Printing system architecture
View Patent ↗Systems and techniques for printing on a workpiece. In one implementation, a print system has a collection of print elements arranged to span a print area, a workpiece conveyor to move a workpiece through the print area, and a detector to detect a position of the workpiece in the print area. The print system also has control electronics to instruct the collection of print elements to print an image on the workpiece substantially immediately when the collection of print elements receive the instruction through an optical communication path.
1. A method for synchronously printing an image on a workpiece, the method comprising:
receiving image data at a location that is remote from a print head;
arranging the received image data according to physical parameters of the print head to be used to print the image data on the workpiece;
forming a first packet of image data;
sending the first packet of image data to an electronic unit positioned on the print head;
receiving subsequent image data at the location that is remote from the print head;
arranging the received subsequent image data according to the physical parameters of the print head to be used to print the subsequent image data on the workpiece;
forming a second packet of image data based on the arranged subsequent image data;
sending the second packet of image data to the electronic unit positioned on the print head; and
upon receiving the second packet of image data at the electronic unit on the print head,
decoding the first packet of image data with the electronic unit, and
printing the decoded first packet of image data on the workpiece, wherein the receipt of the second packet of image data by the electronic unit on the print head is used as a trigger to cause the decoded first packet of image data at the print head to be printed substantially immediately on the workpiece.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the decoded first packet of image data being printed substantially immediately on the workpiece comprises printing the decoded first packet of image data substantially at an instant at which the second packet of image data arrives at the print head.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the arranging of the received image data, and forming of the first packet of image data are order-independent.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein for each packet of image data, two or more of the receiving, arranging, forming, and sending, are to be performed at least partially in parallel.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising translating the first packet of image data into a format understandable by a printer.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first packet of image data is formed by a data pump.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first or second packet of image data is received from a Peripheral Component Interconnect-type bus of a host computer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic unit comprises a detachable electronic unit.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first packet of image data is sent to the electronic unit on the print head at a data rate of at least 1 Gbps.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first packet of image data is sent through an optical communication path.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second packet of image data is sent to the electronic unit on the print head at a data rate of at least 1 Gbps.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second packet of image data is sent through an optical communication path.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first packet of image data is sent to the electronic unit on the print head at a data rate of at least 8 Gbps.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first packet of image data is sent through an optical communication path.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second packet of image data is sent to the electronic unit on the print head at a data rate of at least 8 Gbps.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second packet of image data is sent through an optical communication path.