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US 6,854,821 B2Granted
Systems and methods for printing by using a position-coding pattern
AssigneeAnoto AB
InventorsPetter Ericson, Stefan Burström
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention include a printer for printing graphical information on a surface. The printer includes a print head for printing indicia on the surface and an image sensor for recording an image of the surface. The recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that identifies a position on the surface. A processor converts the recorded image into a recorded position, and the print head then prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded position with the graphical information to be printed.
Claims41
An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
- an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that identifies an absolute position on the surface;
- and
- a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position by:
- identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
- associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position;
- and determining said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window, wherein
- the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded absolute position with the graphical information to be printed.
5 more elements
A system for printing graphic information on a surface having a position-coding pattern thereon, wherein an arbitrary subset of the position coding pattern defines an absolute coordinate position on the surface, the system comprising:
- a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
- and
- an image sensor for recording an image of the surface,
- wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the graphic information with the absolute coordinate position defined by a position-coding pattern in the recorded image,
- wherein said system converts the recorded image into the absolute coordinate position by:
- identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
- associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position;
- and determining said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window.
5 more elements
A method for printing graphic information on a surface, comprising:
- accessing graphical information to be printed on the surface;
- recording an image of the surface;
- deriving an absolute position from the recorded image by:
- identifying a number of symbols in the recorded image;
- associating said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position;
- and deriving said absolute position based on the symbols of the associated code window;
- and
- printing indicia on the surface based on a comparison of a recorded position derived from the recorded image and the graphic information.
5 more elements
An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a nozzle for dispensing dye on the surface;
- an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that codes an absolute position on the surface;
- and
- a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position, wherein the processor determines a predicted position of the nozzle based on the recorded absolute position, wherein the nozzle dispenses dye on the surface when the predicted position corresponds to a graphics position in the graphical information.
1 more element
An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
- an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, wherein the recorded image contains a position-coding pattern that codes an absolute position on the surface;
- and
- a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position, wherein the processor determines a predicted position of the print head based on the recorded absolute position, wherein the print head prints the indicia on the surface when the predicted position corresponds to a graphics position in the graphical information.
1 more element
A system for printing graphical information, comprising:
- a printing surface having a position-coding pattern thereon, wherein an arbitrary subset, having a predetermined size, of the position-coding pattern identifies a unique absolute position on the printing surface, wherein each absolute position on the printing surface is coded by a group of symbols included in said position-coding pattern, such that a number of symbols may be associated with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, with each code window comprising a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position;
- and
- a printing unit for printing the graphic information on the printing surface, wherein the printing unit further includes:
- a print head for printing indicia on the printing surface;
- and
- an image sensor for recording an image of the arbitrary subset on the printing surface,
- wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the identified unique absolute position on the printing surface with the graphical information to be printed.
4 more elements
A hand-held printing device configured to print as:
- the device is moved over a surface upon which is recorded a position-coding pattern, the hand-held printing device comprising:
- a housing configured to be held by a user;
- a print head in the housing;
- a sensor in the housing for reading the position-coding pattern;
- a processor for determining, as the housing is moved over the surface, an absolute location on the surface based on the position-coding pattern read by the sensor, and for causing the print head to print based upon the determined absolute location, wherein said processor identifies a number of symbols in the position-coding pattern read by the sensor;
- associates said symbols with one of a plurality of code windows on said surface, wherein each code window comprises a predetermined plurality of symbols that define a unique absolute position;
- and determines said absolute location based on the symbols of the associated code window.
4 more elements
An apparatus for printing graphical information on a surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a print head for printing indicia on the surface;
- an image sensor for recording an image of the surface, which contains a partial surface of a predetermined size of a position-coding pattern on the surface;
- said position-coding pattern being based on a cyclic number series, which has the characteristic that the position in the number series of each number sequence of a predetermined length is determined unambiguously and which is arranged a plurality of times on the surface with different rotations so that adjacent cyclic number series are displaced relative to each other by predetermined displacements;
- and
- a processor for converting the recorded image into a recorded absolute position by identifying a plurality of said number sequences from the position-coding pattern on the partial surface;
- determining a position for each number sequence in said cyclic number series;
- on the basis of these positions, determining the displacements between the adjacent cyclic number series containing the number sequences from the partial surface;
- and determining, based on the displacements, said recorded absolute position;
- wherein the print head prints indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the recorded position with the graphical information to be printed.
6 more elements
A method for printing graphic information on a surface, comprising:
- accessing graphical information to be printed on the surface;
- recording an image of the surface, which contains a partial surface of a predetermined size of a position-coding pattern on the surface;
- said position-coding pattern being based on a cyclic number series, which has the characteristic that the position in the number series of each number sequence of a predetermined length is determined unambiguously and which is arranged a plurality of times on the surface with different rotations so that adjacent cyclic number series are displaced relative to each other by predetermined displacements;
- identifying a plurality of said number sequences from the position-coding pattern on the partial surface;
- determining a position for each number sequence in said cyclic number series;
- on the basis of these positions, determining the displacements between the adjacent cyclic number series containing the number sequences from the partial surface;
- deriving, based on the displacements, an absolute position for said partial surface;
- and
- printing indicia on the surface based on a comparison of the derived absolute position and the graphic information.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.