Print Mode Selection by Pixel Coverage Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for selecting print modes in printing devices are inefficient, as they primarily focus on area fill uniformity and neglect line drawings, leading to user confusion and image quality defects due to frequent mode changes during printing.
Innovation Solution
A method that analyzes the entire page content to categorize images into types containing mono lines, color lines, or renders and area fills, automatically selecting a print mode based on these categories to optimize image quality and throughput, such as one or two pass bidirectional modes at specific carriage speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods select print modes based on area fill uniformity optimization, then area fill quality is improved, but line drawing quality deteriorates and user experience worsens due to trial and error requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The printing device automatically analyzes the document content and selects the optimal print mode without user intervention. The controller examines pixel coverage and content characteristics to autonomously determine whether to use high-pass or low-pass print modes, eliminating the need for users to perform trial and error selections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes print mode parameters (number of passes, carriage speed) based on detected document characteristics. When high pixel coverage is detected, high-pass modes with more iterations are selected; when low coverage is detected, low-pass modes with fewer iterations are selected, optimizing both area fill and line quality for different content types.
2Manufacturing precision
If print mode is changed frequently during document printing to optimize different portions, then local image quality is improved, but artifacts are generated at transition portions and overall reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different print modes to different document portions based on their specific characteristics. High-pass modes are applied to area fill regions while low-pass modes are applied to line drawing regions, allowing each portion to receive optimized treatment without causing transition artifacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller analyzes the entire document content before printing and pre-determines the print mode for each portion. This preliminary analysis allows the system to prepare appropriate print modes in advance and apply them seamlessly, preventing artifacts at transition portions between different content types.
3Manufacturing precision
If high number of passes print modes are used, then area fill uniformity is improved, but throughput deteriorates due to increased printing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies high-pass modes with multiple iterations only to portions of the document that require them (area fill regions), while using low-pass modes with fewer iterations for line drawing portions. This partial application of excessive passes optimizes area fill uniformity where needed without unnecessarily reducing overall throughput.
4Productivity
If low number of passes print modes are used, then throughput is improved, but area fill uniformity and line quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes print mode parameters based on detected content characteristics. Low-pass modes with fewer iterations are selected for line drawing content to maintain throughput, while high-pass modes with more iterations are selected for area fill content to ensure quality, optimizing both speed and quality for different document types.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a print apparatus are described. The method and the print apparatus allow for selecting from a plurality of print modes a print mode for a whole page of a document to be printed dependent on a print material coverage of the whole page of the document to be printed.