Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Ink Depletion Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses, such as inkjet printers, face delays in initiating printing due to lengthy ink depletion prediction processes, even when a warning is unnecessary, leading to increased waiting times for users.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that estimate the residual liquid amount and use amount based on pre-set values for specific target sizes and materials, allowing for quick calculations and reduced waiting times by performing prediction processes only when necessary, such as for larger sizes or specialty papers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the required amount of ink is calculated on the basis of binary data of concentrated and pale after a halftone process or the sum of gradation values of individual gradation bit image data, then the calculation accuracy is improved, but the calculation time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (image size and target material type) from the complete image data, rather than processing all pixel-level gradation values. This selective extraction maintains sufficient accuracy for ink amount prediction while dramatically reducing calculation time by avoiding comprehensive halftone processing of entire images.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs a partial calculation approach by using only essential parameters (size and material) rather than complete image analysis. This partial action provides adequate prediction accuracy for the warning function without the excessive time cost of full image processing, achieving a practical balance between accuracy and speed.
2Reliability
If the ink depletion prediction process is performed before printing initiation, then the reliability of printing continuity is improved, but the waiting time for printing initiation is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only critical parameters (image size and target material) needed for ink depletion prediction, ignoring detailed image content analysis. This extraction approach maintains sufficient reliability for predicting ink depletion while minimizing the time required, allowing quick printing initiation without comprehensive image processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the prediction parameters from detailed image data (gradations, colors, patterns) to simplified parameters (size, material type). This parameter simplification maintains adequate prediction reliability for the warning function while dramatically reducing calculation time, resolving the contradiction between reliability and waiting time.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting method of a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto a target on the basis of acquired conditions, includes acquiring a residual amount of liquid that is useable, estimating a use amount of liquid that is used in ejection of liquid using a set use amount of liquid per single target quantity that is set in advance with respect to a size of a target that is included in the acquired conditions, and performing a warning that is related to the residual amount of liquid before ejecting the liquid onto the target that is used in a case in which the residual amount of liquid after liquid ejection, which is estimated on the basis of the residual amount of liquid and the use amount of liquid, is smaller than a threshold value.