Emulated Encoder Frequency Adjustment for Print Drift
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial print systems face inaccuracies in monitoring media speed, leading to cumulative dot placement errors and drift due to limitations in mechanical and digital systems, particularly when using emulated encoder frequencies in continuous printing processes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for adjusting emulated encoder frequencies by determining the difference between an encoder count and a theoretical count, and adjusting the frequency of the emulated encoder signal to mitigate these differences, using a combination of hardware and software engines to calculate and generate the adjusted signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mechanical encoders and optical sensors are used to monitor media speed, then speed monitoring capability is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates leading to cumulative dot placement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical encoders with a digital mark-based speed monitoring system. Marks are printed on the media at known intervals and detected by sensors, allowing speed calculation through digital processing rather than mechanical encoding. This substitution eliminates the precision limitations of mechanical systems while maintaining speed monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copies (images) of physical marks on the media to determine media speed and position. Instead of directly measuring physical motion with mechanical sensors, the system captures optical images of marks and processes them digitally to calculate speed, thereby achieving higher precision without mechanical components.
2Productivity
If emulated encoder frequencies are used in continuous printing, then printing continuity is maintained, but drift accumulates over the course of the print job
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the actual media speed is continuously measured using the mark-based system and compared against the speed assumed by the emulated encoder. The system calculates drift between actual and expected positions and adjusts dot placement in real-time to compensate, thereby maintaining precision throughout continuous printing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calculations of drift and required compensation before executing dot placement. By pre-calculating the necessary adjustments based on measured media speed variations, the system proactively corrects for drift rather than reacting to errors after they occur, maintaining accuracy throughout the print job.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
Adjusting emulated encoder frequencies in an example embodiment can include determining a difference between an encoder count and a theoretical encoder count and adjusting a frequency of an emulated encoder signal to mitigate at least some of the difference between the encoder count and the theoretical encoder count.