Droplet Ejection Control for Banding Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing droplet ejection control systems require separate error determination and nozzle ratio adjustments for overlap regions, leading to increased manufacturing and usage burdens, and result in visible banding due to inconsistent droplet ejection amounts.
Innovation Solution
A print control apparatus that adjusts droplet ejection amounts in overlap regions to ensure the total sum of ejection amounts for each raster is equal to or greater than and equal to or less than a reference amount, reducing the likelihood of banding by maintaining a constant sum total with permissible errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate error determination and nozzle ratio adjustments are performed for overlap regions, then impact precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate error determination and nozzle ratio adjustment operations into a unified droplet ejection amount control mechanism. Instead of treating overlap regions separately with complex multi-step processes, the invention integrates error compensation directly into the droplet ejection control, using a single control parameter (droplet ejection amount) to address both precision and complexity requirements simultaneously.
2Ease of manufacture
If constant droplet ejection amounts are used in overlap regions, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but banding occurs due to head position shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically changes the droplet ejection amount parameter based on the overlap region characteristics and head position. By adjusting this single parameter rather than implementing complex multi-parameter control, the system maintains manufacturing simplicity while eliminating banding. The droplet ejection amount is modified within a controlled range to compensate for position shifts without requiring complex control logic.
3Manufacturing precision
If droplet ejection amounts are adjusted to compensate for position shifts, then print quality is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing droplet ejection control mechanism to automatically compensate for position shifts without requiring external correction systems. The control unit leverages the inherent flexibility of droplet ejection amount adjustment to self-correct banding issues, eliminating the need for additional complex control mechanisms or separate error compensation systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Droplet ejection amounts are adjusted during a process of generating raster data, and this process is realized by a control circuit. The sum total of droplet ejection amounts exceeds 100% as for three nozzles while the sum total of droplet ejection amount is below 100% as for one nozzle, which is repeated at some nozzle numbers. The sum total of droplet ejection amounts is 100% in a normal portion. As such, in the case where this sum total is taken as a reference amount, the sum total of droplet ejection amounts for each raster in a region where overlap printing is performed is sequentially changed to be equal to or greater than the reference amount in the normal region where the overlap printing is not performed, and to be equal to or smaller than the above reference amount.