Recording Medium Determination Using Multi-Wavelength Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies are inadequate in accurately determining the type of recording medium due to limitations in distinguishing between recording media with similar characteristics, particularly when using infrared reflection characteristics and fluorescence, which are influenced by brightening agents and ultraviolet light.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the type of recording medium based on the light amount of two or more visible light components of regular and diffused reflection light, using wavelengths such as blue and green, and irradiating the medium with white light to minimize ultraviolet components, allowing for more accurate differentiation by leveraging the greater variance in reflection characteristics in the visible region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If determination is performed using intensity ratio of regular reflection light and diffused reflection light, then the determination process is simple, but a plurality of recording media with similar characteristics cannot be distinguished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reflection light into multiple wavelength components (blue, green, red) and separately analyzes the light amount of each component. This segmentation allows differentiation of recording media that have similar overall reflection characteristics but differ in their spectral composition, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining reasonable process complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension determination (intensity ratio only) to a multi-dimensional determination by analyzing the light amount across multiple wavelength dimensions. This dimensional expansion enables distinction between recording media with similar characteristics by capturing variations in their spectral reflection properties
2Adaptability or versatility
If determination is performed using infrared reflection characteristics and fluorescence, then the determination can be made based on existing optical properties, but the difference between various recording media is extremely small and fluorescence is mainly due to brightening agents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the determination parameters from infrared reflection characteristics and fluorescence to visible light reflection characteristics across multiple wavelengths. This parameter change exploits the greater variance in visible light reflection properties among different recording media, significantly improving measurement precision while maintaining adaptability to existing optical measurement systems
3Loss of information
If ultraviolet light is used to excite fluorescence, then fluorescence characteristics can be obtained, but detection errors occur due to mixed incidence of light components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the ultraviolet light component from the incident light, using only visible light (blue, green, red wavelengths) for illumination. This extraction of the problematic UV component removes the source of fluorescence excitation and the associated detection errors, while still providing sufficient optical contrast for accurate recording medium determination
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 the accurate identification of numerous types of recording media by reducing detection errors from fluorescence and enhancing precision through the use of short wavelength components, resulting in a more stable and precise determination process.
Implementation Method 1
the light amount of each of two or more visible light components among the regular reflection light and the diffused reflection light from the recording medium is obtained
Implementation Method 2
a light receiving portion that receives the regular reflection light and the diffused reflection light
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A recording medium determining device (100) includes a light irradiating portion (110) that irradiates a recording medium (M) with visible light; a regular reflection light receiving portion (120) that receives regular reflection light regularly reflected by the recording medium irradiated with light from the light irradiating portion; a diffused reflection light receiving portion (130) that receives diffused reflection light diffusely reflected by the recording medium irradiated with light from the light irradiating portion; and a determining portion (150) that determines the type of recording medium on the basis of each light amount of two or more visible light components with different wavelengths to one another among the light components received by the regular reflection light receiving portion and each light amount of two or more visible light components with different wavelengths to one another among the light components received by the diffused reflection light receiving portion.