Shuttle-Based Printer Nozzle Compensation for Continuous Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for compensating defective printer nozzles in shuttle-based inkjet printers are inefficient, often requiring halting printing to clean or replace nozzles, which reduces productivity and increases costs, and do not effectively handle high-speed printing scenarios.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-tiered compensation scheme that reroutes image data to fully or partially complementary nozzles to compensate for defective printer nozzles, allowing continuous printing without interruption, using nozzle maps and print masks to identify and reroute image data to functional nozzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If printing is stopped to clean or replace defective nozzles, then print quality is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of defective nozzles and pre-computes compensation strategies (rerouting image data to complementary nozzles) before the actual printing process. This allows the printer to maintain continuous operation without stopping for quality checks or nozzle maintenance, resolving the contradiction between maintaining print quality and preserving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual model of the printhead nozzle status (good vs. defective nozzles) and uses this model to generate compensated image data. By copying and redistributing image data to functional nozzles, the system maintains print quality without physical intervention, eliminating the need to stop printing for quality assurance
2Reliability
If printing is stopped to clean or replace defective nozzles, then defective nozzles are fixed, but downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital representation of nozzle functionality and uses this model to redirect image data from defective nozzles to complementary working nozzles. This virtual compensation eliminates the need for physical nozzle cleaning or replacement during printing, thereby eliminating downtime while maintaining nozzle functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the printing parameters by modifying image data values and adjusting which nozzles are activated based on their functional status. This parameter adjustment allows the system to work around defective nozzles through software control rather than physical maintenance, preventing time loss
3Reliability
If existing compensation techniques are used, then defective nozzles are addressed, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses digital copying and redistribution of image data to compensate for defective nozzles, replacing the need for expensive physical maintenance operations. By virtualizing the compensation mechanism, the patent eliminates costs associated with nozzle cleaning supplies, replacement parts, and maintenance labor while maintaining print quality
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles included in printer nozzles used to print an image on a medium. The method includes detecting defective printer nozzles, and initiating a print job in a print mode. The print job can include image data used to print the image on the medium in accordance with a print mask that maps the printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method further includes modifying the print mask or the image data to print using the image data with printer nozzles that may be complementary to the defective printer nozzles, and printing the image on the medium in accordance with the print mode and the modified print mask or the modified image data.