Pagewidth inkjet printer with high data rate printer architecture
View Patent ↗A pagewidth inkjet printer includes a support structure. A pagewidth inkjet printhead is mounted on the support structure. A print media feed mechanism feeds print media along an ink path and operatively with respect to the inkjet printhead. An integrated circuit is mounted on the support structure to control operation of the printhead and the feed mechanism. The integrated circuit includes a data and control bus. Interface circuitry is connected to the data and control bus to permit external components to communicate with the data and control bus. Expansion circuitry is connected to the data and control bus to receive and to expand compressed image data. Processing circuitry is connected to the data and control bus to process the expanded image data.
1. A pagewidth inkjet printer that comprises:
a support structure;
a pagewidth inkjet printhead mounted on the support structure;
a print mediua feed mechanism for feeding print media along an ink path and operatively with respect to the inkjet printhead; and
an integrated circuit mounted on the support structure to control operation of the printhead and the feed mechanism, the integrated circuit comprising:
a data and control bus
interface circuitry connected to the data and control bus to permit external components to communicate with the data and control bus; and
expansion circuitry connected to the data and control bus to receive and to expand compressed image data and process the expanded image data; and
processing circuitry connected to the data and control bus to process the expanded image data.
2. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1 , in which the interface circuitry includes a universal serial bus (USB) interface, to permit a device, such as a personal computer, to be connected to the printer.
3. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1 , in which the interface circuitry includes a parallel interface to permit components such as buttons, LED's, media sensors and motors to be connected to the data and control bus.
4. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1 , in which the interface circuitry includes a serial interface to permit quality assurance circuitry of a print cartridge to communicate with the data and control bus.
5. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1 , in which the interface circuitry includes a printhead interface to permit communication between the printhead and the data and control bus.
6. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 1 , in which the expansion circuitry includes an expander module and a decoder module to expand and decode image data.
7. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 6 , in which the expander module is a run length expander module.
8. A pagewidth inkjet printer as claimed in claim 6 , in which the decoder module is a JPEG decoder module.