Richard M Dow

US Patent:

6504622, Jan 7, 2003

Filed:

Sep 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/666161

Inventors:

Russell Campbell - Boise ID
Timothy P. Blair - Boise ID
Richard M. Dow - Laramie WY
Douglas J. Mellor - Meridian ID

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Company - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 1500

US Classification:

358 117, 358 114, 358 116

Abstract:

An imaging device and method enable the freeing of memory during a punt (print overrun) avoidance operation and during a duplexing operation for enhanced page throughput. Specifically, if a first race condition threshold is met, being indicative of an estimated need to pre-rasterize a band from a page of image data for punt avoidance, and if after pre-rasterization it is determined pre-rasterization is not actually needed for punt avoidance, then the pre-rasterized band is evaluated relative to its display list for memory savings purposes for improved page throughput performance. Similarly, if a duplex condition threshold is met, being indicative of a band being part of a first side of a duplex page being processed and of an estimated need to save memory for processing of the second side of the duplex page, then the band is pre-rasterized and evaluated relative to its display list for memory savings purposes for improved duplex page throughput performance. If neither the race condition threshold nor duplex condition threshold is met, but an increased general memory savings condition threshold is met for the band, then the band is pre-rasterized for memory savings purposes.

US Patent:

6594029, Jul 15, 2003

Filed:

Apr 19, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/294831

Inventors:

Douglas J. Mellor - Meridian ID
Steven H. Taylor - Boise ID
Richard M. Dow - Laramie WY

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Company - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 1500

US Classification:

358 115, 358 116, 358 15, 358448

Abstract:

Methods of guard-banding, methods of dynamic guard-banding, and related apparatus for real time image-data processing are described. In one embodiment, at least one image-processing pipeline variance is measured. Responsive to measuring the image-processing pipeline variance, a guard band is imposed around a processing parameter of the image-processing pipeline. In another embodiment, a first parameter relating to processing time of a predetermined amount of data through an image-processing pipeline is determined. A second parameter relating to processing time of the predetermined amount of data through the image-processing pipeline is determined. The second parameter is related to the first parameter. The first and second parameters are compared, and responsive thereto, a guard band is imposed on at least a portion of the processing which takes place in the image-processing pipeline. In preferred embodiments, the guard bands are adjustable dynamically or on-the-fly.

US Patent:

7929160, Apr 19, 2011

Filed:

Mar 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/385393

Inventors:

Theresa A. Burkes - Meridian ID, US
Richard M. Dow - Laramie WY, US
Chris R. Gunning - Boise ID, US
Dana A. Jacobsen - Boise ID, US
Lisa Johnson - Boise ID, US
Raymond S. Kennedy - Nampa ID, US
Robert J. Lavey - Siloam Springs AR, US
Perry Lea - Meridian ID, US
Scott S. Lee - Meridian ID, US
John Mauzey - Boise ID, US
Douglas J. Mellor - Meridian ID, US
Steven R. Folkner - Boise ID, US
Randall E. Grohs - Star ID, US
Terry-Lee M. Fritz - Boise ID, US
Michael B. Lloyd - Meridian ID, US

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06F 15/00

US Classification:

358 115, 358 15, 358448, 358 117, 358 112, 358 114, 358 116, 358 111, 358 113, 358 118, 358 17

Abstract:

An exemplary device implementation includes: a manager that is capable of monitoring a process for preparing a page for printing; and a print engine that is capable of printing the page after the process for preparing the page for printing is complete; wherein the device is adapted to temporally overlap the process for preparing the page for printing with preparation of the print engine for printing. An exemplary method implementation includes actions of: beginning processing of a page of a printing job; providing at least one command to a print engine responsive to at least one time remaining estimate for the processing of the page of the printing job prior to completion of the processing of the page of the printing job; and changing a state of the print engine responsive to the providing of the at least one command to the print engine.

US Patent:

20020063894, May 30, 2002

Filed:

Aug 28, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/141786

Inventors:

RUSSELL CAMPBELL - BOISE ID, US
TIMOTHY P. BLAIR - BOISE ID, US
RICHARD M. DOW - LARAMIE WY, US

International Classification:

B41B001/00

US Classification:

358/001160

Abstract:

An imaging device and method provide memory management tasks on page data in memory upon detecting a status of the memory during the composing of a current page and without waiting for an already composed page to finish imaging. As such, page throughput of a multi-page print job is improved. The status of the memory detected includes a memory allocation fault and a free memory status threshold. The memory management tasks include compressing the data in the memory, relocating the data, and/or compressing and relocating the data. Optionally, the compressing and relocating includes using a memory fragmentation avoidance technique. The data in the memory on which the memory management tasks are performed includes raster patches, video bands, vector bands, fonts, and patterns either on the page currently being composed for imaging and/or on pages that are already composed and waiting to be imaged.

US Patent:

20020093669, Jul 18, 2002

Filed:

Aug 28, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/141789

Inventors:

RUSSELL CAMPBELL - BOISE ID, US
RICHARD M. DOW - LARAMIE WY, US

International Classification:

G06K015/02
G06F012/00

US Classification:

358/001900, 358/001160, 358/001170

Abstract:

An imaging device and method provide a binding of complexity indicia to bands of a page being composed for video imaging. The indicia enable memory management tasks to be performed on the bands while the page is waiting in the page pipe to be imaged. Advantageously, the memory management tasks are performed without waiting for any already composed page to finish imaging. Accordingly, page throughput of a multi-page print job is improved. In one embodiment, the indicia includes at least one data element that is indicative of the band being safe for being acted upon by the memory management tasks. In an alternate embodiment, the indicia includes a data element that is indicative of a complexity of the band for being video imaged, and a further data element that is indicative of an incremental complexity of the band relative to a given memory management task that may be performed. In yet another embodiment, the indicia includes a third data element that is indicative of how much free time exists for video imaging the band. The free time element enables a quick determination as to whether sufficient video imaging time exists for accomplishing the memory management associated with the incremental cost element. Additionally, the free time element enables bands to reference each other and “borrow” video imaging time if appropriate.

US Patent:

20030202209, Oct 30, 2003

Filed:

Apr 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/136923

Inventors:

Douglas Mellor - Meridian ID, US
Charles Keyes - Boise ID, US
Richard Dow - Laramie WY, US
Lisa Johnson - Boise ID, US
Raymond Kennedy - Nampa ID, US

International Classification:

G06F015/00
G06K001/00
B41F001/00

US Classification:

358/001160, 358/001150

Abstract:

A print unit prints pages of a print job in a different page order than the logical page order, but outputs the print job in a logical page order. A control system repetitively selects one or more portions of the print job from a memory device. Each of the one or more portions is selected out-of-logical page order for supply to the print unit to satisfy printing in the different page order. Each of the one or more portions when selected from the memory device, are temporarily stored in location(s) of a print-ready memory until no longer needed for supply to the print unit, at which time the control system releases the location(s) to be able to receive new data. “Memory out” conditions are also avoided by immediately releasing all objects associated with collated printing before completion of the collated print job, if memory is insufficient to complete the job.

US Patent:

20040125385, Jul 1, 2004

Filed:

Dec 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/331834

Inventors:

Douglas Mellor - Meridian ID, US
Dana Jacobsen - Boise ID, US
Richard Dow - Laramie WY, US

International Classification:

G06F015/00

US Classification:

358/001100, 358/001150

Abstract:

Provided are various systems, methods, and programs embodied in a computer readable medium for estimating a guarantee time. In one embodiment, a method is provided that comprises the steps of estimating at least one strip guarantee component time, determining a bounding of the guarantee time from the at least one strip guarantee component time, and calculating an estimate of the guarantee time.

US Patent:

60409177, Mar 21, 2000

Filed:

Oct 27, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/958437

Inventors:

Russell Campbell - Boise ID
Richard M. Dow - Boise ID
Timothy P. Blair - Boise ID
Burton H. Poppenga - Boise ID

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard Company - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06K 1500

US Classification:

358 117

Abstract:

A multi-resolution capable printer includes a critical operations memory buffer for enabling critical page print operations to occur without flushing the video buffers and without waiting for returned-in memory to heal into larger free blocks. The critical operations buffer thus enables improved constant printer throughput and reduced "pausing" during a multi-page print job. The critical operations buffer is dynamically sized to the resolution of the current page being printed. Thus, at higher resolution configurations, the critical operations buffer is reduced in size to allow the video buffers to increase in size to accommodate the higher resolution. At lower resolution configurations, the critical operations buffer is increased in size and the video buffers are decreased in size to accommodate the lower resolution. Advantageously, the total combined pre-reserved memory area utilized by the critical operations buffer and the video buffers remains constant. The critical operations buffer is utilized for large contiguous memory allocation requests, pre-rasterization operations, compressing operations, rendering character bitmaps, scaling and rotating raster objects, building vector paths, defragmenting the memory, and the like.