Linear LED array for digital printing apparatus

1. A linear array of light emitting semiconductor components for use in a digital printing apparatus, each light emitting semiconductor components comprising a driver and at least one light emitting device,

said array comprising a plurality of data buses respectively connecting to a first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said first plurality of subsets forming a first partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

said array further comprising a plurality of auxiliary buses respectively connecting to a second plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said second plurality of subsets forming a second partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

wherein said first partition and said second partition are chosen such that each one of said light emitting semiconductor components can be uniquely identified by the subset of the first partition and the subset of the second partition to which it belongs;

wherein said plurality of data buses is configured to supply instructions to said first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components; and

wherein each of said light emitting semiconductor components is configured to extract instructions on the basis of its membership of a particular subset according to said second partition;

wherein said plurality of auxiliary buses is configured to signal an active state or an inactive state;

wherein said plurality of data buses is further configured to supply respective address allocation instructions to said light emitting semiconductor components in synchronization with the active state signal of the respective auxiliary bus to which said light emitting semiconductor components are connected;

wherein said light emitting semiconductor components are configured to retain an address allocated by said respective address allocation instructions; and

wherein instructions subsequent to said address allocation instructions include an address and are transmitted independently of said active state signal, each of said light emitting semiconductor components being configured to extract instructions by comparing said included address to said retained address.

2. The linear array according to claim 1 ,

wherein said plurality of auxiliary buses is configured to cycle through a sequence of states in which only one of said plurality of auxiliary buses is signaling said active state, and said plurality of data buses is configured to supply an instruction for a particular light emitting semiconductor component in synchronization with the active state signal of the auxiliary bus to which said particular light emitting semiconductor component is connected.

3. A digital printing apparatus comprising at least one array of light emitting semiconductor components according to claim 1 .

4. A linear array of light emitting semiconductor components for use in a digital printing apparatus, each light emitting semiconductor component comprising a driver and at least one light emitting device,

said array comprising a plurality of data buses respectively connecting to a first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said first plurality of subsets forming a first partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

said array further comprising a plurality of auxiliary buses respectively connecting to a second plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said second plurality of subsets forming a second partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

wherein said first partition and said second partition are chosen such that each one of said light emitting semiconductor components can be uniquely identified by the subset of the first partition and the subset of the second partition to which it belongs;

wherein said plurality of data buses is configured to supply instructions to said first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components; and

wherein each of said light emitting semiconductor components is configured to extract instructions on the basis of its membership of a particular subset according to said second partition;

wherein said plurality of data buses is configured to supply respective address allocation instructions to said light emitting semiconductor components;

wherein said light emitting semiconductor components are configured to retain an address allocated by said respective address allocation instructions; and

wherein instructions subsequent to said address allocation instructions include an address, each of said light emitting semiconductor components being configured to extract instructions by comparing said included address to said retained address.

5. A digital printing apparatus comprising at least one array of light emitting semiconductor components according to claim 4 .

6. A method for transmitting instructions from a controller to a linear array of light emitting semiconductor components in a digital printing apparatus, each light emitting semiconductor components comprising a driver and at least one light emitting device,

wherein said array comprises a plurality of data buses respectively connecting to a first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said first plurality of subsets forming a first partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

wherein said array comprises a plurality of auxiliary buses respectively connecting to a second plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said second plurality of subsets forming a second partition of said light emitting semiconductor components; and

wherein said first partition and said second partition are chosen such that each one of said light emitting semiconductor components can be uniquely identified by the subset of the first partition and the subset of the second partition to which it belongs;

said method comprising:

supplying instructions to said first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components over said plurality of data buses; and

extracting instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components on the basis of their membership of a particular subset according to said second partition;

wherein said plurality of auxiliary buses is configured to signal an active state or an inactive state, said method further comprising:

supplying address allocation instructions for particular light emitting semiconductor components over said plurality of data buses in synchronization with the active state signal of the auxiliary bus to which said particular light emitting semiconductor components are connected;

retaining an address allocated by said address allocation instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components;

transmitting instructions subsequent to said address allocation instructions over said plurality of data buses independently of said active state signal, said subsequent instructions including said retained address; and

extracting instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components by comparing said included address to said retained address.

7. The method according to claim 6 ,

wherein said plurality of auxiliary buses is configured to signal an active state or an inactive state, said method further comprising:

cycling said plurality of auxiliary buses through a sequence of states in which only one of said plurality of auxiliary buses is signaling said active state; and

supplying an instruction for a particular light emitting semiconductor components over said plurality of data buses in synchronization with the active state signal of the auxiliary bus to which said particular light emitting semiconductor component is connected.

8. A method for transmitting instructions from a controller to a linear array of light emitting semiconductor components in a digital printing apparatus, each light emitting semiconductor components comprising a driver and at least one light emitting device,

wherein said array comprises a plurality of data buses respectively connecting to a first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said first plurality of subsets forming a first partition of said light emitting semiconductor components;

wherein said array comprises a plurality of auxiliary buses respectively connecting to a second plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components, said second plurality of subsets forming a second partition of said light emitting semiconductor components; and

wherein said first partition and said second partition are chosen such that each one of said light emitting semiconductor components can be uniquely identified by the subset of the first partition and the subset of the second partition to which it belongs;

said method comprising:

supplying instructions to said first plurality of subsets of said light emitting semiconductor components over said plurality of data buses; and

extracting instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components on the basis of their membership of a particular subset according to said second partition;

said method further comprising:

supplying address allocation instructions for particular light emitting semiconductor components over said plurality of data buses;

retaining an address allocated by said address allocation instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components;

transmitting instructions subsequent to said address allocation instructions over said plurality of data buses, said subsequent instructions including said retained address; and

extracting instructions at said light emitting semiconductor components by comparing said included address to said retained address.

9. A computer program product comprising code means configured to cause a processor to carry out the method of claim 8 .