JP7415581B2 - Information processing device, inkjet recording device, and method for calculating ink usage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an inkjet recording device, and a method for calculating ink usage.

Conventionally, ink is ejected onto a recording medium that moves relative to an ink ejection section such as a print head by ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles provided in the ink ejection section at a timing and ejection amount based on image data. There is an inkjet recording device that forms images. In this inkjet recording device, by correcting image data in advance before forming an image, it is possible to adjust the tone of the formed image and reduce density unevenness caused by variations in the amount of ink ejected from each nozzle. The technology is known.

Furthermore, there is a technique for calculating an estimated amount of ink used when forming an image using an inkjet recording apparatus based on image data. With this technology, it is possible to estimate the cost of image formation and predict ink shortages in advance. The amount of ink used during image formation can be calculated by adding up the predetermined estimated ejection amount of ink corresponding to the value of each pixel of the image data for all pixels included in the image data.
In addition, when image data is corrected in advance as described above, a technology that suppresses the decrease in the accuracy of calculating ink usage due to image data correction is available by calculating ink usage based on the corrected image data. known (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-15964

However, due to various factors, a deviation occurs between the predetermined estimated ejection amount of ink corresponding to the value of a pixel of image data and the amount of ink actually ejected from a nozzle according to the value of the pixel. This is the same even when the image data is corrected in advance as described above. For example, when correcting image data in advance to adjust the amount of ink ejected from a defective nozzle that cannot eject ink at the predetermined amount, the corrected image data can be used to ensure that the desired amount of ink is ejected from the nozzle. However, the amount of ink ejected is an amount that deviates from the amount ejected from a normal nozzle (i.e., the default expected ejection amount) depending on the pixel value of the image data after correction. becomes. If there is a discrepancy between the estimated ejection amount corresponding to the pixel value and the amount of ink actually ejected from the nozzle, errors will be accumulated when integrating the estimated ejection amount over the entire image data. This results in a large error in the amount of ink used.
As described above, the problem with the conventional technology is that it is not easy to accurately calculate the amount of ink used.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an inkjet recording device, and a method for calculating ink usage that can more accurately calculate ink usage.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of an information processing device according to claim 1,
an ink ejection unit having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction, and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles;
a moving unit that relatively moves the ink ejection unit and the recording medium in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction;
ejection control means for forming an image on the recording medium relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the value of each pixel of image data;
An information processing device that calculates ink usage in an inkjet recording device comprising:
a correction means for correcting an estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle according to the value of each pixel of the image data;
Calculation means for calculating the ink usage amount by integrating the estimated ejection amount after correction by the correction means for each pixel of the image data;
Equipped with
The correction unit is configured to eject ink from an adjacent nozzle adjacent to the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle array at an ejection timing when a nozzle to be corrected corresponding to the pixel to be corrected ejects ink based on the value of the pixel. When the state is an adjacent ejection state, the estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on a deviation amount of the ink ejection amount from the correction target nozzle at the ejection timing according to the adjacent ejection state.

The invention according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The correction means corrects the estimated ejection amount based on the image data and predetermined estimated ejection amount correction information,
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to any adjacent discharge state for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means identifies the adjacent discharge state of the correction target nozzle based on the image data, and obtains the correction amount according to the identified adjacent discharge state from the assumed discharge amount correction information. The estimated discharge amount is corrected using the correction amount.

The invention according to claim 3 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The correction means corrects the estimated ejection amount by the correction amount determined according to a combination of the adjacent ejection states of two adjacent nozzles adjacent to the nozzle to be corrected.

The invention according to claim 4 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The adjacent ejection state further includes the ejection state of a nearby nozzle of the correction target nozzle other than the adjacent nozzle in the nozzle row.

The invention according to claim 5 provides the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the deviation amount according to the ejection state and the preceding ejection state.

The invention according to claim 6 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. correcting the estimated discharge amount with a correction amount based on the deviation amount according to the discharge state and the preceding discharge state;
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any of the adjacent discharge states and the preceding discharge state for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means specifies the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state of the nozzle to be corrected based on the image data, and calculates the correction amount according to the combination of the identified adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state. The estimated ejection amount is obtained from the estimated ejection amount correction information, and the estimated ejection amount is corrected using the obtained correction amount.

The invention according to claim 7 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6,
The preceding ejection state further includes the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing two or more times before the ejection timing.

The invention according to claim 8 provides the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The correcting means corrects the estimated ejection amount by a correction amount based on the amount of ink ejection from the correction target nozzle based on the adjacent ejection state and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array. .

The invention according to claim 9 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
The correcting means corrects the estimated ejection amount by a correction amount based on the amount of ink ejection from the correction target nozzle according to the adjacent ejection state and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array. ,
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any adjacent discharge state and the position of the correction target nozzle for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means obtains the correction amount according to the combination of the adjacent ejection state and the position of the nozzle to be corrected from the estimated ejection amount correction information, and corrects the estimated ejection amount with the obtained correction amount.

The invention according to claim 10 provides the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the ejection state, the preceding ejection state, and the deviation amount according to the position of the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle array.

The invention according to claim 11 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. correcting the estimated discharge amount with a correction amount based on the displacement amount according to the discharge state, the preceding discharge state, and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array;
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any of the adjacent discharge states, the preceding discharge state, and the position of the correction target nozzle for any of the correction target nozzles. ,
The correction means specifies the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state of the correction target nozzle corresponding to the correction target pixel based on the image data, and determines the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state from the identified adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state. , the correction amount according to the combination with the position of the nozzle to be corrected is acquired from the estimated ejection amount correction information, and the estimated ejection amount is corrected with the obtained correction amount.

The invention according to claim 12 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, and 11,
In the estimated ejection amount correction information, the correction amount corresponding to the estimated ejection amount is predetermined for each estimated ejection amount.

The invention according to claim 13 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, 11, and 12,
The estimated discharge amount correction information is provided so that the correction amount can be specified using a spatial filter.

The invention according to claim 14 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, 11 to 13,
input means that accepts an input operation for specifying the correction amount;
Setting means for setting the correction amount in the estimated discharge amount correction information based on an input operation accepted by the input means;
Equipped with

The invention according to claim 15 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, 11 to 14,
A storage section is provided in which the estimated ejection amount correction information is stored.

Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the invention of an inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 16 is as follows:
an ink ejection unit having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction, and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles;
a moving unit that relatively moves the ink ejection unit and the recording medium in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction;
ejection control means for forming an image on the recording medium relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the value of each pixel of image data;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
Equipped with

The invention according to claim 17 is the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 16,
a first mode in which the image forming operation and the ink usage calculation operation are performed at least partially in parallel; and a second mode in which the ink usage calculation operation is performed without performing the image formation operation. ,
It operates in one of the selected modes.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the invention of the method for calculating the amount of ink used according to claim 18 is as follows:
an ink ejecting section having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles; and an ink ejecting section and a recording medium arranged in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction. An image is formed on the recording medium that is relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling the ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the moving unit that moves relatively and the value of each pixel of image data. A method for calculating ink usage in an inkjet recording apparatus comprising:
a correction step of correcting an estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle according to the value of each pixel of the image data;
a calculating step of calculating the ink usage amount by integrating the corrected estimated ejection amount for each pixel of the image data;
including;
In the correction step, ink is ejected from an adjacent nozzle adjacent to the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle row at an ejection timing when the nozzle to be corrected corresponding to the pixel to be corrected ejects ink based on the value of the pixel. When the state is an adjacent ejection state, the estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on a deviation amount of the ink ejection amount from the correction target nozzle at the ejection timing according to the adjacent ejection state.

According to the present invention, there is an effect that the amount of ink used can be calculated more accurately.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a head unit. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between dots formed by the entire head module and dots formed by a nozzle array. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a deviation in ink ejection amount depending on adjacent ejection states. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of correcting the estimated ejection amount of a nozzle of interest according to a pattern of adjacent ejection states. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated discharge amount. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for ink usage calculation processing. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for estimated discharge amount correction processing. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a more detailed method of correcting an estimated ejection amount according to a pattern of adjacent ejection states. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated ejection amount shown in FIG. 11; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a spatial filter for correction according to adjacent ejection states. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for an estimated ejection amount from the result of spatial filter processing. 12 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for estimated discharge amount correction processing according to Modification 1-2. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a deviation in ink ejection amount depending on a preliminary ejection state. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of correcting the estimated ejection amount of the nozzle of interest according to the pattern of the advance ejection state. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated discharge amount. 12 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for estimated ejection amount correction processing according to the second ink usage amount calculation method. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a spatial filter for correction according to the advance ejection state. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for an estimated ejection amount from the result of spatial filter processing. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for an estimated ejection amount depending on the position of a nozzle. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a test image. 12 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for estimated ejection amount correction processing according to a third ink usage amount calculation method. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a spatial filter when the first and second ink usage calculation methods are combined. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a correction coefficient for estimated ejection amount when the first or second ink usage amount calculation method and the third ink usage amount calculation method are combined.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of an information processing apparatus, an inkjet recording apparatus, and a method of calculating ink usage amount of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The inkjet recording apparatus 1 includes a paper feeding section 10, an image forming section 20, a paper discharging section 30, a control section 40 (see FIG. 5), and the like. The inkjet recording apparatus 1 transports the recording medium M stored in the paper feed section 10 to the image forming section 20 under the control of the control section 40, forms an image on the recording medium M in the image forming section 20, and then displays the image. The formed recording medium M is conveyed to the paper discharge section 30. As the recording medium M, in addition to paper such as plain paper or coated paper, various media capable of fixing ink that has landed on the surface, such as cloth or sheet-like resin, can be used.

The paper feed section 10 includes a paper feed tray 11 that stores the recording medium M, and a medium supply section 12 that transports and supplies the recording medium M from the paper feed tray 11 to the image forming section 20. The medium supply unit 12 includes a ring-shaped belt whose inner side is supported by two rollers, and rotates the rollers with the recording medium M placed on this belt to feed the recording medium M from the paper feed tray 11. It is transported to the image forming section 20.

The image forming section 20 includes a transport drum 21 (moving section), a delivery unit 22, a recording medium heating section 23, a head unit 24 (ink ejecting section), a fixing section 25, a delivery section 26, and the like.

The conveyance drum 21 rotates around a rotating shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the drawing of FIG. By rotating, the recording medium M is conveyed in the conveyance direction along the conveyance surface 21a. That is, the transport drum 21 relatively moves the head unit 24 and the recording medium M in a transport direction that intersects the width direction (predetermined direction). The conveyance drum 21 includes a claw portion (not shown) and an air intake hole for holding the recording medium M on the conveyance surface 21a. The recording medium M is held on the conveyance surface 21a by having its ends pressed by the claws and drawn toward the conveyance surface 21a by the suction holes.
The transport drum 21 is connected to a transport drum motor (not shown) for rotating the transport drum 21, and rotates by an angle proportional to the amount of rotation of the transport drum motor.

The delivery unit 22 delivers the recording medium M transported by the medium supply section 12 of the paper feed section 10 to the transport drum 21 . The delivery unit 22 is provided at a position between the medium supply section 12 of the paper supply section 10 and the conveyance drum 21, and picks up one end of the recording medium M conveyed from the medium supply section 12 by holding it with a swing arm section 221. , and delivered to the transport drum 21 via the delivery drum 222.

The recording medium heating unit 23 is provided between the arrangement position of the delivery drum 222 and the arrangement position of the head unit 24, and heats the recording medium M transported by the transport drum 21 so that the temperature falls within a predetermined temperature range. The recording medium M is heated. The recording medium heating section 23 includes, for example, an infrared heater, and generates heat by applying current to the infrared heater based on a control signal supplied from the control section 40 .

The head unit 24 ejects ink onto the recording medium M from an ink ejection surface facing the conveyance surface 21a of the conveyance drum 21 at an appropriate timing according to the rotation of the conveyance drum 21 holding the recording medium M. records the image. The head unit 24 is arranged such that the ink ejection surface and the conveyance surface are separated by a predetermined distance. In the inkjet recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment, four head units 24 respectively corresponding to four color inks of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are arranged in the transport direction of the recording medium M. The colors are arranged in the order of Y, M, C, and K from the upstream side at predetermined intervals.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the head unit 24. As shown in FIG.
Further, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 2.
2 and 3 are plan views of the entire head unit 24 viewed from the side facing the conveyance surface 21a of the conveyance drum 21. FIG.
In this embodiment, the head unit 24 includes 16 recording heads 241 in which a plurality of nozzles N for ejecting ink are arranged in the width direction. The ink ejection mechanism for ejecting ink from each nozzle N is not particularly limited, but a piezo type using a piezoelectric body can be used. Shear mode and vent mode are known as piezo-type ink ejection mechanisms. The shear mode ink ejection mechanism causes a shear mode type displacement in a piezoelectric body on the wall surface of a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle N, thereby varying the pressure of ink within the pressure chamber. Further, the vent mode ink ejection mechanism is configured to eject ink by varying the pressure of ink within the pressure chamber by deforming a piezoelectric body fixed to a diaphragm forming a wall surface of the pressure chamber. In the piezo type ink ejection mechanism, the amount of ink ejected from each nozzle N can be adjusted in multiple stages by changing the amount of deformation and/or the number of deformations of the piezoelectric body.

In the head unit 24, a head module 242 is configured by two recording heads 241 arranged adjacent to each other in the transport direction. In addition, the eight head modules 242 are arranged in a houndstooth pattern so that the ranges in which ink can be ejected from the nozzles N are continuously connected in the width direction, and the arrangement ranges in the width direction partially overlap each other. The line head is configured by arranging the line head.

As shown in FIG. 3, each recording head 241 has six nozzle rows each consisting of a plurality of nozzles N arranged one-dimensionally in the width direction. Therefore, one head module 242 has 12 nozzle rows. Ink is supplied from a common ink supply channel to a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with a plurality of nozzles N belonging to the same nozzle row.
In the following, the nozzle rows included in the recording head 241 on the downstream side in the transport direction of the head module 242 are referred to as nozzle rows NL1 to NL6 in order from the downstream side in the transport direction, and the nozzle rows included in the print head 241 on the upstream side in the transport direction are referred to as nozzle rows NL1 to NL6. The nozzle rows will be referred to as nozzle rows NL7 to NL12 in order from the downstream side in the transport direction. Furthermore, when referring to any one of the nozzle rows NL1 to NL12, it is written as nozzle row NL. Further, the nozzle rows NL1 to NL3 are collectively referred to as a nozzle row group Ga, the nozzle rows NL4 to NL6 are collectively referred to as a nozzle row group Gb, the nozzle rows NL7 to NL9 are collectively referred to as a nozzle row group Gc, and the nozzle rows NL10 are collectively referred to as a nozzle row group Gc. ~NL12 are collectively referred to as a nozzle row group Gd.

In each nozzle row NL, the nozzles N are arranged at equal intervals in the width direction. The arrangement pitch of the nozzles N in each nozzle row NL is d1.
Further, the nozzle rows NL1 to NL3 constituting the nozzle row group Ga are arranged so that the positions of all the nozzles N provided in these three nozzle rows NL1 to NL3 are different in the width direction and are equally spaced. , the position in the width direction is shifted. Specifically, the nozzle row NL2 is offset from the nozzle row NL1 by a distance d2 in the width direction, and the nozzle row NL3 is offset by a distance d2 in the width direction from the nozzle row NL2. Here, d2=d1/3. The nozzle rows NL4 to NL6 forming the nozzle row group Gb, the nozzle rows NL7 to NL9 forming the nozzle row group Gc, and the nozzle rows NL10 to NL12 forming the nozzle row group Gd have the same positional relationship.

Furthermore, the positions of the nozzle row groups Ga to Gd are shifted in the width direction so that the positions of all the nozzles N provided in the nozzle rows NL1 to NL12 are different in the width direction and are spaced at equal intervals. . Specifically, the nozzle row group Gc is shifted by a distance d3 in the width direction with respect to the nozzle row group Ga, and the nozzle row group Gb is shifted by a distance d3 in the width direction with respect to the nozzle row group Gc. The nozzle row group Gd is shifted by a distance d3 in the width direction with respect to the nozzle row group Gb. Here, d3=d2/4=d1/12. Therefore, in the head module 242, the plurality of nozzles N are arranged so that the arrangement pitch in the width direction is the distance d3=d1/12.

In this way, by staggering the 12 nozzle rows so that the positions of the nozzles N in the width direction are evenly spaced, the entire head module 242 has a resolution that is 12 times the resolution of each nozzle row NL. Images can be recorded. In this embodiment, the resolution in the width direction of each nozzle row NL is 100 dpi (dots per inch), and the resolution of the entire head module 242 is 1200 dpi.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between dots formed by the entire head module 242 and dots formed by one nozzle row NL.
When ink is ejected from each nozzle of the nozzle rows NL1 to NL12 arranged as shown in FIG. A certain plurality of dots are formed. Among the plurality of dots, dots formed by one nozzle row NL appear every distance d1, that is, every 12 dots. For example, in FIG. 4, the dot formed by one nozzle N1 of interest in nozzle row NL2 is dot D1, and the dots formed by the adjacent nozzle N2 adjacent to nozzle N1 of interest in nozzle row NL2 are dots D1 to 12. This is a dot D2 which is a dot apart.
In this way, in the head module 242 in which the resolution is increased by shifting the plurality of nozzle rows NL in the width direction, the dots formed by adjacent nozzles in the nozzle row NL are different from the dots formed by the entire head module 242. They will appear at separate locations that are not adjacent to each other.

Note that the number of nozzle rows NL included in the head module 242 is not limited to 12 rows, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the required recording resolution and the arrangement density of the nozzles N in each nozzle row NL. Furthermore, the number of recording heads 241 constituting the head module 242 is not limited to two, and may be three or more. Further, the necessary nozzle rows NL may be provided in a single recording head 241, and the single recording head 241 may be arranged in a staggered pattern instead of the head module 242. Further, if it is possible to provide the nozzles N in the recording head 241 with a desired arrangement density and number, the head unit 24 may be configured with a single recording head 241 (in other words, the head unit 24 may be configured with a single recording head 241). Alternatively, a single recording head 241 may be used).
Further, the arrangement direction of the nozzles N in the nozzle row NL is not limited to the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, but may be a direction intersecting the conveyance direction at an angle other than a right angle.

The arrangement range in the width direction of the nozzles N included in the head unit 24 shown in FIG. 2 covers the recording width of an image on the recording medium M conveyed by the conveyance drum 21. The head unit 24 is used with a fixed position when recording an image, and by sequentially discharging ink at predetermined intervals (conveyance direction intervals) at different positions in the conveyance direction according to the conveyance of the recording medium M, An image is recorded on a recording medium M using a single pass method.

As the ink ejected from the nozzle N of the head unit 24, ink whose phase changes between gel-like and sol-like is used. Here, gels are included in solids and sol are included in liquids. The head unit 24 has an ink heating section (not shown) inside for heating the ink having such characteristics to a temperature higher than the liquefaction temperature to form a sol. The head unit 24 ejects ink that has become gel-like due to heating from the nozzle N, and the ink that has landed on the recording medium M is cooled and quickly becomes gel-like and solidified on the recording medium M. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a normal liquid ink that does not undergo a phase change into a gel state after landing on the recording medium M may be used.
Further, in this embodiment, an ink having a property of being cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays (ultraviolet curable ink) is used. As this ink, one containing a photopolymerizable compound (monomer), a photopolymerization initiator, a gelling agent, and a colorant is used. Among these, the photopolymerizable compound is a compound that undergoes a polymerization reaction and becomes a polymer when irradiated with ultraviolet rays. This polymerization causes the ink to harden. A photopolymerization initiator is a compound for starting the above polymerization reaction. The gelling agent dissolves in the ink and turns the ink into a sol when the ink is heated to a temperature higher than the solization temperature, and when the ink is cooled to a temperature lower than the gelation temperature, it forms a crosslinked structure or forms a fibrous aggregate. It is a compound that has the property of causing ink to gel by forming an ink. Moreover, the coloring agent includes a pigment or dye of the color related to the ink.

Returning to FIG. 1, the fixing unit 25 has an ultraviolet irradiation unit disposed across the width of the transport drum 21, and the ultraviolet irradiation unit irradiates the recording medium M placed on the transport drum 21. The ink ejected onto the recording medium M is cured and fixed by irradiation with the ink. The ultraviolet irradiation section of the fixing section 25 is arranged facing the transport surface between the position of the head unit 24 and the position of the delivery drum 261 of the delivery section 26 in the transport direction.

The delivery unit 26 includes a belt loop 262 having a ring-shaped belt whose inner side is supported by two rollers, and a cylindrical delivery drum 261 that delivers the recording medium M from the transport drum 21 to the belt loop 262. The recording medium M transferred from the conveyance drum 21 onto the belt loop 262 by the transfer drum 261 is conveyed by the belt loop 262 and sent to the paper discharge section 30 .

The paper discharge section 30 has a plate-shaped paper discharge tray 31 on which the recording medium M sent out from the image forming section 20 by the delivery section 26 is placed.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the inkjet recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.
The inkjet recording apparatus 1 includes a recording medium heating section 23, a head unit 24 having a recording head 241 and a head driving section 243, a fixing section 25, and a control section 40 (ejection control means, correction means, calculation means, setting means). , a transport drive section 61, a communication section 62, an operation display section 63 (input means), a bus 64, and the like. Of these, the control section 40 and the operation display section 63 constitute the information processing apparatus 100. Below, description of the configuration that has already been explained will be omitted.

The head driving section 243 controls the nozzles of the recording head 241 by supplying the recording head 241 with a drive signal that deforms the piezoelectric body of the recording head 241 based on the control signal and image data 441 supplied from the control section 40 . From N, an amount of ink corresponding to the pixel value of the image data 441 is ejected.

The control unit 40 is a processor that centrally controls the entire operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 including the information processing apparatus 100. The control unit 40 includes a CPU 41 (Central Processing Unit), a RAM 42 (Random Access Memory), a ROM 43 (Read Only Memory), a storage unit 44, and the like.

The CPU 41 reads various control programs and setting data stored in the ROM 43, stores them in the RAM 42, and executes the programs to perform various calculation processes.

The RAM 42 provides a working memory space for the CPU 41 and stores temporary data. RAM 42 may include nonvolatile memory.

The ROM 43 stores various control programs executed by the CPU 41, setting data, and the like. Note that a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory may be used instead of the ROM 43.

The storage unit 44 stores a print job (image recording command) input from an external device via the communication unit 62 and image data 441 of an image to be recorded related to the print job.
Furthermore, the storage unit 44 stores estimated ejection amount correction data 442 (estimated ejection amount correction information) used for calculating the amount of ink used, which will be described later.
As the storage unit 44, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is used, and a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or the like may also be used in combination.

The control unit 40 having such a configuration, for example, performs various types of image processing on PDL (Page Description Language) data input from an external device via the communication unit 62 to generate image data used for forming an image. 441 is generated and stored in the storage unit 44. Image data 441 is generated for each color of Y, M, C, and K. The above-mentioned image processing includes rasterization processing for converting PDL data into raster format, color correction processing for data converted to raster format, halftone processing, rearrangement processing, multi-value processing, and the like. Note that when raster format data is input from an external device, the rasterization process is omitted.
The color correction process may include a process of correcting pixel values in order to adjust the tone of the image, as well as a process of shading correction to equalize the recording density of the plurality of recording heads 241.
In addition, the relocation process is a process that changes pixel values in order to identify and emphasize the edges of an image, or to supplement ink that fails to be ejected from a defective nozzle with ink ejected from surrounding nozzles. It is.
Furthermore, the multi-value processing is a process of changing the value of a pixel in order to set the ink ejection amount corresponding to each pixel to one of multiple predetermined ink ejection amounts.
The image data 441 subjected to these image processes has a number of pixel columns corresponding to the number of nozzles N provided in the head unit 24. Each pixel of the image data 441 specifies the timing for ejecting ink from the corresponding nozzle N and the amount of ink to be ejected. When the pixel value is multi-valued, each nozzle N of the head unit 24 ejects an amount of ink corresponding to the pixel value among the multiple ink ejection amounts.
Note that an image processing section that performs these image processes may be provided separately from the control section 40.

Furthermore, the control unit 40 controls the ejection of ink from each nozzle N of the nozzle row NL at a timing corresponding to the pixel based on the value of each pixel of the generated image data 441, thereby controlling the ejection of ink onto the recording medium M. form an image. Here, the ink ejection control is a control in which the head drive unit 243 supplies a drive signal to the recording head 241 to eject an amount of ink from the nozzle N according to the pixel value, and the pixel value is In the case of non-ejection, this includes control to prevent ink from being ejected from the nozzle N at a timing corresponding to the pixel. Further, the timing corresponding to a pixel is the timing when a position on the recording medium M at which a dot corresponding to a pixel is to be formed faces the nozzle N of the head unit.

The conveyance drive unit 61 supplies a drive signal to the conveyance drum motor of the conveyance drum 21 based on the control signal supplied from the control unit 40, and rotates the conveyance drum 21 at a predetermined speed and timing. Further, the conveyance drive section 61 supplies a drive signal to a motor for operating the medium supply section 12, the transfer unit 22, and the delivery section 26 based on the control signal supplied from the control section 40, so that the recording medium M is supplied to the conveyance drum 21 and discharged from the conveyance drum 21.

The communication unit 62 is a communication interface that controls communication operations with external devices. The communication interface includes one or more interfaces compatible with various communication protocols, such as a LAN board or a LAN card. The communication unit 62 acquires image data to be recorded and setting data (job data) related to image recording from an external device under the control of the control unit 40, and also transmits status information and the like to the external device.

The operation display section 63 displays the status of the inkjet recording apparatus 1, an operation menu, etc. in response to a control signal from the control section 40, and also receives input operations from the user and outputs them to the control section 40. The operation display section 63 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display section in which a touch panel for detecting a user's touch operation is provided over a display screen.

The bus 64 is a path for electrically connecting each of the above components and exchanging signals.

Next, a method for calculating the amount of ink used in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 will be explained.
The information processing device 100 included in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 can calculate the estimated amount of ink used when the inkjet recording apparatus 1 forms an image based on the image data 441. Here, the amount of ink used is the total amount of ink ejected and consumed from each nozzle N to form an image. By calculating the amount of ink used, it is possible to estimate the cost of forming an image and predict in advance that the ink will run out.

Calculation of ink usage may be performed in parallel with the image forming operation, or may be performed at a timing separate from the image forming operation (that is, before or after the image forming operation). . The inkjet recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment operates in a first mode in which an image forming operation and an ink usage amount calculation operation are performed at least partially in parallel, and an ink usage amount calculation operation without performing an image forming operation. and a second mode for performing the following operations. The control unit 40 selects the first mode and the second mode based on the mode designation by the user's input operation on the operation display unit 63.

The amount of ink used can be calculated by adding up the predetermined estimated ejection amount of ink corresponding to the value of each pixel of the image data 441 for all pixels included in the image data 441.
For example, when each pixel of the image data 441 is binary, that is, when the pixels of the image data 441 are of two types: ON pixels corresponding to ink ejection and OFF pixels corresponding to ink non-ejection. The amount of ink used can be calculated by multiplying the predetermined estimated ejection amount of ink corresponding to the ON pixels by the number of ON pixels in the image data 441.
In addition, if each pixel of the image data 441 has three or more values, that is, if there are two or more types of ON pixels with different estimated ejection amounts, the estimated ejection amount and the number of ON pixels for each estimated ejection amount. All you have to do is multiply them by and add them up. For example, the image data 441 includes an ON pixel for small droplets with an expected ejection amount of 2 pL, an ON pixel for medium droplets with an expected ejection amount of 6 pL, and an ON pixel for large droplets with an expected ejection amount of 10 pL. If the ink consumption is can get.

However, the following (i) to ( Discrepancies may occur due to factor iii).
(i) A deviation in the amount of ink ejection according to the ejection state (adjacent ejection state) of adjacent nozzles in the nozzle row NL at the same ejection timing. (Hereinafter, this will be referred to as "difference in ink ejection amount according to adjacent ejection states.")
(ii) Whether or not the nozzle of interest is ejecting ink at the previous preceding ejection timing corresponding to the adjacent pixel in the transport direction (that is, whether the nozzle of interest is ejecting ink continuously over two pixels. Discrepancies in the amount of ink ejected depending on whether the (Hereinafter, this will be referred to as "deviation in ink ejection amount according to the preceding ejection state.")
(iii) Discrepancies in ink ejection amount depending on the position of the nozzle N in the nozzle row NL. (Hereinafter, this will be referred to as "deviation in ink ejection amount depending on the position of nozzle N.")

Due to these factors (i) to (iii), if the predetermined estimated ejection amount corresponding to the pixel value deviates from the ink amount actually ejected from the nozzle N, the estimated amount will be Since errors are also accumulated when integrating the ejection amount, the result is that the calculated ink usage amount includes a non-negligible error.
Therefore, the information processing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment calculates the ink usage amount after correcting the deviation in the ink ejection amount due to some or all of (i) to (iii). Below, various methods for calculating the amount of ink used by performing the correction will be described.

(1) First method of calculating ink usage amount First, the first method of calculating ink usage amount will be explained. In the first ink usage calculation method, "(i) deviation in ink ejection amount according to adjacent ejection states" is corrected.

The amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest at a certain ejection timing varies depending on the ink ejection state of the adjacent nozzle adjacent to the nozzle of interest within the same nozzle row NL at the ejection timing. For example, the ink ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 in the nozzle row NL2 in FIG. 4 varies depending on the ejection states of two adjacent nozzles N2 at the same ejection timing. One of the causes of this variation (deviation) in the amount of ink ejection is that the pressure waves generated in the ink due to the ejection of the adjacent nozzle N2 are transmitted to the target nozzle N1 via the ink supply flow path, and the behavior of the ink in the target nozzle N1 is is a deviation from the ideal state. Therefore, when the adjacent nozzle N2 is ejecting ink, the behavior of the ink in the nozzle N1 of interest deviates from the ideal state due to the pressure wave from the adjacent nozzle N2, and the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 changes from the default state. The discharge amount decreases from the expected discharge amount.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating deviations in ink ejection amount depending on adjacent ejection states.
The graph in FIG. 6 shows the ink ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 when the adjacent nozzle N2 is not ejecting (horizontal axis) and the ink ejection amount of the focused nozzle N1 when the adjacent nozzle N2 is ejecting (vertical axis). are plotted by changing the drive signal (that is, by changing the estimated ejection amount). From FIG. 6, it can be seen that when the adjacent nozzle N2 is ejecting, the amount of ink ejected by the target nozzle N1 is lower than when the adjacent nozzle N2 is not ejecting.

Therefore, in the first ink usage calculation method, the estimated ejection amount for the pixel to be corrected is calculated based on the adjacent ejection amount of the ink ejection amount from the target nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle) corresponding to the pixel to be corrected. Correct using a correction value based on the amount of deviation. Then, the estimated ejection amount corrected in this way is integrated for each pixel of the image data 441 to calculate the ink usage amount.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a method of correcting the estimated ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 according to the pattern of adjacent ejection states.
In FIG. 7, a pixel corresponding to the nozzle of interest N1 (pixel to be corrected) and two pixels corresponding to two adjacent nozzles N2 in the width direction (hereinafter referred to as adjacent nozzle pixels) are represented by three rectangles. ing. Among these, the pixels to be corrected are marked with "*". As is clear from the explanation of FIG. 4, the pixel corresponding to the nozzle of interest N1 (pixel for forming dot D1) and the pixel corresponding to the adjacent nozzle N2 (pixel for forming dot D2) are , in the image data 441, they are not actually adjacent, but 12 pixels apart.
Further, in FIG. 7, patterns A1 to A4 of adjacent ejection states are represented by showing OFF pixels in white and showing ON pixels in color.

Pattern A1 is a pattern in which the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel and all adjacent nozzle pixels are OFF pixels. In this pattern A1, since the adjacent nozzle N2 does not eject ink, a predetermined expected ejection amount (M) of ink is ejected from the target nozzle N1 unless there is another factor that changes the ejection amount. Therefore, the estimated ejection amount after correction is the same as before correction. In other words, the corrected ejection amount is not corrected. In other words, the correction amount of the corrected ejection amount is set to "0".

A2 and A3 are patterns in which the pixel to be corrected and one adjacent nozzle pixel are ON pixels, and the other adjacent nozzle is OFF pixel. Furthermore, pattern A4 is a pattern in which both the pixel to be corrected and two adjacent nozzle pixels are ON pixels.
In these patterns A2 to A4, since ink is ejected from at least one adjacent nozzle N2, the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 deviates from the predetermined expected ejection amount (M) in a direction of decreasing. Therefore, in patterns A2 to A4, the estimated ejection amount is corrected to ML1=M−dL1 based on this amount of deviation. Here, -dL1 corresponds to the amount of correction of the estimated ejection amount. It can also be said that -dL1 represents the amount of deviation in the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 depending on the adjacent ejection state.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated discharge amount.
FIG. 8 shows an example of the estimated ejection amount and correction amount after correction when there are three levels of ON pixels: large droplet, medium droplet, and small droplet described above.
In the example of FIG. 8, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a large droplet and the adjacent ejection state is one of patterns A2 to A4, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 10 pL to 8.5 pL. be done. That is, the correction amount in this case is -1.5 pL.
Furthermore, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a medium droplet and the adjacent ejection state is one of patterns A2 to A4, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 6 pL to 5.1 pL. That is, the correction amount in this case is -0.9 pL.
Further, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a small droplet and the adjacent ejection state is one of patterns A2 to A4, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 2 pL to 1.7 pL. That is, the correction amount in this case is -0.3 pL.

Information on the estimated ejection amount and its correction amount according to the patterns A1 to A4 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is stored in advance in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442. Therefore, in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, the correction amount corresponding to the estimated ejection amount is determined in advance for each estimated ejection amount (that is, for each of large droplets, medium droplets, and small droplets). It is set at level 2 or higher. As a result, it is possible to obtain a correction amount corresponding to any pattern of adjacent ejection states for any target nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle) from the estimated ejection amount correction data 442.

The correction amount information included in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442 may be changeable by a user's input operation. That is, even if the control unit 40 sets the correction amount in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442 based on the input operation when the operation display unit 63 accepts an input operation specifying the correction amount. good.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 40 for ink usage calculation processing to execute the first ink usage calculation method. This ink usage calculation process is executed for each of the colors Y, M, C, and K, respectively.
When the ink usage amount calculation process is started, the control unit 40 executes color correction processing, halftone processing, rearrangement processing, and multi-value processing of the image data, and uses the image data as the image data 441 for which the ink usage amount is calculated. The information is stored in the storage unit 44 (step S101).

The control unit 40 selects the first pixel of the image data 441 as a pixel to be corrected (step S102), and executes estimated ejection amount correction processing (step S103).

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 40 for the estimated discharge amount correction process.
When the estimated ejection amount correction process is called, the control unit 40 acquires the pixel values of the pixel to be corrected and its two adjacent nozzle pixels, and specifies the ejection states of the target nozzle N1 and the adjacent nozzle N2 (step S201 ).

The control unit 40 determines whether or not the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel (step S202), and if it is determined that the pixel is an ON pixel (“YES” in step S202), M is added to the expected ejection amount. is substituted (step S203).

When it is determined that the adjacent nozzle pixel on the left side is an OFF pixel (“YES” in step S204) and the adjacent nozzle pixel on the right side is an OFF pixel (“YES” in step S205), , corresponding to pattern A1), the estimated ejection amount correction process is ended.

The control unit 40 determines that the adjacent nozzle pixel on the left side is an ON pixel (“NO” in step S204), or when it is determined that the adjacent nozzle pixel on the right side is an ON pixel (“NO” in step S205). If NO'') (that is, if it corresponds to any of patterns A2 to A4), the estimated ejection amount is corrected to the above-mentioned ML1 (step S206), and the estimated ejection amount correction process is ended.

In the process of step S202, if it is determined that the pixel to be corrected is an OFF pixel (“NO” in step S202), the control unit 40 assigns 0 to the estimated ejection amount and corrects the estimated ejection amount. Terminate the process.
The estimated ejection amount at the end of the estimated ejection amount correction process corresponds to the "estimated ejection amount after correction."

Note that the processing flow of steps S202 to S207 does not necessarily have to be as shown in FIG. Any processing flow can be used as long as M is set and the expected ejection amount is ML1 when the adjacent ejection state is one of patterns A2 to A4.

Returning to FIG. 9, when the estimated ejection amount correction process ends, the control unit 40 adds the corrected estimated ejection amount obtained in the estimated ejection amount correction process to the ink usage amount (step S104).

The control unit 40 determines whether or not there is an unselected pixel in the image data 441 (step S105), and if it is determined that there is an unselected pixel (“YES” in step S105), the next A pixel to be corrected is selected (step S106), and the process returns to step S103. If it is determined that all pixels have been selected (“NO” in step S105), the control unit 40 ends the ink usage amount calculation process.
Among the above, step S103 corresponds to a "correction step", and the loop processing of steps S103 to S106 corresponds to a "calculation step".

(Modification 1-1)
Next, modification 1-1 of the first ink usage calculation method will be described.
In the above description, an example has been described in which the estimated ejection amount is uniformly corrected to ML1 when at least one of two adjacent nozzle pixels is an ON pixel, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, when both of two adjacent nozzles N2 eject ink than when only one of the two adjacent nozzles N2 ejects ink, the amount of deviation in ink ejection amount from the target nozzle N1 (default (reduction amount from the expected ejection amount) becomes large, so detailed correction may be made to reflect this difference in the amount of deviation.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a more detailed method of correcting the estimated ejection amount according to the pattern of adjacent ejection states.
Further, FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated discharge amount shown in FIG. 11.
In the examples of FIGS. 11 and 12, in patterns A2 and A3 in which only one adjacent nozzle pixel is an ON pixel, the estimated ejection amount is corrected to ML2=M−dL2. Further, in pattern A4 in which two adjacent nozzle pixels are both ON pixels, the estimated ejection amount is corrected to ML1=M−dL1. Here, dL2<dL1, and therefore ML2>ML1.
In this way, by correcting the estimated ejection amount with the correction amount determined according to the combination of the adjacent ejection states of the two adjacent nozzles N2, the estimated ejection amount can be corrected more accurately.

(Modification 1-2)
Next, modification 1-2 of the first ink usage calculation method will be described.
In the above, the estimated discharge amount is corrected only according to the discharge state of the adjacent nozzle N2 of the nozzle of interest N1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to correct the estimated discharge amount only for nearby nozzles that are two or more away from the nozzle of interest N1, excluding the adjacent nozzle N2. The correction may be made by further considering the ejection state of the nozzle N. That is, the above-described adjacent ejection state may further include the ejection state of the neighboring nozzles of the nozzle of interest N1 other than the adjacent nozzle N2 in the nozzle row NL.

The ejection state of neighboring nozzles that are two or more places away from the nozzle of interest N1 has less influence on the ink ejection amount of the nozzle of interest N1 than the ejection state of the adjacent nozzle N2. As a method for performing correction that reflects the magnitude of this influence, there is a method using a spatial filter.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a spatial filter for correction according to adjacent ejection states.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for the estimated discharge amount from the result of the spatial filter processing.
The spatial filter shown in FIG. 13 and the correction table shown in FIG. 14 are included in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442.

In the spatial filter shown in FIG. 13, spatial filter coefficients are set for each pixel corresponding to a nozzle near the pixel to be corrected. In the spatial filter processing of this modification, spatial filter coefficients of pixels that are ON pixels among pixels corresponding to neighboring nozzles are integrated. Then, with reference to the correction table of FIG. 14, a correction coefficient corresponding to the obtained integrated value is obtained, and the predetermined estimated ejection amount is multiplied by the correction coefficient to correct it. The difference between the predetermined estimated ejection amount and the value obtained by multiplying the estimated ejection amount by a correction coefficient corresponds to the correction amount. The correction table may be data representing the graph itself shown in FIG. 14 showing the relationship between the integrated value of the spatial filter and the correction coefficient, or it may be table data in which possible integrated values of the spatial filter are associated with the correction coefficients. It may be.
The spatial filter coefficients and the contents of the correction table included in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442 may be changeable by a user's input operation.

Example 1 in FIG. 13 is a spatial filter in which only adjacent nozzle pixels corresponding to adjacent nozzle N2 are considered, and corresponds to the correction method described in FIG. 11.
In example 2 of FIG. 13, the influence range is considered to be up to three nozzles adjacent to the nozzle of interest N1, and the spatial filter coefficients are distributed so that nozzles N closer to the nozzle of interest N1 are weighted larger.
Example 3 in FIG. 13 considers only pixels that have already been selected as correction target pixels among pixels corresponding to three adjacent nozzles. As a result, only pixels whose pixel values have been acquired are subjected to spatial filter processing, so that data reference processing can be simplified.

When calculating the ink usage amount using the method of this modification, in the ink usage amount calculation process of FIG. 9, the content of the estimated ejection amount correction process in step S103 is changed as follows.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 40 of the estimated discharge amount correction process according to Modification 1-2.
The flowchart in FIG. 15 corresponds to the flowchart in FIG. 10 in which step S201 is changed to step S201a, steps S204 to S206 are deleted, and step S208 is added after step S203. Below, differences from the flowchart in FIG. 10 will be explained.

In step S201a, the control unit 40 acquires the pixel value of the pixel to be corrected and the pixel values of pixels corresponding to neighboring nozzles in a predetermined range, including the two neighboring nozzles N2, and controls the discharge of the target nozzle N1 and the neighboring nozzles. Identify the condition.

When step S203 is completed, the control unit 40 executes the above-described spatial filter processing and corrects the estimated discharge amount according to the processing result (step S208). That is, the control unit 40 calculates the integrated value of the spatial filter, refers to the correction table in FIG. 14, obtains a correction coefficient corresponding to the integrated value of the spatial filter, and multiplies the estimated discharge amount by the correction coefficient. Correct it. When the process of step S208 ends, the control unit 40 ends the estimated discharge amount correction process.

(2) Second method of calculating ink usage amount Next, the second calculation method of ink usage amount will be explained. In the second ink usage amount calculation method, "(ii) deviation in ink ejection amount according to the preceding ejection state" is corrected.

The amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 at a certain ejection timing varies depending on the ejection state (preceding ejection state) of the nozzle of interest N1 at the preceding ejection timing one time before the ejection timing. In other words, the amount of ink ejection varies depending on whether the ink ejection from the target nozzle N1 is continuous ink ejection over two pixels adjacent in the transport direction. More specifically, when ink is continuously ejected, the amount of ink ejected at the subsequent stage is likely to be larger than the predetermined expected ejection amount. This is because a pressure wave is generated in the pressure chamber communicating with the target nozzle N1 due to the preceding ink ejection, and the subsequent ink is ejected at the timing when resonance occurs with this pressure wave, increasing the ink ejection efficiency. This is because the amount of ink ejected increases.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the deviation in the amount of ink ejection depending on the advance ejection state.
The graph in FIG. 16 shows the ink ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 when it is not ejecting at the advance ejection timing (horizontal axis), and the ink ejection amount of the focused nozzle N1 when it is ejecting at the advance ejection timing (vertical axis). are plotted by changing the drive signal (that is, by changing the estimated ejection amount). From FIG. 16, it can be seen that when the ink is ejected at the advance ejection timing, the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 is larger than when it is not ejected.

Therefore, in the second ink usage calculation method, the estimated ejection amount for the pixel to be corrected is calculated based on the preceding ejection state of the ink ejection amount from the target nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle) corresponding to the pixel to be corrected. Correct using a correction value based on the amount of deviation. Then, the estimated ejection amount corrected in this way is integrated for each pixel of the image data 441 to calculate the ink usage amount.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a method of correcting the estimated ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 according to the pattern of the advance ejection state.
In FIG. 17, a pixel corresponding to the nozzle of interest N1 (pixel to be corrected), an adjacent pixel of the pixel that corresponds to the preceding ejection timing of the nozzle of interest N1 (hereinafter referred to as a preceding adjacent pixel), is represented by two rectangles. Further, in FIG. 17, patterns B1 and B2 in the advance ejection state are shown.

Pattern B1 is a pattern in which the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel and the preceding adjacent pixel is an OFF pixel. In this pattern B1, there is no ink ejection at the preceding ejection timing, and the effect of increasing the ink ejection amount due to continuous ejection does not occur. Therefore, from the target nozzle N1, unless there are other factors that fluctuate the ejection amount, the default assumption Ink of an ejection amount (M) is ejected. Therefore, the estimated ejection amount after correction is the same as before correction. In other words, the correction amount of the corrected ejection amount is set to "0".

Pattern B2 in FIG. 7 is a pattern in which both the pixel to be corrected and the preceding adjacent pixel are ON pixels. In this pattern B2, since the ejection at the preceding ejection timing produces an effect of increasing the ink ejection amount, the ink ejection amount from the target nozzle N1 deviates from the predetermined expected ejection amount (M) in the direction of increasing. Therefore, in pattern B2, the estimated ejection amount is corrected to MH=M+dH based on this amount of deviation. Here, dH corresponds to the amount of correction of the estimated discharge amount. It can also be said that dH represents the amount of deviation in the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 depending on the preceding ejection state.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a specific example of the amount of correction of the estimated ejection amount.
FIG. 18 shows an example of the estimated ejection amount and correction amount after correction when there are three levels of ON pixels: large droplet, medium droplet, and small droplet described above.
In the example of FIG. 18, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a large droplet and the preliminary ejection state is pattern B2, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 10 pL to 11.5 pL. That is, the correction amount in this case is 1.5 pL.
Further, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a medium droplet and the preliminary ejection state is pattern B2, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 6 pL to 6.9 pL. That is, the correction amount in this case is 0.9 pL.
Further, when the pixel to be corrected is an ON pixel corresponding to a small droplet and the preliminary ejection state is pattern B2, the estimated ejection amount is corrected from 2 pL to 2.3 pL. That is, the correction amount in this case is 0.3 pL.

Information on the estimated ejection amount correction amount according to the patterns B1 and B2 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is stored in advance in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442. That is, from the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, it is possible to obtain a correction amount corresponding to any pattern of the preceding ejection state for any target nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle).
The correction amount information included in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442 may be changeable by a user's input operation. That is, even if the control unit 40 sets the correction amount in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442 based on the input operation when the operation display unit 63 accepts an input operation specifying the correction amount. good.

When calculating the ink usage using the second ink usage calculation method, in the ink usage calculation process of FIG. 9, the content of the estimated ejection amount correction process in step S103 is changed as follows.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 40 of the estimated ejection amount correction process according to the second ink usage amount calculation method.
The flowchart in FIG. 19 corresponds to the flowchart in FIG. 10 in which step S201 is changed to step S201b, steps S204 to S206 are deleted, and steps S209 and S210 are added after step S203. Below, differences from the flowchart in FIG. 10 will be explained.

In step S201b, the control unit 40 acquires the pixel values of the pixel to be corrected and the preceding adjacent pixel, and specifies the ejection state and the preceding ejection state of the nozzle of interest N1.

When step S203 ends, the control unit 40 determines whether the preceding adjacent pixel is an OFF pixel (step S209), and if it is determined that the preceding adjacent pixel is an OFF pixel, that is, it corresponds to pattern B1. If it is determined (“YES” in step S209), the estimated discharge amount correction process is ended.
On the other hand, if it is determined that the preceding adjacent pixel is an ON pixel, that is, if it is determined that it corresponds to pattern B2 (“NO” in step S209), the control unit 40 corrects the estimated ejection amount to MH. (Step S210), the estimated discharge amount correction process is ended.

(Modification 2-1)
Next, modification 2-1 of the second ink usage calculation method will be described.
In the above, the estimated ejection amount is corrected only according to the ejection state at the preceding ejection timing one time before the ejection timing of the target nozzle N1, but the present invention is not limited to this. You may take this into account and make corrections. That is, the above-mentioned advance ejection state may further include the ejection state at two or more preceding advance ejection timings.

The ejection state at the preceding ejection timing two or more times before has less influence on the ink ejection amount of the target nozzle N1 than the ejection state at the immediately preceding preceding ejection timing. As a method for performing correction that reflects the magnitude of this influence, there is a method using spatial filter processing, as in the above-mentioned modification 1-2.
FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a spatial filter for correction according to the advance ejection state.
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for the estimated discharge amount from the result of the spatial filter processing.
The spatial filter shown in FIG. 20 and the correction table shown in FIG. 21 are included in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442.

In the spatial filter of FIG. 20, a pixel to be corrected (pixel in the i-th line), a pixel corresponding to the preceding ejection timing n times before the ejection timing corresponding to the pixel (pixel in the i-nth line), Spatial filter coefficients are set for each. In the spatial filter processing of this modification, the spatial filter coefficients of pixels that are ON pixels among the pixels of the i-nth line are integrated. Then, with reference to the correction table of FIG. 21, a correction coefficient corresponding to the obtained integrated value is obtained, and the predetermined estimated ejection amount is multiplied by the correction coefficient to correct it. The difference between the predetermined estimated ejection amount and the value obtained by multiplying the estimated ejection amount by a correction coefficient corresponds to the correction amount.
The spatial filter coefficients and the contents of the correction table included in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442 may be changeable by a user's input operation.

Example 1 in FIG. 20 is a spatial filter in which only the pixel corresponding to the previous preceding ejection timing is considered, and corresponds to the correction method described in FIG. 17.
In example 2 of FIG. 20, the influence range is considered to be up to the preceding three preceding ejection timings, and the spatial filter coefficients are distributed so that the weighting of the nearest preceding ejection timing becomes larger.

When calculating ink usage using the method of this modification, instead of steps S209 and S210 of the estimated ejection amount correction process in FIG. 19, spatial filter processing is executed and the estimated ejection amount is corrected according to the processing result. All you have to do is set up a step to do so.

(3) Third method for calculating ink usage amount Next, a third method for calculating ink usage amount will be described. In the third ink usage amount calculation method, "(iii) deviation in ink ejection amount depending on the position of the nozzle N" is corrected.

The amount of ink ejected from the nozzle N can also vary depending on the position of the nozzle N in the nozzle row NL.
There are various factors that cause variations in the amount of ink ejected depending on the position of the nozzle N, but examples include differences in ink temperature (and viscosity differences according to the temperature difference) and differences in ink flow rate to the pressure chamber depending on the position of the nozzle N. , differences in the shape of the ink flow path, etc. Among these, the difference in ink temperature is caused by the fact that when heating ink from outside the recording head 241 (or head module 242, head unit 24; the same applies hereinafter), the closer the nozzle N is to the outer edge of the recording head 241, the higher the heating efficiency becomes. This can occur due to high temperatures. Further, the temperature difference in the ink may also occur due to the operating heat of the recording head 241. Since the operating heat of the recording head 241 is less likely to be radiated away from the outer edge of the recording head 241, contrary to the temperature difference due to heating described above, the farther the nozzle N is from the outer edge of the recording head 241, the higher the temperature of the ink becomes.
Further, variations in the amount of ink ejected depending on the position of the nozzle N include those caused by individual differences among the nozzles, such as manufacturing variations in the nozzles and changes in condition over time due to adhesion of foreign matter.

If there is such a variation in the amount of ink ejected depending on the position of the nozzle N, density variations will occur in the formed image, leading to a decrease in image quality. In order to suppress this image quality deterioration, when installing or replacing the recording head 241, the voltage value of the drive voltage is adjusted for each recording head 241 or for each nozzle row NL, and non-uniformity of density in the nozzle row NL direction is adjusted. To correct this, measures such as performing shading correction on the image data are taken. Note that a system configuration that accurately suppresses fluctuations in ink ejection amount depending on the position of the nozzle N by correcting the voltage value of the drive signal for each nozzle can be considered; This is not realistic from a performance standpoint.

By taking the above measures, even if there is some variation in the amount of ink ejected depending on the position of the nozzle N, it is possible to form an image without visually deteriorating the uniformity of the image.
However, even if such measures are taken, the discrepancy between the amount of ink actually ejected from each nozzle N and the default expected ejection amount corresponding to the pixel value will not be resolved, so the calculation result of the amount of ink used will not be corrected. This results in a non-negligible error.

Therefore, in the third ink usage calculation method, the estimated ejection amount for the pixel to be corrected is calculated from the nozzle row NL of the ink ejection amount from the target nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle) corresponding to the pixel to be corrected. The correction is performed using a correction value based on the amount of deviation depending on the position of the nozzle of interest N1 in . Then, the estimated ejection amount corrected in this way is integrated for each pixel of the image data 441 to calculate the ink usage amount.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a correction table for obtaining a correction coefficient for the estimated discharge amount according to the position of the nozzle N.
FIG. 22 is an example of a correction table when heating the recording head 241 from the outside causes variations in the amount of ink ejection depending on the position of the nozzle N. In this case, the closer the nozzle N is to the outer edge of the recording head 241, the higher the temperature of the ink, the lower the viscosity, the higher the ejection efficiency, and the larger the amount of ink ejected. Therefore, in the width direction, the correction coefficient for the estimated ejection amount is increased in the position range P3 near both ends of the recording head 241, and the correction coefficient is set to a value close to 1 in the position range P1 near the center of the recording head 241. In a position range P2 between P1 and P3, the correction coefficient is set to an intermediate value. By multiplying the predetermined estimated ejection amount by this correction coefficient according to the position of the nozzle N1, it becomes possible to accurately calculate the ink usage amount taking into account the deviation in the ink ejection amount depending on the position of the nozzle N1.
The correction table shown in FIG. 22 is included in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442. The contents of this correction table may be changeable by a user's input operation.

Note that the correction table shown in FIG. 22 is just an example, and the correction coefficient may be determined in accordance with the deviation in ink ejection amount caused by the various factors mentioned above. The deviation in the amount of ink ejection depending on the position of the nozzle N may be determined by directly measuring the amount of ink ejected from each nozzle N in advance, or may be estimated in advance from a substitute characteristic that reflects the amount of ink ejection.
Examples of this substitute characteristic include the density or line width of a line, or the density, diameter, or area of a dot in a predetermined test image formed on the recording medium M by ejecting ink from the nozzle N.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of the test image 70.
A test image 70 in FIG. 23A is an image in which lines 71 extending in the conveyance direction, which are formed by ejecting ink from one nozzle N, are formed in a number corresponding to the number of nozzles N. Lines 71 of the test image 70 in FIG. 23A are formed by continuously ejecting ink from every three nozzles N onto the recording medium M being transported in the transport direction.
A test image 70 in FIG. 23(b) is an image in which dots 72 formed by ejecting ink from one nozzle N correspond to the number of nozzles N. The dots 72 of the test image 70 in FIG. 23(b) are formed by ejecting ink from every third nozzle N onto the recording medium M being transported in the transport direction.
Since each line 71 and each dot 72 are formed with ink ejected from a single nozzle N, the density or line width of the line 71 or the density or diameter of the dot 72 can be determined from the imaging results of the test image 70. Alternatively, by detecting the area, the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle N can be estimated. The imaging device that captures the test image 70 may be an inline imaging device provided in the inkjet recording device 1 or an offline imaging device provided outside the inkjet recording device 1.

In addition, if a deviation in ink ejection amount due to environmental changes or changes over time is known in advance, a detection means for detecting the environmental change or passage of time is provided in the inkjet recording apparatus 1, and the detection result of the detection means is The correction coefficient for the estimated discharge amount may be set each time based on.

When calculating ink usage using the third ink usage calculation method, in the ink usage calculation process of FIG. 9, the content of the estimated ejection amount correction process in step S103 is changed as follows.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by the control unit 40 of the estimated ejection amount correction process according to the third ink usage amount calculation method.
The flowchart in FIG. 24 corresponds to the flowchart in FIG. 10 in which step S201 is changed to step S201c, steps S204 to S206 are deleted, and step S211 is added after step S203. Below, differences from the flowchart in FIG. 10 will be explained.

In step S201c, the control unit 40 acquires the pixel value of the pixel to be corrected and the position of the target nozzle N1 corresponding to the pixel, and specifies the ejection state of the target nozzle N1.

When step S203 ends, the control unit 40 refers to the correction table in FIG. 22 to obtain a correction coefficient corresponding to the position of the target nozzle N1, and corrects the estimated discharge amount by multiplying it by the correction coefficient (step S211). . When the process of step S211 is completed, the control unit 40 ends the estimated discharge amount correction process.

(4) Combination of first to third ink usage calculation methods Next, combinations of first to third ink usage calculation methods will be described.

(4-1) Combination of the first and second ink usage amount calculation methods The first ink usage amount calculation method corrects the estimated ejection amount according to the adjacent ejection state and the estimated ejection amount according to the preceding ejection state. It can be combined with the second ink usage amount calculation method of correcting the amount. In this case, a correction that reduces the estimated ejection amount when the adjacent nozzle pixel is in the ON state and a correction that increases the estimated ejection amount when ejection is performed at the preceding ejection timing may be combined. Such correction can be easily performed using a spatial filter.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a spatial filter when the first and second ink usage calculation methods are combined.
This spatial filter corresponds to a combination of the spatial filter of Example 2 in FIG. 13 and the spatial filter in Example 2 of FIG. 20. In the spatial filter processing using the spatial filter in FIG. 25, the spatial filter coefficients of pixels that are ON among pixels corresponding to neighboring nozzles within three adjacent nozzles from the nozzle of interest N1 are integrated, and further, i-n Among the pixels of the (n=1 to 3)th line, the spatial filter coefficients of the pixels that are ON pixels are integrated. Then, referring to a predetermined correction table (not shown), a correction coefficient corresponding to the obtained integrated value is obtained, and the predetermined estimated ejection amount is multiplied by the correction coefficient to correct it.
According to this method, the estimated ejection amount can be corrected to reflect the deviation in the ink ejection amount depending on the adjacent ejection state and the deviation in the ink ejection amount depending on the preceding ejection state, so it is possible to more accurately correct the ink ejection amount. The amount of ink used can be calculated.

(4-2) Combination of the first or second ink usage calculation method and the third ink usage calculation method The first or second ink usage calculation method and the position of nozzle N This method can be combined with the third ink usage amount calculation method that corrects the "deviation in ink ejection amount according to the amount of ink ejection." In this case, a correction coefficient corresponding to the position of nozzle N is set for each pattern in the adjacent discharge state or each pattern in the preceding discharge state, and the The estimated ejection amount may be corrected using a correction coefficient corresponding to the combination or the combination of the pattern of the advance ejection state and the position of the nozzle N.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of a correction coefficient for the estimated ejection amount when the first or second ink usage amount calculation method and the third ink usage amount calculation method are combined. Information on the correction coefficient shown in FIG. 26 is included in the estimated discharge amount correction data 442.
FIG. 26A shows an example of a correction coefficient for the estimated ejection amount when the first and third ink usage calculation methods are combined. In FIG. 26(a), correction coefficients corresponding to position ranges P1 to P3 are set for each of patterns A1 to A4 in adjacent ejection states. Therefore, one correction coefficient can be specified from the pattern of adjacent ejection states specified from adjacent nozzle pixels and the position of the nozzle of interest N1. In the estimated ejection amount correction process, the estimated ejection amount may be corrected using the specified correction coefficient.

Further, FIG. 26(b) shows an example of a correction coefficient for the estimated ejection amount when the second and third ink usage amount calculation methods are combined. In FIG. 26(b), correction coefficients corresponding to the position ranges P1 to P3 are set for each of the patterns B1 and B2 in the advance ejection state. Therefore, one correction coefficient can be specified from the pattern of the preceding ejection state specified from the preceding adjacent pixels and the position of the nozzle of interest N1. In the estimated ejection amount correction process, the estimated ejection amount may be corrected using the specified correction coefficient.

According to these methods, it is possible to perform corrections that take into account the deviation in ink ejection amount depending on the adjacent ejection state or preceding ejection state and the position of the target nozzle N1, so that the ink usage amount can be calculated more accurately. be able to.

(4-3) Combination of first to third ink usage amounts All of the first to third ink usage calculation methods may be combined. In this case, for example, for each possible integrated value of the spatial filter in FIG. 25, a correction coefficient corresponding to the position range P1 to P3 is set as shown in FIG. The estimated ejection amount may be corrected using the correction coefficient specified from the integrated value and the position of the target nozzle N1. According to this method, it is possible to perform a correction that takes into account all the deviations in ink ejection amount depending on the adjacent ejection state, the preceding ejection state, and the position of the target nozzle N1, so that the ink usage amount can be calculated more accurately. I can do it.

As described above, the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has a nozzle row NL consisting of a plurality of nozzles N arranged one-dimensionally in the width direction, and a head unit 24 that ejects ink from the plurality of nozzles N. , a transport drum 21 that relatively moves the head unit 24 and the recording medium M in a direction crossing the width direction, and controls ejection of ink from each nozzle N of the nozzle row NL based on the value of each pixel of the image data 441. An information processing apparatus 100 that calculates the amount of ink used in an inkjet recording apparatus 1, comprising a control unit 40 as an ejection control means that forms an image on a recording medium M that is relatively moved by a conveyance drum 21. , the control unit 40 of the information processing device 100 corrects the estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle N according to the value of each pixel of the image data 441 (correction means), and calculates the corrected estimated ejection amount from the image data. The amount of ink used is calculated by integrating the amount of ink used for each of the 441 pixels (calculation means), and the ink usage amount is calculated based on the value of the pixel of interest by the nozzle N1 (correction target nozzle) corresponding to the pixel to be corrected. , when the ink ejection state of the adjacent nozzle N2 adjacent to the nozzle of interest N1 in the nozzle row NL is set to the adjacent ejection state, the shift in the amount of ink ejection from the nozzle of interest N1 at the above-mentioned ejection timing according to the adjacent ejection state. The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the amount (correction means) (first ink usage amount calculation method).
According to this, the deviation in the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 according to the adjacent ejection state of the adjacent nozzle N2 can be reflected in the calculated value of the ink usage amount. Therefore, compared to the conventional method of calculating the amount of ink used in which the estimated ejection amount is a uniform fixed value, the amount of ink used can be calculated more accurately. In addition, since there is no need to provide a large-scale voltage control mechanism that corrects the voltage value of the drive signal for each nozzle to suppress deviations in ink ejection amount, the configuration of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 becomes complicated and costs increase. It is possible to improve the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used while avoiding errors.

Further, the control unit 40 as a correction means corrects the estimated discharge amount based on the image data 441 and the estimated discharge amount correction data 442 (correction means), and from the estimated discharge amount correction data 442, The control unit 40 specifies the adjacent ejection state for the nozzle of interest N1 based on the image data 441, and performs the correction according to the identified adjacent ejection state. The amount is obtained from the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, and the estimated ejection amount is corrected using the obtained correction amount. According to this, an appropriate correction amount can be obtained by a simple process of referring to the estimated ejection amount correction data 442.

Further, the control unit 40 as a correction unit corrects the estimated ejection amount with a correction amount determined according to a combination of adjacent ejection states of two adjacent nozzles N2 adjacent to the nozzle of interest N1 (calculation of the first ink usage amount). Modification of method 1-1). According to this, the estimated discharge amount can be corrected more accurately according to the combination of the discharge states of two adjacent nozzles.

Further, the adjacent ejection state further includes the ejection state of the nozzles in the vicinity of the nozzle of interest N1 other than the adjacent nozzle N2 in the nozzle row NL (Modification 1-2 of the first ink usage amount calculation method). According to this, the estimated ejection amount can be corrected by further taking into consideration the deviation in the ink ejection amount depending on the ejection state of the neighboring nozzle which is two or more nozzles away. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used can be further improved.

Furthermore, when the ejection state of the nozzle of interest N1 at the preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state, the control unit 40 as a correction means adjusts the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 at the ejection timing. The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the deviation amount according to the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state (a combination of the first and second ink usage amount calculation methods). According to this, it is possible to further reflect the deviation in the amount of ink ejection from the target nozzle N1 according to the preceding ejection state in the calculated value of the ink usage amount. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used can be further improved.

Further, from the estimated discharge amount correction data 442, it is possible to obtain a correction amount corresponding to any combination of adjacent discharge states and preceding discharge states for any target nozzle N1, and the control unit 40 as a correction means The adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state for the nozzle of interest N1 are specified based on the image data 441, and the correction amount corresponding to the combination of the identified adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state is obtained from the assumed ejection amount correction data 442. The estimated ejection amount is corrected using the corrected amount (a combination of the first and second ink usage amount calculation methods). According to this, an appropriate correction amount can be obtained by a simple process that refers to the estimated ejection amount correction data 442.

Further, the advance ejection state further includes the ejection state of the target nozzle N1 at the advance ejection timing two or more times before the ejection timing (Modification 2-1 of the second ink usage amount calculation method). According to this, it is possible to correct the estimated ejection amount by further taking into consideration the deviation in the ink ejection amount according to the ejection state at the preceding ejection timing two or more times before. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used can be further improved.

Further, the control unit 40 serving as a correction unit corrects the estimated ejection amount using a correction amount based on the amount of ink ejection from the nozzle of interest N1 according to the adjacent ejection state and the position of the nozzle of interest N1 in the nozzle row NL. (a combination of the first and third ink usage calculation methods). According to this, the deviation in the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 according to the position of the nozzle of interest N1 in the nozzle row NL can be further reflected in the calculated value of the amount of ink used. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used can be further improved.

Further, from the estimated discharge amount correction data 442, it is possible to obtain a correction amount for any target nozzle N1 according to a combination of any adjacent discharge state and the position of the target nozzle N1, and the control unit 40 as a correction means acquires a correction amount according to the combination of the adjacent ejection state and the position of the target nozzle N1 from the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, and corrects the estimated ejection amount with the obtained correction amount (the first and third ink usage amounts combination of calculation methods). According to this, an appropriate correction amount can be obtained by a simple process of referring to the estimated ejection amount correction data 442.

Furthermore, when the ejection state of the nozzle of interest N1 at the preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state, the control unit 40 as a correction means adjusts the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 at the ejection timing. The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the adjacent ejection state, the preceding ejection state, and the deviation amount according to the position of the target nozzle N1 in the nozzle row NL (combination of the first to third ink usage amount calculation methods) . According to this, the deviation in the amount of ink ejection from the nozzle of interest N1 according to the preceding ejection state and the deviation of the amount of ink ejection from the nozzle of interest N1 depending on the position of the nozzle of interest N1 in the nozzle row NL is calculated as the amount of ink used. This can be further reflected in the calculated value. Therefore, the accuracy of calculating the amount of ink used can be further improved.

Further, from the estimated discharge amount correction data 442, it is possible to obtain a correction amount corresponding to a combination of any adjacent discharge state, preceding discharge state, and position of the noticed nozzle N1 for any target nozzle N1, and the correction means The control unit 40 specifies the adjacent ejection state and preceding ejection state of the nozzle of interest N1 corresponding to the pixel to be corrected based on the image data 441, and compares the identified adjacent ejection state and preceding ejection state with the nozzle of interest N1. A correction amount corresponding to the combination with the position of is obtained from the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, and the estimated ejection amount is corrected using the obtained correction amount (combination of the first to third ink usage amount calculation methods). According to this, an appropriate correction amount can be obtained by a simple process of referring to the estimated ejection amount correction data 442.

Further, in the estimated ejection amount correction data 442, a correction amount corresponding to the estimated ejection amount is predetermined at two or more levels for each estimated ejection amount. According to this, it is possible to specify an appropriate correction amount according to the estimated ejection amount by a simple process.

In addition, the estimated ejection amount correction data 442 is provided so that the correction amount can be specified using a spatial filter (Modification 1-2, Modification 2-1, combination of the first and second ink usage calculation methods). ). According to this, an appropriate correction amount for the estimated ejection amount can be specified by a simple process of integrating the coefficients of the spatial filter.

The information processing device 100 also includes an operation display section 63 that accepts an input operation specifying a correction amount, and the control section 40 as a setting means corrects the estimated discharge amount based on the input operation accepted by the operation display section 63. The correction amount in the data 442 is set. According to this, the user can easily adjust the correction amount of the estimated discharge amount.

The information processing device 100 also includes a storage unit 44 in which estimated ejection amount correction data 442 is stored. According to this, the estimated ejection amount can be corrected inside the information processing device 100 without communicating with an external device.

Further, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a nozzle row NL consisting of a plurality of nozzles N arranged one-dimensionally in the width direction, and includes a head unit 24 that ejects ink from the plurality of nozzles N; 24 and the recording medium M relative to each other in a direction crossing the width direction, and controlling the ejection of ink from each nozzle N of the nozzle row NL based on the value of each pixel of the image data 441. , a control section 40 as a discharge control means for forming an image on a recording medium M relatively moved by a conveyance drum 21, and the information processing apparatus 100 described above. According to this, the amount of ink used can be accurately calculated inside the inkjet recording apparatus 1.

The inkjet recording apparatus 1 also operates in a first mode in which the image forming operation and the ink usage amount calculation operation are performed at least partially in parallel, and ink jet recording apparatus 1 in which the ink usage amount calculation operation is performed without performing the image forming operation. The second mode operates in one of the selected modes. According to the second mode, it is possible to estimate the amount of ink used before actually starting to print the image, so it is possible to judge whether the printing is worth the expected cost before printing starts. be able to.

In addition, the ink usage calculation method according to the present embodiment includes a correction step of correcting the estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle N according to the value of each pixel of the image data 441, and a correction step of correcting the estimated ejection amount after the correction. In the correction step, the nozzle of interest N1 (correction target nozzle) corresponding to the pixel to be corrected calculates the amount of ink used by integrating each pixel of the image data 441 based on the value of the pixel. When the ink ejection state of the adjacent nozzle N2 adjacent to the nozzle of interest N1 in the nozzle row NL at the ejection timing of ink ejection is set as the adjacent ejection state, the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle of interest N1 at the ejection timing, The estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the amount of deviation depending on the adjacent ejection state. According to this, it is possible to calculate the ink usage amount more accurately compared to the conventional method of calculating the ink usage amount in which the estimated ejection amount is set to a uniform fixed value.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and each modification, and various changes are possible.
For example, in the embodiment described above, the information processing device 100 that calculates the amount of ink used is provided in the inkjet recording device 1. However, the information processing device 100 is not limited to this. It may be provided outside. In this case, by communicatively connecting the inkjet recording apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 100, the image data 441 can be shared by the inkjet recording apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 100.

Furthermore, the image data used to calculate the amount of ink used is not limited to the image data 441 for forming one independent image, but may be part of the image data 441 corresponding to one image. By using data corresponding to a portion of an image, it is possible to calculate the amount of ink consumed to form an arbitrary portion of the image.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 decreases when the adjacent nozzle N2 is ejecting, as a deviation in the amount of ink ejected depending on the adjacent ejection state. It is not intended to be limited to. Depending on the ink ejection mechanism and drive method of the recording head 241, the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 may increase when the adjacent nozzle N2 is ejecting ink. The present invention can also be applied to such cases.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 increases when ejecting at the pre-ejection timing, as a deviation in the amount of ink ejected depending on the pre-ejection state. It is not intended to be limited to. Depending on the ink ejection mechanism and drive method of the recording head 241, the amount of ink ejected from the target nozzle N1 may decrease when ejecting ink at the advance ejection timing. The present invention can also be applied to such cases.

Further, in the above embodiment, the single-pass type inkjet recording apparatus 1 has been described as an example, but the present invention may be applied to an inkjet recording apparatus that records an image while scanning the recording head.

Further, in the above embodiment, the transport drum 21 has been described as an example of the moving unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. The moving part may be, for example, a conveyor belt supported by two rollers and moved according to the rotation of the rollers. Further, when recording an image while scanning the recording head, the moving section includes a mechanism for scanning the recording head.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof. .

1 Inkjet recording device 10 Paper feed section 11 Paper feed tray 12 Medium supply section 20 Image forming section 21 Conveyance drum (moving section)
21a Transport surface 22 Delivery unit 23 Recording medium heating section 24 Head unit (ink ejection section)
241 Recording head 242 Head module 243 Head drive section 25 Fixing section 26 Delivery section 30 Paper discharge section 31 Paper discharge tray 40 Control section (discharge control means, correction means, calculation means, setting means)
41 CPU
42 RAM
43 ROM
44 Storage unit 441 Image data 442 Estimated ejection amount correction data (estimated ejection amount correction information)
61 Transport drive section 62 Communication section 63 Operation display section (input means)
64 Bus 70 Test image 100 Information processing devices Ga to Gd Nozzle row group M Recording medium N Nozzle N1 Target nozzle (correction target nozzle)
N2 Adjacent nozzle NL, NL1 to NL12 Nozzle row

Claims (18)

an ink ejection unit having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction, and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles;
a moving unit that relatively moves the ink ejection unit and the recording medium in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction;
ejection control means for forming an image on the recording medium relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the value of each pixel of image data;
An information processing device that calculates ink usage in an inkjet recording device comprising:
a correction means for correcting an estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle according to the value of each pixel of the image data;
Calculation means for calculating the ink usage amount by integrating the estimated ejection amount after correction by the correction means for each pixel of the image data;
Equipped with
The correction unit is configured to eject ink from an adjacent nozzle adjacent to the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle array at an ejection timing when a nozzle to be corrected corresponding to the pixel to be corrected ejects ink based on the value of the pixel. an information processing device that corrects the estimated ejection amount with a correction amount based on a deviation amount according to the adjacent ejection state of the ink ejection amount from the correction target nozzle at the ejection timing when the state is an adjacent ejection state; . The correction means corrects the estimated ejection amount based on the image data and predetermined estimated ejection amount correction information,
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to any adjacent discharge state for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means identifies the adjacent discharge state of the correction target nozzle based on the image data, and obtains the correction amount according to the identified adjacent discharge state from the assumed discharge amount correction information. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the estimated ejection amount is corrected using the correction amount. The information processing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the correction means corrects the estimated ejection amount with the correction amount determined according to a combination of the adjacent ejection states of two adjacent nozzles adjacent to the correction target nozzle. Device. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjacent ejection state further includes ejection states of nozzles in the vicinity of the correction target nozzle other than the adjacent nozzle in the nozzle row. The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on the deviation amount depending on the ejection state and the preceding ejection state. The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. correcting the estimated discharge amount with a correction amount based on the deviation amount according to the discharge state and the preceding discharge state;
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any of the adjacent discharge states and the preceding discharge state for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means specifies the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state of the nozzle to be corrected based on the image data, and calculates the correction amount according to the combination of the identified adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the estimated ejection amount is corrected by acquiring the estimated ejection amount correction information and using the acquired correction amount. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the preceding ejection state further includes an ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing two or more times before the ejection timing. The correcting means corrects the estimated ejection amount by a correction amount based on the amount of ink ejection from the correction target nozzle based on the adjacent ejection state and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array. , an information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The correcting means corrects the estimated ejection amount by a correction amount based on the amount of ink ejection from the correction target nozzle according to the adjacent ejection state and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array. ,
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any adjacent discharge state and the position of the correction target nozzle for any of the correction target nozzles,
The correction means obtains the correction amount according to the combination of the adjacent ejection state and the position of the correction target nozzle from the estimated ejection amount correction information, and corrects the estimated ejection amount with the obtained correction amount. Item 2. The information processing device according to item 2. The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. According to any one of claims 1 to 4, the estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on an ejection state, the preceding ejection state, and the deviation amount depending on the position of the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle array. information processing equipment. The correction unit is configured to adjust the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle to be corrected at the ejection timing to the adjacent nozzle when the ejection state of the correction target nozzle at a preceding ejection timing one before the ejection timing is set to the advance ejection state. correcting the estimated discharge amount with a correction amount based on the displacement amount according to the discharge state, the preceding discharge state, and the position of the correction target nozzle in the nozzle array;
From the estimated discharge amount correction information, it is possible to obtain the correction amount corresponding to a combination of any of the adjacent discharge states, the preceding discharge state, and the position of the correction target nozzle for any of the correction target nozzles. ,
The correction means specifies the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state of the correction target nozzle corresponding to the correction target pixel based on the image data, and determines the adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state from the identified adjacent ejection state and the preceding ejection state. , the information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the correction amount according to the combination with the position of the correction target nozzle is obtained from the estimated ejection amount correction information, and the estimated ejection amount is corrected with the obtained correction amount. . Any one of claims 2, 6, 9, and 11, wherein in the estimated ejection amount correction information, the correction amount having a size corresponding to the estimated ejection amount is predetermined for each estimated ejection amount. The information processing device described in section. 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the estimated discharge amount correction information is provided so that the correction amount can be specified by a spatial filter. input means that accepts an input operation for specifying the correction amount;
Setting means for setting the correction amount in the estimated discharge amount correction information based on an input operation accepted by the input means;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, and 11 to 13, comprising: The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 6, 9, and 11 to 14, further comprising a storage section in which the estimated ejection amount correction information is stored. an ink ejection unit having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction, and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles;
a moving unit that relatively moves the ink ejection unit and the recording medium in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction;
ejection control means for forming an image on the recording medium relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the value of each pixel of image data;
The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
An inkjet recording device comprising: a first mode in which the image forming operation and the ink usage calculation operation are performed at least partially in parallel; and a second mode in which the ink usage calculation operation is performed without performing the image formation operation. ,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 16, which operates in one of the selected modes. an ink ejecting section having a nozzle row consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged one-dimensionally in a predetermined direction and ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles; and an ink ejecting section and a recording medium arranged in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction. An image is formed on the recording medium that is relatively moved by the moving unit by controlling the ejection of ink from each nozzle of the nozzle array based on the moving unit that moves relatively and the value of each pixel of image data. A method for calculating ink usage in an inkjet recording apparatus comprising:
a correction step of correcting an estimated ejection amount of ink from the nozzle according to the value of each pixel of the image data;
a calculating step of calculating the ink usage amount by integrating the corrected estimated ejection amount for each pixel of the image data;
including;
In the correction step, ink is ejected from an adjacent nozzle adjacent to the nozzle to be corrected in the nozzle row at an ejection timing when the nozzle to be corrected corresponding to the pixel to be corrected ejects ink based on the value of the pixel. When the state is set to an adjacent ejection state, the estimated ejection amount is corrected by a correction amount based on a deviation amount of the ink ejection amount from the correction target nozzle at the ejection timing according to the adjacent ejection state. How to calculate.

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