Ink-jet printing apparatus and print timing setting method for the apparatus

A print timing setting method for an ink-jet printing apparatus, which performs printing by reciprocally scanning a carriage, incorporating a printhead, relative to a print medium and includes detection means for outputting a detection signal in accordance with a predetermined distance of a carriage movement in a carriage scanning direction, comprising the steps of:

• generating a timing signal in correspondence with a period of the detection signal;
• timing a time interval of the detection signal;
• storing as reciprocal registration adjustment information a ratio between the time interval of the detection signal and a delay time of the timing signal in memory means;
• obtaining the delay time of the timing signal based on the information read out from the memory means and the time interval of the detection signal when performing printing in a backward scan;
• outputting a delay signal, obtained by delaying the timing signal, in accordance with the delay time;
• and
• driving the printhead based on the delay signal.

A computer program which causes a computer to execute a print timing setting method for an ink-jet printing apparatus, which performs printing by reciprocally scanning a carriage, incorporating a printhead, relative to a print medium and includes detection means for outputting a detection signal in accordance with a predetermined distance of a carriage movement in a carriage scanning direction, said computer program comprising program codes corresponding to:

• a timing signal output step of generating a timing signal in correspondence with a period of the detection signal;
• a time interval detection step of timing a time interval of the detection signal;
• a storing step of storing as reciprocal registration adjustment information a ratio between the time interval of the detection signal and a delay time of the timing signal in memory means;
• a delay time setting step of obtaining the delay time of the timing signal based on the information read out from the memory means and the time interval of the detection signal when performing printing in a backward scan;
• a delay signal output step of outputting a delay signal, obtained by delaying the timing signal, in accordance with the delay time;
• and
• a driving step of driving the printhead in accordance with the delay signal.

A storage medium storing a computer program that causes a computer to execute a print timing setting method for an ink-jet printing apparatus, which performs printing by reciprocally scanning a carriage, incorporating a printhead, relative to a print medium and includes detection means for outputting a detection signal in accordance with a predetermined distance of a carriage movement in a carriage scanning direction, said storage medium comprising program codes corresponding to:

• a timing signal output step of generating a timing signal in correspondence with a period of the detection signal;
• a time interval detection step of timing a time interval of the detection signal;
• a storing step of storing as reciprocal registration adjustment information a ratio between the time interval of the detection signal and a delay time of the timing signal in memory means;
• a delay time setting step of obtaining the delay time of the timing signal based on the information read out from the memory means and the time interval of the detection signal when performing printing in a backward scan;
• a delay signal output step of outputting a delay signal, obtained by delaying the timing signal, in accordance with the delay time;
• and
• a driving step of driving the printhead in accordance with the delay signal.