Determining a print media malfunction condition

A method of determining a print media malfunction condition in a printing system, comprising:

• providing a print media under a printhead of the printing system;
• obtaining a first height profile signal, representing the height between the media and the printhead across the media width, based on measurements taken at a plurality of positions in the width direction of the media;
• advancing the media a predetermined length in an advance direction at right angles to the width direction of the media;
• obtaining a second height profile signal, based on measurements at the plurality of positions in the width direction of the media, said second height profile signal representing the height between the media and the printhead across the media width, after the media advance;
• comparing the first and second height profile signals;
• and
• determining a media malfunction condition based on said comparison.

A printing system, comprising:

• a printhead;
• a platen for supporting print media under the printhead;
• a sensor to take measurements related to the height between the printhead and the print media;
• and
• a controller to control said sensor and to obtain an actual height profile signal, based on measurements taken by the sensor at a plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one pass, to compare said actual height profile signal to an earlier height profile signal, obtained based on measurements taken by the sensor at said plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one earlier pass on the same print media, and to determine a media malfunction condition based on said comparison.