Double-Sided Printing Image Extension for Registration Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printing systems face issues with registration faults during double-sided printing, leading to white lines on edges and resource wastage due to misalignment and process interruptions.

Innovation Solution

Automatically creating an extended back side image with additional pixels surrounding the original image and filling them with matching colors to ensure accurate alignment and printing, eliminating visible artifacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If double-sided printing is performed without extending the back side image, then printing speed is maintained, but registration faults occur causing white lines on edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidprinting speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by automatically extending the back side image with additional pixels before printing occurs. This pre-processing step ensures that when the recording medium is fed through the printer, the extended image areas provide proper alignment margins, preventing registration faults and white lines at the edges during the actual printing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If manual alignment adjustment is performed, then alignment precision can be improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by having the printing system automatically extend the back side image with additional pixels without requiring manual intervention. The system self-adjusts the alignment by generating the extended image data, eliminating the need for operator involvement in alignment adjustment and thereby reducing processing time while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If the back side image is extended with additional pixels, then alignment precision is improved, but image data complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidimage processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the image data parameters - specifically adding additional pixels around the back side image boundaries. This transforms the image from its original compact form to an extended form with proper alignment margins, achieving better alignment precision through controlled parameter modification rather than complex processing algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4230423B1Method and user interface for double-sided printing on a printing system
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 CANON PRODN PRINTING HLDG BV
  • EP4230423B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4230423B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4230423B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for double-sided printing of a plurality of digital images on a recording medium by means of a printing system. Each image of the plurality of digital images consisting of a plurality of pixels. The method comprises the steps of receiving a front side image to be printed at a first location on a first side of the recording medium, receiving a back side image to be printed at a second location on a second side of the recording medium corresponding to the location on the first side of the recording medium, providing the front side image with cut marks for a cutting process applied to the front side image, wherein the cutting process is planned after printing on both sides of the recording medium, printing the front side image and the cut marks at the first location on the first side of the recording medium, automatically creating an extended back side image which comprises the back side image and additional pixels surrounding the back side image, automatically establishing a fill out of the additional pixels by coloured pixels, and printing the extended back side image at the second side of the recording medium such that the back side image is printed at the second location on the second side of the recording medium.