Inkjet Nozzle Allocation Balancing Usage Frequency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In inkjet printing, the variation in ejection characteristics among nozzles leads to streaks and density nonuniformity in images due to unbalanced nozzle array allocation, causing unstable nozzle driving and power source capacity issues, especially when dealing with image data with unbalanced dot arrangements.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that allocates nozzles into evenly divided groups and selects the appropriate nozzles for each pixel based on digital halftone data, ensuring even appearance frequencies and reducing the disparity in nozzle usage, thereby stabilizing nozzle operation and improving image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sequential multi-scan (SMS) is applied to allocate printing dots to multiple nozzle arrays, then printing dots can be evenly distributed across nozzles, but nozzle arrays may incidentally overlap causing unstable nozzle driving and power source capacity shortage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the allocation process into two stages: first allocating pixels to nozzle arrays, then allocating printing dots within each pixel to specific nozzles. This segmentation prevents overlap by ensuring each pixel is assigned to only one nozzle array before dot allocation occurs, resolving the contradiction between even distribution and driving stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary allocation of pixels to nozzle arrays before allocating printing dots to specific nozzles. This preliminary action establishes a clear assignment that prevents incidental overlap, ensuring stable nozzle driving while maintaining even distribution of printing dots across all nozzle arrays.
2Productivity
If multiple nozzles are operated simultaneously to form printing dots, then printing speed is improved, but power source capacity becomes insufficient and image quality deteriorates due to crosstalk and beading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by alternating the activation of different nozzle arrays across multiple scanning passes. Instead of operating all nozzles simultaneously, the system cycles through different nozzle arrays in sequence, reducing peak power consumption and minimizing crosstalk and beading effects while maintaining overall printing speed through the multi-pass approach.
3Device complexity
If nozzles are allocated sequentially to printing lines, then allocation process is simple, but disparity in nozzle usage times increases causing unbalanced nozzle operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that track the usage status of each nozzle and dynamically adjust allocations to balance usage times. The system monitors how many times each nozzle has been used and uses this information to distribute future printing dot allocations more evenly, preventing any single nozzle from being overused while maintaining a relatively simple allocation framework.
Data Source
AI summary
In the technology of the present disclosure, multiple nozzles included in a printing head are stably driven while disparity in the usage frequency of each nozzle is suppressed. The dot counter scans the digital halftone data in the X direction and performs accumulation-counting on the pixel value Ixy (the number of printing dots) of each pixel for each address y with the accumulation counter CntCum(y). The signal value Gxy of the corresponding pixel address (x, y) is obtained from the division pattern memory unit. The nozzle selection unit selects the nozzle to be used for forming a printing dot, based on the counted values of the accumulation counter CntCum and the signal value Gxy of the division pattern. Then, the address n of the nozzle memory corresponding to the selected nozzle to form a printing dot is determined.