US6761426B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Calibration method in ink jet printing apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 2002-06-19
•
Granted: 2004-07-13
•
Expires: 2022-06-19
Abstract
Abstract For calibration, a patch pattern is printed which enables patches to be measured while precisely reducing the adverse effects of a variation in patch pattern density resulting from a variation in movement speed or temperature of a printing head. Specifically, dummy patches that are not measured are printed on the periphery of measured patches. The dummy patches are printed by ejecting ink through all ejection openings in the printing head. Then, an increased dye concentration of ink is discharged from the printing head. Further, at the ends of a scanning range, at which the dummy patches are printed, the movement speed of the printing head varies significantly. Accordingly, the measured patches can be printed while the speed remains stable.
Inventors
- 👤 Okinori Tsuchiya
- 👤 Shigeyasu Nagoshi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:03
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/38; B41J29/393
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A calibration apparatus for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration for said printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
A calibration apparatus for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration for said printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus repeats scanning of a printing head relative to the printing medium and transporting of the printing medium by a predetermined amount in a direction different from a direction of the scanning of the printing head so as to print the test image, and the test image includes the dummy image printed at both ends of a scanning range of one scanning of the printing head and the measure image printed so that the measure image is positioned between portions of the dummy image at the respective ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the test image includes the dummy image printed over a whole scanning range of the scanning including a first scanning for printing the test image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the printing head ejects ink for printing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the printing head uses thermal energy for generating a bubble so as to eject ink.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus, based on the test image data, prints a pair of test image portions which include respective measure image portions whose print positions on the printing medium are symmetrical to each other with respect to a center of an arrangement of the measure image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the pair of the test image portions is printed on one printing medium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , comprising means for, based on a result of the measurement of the measure image in the test image, correcting a process of an image processing section for a generation process for printing data used in the printing apparatus to execute a calibration process, said means executing the calibration process based on a statistical result of respective measurements of the measure image portions of the pair of the test image portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and in order to output the test image data to use all of the plurality of the printing heads when printing the dummy image, a processing for generating dummy image data is made different from a processing for generating measure image data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and a processing for generating dummy image data is executed to output the test image data to use one of the plurality of the printing heads when printing the dummy image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A calibration apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and the dummy image is formed with a plurality of colors printed by the plurality of printing heads.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ink jet printing apparatus which uses a printing head ejecting ink to print a test image used for a calibration, wherein when printing the test image, ink ejection is executed from the printing head on an area other than an area on which the test image is printed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ink jet printing apparatus which uses a printing head ejecting ink to print a test image used for a calibration, wherein when printing the test image, ink ejection is executed from the printing head on an area other than an area on which the test image is printed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the printing head uses thermal energy for generating a bubble so as to eject ink.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
A calibration method including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration of the printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
84 words
A calibration method including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration of the printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the printing apparatus repeats scanning of a printing head relative to the printing medium and transporting of the printing medium by a predetermined amount in a direction different from a direction of the scanning of the printing head so as to print the test image, and the test image includes the dummy image printed at both ends of a scanning range of one scanning of the printing head and the measure image printed so that the measure image is positioned between portions of the dummy image at the respective ends.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the test image includes the dummy image printed over a whole scanning range of the scanning including a first scanning for printing the test image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the printing apparatus, based on the test image data, prints a pair of test image portions which include respective measure image portions whose print positions on the printing medium are symmetrical to each other with respect to a center of an arrangement of the measure image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the pair of test image portions is printed on one printing medium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 17 , comprising a step of, based on a result of the measurement of the measure image in the test image, correcting a process of an image processing section for a generation process for printing data used in the printing apparatus to execute a calibration process, said step executing the calibration process based on a statistical result of respective measurements of measure image portions of the pair of the test image portions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, are in order to output the test image data to use all of the plurality of the printing heads when printing the dummy image, a processing for generating dummy image data is made different from a processing for generating measure image data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and a processing for generating dummy image data is executed to output the test image data to use one of the plurality of the printing heads when printing the dummy image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
A calibration method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and the dummy image is formed with a plurality of colors printed by the plurality of printing heads.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
72 words
A calibration method including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration of the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus uses a printing head ejecting ink to print the test image, and when printing the test image, ink ejection is executed from the printing head on an area other than an area on which the test image is printed.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
72 words
A calibration method including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration of the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus uses a printing head ejecting ink to print the test image, and when printing the test image, ink ejection is executed from the printing head on an area other than an area on which the test image is printed.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
76 words
A printing medium including a test image printed thereon, the test image being used for a calibration of a printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
76 words
A printing medium including a test image printed thereon, the test image being used for a calibration of a printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
100 words
A printing medium as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the printing apparatus repeats scanning of a printing head relative to the printing medium and transporting of the printing medium by a predetermined amount in a direction different from a direction of the scanning of the printing head so as to print the test image, and the test image includes the dummy image printed at both ends of a scanning range of one scanning of the printing head and the measure image printed so that the measure image is positioned between portions of the dummy image at the respective ends.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
A printing medium as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the test image includes the dummy image printed over a whole scanning range of the scanning including a first scanning for printing the test image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
A printing medium as claimed in claim 24 , wherein a pair of test image portions is printed which include respective measure image portions whose print positions on the printing medium are symmetrical to each other with respect to a center of an arrangement of the measure image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A printing medium as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the pair of the test image portions is printed on one printing medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
A printing medium as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of printing heads corresponding to a plurality of print colors, respectively, and the dummy image is formed with a plurality of colors printed by the plurality of printing heads.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
99 words
A storage medium storing a program readable by an information processing apparatus, the program including: a calibration process including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration at the printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
99 words
A storage medium storing a program readable by an information processing apparatus, the program including: a calibration process including a process for outputting test image data to cause a printing apparatus to print a test image used for a calibration at the printing apparatus, wherein the test image includes a measure image which is a subject of a measurement and a dummy image which is not a subject of the measurement, and the dummy image is printed at least at a part of a periphery of an area on which the measure image is printed, on a printing medium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-07-13 | 2008-01-12 | 2008-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-07-13 | 2012-01-12 | 2012-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-07-13 | 2016-01-12 | 2016-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |