EP0925920A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Dot recording method and dot recording device
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1998-04-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-04-07
Abstract
Abstract A specific image is first recorded according to a plurality of dot recording schemes which have an identical resolution and which are different at least in sub-scan feed operations. Then a desired dot recording scheme is selected corresponding to a desired recorded image which has been selected out of a plurality of recorded images recorded according to the plurality of dot recording schemes, and scheme selection information for specifying the desired dot recording scheme is stored into a rewritable non-volatile memory. In actual image recording, the scheme selection information stored in the non-volatile memory is read out, and a desired image is recorded on a recording medium according to the desired dot recording scheme specified by the scheme selection information.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiaki Seiko Epson Corp. KAKUTANI
- 👤 Kazumichi Seiko Epson Corp. SHIMADA
- 👤 Munehide Seiko Epson Corp. KANAYA
- 👤 Hisanori Seiko Epson Corp. NAKAJIMA
- 👤 Toyohiko Seiko Epson Corp. MITSUZAWA
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:54
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10; G06K15/102; G06K15/105; G06K15/107; B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/36; B41J11/42; B41J11/425; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2132; B41J2/2135; B41J2/485; B41J2/505; B41J2/5056; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
251 words
A dot recording apparatus for recording dots on a surface of a
printing medium with a dot recording head, the dot recording apparatus
comprising: a dot-forming element array arranged on the dot recording head to face
the printing medium, the dot-forming element array comprising a plurality of
dot-forming elements for forming a plurality of dots of an identical color at a
substantially constant pitch in a sub-scanning direction; a main scan driving unit that drives at least one of the dot recording
head and the printing medium to carry out main scan; a head driving unit that drives at least part of the plurality of dot-forming
elements to form dots in the course of the main scan; a sub-scan driving unit that drives at least one of the dot recording
head and the printing medium every time when the main scan is completed,
thereby carrying out sub-scan; and a control unit that controls the above units; wherein the control unit comprises: a recording mode storage unit that stores a plurality of dot recording
modes having a substantially equal recording speed, as alternative dot
recording modes each defining operations of the main scan and the sub-scan
for recording dots at an identical recording resolution; a mode selection information setting unit, in which mode selection
information is set to specify a desired dot recording mode among the plurality
of dot recording modes; and a unit that executes the dot recording according to the desired dot
recording mode specified by the mode selection information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
plurality of dot recording modes are different from each other in at least one of
two scanning conditions of: a sequence of sub-scan feed amounts and dot-forming
elements used for each main scan.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein
the mode selection information setting unit is a rewritable non-volatile
memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
120 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1
through 3, wherein the plurality of dot recording modes include a first type of dot recording
mode, in which a number of effective dot-forming elements and an element
pitch are set at integers of at least two that are not relatively prime, and in
which a plurality of different values are used in combination for sub-scan feed
amounts for a plurality of sub-scans, the number of effective dot-forming
elements representing a net number of raster lines in a main scanning
direction to be recorded in one main scan, the element pitch representing a
pitch of the plurality of dot-forming elements expressed in unit of a number of
dots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the
plurality of dot recording modes further include a second type of dot recording
mode in which the number of effective dot-forming elements and the element
pitch are set at integers that are relatively prime.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with claim 4 or 5, wherein
the plurality of dot recording modes include a dot recording mode in which
dot-forming elements used in each main scan are selected for each main scan.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1
through 6, wherein the plurality of dot recording modes include a plurality of
dot recording modes that have a substantially equal number of effective dot-forming
elements representing a net number of raster lines in a main scanning
direction recorded by one main scan; and wherein one of the plurality of dot recording modes having the
identical recording resolution and the substantially equal number of effective
dot-forming elements is specified by the mode selection information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1
through 7, the dot recording apparatus further comprising: a sensor for capturing a plurality of recorded test images, which are
obtained by recording a specific test image in the plurality of dot recording
modes, respectively; and a mode determination unit that analyses outputs of the sensor to
thereby select the desired dot recording mode among the plurality of dot
recording modes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
A dot recording apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the
test image includes a plurality of straight lines that are recorded by different
dot-forming elements and extend in a main scanning direction; and wherein the mode determination unit determines an evaluation value
which represents a scatter of intervals of the plurality of straight lines for each
of the plurality of dot recording modes, and selects the desired dot recording
mode based on the evaluation value.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of recording dots on a surface of a printing medium
with a dot recording head while carrying out a main scan in a direction
substantially perpendicular to a sub-scanning direction, the dot recording
head having a dot-forming element array including a plurality of dot-forming
elements for forming a plurality of dots of an identical color arranged at a
substantially constant pitch in the sub-scanning direction, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) recording a specific test image in a plurality of dot recording modes
that have a substantially equal recording speed, the plurality of dot recording
modes defining operations of the main scan and the sub-scan for recording dots
at an identical recording resolution; (b) selecting among the plurality of dot recording modes a desired dot
recording mode corresponding to a desired recorded test image which has been
selected out of a plurality of recorded test images recorded in the plurality of
dot recording modes; (c) setting mode selection information for specifying the desired dot
recording mode; and (d) recording dots according to the desired dot recording mode specified
by the mode selection information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the plurality of
dot recording modes are different from each other in at least one of two
scanning conditions of: a sequence of sub-scan feed amounts and dot-forming
elements used for each main scan.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 or 11, wherein the mode
selection information is stored in a rewritable non-volatile memory.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
117 words
A method in accordance with any one of claims 10 through 12,
wherein the plurality of dot recording modes include a first type of dot recording
mode, in which a number of effective dot-forming elements and an element
pitch are set at integers of at least two that are not relatively prime, and in
which a plurality of different values are used in combination for sub-scan feed
amounts for a plurality of sub-scans, the number of effective dot-forming
elements representing a net number of raster lines in a main scanning
direction to be recorded in one main scan, the element pitch representing
pitch of the plurality of dot-forming elements expressed in unit of a number of
dots.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the plurality of
dot recording modes further include a second type of dot recording mode in
which the number of effective dot-forming elements and the element pitch are
set at integers that are relatively prime.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 13 or 14, wherein the plurality
of dot recording modes include a dot recording mode in which dot-forming
elements used in each main scan are selected for each main scan.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
84 words
A method in accordance with any one of claims 10 through 15,
wherein the plurality of dot recording modes include a plurality of dot
recording modes that have a substantially equal number of effective dot-forming
elements representing a net number of raster lines in a main scanning
direction recorded by one main scan; and wherein one of the plurality of dot recording modes having the
identical recording resolution and the substantially equal number of effective
dot-forming elements is specified by the mode selection information.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with any one of claims 10 through 16,
wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of: capturing the plurality of recorded test images with a sensor; and analyzing outputs of the sensor to thereby selecting the desired dot
recording mode among the plurality of dot recording modes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the test image
includes a plurality of straight lines that are recorded by different dot-forming
elements and extend in a main scanning direction, and wherein the step (b) comprises the step of: determining an evaluation value which represents a scatter of
intervals of the plurality of straight lines for each of the plurality of dot
recording modes, and selecting the desired dot recording mode based on the
evaluation value.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
180 words
A computer program product storing a computer program for
causing a printing apparatus to record dots on a surface of a printing medium
while carrying out a main scan in a direction substantially perpendicular to a
sub-scanning direction, the printing apparatus comprising a dot recording
head having a dot-forming element array including a plurality of dot-forming
elements for forming a plurality of dots of an identical color arranged at a
substantially constant pitch in the sub-scanning direction, the computer
program product comprising: a computer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium; wherein the computer program comprises: a first program code that causes a computer to read a desired dot
recording mode from a first storage unit for storing a plurality of dot recording
modes according to mode selection information which has been set in advance
for specifying the desired dot recording mode among the plurality of dot
recording modes; and a second program code that causes the computer to execute dot
recording according to the desired dot recording mode specified by the mode
selection information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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