Printers and methods of controlling same
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsLeticia Rubio, Isabel Borrell, Montserrat Solano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of controlling a printer to print a pattern using a number of print head dies, each print head die including a number of nozzle trenches wherein each one of the number of nozzle trenches is associated with a different color, wherein the nozzles of neighboring dies overlap in respective overlap zones, the method comprising applying masks to the nozzles of neighboring dies in the respective overlap zones to distribute, in the overlap zones, the pattern to be printed between the nozzles of the respective neighboring dies, wherein the masks, in the overlap zones, retain the order in which the nozzles of selected nozzle trenches associated with a selected one of the colors are fired.
Claims15
A method of controlling a printer, the method comprising:
- controlling, using a printer controller, a print engine to print a pattern using a number of print head dies, each print head die including a number of nozzle trenches wherein each one of the number of nozzle trenches is associated with a different color, wherein the nozzles of neighboring dies overlap in respective overlap zones, and
- applying masks to the nozzles of neighboring dies in the respective overlap zones, using the printer controller, to distribute, in the overlap zones, the pattern to be printed between the nozzles of the respective neighboring dies,
- wherein the masks, in the overlap zones, retain the order in which the nozzles of selected nozzle trenches associated with a selected one of the colors are fired.
The method of claim I wherein the print head dies extend along a print head axis direction and neighboring dies are staggered in a media advance direction perpendicular to the print head axis direction, so that respective two neighboring dies overlap, wherein each print head die includes four nozzle trenches associated with four colors, wherein the four colors, in the media advance direction, are yellow, magenta, cyan, black, or black, cyan, magenta yellow.
A printer including
- a number of print head dies, each print head die including a number of nozzle trenches wherein each one of the number of nozzle trenches is associated with a different color, wherein the nozzles of neighboring dies overlap in respective overlap zones;
- and
- a printer controller, the printer controller including a module to apply masks to the nozzles of neighboring dies in the respective overlap zones to distribute, in the overlap zones, a pattern to be printed between the nozzles of the respective neighboring dies, wherein the masks, in the overlap zones, retain the order in which the nozzles of selected nozzle trenches associated with a selected one of the colors are fired, and a module to control said number of print head dies to print a pattern.
A page wide array printer including
- a print bar, the print bar carrying a number of print head dies which are staggered along two parallel lines extending in a print head axis direction so that respective two neighboring dies overlap in a respective overlap zone, each die including a number of nozzle trenches, each of the number of nozzle trenches associated with a different color,
- the printer further including a printer controller, the printer controller including a module to apply masks to the nozzles of neighboring dies in the respective overlap zones to distribute, in the overlap zones, a pattern to be printed between the nozzles of the respective neighboring dies, wherein the masks enable respective first trenches associated with a first color of the dies arranged along one of the parallel lines to print the first color of the pattern in the overlap zone and disables the respective first trenches associated within first color of the dies arranged along the other one of the parallel lines;
- and
- a module to control said number of print head dies to print said pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.