Media-type encoding and print mode selection
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsCarmalyn Lubawy, David Hall
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Abstract
A technique for efficiently using media-type identifier code on print media and for processing that code, once read, to select the appropriate print mode for a printer that is to print onto that media. The system of the present invention minimizes the number of bits of data that must be associated with (hence, marked on) a sheet of print media to convey adequately the information as to the type of media, and is inherently backwards compatible. The invention uses simplified encoding and algorithm processing, which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a look-up table for storing known media-type code with associated print modes. A distance algorithm is used for locating the most appropriate print mode for given media-type identifier code that is not found in the table.
Claims18
A method for selecting one of at least two print modes for operating a printer to print on media that carries an identifier code, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a two-dimensional matrix having a first dimension defined by a range of first-dimension data and a second dimension defined by a range of second-dimension data;
- defining a first cluster of selected parts of the first-dimension data and the second-dimension data;
- correlating a first print mode to the first cluster;
- defining a second cluster of selected parts of the first-dimension data and the second-dimension data;
- correlating a second print mode to the second cluster;
- and
- selecting the first print mode or the second print mode, depending upon correspondence between the identifier code and the dimension data of the first cluster and the second cluster.
A method of facilitating selection of one of at least two print modes for operating a printer to print on media that carries an identifier code that is a number of binary bits in length, the identifier code corresponding to any of a plurality of media types, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a matrix having a first dimension defined by a range of first-dimension data and a second dimension defined by a range of second-dimension data;
- defining a first cluster that corresponds to selected parts of the matrix;
- associating a first print mode with the first cluster;
- defining a second cluster that corresponds to selected parts of the matrix;
- associating a second print mode with the second cluster;
- and
- locating at least one cell in each of the first and second clusters, each cell having a discrete address defined by a unit of the first-dimension data and a unit of the second-dimension data, the address corresponding to the identifier code of one of the plurality of media types.
A system for facilitating a selection of one of at least two print modes for operating a printer to print on a sheet of media that carries one of a plurality of identifier codes;
- the system comprising:
- a code reader for reading the identifier code carried by the sheet;
- a processor for receiving the identifier code read by the code reader;
- a memory associated with the processor and including a tabulation of media types, the tabulation including cells, each cell having a code that has associated with it a print mode;
- and
- nearness means for determining a print mode in the event the identifier code carried by the sheet does not match one of the codes included in the tabulation, the nearness means including a matrix of known media types arranged to have row addresses and column addresses in a predictable order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.