Recording device, control method, information processing device, and program

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of appropriately executing recovery operation.SOLUTION: A dot count value being the number of discharging times of ink during recording and a recording time are acquired from recording means, a count value being an integrated value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value when the dot count value per time based on the dot count value and the recording time is equal to or less than a prescribed value, and the execution of recovery operation is controlled on the basis of the count value and a threshold without adding the dot count value to the count value when the dot count value per time for controlling the execution of the recovery operation on the basis of the updated count value and the threshold is larger than the prescribed value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device capable of ejecting ink by an inkjet method, a control method for the recording device, an information processing device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In inkjet printers, for example, use thermal energy to eject ink. In such inkjet printers, depending on the operating environment, residual heat after ink ejection can cause bubbles to form in the ink from dissolved gases, and these bubbles can accumulate in the ink within the printing head. Therefore, if the number of ink ejections exceeds a certain number, the accumulated bubbles can make ink ejection unstable, potentially leading to ejection failures where the ink is not ejected properly.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that measures the number of ink ejections, and when the measured value exceeds a set value, uses a suction pump to forcibly suck ink from the nozzle that ejects the ink, thereby performing a recovery operation to restore and maintain good ink ejection performance from the nozzle. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-141249 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, the inventors of the present invention have found, through their research, that the generation of bubbles in the recording head depends not only on the number of ink ejections but also on the ink ejection time. Specifically, the inventors have found that even with the same number of ink ejections, the longer the ink ejection time, i.e., the longer the recording time, the more bubbles are generated in the recording head.

[0006] Therefore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, which controls the execution of recovery operations based solely on the number of ink ejections, may fail to suppress ink ejection defects or may increase ink consumption by performing recovery operations more than necessary.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a technology that enables the proper execution of recovery operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the recording device according to the present invention records an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium. At the same time, pre-ejection, which is ink ejection that does not contribute to recording, is performed at a predetermined timing. A recording means, a recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance in the recording means, a dot count value which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and a recording time which is the time required for the recording. The pre-ejection dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during the aforementioned pre-ejection, The system includes an acquisition means for obtaining the dot count value, a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count value, and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation by the recovery means, and a control means for controlling the execution of the recovery operation based on these, wherein if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the control means updates the count value to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, it controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value. The count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the preliminary discharge dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated count value and the threshold value. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, recovery operations can be performed appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Schematic Configuration Diagram of Recording Device [Figure 2] Side View of Main Part of Recording Device [Figure 3] Diagram Showing Nozzle Array Formed on Nozzle Surface of Recording Head [Figure 4] Schematic Configuration Diagram of Main Part of Recording Device Including Recovery Unit [Figure 5] Block Diagram Showing Configuration of Control System of Recording Device [Figure 6] Graph Showing Occurrence of Discharge Defects in Recording with Different Dot Count Values per Unit Time [Figure 7] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Recording Process [Figure 8] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Acquisition Process of Subroutine of Recording Process [Figure 9] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Recovery Process of Subroutine of Recording Process [Figure 10] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Recording Process of Other Embodiments [Figure 11] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Post-Processing after Preliminary Discharge [Figure 12] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Response Processing [Figure 13] Graph Showing Occurrence of Discharge Defects in Recording with Different Dot Count Values per Unit Time [Figure 14] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of Recording Process of Other Embodiments [Figure 15] Flowchart Showing Processing Routine of First Acquisition Process of Subroutine of Recording Process in FIG. 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of the recording device, control method, information processing device, and program will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in these embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of the present invention. Furthermore, the positions and shapes of the components described in the embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to them alone.

[0012] (First Embodiment) First, a recording device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The recording device according to this embodiment is an inkjet recording device that records an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium based on recording data. "Recording" includes not only cases where meaningful information such as characters and figures is formed, but also broadly cases where images, patterns, designs, etc. are formed on a recording medium, or where the medium is processed, regardless of whether it is meaningful or not, and does not depend on whether or not it is made apparent in a way that can be perceived by human eyes.

[0013] <Recording device configuration> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the recording device. Figure 2 is a side view of the main components of the recording device.

[0014] The recording device 10 includes a holding unit 12 for holding a recording medium, a transport unit 14 for transporting the recording medium held by the holding unit 12, and a recording unit 16 for ejecting ink onto the recording medium transported by the transport unit 14 to record data. The recording device 10 also includes a cutting unit 17 for cutting the recording medium along the X direction after recording by the recording unit 16.

[0015] More specifically, the holding unit 12 includes a rotatably mounted spool 18. This spool 18 holds a roll 20 formed by winding a sheet-like recording medium M. The holding unit 12 may also be configured to hold a cut sheet as the recording medium M. The spool 18 is provided with a torque limiter 22 that brakes its rotation. This torque limiter 22 applies tension to the recording medium M as it is unwound from the roll 20 and pulled out to the transport unit 14.

[0016] The conveying unit 14 includes a conveying roller 26 that rotates driven by the drive unit 24, and a pinch roller 28 that presses against the conveying roller 26 and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the conveying roller 26. Note that in Figure 1, the pinch roller 28 is omitted from the illustration for ease of understanding. The drive unit 24 includes a conveying motor 30, which is the drive source, and a belt 32 that transmits the driving force of the conveying motor 30 to the conveying roller 26. Note that the configuration for transmitting the driving force of the conveying motor 30 to the conveying roller 26 is not limited to a configuration using a belt 32, and various known technologies may be applied. In the conveying unit 14, the recording medium M is held between the conveying roller 26 and the pinch roller 28, and the recording medium M is conveyed in the Y direction by the rotation of the conveying roller 26.

[0017] The recording device 10 includes a detection unit 34 capable of detecting the amount of rotation of the transport roller 26. The detection unit 34 is a rotary encoder comprising a circular film 36 provided on the axis of the transport roller 26 and a reading unit 38 capable of reading the pattern formed on the circular film 36. A circumferential encoder pattern is drawn on the circular film 36. The reading unit 38 is configured to read the encoder pattern formed on the circular film 36 optically, magnetically, or mechanically.

[0018] The recording unit 16 includes a platen 40 that supports the recording medium M transported by the transport unit 14, and a recording head 42 that ejects ink onto the recording medium M supported by the platen 40. The recording unit 16 also includes a carriage 44 that is slidably mounted on a main rail 43 extending in the X direction. The carriage 44 is configured to reciprocate in the X direction by the drive unit 46. The recording head 42 is mounted on the carriage 44. Thus, in the recording device 10, the recording head 42 is configured to reciprocate in the X direction via the carriage 44.

[0019] The drive unit 46 includes a carriage motor 48, which is the drive source, and a belt 50 connected to the carriage 44, which transmits the driving force of the carriage motor 48 to the carriage 44. The belt 50 is stretched endlessly across a pair of pulleys and extends parallel to the X direction. The shaft of the carriage motor 48 is connected to one of the pair of pulleys. Therefore, when the carriage motor 48 drives, one of the pulleys rotates and the belt 50 moves, allowing the carriage 44 to reciprocate in the X direction.

[0020] The recording device 10 includes a detection unit 52 capable of detecting the position of the carriage 44 in the X direction. Based on the detection result of the detection unit 52, the recording position of the recording head 42 mounted on the carriage 44, that is, the ink ejection position, is controlled by detecting the position of the carriage 44 in the X direction. The detection unit 52 includes an encoder pattern 54 extending parallel to the X direction and a reading unit 56 capable of reading the encoder pattern 54 optically, magnetically, or mechanically. The reading unit 56 is mounted on the carriage 44. The recording device 10 also includes a detection unit 58 capable of detecting the position of the X-direction end of the recording medium supported by the platen 40. The detection unit 58 is mounted on the carriage 44 and detects the position of the X-direction end of the recording medium supported by the platen 40 as the carriage 44 moves.

[0021] The recording head 42 has nozzles 302 (see Figure 3) for ejecting ink formed on the surface facing the platen 40. The recording head 42 is also equipped with a sensor 526 (see Figure 5) for detecting the temperature of the ink inside the recording head 42, and a heater 528 (see Figure 5) which is controlled according to the temperature of the ink inside the recording head 42 and for heating the ink. Hereinafter, the "surface of the recording head 42 facing the platen 40" will be appropriately referred to as the "nozzle surface". Figure 3(a) shows a row of nozzles formed on the nozzle surface, and Figure 3(b) is an enlarged view of the row of nozzles that eject a predetermined ink. The recording head 42 can record images by ejecting multiple types of ink, and forms a row of nozzles 300 consisting of multiple nozzles that eject the corresponding ink for each type of ink. The types of ink include differences in color, pigment, and dye.

[0022] The recording head 42 is configured to eject ink from nozzles by driving recording elements. The recording head 42 can utilize various known technologies, such as a thermal method using a heating element as the recording element, or a piezoelectric method using a piezoelectric element as the recording element. On the nozzle surface, nozzle rows 300C for ejecting cyan ink, 300M for ejecting magenta ink, 300Y for ejecting yellow ink, and 300K for ejecting black ink are formed sequentially along the -X direction. As shown in Figure 3(b), the nozzle rows 300 are formed with nozzles ejecting corresponding inks arranged in a staggered pattern. Specifically, the nozzle row 300 is formed by a pair of nozzle groups. In each nozzle group, adjacent nozzles in the Y direction are spaced 600 dpi apart. Furthermore, in the nozzle row 300, the nozzle groups are offset from each other by 1200 dpi in the Y direction. Furthermore, nozzle rows 300C, 300M, and 300Y are composed of 256 nozzles 302, while nozzle row 300K is composed of 640 nozzles 302.

[0023] Then, in the recording device 10, once the recording medium M, which has been transported by the transport unit 14, is moved to the recording start position, the recording head 42 moves in the X direction and ejects ink onto the recording medium M to perform a recording operation. Next, the transport unit 14 transports the recording medium M by a predetermined amount in the Y direction to position an area that has not yet been recorded opposite the nozzle surface of the recording head 42, and the recording operation is performed again. In this way, by repeatedly performing the recording operation and the transport operation alternately, the recording device 10 records data based on the recording data onto the recording medium M. After that, the recording medium M is cut by the cutting unit 17 for each page of images.

[0024] Furthermore, the recording device 10 is equipped with a recovery unit 400 capable of performing recovery operations to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance from each nozzle 302 of the recording head 42. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the recording device including the recovery unit. The recovery unit 400 includes a cap 402 that caps and protects the nozzle surface of the recording head 42 on the upstream side of the platen 40 in the +X direction, and a suction pump 404 that generates negative pressure inside the cap 402. The suction pump 404 is connected to the cap 402 via a tube 406. An ink absorber 410 capable of absorbing ink is also provided inside the cap 402. Although not shown in the figures, the recovery unit 400 is equipped with various known configurations for maintaining and restoring good ink ejection performance in the recording head 42, such as a wiping mechanism for wiping the nozzle surface of the recording head 42.

[0025] When a recovery operation using the cap 402 and suction pump 404 is performed, the recording head 42 is first moved to a standby position where the nozzle surface faces the cap 402. The standby position is the position where the platen 40 on the upstream side in the +X direction is not provided, and is the position where the recording head 42 is in standby when recording is not being performed. The cap 402 is configured to be movable between a capping position in which it caps the nozzle surface of the recording head 42 in the standby position, and a separated position (the position shown in Figure 4) where it is separated from the nozzle surface. By capping the nozzle surface with the cap 402, evaporation of the solvent in the ink from the nozzle 302 can be suppressed. The movement of the cap 402 and the driving of the suction pump 404 are controlled by the control unit 500 (described later), which controls the operation of the recording device 10.

[0026] In the recording head 42, if ink is ejected from the nozzle 302 more than a certain number of times, there is a risk that bubbles will accumulate in the ink inside the recording head 42. Also, in the recording head 42, if the temperature of the ink inside the recording head 42 is heated by the heater 528, there is a risk that the ink will evaporate and become thicker or solidify inside the nozzle. Thus, if bubbles or ink thickening occurs in the recording head 42, a discharge failure will occur in which the ink is not properly ejected from the nozzle 302. To resolve such discharge failures, the recovery unit 400 is used. Specifically, when removing bubbles that have formed in the ink inside the recording head 42, the suction pump 404 is driven with the nozzle surface capped by the cap 402 to suck out the bubbles accumulated inside the recording head 42 along with the ink through the nozzle 302. Also, when removing thickened or solidified ink inside the nozzle, the thickened ink inside the nozzle is forcibly removed by ejecting ink from the recording head 42 into the cap 402 a predetermined number of times. In the recovery unit 400, the ink collected in the cap 402 is recovered to a maintenance cartridge (not shown) via a waste ink tube 408 using a suction pump 404.

[0027] <Configuration of the control system for the recording device> Next, the configuration of the control system of the recording device 10 will be described. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the recording device.

[0028] The recording device 10 includes a control unit 500 that controls the overall operation of the recording device 10. The control unit 500 includes a CPU 502, a ROM 506, and a RAM 508. The CPU 502 reads programs stored in the ROM 506 and controls the overall operation of the recording device 10. The ROM 506 stores various programs that the CPU 502 executes. The RAM 508 is used as a storage area for temporarily storing various information such as recording data, and also functions as a work area for the CPU 502. In this embodiment, the ROM 506 and RAM 508 are provided as storage devices, but the embodiment is not limited to these, and various known storage devices may be provided.

[0029] The CPU 502 is connected to the head driver 510 and controls the drive of the recording elements in the recording head 42 via the head driver 510, thereby controlling the ejection of ink from each nozzle. The recording elements are located at positions corresponding to the nozzles, and in the recording device 10, ink is ejected from the nozzles by the drive of the recording elements. The CPU 502 is also connected to the carriage motor driver 512 and controls the drive of the carriage motor 48 via the carriage motor driver 512, thereby controlling the movement of the carriage 44. Furthermore, the CPU 502 is connected to the transport motor driver 514 and controls the drive of the transport motor 30 via the transport motor driver 514, thereby controlling the rotation of the transport roller 26.

[0030] The CPU 502 is connected to the detection units 34, 52, and 58, and controls the rotation of the transport roller 26, the timing of ink ejection at the recording head 42, and the movement of the carriage 44 based on the detection results of each unit. The CPU 502 is also connected to the clock 516, which counts the passage of time. Furthermore, the CPU 502 is connected to the image processing unit 518. The image processing unit 518 processes image data input from, for example, the host device 524 (described later) to generate recording data indicating whether ink has been ejected or not. The generated recording data is stored in a memory area such as the RAM 508. Based on this recording data, the CPU 502 controls the transport roller 26, the recording head 42, and the carriage 44 to record on the recording medium M. Furthermore, the CPU 502 is connected to the dot counter 520. The dot counter 520 counts the number of times the recording element is driven, that is, the number of dots, which are ink droplets ejected from the nozzle, based on the recording data. The counted value (hereinafter referred to as the "dot count value") is stored in a memory area such as RAM508. Note that the configuration for acquiring the dot count value is not limited to a configuration that calculates it based on recorded data. Various known techniques can be applied, such as a configuration that acquires the dot count value from the drive signal of the recording element.

[0031] The CPU 502 is connected to the operation panel 504 and performs operations based on instructions input via the operation panel 504. The operation panel 504 is an input device that accepts user input, such as a touch panel. In this case, the CPU 502 controls the display content shown on the touch panel. The CPU 502 is also connected via interface 522 to a host device 524, such as a personal computer, which is provided separately from the recording device 10. The host device 524, based on user operations, for example, creates image data and transmits the created image data to the recording device 10. Alternatively, the host device 524 may perform image processing on the image data to generate recording data and transmit the generated recording data to the recording device 10. Furthermore, the CPU 502 is connected to a sensor 526 capable of detecting the temperature of the ink in the recording head 42 and a heater 528 capable of heating the ink in the recording head 42. Based on the detection results from the sensor 526, the CPU 502 controls the operation of the heater 528 to maintain the temperature of the ink in the recording head 42 within a certain range. Thus, in this embodiment, the heater 528 functions as a heating unit that heats the ink in the recording head 42.

[0032] <Characteristic technology of this embodiment> Incidentally, in thermal inkjet recording devices, ink is ejected from the nozzle using thermal energy. Depending on the operating environment, residual heat after ink ejection can cause bubbles to form in the ink within the recording head from dissolved gases. These bubbles are generated each time ink is ejected, and they accumulate in the ink within the recording head. When ink ejection is repeated a certain number of times or more, the bubbles accumulated in the recording head 42 cause unstable ink ejection from the nozzle, resulting in ink ejection failure. To suppress the occurrence of such ejection failures, known technologies such as Patent Document 1 perform a recovery operation to remove the bubbles accumulated in the recording head by suction, based on the number of ink ejections during recording, i.e., the dot count value.

[0033] Here, the inventors of the present invention have found, through their research, that the larger the dot count value per unit time, the less likely the generated bubbles are to accumulate in the ink inside the recording head. Therefore, based on this finding, prior art such as Patent Document 1 may not be able to perform the recovery operation at the appropriate timing, which could lead to ejection failures or unnecessary recovery operations that increase ink consumption.

[0034] Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination of whether or not to perform a recovery operation is made using not only the dot count value during the recording operation, but also the recording time, which is the time required during the recording operation. Specifically, based on the dot count value per unit time during the recording operation and a threshold Ath (a predetermined value), it is determined whether or not to add the dot count value during the recording operation to the count value C1 used when determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation. Then, based on this count value C1 and the threshold C1th, it is determined whether or not to perform a recovery operation after the recording operation.

[0035] The thresholds Ath and C1th are determined experimentally, depending on the ink used and the configuration of the recording head 42, as described below. Figure 6 is a graph showing the experimental results for determining the thresholds Ath and C1th. In the graph of Figure 6, the horizontal axis represents the recording time T, and the vertical axis represents the dot count value C during recording.

[0036] The recording medium used in the experiment to determine the threshold Ath and threshold C1th was Canon Standard Plain Paper 2 LFM-PPS2 / A1 / 64 (594 x 841 mm). 2 The image size is 584 x 831 mm. 2It was set as such. Also, the amount of 1 drop of ink ejected from the nozzle was set to 12 pl. Then, after recording under 3 evaluation conditions with different recording Duties (hereinafter, simply referred to as "Duty" as appropriate), an evaluation pattern was recorded, and it was determined whether ejection failure occurred in the recording result. Note that when Duty changes, the ejection frequency changes, and thereby the generation of bubbles in the ink within the recording head changes. The evaluation pattern was a solid image with Duty 100%. Also, if there were no streaks, lines, or ink non-ejection in the recording result visually, it was evaluated that no ejection failure occurred, and it was shown as "〇" in the graph. Also, if there were streaks, lines, or ink non-ejection in the recording result visually, it was evaluated that ejection failure occurred, and it was shown as "×" in the graph.

[0037] The definition of Duty was Duty 100% = 2 ink dots / 600 dpi. And the 3 evaluation conditions were Duty 25.8% (C / T = 14.4×10 5 ), Duty 12.5% (C / T = 3.84×10 5 ), and Duty 3.0% (C / T = 2.48×10 5 ). In FIG. 6, Duty 25.8% is shown by a solid line, Duty 12.5% is shown by a dashed line, and Duty 3.0% is shown by a dotted-dashed line.

[0038] As shown in the graph of FIG. 6, in the evaluation pattern after recording with the dot count value C set to 8.0×10 9 , ejection failure was recognized only when Duty was 3.0% among the 3 evaluation conditions. Also, in the evaluation pattern after recording with the dot count value C set to 4.0×10 9 , ejection failure was recognized only when Duty was 3.0% among the 3 evaluation conditions. And in the evaluation pattern after recording with the dot count value C set to 3.0×10 9 at Duty 3.0%, no ejection failure was recognized.

[0039] Thus, when Duty (dot count value C / T per unit time) is different, for the same dot count value C (4.0×10 9 , 8.0×10 9Even with this, it can be seen that there are cases where dispensing failure occurs and cases where it does not. Dot count value C is 4.0 × 10 9 Computed tomography (CT) observations were performed on the recording heads after recording at a duty cycle of 3.0%. As a result, bubble formation and growth were observed in the recording heads after recording at a duty cycle of 3.0% compared to the recording heads before recording. On the other hand, no significant bubble formation or growth was observed in the recording heads after recording at a duty cycle of 25.8% and 12.5% ​​compared to the recording heads before recording.

[0040] From the experimental results shown in Figure 6, in a configuration that determines whether or not to perform a recovery operation based solely on the dot count value during recording, as in known technology, for example, the threshold C1th should be set to 3.0 × 10 9 Therefore, when the duty cycle is 3.0%, the recovery operation is performed at the necessary time. On the other hand, when the duty cycle is 25.8% or 12.5%, the recovery operation is performed even though recording can continue sufficiently without ejection failure, resulting in unnecessary ink consumption and a decrease in recording speed. Furthermore, when the duty cycle falls below 3.0%, the recovery operation cannot be performed properly.

[0041] Here, in Figure 6, the duty cycle ranges from 12.5% ​​to 3.0% (i.e., the dot count value per hour is 3.84 × 10⁻⁶). 5 from 2.48 × 10 5 When the Duty cycle is below a predetermined value (up to a certain point), bubbles are more likely to accumulate in the ink inside the recording head. On the other hand, when the Duty cycle exceeds the predetermined value, bubbles are less likely to accumulate in the ink inside the recording head.

[0042] Generally, the smaller the duty cycle, the less residual heat is generated by the thermal energy used for ink ejection, and the lower the temperature of the ink in the recording head, resulting in less foam formation. On the other hand, the smaller the duty cycle, the less ink is ejected from the recording head, so any foam that is generated is not discharged and accumulates in the ink within the recording head, making it easier for the foam to grow in that ink.

[0043] Therefore, based on these characteristics and the experimental results in Figure 6, it is considered that when the Duty cycle falls below a predetermined value, bubbles present in the recording head are less likely to be discharged to the outside of the recording head along with the ejected ink. Conversely, when the Duty cycle exceeds a predetermined value, bubbles are more likely to form in the recording head, but the resulting bubbles are more likely to be discharged to the outside of the recording head along with the ejected ink, and bubbles are less likely to remain inside the recording head.

[0044] Therefore, in this embodiment, the dot count value per unit time is 3.84 × 10⁻⁶. 5 and 2.48 × 10 5 3.0 × 10 between 5 This value was set as the threshold Ath. When the dot count value per unit time during the recording operation is less than or equal to the threshold Ath (less than or equal to a predetermined value), the dot count value during the recording operation is added to the count value C1 used to determine whether or not to perform a recovery operation. When the dot count value per unit time during the recording operation is greater than the threshold Ath, the dot count value during the recording operation is not added to the count value C1. Furthermore, the threshold C1th used to determine whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on the count value C1 is set to a value smaller than, for example, the value at which it has been confirmed that no ejection failure has actually occurred. In other words, in this embodiment, from the experimental results in Figure 6, the threshold C1th is 1.5 × 10⁻⁶. 9 Therefore, the threshold C1th is calculated by taking the dot count value per unit time C / T as 2.48 × 10⁻⁶. 5 Considering cases where the value is smaller than (Duty 3.0%), for example, the dot count value at which no ejection failure occurs when the duty cycle is 3.0% is 3.0 × 10 9It shall be half the value of . Note that in the recording device 10, the dot count value per unit time C / T is 2.48 × 10 5 If it does not become smaller than (Duty 3.0%), set the threshold C1th to 3.0 × 10 9 That is also acceptable.

[0045] <Recording process> In the above configuration, when the recording device 10 is instructed to start recording via the operation panel 504 or the host device 524, the recording process is executed. In the following description of the recording process, it is assumed that image data has been input to the recording device 10 in advance, that the image processing unit 518 has generated one page of recording data, and that this recording data has been divided for each recording operation and stored in the RAM 508. Furthermore, it is assumed that the recording data divided for each recording operation is stored in page units.

[0046] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine for the recording process. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine for the acquisition process, which is a subroutine of the recording process. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine for the recovery process, which is a subroutine of the recording process. The series of processes shown in the flowcharts of Figures 7 to 9 are performed by the CPU 502 loading the program code stored in the ROM 506 into the RAM 508 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figures 7 to 9 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit. In the description of each process, the symbol "S" means a step in the flowchart. The same applies hereafter in this specification.

[0047] When the recording process begins, the CPU 502 first obtains the number of ink ejections required to record one page of the recording medium (S702). In S702, the dot counter 520 calculates the number of ink ejections required to record one page of the recording medium, i.e., the dot count value C, based on the recording data stored in the RAM 508. The dot count value C is calculated for each type of ink that can be ejected from the recording head 42, that is, for each of the four ink colors in this embodiment.

[0048] Next, the CPU 502 performs recording based on the recording data stored in the RAM 508 (S704). In S704, one page of the recording medium is recorded. Also in S704, the clock 516 counts the time from the start to the end of the recording operation. In other words, it counts the time required for the multiple recording operations performed to record one page of the image. Therefore, the time counted by the clock 516 becomes the recording time T, which is the time required for the recording operation. Note that if the dot counter 520 is configured to count dot count values ​​based on the drive signal of the recording element, the processing in S702 is omitted, and in S704, the CPU 502 obtains the dot count value C for each ink type using the dot counter 520. The recording medium M, on which one page of the image has been recorded, is cut at a predetermined position by the cutting unit 17.

[0049] When recording one page of the recording medium is completed, the CPU 502 then obtains the recording time T, which is the time counted by the clock 516 (S706), and performs an acquisition process to obtain a count value C1, which is used to determine whether or not to perform a recovery operation (S708). The count value C1 is the cumulative value of the dot count value C at the time of recording, and is stored in a memory area such as RAM 508 for each type of ink, with an initial value of "0". Note that if the dot count value C is obtained by the dot counter 520 in S704, the dot count value C will be obtained for each type of ink in S706. Thus, in this embodiment, the CPU 502 (control unit 500) functions as an acquisition unit that obtains the dot count value C and the recording time.

[0050] In S708, the acquisition process shown in Figure 8 is executed. In this acquisition process, a count value C1 is obtained for each type of ink. When the acquisition process starts, the CPU 502 first obtains the dot count value C / T per unit of time (S802). In S802, the dot count value C (already obtained in S702 or S706) is divided by the recording time T (already obtained in S706) to obtain the dot count value C / T per unit of time.

[0051] Next, the CPU 502 determines whether the dot count value C / T per unit of time is less than or equal to the threshold Ath (S804). The threshold Ath is stored in a memory area such as RAM 508. The threshold Ath may be set separately for each type of ink, or a common value may be set for all inks, and it will be set according to the characteristics of the ink being used. If in S804 it is determined that the dot count value C / T per unit of time is less than or equal to the threshold Ath, the CPU 502 adds the dot count value C (obtained in S702 or S706) to the count value C1 (S806). After that, the CPU 502 updates the count value C1 stored in the memory area with the value obtained in S806 and proceeds to S710, which will be described later.

[0052] Furthermore, if it is determined in S804 that the dot count value C / T per unit of time is not less than or equal to the threshold Ath, that is, that it exceeds the threshold Ath, the process proceeds to S710, which will be described later. In other words, if the dot count value C / T per unit of time exceeds the threshold Ath, the dot count value C from the recording operation performed in S704 is not added to the count value C1. In other words, the dot count value C is ignored.

[0053] Returning to Figure 7, once the acquisition process is complete, the process proceeds to S710, where the CPU 502 determines whether the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th. The threshold C1th is stored in a memory area such as RAM 508. The threshold C1th may be set separately for each type of ink, or a common value may be set for all inks, depending on the characteristics of the ink being used. In S710, if the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th for at least one of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th. Also, if the count value C1 is less than the threshold C1th for all of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is not greater than or equal to the threshold C1th.

[0054] In S710, if it is determined that the count value C1 is not equal to or greater than the threshold C1th, the CPU 502 determines whether there is any next recording data, i.e., recording data for the next page (S712). In S712, if it is determined that there is no next recording data, this recording process ends, and if it is determined that there is next recording data, the process returns to S702.

[0055] On the other hand, in S710, if it is determined that the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th, a recovery process is executed to remove bubbles that have formed in the ink in the recording head (S714), the count value C1 is initialized (S716), and the process proceeds to S712. In S716, the count value C1 corresponding to each ink is set to "0". Thus, in this embodiment, the CPU 502 functions as a control unit that controls the execution of the recovery operation. In S714, the recovery process shown in Figure 9 is executed.

[0056] When the recovery process is executed, first the CPU 502 caps the nozzle surface of the recording head 42 with the cap 402 (S902). In S902, the CPU 502 first moves the recording head 42 to a standby position where its nozzle surface faces the cap 402, which is in a separated position, and then moves the cap 402 from the separated position to the capping position. Next, the CPU 502 starts driving the suction pump 404 (S904) and determines whether the amount of drive of the suction pump 404 has reached a predetermined amount (S906). In the recording device 10, the control unit 500 is configured to detect the amount of rotation or the drive time of the suction pump 404. Therefore, in S904, when the suction pump 404 is started to drive, the CPU 502 starts measuring the amount of rotation or the drive time of the suction pump 404. Then, in S906, it is determined whether the amount of rotation or the drive time of the suction pump 404 has reached a predetermined value.

[0057] In S906, if it is determined that the amount of drive of the suction pump 404 has not reached a predetermined amount, the process returns to S906. In S906, if it is determined that the amount of drive of the suction pump 404 has reached a predetermined amount, the CPU 502 stops driving the suction pump 404 (S908). Next, the CPU 502 performs a preliminary ejection of ink that does not contribute to recording, directed at the cap 402 (S910). In S910, the preliminary ejection may be performed with the nozzle surface of the recording head 42 capped by the cap 402, or with the cap 402 separated from the nozzle surface. After that, the nozzle surface of the recording head 42, which is separated from the cap 402, is wiped by a wiping mechanism (not shown) (S912), and the process proceeds to S716.

[0058] As explained above, in the recording device 10, when the dot count value C / T per unit time during recording is greater than the threshold Ath, the dot count value C during recording is not added to the count value C1 used when determining whether to perform a recovery operation. The threshold Ath is a threshold used to determine whether or not bubbles accumulate in the ink inside the recording head during recording.

[0059] As a result, in recordings where no bubbles accumulate in the ink within the recording head 42, the dot count value during the recording operation is ignored, and only the dot count value C during recordings where bubbles accumulate in the ink within the recording head is reflected in the count value C1. Therefore, the recording device 10 can perform a recovery operation at the appropriate timing, thereby reducing ink consumption and suppressing the occurrence of ejection failures.

[0060] (Second Embodiment) Next, a recording device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the recording device according to the first embodiment described above will be referred to with the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0061] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it acquires the dot count value C and recording time T during a single movement of the recording head 42 involving recording in the X direction. As described above, the recording device 10 records an image on the recording medium M by repeatedly and alternately performing a recording operation in which the recording head 42 moves in the X direction and ejects ink, and a transport operation in which the recording medium M is transported by a predetermined amount in the Y direction. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the dot count value C at the time when one page of the image has been recorded by performing multiple recording operations, and the recording time T required for the multiple recording operations, are acquired. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the dot count value C at the time when a predetermined area of ​​one page of the image has been recorded by performing one recording operation, and the recording time T required for the one recording operation are acquired.

[0062] <Recording process> The recording process performed by the recording device 10 according to this embodiment will now be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine of the recording process performed by the recording device 10 according to this embodiment. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 10 are performed by the CPU 502 loading the program code stored in the ROM 506 into the RAM 508 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figure 10 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0063] When the recording process begins, the CPU 502 first sets the variable n, which represents the number of pages, to "1" (1002), and the variable m, which represents the number of recording operations, to 1 (S1004). The recording data for one page stored in RAM 508 is numbered sequentially for each page. In RAM 508, the recording data for one page is divided into individual recording operations. Each piece of recording data corresponding to a recording operation is then numbered according to the order in which the images for one page are recorded.

[0064] Next, the number of ink ejections during the m-th recording operation on the nth page is obtained (S1006). In S1006, the dot counter 520 calculates the number of ink ejections during the m-th recording operation on the nth page, i.e., the dot count value C, for each type of ink, based on the recording data corresponding to the m-th recording operation on the nth page. Then, the CPU 502 performs recording based on the recording data corresponding to the m-th recording operation on the nth page (S1008). In S1008, the clock 516 counts the time from the start to the end of the m-th recording operation on the nth page. In other words, it counts the time required for one recording operation. Therefore, the time counted by the clock 516 becomes the recording time T, which is the time required for the m-th recording operation on the nth page. Note that if the dot counter 520 is configured to count the dot count value based on the drive signal of the recording element, the process in S1006 is omitted, and in S1008, the CPU 502 obtains the dot count value C for each type of ink using the dot counter 520.

[0065] When the mth recording operation on the nth page is completed, the CPU 502 then obtains the recording time T, which is the time counted by the clock 516 (S1010), and performs an acquisition process to obtain the count value C1 (1012). If the dot count value C is obtained by the dot counter 520 in S1008, then the dot count value C for each ink type will also be obtained in S1010.

[0066] The acquisition process in S1012 acquires the count value C1 for each ink type using the same procedure as in Figure 8. That is, when the acquisition process starts, first, in S802, the CPU 502 acquires the dot count value C / T per unit of time. The dot count value C (already acquired in S1006 or 1008) is divided by the recording time T (already acquired in S1008) to obtain the dot count value C / T per unit of time. Next, in S804, the CPU 502 determines whether C / T ≤ Ath or not. If it is determined that C / T ≤ Ath, the process proceeds to S1014, which will be described later. If it is determined in S804 that C / T ≤ Ath, in S806, the dot count value C is added to the count value C1, and in S808, the stored count value C1 is updated with the value acquired in S806, and the process proceeds to S1014.

[0067] Return to Figure 10. Then, in S1014, the CPU 502 determines whether or not there is recording data corresponding to the (m+1)th recording operation. If it determines that there is recording data corresponding to the (m+1)th recording operation, it increments the variable m (S1016) and returns to S1006. Also, if it is determined in S1014 that there is no recording data for the (m+1)th, the CPU 502 determines whether or not the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th (S1018). In S1018, if the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th for at least one of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th. Also, if the count value C1 is less than the threshold C1th for all of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is not greater than or equal to the threshold C1th. If it is determined in S1018 that the count value C1 is not greater than or equal to the threshold C1th, the CPU 502 determines whether or not there is recording data for the (n+1)th page (S1020). If it is determined that there is record data for page n+1, the variable n is incremented (S1022), and the program returns to S1004.

[0068] On the other hand, in S1018, if it is determined that the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th, a recovery process is executed to remove bubbles that have formed in the ink inside the recording head (S1024), the count value C1 is initialized (S1026), and the process proceeds to S1020. The specific processing details of S1024 and S1026 are the same as those of S714 and S716, so their explanation is omitted.

[0069] As explained above, in the first embodiment, the count value C1 was updated in units of recording when recording one page of images, whereas in this embodiment, the count value C1 is updated in units of one recording operation. In this way, in this embodiment, the count value C1 is updated in smaller units than in the first embodiment, so that the recovery operation can be performed at a more appropriate timing than in the first embodiment.

[0070] (Third embodiment) Next, a recording device according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the recording device according to the first embodiment described above will be referred to with the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0071] In the recording device 10, to suppress the occurrence of ink ejection failures caused by ink temperature, the recording head 42 is equipped with a sensor 526 capable of detecting the temperature of the ink inside the recording head 42 and a heater 528 capable of heating the ink. Based on the detection result from the sensor 526, the recording device 10 drives the heater 528 to control the ink temperature inside the recording head 42 to be maintained within a certain range. However, when the ink inside the recording head is heated by the heater 528, if the ink is not ejected or the number of ink ejections is insufficient, the liquid component of the ink evaporates from the nozzle, promoting thickening or solidification of the ink inside the nozzle, which may cause ejection failures. For this reason, in order to suppress the thickening of the ink inside the nozzle, a preliminary ejection of ink that does not contribute to recording is performed into the cap 402 at a predetermined timing. Even during this preliminary ejection, bubbles are generated in the ink from dissolved gases due to the residual heat after ink ejection, and the bubbles accumulated inside the recording head 42 grow.

[0072] Therefore, in the third embodiment, the dot count value C during the preliminary ejection is acquired, the acquired dot count value C is reflected in the count value C1, and a decision is made whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on this count value C1 and the threshold C1th. The preliminary ejection is performed at a timing corresponding to the operating time of the heater 528. If this timing is during a recording operation, for example, the preliminary ejection will be performed after the completion of the recording operation that is currently running, and the next recording operation will be performed after the preliminary ejection has been performed. As the specific details of the preliminary ejection operation can be applied using known technology, a detailed explanation will be omitted. Accordingly, the following explanation will describe the post-preliminary ejection processing, which is performed in a routine separate from the processing routine in the recording process after the preliminary ejection.

[0073] <Pre-discharge post-treatment> In the recording device 10, after the preliminary ejection is complete, post-preliminary ejection processing is started. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine for post-preliminary ejection processing. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 11 are performed by the CPU 502 loading the program code stored in the ROM 506 into the RAM 508 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figure 11 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0074] When the pre-ejection post-processing is started, the CPU 502 first acquires a dot count value (pre-ejection dot count value) C for each type of ink, which is the number of ink ejections during pre-ejection (S1102). The dot count value C during pre-ejection is acquired by the dot counter 520, for example, in the same way as the dot count value during recording operation. In this embodiment, pre-ejection is performed 13 times for each ink at 2.6-second intervals.

[0075] Next, for each type of ink, the CPU 502 adds the dot count value C obtained in S1102 to the corresponding count value C1 (S1104). Then, for each type of ink, the CPU 502 updates the corresponding count value C1 to the value obtained in S1104 (S1106). After that, the CPU 502 determines for each type of ink whether the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th (S1108). The threshold C1th may be set separately for each type of ink, or a common value may be set for all inks, and will be set according to the characteristics of the ink used. In S1108, if the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th for at least one of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is greater than or equal to the threshold C1th. Also, if the count value C1 is less than the threshold C1th for all of the inks, it is determined that the count value C1 is not greater than or equal to the threshold C1th.

[0076] In S1108, if it is determined that the count value C1 is not equal to or greater than the threshold C1th, this preliminary post-ejection processing is terminated. Also in S1108, if it is determined that the count value C1 is equal to or greater than the threshold C1th, the CPU 502 performs a recovery process to remove bubbles that have formed in the ink in the recording head (S1110). After that, the CPU 502 initializes the count value C1 corresponding to each ink (S1112) and terminates this preliminary post-ejection processing. The specific processing details of S1110 and S1112 are the same as those of S714 and S716, so their explanation is omitted.

[0077] The count value C1 is updated during the pre-ejection post-processing and acquisition processes in the recording process and stored in a memory area such as RAM 508. Therefore, when the pre-ejection post-processing and acquisition processes are executed in parallel, the count value C1 updated in one process is reflected in the other process in real time.

[0078] In the above explanation, the count value C1 is shared between the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process, but this is not the only option. The count value C1 may be managed differently for the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process. In this case, the threshold C1th will be set differently for the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process. For example, the threshold C1th used in the pre-discharge post-processing could be, for example, 3.1 × 10⁻¹⁰. 7 This threshold C1th is determined, for example, by experimentally confirming dispensing defects corresponding to the cumulative value of the dot count during preliminary dispensing.

[0079] In the above explanation, the count value C1 is shared between the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process, but this is not the only option. The count value C1 may be managed differently for the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process. In this case, the threshold C1th will be set differently for the pre-discharge post-processing and the recording process. For example, the threshold C1th used in the pre-discharge post-processing could be, for example, 3.1 × 10⁻¹⁰. 7This threshold C1th is determined, for example, by experimentally confirming ejection defects corresponding to the accumulated dot count value during pre-ejection. In this case, if a recovery operation is performed in either the pre-ejection post-processing or the recording process, the count value C1 corresponding to the other process is initialized.

[0080] As explained above, in this embodiment, the dot count value C during the preliminary discharge is reflected in the count value C1 used to determine whether or not to perform the recovery operation. The recovery operation is then performed based on the count value C1 that reflects the dot count value during the preliminary discharge. As a result, in this embodiment, the recovery operation can be performed at a more appropriate timing.

[0081] (Fourth Embodiment) Next, a recording device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 12. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the recording device according to the first embodiment described above will be referred to with the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0082] The recording head 42 is equipped with a sensor 526 capable of detecting the temperature of the ink inside the recording head 42, and a heater 528 capable of heating the ink. Based on the detection result of the sensor 526, the heater 528 maintains the temperature of the ink inside the recording head within a certain range. This heating of the ink inside the recording head 42 by the heater 528 also causes bubbles to form in the ink from dissolved gases in the ink. These bubbles accumulate in the ink inside the recording head 42, and if the heating time by the heater 528 exceeds a certain period of time, the bubbles accumulated in the ink will cause ejection problems.

[0083] Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, a recovery operation is performed based on the operating time of the heater 528, in addition to the dot count value C. The heater 528 starts operating at a predetermined timing, such as when the recording device 10 is started up, stops operating when the temperature of the ink in the recording head 42 reaches the upper limit of the set temperature, and stops operating when the temperature then reaches the lower limit of the set temperature. Accordingly, in this embodiment, a control process to control the ink temperature in the recording head 42 by the heater 528 is started at a predetermined timing. Then, in this embodiment, when the control process starts, a response process is started to respond to the recovery operation according to the operating time of the heater 528. In other words, the control process and the response process are executed in parallel. Note that the control process can be described using publicly known technology, so its explanation is omitted. The response process will be described in detail below.

[0084] <Handling Process> In the recording device 10, when the heater 528 is started to run at a predetermined timing, the corresponding processing begins. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine of the corresponding processing. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 12 are performed by the CPU 502 loading the program code stored in the ROM 506 into the RAM 508 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figure 12 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0085] When the corresponding processing starts, the CPU 502 first determines whether or not the heater 528 has started to operate (S1202). In S1202, the control process determines whether or not the heater 528 has started to operate. If it is determined in S1202 that the heater 528 has not started to operate, the process returns to S1202. If it is determined in S1202 that the heater 528 has started to operate, the CPU 502 starts counting the operating time of the heater 528 at clock 516 (S1204).

[0086] Next, it is determined whether the heater 528 has stopped running (S1206). In S1206, the control process determines whether the heater 528 has stopped running. If it is determined in S1206 that the heater 528 is still running, the process returns to S1206. If it is determined in S1206 that the heater 528 has stopped running, the CPU 502 stops counting the operating time of the heater 528 using the clock 516 (S1208).

[0087] Subsequently, the CPU 502 obtains the operating time Ct of the heater 528, which was counted by the clock 516, and adds the operating time Ct to the count value CT, which is used to determine whether or not to execute the recovery operation of the corresponding process (S1210). The count value CT is the cumulative value of the operating time Ct and is stored in a memory area such as RAM 508, and its initial value is "0". In addition, the count value CT is managed separately from the count value C1 to which the dot count value C is added. Then, the CPU 502 updates the count value CT to the value obtained in S1210 (S1212) and determines whether the count value CT is greater than or equal to the threshold CTth (S1214). In this embodiment, the threshold CTth was set to 10800 seconds. This threshold CTth (set value) is determined, for example, by experimentally confirming ejection defects according to the operating time of the heater 528.

[0088] In S1214, if it is determined that the count value CT is not equal to or less than the threshold CTth, i.e., less than the threshold CTth, the CPU 502 determines whether the control process has finished (S1216). If it is determined in S1216 that the control process has finished, this corresponding process is terminated. If it is determined in S1216 that the control process has not finished, the process returns to S1202.

[0089] On the other hand, in S1214, if it is determined that the count value CT is equal to or greater than the threshold CTth, the CPU 502 performs a recovery operation to remove bubbles that have formed in the ink inside the recording head (S1218). Then, the CPU 502 initializes the count value CT (S1220) and proceeds to S1216. The specific processing details of S1218 and S1220 are the same as those of S714 and S716, so their explanation is omitted.

[0090] In this embodiment, recovery processing is performed in both the correspondence processing and the recording processing. Therefore, if recovery processing is performed in one of the correspondence processing or recording processing, the count value (C1 or CT) used in the other processing may be initialized. This suppresses the execution of unnecessary recovery operations.

[0091] As described above, in this embodiment, a recording process is performed to determine the execution of a recovery operation using the dot count value, and a corresponding process is performed to determine the execution of a recovery operation using the operating time of the heater 528. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of ejection failures caused by heating of the ink in the recording head 42 by the heater 528. As a result, it is possible to respond to differences in the causes of bubble generation in the recording head 42 and to execute the recovery operation at a more appropriate timing.

[0092] (Fifth embodiment) Next, a recording device according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 15. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the recording device according to the first embodiment described above will be referred to with the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0093] In this case, the inventors of the present invention have found that when the amount of ink dispensed from the nozzle decreases, bubbles in the ink inside the recording head grow even if the dot count value remains the same.

[0094] The following describes the experiments conducted by the present inventor. The present inventor conducted a similar experiment using the same conditions as in the experiment that resulted in the experimental results shown in Figure 6, but with only the amount of ink dispensed from the nozzle changed, specifically from 12 pl to 5 pl. In other words, this experiment was conducted using a recording head 42 in which the amount of ink dispensed from the nozzle 302 was 5 pl. The results are shown in Figure 13. Figure 13 is a graph showing the experimental results when the amount of ink dispensed from one drop was set to 5 pl, as in the experimental conditions that resulted in the experimental results shown in Figure 6. In the graph of Figure 13, similar to the graph in Figure 6, the horizontal axis represents the recording time T, and the vertical axis represents the dot count value C during recording. If there were no streaks, marks, or non-discharged ink in the recording result by visual inspection, it was evaluated that there was no discharge failure, and this was indicated as "○" in the graph. If there were streaks, marks, or non-discharged ink in the recording result by visual inspection, it was evaluated that a discharge failure occurred, and this was indicated as "×" in the graph. Furthermore, of the three evaluation conditions, a Duty 25.8% is shown with a solid line, a Duty 12.5% ​​with a dashed line, and a Duty 3.0% with a dotted line.

[0095] In the graph in Figure 13, the dot count value C is 8.0 × 10 9 In the evaluation pattern recorded as follows, ejection failures were observed in all three evaluation conditions. However, in the graph in Figure 6, ejection failures were not observed in the two evaluation conditions of Duty 25.8% and 12.5%. Thus, when the amount of ink ejected per drop decreases, bubbles accumulate in the ink within the recording head 42, which leads to ejection failures. Also, the dot count value C was set to 4.0 × 10⁻⁶. 9 In the evaluation pattern recorded as follows, no dispensing failure was observed when the duty cycle was 25.8% and 12.5% ​​among the three evaluation conditions. Furthermore, for a duty cycle of 3.0%, in the experiment resulting from the experimental results shown in Figure 6, the dot count value C was 4.0 × 10⁻⁶. 9 Since dispensing problems were observed at that time, the evaluation of dispensing problems using the evaluation pattern at that time was not performed in this experiment.

[0096] Dot count value C = 3.0 × 10 9In the evaluation pattern recorded after the initial data, dispensing failure was observed at a Duty 3.0%. Note that in the experiment resulting from the experimental results shown in Figure 6, dispensing failure was evaluated only at a Duty 3.0%. Furthermore, the dot count value C was set to 3.0 × 10⁻⁶. 9 Based on the results of the evaluation pattern recorded after the initial recording, which showed dispensing failure at Duty 3.0%, further evaluation was performed for Duty 3.0% when the dot count value C was small. The dot count value C was set to 2.0 × 10⁻⁶. 9 In the evaluation pattern recorded after the initial data was obtained, no dispensing failure was observed at a duty cycle of 3.0%.

[0097] Thus, it can be seen that when the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle is small, bubbles are more likely to accumulate in the ink inside the recording head 42 compared to when the amount is large, making ejection failures more likely.

[0098] Therefore, in this embodiment, two thresholds C1th and C2th are used for the threshold Cth used to determine whether or not to perform a recovery operation. Specifically, the threshold Ath is set between Duty 25.8% and Duty 12.5%, which show relatively similar trends, and Duty 3.0%, which shows a different trend, that is, the dot count value per unit time C / T is set to 3.0 × 10⁻⁶. 5 Set to 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁰. Also, the threshold C1th (second threshold) is 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ when no dispensing failure was observed at a duty cycle of 3.0%. 9 Half of that is 1.0 × 10 9 Furthermore, the threshold C2th (first threshold) was 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁰, where no dispensing failure was observed at duty cycles of 25.8% and 12.5%. 9 Half of that is 2.0 × 10 9 That's what I decided.

[0099] <Recording process> Next, the recording process performed by the recording device 10 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine of the recording process performed in the recording device according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing routine of the first acquisition process, which is a subroutine of the recording process in Figure 14. The series of processes shown in the flowcharts of Figures 14 and 15 are performed by the CPU 502 loading the program code stored in the ROM 506 into the RAM 508 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figures 14 and 15 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0100] In the following description of the recording process, it is assumed that image data is input to the recording device 10 in advance, that the image processing unit 518 generates recording data for one page, and that the recording data, divided for each recording operation, is stored in the RAM 508. In this embodiment, there are processes that have the same content as the processes that are performed in the recording process described in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, for processes that have the same content as the recording process in Figure 7, the same reference numerals as in Figure 7 will be used, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0101] When the recording process is started and the recording time T, which is the time counted by the clock 516, is obtained in S706, the CPU 502 then executes a first acquisition process to obtain a count value C2, which is used when determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation (S1402). In this embodiment, two count values ​​C1 and C2, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count value C, are stored in a storage area such as RAM 508 for each ink type. The initial values ​​of count value C1 (second count value) and count value C2 (first count value) are "0".

[0102] In S1402, the first acquisition process shown in Figure 15 is executed. This first acquisition process involves acquiring a count value C2 for each ink type. When the first acquisition process starts, the dot count value C (already acquired in S702 or S706) is first added to the count value C2 (S1502). After that, the CPU 502 updates the stored count value C2 with the value acquired in S1502 and proceeds to S1404, which will be described later.

[0103] Returning to Figure 14, once the first acquisition process is complete, the process proceeds to S1404, where the CPU 502 determines whether the count value C2 is greater than or equal to the threshold C2th. The threshold C2th is stored in a memory area such as RAM 508. The threshold C2th may be set separately for each type of ink, or a common value may be set for all inks, and it will be set according to the characteristics of the ink being used. In S1404, if the count value C2 is greater than or equal to the threshold C2th for at least one of the inks, it is determined that the count value C2 is greater than or equal to the threshold C2th. Also, if the count value C2 is less than the threshold C2th for all of the inks, it is determined that the count value C2 is not greater than or equal to the threshold C2th. If in S1404 it is determined that the count value C2 is greater than or equal to the threshold C2th, the process proceeds to S714 for recovery processing. After that, the CPU 502 initializes the count values ​​C1 and C2 corresponding to each ink (S1406) and proceeds to S712.

[0104] Furthermore, in S1404, if it is determined that the count value C2 is not equal to or greater than the threshold C2th, the CPU 502 executes a second acquisition process (S1408). The specific details of the second acquisition process in S1408 are the same as the acquisition process shown in Figure 8, so a detailed explanation is omitted. After that, the process proceeds to S710, where it is determined whether or not the stored count value C1 is equal to or greater than the threshold C1th.

[0105] In this embodiment, corresponding to the first embodiment, the dot count value C and recording time T are obtained when one page of the recording medium has been recorded by performing multiple recording operations, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled using these values, but the system is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the dot count value C and recording time are obtained when a predetermined area of ​​the image on one page of the recording medium has been recorded by performing one recording operation, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled using these values. In this case, for example, after S1010, the first acquisition process and the second acquisition process are performed and the system proceeds to S1014. Then, in S1014, if it is determined that there is no recording data corresponding to the (m+1)th recording operation, the determination in S1404 is performed. In S1404, if it is determined that C2 ≥ C2th, the system proceeds to S1024, and if it is determined that C2 ≥ C2th is not met, the system proceeds to S1018.

[0106] When this embodiment is used in combination with the technology described in the third embodiment, when adding the dot count value during preliminary dispensing, it may be added to the count value C1, or to the count value C2. Alternatively, it may be added to both count values ​​C1 and C2. In this case, S1108 determines whether the count value obtained by adding the non-dot count value during preliminary dispensing is equal to or greater than the corresponding threshold.

[0107] In this disclosure, the recording process of the first embodiment is performed when the amount of ink droplets ejected from the nozzle is 12 pl, and the recording process of the fifth embodiment is performed when the amount is 5 pl, but the disclosure is not limited to this. For example, in the case of ink that is prone to foaming, it may be preferable to perform the recording process of the fifth embodiment even if the amount of ink droplets ejected from the nozzle is 12 pl. In other words, whether to perform the recording process of the first embodiment or the recording process of the fifth embodiment is determined by conducting experiments, for example, depending on the characteristics of the ink and the amount of ink droplets ejected from the nozzle.

[0108] As explained above, in this embodiment, two count values ​​are used when determining whether to perform a recovery operation. First, it is determined whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on a count value C2, which is simply the sum of the dot count value C during the recording operation, and a threshold C2th. Then, when the dot count value C / T per unit of time is less than or equal to the threshold Ath, it is determined whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on a count value C1, which is the sum of the dot count value C during the recording operation, and a threshold C1th.

[0109] As a result, even if the recording device 10 is designed in such a way that bubbles are likely to form in the ink inside the recording head due to the characteristics of the ink or the amount of ink droplets ejected from the nozzle, it will be able to achieve the same effects as in the first embodiment described above.

[0110] (Other embodiments) This disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or recording medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0111] Furthermore, although the recording device 10 was described as a serial scan type recording device in the above embodiment, it is not limited to this. The recording device 10 may be, for example, a so-called full-line type recording device in which the nozzle row of the recording head extends across the width direction of the recording medium.

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 500 acquires the dot count value and recording time, etc., and determines whether or not to perform a recovery operation, but it is not limited to this. The determination may be performed in a device provided separately from the recording device 10, such as a host device 524. In this case, the dot count value C counted by the dot counter 520, the recording time T counted by the clock 516, etc., are output to the above device, and the above device performs the above determination based on the input information. The determination result is output to the recording device 10, and the recording device 10 performs a recovery operation based on this determination result. In this case, the above device functions as an information processing device. In addition, the control unit of the above device functions as an acquisition unit that acquires the dot count value C and the recording time T, and a determination unit that determines whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on the dot count value C, the recording time T, and the count value C1, etc.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the recording device 10 is configured such that the recording medium M moves in the Y direction and the recording head 42 moves in the X direction, but it is not limited to this configuration. In other words, the recording device 10 can be configured such that the recording medium M and the recording head 42 move relative to each other, and one of them may be fixed.

[0114] The embodiments described as other embodiments and the embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate.

[0115] The above disclosure of embodiments includes the following configurations and methods.

[0116] (Composition 1) A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means in good condition, An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the aforementioned recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values, and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation by the recovery means, and a control means for controlling the execution of the recovery operation. The control means is If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated count value and the threshold value. A recording device characterized in that, if the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, it controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value.

[0117] (Configuration 2) A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means in good condition, An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a control means for controlling the execution of the recovery operation based on a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation by the recovery means, The control means is The execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold value. If the recovery operation is not performed based on the first count value updated to a value including the dot count value and the first threshold, the recording device is characterized in that, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value including the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the second count value.

[0118] (Composition 3) The recording device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time during the recording operation when recording an image for one page of the recording medium.

[0119] (Composition 4) The recording device according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time in a single recording operation.

[0120] (Composition 5) The recording means performs a preliminary ejection, which is ink ejection that does not contribute to recording, at a predetermined timing. The acquisition means acquires the pre-ejection dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during the pre-ejection. The recording device according to configuration 1, characterized in that the control means updates the count value to a value obtained by adding the preliminary discharge dot count value, and controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value.

[0121] (Composition 6) The recording means further comprises a heating means capable of heating the ink, The acquisition means acquires the operating time of the heating means, The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that the control means controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the driving time and a set value which is a threshold for determining whether or not to execute the recovery operation based on the driving time.

[0122] (Composition 7) The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the predetermined value is a value between the conditions under which a discharge failure occurs and the conditions under which a discharge failure does not occur when recording at a predetermined count value, in a plurality of conditions under which the dot count value per unit time differs.

[0123] (Composition 8) The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, characterized in that the recovery operation is an operation to suck ink from a nozzle that ejects ink in the recording means.

[0124] (Composition 9) A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A control method for a recording device having a recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance in the recording means, An acquisition step to acquire the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a control step that controls the execution of the recovery operation based on a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values ​​and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation. In the control process described above, If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated count value and the threshold value. A control method characterized in that, if the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value.

[0125] (Composition 10) A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A control method for a recording device having a recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance in the recording means, An acquisition step is to acquire a dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and a recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a control step that controls the execution of the recovery operation based on a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation. In the control process described above, The execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold value. A control method characterized in that, when the recovery operation is not performed based on the first count value updated to a value with the dot count value added and the first threshold, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value with the dot count value added, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the second count value.

[0126] (Composition 11) An acquisition means that acquires the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The device includes a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values, and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means, and a determination means for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on these values. The determination means is, If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and a decision is made on whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value. An information processing device characterized in that, if the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, it determines whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value.

[0127] (Composition 12) An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a determination means for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means. The determination means is, Based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold, it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation. An information processing device characterized in that, when it is determined not to perform the recovery operation based on the first count value updated to a value with the dot count value added and the first threshold, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value with the dot count value added, and it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the count value.

[0128] (Composition 13) A program characterized by causing a computer to function as an information processing device as described in configuration 11 or configuration 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 10 Recording device 16 Records Section 400 Recovery Section 502 CPU

Claims

1. A recording means that ejects ink onto a recording medium to record an image, and also performs preliminary ejection, which is ink ejection that does not contribute to recording, at a predetermined timing, A recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means in good condition, An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means; the recording time, which is the time required for the recording; and the pre-ejection dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during the pre-ejection. The system includes a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values, and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation by the recovery means, and a control means for controlling the execution of the recovery operation. The control means is If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated count value and the threshold value. If the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value. A recording device characterized by updating the count value to a value obtained by adding the preliminary discharge dot count value, and controlling the execution of the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value.

2. A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means in good condition, An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a control means for controlling the execution of the recovery operation based on a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation by the recovery means, The control means is The execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold value. If the recovery operation is not performed based on the first count value updated to a value including the dot count value and the first threshold, the recording device is characterized in that, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value including the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the second count value.

3. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time during the recording operation when recording an image for one page of a recording medium.

4. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time in a single recording operation.

5. The recording means further comprises a heating means capable of heating the ink, The acquisition means acquires the operating time of the heating means, The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control means controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the driving time and a set value which is a threshold for determining whether or not to execute the recovery operation based on the driving time.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the recovery operation is an operation of sucking ink from a nozzle that ejects ink in the recording means.

7. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording means ejects ink using thermal energy.

8. The recording device according to claim 2, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time during the recording operation when recording an image for one page of the recording medium.

9. The recording device according to claim 2, characterized in that the acquisition means acquires the dot count value and the recording time in a single recording operation.

10. The recording means further comprises a heating means capable of heating the ink, The acquisition means acquires the operating time of the heating means, The recording device according to claim 2, characterized in that the control means controls the execution of the recovery operation based on the driving time and a set value which is a threshold for determining whether or not to execute the recovery operation based on the driving time.

11. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the recovery operation is an operation of sucking ink from a nozzle that ejects ink in the recording means.

12. The recording device according to claim 2, characterized in that the recording means ejects ink using thermal energy.

13. A recording means that ejects ink onto a recording medium to record an image, and also performs preliminary ejection, which is ink ejection that does not contribute to recording, at a predetermined timing, A control method for a recording device having a recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance in the recording means, An acquisition step to acquire a dot count value which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, a recording time which is the time required for the recording, and a pre-ejection dot count value which is the number of times ink is ejected during the pre-ejection. The system includes a control step that controls the execution of the recovery operation based on a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values ​​and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation. In the control process described above, If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated count value and the threshold value. If the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the count value and the threshold value without adding the dot count value to the count value. A control method characterized by updating the count value to a value obtained by adding the preliminary discharge dot count value, and controlling the execution of the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value.

14. A recording means for recording an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium, A control method for a recording device having a recovery means capable of performing a recovery operation to maintain and restore good ink ejection performance in the recording means, An acquisition step is to acquire a dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and a recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a control step that controls the execution of the recovery operation based on a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation. In the control process described above, The execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold value. A control method characterized in that, when the recovery operation is not performed based on the first count value updated to a value with the dot count value added and the first threshold, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value with the dot count value added, and the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, the execution of the recovery operation is controlled based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the second count value.

15. An acquisition means for acquiring a dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means; a recording time, which is the time required for the recording; and a pre-ejection dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during pre-ejection, which is ink ejection that does not contribute to the recording by the recording means. The device includes a count value which is the cumulative value of the dot count values, and a threshold value for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means, and a determination means for determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on these values. The determination means is, If the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the count value is updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and a decision is made on whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value. If the dot count value per unit time is greater than the predetermined value, the system determines whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the count value and the threshold value, without adding the dot count value to the count value. An information processing device characterized by updating the count value to a value obtained by adding the preliminary dot count value, and determining whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the updated count value and the threshold value.

16. An acquisition means for acquiring the dot count value, which is the number of times ink is ejected during recording by the recording means, and the recording time, which is the time required for the recording. The system includes a determination means for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation based on a first count value and a second count value, which are the cumulative values ​​of the dot count values, and a first threshold value and a second threshold value for determining whether or not to perform a recovery operation to maintain and restore the ink ejection performance of the recording means. The determination means is, Based on the first count value, which has been updated to a value obtained by adding the dot count value, and the first threshold, it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation. An information processing device characterized in that, when it is determined not to perform the recovery operation based on the first count value updated to a value with the dot count value added and the first threshold, if the dot count value per hour based on the dot count value and the recording time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the second count value is updated to a value with the dot count value added, and it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the updated second count value and the second threshold, and if the dot count value per hour is greater than the predetermined value, it is determined whether or not to perform the recovery operation based on the second count value and the second threshold without adding the dot count value to the second count value.

17. A program characterized by causing a computer to function as an information processing device according to claim 15.

18. A program characterized by causing a computer to function as an information processing device according to claim 16.

Images