shift register                   of segments 0-3       YDataIn[0-3]   4   0   Yellow input to yellow shift register of                   segments 0-3       SRClock   1   0   A pulse on SRClock (ShiftRegisterClock)                   loads the current values from                   CDataIn[0-3], MDataIn[0-3]                   and YDataIn[0-3] into the 12 shift                   registers of the printhead       Ptransfer   1   0   Parallel transfer of data from the shift                   registers to the printhead&#39;s internal                   NozzleEnable bits (one per nozzle).       SenseSegSelect   1   0   A pulse on SenseSegSelect ANDed with                   data on CDataIn[n] selects the sense lines                   for segment n.       Tsense   1   I   Temperature sense       Vsense   1   I   Voltage sense       Rsense   1   I   Resistivity sense       Wsense   1   I   Width sense                  
 
         [0138]     The duration of firing pulses on the AEnable and BEnable lines depend on the viscosity of the ink (which is dependent on temperature and ink characteristics) and the amount of power available to the printhead. The typical pulse duration range is 1.3 to 1.8 ms. The MJI therefore contains a programmable pulse duration table, indexed by feedback from the printhead. The table of pulse durations allows the use of a lower cost power supply, and aids in maintaining more accurate drop ejection.  
         [0139]     The Pulse Duration table has 256 entries, and is indexed by the current Vsense and Tsense settings. The upper 4-bits of address come from Vsense, and the lower 4-bits of address come from Tsense. Each entry is 8 bits, and represents a fixed point value in the range of 0-4 ms.  
         [0140]     The 256-byte table is written by the CPU  171  before printing the image. Each 8-bit pulse duration entry in the table combines:  
         [0141]     Brightness settings  
         [0142]     Viscosity curve of ink (from the ink cartridge QA Chip  189 )  
         [0143]     Rsense  
         [0144]     Wsense  
         [0145]     Tsense  
         [0146]     Vsense  
         [0147]     The MJI maintains a count of the number of dots of each color fired from the printhead. The dot count for each color is a 24-bit value, individually cleared under processor control. Each dot count can hold a maximum coverage dot count of a single 3-inch print, so in typical usage, the dot count will be read and cleared after each print.  
         [0148]     The dot counts are used by the CPU to update the QA chip in order to predict when the ink cartridge will run out of ink. The processor knows the volume of ink in the cartridge for each of C, M, and Y from the QA chip. Counting the number of drops eliminates the need for ink sensors, and prevents the ink channels from running dry. An updated drop count is written to the QA chip after each print. A new image will not be printed unless there is enough ink left, and allows the user to change the ink without getting a dud photo that must be reprinted.  
         [0149]     The CPU communicates with the MJI via a register set. The registers allow the CPU to parameterize a print as well as receive feedback about print progress. The following registers are contained in the MJI:  
                                                                                                         Memjet Interface Registers            Register Name   Description                    Print Parameters            NumTransfers   The number of transfers required to load the printhead (usually           800). This is the number of pulses on the SRClock and the number           of 12-bit data values to transfer for a given line.       NumLines   The number of Load/Print cycles to perform.            Monitoring the Print            Status   The Memjet Interface&#39;s Status Register       LinesRemaining   The number of lines remaining to be printed. Only valid while           Go = 1.           Starting value is NumLines and counts down to 0.       TransfersRemaining   The number of transfers remaining before the Printhead is           considered loaded for the current line. Only valid while Go = 1.           Starting value is NumTransfers and counts down to 0.       SenseSegment   The 4-bit value to place on the Cyan data lines during a subsequent           feedback SenseSegSelect pulse. Only 1 of the 4 bits should be set,           corresponding to one of the 4 segments.       SetAllNozzles   If non-zero, the 12-bit value written to the printhead during the           LoadDots process is all 1s, so that all nozzles will be fired during           the subsequent PrintDots process. This is used during the preheat           and cleaning cycles.           If 0, the 12-bit value written to the printhead comes from the Print           Generator Unit. This is the case during the actual printing of a photo           or test images.            Actions            Reset   A write to this register resets the M.H, stops any loading or printing           processes, and loads all registers with 0.       SenseSegSelect   A write to this register with any value clears the FeedbackValid bit           of the Status register, and the remaining action depends on the           values in the LoadingDots and PrintingDots status bits.           If either of the status bits are set, the Feedback bit is cleared and           nothing more is done.           If both status bits are clear, a pulse is given simultaneously on the           SenseSegSelect line with all Cyan data bits 0. This stops any           existing feedback. A pulse is then given on SenseSegSelect with the           Cyan data bits set according to the SenseSegment register. Once the           various sense lines have been tested, the values are placed in the           Tsense, Vsense, Rsense, and Wsense registers, and the Feedback bit           of the Status register is set.       Go   A write of 1 to this bit starts the LoadDots/PrintDots cycles, which           commences with a wait for the first LineSync pulse. A total of           NumLines lines are printed, each line being loadedlprinted after the           receipt of a LineSync pulse. The loading of each line consists of           NumTransfers 12-bit transfers. As each line is printed,           LinesRemaining decrements, and TransfersRemaining is reloaded           with NumTransfers again. The status register contains print status           information. Upon completion of NumLines, the loading/printing           process stops, the Go bit is cleared, and any further LineSync pulses           are ignored. During the final print cycle, nothing is loaded into the           printhead.           A write of 0 to this bit stops the print process, but does not clear any           other registers.       ClearCounts   A write to this register clears the CDotCount, MDotCount, and           YDotCount, registers if bits 0, 1, or 2 respectively are set.           Consequently a write of 0 has no effect.            Feedback             Tsense   Read only feedback of Tsense from the last SenseSegSelect pulse           sent to segment SenseSegment. Is only valid if the Feedback Valid           bit of the Status register is set.       Vsense   Read only feedback of Vsense from the last SenseSegSelect pulse           sent to segment SenseSegment. Is only valid if the Feedback Valid           bit of the Status register is set.       Rsense   Read only feedback of Rsense from the last SenseSegSelect pulse           sent to segment SenseSegment. Is only valid if the FeedbackValid           bit of the Status register is set.       Wsense   Read only feedback of Wsense from the last SenseSegSelect pulse           sent to segment SenseSegment. Is only valid if the Feedback Valid           bit of the Status register is set.       CDotCount   Read only 24-bit count of cyan dots sent to the printhead.       MDotCount   Read only 24-bit count of magenta dots sent to the printhead.       YDotCount   Read only 24-bit count of yellow dots sent to the printhead.                  
 
         [0150]     The MJI&#39;s Status Register is a 16-bit register with bit interpretations as follows:  
                                             MJI Status Register            Name   Bits   Description               LoadingDots   1   If set, the MJI is currently loading dots,               with the number of dots remaining to be               transferred in TransfersRemaining. If clear,               the MJI is not currently loading dots       PrintingDots   1   If set, the MJI is currently printing dots.               If clear, the MJI is not currently printing               dots.       PrintingA   1   This bit is set while there is a pulse on the               AEnable line       PrintingB   1   This bit is set while there is a pulse on the               BEnable line       FeedbackValid   1   This bit is set while the feedback values               Tsense, Vsense, Rsense, and Wsense are               valid       Reserved   3   —       PrintingChromapod   4   This holds the current chromapod being fired               while the PrintingDots status bit is set.       PrintingNozzles   4   This holds the current nozzle being fired               while the PrintingDots status bit is set.                  
 
         [0151]     The following pseudocode illustrates the logic required to load a printhead for a single line. Note that loading commences only after the LineSync pulse arrives. This is to ensure the data for the line has been prepared by the PGU and is valid for the first transfer to the printhead.  
                                                   Wait for LineSync           For TransfersRemaining = NumTransfers to 0             If (SetAllNozzles)               Set all ColorData lines to be 1             Else               Place 12 bit input on 12 ColorData lines             EndIf             Pulse SRClock             Wait 12 cycles             Send ADVANCE signal           EndFor                      
 
         [0152]     The Cleaning and Preheat cycles are accomplished by setting appropriate registers in the MJI:  
         [0153]     SetAllNozzles=1  
         [0154]     Set the PulseDuration register to either a low duration (in the case of the preheat mode) or to an appropriate drop ejection duration for cleaning mode.  
         [0155]     Set NumLines to be the number of times the nozzles should be fired  
         [0156]     Set the Go bit and then wait for the Go bit to be cleared when the print cycles have completed.  
         [0157]     The LSGU must also be programmed to send LineSync pulses at the correct frequency.  
         [0158]     From the simplest point of view, the PGU  193  provides the interface between the Image RAM  181  and the Memjet Interface  191 . The elements of the PGU are shown schematically in  FIG. 19 . Two image processing chains are evident. The first, the Test Pattern mode, simply reads data directly from Image RAM  181 , and formats in Test Pattern Access Unit (TPAU)  194  into output buffer  195  ready for output to the MJI  191 . The second print chain contains the majority of functions required for printing an image. A conversion processor  196  converts L*a*b* format images to CMY format and stores the result in contone buffer  197 . An Up-Interpolate, Halftone and Reformat for Printer Unit (UHRU)  198  massages the content of contone buffer  197  for the output buffer  195 , and hance the memjet interface  191 . The PGU takes as input a variety of parameters, including L*a*b* to CMY conversion tables and printing timing parameters. The conversion processor  196  and the UHRU unit  198  run in parallel. The buffer sizes are shown in the following table.  
                                                                   Buffer sizes for Print Generator Unit                Buffer   Size(bytes)   Composition of Buffer                            Buffer 1   5   3 × 12 bits           Buffer 2   9,612   3 colors (CMY) × 6 lines × 534                   contone pixels @ 8-bits each                      
 
         [0159]     Apart from a number of registers, some of the processes have significant lookup tables or memory components. These are summarized in the following table.  
                                                           Memory requirements within PGU Processes                Size   Composition       Unit   (bytes)   of Requirements                    Test Pattern Access   0           Convert L*a*b* to CMY   14,739   3 conversion tables,               each 17 × 17 × 17 × 8-bits       UpInterpolate/Halftone/   2,500   Dither Cell, 50 × 50 × 8-bits       Reformat                  
 
         [0160]     The output buffer  195  holds the generated dots from the Print Generation process. It consists of a 12-bit shift register to hold dots generated one at a time from the UHRU  197 , three 4-bit registers to hold the data generated from the TPAU  194 , and a 12-bit register used as the buffer for data transfer to the MJI  191 . A pulse on either the Advance line from the MJI, or the TransferWriteEnable from both the TPAU and the UHRU, loads the 12-bit Transfer register with all 12-bits, either from the three 4-bit registers or the single 12-bit shift register. The output buffer  195  therefore acts as a double buffering mechanism for the generated dots.  
         [0161]     The contone buffer  197  holds six lines of the calculated CMY contone image. The contone buffer is generated by the conversion processor  196 , and is accessed by the UHRU  198  in order to generate output dots for the printer.  
         [0162]     The size of the Contone Buffer is dependent on the physical distance between the nozzles on the printhead. As dots for one color are being generated for one physical line, dots for a different color on a different line are being generated. The net effect is that six different physical lines are printed at the one time from the printer—odd and even dots from different output lines, and different lines per color.  
         [0163]     Since the ratio of 534-res lines to 1600 dpi lines is 1:6, each contone pixel is sampled six times in each dimension. For the purposes of buffer lines, we are only concerned with 1 dimension, so only consider 6 dot lines coming from a single pixel line. The distance between nozzles of different colors is 4-8 dots (depending on Memjet parameters). We therefore assume 8, which gives a separation distance of 16 dots, or 17 dots in inclusive distance. The worst case scenario is that the 17 dot lines includes the last dot line from a given pixel line. This implies 5 pixel lines, with dot lines generated as 1, 5, 5, 5, 1, and allows an increase of nozzle separation to 10.  
         [0164]     To ensure that the contone generation process writing to the buffer does not interfere with the dot generation process reading from the buffer, we add an extra line per color, for a total of six lines per color.  
         [0165]     The contone buffer is therefore three colors of six lines, each line containing 534 8-bit contone values. The total memory required is 3×6×534=9,612 bytes (9.5 Kbytes). The memory only requires a single 8-bit read per cycle, and a single 8-bit write every 36 cycles (each contone pixel is read 36 times). The contone buffer can be implemented as single cycle double access (read and write) RAM running at the nominal speed of the printhead dot generation process. The contone buffer is set to white (all 0) before the start of the print process.  
         [0166]     The Test Pattern Access process is the means by which test patterns are produced. Under normal user circumstances, this process will not be used. It is primarily for diagnostic purposes and is not described in detail. Persons skilled in the art will be aware of suitable processes for producing test patterns.  
         [0167]     The operation of the conversion processor  196  to convert from L*a*b* to CMY is described in a co-pending application titled Color Conversion Method for Compact Printer System. The conversion is optional since the input data may already be in CMY format. In the latter case the data is simply passed through with no change.  
         [0168]     The conversion is performed as tri-linear interpolation. Three 17×17×17 lookup tables are used for the conversion process: L*a*b* to Cyan, L*a*b* to Magenta, and L*a*b* to Yellow. However, since there are 36 cycles to perform each tri-linear interpolation, there is no need for a fast tri-linear interpolation unit. Instead, 8 calls to a linear interpolation process is more than adequate.  
         [0169]     The input to the Up-interpolate, Halftone and Reformat Unit (UHRU) is the contone buffer  197  containing the partial CMY image. The output is a set of 12-bit values in the correct order to be sent to the Memjet Interface for subsequent output to the printhead via output buffer  195 . The 12 output bits are generated 1 bit at a time, and sent to the 12-bit shift register in the output buffer.  
         [0170]     The control of this process occurs from the Advance signal from the MJI and the LineSync0 pulse from the LSGU. When the UHRU starts up, and after each LineSync0 pulse, 12 bits are produced, and are clocked into the 12-bit shift register of output buffer  195 . After the 12th bit has been clocked in, a TransferWriteEnable pulse is given to the output buffer and the next 12 bits are generated. After this, the UHRU waits for the Advance pulse from the MJI. When the Advance pulse arrives, the TransferWriteEnable pulse is given to the output buffer, and the next 12 bits are calculated before waiting again. In practice, once the first Advance pulse is given, synchronization has occurred and future Advance pulses will occur every 12 cycles thereafter.  
         [0171]     The UpInterpolate, Halftone and Reformat process is shown schematically in  FIG. 20 .  
         [0172]     The 534×850 CMY image is up-interpolated to the final print resolution (3200×5100). The ratio is 1:6 in both dimensions. Although it is certainly possible to bi-linearly interpolate the 36 values (1:6 in both X and Y dimensions), the resultant values will not be printed contone. The results will be dithered and printed bi-level. Given that the contone 1600 dpi results will be converted into dithered bi-level dots, the accuracy of bi-linear interpolation from 267 dpi to 1600 dpi will not be visible (the image resolution was chosen for this very reason). Pixel replication will therefore produce good results.  
         [0173]     Pixel replication involves taking a single pixel, and using it as the value for a larger area. In this case, a single pixel is replicated to 36 pixels (a 6×6 block). If each pixel were contone, the result may appear blocky, but since the pixels are to be dithered, the effect is that the 36 resultant bi-level dots take on the contone value.  
         [0174]     The printhead is only capable of printing dots in a bi-level fashion. It is therefore necessary to convert from the contone CMY to a dithered CMY image. More specifically, a dispersed dot ordered dither is produce using a stochastic dither cell  200 , converting a contone CMY image into a dithered bi-level CMY image.  
         [0175]     The 8-bit 1600 dpi contone value is compared in unsigned comparator  199  to the current position in the dither cell. If the 8-bit contone value is greater than the dither cell value, an output bit of 1 is generated. Otherwise an output bit of 0 is generated. This output bit will eventually be sent to the printhead and control a single nozzle to produce a single C, M, or Y dot. The bit represents whether or not a particular nozzle will fire for a given color and position.  
         [0176]     The same position in the dither cell can be used for C, M, and Y. This is because the actual printhead produces the C, M, and Y dots for different lines in the same print cycle. The staggering of the different colored dots effectively gives staggering in the dither cell.  
         [0177]     The size of the dither cell depends on the resolution of the output dots. Since 1600 dpi dots are produced, the cell size should be larger than 32×32. In addition, to allow the dot processing order to match the printhead segments, the size of the dither cell should ideally divide evenly into 800 (since there are 800 dots in each segment of the printhead).  
         [0178]     A dither cell size of 50×50 is large enough to produce high quality results, and divides evenly into 800 (16 times). Each entry of the dither cell is 8 bits, for a total of 2500 bytes (approximately 2.5 KB).  
         [0179]     The final process before being sent to the printer is for the dots to be formatted into the correct order for being sent to the printhead. The dots must be sent to the printhead in the correct order—12 dots at a time for a 2 inch printhead.  
         [0180]     The dots are produced in the correct order for printing by the up-interpolate and dither functions. Those dot values (each value is 1 bit) can simply be collected, and sent off in groups of 12. The 12 bit groups can then be sent to the printhead by the Memjet Interface  191 .  
         [0181]     In order to halftone 9,600 contone pixels, 9,600 contone pixels must be read in. The Address Generator Unit  201  performs this task, generating the addresses into the contone buffer, which effectively implements the UpInterpolate task. The Address Generator Unit also performs the reformatting task, as described above, and the addressing for the staggered dither cell  200 .  
         [0182]     The printhead interface  180  therefore performs the bulk of the image formatting tasks. The image stored in the image storage memory  181  is translated by the printhead interface  180  into a suitable format to drive the nozzles in the Memjet printhead  186 . The CPU  171  is responsible for housekeeping and administration tasks to operate the printer module  10 , but not the image formatting tasks.  
         [0183]     Throughout the specification the aim has been to describe the preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Persons skilled in the relevant art may realize variations from the specific embodiments that will nonetheless fall within the scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 3