Patent US5278259A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP1027999A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP1027999A2
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Positional deviation correction using different correction values for monochrome and color bi-directional printing
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 2000-02-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2020-02-03
Abstract
Abstract In monochrome printing mode, a first correction value is set for correcting printing positional deviation between ink droplets printed during forward and reverse main scanning passes. In color printing mode, a second correction value is set for correcting printing positional deviation between ink droplets printed during forward and reverse main scanning passes. An adjustment value is determined for reducing printing positional deviation during forward and reverse main scanning passes. For this, in monochrome printing mode the first correction value is used as an adjustment value, and in color printing mode at least a second correction value is used to determine an adjustment value. Following this, the adjustment value is used to adjust printing positions during forward and reverse main scanning passes. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Koichi Otsuki
- 👤 Shuji Yonekubo
- 👤 Kazushige Tayuki
- 👤 Toyohiko Mitsuzawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:15
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; B41J19/00; B41J19/14; B41J19/142; B41J19/145; B41J19/18; B41J19/20; B41J19/202; B41J2/2132; B41J2/2135; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus that bi-directionally prints
images on a print medium during forward and reverse main scanning passes,
the printing apparatus comprising: a print head having a group of nozzles for printing dots on the print
medium by emitting ink droplets; a main scanning drive mechanism that effects bi-directional main
scanning by moving at least one selected from the print medium and the
print head; a sub-scanning drive mechanism that effects sub-scanning by moving
at least one selected from the print medium and the print head; a head driver that supplies drive signals to the print head to effect
printing on the print medium; and a controller for controlling bi-directional printing; wherein the print head includes: an achromatic-color nozzle group that emits ink droplets of an
achromatic color; and chromatic-color nozzle groups comprising a plurality of single-chromatic-color
nozzle groups each emitting ink droplets of one of a plurality
of chromatic colors; where in the controller includes a printing position adjuster that
uses an adjustment value to reduce printing positional deviation arising
between forward and reverse main scanning passes; the printing position adjuster having a monochrome printing mode in
which a first correction value is used as the adjustment value, and a color
printing mode in which a second correction value that is determined
separately from the first correction value is used as the adjustment value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second correction value is set to reduce printing positional deviation of
ink droplets of a target color selected from among ink droplets emitted by the
plurality of single-chromatic-color nozzle groups.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the plurality of single-chromatic-color nozzle groups includes a cyan nozzle
group that emits cyan ink droplets and a magenta nozzle group that emits
magenta ink droplets, and the second correction value is set to reduce printing positional
deviation of the cyan ink droplets and the magenta ink droplets arising
during forward and reverse main scanning passes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the plurality of single-chromatic-color nozzle groups includes a light cyan
nozzle group that emits light cyan ink droplets and a light magenta nozzle
group that emits light magenta ink droplets, and the second correction value is set to reduce printing positional
deviation of the light cyan ink droplets and the light magenta ink droplets
arising during forward and reverse main scanning passes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the first correction value is determined according to correction information
indicative of a preferred correction state that is selected from among a first
test pattern of positional deviation printed using the achromatic-color nozzle
group, and the second correction value is set according to correction information
indicative of a preferred correction state that is selected from among a
second test pattern of positional deviation printed using at least one of the
single-chromatic-color nozzle groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
94 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the plurality of single-chromatic-color nozzle groups includes a cyan nozzle
group that emits cyan ink droplets and a magenta nozzle group that emits
magenta ink droplets, and the second positional deviation test pattern includes a second
forward pass sub-pattern printed during a main scanning forward pass using
either one of the cyan nozzle group and the magenta nozzle group, and a second reverse pass sub-pattern printed during a main scanning
reverse pass using the other of the cyan nozzle group and the magenta nozzle
group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the bi-directional printing apparatus is capable of performing main scanning
at a plurality of main scanning velocities and the second correction value is
set independently to the plurality of main scanning velocities.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the bi-directional printing apparatus is capable of performing main scanning
at a plurality of main scanning velocities and the first correction value is set
independently to the plurality of main scanning velocities.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the bi-directional printing apparatus is capable of emitting ink in a
plurality of dot emission modes of mutually different ink emission velocities,
and the second correction value is set independently to each of the
plurality of dot emission modes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the bi-directional printing apparatus is capable of emitting ink in
a plurality of dot emission modes of mutually different ink emission
velocities, and the first correction value is set independently to each of the plurality
of dot emission modes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the second correction value is applied in common for the chromatic-color
nozzle groups.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 11,
wherein in the color printing mode the second correction value is applied in
common for the chromatic-color nozzle groups and the achromatic-color
nozzle group.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the second correction value is set independently to each of the
single-chromatic-color nozzle groups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the second correction value is set independently to each of the sets of
the single-chromatic-color nozzle groups that emit ink of a same color.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 1, further
including a non-volatile memory containing the first correction value and the
second correction value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A bi-directional printing apparatus according to claim 15,
wherein the non-volatile memory is attached to the print head, so as to he
detachably attached to the printing apparatus with the print head.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
125 words
A bi-directional printing method for bi-directionally printing
images on a print medium during forward and reverse main scanning passes
using a printing apparatus having a print head that includes nozzle groups
for printing dots on the print medium by emitting ink droplets, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) with a first correction value, correcting printing positional
deviation of the ink droplets arising between forward and reverse main
scanning passes in a monochrome printing mode in which only ink droplets
of the achromatic color are used, and (b) with a second correction value, correcting printing positional
deviation of the ink droplets arising between forward and reverse main
scanning passes in a color printing mode in which ink droplets of at least
chromatic colors are used.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bi-directional printing method according to claim 17, further
comprising the step of: setting the second correction value to reduce printing positional
deviation of a light cyan ink droplets and a light magenta ink droplets
arising during forward and reverse main scanning passes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
A bi-directional printing method according to claim 17, further
comprising the steps of: setting the first correction value according to correction information
indicative of a preferred correction state that is selected from among a first
test pattern of positional deviation printed using achromatic color ink; and setting the second correction value according to correction
information indicative of a preferred correction state that is selected from
among a second test pattern of positional deviation printed using at least
chromatic color inks.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
156 words
A computer program product storing a computer program for
causing a computer to print images bi-directionally on a print medium
during forward and reverse main scanning passes, the computer including a
printing apparatus having a print head that includes nozzle groups for
printing dots on the print medium by emitting ink droplets, the computer
program product comprising: a computer readable medium; and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium; wherein the computer program causes the computer to correct
printing positional deviation of the ink droplets arising between forward and
reverse main scanning passes using a first correction value in a monochrome
printing mode in which only ink droplets of the achromatic color are used,
and to correct printing positional deviation of the ink droplets arising
between forward and reverse main scanning passes using a second correction
value in a color printing mode in which ink droplets of at least the chromatic
color are used.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH0569625A
Cited
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