Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080211854 | PRINTING POSITION ADJUSTING METHOD AND PRINTING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a printing position adjusting method capable of performing dot adjustment value acquisition processing that can accommodate diversified user needs of recent years, and a printing system capable of achieving the adjusting method. The printing position adjusting method according to the present invention provides a plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing capable of acquiring an adjustment value for matching printing positions, and enables selection of a single appropriate dot adjustment value acquisition processing type among the plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing according to the type of the print medium to be used. Consequently, a user will be able to suitably execute dot adjustment value acquisition processing with high accuracy in correspondence with the desired high level of quality. | 09-04-2008 |
20080266336 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK REMAINING AMOUNT DETECTION METHOD - According to this invention, an inkjet printing apparatus having an arrangement for detecting an amount of remaining ink in an ink tank starts a printing operation in a short time immediately after power-on. If an operation in preceding use is ended without any error at the time of power-off, and no error has occurred even at the time of power-on, the inkjet printing apparatus of this invention starts the printing operation without executing the operation of detecting the amount of remaining ink in the ink tank after power-on. | 10-30-2008 |
20090002415 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus includes: a recording head having a recording element row in which multiple recording elements are disposed, with recording elements at dispersed positions in the recording element rows as blocks; a scanning unit configured to scan the recording head in a main scanning direction; a time-division driving unit configured to drive the recording elements in increments of blocks; a storing unit configured to store recording data; an obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to the inclination of the recording element row relative to the main scanning direction; and a changing unit operable to change, in increments of individual recording elements, the storage position in the main scanning direction of recording data stored in the storing unit that is to be provided to recording elements of a group, which is configured of consecutive recording elements in each block in the recording element row, based on the obtained information. | 01-01-2009 |
20090015612 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD - The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which are based on the multi-pass printing method using a print head having a plurality of nozzle rows and which enables a reduction in the number of nozzles to be simultaneously driven, allowing ink to be stably ejected. On the basis of the multi-pass printing method of dividing print data into a plurality of pieces by using mask patterns, the mask patterns are offset according to the positional relationship between the plurality of nozzle rows in the print head. | 01-15-2009 |
20090046119 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD - An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided which are capable of minimizing image impairments caused by a bias of satellite positions even when an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional multi-pass printing is performed. To this end, in an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional printing, a mask pattern, in which print permitted pixels and print non-permitted pixels are arranged such a way that a percentage of pixels in which predetermined two inks are permitted to be printed by scans in different directions is higher than a percentage of pixels in which the predetermined two inks are permitted to be printed by scans in the same directions, is used. This increases the probability of satellites of the two types of the inks printed in the same pixels being printed on both sides of main dots, thus allowing a uniform image to be produced even by an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional printing. | 02-19-2009 |
20090046124 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD - An ink jet printing apparatus is provided which is capable of producing an image with a good balance between image quality and printing speed, without unduly shortening a longevity of a print head, even when an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional printing is performed. To this end, during a bidirectional multi-pass printing with a relatively small number of passes, a stepping mask is used to eliminate image problems caused by a difference in print permitted ratio between forward scan and backward scan. During a bidirectional multi-pass printing with a relatively large number of passes, a flat mask is used to give priority to suppressing density unevenness resulting from nozzle characteristic variations. As a result, the printing apparatus as a whole can produce an image with a good balance between image quality and printing speed, without unduly shortening a longevity of the print head. | 02-19-2009 |
20090051721 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INKJET PRINTING METHOD - After a first scan in a forward direction, conveying corresponding to one nozzle block is performed, and then in a second scan in a backward direction, printing of a “printing area | 02-26-2009 |
20090051940 | DATA PROCESSING DEVICE, INK JET PRINTING SYSTEM AND DATA PROCESSING METHOD - To enable the printing in which it is difficult for the dot to stand out and it is difficult for the gradation sequence properties to be degraded. Therefore, among plural dots each having a different size, the binary processing is carried out by using the same first dot arrangement pattern in regard to the large and medium-sized dots and the binary processing is carried out by using a dot arrangement pattern different from the first dot arrangement pattern in regard to the small-sized dots. | 02-26-2009 |
20090315944 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK JET RECORDING HEAD - The present invention reduces image deterioration such as density nonuniformity when recording is performed using a recording head having two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink, for example, gray ink. For this purpose, the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink is larger than the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined chromatic ink. | 12-24-2009 |
20100060683 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a first dot and a second dot having a diameter smaller than that of the first dot on a recording medium, and a scanning unit configured to move the recording unit in a scanning direction. A recording resolution of the second dot in the scanning direction is lower than a recording resolution of the first dot in the scanning direction. | 03-11-2010 |
20100156979 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - In an inkjet printing method of performing printing on a printing medium by ejecting inks from a printing head configured to eject chromatic inks and an achromatic ink while moving the printing head, high-quality printing with few boundary stripes produced when the amount of inks is large is realized without complicated control being performed. To this end, print data in a boundary and the vicinity thereof is divided into unit regions, and for each unit region, performed are (A) a first reduction processing which determines a hue of the unit region based on amounts of the chromatic inks, and reduces the amount of chromatic inks applied to the unit region according to the determined hue; and (B) a second reduction processing which reduces an amount of achromatic ink based on the amount of achromatic ink applied to the unit region. | 06-24-2010 |
20100207985 | PRINTING POSITION ADJUSTING METHOD AND PRINTING SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a printing position adjusting method capable of performing dot adjustment value acquisition processing that can accommodate diversified user needs of recent years, and a printing system capable of achieving the adjusting method. The printing position adjusting method according to the present invention provides a plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing capable of acquiring an adjustment value for matching printing positions, and enables selection of a single appropriate dot adjustment value acquisition processing type among the plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing according to the type of the print medium to be used. Consequently, a user will be able to suitably execute dot adjustment value acquisition processing with high accuracy in correspondence with the desired high level of quality. | 08-19-2010 |
20100214617 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - A region for quantization having a value lower than the value B is assumed as having little influence by Bk data on the pixels in this region. Thus, in order to prioritize the optimization of the granularity at the start of the input of GY data, the LUT having a combination of GY and gy as an input as an input is used to perform separation quantization. On the other hand, since a region having a value equal to or higher than the value B requires the use of Bk data, the LUT having only a combination of Bk and GY as an input as an input is used to perform quantization. As a result, the number of types of pieces of ink data referencing the table can be 2, thus suppressing an increase in the table size. | 08-26-2010 |
20100321436 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING PRINTING POSITION - By subtracting a first parameter related to the printing position deviation inherent to the printing head from a second parameter that is obtained by actually measuring the printing position deviation in a state where the printing head is mounted on the printing apparatus, a third parameter related to the printing position deviation inherent to the printing apparatus is acquired. When a new printing head is mounted on the printing apparatus, a new second parameter is computed from the third parameter and a first parameter that is of the new printing head. By this procedure, it is possible to hold down a time required for actual measurement of the printing position deviation and consumables, and even when the printing head is exchanged, it becomes possible to stably output a uniform image free from the printing position deviation. | 12-23-2010 |
20110032296 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - A printing apparatus includes a plurality of print element arrays each with a plurality of print elements arranged therein. The printing apparatus prints an image by time division driving in which the plurality of print elements in each print element array are divided into a plurality of blocks and in which the print elements are driven for every block. The amount of misalignment among the print element arrays in an arrangement direction of the print elements is acquired. A print element group used for printing in at least one print element arrays is changed in accordance with the acquired misalignment amount to correct the misalignment among the print element arrays. A driving order of the blocks is changed in accordance with the misalignment amount. Even in the case of the time division driving, the misalignment of the dot formation positions can be eliminated. | 02-10-2011 |
20110050779 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK JET RECORDING METHOD - There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus capable of shortening the recording duration even when an image to be recorded includes a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged in the case of two-sided recording on a recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus, which reverses the recording medium to enable two-sided recording, performs dividing the image to be recorded on a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged into two (first and second) planes, first plane recording involving a unit area to be subjected to an ink discharge amount below a predetermined amount, reversing the recording medium, and recording on the rear surface, and reversing the recording medium again, and second plane recording. | 03-03-2011 |
20110085003 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINT HEAD TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD - When the head temperature Tfinish, which is the head temperature at the time of completion of a preceding scan, is higher than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ΔT lower than the head temperature Tfinish. On the other hand, when Tfinish, the head temperature at the time of print completion, is lower than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ΔT higher than the head temperature Tfinish. Because of this it is possible to inhibit head temperature rise in the case where an image with a high print density is printed. | 04-14-2011 |
20110148965 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND RECOVERY METHOD - An inkjet printing apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a recovery device for recovering an ink ejection state of a print head. The print head has a plurality of nozzle rows each for ejecting an ink of a different color, and a nozzle surface. The recovery device performs wiping of the nozzle surface and preliminary ejection from the print head. After the wiping, an evaluation patch is created by performing the preliminary ejection onto a printing medium, and the number of preliminary ejections of a specific nozzle is increased to a number larger the number of preliminary ejections of other nozzles based on an image of the evaluation patch. It is possible to appropriately decide the number of preliminary ejections for each nozzle according to color mixture parts that vary for every apparatus. | 06-23-2011 |
20110249049 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD - An ink jet printing apparatus is provided that can perform printing without degrading printing quality. In the present invention, correction for a head-to-sheet distance change is performed for both forward printing and backward printing during a multi-path printing operation. | 10-13-2011 |
20110249062 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINT POSITION ADJUSTING METHOD - An inkjet printing apparatus and a print position correction method are provided which, even if satellites are produced, can evaluate printed position misalignments of main droplets without being influenced by the satellites and correctly perform a print position correction. To this end, when the test patterns are printed, the carriage speed and the head-medium distance are set smaller than those used during normal printing operations so as to keep the influences of the satellites on the printed patterns minimal. From the printed test patterns an amount of print position misalignment is acquired. Before actually executing a normal printing operation, an amount of the print position misalignment corresponding to the carriage speed and the head-medium distance of the actual printing operation is determined based on the amount of misalignment obtained from the test patterns and the print position adjustment is made using the determined amount of the print position misalignment. | 10-13-2011 |
20110304666 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INKJET PRINTING METHOD - After a first scan in a forward direction, conveying corresponding to one nozzle block is performed, and then in a second scan in a backward direction, printing of a “printing area | 12-15-2011 |
20110316906 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR RESTORE UNIT - An inkjet printing apparatus is provided that is capable of suppressing an increase in discarded ink by a restore operation of a restore unit. The apparatus is an inkjet printing apparatus that prints an image using a print head having a plurality of ejecting ports for ejecting ink and includes a restore unit that restores the ink ejection function of the print head, and a control unit that controls the restore unit so as to perform a restore operation depending on a parameter involving a growth rate of air bubbles existing inside the print head that is filled with ink. | 12-29-2011 |
20120154476 | SUCTION-BASED RECOVERY CONTROL METHOD AND INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - The amount of ink wastage is reduced, even in a case wherein a predetermined amount of air bubbles has grown in a print head at a specific internal temperature and the growth has been settled, and thereafter the temperature in the print head is increased. A suction-based recovery control method, for an ink jet printing apparatus that includes a print head, a temperature detection unit, and a suction-based recovery unit, comprising: a temperature detection step; a temperature judgment step for judging whether the internal temperature of the print head is higher than a reference temperature that is determined based on internal temperatures of the print head that were previously employed; and a suction-based recovery step for permitting the suction-based recovery unit when it is determined at the temperature judgment step that the internal temperature of the print head is higher by the predetermined number of degrees or greater. | 06-21-2012 |
20120229544 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus includes: a recording head having a recording element row in which multiple recording elements are disposed, with recording elements at dispersed positions in the recording element rows as blocks; a scanning unit configured to scan the recording head in a main scanning direction; a time-division driving unit configured to drive the recording elements in increments of blocks; a storing unit configured to store recording data; an obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to the inclination of the recording element row relative to the main scanning direction; and a changing unit operable to change, in increments of individual recording elements, the storage position in the main scanning direction of recording data stored in the storing unit that is to be provided to recording elements of a group, which is configured of consecutive recording elements in each block in the recording element row, based on the obtained information. | 09-13-2012 |
20130021397 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus capable of determining an amount of bubbles in an ink flow path and performing suction recovery operation at an appropriate timing is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a nozzle for discharging ink and a flow path forming member forming an ink flow path for supplying the ink to the nozzle, a suction unit configured to suck the ink from the recording head, and a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature in the recording head. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a control unit configured, based on an amount of gas in the flow path forming member before the ink is filled in the ink flow path, and an amount of gas in equilibrium in the flow path forming member after the ink is filled in the ink flow path, to control the operation of the suction unit. | 01-24-2013 |
20130021399 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a cap, and a preliminary discharge unit. The recording head can discharge a plurality of types of ink. The cap caps a discharge port face of the recording head. The preliminary discharge unit causes the recording head to execute a preliminary discharge. The preliminary discharge unit changes a preliminary discharge operation according to a length of time during which the discharge port face is capped by the cap. | 01-24-2013 |
20130120491 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK REMAINING AMOUNT DETECTION METHOD - According to this invention, an inkjet printing apparatus having an arrangement for detecting an amount of remaining ink in an ink tank starts a printing operation in a short time immediately after power-on. If an operation in preceding use is ended without any error at the time of power-off, and no error has occurred even at the time of power-on, the inkjet printing apparatus of this invention starts the printing operation without executing the operation of detecting the amount of remaining ink in the ink tank after power-on. | 05-16-2013 |
20130127942 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - In an inkjet printing method of performing printing on a printing medium by ejecting inks from a printing head configured to eject chromatic inks and an achromatic ink while moving the printing head, high-quality printing with few boundary stripes produced when the amount of inks is large is realized without complicated control being performed. To this end, print data in a boundary and the vicinity thereof is divided into unit regions, and for each unit region, performed are (A) a first reduction processing which determines a hue of the unit region based on amounts of the chromatic inks, and reduces the amount of chromatic inks applied to the unit region according to the determined hue; and (B) a second reduction processing which reduces an amount of achromatic ink based on the amount of achromatic ink applied to the unit region. | 05-23-2013 |
20130222450 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a first dot and a second dot having a diameter smaller than that of the first dot on a recording medium, and a scanning unit configured to move the recording unit in a scanning direction. A recording resolution of the second dot in the scanning direction is lower than a recording resolution of the first dot in the scanning direction. | 08-29-2013 |
20130241997 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD - The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which are based on the multi-pass printing method using a print head having a plurality of nozzle rows and which enables a reduction in the number of nozzles to be simultaneously driven, allowing ink to be stably ejected. On the basis of the multi-pass printing method of dividing print data into a plurality of pieces by using mask patterns, the mask patterns are offset according to the positional relationship between the plurality of nozzle rows in the print head. | 09-19-2013 |
20140300661 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINT HEAD TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD - When the head temperature Tfinish, which is the head temperature at the time of completion of a preceding scan, is higher than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ΔT lower than the head temperature Tfinish. On the other hand, when Tfinish, the head temperature at the time of print completion, is lower than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ΔT higher than the head temperature Tfinish. Because of this it is possible to inhibit head temperature rise in the case where an image with a high print density is printed. | 10-09-2014 |