Droplet deposition apparatus comprising an array of fluid chambers defined by a pair of opposing chamber walls, and in fluid communication with a nozzle for droplet ejection therefrom; a cover member is joined to the edges of the chamber walls and thus seals one side of the chambers. The cover member has a ratio of cover thickness to chamber wall separation less than or equal to 1:1.

Droplet deposition apparatus

A system and method for automatically providing content associated with captured information is described. In some examples, the system receives input by a user, and automatically provides content or links to content associated with the input. In some examples, the system receives input via text entry or by capturing text from a rendered document, such as a printed document, an object, an audio stream, and so on.

Automatically providing content associated with captured information, such as information captured in real-time

A device for capturing rendered text is described. The device incorporates one or more visual sensors that receive visual information as a part of capturing rendered text. The visual sensors are collectively capable of capturing both text that is permanently printed on a page, and text that is displayed transitorily on a dynamic device. The device further incorporates a visual information disposition subsystem for disposing of visual information received by the visual sensors. The device further incorporates a package that bears the visual sensors and the visual information disposition subsystem, and is suitable to be held in a human hand.

Handheld device for capturing text from both a document printed on paper and a document displayed on a dynamic display device

A portable device having scanning, imaging or other data-capture capability is described. In some cases, the portable device can indicate to the user when enough information has been captured to uniquely identify a source document. In some cases, the portable device calculates timestamps and location-stamps indicating when and where a data capture occurred. In some cases, the portable device is controlled by gestures. In some cases, the portable scanning device has associated billing and content/service subscription information.

Data capture from rendered documents using handheld device

A printer/copier apparatus is adapted to receive a replacement ink cartridge that is employed during the printing/copying operation. The apparatus includes a receptacle with a first connector that is coupled to a processor which controls operation of the apparatus. The cartridge includes a second connector which mates with the first connector and a serial access memory that is connected to the second connector. Data transfers are enabled both from and to the memory to enable access and modification of data stored therein that is indicative of cartridge usage, calibration, and to parameters for controlling operation of the apparatus. The invention is applicable to replaceable apparatus used with laser and ink jet printers, copiers, etc.

Replaceable part with integral memory for usage, calibration and other data

A scanning device and method for forming a scanned electronic image include using navigation information that is acquired along with image data, and then rectifying the image data based upon the navigation and image information. The navigation information is obtained in frames. The differences between consecutive frames are detected and accumulated, and this accumulated displacement value is representative of a position of the scanning device relative to a reference. The image data is then positioned-tagged using the position data obtained from the accumulated displacement value. To avoid the accumulation of errors, the accumulated displacement value obtained from consecutive frames is updated by comparing a current frame with a much earlier frame stored in memory and using the resulting difference as the displacement from the earlier frame. These larger displacement steps are then accumulated to determine the relative position of the scanning device.

Navigation technique for detecting movement of navigation sensors relative to an object

An integrated circuit for use in the printhead of an ink jet printer includes an array circuit for heating an ink reservoir to produce a pattern of ink jets, the array circuit including a plurality of resistor cells arranged into rows and columns. A corresponding number of row and column lines are coupled to the integrated circuit array for selecting and energizing the resistor cells according to the desired printing pattern. An identification circuit integrated into the same substrate as the array circuit includes one or more programmable paths, the programmable paths corresponding and coupled to each row line. The programmable paths each include the serial combination of a programmable fuse and an active device. The opposite end of the programmable paths are coupled together at a common node, which in turn is coupled to an output circuit for providing a single output signal in response to a polling of the row lines. The identification circuit can be programmed and polled without adversely affecting or energizing the array circuit.

Integrated circuit printhead for an ink jet printer including an integrated identification circuit

Method and apparatus useful for eight-level halftone thermal ink jet printing by printing with droplets of ink with volumes weighted in a binary sequence. Three binary-weighted drop generators (50, 52, 54) which are fired in sequence are useful in an eight-level, three color printing process and additionally may be employed with a clear ink vehicle drop generator (60) in order to reduce optical density of single small dots in a given pixel area to thereby reduce grainyness. This method and apparatus are also adapted for three color number printing with a chosen number of rows and columns of binary-weighted drop generators, (84, 86, 88) including untoned vehicle if desired, in order to achieve color printing of pixels having desired color and optical density.

Multitone ink jet printer and method of operation

A novel, wide inkjet printhead and method of forming said inkjet printhead is disclosed, wherein a pattern of orifices are formed, using a step-and-repeat process, in a flexible tape using laser ablation or other suitable etching devices. The location of the orifices corresponds to where ink will be ejected from the inkjet printhead. The pattern of orifices may extend to any length without difficulty in aligning the orifices, since the tape may be continuous along the entire length of the printhead.

Wide inkjet printhead

A scanning device and method of forming a scanned electronic image include an imaging sensor and at least one navigation sensor. In the preferred embodiment, the imaging sensor is a linear array of sensor elements, with a two-dimensional navigation sensor array at each end. The scanning device has three degrees of freedom, since position information from the navigation sensors allows manipulation of an image signal from the imaging sensor to reduce distortion artifacts caused by curvilinear scanning. Acceptable sources of the position information include printed matter and contrast variations dictated by variations in the inherent structure-related properties of the medium on which the scanned image is formed. Illumination for optimal operation of the navigation system may be introduced at a grazing angle in some applications or in the normal to a plane of the original in other applications, but this is not essential.

Ross R. Allen

Papers

Navigation technique for detecting movement of navigation sensors relative to an object

Integrated circuit printhead for an ink jet printer including an integrated identification circuit

Multitone ink jet printer and method of operation

Wide inkjet printhead

Freehand image scanning device which compensates for non-linear movement