Print engine controller for a multi-segment printhead

A print engine controller for a multi-segment printhead having a plurality of printhead segments that are positioned in a printhead to span a print area so that portions of consecutive printhead segments overlap in common print areas, with each printhead segment defining a lead-in area in one common print area and a lead-out area in a consecutive common print area, the print engine controller comprising

• an interface which is configured to receive image data;
• a memory device that is capable of storing data relating to characteristics of the multi-segment printhead;
• a dithering unit that communicates with the interface to receive the image data from the interface and the memory device to receive data relating to the characteristics of the multi-segment printhead, the dithering unit being configured to generate a set of dither matrices for each printhead segment so that each set has at least a lead-in dither matrix associated with the lead-in area and a lead-out dither matrix associated with the lead-out area, to generate lead-in/lead-out dither matrices for each common print area based on characteristics of the printhead segments of each common print area, to generate a variable probability value that is dependent on a scalar value that corresponds to a position along a line spanning each common print area and to interpolate the lead-in/lead-out dither matrices with the variable probability value to generate interpolated lead-in/lead-out dither matrices;
• a compositor that communicates with the dithering unit to receive data representing the interpolated lead-in/lead-out dither matrices and to composite the data into print data;
• and
• a printhead interface that communicates with the compositor to receive the print data, the printhead interface being in communication with the multi-segment printhead to provide the multi-segment printhead with the print data.

An inkjet printer that comprises

• a printhead that includes a number of printhead segments that span a print area, the printhead segments being positioned so that portions of consecutive printhead segments overlap in common print areas, with each printhead segment defining a lead-in area in one common print area and a lead-out area in a consecutive common print area;
• an interface which is configured to receive image data;
• a memory device that is capable of storing data relating to characteristics of the printhead;
• a dithering unit that communicates with the interface to receive the image data from the interface and the memory device to receive data relating to the characteristics of the printhead, the dithering unit being configured to generate a set of dither matrices for each printhead segment so that each set has at least a lead-in dither matrix associated with the lead-in area and a lead-out dither matrix associated with the lead-out area, to generate lead-in/lead-out dither matrices for each common print area based on characteristics of the printhead segments of each common print area, to generate a variable probability value that is dependent on a scalar value that corresponds to a position along a line spanning each common print area and to interpolate the lead-in/lead-out dither matrices with the variable probability value to generate interpolated lead-in/lead-out dither matrices;
• a compositor that communicates with the dithering unit to receive data representing the interpolated lead-in/lead-out dither matrices and to composite the data into print data;
• and
• a printhead interface that communicates with the compositor to receive the print data, the printhead interface being in communication with the printhead to provide the printhead with the print data.