Inkjet Recording Control Device for Concentration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in accurately calculating correction values for concentration unevenness due to ink bleeding and differences in nozzle discharge characteristics, leading to inconsistent ink concentration on various recording media.
Innovation Solution
A recording control device that records a test pattern with varying ink amounts, calculates correction values based on reading values, and adjusts ink amounts for each nozzle, with a smaller maximum ink amount used for media where ink is more prone to bleeding, ensuring accurate concentration correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a correction pattern with high concentration ink is printed to measure nozzle discharge characteristics, then the correction value calculation can be performed, but the ink bleeds on the medium causing concentration unevenness that prevents accurate measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of ink concentration in the test pattern based on the medium type. For media prone to ink bleeding, the maximum ink concentration is reduced to prevent bleeding while still enabling accurate measurement of nozzle discharge characteristics. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between obtaining sufficient signal for measurement and avoiding ink bleeding that corrupts the measurement.
2Loss of information
If the ink amount in the test pattern is increased to improve measurement signal, then nozzle discharge characteristics can be detected more clearly, but ink bleeding occurs on certain media types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the ink amount parameter in the test pattern according to the detected medium type. When ink bleeding is detected or anticipated on certain media, the ink amount is reduced to prevent concentration unevenness. This ensures that the test pattern provides sufficient measurement signal without generating harmful bleeding effects that would corrupt the nozzle discharge characteristic data.
3Device complexity
If a fixed test pattern with maximum ink concentration is used for all media types, then the correction value calculation is simplified, but accurate correction cannot be achieved on media where ink bleeds easily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptation by detecting the medium type and automatically adjusting the test pattern ink concentration accordingly. Instead of using a fixed maximum concentration for all media, the system adapts the test pattern parameters based on medium characteristics, enabling accurate concentration correction on both bleeding-prone and non-bleeding media while maintaining reasonable system complexity through automated detection and adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
A recording control device includes: a test pattern recording control unit; a correction value calculating unit that calculates a correction value of the ink amount of each nozzle, based on a reading value of the ink recording area of the recorded test pattern; and a correction recording control unit, in which the maximum ink amount of the ink recording area corresponding to the reading value used by the correction value calculating unit to calculate the correction value is smaller when a medium type of a recording medium on which the test pattern is recorded is a second recording medium in which the ink is easier to bleed than a first recording medium than when the medium type of the recording medium on which the test pattern is recorded is the first recording medium.