# US 2013/0155167 A1 · Laser oscillating mirror support for color printer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155167 A1 - Document ID: US20130155167A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/767,110 - Filed: 2013-02-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2007-07-13 - Assignees: Marvell World Trade Ltd. - Inventors: Douglas Gene Keithley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155167A1 ## CPC - G11B 7/00: Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation {by modifying optical properties or the physical structure}, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power {by sensing optical properties}; Record carriers therefor (G11B11/00, G11B13/00 take precedence) - G06K 15/1204: {involving the fast moving of an optical beam in the main scanning direction (G06K15/1233 - G06K15/129 take precedence)} - G06K 15/128: {generating or processing printable items, e.g. characters} - G06K 15/129: {Colour printing} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract Systems, apparatuses, and methods for pre-rendering image data for a plurality of scanning paths are described here. The method includes receiving image data including a plurality of scan lines for a top portion of an image page, pre-rendering the data for a first scanning path to generate a first data set, pre-rendering the data for a second scanning path to generate a second data set, determining an initial scanning direction, and selecting the first data set or the second data set responsive to said determining. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving data for printing in a laser printer, wherein the data corresponds to a plurality of lines; selecting, from the data corresponding to the plurality of lines, data corresponding to a subset of the plurality of lines such that the subset of the plurality of lines comprises (i) a top line of the plurality of lines and (ii) one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines; buffering, in a first buffer, the selected data such that the subset of lines are oriented in a first orientation; buffering, in a second buffer, the selected data such that the subset of lines are oriented in a second orientation that is different from the first orientation; determining an initial scanning direction of a laser beam while the laser beam is to scan the top line of the plurality of lines; based on the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam while the laser beam is to scan the top line of the plurality of lines, selecting the data buffered in one of the first buffer or the second buffer; and scanning the laser beam in accordance with the data buffered in the selected one of the first buffer or the second buffer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: while the subset of lines are oriented in the first orientation, the top line is associated with a first scanning direction of the laser beam; while the subset of lines are oriented in the second orientation, the top line is associated with a second scanning direction of the laser beam; and selecting the data buffered in one of the first buffer or the second buffer further comprises in response to determining that the initial scanning direction of the laser beam corresponds to the first scanning direction, selecting the data buffered in the first buffer, and in response to determining that the initial scanning direction of the laser beam corresponds to the second scanning direction, selecting the data buffered in the second buffer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein scanning the laser beam further comprises: in response to determining that the initial scanning direction of the laser beam corresponds to the first scanning direction, scanning the laser beam, in accordance with the top line of the plurality of lines, in the first scanning direction, and scanning the laser beam, in accordance with the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines, alternatively in the second scanning direction and the first scanning direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: while the subset of lines are oriented in the first orientation, the top line is oriented in a first direction, and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are alternatively oriented in (i) a second direction that is opposite of the first direction and (ii) the first direction; and while the subset of lines are oriented in the second orientation, the top line is oriented in the second direction, and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are alternatively oriented in (i) the first direction and (ii) the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: based on the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam, discarding the data buffered in another one of the first buffer or the second buffer that is not selected, without using the data buffered in the another one of the first buffer or the second buffer for printing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the top line of the plurality of lines and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are consecutive lines of the plurality of lines. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of lines correspond to an image page; and the subset of the plurality of lines correspond to a top portion of the image page. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the laser beam is scanned using an oscillating mirror. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the oscillating mirror is controlled by a galvanometer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining the initial scanning direction of the laser beam further comprises: based on a position of the galvanometer beam while the laser beam is to scan the top line of the plurality of lines, determining the initial scanning direction of the laser beam while the laser beam is to scan the top line of the plurality of lines. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selected data is buffered in the first buffer and the second buffer substantially concurrently. ### Claim 12 An apparatus comprising: a processing unit configured to receive data corresponding to a plurality of lines, and select, from the data corresponding to the plurality of lines, data corresponding to a subset of the plurality of lines, such that the subset of the plurality of lines comprises (i) a top line of the plurality of lines and (ii) one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines; a first buffer configured to buffer the selected data such that the subset of lines are oriented in a first orientation; a second buffer configured to buffer the selected data such that the subset of lines are oriented in a second orientation that is different from the first orientation; a detector configured to determine an initial scanning direction of a laser beam while the laser beam is to scan the top line of the plurality of lines; a selector configured to, based on the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam, select the data buffered in one of the first buffer or the second buffer; and a laser generation unit configured to generate the laser beam in accordance with the data buffered in the selected one of the first buffer or the second buffer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: while the subset of lines are oriented in the first orientation, the top line is associated with a first scanning direction of the laser beam; while the subset of lines are oriented in the second orientation, the top line is associated with a second scanning direction of the laser beam; and the selector is configured to select the data buffered in one of the first buffer or the second buffer by in response to the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam corresponding to the first scanning direction, selecting the data buffered in the first buffer, and in response to the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam corresponding to the second scanning direction, selecting the data buffered in the second buffer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: while the subset of lines are oriented in the first orientation, the top line is oriented in a first direction, and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are alternatively oriented in (i) a second direction that is opposite of the first direction and (ii) the first direction; and while the subset of lines are oriented in the second orientation, the top line is oriented in the second direction, and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are alternatively oriented in (i) the first direction and (ii) the second direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the selector is further configured to: based on the determined initial scanning direction of the laser beam, discard the data buffered in another one of the first buffer or the second buffer that is not selected, without using the data buffered in the another one of the first buffer or the second buffer for printing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the top line of the plurality of lines and the one or more subsequent lines of the plurality of lines are consecutive lines of the plurality of lines. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the plurality of lines correspond to an image page; and the subset of the plurality of lines correspond to a top portion of the image page. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a laser scanning unit configured to scan the generated laser beam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the laser scanning unit comprises: an oscillating mirror configured to scan the generated laser beam; and a galvanometer configured to control the oscillating mirror. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a laser printer.