Test Pattern Imaging Control for Shake and Distortion Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging systems for capturing test patterns in printing devices face issues such as camera shake, time lag, and medium distortion, leading to unreliable imaging results that hinder accurate adjustment of printing characteristics.

Innovation Solution

An imaging control program and system that ensures imaging is performed only when certain conditions are continuously met for a predetermined time, including stable positional relationship and minimal distortion, to guarantee a reliable imaging result.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a user holds a camera-equipped portable terminal by hand to capture an image, then the operation is simple and convenient, but camera shake occurs leading to poor imaging quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of capture operationVSAvoidimaging quality reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring imaging conditions (shake amount, distortion amount) before actual imaging occurs. The judgment function evaluates whether imaging conditions are satisfied in advance, and only triggers imaging when conditions are confirmed to be acceptable, thereby preventing poor imaging quality while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If imaging is performed immediately without checking conditions, then the time lag is minimized, but imaging quality deteriorates due to camera shake and medium distortion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging time lagVSAvoidtest pattern imaging precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously acquiring frames from the imaging section and evaluating imaging conditions (shake amount, distortion amount) in real-time. Based on this feedback, the judgment function determines whether to proceed with imaging, ensuring high precision test pattern capture while minimizing time lag through efficient condition evaluation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of imaging conditions before actual imaging. The judgment function continuously monitors whether shake amount and distortion amount are within acceptable ranges, and only triggers imaging when conditions are confirmed satisfactory, thereby ensuring precision while maintaining minimal time lag.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the medium is held by hand during imaging, then the operation is flexible, but the medium becomes distorted causing inaccurate test pattern capture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in holding mediumVSAvoidtest pattern capture precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from continuous frame acquisition to monitor distortion amount of the test pattern. The judgment function evaluates whether distortion remains within acceptable ranges and only permits imaging when conditions are satisfied, thereby maintaining flexibility in medium handling while ensuring capture precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary assessment of distortion conditions before imaging. By continuously evaluating the test pattern shape in advance and only triggering imaging when distortion is within acceptable limits, the system maintains operational flexibility while ensuring manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Device complexity

If imaging conditions are not continuously monitored, then the process is simple, but unreliable imaging results are obtained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging control complexityVSAvoidimaging result reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of imaging conditions through continuous monitoring of shake amount and distortion amount. The judgment function is activated before imaging to assess whether conditions are satisfied, thereby ensuring reliable imaging results while keeping the overall process simple and manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260001314A1Non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing imaging control program and printing system

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

The judgment function judges whether an imaging condition for causing the imaging section to execute imaging of an imaging target region including the test pattern is satisfied. The imaging control function acquires a captured image by causing the imaging section to execute imaging of the imaging target region with satisfaction of the imaging condition as a trigger. The imaging condition is a condition that at least one of the basic conditions is satisfied for at least the predetermined time, where the first condition is that the variation of the relative positional relationship between the imaging section and the medium is equal to or less than the reference variation, and the second condition is that the distortion amount indicating the distortion of the test pattern included in the frames repeatedly acquired from the imaging section is equal to or less than the reference distortion amount. The judgment function judges that the imaging condition is satisfied when at least the basic condition is continuously satisfied for the predetermined time or more.