Abstract:
Apparatus for capturing and printing images on a receiver sheet includes a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a display for displaying such stored image and including alignment structure and an ink jet printer, an ink jet print head including a plurality of colored inks and a structure for providing relative movement between the ink jet print head and the receiver sheet. The ink jet print head further includes coupling the ink jet printer to the alignment structure to provide a unitary camera printer unit. Image signals are transferred to the ink jet print head to cause the ink jet print head to deliver ink to a receiver sheet to form an image corresponding to the stored image on the receiver sheet.
Abstract:
A photographic camera for taking photographs of a scene having a film speed determining system, an electronically controllable picture taking lens that can be positioned to a plurality of lens focal lengths, a lens selection system for operation by the camera user to select one of the lens focal lengths at which the user wants the picture taking lens to be positioned, and a light sensing system that detects the amount of ambient light illuminating the scene, includes a controller responsive to film speed, available ambient light, and light gathering capacity of the picture taking lens at a selected lens focal length, for determining if the photograph will be underexposed at the selected lens focal length and inhibiting the taking for underexposed photographs.
Abstract:
A method of and apparatus for sequentially printing lines of image pixels in the thermal printing of a two-dimensional image on a wide receiver media employing a print head arrangement of the type comprising a plurality N of linear thermal print head segments each comprising a set n of thermal print elements, each element having a data bit input terminal, in an alternating, staggered pattern in first and second rows of N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 print head segments arranged across the media in a print line direction such that respective sub-sets of n.sub.1 thermal print elements of the adjacent ends of the N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 print head segments arranged in the first and second rows overlap in the print line direction. Each line of image print data into first and second print line data sub-sets which, when applied to the respective first and second rows of print head segments, print respective first and second line sub-images each having a complete segment and a partially complete segment, wherein the partially complete segments positionally overlap one another. The partially complete segments of the first and second line sub-images have their complete areas distributed throughout the respective segment in complementary patterns, which may reflect an arbitrary or random distribution.
Abstract:
A sheet for use in a printing process has an image receiving surface on one side and an invisible magnetic coating on the reverse side. The magnetic coating contains encoded data used to determine the nonrecording side of the sheet to prevent printing on the wrong side of the sheet. The encoded data is machine readable and contains information on the printing characteristics of the image receiving surface of the sheet.
Abstract:
A thermal printer produces an image on a front surface of a thermal dye receiver. The printer contains a web of material having a thermally activated transferable coating and a roller for supporting the receiver and orienting the receiver with the front surface facing the web. A solid bar is positioned opposite the receiver and web, and urges the web and receiver against the roller. The solid bar is heated to transfer the coating from the web to the front surface of the receiver.
Abstract:
A non-volatile memory is mounted on a cartridge for a thermal printer and includes color correction and carrier defect data which are used by the printer to make prints.
Abstract:
A cooling system is provided for a thermal print head that has a thermal dye transfer portion and a rear surface. The cooling system includes a bracket defining an open reservoir, and is attached to the print head so that the rear surface of the print head closes the reservoir. Cooling fluid is pumped into the reservoir and brought into contact with the rear surface to effect cooling of the print head. The bracket is removably attached using bolts with o-rings and a sealing gasket interposed between the bracket and print head.
Abstract:
Thermal printing apparatus includes motor control means for variably controlling the rotational speed of a take-up spool used to wind-up an expended dye-bearing donor web after passage through a print zone. During a printing step in which the donor web is contacted by a thermal print head, the take-up spool is rotated at a relatively slow speed, whereby the spool takes up the donor web at a rate slower than that at which the web is payed-out of the print zone. By this arrangement, the take-up spool exerts zero tension on the web during the printing operation, and certain tension-produced artifacts in the thermal print are eliminated. During the interval between successive printing operations, the take-up spool is rotated at a rate sufficient to take-up the web slack produced during printing.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a patternable coatable electrically conductive layer comprising a fluid-coated electrically conductive material, wherein the fluid-coated electrically conductive material has sufficient conductivity to induce an electric field strong enough to change the optical state of a light modulating material and a display comprising a substrate, at least one patternable coatable electrically conductive layer comprising a fluid-coated electrically conductive material, wherein said fluid coated electrically conductive material has sufficient conductivity to induce an electric field strong enough to change the optical state of a light modulating material which has a first and a second field-switched stable optical state, and an imaging layer comprising said light modulating material disposed over said at least one patternable fluid-coated electrically conductive layer. The invention also relates to a method for making a coatable electrically conductive layer and a method for making a display with a coatable electrically conductive layer.
Abstract:
A transaction card system includes a transaction cared with a display tag for displaying short term information, the character display having optical states that are stable without power and viewable from one side of the display tag and an array of electrical contacts for electrically addressing the character display from the other side of the tag, a contact window through which the contacts are accessible, machine readable data on the card, and long term information printed on the transaction card; a transaction card writer having a reader for reading the machine readable data and having means for updating the short term information displayed on the transaction card; and a central computer connected to the transaction card writer having a data base and a central processor for receiving the information read by the magnetic card reader and generating display commands for the transaction card writer.