# US 12,179,481 B2 · Liquid ejecting device and liquid ejecting method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,481 B2 - Document ID: US12179481B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/146,476 - Filed: 2022-12-27 - Published: 2023-06-29 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-28 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Masahiro Murata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179481B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/04558: {detecting presence or properties of a dot on paper} - B41J 2/21: for multi-colour printing - B41J 2/04586: {controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type} - B41J 2/2054: {by the variation of dot disposition or characteristics, e.g. dot number density, dot shape} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A liquid ejecting device includes a liquid ejecting unit and a control unit configured to control ejection of liquid. A plurality of types of liquid include a first ink group that is capable of expressing a different color by mixing a plurality of color inks each other and a second ink capable of singly expressing a color of the same system as that of the different color. The control unit is capable of forming a first color mixture pattern and a second color mixture pattern that uses a greater amount of the first ink group than that of the first color mixture pattern to eject the first ink group, is capable of forming a monochrome pattern to eject the second ink, and forms a patch the second color mixture pattern that is adjacent to the first color mixture pattern and the monochrome pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid ejecting device configured to eject a plurality of types of liquid to a medium, the liquid ejecting device comprising: a liquid ejecting unit including a plurality of nozzles each configured to eject a corresponding type of liquid of the plurality of types of liquid; and a control unit configured to control ejection of the plurality of types of liquid by the liquid ejecting unit, wherein the plurality of types of liquid include a first ink group formed of a plurality of color inks and configured to express a different color by mixing the plurality of color inks each other, and a second ink configured to singly express a color of the same system as the different color, and the control unit is configured to form, on the medium, a first color mixture pattern using the first ink group and a second color mixture pattern using a greater amount of the first ink group than that used for the first color mixture pattern, by controlling the liquid ejecting unit to eject the first ink group, is configured to form, on the medium, a monochrome pattern using the second ink, by controlling the liquid ejecting unit to eject the second ink, and forms, on the medium, a patch that includes the first color mixture pattern, the monochrome pattern, and the second color mixture pattern that is adjacent to the first color mixture pattern and the monochrome pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit forms a plurality of the patches on the medium along a first direction, and forms an n-th patch of the plurality of patches aligned along the first direction, by using a greater amount of the first ink group than that used for an n−1-th patch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit forms the plurality of patches on the medium along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and forms an m-th patch of the plurality of patches aligned along the second direction, by using a greater amount of the second ink than that used for an m−1-th patch. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit forms, in the patch, a bleed determination unit configured to determine ink bleed, and the bleed determination unit includes a first element formed with the first ink group and a second element formed with the second ink. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit forms, as the bleed determination unit, a region in which four elements are adjacent to each other in an order of a space element that is a region to which no liquid is ejected, the first element, the second element, and another space element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 4, wherein, as the bleed determination unit, the control unit forms a two-dimensional code in the first color mixture pattern or in the second color mixture pattern by using the second ink, or forms a two-dimensional code in the monochrome pattern by using the first ink group. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives selection of the patch formed on the medium, and in accordance with an ink amount corresponding to the selected patch, determines an amount of an ink to be used in subsequent liquid ejection. ### Claim 8 A liquid ejecting method performed by a liquid ejecting device configured to eject a plurality of types of liquid to a medium, the plurality of types of liquid including a first ink group formed of a plurality of color inks and configured to express a different color by mixing the plurality of color inks each other, and a second ink configured to singly express a color of the same system as the different color, the liquid ejecting method comprising a patch forming step of forming a patch on the medium by controlling a liquid ejecting unit that includes a plurality of nozzles each configured to eject a corresponding liquid of the plurality of types of liquid, wherein in the patch forming step, a first color mixture pattern formed by using the first ink group and a second color mixture pattern formed by using a greater amount of the first ink group than that used for the first color mixture pattern are configured to be formed on the medium by controlling the liquid ejecting unit to eject the first ink group, and a monochrome pattern formed by using the second ink is configured to be formed on the medium by controlling the liquid ejecting unit to eject the second ink, and the patch forming step includes forming, on the medium, the patch that includes the first color mixture pattern, the monochrome pattern, and the second color mixture pattern that is adjacent to the first color mixture pattern and the monochrome.