Image recording apparatus, and method and recording medium for optimizing defective-recording-element compensation parameter

An image recording apparatus comprising:

• a defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus that optimizes a defective-recording-element compensation parameter, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter being applied to an image recording that uses a recording head including a plurality of recording elements and being applied to a defect-compensation recording element when a recording defect by a defective recording element is compensated by using the defect-compensation recording element, the defective recording element having become unable to perform a normal recording, the defect-compensation recording element being other than the defective recording element;
• a forming device which forms a first test chart having a non-recording region, a measurement chart region and a uniform concentration region, the non-recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a designated recording element previously designated or a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a defective recording element for which the designated recording element compensates the recording defect, the measurement chart region being a region where a measurement chart to which a plurality of defective-recording-element compensation parameters are continuously or intermittently given is formed at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that compensates the recording defect at the non-recording region, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a processing target concentration is recorded;
• and
• a reading device which reads the formed first test chart,
• wherein the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus comprises an analyzing device which analyzes reading data obtained by the reading device, which compares a concentration at the measurement chart with the concentration at the uniform concentration region for each defective-recording-element compensation parameter, and which, as an optimum value of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element, derives a defective-recording-element compensation parameter corresponding to a concentration at the measurement chart that minimizes a concentration difference from the uniform concentration region,
• wherein, when defective-recording-element compensation parameters for other recording elements except the designated recording element are optimized after the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element is optimized,
• the forming device forms a second test chart, the second test chart being a test chart that has a simulated defective recording region, a defective-recording-element compensation region and a uniform concentration region, and in which a plurality of patterns each of which has as one stage a plurality of the simulated defective recording regions and the defective-recording-element compensation regions arranged in a first direction at a previously determined interval are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the simulated defective recording regions belonging to different stages are arranged such that positions in the first direction are deviated, the simulated defective recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a simulated defective recording element that is regarded as a defective recording element of the other recording elements, the defective-recording-element compensation region being a region where a compensation pattern is applied at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that is a recording element to compensate the recording defect of the simulated defective recording element, the compensation pattern having a concentration value to which a defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the simulated defective recording element is applied, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a concentration value of the processing target is formed,
• the reading device reads the formed second test chart, and
• the analyzing device analyzes reading data of the second test chart obtained by the reading device, evaluates a corrected intensity of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the recording elements, and optimizes the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the other recording elements from the evaluated corrected intensity, based on a single-variable root-finding algorithm using an iterative method.

A defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing method that optimizes a defective-recording-element compensation parameter, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter being applied to an image recording that uses a recording head including a plurality of recording elements and being applied to a defect-compensation recording element when a recording defect by a defective recording element is compensated by using the defect-compensation recording element, the defective recording element having become unable to perform a normal recording, the defect-compensation recording element being other than the defective recording element,

• wherein the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing method comprises:
• a forming step of forming a first test chart having a non-recording region, a measurement chart region and a uniform concentration region, the non-recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a designated recording element previously designated or a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a defective recording element for which the designated recording element compensates the recording defect, the measurement chart region being a region where a measurement chart to which a plurality of defective-recording-element compensation parameters are continuously or intermittently given is formed at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that compensates the recording defect at the non-recording region, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a processing target concentration is recorded;
• a reading step of reading the formed first test chart;
• and
• an analyzing step of analyzing reading data obtained by the reading step, comparing a concentration at the measurement chart with the concentration at the uniform concentration region for each defective-recording-element compensation parameter, and, as an optimum value of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element, deriving a defective-recording-element compensation parameter corresponding to a concentration at the measurement chart that minimizes a concentration difference from the uniform concentration region,
• wherein, when an optimizing process of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element is executed multiple times, the forming device narrows a range of the plurality of the defective-recording-element compensation parameters to be applied to the measurement chart relative to the last time, and then forms the measurement chart, the optimizing process including processes by the forming device, the reading device and the analyzing device.

A non-transitory recording medium in which a computer-readable code of a defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program is stored, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program making a computer implement functions of:

• a defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus that optimizes a defective-recording-element compensation parameter, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter being applied to an image recording that uses a recording head including a plurality of recording elements and being applied to a defect-compensation recording element when a recording defect by a defective recording element is compensated by using the defect-compensation recording element, the defective recording element having become unable to perform a normal recording, the defect-compensation recording element being other than the defective recording element;
• a forming device which forms a first test chart having a non-recording region, a measurement chart region and a uniform concentration region, the non-recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a designated recording element previously designated or a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a defective recording element for which the designated recording element compensates the recording defect, the measurement chart region being a region where a measurement chart to which a plurality of defective-recording-element compensation parameters are continuously or intermittently given is formed at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that compensates the recording defect at the non-recording region, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a processing target concentration is recorded;
• and
• a reading device which reads the formed first test chart,
• wherein the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program makes the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus implement a function of an analyzing device which analyzes reading data obtained by the reading device, which compares a concentration at the measurement chart with the concentration at the uniform concentration region for each defective-recording-element compensation parameter, and which, as an optimum value of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element, derives a defective-recording-element compensation parameter corresponding to a concentration at the measurement chart that minimizes a concentration difference from the uniform concentration region,
• wherein, when an optimizing process of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element is executed multiple times, the forming device narrows a range of the plurality of the defective-recording-element compensation parameters to be applied to the measurement chart relative to the last time, and then forms the measurement chart, the optimizing process including processes by the forming device, the reading device and the analyzing device.

A defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing method that optimizes a defective-recording-element compensation parameter, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter being applied to an image recording that uses a recording head including a plurality of recording elements and being applied to a defect-compensation recording element when a recording defect by a defective recording element is compensated by using the defect-compensation recording element, the defective recording element having become unable to perform a normal recording, the defect-compensation recording element being other than the defective recording element,

• wherein the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing method comprises:
• a forming step of forming a first test chart having a non-recording region, a measurement chart region and a uniform concentration region, the non-recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a designated recording element previously designated or a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a defective recording element for which the designated recording element compensates the recording defect, the measurement chart region being a region where a measurement chart to which a plurality of defective-recording-element compensation parameters are continuously or intermittently given is formed at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that compensates the recording defect at the non-recording region, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a processing target concentration is recorded;
• a reading step of reading the formed first test chart;
• and
• an analyzing step of analyzing reading data obtained by the reading step, comparing a concentration at the measurement chart with the concentration at the uniform concentration region for each defective-recording-element compensation parameter, and, as an optimum value of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element, deriving a defective-recording-element compensation parameter corresponding to a concentration at the measurement chart that minimizes a concentration difference from the uniform concentration region,
• wherein, when defective-recording-element compensation parameters for other recording elements except the designated recording element are optimized after the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element is optimized,
• the forming device forms a second test chart, the second test chart being a test chart that has a simulated defective recording region, a defective-recording-element compensation region and a uniform concentration region, and in which a plurality of patterns each of which has as one stage a plurality of the simulated defective recording regions and the defective-recording-element compensation regions arranged in a first direction at a previously determined interval are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the simulated defective recording regions belonging to different stages are arranged such that positions in the first direction are deviated, the simulated defective recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a simulated defective recording element that is regarded as a defective recording element of the other recording elements, the defective-recording-element compensation region being a region where a compensation pattern is applied at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that is a recording element to compensate the recording defect of the simulated defective recording element, the compensation pattern having a concentration value to which a defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the simulated defective recording element is applied, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a concentration value of the processing target is formed,
• the reading device reads the formed second test chart, and
• the analyzing device analyzes reading data of the second test chart obtained by the reading device, evaluates a corrected intensity of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the recording elements, and optimizes the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the other recording elements from the evaluated corrected intensity, based on a single-variable root-finding algorithm using an iterative method.

A non-transitory recording medium in which a computer-readable code of a defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program is stored, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program making a computer implement functions of:

• a defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus that optimizes a defective-recording-element compensation parameter, the defective-recording-element compensation parameter being applied to an image recording that uses a recording head including a plurality of recording elements and being applied to a defect-compensation recording element when a recording defect by a defective recording element is compensated by using the defect-compensation recording element, the defective recording element having become unable to perform a normal recording, the defect-compensation recording element being other than the defective recording element;
• a forming device which forms a first test chart having a non-recording region, a measurement chart region and a uniform concentration region, the non-recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a designated recording element previously designated or a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a defective recording element for which the designated recording element compensates the recording defect, the measurement chart region being a region where a measurement chart to which a plurality of defective-recording-element compensation parameters are continuously or intermittently given is formed at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that compensates the recording defect at the non-recording region, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a processing target concentration is recorded;
• and
• a reading device which reads the formed first test chart,
• wherein the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing program makes the defective-recording-element compensation parameter optimizing apparatus implement a function of an analyzing device which analyzes reading data obtained by the reading device, which compares a concentration at the measurement chart with the concentration at the uniform concentration region for each defective-recording-element compensation parameter, and which, as an optimum value of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element, derives a defective-recording-element compensation parameter corresponding to a concentration at the measurement chart that minimizes a concentration difference from the uniform concentration region,
• wherein, when defective-recording-element compensation parameters for other recording elements except the designated recording element are optimized after the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the designated recording element is optimized,
• the forming device forms a second test chart, the second test chart being a test chart that has a simulated defective recording region, a defective-recording-element compensation region and a uniform concentration region, and in which a plurality of patterns each of which has as one stage a plurality of the simulated defective recording regions and the defective-recording-element compensation regions arranged in a first direction at a previously determined interval are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and the simulated defective recording regions belonging to different stages are arranged such that positions in the first direction are deviated, the simulated defective recording region being a region where a non-recording is provided at a recording position of a simulated defective recording element that is regarded as a defective recording element of the other recording elements, the defective-recording-element compensation region being a region where a compensation pattern is applied at a recording position of a defect-compensation recording element that is a recording element to compensate the recording defect of the simulated defective recording element, the compensation pattern having a concentration value to which a defective-recording-element compensation parameter for the simulated defective recording element is applied, the uniform concentration region being a region where a uniform concentration image with a concentration value of the processing target is formed,
• the reading device reads the formed second test chart, and
• the analyzing device analyzes reading data of the second test chart obtained by the reading device, evaluates a corrected intensity of the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the recording elements, and optimizes the defective-recording-element compensation parameter for each of the other recording elements from the evaluated corrected intensity, based on a single-variable root-finding algorithm using an iterative method.