Borderless Printing via Dynamic Scan Region Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid printers face challenges in achieving borderless printing due to discrepancies between scanner and printer margins, leading to unsatisfactory print results, particularly when printing images captured by a scanner onto paper of the same size, as the scanner's capture area is smaller than the original surface, resulting in scanner margins appearing on the printed paper.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that adjusts the scan region to match or exceed the copy subject region, allowing for enlargement of image data to fit the print medium, and includes operational modes for various printing scenarios, such as borderless, normal, and unity magnification copying, to eliminate margin regions during printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the scanner captures the entire original surface, then the scan region should match the print region, but the scanner margins appear on the printed paper making borderless printing impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the scan region adjustable and adaptable. The controller dynamically determines the scan region based on the selected operational mode (borderless, normal, or unity magnification copying). In borderless mode, the scan region is expanded to cover the entire original surface including margins, while in normal mode it is reduced to exclude margins. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining precision alignment and achieving borderless printing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of scan region size and position based on the operational mode. By modifying the scan region parameters (size, position, margins) according to the selected mode, the system achieves both precise alignment when needed and borderless printing capability when required. The controller adjusts these parameters to match the print region dimensions, eliminating the appearance of scanner margins on the printed paper.
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical precision is improved to adjust discrepancy between scanner and printer mechanisms, then borderless printing becomes possible, but product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical precision adjustment with a software-based control system. Instead of improving mechanical precision through hardware modifications (which would increase product cost), the controller uses image processing and regional control to adjust the scan region digitally. This substitutes mechanical solutions with software-based image processing, maintaining borderless printing capability while keeping product costs low, which is particularly important for hybrid printers targeting individual users.
3Ease of operation
If the scan region is reduced to match printer margins, then borderless printing is achieved, but the scan region becomes smaller than the copy subject region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics to make the scan region adaptable to different operational modes. In borderless mode, the scan region is dynamically expanded to cover the entire original surface. In normal mode, it is dynamically reduced to match printer margins. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to achieve borderless printing output when needed while maintaining adequate scan region coverage for the copy subject in other modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the same scanner to serve multiple purposes through different operational modes. The scan region is universally adjustable to accommodate both borderless printing requirements (full coverage) and normal printing requirements (margin-excluding coverage). This universal adaptability allows a single device to fulfill multiple functions without requiring separate hardware configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
An image scanner might capture an image corresponding to scan region 263 which might be somewhat larger than original 262. Image processing circuitry might then enlarge an image corresponding to scan region 263 (arrow 279), converting it into enlarged image 271. Within enlarged image 271, the image of original 262 might have been enlarged so as to become image 273, which might be somewhat larger than printing paper 274. This enlarged original image 273 which would be present within enlarged image 271 might then be printed by a printer. Four-sided borderless copying is possible.