Synchronized Look-Up Table Loading for Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance inkjet printers face excessive processing power requirements and cost constraints due to the need for frequent updates of look-up tables to compensate for drop size variability and cross-color replacement, limiting the number of look-up tables that can be used.
Innovation Solution
Storing look-up tables in external memory and using a loader engine to perform synchronized loading, pre-configured with row triggers for automatic pre-loading, allowing continuous print job processing without interrupting the printer's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If look-up tables are stored in local memory in the ASIC or FPGA, then high performance processing is achieved with automatic look-up table switching, but the cost increases and the number of look-up tables that can be stored is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the look-up table storage function from the ASIC/FPGA local memory and relocates it to external memory. The loader engine in the ASIC or FPGA is responsible for loading look-up tables from external memory into local memory buffers as needed, separating the storage capacity requirements from the processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a loader engine as an intermediary component between external memory and the processing unit. This loader engine automatically loads the appropriate look-up tables into local memory buffers based on row triggers, mediating between the external storage and the processing requirements without requiring firmware intervention.
2Device complexity
If firmware manually loads look-up tables when needed, then memory management is simple, but processing interruptions occur and performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the loader engine automatically monitors print job progress and loads look-up tables without external firmware intervention. The system uses row triggers to automatically initiate look-up table loading when specific rows are reached during printing, enabling continuous processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-loading look-up tables into local memory buffers before they are actually needed for processing. The loader engine anticipates future look-up table requirements and loads them in advance, ensuring that no processing interruptions occur when look-up tables are needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If the number of look-up tables is increased to handle more print scenarios, then compensation accuracy improves, but local memory requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bulk storage requirement for multiple look-up tables from the expensive local memory and places it in external memory. This allows an essentially unlimited number of look-up tables to be stored externally, while only the currently needed tables are loaded into local memory, dramatically reducing memory cost while maintaining comprehensive compensation capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples relate to providing synchronized look-up table loading. In some examples, a print job is processed using an initial look-up table in processor memory. In response to the processing of the print job reaching a buffer trigger row of a portion of the print job, look-up metadata is accessed to locate a next look-up table. At this stage, the next look-up table is dynamically loaded into the processor memory as the processor continues to process the print job, where the processing of the print job begins using the next look-up table after a target row of the portion of the print job is reached.