Inkjet Controller Divides Pixel Data to Adjust Droplet Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing systems face a computational burden when adjusting the positions where ink droplets land due to discrepancies in ink droplet flight speed and nozzle spacing, leading to suboptimal dot formation and image quality.
Innovation Solution
A printing system that divides pixel data into groups and assigns them to dot formation operations based on position information, allowing for precise adjustment of ink droplet ejection timing without the need for dummy data computation, thereby reducing the computational burden and improving image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If dummy pixel data is added to adjust dot formation positions, then positioning accuracy is improved, but computational burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pixel data into multiple groups corresponding to different nozzle positions, and separately stores adjustment information for each group. This allows the system to adjust dot formation positions by selectively using different pixel data groups without adding dummy data, thereby reducing computational burden while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-divides pixel data into groups and pre-stores adjustment information before the actual printing process. During printing, the controller simply selects the appropriate pixel data group based on the adjustment information, eliminating the need for real-time computation to add or delete dummy data.
2Manufacturing precision
If ink droplet ejection timing is adjusted to compensate for flight speed variations, then dot formation accuracy is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores adjustment information that specifies timing adjustments for ink droplet ejection for different nozzle positions. The controller uses this pre-stored information to automatically adjust ejection timing without complex real-time calculations, thereby improving dot formation accuracy while keeping control relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing system includes a head, a carry unit, a memory, and a controller. The head has nozzles and ejects ink droplets corresponding to pixel data from each of the nozzles. The carry unit carries a medium. The memory stores position information that indicates a relationship between a position of a dot to be formed by an ink droplet ejected according to the pixel data and a position of a pixel on the medium corresponding to that pixel data. The controller alternately repeats a dot formation operation of causing ejection of the ink droplets from the nozzles which move in a movement direction to form the dots in the movement direction, and a carrying operation of causing the carry unit to carry the medium, to print an image on the medium. When forming a row of dots lined up in the movement direction with a predetermined number of at least two nozzles by repeating the dot formation operation of forming dots at a predetermined pitch in the movement direction and shifting the positions, in the movement direction, of the dots formed in each dot formation operation, the controller divides a plurality of pieces of the pixel data that correspond to a plurality of the pixels lined up in the movement direction into groups of a number equal to the predetermined number, assigns, based on the position information, one of the predetermined number of groups to each of the dot formation operations that are repeated, and, in each dot formation operation, causes ejection of the ink droplets based on the pixel data included in the group that has been assigned.