Inkjet Printer Mode Selection for Non-Genuine Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in selecting the appropriate print mode for non-genuine print media, leading to issues like beading and banding, which result in poor image quality and inefficient printing operations, as users often lack knowledge about the corresponding genuine paper types for non-genuine media.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printing apparatus and method that includes a patch printing unit to print patches with varying mode parameters, an evaluation unit to assess image quality, and a selecting unit to choose the optimal print mode based on evaluation results, ensuring proper printing on non-genuine media.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a user selects a print mode with high ink ejection amount for a print medium with low ink absorbability, then the ink coverage is improved, but beading phenomenon occurs and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts print mode parameters (ink ejection amount, number of passes) based on the actual print medium properties. By changing these parameters dynamically according to the medium's ink absorbability, the system achieves optimal balance between ink coverage and image quality without beading phenomenon.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where print results are evaluated and used to automatically select appropriate print modes for subsequent printing. This closed-loop approach ensures that the ink ejection amount is continuously optimized based on the actual absorption characteristics of the print medium.
2Productivity
If a user selects a print mode with small number of passes for plain paper, then printing speed is improved, but banding occurs on media requiring more passes
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the number of passes parameter based on the print medium type. For plain paper with high ink absorbability, fewer passes (1-2) are used to maintain speed. For glossy paper with low absorbability, more passes (8-16) are automatically selected to prevent banding, thus optimizing both speed and image uniformity for each medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The print mode selection is made dynamic rather than static. The system adapts the number of passes in real-time based on the detected print medium properties, allowing optimal performance characteristics to be achieved for each specific printing scenario.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a user manually selects print mode for non-genuine media, then flexibility is improved, but user knowledge requirement increases and selection accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic print mode selection without requiring user intervention or knowledge. The printer autonomously evaluates print results and selects appropriate modes for non-genuine media, freeing users from the complexity of mode selection while maintaining versatility and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The automatic selection mechanism uses feedback from print result evaluation to determine the most suitable print mode for non-genuine media. This eliminates the need for users to manually match media types with appropriate modes, significantly simplifying operation while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Printing can be properly performed on a print medium other than print media preset in accordance with print modes of a printer. Specifically, when the print medium other than the print media preset in accordance with the print modes is used, patches are printed on the print medium in each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes, and information regarding each evaluation of granularity and banding based on colorimetry of the patches is obtained for each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes. Next, a combination of the maximum ink ejection amount and the maximum number of passes is selected from the combinations that each evaluation of the granularity and the banding satisfies a certain level. Then, a print mode having a combination nearest the combination is selected from the plurality of print modes.