IL166720A - Method for ink jet print image compensation - Google Patents
Method for ink jet print image compensationInfo
- Publication number
- IL166720A IL166720A IL166720A IL16672005A IL166720A IL 166720 A IL166720 A IL 166720A IL 166720 A IL166720 A IL 166720A IL 16672005 A IL16672005 A IL 16672005A IL 166720 A IL166720 A IL 166720A
- Authority
- IL
- Israel
- Prior art keywords
- dots
- dot
- size
- ink
- adjusted
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
- B41J2/2132—Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding
- B41J2/2139—Compensation for malfunctioning nozzles creating dot place or dot size errors
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/21—Ink jet for multi-colour printing
- B41J2/2121—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by dot size, e.g. combinations of printed dots of different diameter
- B41J2/2128—Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by dot size, e.g. combinations of printed dots of different diameter by means of energy modulation
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Ink Jet (AREA)
- Facsimile Heads (AREA)
- Fax Reproducing Arrangements (AREA)
- Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
Description
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METHOD FOR INK JET PRINT IMAGE COMPENSATION
METHOD FOR INK JET PRINT IMAGE COMPENSATION
This application is a divisional from IL patent No. 153432
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digital printing and more particularly to printing using devices which eject ink onto the printed substrate. However, the invention is not limited to ink ejection devices and is also applicable to laser, light emitting diode printers and to digital photocopiers.
Background of the Invention
In ink ejection devices a printhead has an array of nozzles through which ink is selectively ejected onto the substrate as the substrate moves relative to the printhead. The printhead may print by scanning across the substrate to print horizontal bands or, if it is a full page width printhead, it may pass along the length of the page. A blocked nozzle will result in multiple horizontal blank lines, in the case of a scanning type printhead, or a blank vertical line in the case of a page width printhead. Such blank lines are undesirable since they detract from the printed result.
The present invention provides a method of modifying the printing of an image so as to reduce or effectively eliminate the visual effect of one or more such blocked nozzles apparent to the eye of an observer in normal use. However, the invention is applicable to other forms of printing where a device, whether passive or active, is repeatedly used to produce dots of ink or the like on a substrate. The invention has potential application to laser and LED type printers and photocopiers where a fault in the imaging drum or light source can result in repeated faults in the image produced. As used above and throughout the description and claims the term image is to be understood to have a broad meaning and includes anything printed, such as text and line drawings.
Disclosure of the Invention
In one broad form the invention provides a method of modifying an image to be digitally printed by a printing device to compensate for failure to correctly print dots of ink at specific locations, the method including the steps of:
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a) identifying said specific location or locations, and
b) adjusting the dot size of at least one a dot at a location adjacent or near to the
respective specific location from that required by the image data.
In another broad form the invention provides a printer having a row of activatable 5 devices which, when activated, cause rows of dots to be deposited onto a substrate and means to move the substrate relative to the row of devices in a direction generally
perpendicular to the row of dots, said printer including:
a) means to determine if one or more of said devices is not operating correctly;
and
b) io control means for analysing images or image data and for identifying a specific
location or locations where a dot of ink should be printed by activation of a
incorrectly operating device and for adjusting the size of dot produced by one or
both of the devices on either side of the failed device.
The incorrectly operating device will result in a defect line or lines in the image
printed. Usually the incorrectly operating device will produce no ink or not enough ink and so a blank or faint line will be produced. To compensate adjacent ink dots will be caused to be larger than required by the raw image data. Conversely if the incorrectly operating device is producing oversized ink dots, the dot size of adjacent dots will be reduced.
Where a part of an image requires the incorrectly operating device to deposit a
continuous or substantially continuous column of dots, the dots in adjacent columns are preferably all adjusted in size. If there are a small minority of locations in the column of the incorrectly operating device which do not require ink, dots in adjacent columns may or may not be adjusted in size.
Dots in more than the two adjacent columns may be adjusted in size. Dots in adjacent
columns may be adjusted in size only if they are within predetermined vertical or horizontal distances or both of one or more specific location. For example only dots in the columns either side of the failed column may be adjusted in size but dots in those columns two or three rows above and/or below the respective location may be adjusted in size.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention shall be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments and the drawings, in which
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Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a set of nozzles of an inkjet printing head.
Figure 2 shows a schematic illustration of an array of ink dots formed by the printhead of Figure 1 without fault correction operational.
Figure 3 shows a schematic illustration of the same array of ink dots as in Figure 2 formed by the printhead of Figure 1, but with fault correction operational.
Figure 4 shows a second schematic illustration of an array of ink dots formed by the printhead of Figure 1 without fault correction operational.
Figure 5 shows a schematic illustration of the same array of ink dots as in Figure 4 formed by the printhead of Figure 1 but with fault correction operational.
Description of Preferred and Other Embodiments
Referring to Figure 1, a printhead 10 has an array of inkjet nozzles 12 arranged in a singe line. For the purpose of explanation only 14 nozzles are shown but in practice there will be from tens to thousands of nozzles arranged in a line. Paper is passed underneath the printhead in a direction generally perpendicular to the line of ink jet nozzles, as indicated by arrow 14. The printhead may be a stationary or a movable printhead. As the paper passes under the printhead the inkjet nozzles A to N are selectively operated to cause an array of ink dots to be placed on the paper. This array is a series of columns and rows, the spacing of which is dependent on the spacing of the inkjet nozzles and the minimum paper feed step respectively. Whilst it is preferred that the horizontal and vertical spacing of the dots is the same, this is not necessarily achievable due to the different sources of the spacing. The printhead may be a page width printhead or a smaller printhead which scans across the page to lay down a series of transverse bands of printing.
For the purposes of explanation it is assumed that inkjets a-g and i-n inclusive are operating correctly but, for whatever reason, inkjet h is not operating correctly or at all. It is also assumed that the diagnostic systems of the printer, which will be well understood by those skilled in the art, have detected that nozzle h is not functioning correctly. In most cases, a malfunctioning device will be partially or totally blocked resulting in insufficient or no ink being deposited on the paper.
Referring to Figure 2, which schematically shows a portion of printing performed by the printhead 10 without fault correction, there is a blank column, labelled "h"
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corresponding to inkjet h, whilst columns a-g and i-n have been correctly selectively printed. This leads to one or more blank lines appearing in the printing depending on whether the printhead 10 is a full page width printhead or a scanning type printhead. The unshaded circles numbered 16, 18, 20 and 22 represent drops of ink which should have been printed in column h but were not. Figure 3 shows the same image printed by the printhead 10 but with fault correction according to an embodiment of the invention operational.
Referring to Figure 3 the ink drops in columns g and i are caused to be larger than normal, as will be explained below. This reduces the amount of white space between the dots and between the columns g and i. The effect is that the un-printed column h is not apparent to the eye of the user. When printing on A4 or letter size paper for reading at normal distances, such as at 20 to 30cm, the effect occurs at about 1600dpi and upwards.
In the Figure 3 print, only dots intended to be printed anyway in columns g and i have been increased in size but it is within the scope of the invention that extra dots of ink, whether of normal size or of adjusted size, may be printed in the columns either side of the failed column in locations when the image data does not require a dot. As seen in figure 3 there are dots in the image at only about 50% of possible locations and so, even with oversize dots, there is still significant white space. This white space may be reduced by printing dots in vacant areas to reduce and/or break up the visual effect of the un-printed column
The area of each adjusted size dot is preferably increased by about 50% but this may be more or less, as needed. The oversize dots in the two columns may just touch dots in the same column. However, the size increase may be less, such that the dots in each of the two columns of dots do not join, or may be greater, such that adjacent dots overlap.
Where ink dots are required in column h at frequent intervals oversize drops will be deposited continuously by nozzles g and i. It will be appreciated that when ink dots are deposited less frequently the drop size of ink in columns g and i will only increase adjacent or near to areas where drops should occur in column h. These oversize drops may extend into rows where no ink is intended in column h. Where ink is not intended in column h for large distances, preferably no oversize drops will be created in columns g and i.
Referring to figures 4 and 5 there are shown a second set of schematic prints without and with fault correction respectively. As seen in figure 4, dots of ink are required, but not
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printed, in column h at rows 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7, as indicated by open circles 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38. In figure 5 dots in columns g and I are increased in size in rows above and below un-printed dots 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38. Because there are more dots in these columns than compared to the figure 2 and 3 prints, the oversize dots overlap more and reduce the white space to a greater extent. Again, if desired, normal or oversize dots may be printed in vacant locations, such as column g, rows 1 and 5 and column I rows 2, 3 and 7.
In the case of ink ejection type printers, increased dot size is achieved by increasing the amount of ink ejected. In the case of thermal ink ejection devices this may be achieved by increasing the duration of the heating current pulse. In the case of piezo electric ink ejection devices this may be by increasing the driving voltage or current to cause greater distortion or by increasing the pulse duration. Similarly with mechanical type ink ejection devices the pulse width and/or driving voltage or current may be increased.
The invention is also applicable to situations where individual devices are producing too much ink, in which case the adjacent devices may be adjusted to reduce the dot size of ink dots produced.
It will also be appreciated that this technique may be used with laser and LED printers and photocopiers and other types of digital printers where the placement of an ink dot is dependent on individual activation of a device or component. For example, an LED in a LED printer may fail or there may be a defect in the photoconductive imaging drum of a laser printer. In both cases, adjusting the size of adjacent dots can hide or reduce the visual effect of the defect in the device or component.
In the case of a laser or light emitting device type printer dot size may be modified by modulating the intensity and or total amount of the light falling on the corresponding portion of the photoelectric imaging drum.
Material which is outside the scope of the claims does not constitute part of the claimed invention
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Claims (6)
166720/2 1. cause rows o ots to e epos te onto a substrate, the printing device also 5 means to move the substrate relative to the row of activatable devices in a direction generally perpendicular to the row of dots, the method being used to compensate for the failure of at least one faulty activatable device to accurately deposit ink dots at correct location or locations, the method including the steps of: a) identifying the or each of the at least one faulty device so as to determine the 10 correct location or locations, and b) adjusting the dot size of at least one dot in the vicinity of the location or each of the locations to at least partially compensate for the failure.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dot size of said adjusted dot or dots is increased 15 if no dot or an undersize dot is to be printed at the respective correct location.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the dot size of said adjusted dots is decreased if an oversize drop is to be printed at the respective correct location.
4.20 The method of claim 1 wherein dots that are both transversely and longitudinally spaced from the respective location are adjusted in size.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein selected oversize adjusted dots contact or overlap adjacent dots. 25
6. The method of claim 1 wherein selected adjusted size dots do not contact or overlap adjacent dots. MJ130-IL
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/AU2000/000750 WO2002002329A1 (en) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-06-30 | Ink jet fault tolerance using oversize drops |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IL166720A0 IL166720A0 (en) | 2006-01-15 |
IL166720A true IL166720A (en) | 2007-10-31 |
Family
ID=3700831
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
IL166720A IL166720A (en) | 2000-06-30 | 2005-02-07 | Method for ink jet print image compensation |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1303408B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2004501007A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1182964C (en) |
AU (2) | AU2000253740B2 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60030484T2 (en) |
IL (1) | IL166720A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002002329A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA200210189B (en) |
Families Citing this family (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7201462B2 (en) * | 2002-07-24 | 2007-04-10 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet printing apparatus and method for correcting ejection driving |
US7407264B2 (en) * | 2002-10-01 | 2008-08-05 | Sony Corporation | Liquid discharging apparatus and liquid discharging method |
US8042899B2 (en) * | 2008-03-17 | 2011-10-25 | Xerox Corporation | System and method for compensating for weak, intermittent, or missing inkjets in a printhead assembly |
US8985723B2 (en) | 2012-04-20 | 2015-03-24 | Xerox Corporation | System and method of compensating for defective inkjets |
JP6232871B2 (en) * | 2013-09-12 | 2017-11-22 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Inkjet printer and printing method |
US10391784B2 (en) * | 2015-10-08 | 2019-08-27 | Kornit Digital Ltd. | Concealing missing nozzles |
DE102016203917A1 (en) * | 2016-03-10 | 2017-09-14 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Method for compensating failed nozzles in an inkjet printing machine |
JP6888244B2 (en) * | 2016-03-28 | 2021-06-16 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Droplet ejection control device, droplet ejection control method, and droplet ejection device |
DE102016211578A1 (en) * | 2016-06-28 | 2017-12-28 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Pressure nozzle compensation by deviating pressure nozzles |
DE102018202045A1 (en) * | 2017-03-08 | 2018-09-13 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Multilevel density compensation for digital printing machines |
DE102018201674A1 (en) * | 2017-03-15 | 2018-09-20 | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag | Missing Nozzle correction by multiple grid |
CN108327402B (en) * | 2018-01-11 | 2020-08-14 | 佛山希望数码印刷设备有限公司 | Control method for ceramic ink-jet printing snapshot compensation chromatic aberration |
CN111791608B (en) * | 2020-09-10 | 2021-02-26 | 季华实验室 | Error adjusting method for seamless splicing of ink-jet printing head |
CN114683726B (en) * | 2020-12-25 | 2024-05-24 | 深圳市汉森软件股份有限公司 | Image data grouping printing method, device, control panel, equipment and storage medium |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6069645A (en) * | 1994-10-31 | 2000-05-30 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for controlling dot size in image forming apparatus having an array of lasers |
JP2000062159A (en) * | 1998-08-17 | 2000-02-29 | Oce Technol Bv | Method for compensating failure of dot forming unit in printer |
EP0983855A3 (en) * | 1998-08-31 | 2000-08-02 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Dot substitution to compensate for failed ink jet nozzles |
US6270187B1 (en) * | 1998-12-14 | 2001-08-07 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for hiding errors in single-pass incremental printing |
-
2000
- 2000-06-30 DE DE60030484T patent/DE60030484T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-06-30 WO PCT/AU2000/000750 patent/WO2002002329A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2000-06-30 AU AU2000253740A patent/AU2000253740B2/en not_active Expired
- 2000-06-30 JP JP2002506937A patent/JP2004501007A/en active Pending
- 2000-06-30 EP EP00938323A patent/EP1303408B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-06-30 CN CNB008197075A patent/CN1182964C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-06-30 AU AU5374000A patent/AU5374000A/en active Pending
-
2002
- 2002-12-17 ZA ZA200210189A patent/ZA200210189B/en unknown
-
2005
- 2005-02-07 IL IL166720A patent/IL166720A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN1454148A (en) | 2003-11-05 |
ZA200210189B (en) | 2003-08-27 |
AU5374000A (en) | 2002-01-14 |
DE60030484T2 (en) | 2007-03-29 |
AU2000253740A1 (en) | 2002-04-11 |
IL166720A0 (en) | 2006-01-15 |
AU2000253740B2 (en) | 2004-05-06 |
EP1303408A4 (en) | 2004-09-15 |
JP2004501007A (en) | 2004-01-15 |
DE60030484D1 (en) | 2006-10-12 |
CN1182964C (en) | 2005-01-05 |
EP1303408A1 (en) | 2003-04-23 |
WO2002002329A1 (en) | 2002-01-10 |
EP1303408B1 (en) | 2006-08-30 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
ERR | Corrigendum |
Free format text: IN JOURNAL 8/2007 P. 3292 PATENT APPLICATION NO. 166720 CORRECT DATE OF APPLICATION TO- 30.6.2000 ADD: DIVISION FROM 153432 |
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FF | Patent granted | ||
KB | Patent renewed | ||
KB | Patent renewed | ||
KB | Patent renewed | ||
MM9K | Patent not in force due to non-payment of renewal fees |