Printer Controller Adjusts Sub-Scanning Distance to Suppress Banding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printers face a trade-off between suppressing banding and maintaining printing speed and image quality, as prioritizing one often compromises the other.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that includes a controller and print engine, which alternately performs partial printing operations and sub scanning operations based on specific conditions, adjusting the distance of sub scanning to optimize dot formation and reduce banding without sacrificing speed or quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If overlap printing is performed to suppress banding, then image quality is improved, but printing speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The printing process is divided into multiple partial printing operations, where each operation prints only a portion of the image (either first dots or second dots, but not both). This segmentation allows the printer to avoid overlap printing in most areas while maintaining image quality in critical boundary regions, thus preserving printing speed without sacrificing image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The printer applies different printing strategies to different regions of the image. In boundary portions with high density, overlap printing is performed to suppress banding. In other regions, partial printing operations are used to maintain speed. This local differentiation optimizes the balance between image quality and printing speed across the entire image.
2Productivity
If printing speed is prioritized without overlap printing, then printing speed is maintained, but banding occurs and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of performing complete overlap printing across the entire image (excessive action), the printer performs partial printing operations that cover only necessary portions. The first partial printing operation forms first dots for certain regions, and the second partial printing operation forms second dots for other regions, avoiding redundant printing in most areas while still preventing banding where needed.
3Productivity
If partial printing operations are alternately performed without overlap, then printing speed is maintained, but banding suppression is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The printer dynamically adjusts the printing strategy based on local image characteristics. The controller determines whether to perform overlap printing or partial printing operations based on the density and importance of different image regions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high printing speed while applying overlap printing only where necessary for banding suppression.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a print engine and a controller configured to, when a particular condition is satisfied, control the print engine to perform first partial printing to form first dots corresponding to a first portion of a target image without forming second dots corresponding to a second portion of the target image, perform sub scanning over a first distance after the first partial printing and before second partial printing, and perform the second partial printing to form the second dots without forming the first dots, and when the particular condition is not satisfied, control the print engine to perform the first partial printing to form at least a part of the first dots, perform the sub scanning over a second distance different from the first distance after the first partial printing and before second partial printing, and perform the second partial printing to form the second dots.