Michael Joseph Piatt

US Patent:

6341857, Jan 29, 2002

Filed:

May 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/574037

Inventors:

Raouf Botros - Centerville OH
Michael J. Piatt - Kettering OH

Assignee:

Scitex Digital Printing, Inc. - Dayton OH

International Classification:

G10D 1100

US Classification:

347100

Abstract:

In a continuous ink jet printing system, bleed and pullback are minimized by selecting an ink set having a particular print order, with each ink having its components selected to equalize the surface tensions of the inks. By equalizing the surface tensions, the percentage of density of the primary ink which can be printed increases, thereby increasing the secondary and tertiary color gamut.

US Patent:

6443549, Sep 3, 2002

Filed:

Feb 4, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/497888

Inventors:

William R. Bitticker - Centerville OH
Michael J. Piatt - Kettering OH

Assignee:

Scitex Digital Printing, Inc. - Dayton OH

International Classification:

B41J 2205

US Classification:

347 15, 358502, 358521, 347 14

Abstract:

A method for improving tone reproduction in a digital printing system is provided. First, an image to be printed is defined. The image will have areas of minimal ink density and areas of medium to high ink density. A randomized dot placement scheme is used for dispersing ink drops in the minimal ink density areas of the image. An ordered structure scheme is used for dispersing ink drops in the medium to high ink density areas of the image.

US Patent:

6792864, Sep 21, 2004

Filed:

Jan 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/336134

Inventors:

Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH
Terry Wozniak - Springfield OH
Joshua H. Howard - Kettering OH

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41F 1324

US Classification:

101484, 358 19

Abstract:

The present invention provides a method for reproducing image data from a press output on another device. The present invention mimics color, resolution and frequency of dots used by varying the color saturation (amplitude) of the dots used to mimic the defining characteristics of the source output. By allowing adjustments in both frequency and amplitude to vary from the original output device, it becomes possible to match the resolution and color of the source device.

US Patent:

6944334, Sep 13, 2005

Filed:

Feb 1, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/775454

Inventors:

Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH, US
Terry Wozniak - Springfield OH, US
Joseph Mangan - Granger IN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

G06K009/00

US Classification:

382167, 382165, 345590, 358518, 358520, 358525

Abstract:

A system and method are proposed for the printing of all possible colors, including all permutations of primary inks used to make processed colors, in equal increments and of a size easily measurable with a device that will convert the colors into standard color coordinates. These colors are categorized and used to determine the ability of the output device to reproduce a source color. Each color printed within the gamut of an output device is identified and correlated to independent color coordinates. The primary color recipe necessary to reproduce a reference color within the gamut of the output device is identified. The magnitude of deviation of out of gamut source colors is determined, and the closest in gamut colors are specified through methods of interpolation and nearest neighbor. Furthermore, the alteration in gamut size can be predicted based upon image manipulation processes associated with the workflow. Source colors can be correlated to the altered destination gamut in order to determine the recipe of in gamut colors.

US Patent:

6980330, Dec 27, 2005

Filed:

Jun 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/597437

Inventors:

Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH, US
Christopher L. Watkins - Fairborn OH, US

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

H04N001/407

US Classification:

358 326, 358521, 382275

Abstract:

The present invention addresses problems encountered in the conversion of continuous tone data into binary data for printing on low resolution imaging systems. Representation of the continuous tone data is only roughly approximated through the conversion to binary data. Artifacts of the binary printing process are objectionable for several reasons. They decrease over all image quality and may sometimes allow for only partial representation of the original data. Partially formed and/or irregularly formed text characters are one such example. This invention addresses this problem by forcing certain levels to be processed through predictable dot dispersion patterns so as to preserve pre-identified portions of the input data stream. Continuous tone image data for imaging on a digital output device is processed by identifying at least one problematic tone level in the binary representation of the image, and identifying at least one non-problematic tone level in the binary representation of the image. Data transformation is then applied to cause the digital output device to replace the at least one problematic tone level in the binary representation of the image with output at the at least one non-problematic tone level in the binary representation of the image.

US Patent:

7050196, May 23, 2006

Filed:

Jun 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/597534

Inventors:

Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH, US
Terry Wozniak - Springfield OH, US
Christopher L. Watkins - Fairborn OH, US

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

G06F 15/00
G03F 3/08
G06K 9/00

US Classification:

358 19, 358520, 382165

Abstract:

The present invention addresses the quantification of a printed tone scale for each individual color in a printing system, developing a linear tone scale derived in an independent color space and referenced from the shade of the unprinted substrate. The present invention determines the threshold for excessive ink coverage of a printing system on a specified substrate. This determination is based on a subjective evaluation of acceptable thresholds for bleed, cockle, show through, and image density. The method works in conjunction with a predefined test pattern printed on the specified substrate at fixed printing parameters, such as speed, dryer temperature, and web tension. This invention also includes an ability to limit the ink of each independent color in the system as a fraction of the total upper ink limit. Furthermore, this invention allows calibration of the tone scale of each color in the system using the color of the paper as a reference point. In addition, this invention facilitates the generation of separate sets of tone scale transformations for both graphics and text for each color in the system.

US Patent:

7102790, Sep 5, 2006

Filed:

Nov 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/008825

Inventors:

Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH, US
Terry Wozniak - Springfield OH, US
Joseph P. Mangan - Granger IN, US

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

H04N 1/40

US Classification:

358 31, 358 309

Abstract:

A system and method are provided for linearizing the tone scale of individual colors in a multi-color printing system, by deriving a prescribed tone scale of individual colors in a single or multi-color printing system. Full linear ink gradations are printed on multiple substrates, and a linearization table is generated with multiple points for each of the multiple substrates and/or ink gradations. A polynomial curve is fitted to the points of each linearization table to generate polynomial curves. At least one point in the polynomial curves is selected, that shows high variation from one curve to a next curve, and coefficients of a group of polynomial curves are plotted as functions of the value of the at least one point. The range of prediction can be as narrow or as broad as an application requires. Finally, a prescribed tone scale table is derived from the polynomial curves and the at least one point.

US Patent:

7249830, Jul 31, 2007

Filed:

Sep 16, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/229467

Inventors:

Gilbert A. Hawkins - Mendon NY, US
Stephen F. Pond - Williamsburg VA, US
Michael J. Piatt - Dayton OH, US

Assignee:

Eastman Kodak Company - Rochester NY

International Classification:

B41J 29/393

US Classification:

347 78, 347 19, 347 81

Abstract:

A jet break-off length control apparatus for a continuous liquid drop emission system is provided. The jet break-off length control apparatus comprises a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid. Resistive heater apparatus is adapted to transfer pulses of thermal energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. A sensing apparatus adapted to detect the stream of drops of predetermined volumes is provided. The jet break-off length control apparatus further comprises a control apparatus adapted to calculate a characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes and adapted to provide a break-off length calibration signal to the resistive heater apparatus wherein the break-off length calibration signal is determined at least by the characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops. The present inventions are additionally configured to control break-off lengths for a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes by determining a break-off length calibration signal that contains information specific to the plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes.