Adjustment of misalignments of recording positions during bi-directional printing
First Claim
1. A bi-directional printing method using a printing apparatus, the printing apparatus being capable of mounting thereon a first ink set and a second ink set that have mutually different combinations of inks and being capable of using a first bi-directional print mode that selectively uses inks included in the first ink set and a second bi-directional print mode that selectively used inks included in the second ink set so that a combination of inks used in the first bi-directional print mode is different from a combination of inks used in the second bi-directional print mode, the printing method comprising the steps of (a) providing a plurality of position adjustment values including a first position adjustment value for the first bi-directional print mode and a second position adjustment value for the second bi-directional print mode as position adjustment values for reducing misalignments of dot forming positions on forward passes and backward passes of main scanning;
- (b) selecting a position adjustment value for a bi-directional print mode used by the printing apparatus out of the plurality of position adjustment values; and
(c) adjusting dot forming positions along the main scanning direction during the bi-directional printing based on the selected position adjustment value.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Misalignments of dot forming positions are adjusted by selectively using a position adjustment value for a used bi-directional print mode out of a plurality of position adjustment values that are respectively suitable for a plurality of bi-directional print modes including a first bi-directional print mode and a second bi-directional print mode that are made available by changing ink types.
45 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A bi-directional printing method using a printing apparatus, the printing apparatus being capable of mounting thereon a first ink set and a second ink set that have mutually different combinations of inks and being capable of using a first bi-directional print mode that selectively uses inks included in the first ink set and a second bi-directional print mode that selectively used inks included in the second ink set so that a combination of inks used in the first bi-directional print mode is different from a combination of inks used in the second bi-directional print mode, the printing method comprising the steps of
(a) providing a plurality of position adjustment values including a first position adjustment value for the first bi-directional print mode and a second position adjustment value for the second bi-directional print mode as position adjustment values for reducing misalignments of dot forming positions on forward passes and backward passes of main scanning; -
(b) selecting a position adjustment value for a bi-directional print mode used by the printing apparatus out of the plurality of position adjustment values; and
(c) adjusting dot forming positions along the main scanning direction during the bi-directional printing based on the selected position adjustment value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A printing apparatus comprising a print head that has a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting an identical color, the printing apparatus having a bi-directional printing function of performing main scanning for moving the print head relative to a printing medium and sub scanning for moving the print head relative to the printing medium in a direction that transverses a direction of the main scanning, and ejecting ink from nozzles onto the printing medium on each of forward passes and backward passes of the main scanning of bi-directional movement to form dots on the printing medium, the printing apparatus comprising:
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a position adjustment value storage that stores a position adjustment value for reducing misalignments of dot forming positions between forward passes and backward passes of the main scanning;
a position adjuster that adjusts dot forming positions along the main scanning direction during the bi-directional printing based on the position adjustment value stored in the position adjustment storage; and
an ink cartridge mount that can mount one or more ink cartridges thereon, the one or more ink cartridges having ink tanks each containing ink to be supplied to each of the nozzle groups, wherein the printing apparatus can use a first ink set and a second ink set that have mutually different combinations of available inks through replacement of at least one of the ink tanks with another ink tank containing different type of ink, the printing apparatus can use a first bi-directional print mode that selectively uses inks included in the first ink set and a second bi-directional print mode that selectively used inks included in the second ink set so that a combination of inks used in the first bi-directional print mode is different from a combination of inks used in the second bi-directional print mode, the position adjustment value storage can store a plurality of position adjustment values including a first position adjustment value for the first bi-directional print mode and a second position adjustment value for the second bi-directional print mode, and the position adjustment unit selects a position adjustment value for a bi-directional print mode used by the printing apparatus out of the plurality of position adjustment values to adjust dot forming positions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product for implementing bi-directional printing using a printing apparatus, the printing apparatus being capable of mounting thereon a first ink set and a second ink set that have mutually different combinations of inks and being capable of using a first bi-directional print mode that selectively uses inks included in the first ink set and a second bi-directional print mode that selectively used inks included in the second ink set so that a combination of inks used in the first bi-directional print mode is different from a combination of inks used in the second bi-directional print mode, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and
a computer program stored on the computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising;
a first program that causes a computer to select a position adjustment value for a used bi-directional print mode out of a plurality of position adjustment values including a first position adjustment value for the first bi-directional print mode and a second position adjustment value for the second bi-directional print mode as position adjustment values for reducing misalignments of dot forming positions between forward passes and backward passes of main scanning; and
a second program that causes the computer to adjust dot forming positions along the main scanning direction during the bi-directional printing based on the selected position adjustment value.
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Specification