# US 11,440,317 B2 · Line width control and trajectory planning for robot guided inkjet deposition

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- Number: US 11,440,317 B2
- Document ID: US11440317B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/913,651
- Filed: 2020-06-26
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-28
- Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
- Applicants: Board of Regents, the University of Texas System
- Inventors: Nicholas R. Gans; Bashir H. Jafari
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440317B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/04586: {controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type}
- B41J 2/04508: {aiming at correcting other parameters}
- B41J 2/04558: {detecting presence or properties of a dot on paper}
- B41J 2/04593: {Dot-size modulation by changing the size of the drop}
- B41J 3/4073: {Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112)}
- G06K 15/1868: {for fitting to an output condition, e.g. paper colour or format}
- G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics
- H04N 1/387: Composing, repositioning or otherwise {geometrically} modifying originals
- B41J 2202/21: Line printing
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

In an embodiment, a method for controlling a printer is provided. The method includes: receiving a set of parameters associated with a printer by a computing device, wherein the printer is depositing ink on a substrate to generate a line; measuring a width of the line by the computing device; receiving a duty cycle associated with the printer by the computing device; using the received duty cycle, the set of parameters, and a model, estimating one or more unknown parameters of the set of parameters by the computing device; receiving a desired width of the line by the computing device; and if the desired width is not the same as the measured width: adjusting the duty cycle associated with the printer based on the set of parameters and the model so that the measured width is closer to the desired width by the computing device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for controlling a printer comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
receive a set of parameters associated with a printer, wherein the printer is depositing ink on a substrate to generate a line;
receive a duty cycle associated with the printer;
measure a width of the line;
estimate characteristics of the ink and a surface of the substrate that determine the width of the line;
receive a desired width of the line; and
if the desired width is not the same as the measured width:
adjust the duty cycle associated with the printer based on the set of parameters, the estimated characteristics of the ink and the surface of the substrate, and the model so that the measured width is closer to the desired width.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein adjusting the duty cycle comprises adjusting a drop size of a nozzle of the printer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer is an inkjet printer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the printer is an extrusion printer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the width of the line comprises a spot diameter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the set of parameters comprise one or more of nozzle velocity and contact angle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the ink and the surface of the substrate are estimated without knowledge of any interactions between the ink and the substrate.

### Claim 8

A method for controlling a printer comprising:
receiving a set of parameters associated with a printer by a computing device, wherein the printer is depositing ink on a substrate to generate a line;
measuring a width of the line by the computing device;
receiving a duty cycle associated with the printer by the computing device;
estimating characteristics of the ink and a surface of the substrate by the computing device;
receiving a desired width of the line by the computing device; and
if the desired width is not the same as the measured width:
adjusting the duty cycle associated with the printer based on the set of parameters, the estimated characteristics of the ink and the surface of the substrate, and the model so that the measured width is closer to the desired width by the computing device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the duty cycle comprises adjusting a drop size of a nozzle of the printer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the printer is an inkjet printer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the printer is an extrusion printer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the width of the line comprises a spot diameter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the set of parameters comprise one or more of nozzle velocity and contact angle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more unknown parameters are estimated without knowledge of any interactions between the ink and the substrate.