Printer Ink Control Device Managing Delivery Delays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printer technologies experience delays in ink delivery, particularly with high-usage inks like black, leading to lighter areas in printed images and reduced quality, which existing solutions address by halting print heads but at the cost of increased printing time.
Innovation Solution
A control device that calculates an index value for ink usage and adjusts the printing process by either using only the specific ink for high-usage areas or switching to different ink colors for other areas, based on threshold values, to prevent delays without extending printing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the print head is temporarily halted outside the recording region to suppress ink delivery delays, then image quality is improved, but printing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image into multiple regions and processes them differently. High-usage color regions are printed using the specific ink type, while other regions use different ink types. This segmentation allows the system to focus ink delivery resources on critical areas without halting the entire print head, thereby maintaining image quality in important regions while avoiding printing time increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different printing strategies to different regions of the image based on their specific requirements. Regions with high usage of a specific ink color receive dedicated ink delivery, while other regions use alternative ink types. This local differentiation ensures that image quality is maintained where it matters most without requiring system-wide interruptions.
2Device complexity
If the printer uses only one type of ink for a specific color to simplify the system, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to ink delivery delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically changes the parameter of ink type selection based on the regional requirements of the image being printed. By adjusting which ink type is used for which region, the system maintains reliability for high-usage areas while allowing flexibility in other areas, thus avoiding the need for complex multi-ink systems throughout the entire printer.
3Manufacturing precision
If the printer increases the usage of a specific ink type to meet high-demand regions, then image quality in those regions is improved, but ink delivery delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into different regions with different ink usage requirements. By identifying high-usage regions and directing specific ink types only to those areas, the system ensures adequate ink supply to critical regions without overloading the ink delivery system, thus maintaining both image quality and delivery speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the specific ink type partially, only to regions where it is most needed, rather than using it excessively throughout the entire image. This partial application strategy ensures that the ink delivery system is not overwhelmed while still achieving high image quality in the most demanding regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller provided in a control device calculates an index value indicative of an amount of a specific type of ink in a specific type of color to be used in printing at least a part of a target image including a first image and a second image. In response to determining that the index value is not greater than a threshold value, the controller controls a printer to print the first image and the second image using the specific type of ink for reproducing the specific type of color. In response to determining that the index value is greater than the threshold value, the controller controls the printer to print the first image using the specific type of ink and to print the second image using a different type of ink different from the specific type of ink for reproducing the specific type of color.