Pen alignment using a color sensor
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsSam Sarmast, Tod S. Heiles, Algird M. Gudaitis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pen alignment method for a multi-pen printer is provided, the method including directing a first pen to print a first pattern of a first color, directing a second pen to print a second pattern of a second color in a predetermined relative alignment with the first pattern to form a test block, determining an actual hue of the test block via spectral analysis of the test block using a color sensor, and comparing the actual hue of the test block with an expected hue of the test block to determine whether the first and second pens are misaligned relative to each other, wherein the expected hue of the test block is the hue that would be detected if the first pen and second pen were correctly aligned.
Claims16
A pen alignment method for a multi-pen printer, the method comprising:
- directing a first pen to print a first pattern of a first color;
- directing a second pen to print a second pattern of a second color in a predetermined relative alignment with the first pattern to form a test block;
- determining an actual hue of the test block via spectral analysis of the test block using a color sensor;
- and
- comparing the actual hue of the test block with an expected hue of the test block to determine whether the first and second pens are misaligned relative to each other, wherein the expected hue of the test block is the hue that would be detected if the first pen and second pen were correctly aligned.
A pen alignment method for a printer having a first pen of a first color and a second pen of a second color, the method comprising:
- directing the first pen and the second pen to print a series of test blocks having differing expected hues;
- determining an actual hue signature for the series of test blocks printed by scanning the series of test blocks with a spectrophotometer to detect an actual hue of each test block in the series of test blocks;
- and
- comparing the actual hue signature with an expected hue signature, wherein the expected hue signature is the hue signature that would be detected if the pens were aligned correctly.
A pen alignment system comprising:
- a printer having first and second pens, each pen having a plurality of nozzles configured to print a test block including a first color test pattern printed by the first pen and a second color test pattern printed by the second pen;
- a spectrophotometer configured to detect the hue of the test block via spectral analysis;
- a processor capable of interpreting data from the color sensor to identify whether the first and second pens are misaligned by comparing the detected hue with an expected hue, the expected hue being a hue which would be detected if the first and second pens were correctly aligned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.