Adjustment method of dot printing positions and a printing apparatus

• US 6,532,026 B2
• Filed: 04/05/1999
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Teshigawara, Minoru, Chikuma, Toshiyuki, Otsuka, Naoji, Takahashi, Kiichiro, Nishikori, Hitoshi, Iwasaki, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US09/285,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 347/12, 347/40, 347/41, 347/15, 347/43, 347/19, 358/504, 358/400
• US Class Current: 347/41
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/145 Dot misalignment correction

Abstract

In complementarily printing by bi-directional scannings of a head or by a plurality of print heads, first patterns and second patterns including reference dots for example, dots formed by a forward scan of the bi-directional scannings or by one of the plurality of print heads and dots each having the different direction of shifting of relative printing positions to the reference dots are printed in corresponding to the plurality of shifting amounts. These first and second patterns have the similar characteristics of a change in density. The difference is only that their characteristics in density change are inverted according to the direction of shifting. The intersection point of these two characteristics in density change is obtained as a position for adjustment where dot-formed positions match. This makes it easy to perform printing registration in a printing apparatus in the case of printing by a forward and reverse scan of a printing head or in the case of printing by means of a plurality of printing heads. In this case, operations by a user etc. are also unnecessary and are easily performed.

Claims

1. A method of printing registration for processing for performing printing registration in a first printing and a second printing with respect to a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by the first printing and the second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, said method comprising the steps of:

forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

2. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of forming the first and second patterns further includes the steps of:

controlling the printing head to form the plurality of first patterns each having optical characteristics corresponding to the plurality of shifting amounts, the plurality of first patterns being formed by said first printing and said second printing, and the plurality of first patterns being formed corresponding to said plurality of shifting amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing; and

controlling the printing head to form the plurality of second patterns in which the shifting amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing respectively inverted to the plurality of first patterns.

3. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first printing and said second printing include a printing in a forward scan and in a reverse scan, respectively, upon performing printing by bi-directionally scanning the printing head with respect to the printing medium, a printing being a printing by a first printing head and a printing by a second printing head among the plurality of printing heads respectively, in a direction in which the first printing head and the second printing head are relatively scanned with respect to the printing medium, and a printing being a printing by a first printing head and a printing by a second printing head among a plurality of printing heads respectively, in a direction different from the direction which said first printing head and said second printing head are relatively scanned with respect to said printing medium.

4. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the adjustment value includes continuous change characteristics from optical characteristic data regarding the plurality of first patterns and optical characteristic data regarding the plurality of second patterns obtained by the step of measuring by means of a linear approximation or a polynomial approximation, and calculating the adjustment value.

5. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the adjustment value includes a continuous density distribution as the change characteristics on the basis of density of each optical characteristic measured regarding the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns.

6. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustment value acquiring step including the step of deriving a printing registration condition including also a printing position parameter that is more accurate than the printing registration condition or a printing position parameter different from the printing registration condition.

7. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pattern-forming step performs a pattern formation in a pitch less dense than a pitch of the printing position capable of controlling in the printing apparatus.

8. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the pattern-forming step, the dots formed by the first printing and the dots formed by the second printing are arranged, and relative positional relationship of the dots is varied corresponding to the plurality of shifting amount, and a ratio of the dots covering the printing medium is varied, thereby to form the plurality of patterns having optical characteristics corresponding to the shifting amounts.

9. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing head is a head for performing printing by ejecting ink.

10. A printing registration method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the printing head has heating elements for generating thermal energy to make the ink film-boil, as energy used for ejecting the ink.

11. A printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by a first printing and a second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, comprising:

means for forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a the plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

means for measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

means for acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

12. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said means for forming the first and second patterns has:

means for controlling the printing head to form the plurality of first patterns each having optical characteristics corresponding to the plurality of shifting amounts, the plurality of first patterns being formed by said first printing and said second printing, and the plurality of first patterns being formed corresponding to said plurality of shifting amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing; and

means for controlling the printing head to form the plurality of second patterns in which the shifting amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing respectively inverted to the plurality of first patterns.

13. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first printing and said second printing include a printing in a forward scan and in a reverse scan, respectively, upon performing printing by bi-directionally scanning the printing head with respect to the printing medium, a printing being a printing by a first printing head and a printing by a second printing head among a plurality of printing heads respectively, in a direction in which the first printing head and the second printing head are relatively scanned with respect to the printing medium, and a printing being a printing by a first printing head and a printing by a second printing head among the plurality of printing heads respectively, in a direction different from the direction which the first printing head and the second printing head are relatively scanned with respect to the printing medium.

14. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for acquiring the adjustment value includes continuous change characteristics from optical characteristic data regarding the plurality of first patterns and optical characteristic data regarding the plurality of second patterns obtained by the means for measuring by using a linear approximation or a polynomial approximation, and calculating the adjustment value.

15. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for acquiring the adjustment value includes continuous density distribution as the change characteristics on the basis of density of each optical characteristic measured regarding the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns.

16. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said means for acquiring adjustment value has means for deriving a printing registration condition including also a printing position parameter that is more accurate than the printing registration condition or a printing position parameter different from the printing registration condition.

17. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said pattern-forming means performs a pattern formation in a pitch less dense than a pitch of the printing position capable of controlling in the printing apparatus.

18. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, by the pattern-forming means, the dots formed by the first printing and the dots formed by the second printing are arranged, and relative positional relationship of the dots is varied corresponding to the plurality of shifting amount, and a ratio of the dots covering the printing medium is varied, thereby to form the plurality of patterns having optical characteristics corresponding to the shifting amounts.

19. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the printing head is a head for performing printing by ejecting ink.

20. A printing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the printing head has heating elements for generating thermal energy to make the ink film-boil, as energy used for ejecting the ink.

21. A printing system provided with a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by a first printing and a second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, and a host apparatus for supplying an image data to the printing apparatus, said printing system comprising:

means for forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

means for measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

means for acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

22. A printing system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said means for forming the first and second patterns has:

means for controlling the printing head to form the plurality of first patterns each having optical characteristics corresponding to the plurality of shifting amounts, the plurality of first patterns being formed by said first printing and said second printing, and the plurality of first patterns being formed corresponding to said plurality of shifting amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing; and

means for controlling the printing head to form a plurality of second patterns in which the offset amounts of relative printing positions of said second printing to said first printing respectively inverted to the plurality of first patterns.

23. A storage medium which is connected to an information processing apparatus and a program stored in which is readable by the information processing apparatus, said program being for making a printing system to perform a method for processing for performing printing registration in a first printing and a second printing with respect to a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by the first printing and the second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, the method comprising the steps of:

forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

24. A method of printing registration for processing for performing printing registration in a first printing and a second printing with respect to a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by the first printing and the second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, said method comprising the steps of:

forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on the plurality of shifting amounts corresponding to an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

25. A printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by a first printing and a second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, comprising:

means for forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

means for measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

means for acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on the plurality of shifting amounts corresponding to an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

26. A printing system provided with a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by a first printing and a second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, and a host apparatus for supplying an image data to the printing apparatus, said printing system comprising:

means for forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

means for measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

means for acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position between the first printing and the second printing based on the plurality of shifting amounts corresponding to an intersection point of a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of first patterns and a change characteristic of the measured optical characteristics of the plurality of second patterns.

27. A storage medium which is connected to an information processing apparatus and a program stored in which is readable by the information processing apparatus, said program being for making a printing system to perform a method for processing for performing printing registration in a first printing and a second printing with respect to a printing apparatus for performing printing of an image by the first printing and the second printing with predetermined conditions of a dot forming position on a printing medium by using a printing head, the method comprising the steps of:

forming first patterns and second patterns, respectively, corresponding to a plurality of shifting amounts, the patterns being formed by the first printing and the second printing, and a direction of shifting of relative printing positions in the first printing and the second printing being different;

measuring optical characteristics of each of the plurality of first patterns formed and optical characteristics of each of the plurality of second patterns formed; and

acquiring adjustment value of conditions of a dot forming position plurality of first and second patterns.