Methods for determining unidirectional print direction for improved quality

A storage medium with machine-readable computer program code for determining unidirectional print direction for optimal quality on an ink jet printer, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer or printer controller to control a printer to implement a method, comprising:

• printing a first plurality of indicators on a recordable medium, wherein the first plurality of indicators are printed in a first direction;
• printing a second plurality of indicators on the recordable medium, wherein the second plurality of indicators are printed in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• determining an optimal print direction from the printed indicators;
• and storing in the computer or the controller for the printer the optimal print direction for unidirectional printing.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, determine unidirectional print direction for better optimal quality on an ink jet printer, the signal comprising instructions for:

• printing a first plurality of indicators on a recordable medium, wherein the first plurality of indicators are printed in a first direction;
• printing a second plurality of indicators on the recordable medium, wherein the second plurality of indicators are printed in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• determining an optimal print direction from the printed indicators;
• and
• storing in the computer or the controller for the printer the optimal print direction for unidirectional printing.

An ink jet printer having the capability of bidirectional printing and the ability to determine unidirectional print direction for optimal print quality, comprising:

• a printhead comprised of dot forming nozzles for projecting ink onto a printing area on a recording medium, wherein the printhead is mounted on a carriage assembly;
• a control unit, wherein the control unit is adapted to control movement of the printhead along the carriage assembly and control projection of ink from the printhead;
• a sensor, wherein the sensor is adapted to analyze one or more print characteristics of a recorded image;
• and
• a computer recordable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises executable instructions for causing the control unit to implement a method, comprising:
• printing a first plurality of gray scale patches on a recordable medium, wherein the first plurality of patches are printed in a first direction;
• printing a second plurality of gray scale patches on the recordable medium, wherein the second plurality of patches are printed in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• scanning the first and second plurality of gray scale patches with the sensor;
• comparing the scanned first plurality of gray scale patches with the second plurality of gray scale patches;
• determining the optimum print direction based on the comparison of the scanned plurality of gray scale patches;
• and
• storing the optimum print direction in a computer readable storage medium on the printer and/or computer.

A method of determining unidirectional print direction for optimal print quality on an inkjet printer capable of bidirectional printing, comprising:

• printing at least one first indicator on a recordable medium, wherein the at least one first indicators is printed in a first direction;
• printing at least one second indicator on the recordable medium, wherein the at least one second indicator is printed in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• determining an optimum print direction from the printed indicators;
• and
• storing in the printer the optimum print direction for unidirectional printing.