# US 8,150,106 B2 · Printer characterization, monitoring and diagnosis using dynamic test patterns generated by sensing and analyzing customer documents > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,150,106 B2 - Document ID: US8150106B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/112,293 - Filed: 2008-04-30 - Published: 2009-11-05 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-30 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Wencheng Wu; Rajinderjeet Minhas; Meera Sampath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8150106B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/5062: {by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material} - B41J 29/393: Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} - G03G 15/0848: {Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability} - G06K 15/02: using printers - G06K 15/027: {Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033)} - G06V 10/993: {Evaluation of the quality of the acquired pattern} - H04N 1/6033: {using test pattern analysis (H04N1/6055 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/6047: {wherein the test pattern is part of an arbitrary user image} - G03G 2215/00569: Calibration, test runs, test prints - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method for automated image quality based diagnosis of a document printing system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving image data to be printed on a document; printing an image on the document based on the image data; scanning the printed image on the document with a sensor; analyzing the scanned printed image with an image quality analysis module to identify one or more defects in the printed image; automatically generating test pattern image data based on the one or more identified defects; and printing and analyzing a test pattern image based on the test pattern image data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for automated image quality based diagnosis of a document printing system, the method comprising: receiving image data to be printed on a document; printing an image on the document based on the image data; scanning the printed image on the document with a sensor; analyzing the scanned printed image with an image quality analysis module to identify one or more defects in the printed image; automatically generating test pattern image data based on the one or more identified defects; and printing and analyzing a test pattern image based on the test pattern image data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein printing the image on the document comprises applying a toner image to a photoreceptor based on the image data using a print engine, and transferring the toner image from the photoreceptor to the document to form the printed image on the document. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein printing the test pattern image comprises applying a test pattern toner image to the photoreceptor based on the test pattern image data using the print engine and transferring the test pattern toner image from the photoreceptor to form the test pattern image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the test pattern image to obtain an initial diagnosis using a diagnostic engine, wherein initial diagnosis is refined or augmented by the diagnostic engine by combining the initial diagnosis with machine state data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the machine state data is a nonvolatile memory data that is routinely tracked and stored, or an output of special diagnostic routines that are initiated and run based on the initial diagnosis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a full width array (FWA) sensor, contact image sensor, a CMOS array sensor or a CCD array sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising storing analyzed test pattern image data in an image quality database. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the test pattern image data includes a test pattern with a plurality of test targets, and a test pattern description. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the test pattern description is selected from the group consisting of layout of the test targets, size of the test targets, color combinations of the test targets, and location of the test targets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a repair action by the repair module based on the diagnosis, wherein the repair module is configured to communicate at least one of repair information to at least one customer, a parts request to an appropriate entity, a service request notification to a customer service engineer and an instruction to autonomous repair entity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting and analyzing image quality data, obtained by analyzing the test pattern image, from a plurality of identical document printing systems to identify any potential image quality problems among the identical document printing systems. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein data obtained from the printed image is used to determine an optimal test pattern. ### Claim 13 A system for automated image quality based diagnosis of a document printing system, comprising: a print engine configured: to receive image data to be printed on a document, and to print an image on the document based on the image data; a sensor configured to scan the printed image; and an image quality analysis module configured to analyze the scanned printed image to identify one or more defects on the printed image; wherein the print engine is configured: to automatically generate test pattern image data based on the one or more identified defects, and to print and analyze a test pattern image based on the test pattern image data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the print engine is configured to apply a toner image to a photoreceptor based on the image data and to transfer the toner image from the photoreceptor to the document so as to form the printed image on the document. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the print engine is configured to apply a test pattern toner image to the photoreceptor based on the test pattern image data and to transfer the test pattern toner image from the photoreceptor so as to form the test pattern image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising a diagnostic engine configured to analyze the test pattern toner image on the photoreceptor to obtain an initial diagnosis, wherein initial diagnosis is refined by the diagnostic engine by combining the initial diagnosis with machine state data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the machine state data is a nonvolatile memory data that is routinely tracked and stored, or an output of special diagnostic routines that are initiated and run based on the initial diagnosis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a full width array (FWA) sensor, contact image sensor, a CMOS array sensor or a CCD array sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising an image quality database configured to store analyzed test pattern image data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the test pattern image data includes a test pattern with a plurality of test targets and a test pattern description. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the test pattern description is selected from the group consisting of layout of the test targets, size of the test targets, color combinations of the test targets, and location of the test targets. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising a repair module configured to determine a repair action based on the diagnosis, wherein the repair module is configured to communicate at least one of repair information to at least one customer, a parts request to an appropriate entity, a service request notification to a customer service engineer and an instruction to autonomous repair entity. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein image quality data, obtained by analyzing the test pattern image, is collected from a plurality of identical document printing systems and is analyzed to identify any potential image quality problems among the identical document printing systems. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein data obtained from the printed image is used to determine an optimal test pattern. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein image data comprises data received from a customer. ### Claim 26 A system for pooling image quality data related to a plurality of document printing systems to obtain automated image quality based diagnosis, comprising: a plurality of document printing systems, each document printing system comprises: a print engine configured to receive image data to be printed on a document, and to print an image on the document based on the image data; a sensor configured to scan the printed image; an image quality analysis module configured to analyze the scanned printed image to identify one or more defects on the printed image; wherein the print engine is configured to automatically generate test pattern image based on the one or more identified defects; and to print and analyze a test pattern image based on the test pattern image data; a network; and a manufacturer/service provider; wherein an image quality data is obtained from at least one document printing system by analyzing the test pattern image from the at least one document printing system; and the manufacturer/service provider is configured to receive the image quality data from the at least one document printing system via the network. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein image quality metrics are transferred from the at least one document printing system to the manufacturer/service provider. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein image quality tests and updated diagnostic tables are transferred from the manufacturer/service provider to the at least one document printing system.