Patent · US Expired

Print engine data interface

US4809216A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
6References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 25, 1986
Grant dateFeb 28, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 25, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06K2215/0077
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A print engine data interface for sequentially accessing locations in a full page bit map for either retrieving the data therein and forwarding it to a print engine for subsequent printing, or for issuing a refresh command to refresh the data. A bit map address counter generates address location in the full page bit map that the print engine data interface accesses. A scan offset adjustment circuit in combination with a refresh and read/write arbitration logic circuit and the bit map address counter are provided so that the print engine data interface only accesses address locations for read/write retrieval that contain printing instructions to be forwarded to the print engine. The bit map locations that do not include printing instructions for forwarding are thus accessed only for refreshing. The print engine data interface further includes a parallel-to-serial converter unit to put the retrieved data in a form so that it can be forwarded in the usable state to the print engine.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.