Printing apparatus with adjustable dot creation timings

A recording medium in which a specific program is recorded in a computer readable manner, said specific program functioning to adjust a dot creation timing with regard to each of a plurality of nozzle groups in a printing apparatus that performs a main scan and causes a print head having nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing in the course of the main scan, in which each of said nozzle groups comprises a plurality of nozzles having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection and the main scan moves said print head forward and backward relative to said printing medium,

• said specific program causing a computer to attain functions of:
• printing a predetermined test pattern with each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups, the predetermined test pattern being set to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dots created in the forward pass of the main scan with dots created in the backward pass of the main scan;
• inputting a specified dot creation timing with regard to each of said nozzle groups based on a relation to the printed test pattern;
• and
• changing a parameter, which specifies the dot creation timing, with regard to said each nozzle group based on the specified dot creation timing,
• wherein said changing function defines a specific nozzle group having an earliest dot creation timing among said at least two nozzle groups as a standard and changes the dot creation timing of another nozzle group relative to the standard.

A recording medium in which a specific program for driving a printing apparatus is recorded in a computer readable manner, said printing apparatus including a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creating timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection;

• a timing specification unit configured to input an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• an adjustment unit configured to adjust the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the instruction input from the timing specification unit;
• and a drive control unit configured to drive said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create the dots, and said specific program causing a computer controlling the printing apparatus to attain functions of:
• adjusting the dot creation timing with regard to each color in response to the instruction input from the timing specification unit,
• wherein said adjustment function defines a specific nozzle group having an earliest dot creation timing among said at least two nozzle groups as a standard and adjusts the dot creation timing of another nozzle group relative to the standard.

A printing system comprising:

• a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group comprising a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection;
• means for inputting an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• means for adjusting the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the instruction input from the inputting means;
• and
• means for driving said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create dots,
• wherein said adjustment means defines a specific nozzle group having an earliest dot creation timing among said at least two nozzle groups as a standard and adjusts the dot creation timing of another nozzle group relative to the standard.

A method of printing with a printer apparatus including a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink rejection, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• adjusting the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the input from the inputting step;
• and
• driving said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create the dots,
• wherein said adjustment step defines a specific nozzle group having an earliest dot creation timing among said at least two nozzle groups as a standard and adjusts the dot creation timing of another nozzle group relative to the standard.

A printing apparatus, comprising:

• a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles configured to eject ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creating timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection;
• a timing specification unit configured to input an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• an adjustment unit configured to adjust the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the input;
• a drive control unit configured to drive said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create the dots;
• and
• a test pattern printing unit configured to print a predetermined test pattern with each of said at least two nozzle groups, the predetermined test pattern being set to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dots created in the forward pass of the main scan with dots created in the backward pass of the main scan,
• wherein said drive control unit drives said print head in both forward and backward passes of the main scan, and
• wherein said test pattern printing unit comprises:
• a specific group test pattern printing unit configured to print a first test pattern with one specific nozzle group, which is selected among said at least two nozzle groups, the first test pattern including dots created in the forward pass of the main scan and dots created in the backward pass of the main scan at a preset positional relationship, which allows detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions in the forward pass and in the backward pass;
• and
• another group test pattern printing unit configured to print a second test pattern, the second test pattern including dots created by another nozzle group other than the specific nozzle group and dots created by said specific nozzle group, to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions of said another nozzle group and said specific nozzle group in at least one of the forward pass and the backward pass of the main scan.

A printing system comprising:

• a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group comprising a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection;
• means for inputting an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• means for adjusting the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the instruction input from the inputting means;
• means for driving said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create dots;
• and
• means for printing a predetermined test pattern with each of said at least two nozzle groups, the predetermined test pattern being set to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dots created in the forward pass of the main scan with dots created in the backward pass of the main scan,
• wherein said driving means drives said print head in both forward and backward passes of the main scan, and
• wherein said means for printing a predetermined test pattern comprises:
• first means for printing a first test pattern with one specific nozzle group, which is selected among said at least two nozzle groups, the first test pattern including dots created in the forward pass of the main scan and dots created in the backward pass of the main scan at a preset positional relationship, which allows detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions in the forward pass and in the backward pass;
• and
• second means for printing a second test pattern, the second test pattern including dots created by another nozzle group other than the specific nozzle group and dots created by said specific nozzle group, to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions of said another nozzle group and said specific nozzle group in at least one of the forward pass and the backward pass of the main scan.

A method of printing with a printer apparatus including a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing during a forward and backward main scan and having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting an instruction to change the dot creation timing during the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzle groups;
• adjusting the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the input from the inputting step;
• driving said each nozzle group at the adjusted dot creation timing during the main scan so as to create the dots;
• and
• printing a predetermined test pattern with each of said at least two nozzle groups, the predetermined test pattern being set to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dots created in the forward pass of the main scan with dots created in the backward pass of the main scan,
• wherein said driving step drives said print head in both forward and backward passes of the main scan, and
• wherein said printing step comprises the steps of:
• printing a first test pattern with one specific nozzle group, which is selected among said at least two nozzle groups, the first test pattern including dots created in the forward pass of the main scan and dots created in the backward pass of the main scan at a preset positional relationship, which allows detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions in the forward pass and in the backward pass;
• and
• printing a second test pattern, the second test pattern including dots created by another nozzle group other than the specific nozzle group and dots created by said specific nozzle group, to allow detection of a relative misalignment of dot recording positions of said another nozzle group and said specific nozzle group in at least one of the forward pass and the backward pass of the main scan.

A printing apparatus that performs a main scan and causes a print head having nozzles for ejecting ink to create dots on a surface of a printing medium at a predetermined dot creation timing in the course of the main scan, the main scan moving said print head forward and backward relative to said printing medium,

• wherein said print head has a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group comprising a plurality of nozzles having a predetermined common condition relating to ink ejection,
• said printing apparatus comprising:
• a timing specification unit that inputs an instruction to change the dot creation timing in the course of the main scan with regard to each of at least two nozzle groups selected among said plurality of nozzles groups;
• an adjustment unit that adjusts the dot creation timing with regard to said each nozzle group based on the input;
• and
• a drive control unit that drives said each nozzle group at the dot creation timing corresponding to each of the forward and backward passes of the main scan so as to create dots,
• wherein said adjustment unit defines a specific nozzle group having an earliest dot creation timing among said at least two nozzle groups as a standard and adjusts the dot creation timing of another nozzle group relative to the standard.