Method and apparatus for two-color ink jet point of sale (POS) printing
AssigneeTransAct Technologies Incorporated
InventorStephen R. Payne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A 2-color ink jet point of sale (POS) printer includes a converter for converting full color printing commands into a commands for printing in two colors, a primary color and an alternate color. A three color image is possible when using the background color of the paper as a color.
Claims6
A method of converting a full color image to a three color image, wherein said three colors are a primary color, an alternate color, and a background color, comprising:
- providing a color image on a host computer as display pixels, wherein said color image includes a combination of none, one, two, or all three of a first color, a second color, and a third color;
- converting each pixel to a corresponding printer command;
- determining a first color value, a second color value, and a third color value for each of said printer commands based on an intensity of said first color, said second color, and said third color present in said pixel;
- comparing each of first, second, and third color values for each printer command to a given threshold and designating a color value as ON if it exceeds a given threshold, and designating a color value as OFF if it is below or equal to said given threshold;
- and
- printing each printer command as
- (a) said primary color if all color values for said printer command are OFF,
- (b) said primary color if said first color value is ON and said second and third color values are OFF and said primary color is said first color;
- (c) said alternate color if said first color value is ON and said second and third color values are OFF and said alternate color is said first color;
- and
- (d) no color if all color values for said printer command are ON.
An apparatus for converting a full color image to a three color image, wherein said three colors are a primary color, an alternate color, and a background color, comprising:
- means for providing a color image on a host computer as display pixels, wherein said color image includes a combination of none, one, two, or all three of a first color, a second color, and a third color;
- means for converting each pixel to a corresponding printer command;
- means for determining a first color value, a second color value, and a third color value for each of said printer commands based on an intensity of said first color, said second color, and said third color present in said pixel;
- means for comparing each of first, second, and third color values for each printer command to a given threshold and designating a color value as ON if it exceeds a given threshold, and designating a color value as OFF if it is below or equal to said given threshold;
- and
- means for printing each printer command as
- (a) said primary color if all color values for said printer command are OFF,
- (b) said primary color if said first color value is ON and said second and third color values are OFF and said primary color is said first color;
- (c) said alternate color if said first color value is ON and said second and third color values are OFF and said alternate color is said first color;
- and
- (d) no color if all color values for said printer command are ON.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.