US Patent 7466434 Digital printer with dedicated coded data ink channel

A printer for printing an interface onto a surface is provided. The interface is comprised of visible data and machine-readable coded data. The visible data is based at least partially on document data which includes identity data indicative of an identity associated with a region of the interface. The printer comprises an input port for receiving the document data; a printhead and a processor for generating dot data for the printhead using the document data. The processor includes a coded data generator configured to generate the coded data based at least partially on the identity data. Further, printhead comprises ink channels dedicated for printing the visible data and a coded data ink channel dedicated for printing the coded data.