Abstract: The number of correction values used when carrying out a darkness correction line by line is decreased, thereby making it possible to reduce the storage capacity of a storage section storing those correction values. At least one set of correction values determined based on darkness measurement values of lines of a correction pattern printed using a given processing mode is stored, wherein an integer multiple of the number of lines formed in one period is taken as one set, and a darkness correction is carried out through repetitive, sequential correlation with each correction value of said at least one set when printing an image using that processing mode.

Abstract: The number of liquid droplets ejected toward a region outside a medium, which becomes a necessary evil when forming dots all the way to the edges of the medium by ejecting liquid droplets, can be decreased without greatly impairing the formation of dots at the edges. A liquid ejection apparatus for ejecting a liquid, includes: a liquid ejection section for ejecting liquid droplets toward a medium in order to form dots on the medium; wherein the liquid ejection section ejects, toward a vicinity of an edge of the medium, the liquid droplets of a number that has been thinned out by a suitable number; and wherein at least a portion of the liquid droplets ejected after thinning does not land on the medium.

Abstract: When a relatively large image in the sub-scanning direction is to be printed, a relatively large number of dot-forming elements among a plurality of dot-forming elements are used to form dots by means of sub-scanning with a relatively large average feed. When a relatively small image in the sub-scanning direction is to be printed multiple times at different positions in the sub-scanning direction on the same print medium, a relatively small number of dot-forming elements among the plurality of dot-forming elements are used to form dots by means of sub-scanning with a relatively low average feed. With this embodiment, large images are rapidly printed, and small images are printed more efficiently on printing paper.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided which, when printing small ink droplets at high resolution, can make white lines caused by an “end dot deflection” less visually conspicuous. To that end, an ink jet print head used has a plurality of nozzle substrates arranged that an overlapping region in which the printable areas of respective nozzle substrates partly overlap is formed. According to a print density to be achieved, each of the nozzles corresponding to the overlapping region is controlled for ejection/non-ejection of ink. With this method, it is possible to print as many dots as most match the intensity of the “end dot deflection” phenomenon that varies according to the print density. This enables a blank line to be filled with an appropriate number of dots at all times, regardless of the width of the blank line.

Abstract: The main object of the present invention is to form an even pattern. In order to achieve the object, in the present invention, patterns P1 to P6 formed on a substrate 400 are formed by liquid droplets discharged from a piezoelectric driving type head unit 300. The size of each liquid droplet discharged from each orifice 300-1 to 300-n differs depending on the mechanical and electric characteristics. The liquid droplets discharged form each orifice 300-1 to 300-n are thinned out so as to have the liquid droplet amount per unit area to be impacted on each pattern p1 to P6 equally.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection apparatus performs a drawing operation on a workpiece set on a set table by driving the ejection of a functional liquid droplet ejection head in a head unit while moving the head unit in a main scanning direction relative to the set table. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes an ejection defect test unit for inspecting an ejection defect of the functional liquid droplet ejection head. The ejection defect test unit includes a drawn unit on which a predetermined test pattern is drawn by test ejection from the functional liquid droplet ejection head and ejection-defect determination means for determining the ejection defect by capturing an image of the test pattern drawn on the ejection-defect test unit and recognizing the image. The drawn unit is disposed on a scan moving axis offset from the set table towards the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus including: (a) a recording head unit for forming a recording operation with recording materials; (b) a main circuit for outputting drive waveform signal sets each including drive waveform signals; and (c) a head driver unit for receiving each drive waveform signal set, generating a drive signal based on one of the drive waveform signals that is selected among each received drive waveform signal set, and supplying the drive signal to each actuators of the recording head unit. The main circuit is connected to the head driver unit through signal wires that transmit the drive waveform signals of the drive waveform signal sets.

Abstract: Negative pressure applying means for generating a meniscus in a nozzle hole through a balance with a negative pressure applied to an ink chamber via a restrictor part; pressurizing means for supplying pressurized ink to the ink chamber; withdrawal controlling means for drive-controlling an actuator for changing the volume in the ink chamber to withdraw the meniscus until the balance with the negative pressure is broken through the change of the volume in the ink chamber in response to the driving of the actuator; and recovery controlling means for, after the negative pressure applying means withdraws the ink in the ink chamber to the restrictor part, controlling the pressurizing means to supply the ink to the ink chamber and again generate the meniscus are provided. The pressurizing means pressurizes the ink under a pressure where the meniscus is not broken, and supplies the ink to the ink chamber.

Abstract: A continuous liquid drop emission apparatus is provided. The liquid drop emission apparatus is comprised of a liquid chamber containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid and a jet stimulation apparatus adapted to transfer pulses of energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. The continuous liquid drop emission apparatus further comprises a semiconductor substrate including integrated circuitry formed therein for performing and controlling a plurality of actions on the drops of predetermined volumes. The plurality of actions may include drop charging, drop sensing, drop deflection and drop capturing. Drop action apparatus adapted to perform these functions and integrated circuitry to control the drop action apparatus are formed in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: This invention allows images to be printed up to the edges of printing paper while preventing ink droplets from depositing on the platen. Ink droplets Ip are ejected from a print head 28 and printing is started when printing paper P is fed in the sub-scanning direction by upstream paper feed rollers 25a and 25b, and the front edge Pf reaches a position above a downstream slot 26r. Since printing is started when the front edge Pf of printing paper P has reached a position behind nozzle No. 1, images can be printed without forming blank spaces up to the front edge Pf of the printing paper P by causing the nozzles to eject ink droplets Ip irrespective of whether the nozzles are above the printing paper. When images are formed in the vicinity of the front edge Pf of printing paper P, the paper is repeatedly fed in small increments in the sub-scanning direction, and printing is carried out.

Abstract: A method of controlling an inkjet printhead containing a substantially closed duct in which ink is situated, said duct having at least one exit opening for the ink, wherein an actuation pulse is applied to an electro-mechanical transducer so that the pressure in the duct changes in such a manner than an ink drop is ejected from the exit opening, wherein the method further comprises: measuring the electric impedance of the electromechanical transducer and adapting the actuation pulse on the basis of the measured impedance.

Abstract: The ink jet printing apparatus forms an image on a print medium with the following two operations. The printing operation makes a print head perform scan motions in a predetermined direction on the print medium, the print head having an array of nozzle rows corresponding to the required number of ink colors, each scan motion involving the ink being ejected from nozzles onto the print medium. The print medium feeding operation moves the print medium and the print head relative to each other a predetermined amount in a direction different from a direction of the scan motion between the scan motions. In a print mode using a small number of ink colors employed for printing, unidirectional printing is performed such that the nozzle row of a black ink to be ejected reaches a print start position when amplitude of vibration of the print head is a predetermined amount or less.

Abstract: A printing method of the present invention includes the steps of: carrying a medium and ejecting ink from a print head to print, on the medium, a mark that can be filled in by a user; detecting, with a sensor, whether or not the mark has been filled in; and performing a process in accordance with a result of the detection by the sensor. With this printing method, operations with respect to a printing apparatus can be performed with ease.

Abstract: A method of printing digital data on a photograph includes loading an image processing program, transforming image data with the image processing program to produce transformed image data; redundantly encoding the transformed image data and the image processing program into a distributed form; and printing the redundantly encoded data using an invisible ink on a surface of a print media while simultaneously printing out the transformed image data as a photographic image in a visual, human readable form on the same surface of said print media. The redundantly encoded data is distributed across the print media such that the encoded data may be read and decoded despite a partial obliteration of the encoded data.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head, a sheet supply unit and a sheet supply position switching unit. The sheet supply unit has two sheet trays corresponding to two printing positions of the inkjet head which are shifted from each other in the width direction of the sheet. The sheet supply unit is capable of selectively supplying a sheet narrower than the maximum printable width of the inkjet head from either one of trays to the inkjet head. The sheet supply position switching unit switches one of the sheet trays to the other based on the number of printings on the narrower sheet at each of the printing positions.

Abstract: In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.

Abstract: Structures and methods are disclosed for at least partially forming an image on a media disposed on a platen, directing air from a dryer at the platen, and circulating the air from the platen back to the dryer.

Abstract: A method of printing an image in a fixed head printer system includes sensing a medium speed of a medium traveling in proximity to a plurality of ink printheads. A maximum optical density of the printer system at the sensed medium speed is determined. The firing frequency of the plurality of ink printheads is adjusted in response to a change in medium speed such that the maximum optical density of the printer system at the sensed medium speed is not exceeded.

Abstract: A printer includes a loudspeaker that announces error messages and the like. The error messages are stored as sound files in an onboard memory device. A central processor communicates with a speaker interface circuit by means of a data bus. A DMA controller is provided that mediates the transfer of instructions from the processor to the speaker interface and to a number of functional circuits that are also coupled to the bus. The speaker interface is equipped with a FIFO circuit that is responsive to DMA controller mediated transfer of sound files from the memory. In order to initiate the playing of a sound file the processor simply programs a DMA channel of the speaker interface.

Abstract: A method and device for providing a plurality of fire pulses in an ink jet printer, which includes a production of a plurality of fire signals. Each fire signal of the plurality of fire signals are asserted at a different timing than the other of the plurality of fire signals. The plurality of fire signals are combined to form a composite fire signal that maintains the different timing.