Calibration of ink ejection amount for a printer
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsSatoshi Yamazaki, Toshiaki Kakutani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink ejection amount error is acquired for each of a plurality of same ink nozzle arrays for ejecting same ink. Line sets consisting of N adjacent main scan lines are classified into a plurality of line set types LT11 to LT13 according to a ratio of the pixel counts allocated to the plurality of nozzle arrays on the line set. Using the ink ejection amount error of each nozzle array, the average ink ejection error δ is obtained for each of the line set types LT11 to LT13. The ink amount data on each main scan line of each line set is corrected using the average ink ejection amount error for each line set.
Claims9
A method of calibrating ink amount for a printer that comprises a printing head unit having a plurality of same ink nozzle arrays for ejecting same ink to form ink dots on a printing medium while scanning the printing head unit in a main scanning direction, the method comprising:
- (a) obtaining an ink ejection amount error for each of the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays;
- (b) identifying line sets on the printing medium, each line set consisting of a predetermined number of main scan lines that are adjacent to each other;
- (c) allocating pixels included in each line set to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays for recording;
- (d) determining a ratio of pixel counts allocated to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays with respect to each line set;
- (e) determining an average ink ejection amount error for each line set using the ink ejection amount errors for the plurality of same ink nozzle arrays;
- and
- (f) correcting ink amount data representing a print image on each main scan line of each line set using the average ink ejection amount error.
A printer driver for generating print data for a printer that forms ink dots on a printing medium while scanning a printing head unit having a plurality of same ink nozzle arrays for ejecting same ink along a main scan direction, the printer driver comprising:
- a print data generation module configured to generate print data based on color image data;
- and
- an ink amount calibration module configured to calibrate ink amount data that is used within the print data generation module,
- wherein the ink amount calibration module includes:
- means for obtaining an ink ejection amount error for each of the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays;
- means for identifying line sets on the printing medium, each line set consisting of a predetermined number of main scan lines that are adjacent to each other;
- means for allocating pixels included in each line set to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays for recording;
- means for determining a ratio of pixel counts allocated to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays with respect to each line set;
- means for determining an average ink ejection amount error for each line set using the ink ejection amount errors for the plurality of same ink nozzle arrays;
- and
- means for correcting ink amount data representing a print image on each main scan line of each line set using the average ink ejection amount error.
A printing device for forming ink dots on a printing medium while scanning a printing head unit having a plurality of same ink nozzle arrays for ejecting same ink along a main scan direction, the device comprising:
- a print data generation module configured to generate print data based on color image data;
- and
- an ink amount calibration module configured to calibrate ink amount data that is used within the print data generation module,
- wherein the ink amount calibration module includes:
- means for obtaining an ink ejection amount error for each of the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays;
- means for identifying line sets on the printing medium, each line set consisting of a predetermined number of main scan lines that are adjacent to each other;
- means for allocating pixels included in each line set to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays for recording;
- means for determining a ratio of pixel counts allocated to the plurality of the same ink nozzle arrays with respect to each line set;
- means for determining an average ink ejection amount error for each line set using the ink ejection amount errors for the plurality of same ink nozzle arrays;
- and
- means for correcting ink amount data representing a print image on each main scan line of each line set using the average ink ejection amount error.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.