Liquid Ejection Control for Low-Power Print and Scan Scheduling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid ejection apparatuses face challenges in reducing power consumption without impairing operational feeling by performing reading and printing operations sequentially, which increases time and may degrade user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing exclusive control of power consumption units, such as the printing and reading units, to allocate power efficiently during high-consumption operations, ensuring parallel operations can resume once the high-consumption task is completed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If reading operation and printing operation are performed sequentially, then power consumption is suppressed, but operational time increases and user experience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidoperational time
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the power source capacity adjustable rather than fixed. The power source can dynamically change its capacity based on the operational state, allowing it to provide higher capacity when parallel operations are needed and lower capacity when operations are sequential, thus resolving the contradiction between power consumption and operational time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of power source capacity from a constant value to a variable value. By adjusting the power source capacity according to whether operations are performed in parallel or sequentially, the system can optimize both power consumption and operational time, preventing either parameter from deteriorating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of moving object

If power source capacity is reduced, then apparatus size decreases and environmental impact is reduced, but peak power suppression becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapparatus sizeVSAvoidpeak power
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the power source capacity dynamic, allowing it to be adjusted based on operational requirements. This enables a smaller overall power source design that can still deliver peak power when needed by temporarily increasing capacity during high-demand operations, thus resolving the contradiction between apparatus size and peak power capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by controlling operations to be performed sequentially when the power source capacity is insufficient for parallel execution. This advance planning and control of operation timing allows the system to use a smaller power source while still meeting peak power requirements through proper operation scheduling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4657841A1Liquid ejection apparatus and control method of liquid ejection apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 CANON KK
  • EP4657841A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4657841A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4657841A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a liquid ejection apparatus and a control method of the liquid ejection apparatus that can suppress a power consumption without impairing operational feeling. To this end, a tilt correction operation performed by abutting a printing medium onto a conveyance roller 2 in a printing unit 51 and an operation by a reading unit 52 are exclusively controlled.