Compensated laser cutting of labels

Abstract

Apparatuses and embodiments related to compensated laser cutting of labels. A computer system receives an image of a label, and rasterizes the image. The computer system determines how much of each type of printer ink of a label printer to deposit at each pixel location of the image. The computer system determines which pixels intersect a cut line, and determines the characteristics of the ink of the pixels, such as the quantity or thickness of the ink at the pixel locations. The computer system determines laser data including power, cut speed, and/or frequency of a laser that is tuned to accurately cut through the ink that forms the image, the material(s) of the label, and the adhesive that removably adheres the label to base material(s), but to not excessively damage the base material(s). A laser cutting system uses the laser data to control a laser.

1 . A method for compensated laser cutting of a product label comprising:
 receiving, by a label printing system, an image file that includes machine-readable instructions that define a print pattern and a cut pattern for the product label,
 the instructions that define the print pattern further controlling amounts and types of inks to be deposited at various locations on the product label, 
 the instructions that define the cut pattern further defining a variable setting for any of power, cutting speed, or frequency of a laser of the label printing system; 
   based on the image file, printing the product label, by the label printing system, on a first surface of pressure sensitive label stock,
 wherein the pressure sensitive label stock includes face stock, adhesive, and liner, 
 wherein the face stock is removably bonded by the adhesive to the liner, and 
 wherein the first surface is on the face stock; 
   controlling, by the label printing system, any of the power, the cutting speed, or the frequency of the laser based on the variable setting of the image file;   varying, by the label printing system, any of the power, the cutting speed, or the frequency of the laser by location of the cut pattern based on the amounts and the types of the inks that are deposited on the face stock at the various locations during said printing of the product label; and   setting, by the label printing system, any of the power, the cutting speed, or the frequency of the laser to facilitate cutting through the inks, the face stock, and the adhesive at the various locations without cutting through the liner.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said varying further varies by location of the cut pattern based on thicknesses of the inks at the various locations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said varying further varies by location of the cut pattern based on reflectivity of the inks or the face stock at the various locations. 
     
     
         4 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computer system, an image file that includes data that defines a cut pattern for a label,
 wherein the data that defines the cut pattern further defines a plurality of settings for a laser coupled to the computer system, 
 wherein each of the plurality of settings is associated with a corresponding cut pattern location, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of settings is set based on data that defines an amount of ink to be printed at the corresponding cut pattern location; and 
   controlling, by the computer system, a variable setting of the laser based on the plurality of settings to facilitate cutting face stock of label stock,
 wherein the face stock is removably bonded to a material of the label stock, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of settings is set to facilitate cutting through the face stock and the ink at the corresponding cut pattern location without cutting through the material. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of settings is set based on a calculated thicknesses of the ink at the corresponding cut pattern location. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of settings is set based on a calculated reflectivity of the ink or the face stock at the corresponding cut pattern location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of settings is set based on a color of the ink to be printed at the corresponding cut pattern location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the image file defines a print pattern, the method further comprising:
 based on the image file, printing the print pattern for the label on the face stock.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the print pattern defines an amount and a type of ink to be deposited at each of a plurality of locations on the label. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of settings is set to facilitate cutting through adhesive, that removably bonds the face stock to the material, at the corresponding cut pattern location. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the variable setting controls any of power, cutting speed, or frequency of the laser. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the power is higher, the cutting speed is lower, or the frequency is higher at a first cut pattern location than at a second cut pattern location when the amount of ink at the first cut pattern location is more than at the second cut pattern location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the face stock is made of biaxially oriented polypropylene. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of settings is based on the material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the plurality of settings include a setting for any of power, cutting speed, or frequency of the laser, and   wherein, the power is higher, the cutting speed is lower, or the frequency is higher at a first cut pattern location when the material is paper than when the material is biaxially oriented polypropylene.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a communication interface, coupled to the processor, through which to communicate over a network with remote devices; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform operations including:
 generating an image file that includes first data that defines a cut pattern for a label, and that includes second data that defines a plurality of settings for a laser coupled to a second computer system,
 wherein each of the plurality of settings is associated with a corresponding cut pattern location on label stock; 
 
 setting each of the plurality of settings a) based on data that defines an amount of ink to be printed at the corresponding cut pattern location, and b) to enable the second computer system to cut through face stock of the label stock without cutting through material to which the face stock is removably bonded; and 
 sending, via the communication interface, the image file to the second computer system to enable the second computer system to control a variable setting of the laser to cut through the face stock. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include:
 generating a raster file that includes data that defines an amount and a type of ink to be deposited at each of a plurality of locations on the label, and wherein each of the plurality of settings is based on the amount and the type of ink to be deposited at the corresponding cut pattern location.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the image file and the raster file are a single same file. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a communication interface, coupled to the processor, through which to communicate over a network with remote devices; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform the operations of  claim 4