Printing Apparatus Colorimetry Control via Segmented Wavelength Scanning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses face challenges in achieving high colorimetric accuracy while minimizing the area of color patches and ink consumption, as increasing patch area leads to increased medium and ink requirements.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a movable printing unit and color measuring unit that reads reflected light wavelengths in a scanning direction, allowing for partial wavelength region reading in one scan and multiple scans to complete colorimetry, thereby reducing patch length and maintaining accuracy without increasing patch area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the patch area is increased to improve colorimetric accuracy, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the medium area and ink consumption are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The wavelength region reading process is segmented into multiple scanning operations. Instead of reading all wavelength regions in one scan (which would require large patches), the system divides the wavelength regions and performs multiple sequential scans, each reading a portion of the wavelength regions. This segmentation allows accurate colorimetry with smaller patches by accumulating data across multiple scans.
2Measurement precision
If the patch area is increased to improve colorimetric accuracy, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the medium area required is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The wavelength measurement process is divided into multiple scanning operations that read different portions of wavelength regions sequentially. This segmentation enables the system to achieve accurate colorimetry results from smaller patches by performing multiple passes, thereby reducing the required medium area while maintaining measurement precision.
3Productivity
If multiple wavelength regions are read in one scanning operation, then the scanning efficiency is improved, but the measurement accuracy for dark patches deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic scanning operations where each scan reads a specific portion of wavelength regions. By repeating the scanning process multiple times with different wavelength region portions, the system accumulates sufficient light data for dark patches while maintaining overall scanning efficiency. This periodic action allows dark patches to be measured accurately through repeated measurements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables improved colorimetric accuracy without enlarging patch size, reducing ink consumption, and optimizing scanning operations to efficiently read multiple wavelength regions.
Implementation Method 1
perform colorimetry on the color patches by reading a wavelength of reflected light from the patches printed on the medium
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a printing unit configured to move in a scanning direction, a color measuring unit configured to move in the scanning direction with the printing unit and perform colorimetry on patches, and a control unit configured to execute a scanning operation of moving the color measuring unit to pass the color measuring unit over the patches and thus cause the color measuring unit to read a wavelength of reflected light of the patches. The color measuring unit is configured to read light corresponding to a wavelength region selected from within a wavelength region of light divided into a plurality of wavelength regions. The control unit is configured to cause the color measuring unit to read, in one scanning operation, light corresponding to a portion of the plurality of wavelength regions of light to be read, perform a plurality of the scanning operations while changing the wavelength region of light to be read by the color measuring unit, and thus complete colorimetry of the patches.