Data Pump for Printing Using State Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing systems face challenges in synchronizing image data transmission with the movement of workpieces, leading to potential gaps or pauses in printing, which can result in poor image quality and increased costs due to the need for complex buffering and robust logic at the print head assembly.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses an array of state machines and a serializer to assemble image data into packets, which are transmitted via high-speed interfaces like optical fibers, ensuring that image data is delivered just-in-time to the print head assembly based on the detected speed and position of the workpiece, eliminating the need for extensive buffering and reducing hardware complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image data is transmitted to the print head assembly using conventional buffering methods, then the print head assembly can maintain a supply of image data, but the system requires complex buffering hardware and robust logic at the print head assembly, increasing device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the buffering function from the print head assembly and relocates it to the host computer system. The print head assembly receives only freshly printed scan lines via high-speed parallel transmission, eliminating the need for complex buffering hardware and logic at the print head while maintaining continuous data supply through the host's buffer memory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a high-speed parallel transmission interface as an intermediary between the host computer and the print head assembly. This intermediary enables direct, real-time transfer of image data without requiring the print head to maintain its own buffer, thus reducing device complexity while ensuring reliable data supply.
2Productivity
If image data is transmitted at high speeds to match workpiece conveyor speed, then just-in-time printing is achieved improving productivity, but the system requires high bandwidth communication interfaces increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical buffering mechanisms at the print head with an electronic high-speed parallel transmission system. By using parallel data buses and synchronous transmission protocols, the system achieves high-speed data transfer matching conveyor speeds without the mechanical complexity of moving buffers or synchronization mechanisms at the print head assembly.
3Reliability
If extensive buffering is implemented at the print head assembly to handle data transmission delays, then data supply reliability is improved, but memory requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the memory buffering function from the print head assembly and places it in the host computer's memory system. This eliminates the need for expensive, high-speed memory at the print head while maintaining data supply reliability through the host's buffered memory and high-speed transmission interface.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for printing on a workpiece. In one implementation, a data pump is used to create a packet of image data for a print head assembly. The data pump includes multiple state machines to receive image data from an image buffer on a computer, and a serializer to gather image data from each of the state machines. Each of the state machines is configured to send image data to the serializer at a different instance in time. The serializer is configured to arrange the gathered image data according to when the serializer received the image data from each of the state machines. The data pump also includes an optical fiber communication interface to connect with a communication channel.