Independent video hardware blocks to support laser printers

1. A printer comprising:

at least one laser driver;

a print control engine; and

a video controller, bidirectionally connected to the print control engine and the at least one laser driver via a system bus, having a video block that includes, a direct memory access (DMA) controller;

a video processor;

a first data bus and control bus electrically connecting the DMA controller to the video processor;

a video signal generator, connected to the video processor;

a second data bus and control bus connecting the video processor to the video signal generator;

a frequency synthesizer connected to the video signal generator;

configuration registers bidirectionally connected to the DMA controller, video processor, the video signal generator and the frequency synthesizer; and

a data bus and control bus electrically connecting the DMA controller and the configuration registers to the system bus.

2. A printer as defined in claim 1 , the data bus and control bus including: a third data bus and control bus electrically connecting the configuration registers to the system bus; and a fourth data bus and control bus, electrically connecting the DMA controller to the system bus.

3. A printer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the video controller generates one pass of the one laser driver, the image generated being monochromatic.

4. A printer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the video controller generates multiple passes of the laser driver, the image generated containing four color planes.

5. A printer as defined in claim 1 further comprising three color laser drivers, each connected to the video controller which has four video blocks, the image generated being an in-line color image.

6. A printer as defined in claim 1 , wherein: the video controller further includes a second video block; and a second laser driver connected to the video controller.

7. A printer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the video controller controls sharing the pass of the two laser drivers, the image generated being monochromatic.

8. A printer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the video controller generates multiple passes for each laser driver, the image generated containing four color planes.

9. A printer as defined in claim 6 further comprising seven laser drivers, each connected to the video controller which has eight video blocks, the image generated being in-line color image.

10. A printer having a laser driver, a print control engine and a video controller bidirectionally in communication with the print control engine and the laser driver via a system bus, the printer comprising:

a video block, the video block in communication with the video controller and configured to include:

a direct memory access (DMA) controller;

a video processor;

a first data bus and control bus communicatively coupling the DMA controller to the video processor;

a video signal generator in communication with the video processor;

a second data bus and control bus communicatively coupling the video processor to the video signal generator;

a frequency synthesizer in communication with the video signal generator;

configuration registers bidirectionally in communication with the DMA controller, video processor, the video signal generator and the frequency synthesizer; and

a third data bus and control bus communicatively coupling the DMA controller and the configuration registers to the system bus.

11. The printer as defined in claim 10 , wherein the third data bus and control bus further comprise:

a fourth data bus and control bus communicatively coupling the configuration registers to the system bus; and

a fifth data bus and control bus communicatively coupling the DMA controller to the system bus.

12. The printer as defined in claim 10 , wherein the video controller controls one pass of the at least one laser driver to generate a monochromatic image.

13. The printer as defined in claim 10 , wherein the video controller controls multiple passes of the at least one laser driver to generate an image containing a plurality of color planes.

14. The printer as defined in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of color laser drivers, each of the plurality of color laser drivers being in communication with the video controller which comprises a plurality of video blocks configured to generate an in-line color image.

15. The printer as defined in claim 10 , wherein the video controller further includes:

a second video block; and

a second laser driver in communication with the video controller.

16. The printer as defined in claim 15 , wherein the video controller controls sharing a pass of the laser driver and the second laser driver to generate a monochromatic image.

17. The printer as defined in claim 15 , wherein the video controller generates multiple passes for each laser driver to generate an image containing four color planes.