Multichip Inkjet Head Dot Distribution for Registration Error Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multichip recording heads experience registration errors during the overlapping part, leading to uneven image density and quality due to factors like positioning errors and medium conveying errors, which existing techniques fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that distribute input image data among nozzle arrays of overlapping chips in a multichip recording head, ensuring overlapping dots at various gray levels between chips to mitigate registration errors, using different masks for each chip to achieve an imperfect exclusive relationship in dot locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multichip recording head is used to achieve high-speed recording, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to chip-to-chip registration errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of dot distribution pattern between overlapping chips. By making the dot distribution non-uniform and introducing deliberate variations in dot placement, the system maintains high recording speed while compensating for registration errors. The dot distribution parameters are adjusted so that dots from different chips do not perfectly align, reducing the impact of positioning errors on image quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If perfect complementary relationship is used between image data for different recording paths, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to sensitivity to registration errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by intentionally introducing non-complementary relationships between image data for different recording paths before recording. By pre-adjusting the dot distribution patterns to avoid perfect complementarity, the system proactively counteracts the harmful effects of registration errors, making the recorded image more robust against positioning variations.
Data Source
AI summary
When an image is recorded using a multichip recording head including a plurality of chips each having a plurality of nozzle arrays, a change in image density can occur due to a registration error between chips in an overlapping part where two chips are connected. To suppress the change in image density, input image data is distributed to two chips such that there are dots overlapping each other between the two chips in the overlapping part.