Inkjet printing ink volume measurement methods, devices and printers

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of inkjet printing technology and solves the problem of inaccurate ink volume statistics during inkjet printing in existing technologies. It provides a method for ink volume statistics in inkjet printing, comprising: acquiring and recording ink volume data ejected by the printhead according to printing data via a printhead driver board; acquiring the ink volume data recorded by the printhead driver board and sending it to a statistics unit; and obtaining the total ink consumption based on the ink volume data from the statistics unit. By statistically analyzing the ink droplets ejected from each nozzle of the printhead via the printhead driver board, the type and volume of each droplet can be precisely determined, making the total ink volume statistics more accurate. The printhead driver board can not only count the ink consumption during normal printing but also the ink consumption during printhead flash spray, printhead cleaning and moisturizing, etc., resulting in more accurate final total ink volume data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inkjet printing, and more particularly to an inkjet printing ink volume statistics method, apparatus, and printer. Background Technology

[0002] In inkjet printing, it's often necessary to calculate the amount of ink consumed to determine if there's enough ink for the print job. Insufficient ink can prevent the printing process from starting, or cause the printhead to dry-print even after starting, potentially damaging the printhead. Accurate and timely assessment of ink consumption and remaining ink is crucial for inkjet printing. Real-time ink level monitoring is essential during printing; if a low ink warning appears, it's necessary to identify which ink is low and add the corresponding ink. Current technology calculates ink usage by analyzing the type, quantity, and ink volume of each color dot in the printed image data. This current technology calculates the ink required for normal printing based on image data, not the actual ink consumed by the printhead during printing. In actual printing, besides normal printing, the printhead also performs flash printing and cleaning / moisturizing operations. The amount of ink consumed outside of normal printing cannot be accurately measured using current technology. Therefore, the ink consumption statistics presented by existing technologies are crude and do not represent the actual ink consumption of the printhead, leading to a significant discrepancy between the statistically reported ink consumption and the actual ink consumption. Accurately measuring the actual ink consumption during inkjet printing remains a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus, device and storage medium for inkjet printing ink volume statistics, in order to solve the problem of inaccurate inkjet printing ink volume statistics in the prior art.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for calculating ink volume in inkjet printing, the method comprising:

[0005] The printhead driver board acquires and records the amount of ink ejected by the printhead based on the printing data.

[0006] The ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board is acquired and sent to the statistics unit;

[0007] The total ink consumption for printing is obtained based on the ink volume data from the statistical unit.

[0008] Preferably, the printing data includes any one, two, or more of image printing data, flash inkjet printing data, and color bar printing data.

[0009] Preferably, the step of acquiring and recording the ink volume data ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead drive board includes:

[0010] The printhead driver board is used to obtain the color, type, quantity, and amount of ink droplets ejected from each nozzle on the printhead;

[0011] Based on the color of the ink droplets, the type of the ink droplets, the quantity of each type of ink droplets, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplets, the consumption of each color of ink is calculated and recorded. The consumption of each color of ink is the ink volume data.

[0012] Preferably, the consumption of each color ink is calculated using the following formula:

[0013] M = p1c1 + p2c2 + ... + p n c n, Where M represents the total consumption of a certain color ink, p1, p2...p n c1, c2...c represents the amount of ink in each type of droplet of this color. n This represents the number of each type of ink droplet for that color.

[0014] Preferably, acquiring the ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board and sending it to the statistics unit includes:

[0015] S21: Set a preset interval time, which starts timing as soon as inkjet printing begins;

[0016] S22: Determine whether the current timer has reached the preset interval time;

[0017] S23: If so, send the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the printhead driver board to the statistics unit for recording;

[0018] S24: Clear the ink volume data of each color ink recorded in the printhead driver board and reset the timer;

[0019] S25: Repeat S22-S24 until inkjet printing is finished.

[0020] Preferably, obtaining the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data from the statistical unit includes:

[0021] Obtain the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the statistical unit each time;

[0022] Add up the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to get the total ink consumption of each color ink;

[0023] The total ink consumption of each color ink is added together to obtain the total ink consumption for printing.

[0024] Preferably, after summing the ink volume data of each recorded color ink to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink, the method further includes: when the total ink consumption of a certain color ink is higher than a first set value, the printing work is paused and a low ink warning for that certain color ink is issued.

[0025] Preferably, when the total consumption of black ink is greater than a second set value and the sum of the total consumption of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is less than a third set value, a mixture of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is used to replace the black ink for inkjet printing.

[0026] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide an inkjet printing ink volume counting device, the device comprising:

[0027] The recording module is used to acquire and record the amount of ink ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board;

[0028] The sending module is used to acquire the ink volume data recorded by the printhead driver board and send it to the statistics unit;

[0029] The statistics module is used to obtain the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data of the statistics unit.

[0030] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a printer motherboard, the printer motherboard comprising:

[0031] Control device, used to control the operation of the printer motherboard;

[0032] As described in the second aspect, an inkjet printing ink volume counting device.

[0033] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a printer, including: at least one processor, at least one memory, and computer program instructions stored in the memory, which, when executed by the processor, implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0034] Fifthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a storage medium storing computer program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the method of the first aspect described above.

[0035] In summary, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0036] The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method, apparatus, printer motherboard, and printer provided in this invention, by using a printhead driver board, count the ink droplets ejected from each nozzle of the printhead, accurately determining the type and volume of each droplet, thus making the total ink volume statistics more accurate. Furthermore, using the printhead driver board not only counts the ink consumed during normal printing but also the ink consumed during printhead flashes, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing, resulting in more accurate and reliable total ink volume data. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, and these are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the lower-level machine in the inkjet printer of this embodiment of the invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the ink volume statistics method for inkjet printing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A flowchart of step S1.

[0041] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S2.

[0042] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating step S3.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the inkjet printing ink volume counting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the printer motherboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the printer structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain the present invention and are not configured to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can be practiced without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the present invention by illustrating examples of the invention.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0048] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for inkjet printing ink volume statistics. This method is applicable to inkjet printers, including reciprocating scanning inkjet printers and Single-Pass inkjet printers (hereinafter referred to as printers). These printers include a host computer and a slave computer, wherein the host computer processes image data into print data that the inkjet printing system can recognize, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the lower-level machine includes a printer motherboard, a printhead board, a printhead driver board, and a printhead. The motherboard receives the printing data sent by the upper-level machine, parses it, and sends it to the printhead board. The printhead board then splits the data and distributes it to the printhead driver board. The printhead driver board applies the corresponding drive waveform to the printhead according to the printing data, driving the printhead to eject ink and print.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 The method includes:

[0050] S1: Acquire and record the ink volume data ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board;

[0051] S2: Obtain the ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board and send it to the statistics unit;

[0052] S3: Obtain the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data from the statistical unit.

[0053] In industrial printing, image processing software (RIP software) is typically used to process the image / text signal to be printed into image / text raster (bitmap) print data that can be recognized by the printer. The printer uses this print data to control the color, type, and quantity of ink droplets ejected from the printhead. Therefore, the print data processed by the RIP records the type of ink droplets of each color, the amount of ink for each type, and the quantity of each type of ink droplet. During normal printing, the printhead ejects ink according to the information recorded in the print data.

[0054] Print data is transmitted from the printer's host computer to the mainboard in the slave computer, and then to the printhead driver board. The printhead driver board applies corresponding drive waveforms to the printhead based on the information recorded in the print data, controlling ink dispensing. After ink dispensing, the printhead driver board records the ink dispensing information. It's important to note that the printhead driver board records the actual ink color, type, volume, and quantity dispensed after ink dispensing, not the information recorded in the print data before dispensing. The information recorded by the printhead driver board is the actual ink consumption, not an estimated consumption based on the print data. Therefore, the information recorded by the printhead driver board is more accurate and reliable.

[0055] Furthermore, the print data here includes not only the image printing data of the image to be printed, but also the flash print data and color bar printing data during printhead cleaning and moisturizing operations such as flash printing and color bar printing. Information such as the color, type, ink volume, and quantity of ink droplets used in flash printing and printhead cleaning and moisturizing operations is often stored in the printer's lower-level machine, which can be set and adjusted as needed. In other words, the printer's upper-level machine records the ink volume information of the image printing data during normal printing, while the printer's lower-level machine records the ink volume information used during flash printing and printhead cleaning and moisturizing operations. Both the ink volume information recorded by the upper-level machine during normal printing and the ink volume information recorded by the lower-level machine for flash printing and printhead cleaning and moisturizing operations are information used to control the ink output before ink is ejected from the printhead, and do not accurately reflect the actual ink output from the printhead. To accurately calculate the true ink consumption, recording the actual ink output information from the printhead using the printhead driver board is the most direct and reliable method.

[0056] Preferably, such as Figure 3 As shown, the process of acquiring and recording the ink volume data ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board includes:

[0057] S11: The printhead driver board obtains the color, type, number of each type of ink droplet, and amount of ink for each type of ink droplet from each nozzle on the printhead based on the drive waveform applied to the printhead.

[0058] Specifically, the RIP-processed print data records the type of ink droplets of each color, the printing ink volume of each type, and the quantity of each type of ink droplet. After parsing this print data, the motherboard informs the printhead board which drive waveform to use for printing. Upon receiving the print data, the printhead board outputs the corresponding drive waveform to the printhead driver board, driving the printhead connected to that driver board to output ink. Generally, ink droplet types are categorized as large, medium, and small droplets. The printing ink volume for each type can be set according to actual conditions. For example, large droplets are set to 10PL, medium droplets to 7PL, and small droplets to 5PL. These values ​​are just examples and may vary in practice. Different droplet types correspond to different drive waveforms. Therefore, the type of ink droplet ejected from each nozzle can be obtained based on the drive waveform applied to the printhead by the printhead driver board. The color of the ink droplets ejected from the printhead or nozzle is known in advance, and the number of each type of ink droplet can be counted based on the driving waveform corresponding to that type of ink droplet.

[0059] S12: Calculate and record the consumption of each color of ink based on the color of the ink droplet, the type of the ink droplet, the quantity of each type of ink droplet, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet. The amount of ink consumed is the ink volume data.

[0060] First, the ink droplets are classified according to their color. Under a certain color category, the types of ink droplets of that color, the number of each type of ink droplet, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet are counted. The ink consumption of that color is calculated. The printhead driver board records the above information as the actual ink volume data of that color, which is used for subsequent calculations and statistics.

[0061] Then, the ink consumption of each color is counted, and all the actual ink output data is recorded on the printhead driver board. This data is then transmitted to the statistical unit in the printer's host computer for calculation and statistics.

[0062] Preferably, the method for calculating the ink volume data of each color of ink based on the color of the ink droplets, the type of ink droplets, the quantity of each type of ink droplets, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet is as follows: M = p1c1 + p2c2 + ... + p n c n, Where M represents the total consumption of a certain color of ink, p1, p2...p n c1, c2...c represents the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet of that color. n This represents the number of ink droplets of each type.

[0063] Specifically, the first step is to determine the color category of the ink droplets. In industrial printing, four colors of ink are widely used: K, C, M, and Y. These include cyan ink (C), magenta ink (M), yellow ink (Y), and black ink (K). Since each color of ink is stored in a different ink cartridge, it is necessary to monitor the amount of each color of ink used.

[0064] In inkjet printing, ink is ejected from the printer head in the form of droplets. Depending on the printing requirements, different ink droplets in the printed data correspond to different droplet types ejected by the printhead. Different droplet types correspond to different droplet sizes, and droplet size primarily depends on the amount of ink within that droplet. Therefore, the type of droplet ejected by the printhead determines the amount of ink in that droplet. The number of each type of droplet is the total number of droplets of that type ejected by the printhead. For example, ink droplets can be categorized into three types: large, medium, and small, corresponding to large, medium, and small ink dots in the printed data. During flash printing, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing, the printer's lower-level machine also stores the ink droplet data required for flash printing, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing, corresponding to different types of ink droplets ejected from the printhead. When controlling the printhead flash printing, the printhead driver board can record the color and type of ink droplets ejected from the printhead during the flash printing, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing process. The quantity and amount of each type of ink droplet can also be recorded together with the data recorded during normal printing.

[0065] For example, in a single color category, if the amount of ink consumed by the printhead to eject a large ink droplet is 'a', and the printer sends the data to the statistical unit of the printer's host computer after recording it on the print driver board, the printer ejected a total of 'c' ink drops. a A large ink droplet; the amount of ink consumed when the printhead ejects a medium ink droplet is b. After the print driver board records the data and sends it to the printer's host computer's statistical unit, the printer ejects a total of c large ink droplets. b The ink droplet; the amount of ink consumed when the printhead ejects a small ink droplet is c. After the print driver board records the data and sends it to the printer's host computer's statistical unit, the printer ejects a total of c ink droplets. c A small ink droplet; the statistical unit calculates the total ink consumption for this color as ac. a +bc b +cc c .

[0066] The ink volume data calculated and recorded by the printhead driver board during the printing process, or during flash printing or color bar printing, can be sent to the statistics unit at preset intervals. The statistics unit then calculates the ink consumption for each color and clears the ink volume data record of the printhead driver board. Since the main function of the printhead driver board is to output a drive waveform to the printhead to drive ink output for printing, its storage capacity is not set too high. Sending the recorded ink volume data to the statistics unit for recording and statistics each time also helps to save the storage capacity and computing power of the printhead driver board.

[0067] Preferably, please refer to Figure 4 The specific steps for obtaining the ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board and sending it to the statistics unit include:

[0068] S21: Set a preset interval time, which starts timing as soon as inkjet printing begins;

[0069] S22: Determine whether the current timer has reached the preset interval time;

[0070] S23: If so, send the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the printhead driver board to the statistics unit for recording;

[0071] S24: Clear the ink volume data of each color ink recorded in the printhead driver board and reset the timer;

[0072] S25: Repeat S22-S24 until inkjet printing is finished.

[0073] In one embodiment, a preset interval can be set. When the printhead driver board receives printing data, it drives the printhead to output ink and starts timing simultaneously. After the printhead outputs ink for a certain period of time, if the preset interval is reached (e.g., 30 minutes), the ink volume data of each color recorded in the printhead driver board is sent to the statistics unit. The statistics unit records and saves the ink consumption of each color obtained at each preset interval for review and statistics. The statistics unit can be located in the lower-level motherboard or in the upper-level computer. Furthermore, the upper-level computer can intuitively display the ink volume data of each color recorded each time, or the total consumption of each color ink and the total ink consumption of printing obtained subsequently, to the printer user through a human-machine interface.

[0074] After the statistics unit completes the recording and saving, it notifies the printer's host computer or slave motherboard. The host computer or motherboard sends a command to the printhead driver board, which clears the recorded ink consumption of each color, returns to the initial state of zero data, restarts the timing, and counts the ink volume data ejected by the printhead again until the inkjet printing ends.

[0075] By setting a preset time interval to collect ink volume data, the printer starts timing as soon as it begins printing. In addition to counting the ink consumed by printing image data, the ink consumed by inkjet operations such as flash printing and printing color bars within the preset time interval will also be counted, thus ensuring the accuracy of ink volume data.

[0076] In other embodiments, ink volume data for each color ink can be acquired during printing idle periods. During normal printing and printhead flashing, cleaning, and moisturizing processes, the printhead is constantly ejecting ink. The printhead driver board controls the ink ejection, and the recorded data is constantly changing. Therefore, the data acquired during printing idle periods is relatively stable, recording the ink consumption of each color from the start of printing or the last printing idle period to the current printing idle period.

[0077] During each printing idle period, the printhead driver board sends the recorded ink volume data to the statistics unit in the printer's host computer or slave motherboard. After receiving and recording the ink volume data from the printhead driver board, the statistics unit instructs the host computer or motherboard to send a command to the printhead driver board to clear the data recorded by the printhead driver board. In other words, the ink volume data recorded by the printhead driver board is the ink volume generated by the printhead from the start of printing to the first printing idle period, or the ink volume generated by the printhead during the interval between two printing idle periods. By using the printing idle period to send the ink volume data generated by the printhead to the statistics unit in batches, the statistics unit stores the obtained volume data in a database. Through a query interface, it is possible to query the ink volume data consumed by the printer from the previous printing idle period to the current printing idle period, as well as the total ink volume consumed since the start of printing, for each printing idle period. This statistical method makes it easier to query the printer's ink volume data, allowing users to see the ink volume consumed between two printing idle periods, as well as the total ink volume consumed since the start of printing, with high accuracy.

[0078] like Figure 5 As shown, after inkjet printing is completed, the total ink consumption is calculated based on the ink volume data from the statistical unit, specifically including:

[0079] S31: Obtain the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the statistical unit each time;

[0080] S32: Add up the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to get the total ink consumption of each color ink;

[0081] S33: Add up the total ink consumption of each color ink to obtain the total ink consumption for printing.

[0082] In one embodiment, when calculating the ink volume data, the ink volume data for each color is calculated separately. Then, the ink volume data recorded for each color after a preset time is added together to obtain the total ink consumption of each color. Finally, the total ink consumption of each color is added together to obtain the total ink consumption for printing.

[0083] In other embodiments, if the data is recorded during each printing idle period, the total ink consumption for a particular color is obtained through the following steps:

[0084] S401: Obtain the ink volume data of a certain color ink recorded by the statistical unit during each printing idle period;

[0085] To track ink consumption, we first differentiate inks by color, since different colors are packaged in different cartridges. If a particular color is consumed in large quantities, we need to replenish that color first.

[0086] S402: Add up the ink consumption of the color recorded during each printing idle period to obtain the total ink consumption of the color.

[0087] The ink volume data for a specific color, as tracked by the print driver board, represents the ink consumption of that color from the start of printing or the last print idle period to the current print idle period. The statistics unit records the ink volume data sent by the print driver board each time; adding up the ink volume data from all print driver boards gives the total ink consumption for that color since printing began. The ink volume data recorded and calculated by the statistics unit is stored in a database. A query interface can be set up to display the requested ink volume data when needed.

[0088] The total ink consumption for printing can be obtained through the following steps:

[0089] S411: Obtain the ink consumption of each color recorded by the statistical unit during each printing idle period;

[0090] The ink consumption statistics do not distinguish between ink colors; they only count the total ink consumption during the printing process.

[0091] S412: Add up the ink consumption of each color recorded during each printing idle period to obtain the total ink consumption for printing.

[0092] The ink consumption statistics from the print driver board represent the ink consumption from the start of printing or the last print idle period to the current print idle period. The statistics unit records the ink volume data sent by the print driver board each time; adding up the ink volume data from all print driver boards gives the total ink consumption since printing began. The ink volume data recorded and calculated by the statistics unit is stored in a database. When needed, a query interface can be set to display the requested ink volume data.

[0093] Preferably, after summing the ink volume data of each recorded color ink to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink, the method further includes: when the total ink consumption of a certain color ink is higher than a first set value, the printing work is paused and a low ink reminder for that type of ink is issued.

[0094] The ink consumption for each color is calculated using the aforementioned method. A maximum allowable ink consumption value is set based on the total ink capacity of the ink cartridges, denoted as the first set value. When the total ink consumption for any color exceeds the first set value, printing is paused, and a low ink warning is issued. Specifically, the low ink warning can be triggered by generating an alarm signal. An alarm light is installed on the corresponding ink cartridge; when the total ink consumption for a particular color exceeds the first set value, the alarm light on that cartridge illuminates, notifying the operator to refill the cartridge with ink promptly.

[0095] In one embodiment, inkjet printing is performed using four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. After summing the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink, the method further includes:

[0096] When the total consumption of black ink is greater than the second set value and the sum of the total consumption of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is less than the third set value, a mixture of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is used to replace the black ink.

[0097] When printing requires a large amount of black (K) ink, while the usage of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) inks is relatively small, the printhead or channel that ejects black ink (hereinafter referred to as the black printhead) will be used more frequently during the printing process than the printheads or channels that eject cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. For example, in a printing job where the image is mostly black with a small portion in color, and the number of copies is large, if a printhead containing all four color channels (CMYK) is used, the black channel nozzles will be used much more frequently than the other color channels, thus the probability of damage to the black channel will be much higher than that of the other color channels. Alternatively, if different printheads are used to eject different colors of ink, and the printhead ejecting black ink is used much more frequently than the other printheads, then the probability of damage to the black printhead will be much higher than that of the other printheads. If a printhead is damaged, not only is replacement cost high, but it also affects the printing job and reduces printing efficiency. Therefore, the total consumption of each color ink obtained from the printhead driver board based on actual ink output can be used to determine the printhead / channel usage frequency. However, the total consumption of black ink is high, indicating that the black printhead / channel is being used too frequently, and continued heavy use could potentially damage the printhead. According to the color mixing principle, black ink can be obtained by mixing CMY inks. In this case, other mixed inks can be used instead of black ink. Of course, if the total consumption of CMY inks is also high, or the total consumption of the four colors is roughly equal, then it is not necessary to use mixed ink to replace black ink. Therefore, a threshold representing the maximum total consumption of black ink can be set, i.e., a second setting value. When the total consumption of black ink exceeds this second setting value, and the sum of the total consumption of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks is less than a third setting value, then black ink obtained by mixing CMY inks (hereinafter referred to as mixed ink) can be used instead of black ink. The specific values ​​of the second and third setting values ​​can be determined based on actual conditions and are not limited here.

[0098] In another embodiment, the total consumption of various color inks can be pre-estimated before printing (e.g., based on printing data in the PRN file). When the estimated total consumption of black ink is much higher than that of other colors, a threshold representing the maximum total consumption of black ink, i.e., a second set value, is set to avoid excessive use of the black printhead / channel. When the obtained total consumption of black ink is greater than the second set value, and the sum of the total consumption of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks is less than a third set value, mixed ink can be used instead of black ink. In this case, RIP processing needs to be performed again so that some of the printing data corresponding to black ink dots in the PRN file is printed using black ink, while some of the printing data is printed using mixed ink.

[0099] In another embodiment, due to the presence of impurities in the ink, the mixed ink is not pure black; and during inkjet printing, the image area printed using black ink is not necessarily pure black, but may also be light gray, dark gray, or other colors. Therefore, when the total consumption of black ink exceeds the second set value, and the sum of the consumption of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks is less than the third set value, mixed ink can be used instead of black ink. Furthermore, to ensure the printing effect of the image, the original black ink can be used for image printing in areas where the image color is pure black, while mixed ink can be used instead of black ink for image printing in some gray areas. For example, black ink is used to print image areas with a concentration value greater than 80%, while mixed ink is used instead of black ink for printing image areas with a concentration value less than 80%. Of course, the threshold value of the concentration value here can be set according to the actual situation and is not limited to 80%; this value is only an example.

[0100] In summary, the inkjet printing ink volume statistics method provided in this embodiment of the invention, by using a printhead driver board to count the ink droplets ejected from each nozzle of the printhead, can accurately determine the type and quantity of each droplet, making the total ink volume statistics more accurate. Furthermore, using the printhead driver board can not only count the ink consumed during normal printing but also the ink consumed during printhead flash spraying, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing, making the final total ink volume data more accurate and reliable. Further, when the total consumption of a certain color ink exceeds a first set value (indicating that the ink of that color is about to run out), printing is paused, and a low ink warning is issued. Even further, when the total consumption of black ink, based on statistics, is significantly greater than the sum of the total consumption of other colors, a mixture of cyan, magenta, and yellow ink is used to replace black ink for image printing, thereby avoiding the problem of printhead damage caused by excessive use of the printhead or channel that ejects black ink.

[0101] Example 2

[0102] Please refer to Figure 6 An embodiment of the present invention provides an inkjet printing ink volume counting device 200, the device 200 comprising:

[0103] Recording module 201 is used to acquire and record the amount of ink ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board;

[0104] The sending module 202 is used to acquire the ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board and send it to the statistics unit;

[0105] The statistics module 203 is used to obtain the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data of the statistics unit.

[0106] Furthermore, the recording module 201 includes:

[0107] The acquisition unit is used to acquire the color, type, quantity, and amount of ink droplets ejected from each nozzle on the printhead using the printhead driver board.

[0108] The calculation and recording unit is used to calculate and record the consumption of each color of ink based on the color of the ink droplet, the type of the ink droplet, the quantity of each type of ink droplet, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet. The consumption of each color of ink is the ink volume data.

[0109] Furthermore, the sending module 202 includes:

[0110] The setting unit is used to set the preset interval time, which starts timing when inkjet printing begins.

[0111] The judgment unit is used to determine whether the current timing has reached the preset interval time;

[0112] The sending unit is used to send the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the printhead driver board to the statistics unit for recording if the condition is met.

[0113] The clearing unit is used to clear the ink volume data of each color ink recorded in the printhead driver board and reset the timing.

[0114] The loop unit is used to repeat the steps from the judgment unit to the clear unit until the inkjet printing ends.

[0115] Furthermore, the statistics module includes:

[0116] Ink volume data acquisition unit, used to acquire ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the statistical unit each time;

[0117] The first statistical unit is used to add up the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink.

[0118] The second statistical unit is used to add up the total ink consumption of each color ink to obtain the total ink consumption of printing.

[0119] In summary, the inkjet printing ink volume statistics device provided in this embodiment of the invention, by using a printhead driver board to count the ink droplets ejected from each nozzle of the printhead, can accurately determine the type and amount of each droplet, making the total ink volume statistics more accurate. Furthermore, using the printhead driver board can not only count the ink consumed during normal printing, but also the ink consumed during printhead flash printing, printhead cleaning and moisturizing, etc., making the final total ink volume data more accurate and reliable.

[0120] Example 3

[0121] Please refer to Figure 7 One embodiment of the present invention provides a printer motherboard 400, the printer motherboard 400 comprising:

[0122] Control device 401 is used to control the operation of the printer motherboard;

[0123] As described in Example 2, the inkjet printing ink volume counting device 200.

[0124] The device 200 further includes:

[0125] Recording module 201 is used to acquire and record the amount of ink ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board;

[0126] The sending module 202 is used to acquire the ink volume data recorded by the printhead drive board and send it to the statistics unit;

[0127] The statistics module 203 is used to obtain the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data of the statistics unit.

[0128] Furthermore, the recording module 201 includes:

[0129] The acquisition unit is used to acquire the color, type, quantity, and amount of ink droplets ejected from each nozzle on the printhead using the printhead driver board.

[0130] The calculation and recording unit is used to calculate and record the consumption of each color of ink based on the color of the ink droplet, the type of the ink droplet, the quantity of each type of ink droplet, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplet. The consumption of each color of ink is the ink volume data.

[0131] Furthermore, the sending module 202 includes:

[0132] The setting unit is used to set the preset interval time, which starts timing when inkjet printing begins.

[0133] The judgment unit is used to determine whether the current timing has reached the preset interval time;

[0134] The sending unit is used to send the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the printhead driver board to the statistics unit for recording if the condition is met.

[0135] The clearing unit is used to clear the ink volume data of each color ink recorded in the printhead driver board and reset the timing.

[0136] The loop unit is used to repeat the steps from the judgment unit to the clear unit until the inkjet printing ends.

[0137] Furthermore, the statistics module includes:

[0138] Ink volume data acquisition unit, used to acquire ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the statistical unit each time;

[0139] The first statistical unit is used to add up the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink.

[0140] The second statistical unit is used to add up the total ink consumption of each color ink to obtain the total ink consumption of printing.

[0141] In summary, the printer motherboard provided in this embodiment of the invention, by using a printhead driver board, can accurately count the ink droplets ejected from each nozzle of the printhead, down to the type and amount of each droplet, making the total ink volume count more accurate. Furthermore, using the printhead driver board can not only count the ink consumed during normal printing but also the ink consumed during printhead flash printing, printhead cleaning, and moisturizing, making the final total ink volume data more accurate and reliable.

[0142] Example 4

[0143] In addition, the inkjet printing ink volume statistics method of this embodiment can be implemented by a printer. Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a printer provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0144] A printer may include a processor and a memory that stores computer program instructions.

[0145] Specifically, the processor may include a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits that can be configured to implement embodiments of the present invention.

[0146] The memory may include a large-capacity storage device for data or instructions. For example, and not limitingly, the memory may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, the memory may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media. Where appropriate, the memory may be internal or external to a data processing device. In a particular embodiment, the memory is a non-volatile solid-state memory. In a particular embodiment, the memory includes a read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), an electrically rewritable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0147] The processor reads and executes computer program instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the inkjet printing ink volume statistics methods in the above embodiments.

[0148] In one example, the printer may also include a communication interface and a bus. For example, Figure 7 As shown, the processor, memory, and communication interface are connected via a bus and communicate with each other.

[0149] The communication interface is mainly used to enable communication between various modules, devices, units and / or equipment in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0150] A bus, including hardware, software, or both, couples printer components together. For example, and not limitingly, a bus may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a Front Side Bus (FSB), HyperTransport (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an Infinite Bandwidth Interconnect, a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Microchannel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCI-X) bus, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association Local (VLB) bus, or other suitable buses, or combinations of two or more of these. Where appropriate, a bus may include one or more buses. While specific buses are described and illustrated in embodiments of the invention, the invention contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

[0151] Furthermore, in conjunction with the inkjet printing ink volume statistics method in the above embodiments, this invention can be implemented using a computer-readable storage medium. This computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions; when these computer program instructions are executed by a processor, they implement any of the inkjet printing ink volume statistics methods in the above embodiments.

[0152] It should be clarified that the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations and processes described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of known methods are omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of the present invention is not limited to the specific steps described and shown. Those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications, and additions, or change the order of steps, after understanding the spirit of the present invention.

[0153] The functional blocks shown in the above-described structural diagram can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. When implemented in hardware, they can be, for example, electronic circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), appropriate firmware, plug-ins, function cards, etc. When implemented in software, the elements of this invention are programs or code segments used to perform the required tasks. The programs or code segments can be stored on a machine-readable medium or transmitted over a transmission medium or communication link via data signals carried in a carrier wave. "Machine-readable medium" can include any medium capable of storing or transmitting information. Examples of machine-readable media include electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices, ROM, flash memory, erasable ROM (EROM), floppy disks, CD-ROMs, optical disks, hard disks, fiber optic media, radio frequency (RF) links, etc. Code segments can be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, intranets, etc.

[0154] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments mentioned in this invention describe methods or systems based on a series of steps or apparatus. However, this invention is not limited to the order of the steps described above; that is, the steps can be performed in the order mentioned in the embodiments, or in a different order, or several steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0155] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, modules, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for calculating ink volume in inkjet printing, characterized in that, The method includes: The printhead driver board acquires and records the amount of ink ejected by the printhead based on the printing data. The process of acquiring the ink volume data recorded by the printhead driver board and sending it to the statistics unit includes: setting a preset interval time; when the printhead driver board receives printing data, it drives the printhead to output ink and starts timing simultaneously; after the printhead outputs ink for a certain period of time, if the timing reaches the preset interval time, the ink volume data of each color ink recorded in the printhead driver board is sent to the statistics unit; the statistics unit records and saves the ink consumption of each color ink acquired after each preset interval time; wherein the statistics unit is set in the lower-level motherboard or the upper-level computer; after the statistics unit completes the recording and saving action, it notifies the upper-level computer or the lower-level motherboard of the printer; the upper-level computer or the lower-level motherboard of the printer sends an instruction to the printhead driver board; the printhead driver board clears the recorded ink consumption of each color ink, returns to the initial zero data state, restarts timing, and counts the ink volume data ejected by the printhead again until the inkjet printing ends; The total ink consumption for printing is obtained based on the ink volume data from the statistical unit.

2. The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printing data includes any one, two, or more of the following: image printing data, flash inkjet printing data, and color bar printing data.

3. The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The process of acquiring and recording the ink volume data ejected by the printhead based on the printing data via the printhead driver board includes: The printhead driver board is used to obtain the color, type, quantity, and amount of ink droplets ejected from each nozzle on the printhead; Based on the color of the ink droplets, the type of the ink droplets, the quantity of each type of ink droplets, and the amount of ink in each type of ink droplets, the consumption of each color of ink is calculated and recorded. The consumption of each color of ink is the ink volume data.

4. The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data of the statistical unit includes: Obtain the ink volume data of each color ink recorded by the statistical unit each time; Add up the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to get the total ink consumption of each color ink; The total ink consumption of each color ink is added together to obtain the total ink consumption for printing.

5. The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After summing the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to obtain the total ink consumption of each color ink, the process further includes: when the total ink consumption of a certain color ink is greater than a first set value, the printing work is paused and a low ink reminder for that certain color ink is issued.

6. The inkjet printing ink volume statistics method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Inkjet printing is performed using four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. After summing the ink volume data of each color ink recorded each time to obtain the total ink consumption for each color ink, the process further includes: When the total consumption of black ink is greater than the second set value and the sum of the total consumption of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is less than the third set value, a mixture of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink is used to replace the black ink for inkjet printing.

7. An inkjet printing ink volume counting device, characterized in that, The device includes: The recording module is used to acquire and record the amount of ink ejected by the printhead according to the printing data through the printhead driver board; The sending module is used to acquire the ink volume data recorded by the printhead driver board and send it to the statistics unit. This includes: setting a preset interval time; when the printhead driver board receives printing data, it drives the printhead to output ink and starts timing simultaneously; after the printhead outputs ink for a certain period, if the timing reaches the preset interval time, it sends the ink volume data of each color recorded in the printhead driver board to the statistics unit; the statistics unit records and saves the ink consumption of each color acquired after each preset interval time; wherein the statistics unit is located in the lower-level motherboard or the upper-level computer; after the statistics unit completes the recording and saving action, it notifies the printer's upper-level or lower-level motherboard; the printer's upper-level or lower-level motherboard sends an instruction to the printhead driver board; the printhead driver board clears the recorded ink consumption of each color, returns to the initial zero-data state, restarts timing, and again counts the ink volume data ejected by the printhead until inkjet printing ends. The statistics module is used to obtain the total ink consumption for printing based on the ink volume data of the statistics unit.

8. A printer motherboard, characterized in that, The printer motherboard includes: Control device, used to control the operation of the printer motherboard; The inkjet printing ink volume counting device as described in claim 7.

9. A printer, characterized in that, include: At least one processor, at least one memory, and computer program instructions stored in the memory, which, when executed by the processor, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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