# US 7,407,250 B2 · Apparatus, system, and method for multi-dimensional registration printing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,407,250 B2 - Document ID: US7407250B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/061,334 - Filed: 2005-02-17 - Published: 2005-08-18 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2004-02-18 - Assignees: Pixal Wizard International, Inc - Inventors: Mark R. Jones; Gerd B. Peters-Grellenberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407250B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/335: Structure of thermal heads - B41J 2202/33: Thermal printer with pre-coating or post-coating ribbon system - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for multi-dimensional registration printing. One embodiment of the apparatus includes an image module, a print module, and an object registration module. The image module stores a digital representation of an image. The print module prints the image on a multi-dimensional surface of an object. The object registration module controls a multi-dimensional registration of the multi-dimensional surface of the object in proximity to a print head in accordance with the image. The printing system may use a print ribbon that includes an infrared absorbent, a resin, or both. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus to facilitate registration printing on a multi-dimensional surface, the apparatus comprising: an image module configured to store a digital representation of an image; a print module coupled to the image module, the print module configured to print the image on a multi-dimensional surface of an object; and an object registration module coupled to the print module, the object registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of the multi-dimensional surface of the object in proximity to a print head in accordance with the image; a print ribbon cartridge coupled to a registration mount and controlled by the print module, the print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon; an object holding device configured to hold an object having a print surface; and a registration device coupled to the registration mount and the object holding device, the registration device controlled by the object registration module and configured to move the registration mount and the object holding device to orient the print ribbon cartridge and the object holding device in a print position with respect to a print head; wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a radial extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the radial extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially radial path; comprising a sensor to sense a mark on the object to facilitate orientation of the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a print head registration module coupled to the print module, the print head registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of a print head in proximity to the multi-dimensional surface in accordance with the image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a media control module coupled to the print module, the media control module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of a print media in proximity to at least one of the print head and the multi-dimensional surface of the object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image concatenation module coupled to the print module, the image concatenation module configured to concatenate the digital representation of the image with a second digital representation of a second image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an orientation module coupled to the object registration module, the orientation module configured to orient the object with respect to a physical characteristic of the object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a station control module coupled to the object registration module, the station control module configured to move the object between a printing station and another object handling station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a verification module coupled to the object registration module, the verification module configured to identify a verification mark applied to the object; a sensor module coupled to the object registration module, the sensor module configured to control a sensor to facilitate handling of the object; and a delivery module coupled to the object registration module, the delivery module configured to deliver the object to a delivery station after the image is printed on the multi-dimensional surface of the object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a print ribbon controlled by the print module, the print ribbon comprising: a dye carrier medium; a dye applied to the dye carrier medium; a resin applied to the dye carrier medium, the resin to facilitate adhesion of the dye to a printing surface; and an infrared absorbent applied to the dye carrier medium, the infrared absorbent reactive to an infrared source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent absorbs heat in response to an infrared signal from the infrared source, the infrared signal within an infrared wavelength range of approximately between 750 nm and 1 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the resin facilitates protection of the dye in response to application of the dye to an object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dye comprises one of a plurality of dyes applied to the dye carrier medium, each of the plurality of dyes applied to alternating panels of the dye carrier medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dye is a single dye monochromatically applied to the dye carrier medium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises less than approximately two percent of a total dye weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises approximately between one and ten percent of a solid weight of the dye. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises approximately between four and eight percent of a solid weight of the dye. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a print ribbon controlled by the print module, the print ribbon comprising: a dye carrier medium; a dye applied to the dye carrier medium; and an infrared absorbent applied to the dye carrier medium, the infrared absorbent reactive to an infrared signal from an infrared laser, the infrared signal having a wavelength of at least approximately 850 nm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises an absorbance of approximately 0.5 AU within a wavelength range of approximately between 900 nm and 1050 nm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises a maximum absorbance within a wavelength range of approximately between 975 nm and 1000 nm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the print head comprises a laser print head configured to emit a laser signal having approximately an infrared wavelength. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a laser intensity module configured to control an intensity of the laser signal from the laser print head. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a laser time module configured to control a duration of the laser signal from the laser print head. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ribbon extension device to extend the print ribbon away from the print ribbon cartridge and to orient the print ribbon approximately in contact with the print surface of the object. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a linear extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the linear extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially linear path. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a radial extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the radial extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially radial path. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a dye-sublimation printing module to print on a multi-dimensional surface, the module comprising: a print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon with a dye applied thereto; and a print head configured to directly transfer the dye from the print ribbon to a multi-dimensional surface of an object. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising an infrared absorbent applied to the print ribbon. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising an infrared laser configured to apply an infrared signal to the print ribbon. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a resin applied to the print ribbon. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon with a dye applied thereto; an infrared laser having a wavelength of at least approximately 850 nm; an infrared absorbent applied to the print ribbon, the infrared absorbent reactive to the infrared laser, to transfer the dye directly from the print ribbon to a surface of an object in response to incidence of an infrared signal from the infrared laser on the print ribbon. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the printing system is configured to print the dye on the surface of a multi-dimensional object. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the printing system is configured to print the dye on a sheet of paper. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a resin applied to the print ribbon. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the surface of the object comprises a receiving layer applied to the surface of the object. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an automated kiosk for registration printing and vending a multi-dimensional object, the automated kiosk comprising: a selection module configured to allow a customer to select a multi-dimensional object for purchase; a print module configured to print an image on a surface of the object; and a registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of at least one of a print head and the multi-dimensional object in proximity to the other in accordance with the image. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising at least one of: a kiosk lockout module configured to lock the automated kiosk system in an inoperable state in response to a lockout control signal; an image input module configured to access an image file that is stored remotely from the automated kiosk system; an image load module configured to access an image file that is stored locally on the automated kiosk system; a text input module configured to recognize text input from a user and include the text input in the image in response to an insertion operation; and a display module configured to display the image to a user for verification before the image is printed on the surface. ### Claim 36 An automated kiosk for registration printing and vending a multi-dimensional object, the automated kiosk comprising: a selection module configured to allow a customer to select a multi-dimensional object for purchase; a print module configured to print an image on a surface of the object; and a registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of at least one of a print head and the multi-dimensional object in proximity to the other in accordance with the image; a print ribbon cartridge coupled to a registration mount and controlled by the print module, the print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon; an object holding device configured to hold an object having a print surface; and a registration device coupled to the registration mount and the object holding device, the registration device controlled by the object registration module and configured to move the registration mount and the object holding device to orient the print ribbon cartridge and the object holding device in a print position with respect to a print head; wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a radial extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the radial extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially radial path; comprising a sensor to sense a mark on the object to facilitate orientation of the object.