Recording apparatus and method for correction of discharge failure and density unevenness

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, a substantially entire area of the recording medium being a recording area to be recorded according to an image signal, the recording medium having no predetermined margin area, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a predetermined timing, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern at a recording position different from that at which the recording medium is recorded, the recording medium having a recording surface rougher than a recording surface of the pattern recording medium;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• discriminating whether a recording state of the recording head indicates ink discharge failure, based on the read predetermined pattern;
• effecting a process for restoring ink discharge of the recording head, when in said discriminating step it is discriminated that the recording state indicates ink discharge failure;
• executing said recording step, said reading step, said discriminating step and said restoring process effecting step repeatedly a predetermined number of times;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said discriminating step discriminates the recording state indicating ink discharge failure and thereafter a discharge restoring operation by said restoring process effecting step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed a predetermined number of times, said discriminating step has discriminated the recording state still indicates the ink discharge failure.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, a substantially entire area of the recording medium being a recording area to be recorded according to an image signal, the recording medium having no predetermined margin area, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a predetermined timing, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern at a recording position different from that of which the recording medium is recorded, the recording medium having a recording surface rougher than a recording surface of the pattern recording medium;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• discriminating whether a recording state of the recording head has resulted in unevenness on the basis of the read predetermined pattern;
• executing an unevenness correction process when it is determined in said unevenness discriminating step that the recording state has resulted in unevenness;
• conducting repeatedly said recording step, said reading step, said unevenness discriminating step and said unevenness correction process executing step a predetermined number of times;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by said recording head, in a case that after said discriminating step discriminates the recording state resulting in unevenness and thereafter an unevenness correction process by said unevenness correction process executing step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed a predetermined number of times, said discriminating step has discriminated the recording state still results in unevenness.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a predetermined timing on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium and at a recording position different from that of which the recording medium is recorded;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• discriminating whether a recording state of the recording head indicates ink discharge failure based on the read predetermined pattern;
• effecting a process for restoring ink discharge of the recording head, when in said discriminating step it is discriminated that the recording state indicates ink discharge failure;
• executing said recording step, said reading step, said discriminating step and said restoring process effecting step repeatedly a predetermined number of times;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said discriminating step discriminates the recording state indicating ink discharge failure and thereafter a discharge restoring process by said restoring process effecting step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed a predetermined number of times, said discriminating step has discriminated the recording state still indicates the ink discharge failure.

A recording apparatus for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said apparatus comprising:

• pattern recording means for controlling recording of a predetermined pattern with said recording head at a predetermined timing, said pattern recording means recording the predetermined pattern on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium, said pattern recording means recording the predetermined pattern at a recording position different from that at which the recording medium is recorded;
• reader means for reading the predetermined pattern recorded using said pattern recording means;
• restoring means for performing a discharge restoring operation of said recording head;
• means for enabling a second recording head different from said recording head to record an image to be recorded by said recording head;
• discrimination means for discriminating a recording state of said recording head, based on the predetermined pattern read by said reader means;
• and
• control means for driving said enabling means to enable said second recording head to record the image to be recorded by said recording head, in a case that after said discriminating means discriminates the recording state as being poor and thereafter the discharge restoring operation performed by said restoring means and a pattern recorded operation by said pattern recording means have been executed, said discriminating means has discriminated the recording state as being still poor.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a predetermined timing, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium, said pattern recording step recording the predetermined pattern at a recording position different from that at which the recording medium is recorded;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• discriminating whether a recording state of the recording head indicates ink discharge failure, based on the read predetermined pattern;
• effecting a process for restoring ink discharge of the recording head when in said discriminating step it is discriminated that the recording state indicates ink discharge failure;
• executing said recording step, said reading step, said discriminating step and said restoring process effecting step;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said discriminating step discriminates the recording state indicating ink discharge failure and thereafter a discharge restoring operation by said restoring process effecting step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed, said discriminating step has discriminated the recording state still indicates the ink discharge failure.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a desired timing on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium and at a recording position different from that of which the recording medium is recorded;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• detecting record unevenness on the basis of the predetermined pattern;
• executing a process for correcting a driving signal supplied to the recording head on the basis of the record unevenness detected in said detecting step;
• executing said recording step, said reading step, said detecting step and said driving signal correction process executing step;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said detecting step detects the record unevenness and thereafter the process by said driving signal correction process executing step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed, it is discriminated that the record unevenness is still retained.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a desired timing on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium and at a recording position different from that of which the recording medium is recorded;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• detecting record unevenness on the basis of the predetermined pattern;
• executing a process for correcting a driving signal supplied to the recording head on the basis of the record unevenness detected in said detecting step;
• executing said recording step, said reading step, said detecting step and said driving signal correction process executing step;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said detecting step detects the record unevenness and thereafter the process by said driving signal correction process executing step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed, it is discriminated that the record unevenness is still retained,
• wherein a substantially entire area of the recording medium is a recording area to be recorded according to an image signal, the recording medium having no predetermined margin area, and the recording medium has a recording surface rougher than a recording surface of the pattern recording medium.

A recording method for recording an image by scanning a recording head relative to a recording medium of a particular type while discharging ink, with the recording head having a recording state and a non-recording state, said method comprising the steps of:

• recording a predetermined pattern with the recording head at a desired timing on a pattern recording medium different from the recording medium;
• reading the recorded predetermined pattern;
• detecting record unevenness based on the predetermined pattern;
• executing a process for correcting a driving signal supplied to the recording head based on the record unevenness detected in said detecting step;
• executing said recording step by supplying a corrected driving signal to the recording head, said reading step and said detecting step repeatedly at least a predetermined number of times;
• and
• enabling a second recording head different from the recording head to record an image to be recorded by the recording head, in a case that after said detecting step detects the record unevenness and thereafter the process by said driving signal correction process executing step and a pattern recording operation by said pattern recording step have been executed, it is determined that the record unevenness is still retained.