Printing apparatus for continuous printing

• US 6,744,530 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kono, Nobuyuki, Someno, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): GARCIA, GABRIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/448,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358/3.01, 358/3.02, 358/3.06, 358/3.1, 358/3.12, 358/3.15, 358/3.23, 358/3.27, 358/3.26, 358/1.17, 358/1.18, 382/254, 382/255, 382/294, 382/299, 347/12, 347/40, 347/41, 347/43, 347/96
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/128 using a scanning head arranged for linear reciprocating motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1911 Simultaneously or substantially simultaneously scanning picture elements on more than one main scanning line, e.g. scanning in swaths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0414 Scanning an image in a series of overlapping zones

Abstract

In a printing apparatus of the present invention, image data divided into a plurality of pages and supplied from an application program are printed on a roll of machine glazed paper without any margins set between adjoining pages. This arrangement enables a large image to be printed on a large-sized printing medium, such as a banner. A printer driver in the printing apparatus sets feeding amounts of sub-scan according to a selected printing mode. In the case where a standard printing mode is selected, the printer driver sets the feeding amounts to execute an upper end process and a lower end process with regard to each page. In the case where a continuous printing mode is selected, on the other hand, the printer driver maintains a periodic variation of standard feeding amount, except the upper end process carried out in a first page. When a print head is located across a boundary between adjoining pages in the course of printing in the continuous printing mode, print data with regard to the adjoining two pages across the boundary are output to the respective nozzles, and specific areas immediately before and after the boundary are recorded simultaneously by one pass of the main scan. This arrangement of the present invention effectively prevents banding from occurring in the vicinity of the boundary.

Claims

1. A print controller that generates print data to be supplied to a printer, said printer comprising a print head, which has a plurality of dot-forming elements arranged at a preset interval in a sub-scanning direction, and carrying out main scan and sub-scan repeatedly, so as to print an image corresponding to the supplied print data on a printing medium, the image regarding a plurality of pages arranged in series in the sub-scanning direction, said print controller comprising:

an input unit that inputs image data corresponding to the image, page division data that specifies division of each page, and an end-of data code representing an end of the image data;

an instruction input unit that inputs an instruction of executing a printing operation in a continuous printing mode, which carries out printing without any margins set between adjoining pages; and

a print data generation unit that generates the print data to be supplied to said printer,

wherein said print data generation unit comprises;

a feed amount data generation unit that generates feed amount data, which causes the sub-scan to be repeated by a predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount, whether or not an image is completed in each page, when the continuous printing mode is specified; and

a raster data generation unit that generates raster data, which specifies a state of dot creation by said print head on each pass of the main scan, based on the image data.

2. A print controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said raster data generation unit, in the case of an input of the page division data, waits for an input of image data with regard to a next page following the page division data and then generates the raster data, and

said raster data generation unit, in the case of an input of the end-of-data code, generates the raster data without waiting for further input of image data.

3. A print controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said print data generation unit sets a sufficiently large value, which is greater than the plurality of pages, to a size of the printing medium and subsequently generates the print data, when the continuous printing mode is specified.

4. A print controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said instruction input unit selectively inputs the instruction of executing the printing operation in the continuous printing mode and an instruction of executing a printing operation in a standard printing mode, which carries out printing with a margin set between adjoining pages,

said feed amount data generation unit generates the feed amount data that represents a specific feeding amount of the sub-scan set in advance to enable the main scan to be performed without causing any dropout of a raster line in each page, in response to the instruction of executing the printing operation in the standard printing mode, and

said raster data generation unit generates the raster data with regard to each page, based on the image data input before the page division data.

5. A print controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said feed amount data generation unit generates the feed amount data that represents a specific feeding amount of the sub-scan, which is adopted prior to the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount in a first page among the plurality of pages, so as to enable the main scan without causing any dropout of a raster line in a certain area that is out of a main area, in which the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount is adopted, the specific feeding amount being smaller than a mean feeding amount, which is calculated from the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount.

6. A printing apparatus that prints an image corresponding to input print data with regard to a plurality of pages arranged in series in a sub-scanning direction, said printing apparatus comprising:

a printer that comprises a print head having a plurality of dot-forming elements arranged at a preset interval in the sub-scanning direction, and carries out main scan and sub-scan repeatedly, so as to print the image corresponding to the input print data on a printing medium; and

a print controller ,which comprising;

an input unit that inputs image data corresponding to the image, page division data that specifies division of each page, and an end-of data code representing an end of the image data;

an instruction input unit that inputs an instruction of executing a printing operation in a continuous printing mode, which carries out printing without any margins set between adjoining pages; and

a print data generation unit that generates the print data to be supplied to said printer,

wherein said print data generation unit comprises;

a feed amount data generation unit that generates feed amount data, which causes the sub-scan to be repeated by a predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount, whether or not an image is completed in each page, when the continuous printing mode is specified; and

a raster data generation unit that generates raster data, which specifies a state of dot creation by said print head on each pass of the main scan, based on the image data.

7. A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 6,

wherein said raster data generation unit, in the case of an input of the page division data, waits for an input of image data with regard to a next page following the page division data and then generates the raster data, and

said raster data generation unit, in the case of an input of the end-of-data code, generates the raster data without waiting for further input of image data.

8. A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 6,

wherein said print data generation unit sets a sufficiently large value, which is greater than the plurality of pages, to a size of the printing medium and subsequently generates the print data, when the continuous printing mode is specified.

9. A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 6,

wherein said instruction input unit selectively inputs the instruction of executing the printing operation in the continuous printing mode and an instruction of executing a printing operation in a standard printing mode, which carries out printing with a margin set between adjoining pages,

said feed amount data generation unit generates the feed amount data that represents a specific feeding amount of the sub-scan set in advance to enable the main scan to be performed without causing any dropout of a raster line in each page, in response to the instruction of executing the printing operation in the standard printing mode, and

said raster data generation unit generates the raster data with regard to each page, based on the image data input before the page division data.

10. A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 6,

wherein said feed amount data generation unit generates the feed amount data that represents a specific feeding amount of the sub-scan, which is adopted prior to the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount in a first page among the plurality of pages, so as to enable the main scan without causing any dropout of a raster line in a certain area that is out of a main area, in which the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount is adopted, the specific feeding amount being smaller than a mean feeding amount, which is calculated from the predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount.

11. A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 6, said printing apparatus further comprising:

a reverse feeding unit that feeds back the printing medium, which has been fed excessively by a printing operation in a last page among the plurality of pages, in reverse of a printing direction to a certain position suitable for starting a next cycle of the printing operation.

12. A method of controlling a printing operation by generating print data and supplying the print data to a printer, said printer comprising a print head, which has a plurality of dot-forming elements arranged at a preset interval in a sub-scanning direction, and carrying out main scan and sub-scan repeatedly, so as to print an image corresponding to the supplied print data on a printing medium, the image regarding a plurality of pages arranged in series in the sub-scanning direction, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting image data corresponding to the image, page division data that specifies division of each page, and an end-of data code representing an end of the image data;

(b) inputting an instruction of executing a printing operation in a continuous printing mode, which carries out printing without any margins set between adjoining pages; and

(c) generating the print data to be supplied to said printer,

wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of;

(c1) generating feed amount data, which causes the sub-scan to be repeated by a predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount, whether or not an image is completed in each page, when the continuous printing mode is specified; and

(c2) generating raster data, which specifies a state of dot creation by said print head on each pass of the main scan, based on the image data.

13. A method of printing an image with a printer, the image corresponding to input print data with regard to a plurality of pages arranged in series in a sub-scanning direction, said printer comprising a print head, which has a plurality of dot-forming elements arranged at a preset interval in the sub-scanning direction, and carrying out main scan and sub-scan repeatedly, so as to print the image on a printing medium, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting image data corresponding to the image, page division data that specifies division of each page, and an end-of data code representing an end of the image data;

(b) inputting an instruction of executing a printing operation in a continuous printing mode, which carries out printing without any margins set between adjoining pages;

(c) generating the print data to be supplied to said printer; and

(d) driving said printer to carry out a printing operation, based on the input print data,

wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of;

(c1) generating feed amount data, which causes the sub-scan to be repeated by a predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount, whether or not an image is completed in each page, when the continuous printing mode is specified; and

(c2) generating raster data, which specifies a state of dot creation by said print head on each pass of the main scan, based on the image data.

14. A computer readable recording medium, on which a specific program for generating print data to be supplied to a printer is recorded, said printer comprising a print head, which has a plurality of dot-forming elements arranged at a preset interval in a sub-scanning direction, and carrying out main scan and sub-scan repeatedly, so as to print an image corresponding to the supplied print data on a printing medium, the image regarding a plurality of pages arranged in series in the sub-scanning direction, said specific program comprising:

a first program code that causes a computer to input image data corresponding to the image, page division data that specifies division of each page, and an end-of data code representing an end of the image data;

a second program code that causes the computer to input an instruction of executing a printing operation in a continuous printing mode, which carries out printing without any margins set between adjoining pages; and

a third program code that causes the computer to generate, as the print data to be supplied to said printer, feed amount data, which causes the sub-scan to be repeated by a predetermined periodic variation of feeding amount, whether or not an image is completed in each page, when the continuous printing mode is specified, as well as raster data, which specifies a state of dot creation by said print head on each pass of the main scan, based on the image data.