Digital Image Distortion Map for Print Engine Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Print quality suffers from misregistration defects in serial and parallel printing architectures due to physical variations and misalignments in print engines, leading to color halos and image distortion.
Innovation Solution
A digital image processing method and system that uses reference marks printed by multiple print engines, sensed by an image sensing unit, to generate a distortion map, which is then used to compensate for registration errors and improve image alignment between print engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple print engines are used in serial or parallel printing architectures, then printing capability and color rendering are improved, but misregistration defects and image quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary characterization of each print engine by printing reference mark patterns and measuring their actual positions with a sensor. This advance measurement allows the creation of distortion maps that are applied to compensate for known misregistration issues before actual image printing, thereby preventing quality degradation rather than correcting it after the fact.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through optical sensors that measure the actual printed positions of reference marks from multiple print engines. This measured data is fed back to calculate distortion maps and adjust printing parameters, creating a closed-loop control system that continuously optimizes registration accuracy despite variations in print engine performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If physical print structures are used, then image rendering is achieved, but misregistration and color halos occur due to physical variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical alignment methods with optical measurement and digital compensation. Instead of relying on precise mechanical positioning of print engines, the invention uses optical sensors to detect actual print positions and applies computational distortion maps to correct misregistration, substituting physical precision requirements with measurement and calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by creating and applying distortion maps that adjust the printing parameters of each print engine based on measured performance characteristics. These distortion maps modify the intended print positions to compensate for systematic errors in each print engine, dynamically adjusting parameters rather than relying on fixed mechanical settings.
3Measurement precision
If reference marks are printed by multiple print engines, then distortion measurement is enabled, but additional printing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the reference mark printing function into the existing multiple print engine operations. The same print engines that will be used for actual image printing are utilized to print the reference mark patterns, combining the measurement calibration step with the production printing process rather than requiring separate dedicated measurement equipment or additional printing passes.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital image processing method. The method includes printing a first set of reference marks on one side of a substrate with a first print engine; printing a second set of reference marks on the same side of the substrate as the first set of reference marks with a second print engine; sensing both sets of reference marks on the substrate with an image sensing unit and generating a digital image of the reference marks; performing image analysis on the digital image to obtain an image-to-image distortion map where the image-to-image distortion map is a local measure of difference between the first set of reference marks and the second set of reference marks; and generating a compensated customer image by using the image-to-image distortion map to reduce registration errors when using the first and second print engines.