Abstract: In an electronic apparatus in which a plurality of controller chips are cascade-connected, if an error occurs in a given chip, the present invention allows at least chips on the upstream side of the error chip to share the existence of the error chip. The electronic apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of control chips which are cascade-connected. Each control chip includes a watchdog timer, and a transfer unit configured to supply, to a second another control chip positioned on the upstream side, as an interrupt signal from the watchdog timer, an OR signal of an interrupt signal generated by the watchdog timer and an interrupt signal generated by another watchdog timer in a first another control chip positioned on the downstream side.

Abstract: In an electronic apparatus in which a plurality of controller chips are cascade-connected, if an error occurs in a given chip, the present invention allows at least chips on the upstream side of the error chip to share the existence of the error chip. The electronic apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of control chips which are cascade-connected. Each control chip includes a watchdog timer, and a transfer unit configured to supply, to a second another control chip positioned on the upstream side, as an interrupt signal from the watchdog timer, an OR signal of an interrupt signal generated by the watchdog timer and an interrupt signal generated by another watchdog timer in a first another control chip positioned on the downstream side.

Abstract: In an apparatus including a first acquisition unit configured to acquire information of an operation amount of a conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire information of a density of an image printed by a printhead, and a specify unit configured to specify the density of the image based on histogram collection on the information of the density of the image acquired by the second acquisition, the following correction is made. More specifically, a correction value of the information of the operation amount based on a histogram on the acquired information of the operation amount is decided. Then, based on the decided correction value, the acquired information of the operation amount is corrected.

Abstract: The nozzle failure determination result of discharge failure detection does not consider the heater state of a nozzle, so even a nozzle failure caused by nozzle clogging or the like is determined as a failure. The heater state of an abnormal nozzle can be determined only after driving once, causing a nozzle to be damaged unwantedly. This invention has been made to solve this problem. Whether a nozzle failure has occurred is determined based on the results of both a discharge failure detection operation and heater resistance measurement operation. Detection can be achieved quickly by performing heater resistance measurement during the quiescent period in the discharge failure detection operation. When the discharge failure detection operation is executed after heater resistance measurement, driving of an abnormal nozzle and an unwanted damage to a nozzle can be prevented.

Abstract: In an apparatus including a first acquisition unit configured to acquire information of an operation amount of a conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire information of a density of an image printed by a printhead, and a specify unit configured to specify the density of the image based on histogram collection on the information of the density of the image acquired by the second acquisition, the following correction is made. More specifically, a correction value of the information of the operation amount based on a histogram on the acquired information of the operation amount is decided. Then, based on the decided correction value, the acquired information of the operation amount is corrected.

Abstract: This invention corrects a print position error caused by the inclination of the nozzle array of a printhead without decreasing the printing speed. To accomplish this, print data of at least one column in the print medium conveying direction is read out for a predetermined number of bits from print data stored in a first storage unit. Print data of a plurality of columns read out in the reading step is written in a second storage unit which is higher in data input/output speed than the first storage unit, and can input/output data for each bit. It is controlled to read out print data belonging to different groups from a plurality of columns of the second storage unit, edit print data for a plurality of nozzles, and print based on the edited print data.

Abstract: The nozzle failure determination result of discharge failure detection does not consider the heater state of a nozzle, so even a nozzle failure caused by nozzle clogging or the like is determined as a failure. The heater state of an abnormal nozzle can be determined only after driving once, causing a nozzle to be damaged unwantedly. This invention has been made to solve this problem. Whether a nozzle failure has occurred is determined based on the results of both a discharge failure detection operation and heater resistance measurement operation. Detection can be achieved quickly by performing heater resistance measurement during the quiescent period in the discharge failure detection operation. When the discharge failure detection operation is executed after heater resistance measurement, driving of an abnormal nozzle and an unwanted damage to a nozzle can be prevented.

Abstract: In serial data transfer using an LVDS, when the power-down signal of a low voltage differential buffer is controlled using a clock signal used for the transfer as the operation clock of a reception side circuit, the power-down signal and reset signal need to be controlled properly; otherwise, an apparatus operation may become unstable due to an unstable clock signal. To solve this problem, the power-down signal of the low voltage differential buffer is controlled in consideration of the logical condition for a reset signal for the ASIC of a printhead and a communication signal. The clock signal can be supplied into the printhead to de-assert reset of the ASIC without using any dedicated control signal and delay circuit at the timing when an output from the low voltage differential buffer stabilizes.

Abstract: Even when a contact connection failure of electrical connection occurs between a recording head including a recording element substrate, and a recording apparatus, continuous driving of the same heat generating resistive element is suppressed. Blocks in which heat generating resistive elements are not driven are prepared beforehand in a selection target of blocks to be driven in a time-division manner. When an input signal is in a predetermined condition, the block selection target is set to blocks in which heat generating resistive elements are not driven.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for effecting recording by scanningly moving a recording head, wherein the apparatus is provided with a group of a plurality of arrays each including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the group is responsive to one-color recording data, includes selecting means for selecting a block of a predetermined number of the nozzles in the nozzle array in synchronism with cyclic signals; driving means for driving the nozzles in the block selected by the selecting means; managing means for managing information of the block selected by the selecting means, for each group of the nozzle arrays; generating means for generating, for each nozzle array, driving data including information indicative of a block to be selected by the selecting means and block data corresponding to the block, on the basis of the information of the block managed by the managing means; and transfer means for transferring the driving data generated by the generating means to the recording head.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for effecting recording by scanningly moving a recording head, wherein the apparatus is provided with a group of a plurality of arrays each including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the group is responsive to one-color recording data, includes selecting means for selecting a block of a predetermined number of the nozzles in the nozzle array in synchronism with cyclic signals; driving means for driving the nozzles in the block selected by the selecting means; managing means for managing information of the block selected by the selecting means, for each group of the nozzle arrays; generating means for generating, for each nozzle array, driving data including information indicative of a block to be selected by the selecting means and block data corresponding to the block, on the basis of the information of the block managed by the managing means; and transfer means for transferring the driving data generated by the generating means to the recording head.

Abstract: Even when a contact connection failure of electrical connection occurs between a recording head including a recording element substrate, and a recording apparatus, continuous driving of the same heat generating resistive element is suppressed. Blocks in which heat generating resistive elements are not driven are prepared beforehand in a selection target of blocks to be driven in a time-division manner. When an input signal is in a predetermined condition, the block selection target is set to blocks in which heat generating resistive elements are not driven.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for effecting recording by scanningly moving a recording head, wherein the apparatus is provided with a group of a plurality of arrays each including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the group is responsive to one-color recording data, includes selecting means for selecting a block of a predetermined number of the nozzles in the nozzle array in synchronism with cyclic signals; driving means for driving the nozzles in the block selected by the selecting means; managing means for managing information of the block selected by the selecting means, for each group of the nozzle arrays; generating means for generating, for each nozzle array, driving data including information indicative of a block to be selected by the selecting means and block data corresponding to the block, on the basis of the information of the block managed by the managing means; and transfer means for transferring the driving data generated by the generating means to the recording head.

Abstract: This invention corrects a print position error caused by the inclination of the nozzle array of a printhead without decreasing the printing speed. To accomplish this, print data of at least one column in the print medium conveying direction is read out for a predetermined number of bits from print data stored in a first storage unit. Print data of a plurality of columns read out in the reading step is written in a second storage unit which is higher in data input/output speed than the first storage unit, and can input/output data for each bit. It is controlled to read out print data belonging to different groups from a plurality of columns of the second storage unit, edit print data for a plurality of nozzles, and print based on the edited print data.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for effecting recording by scanningly moving a recording head, wherein the apparatus is provided with a group of a plurality of arrays each including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the group is responsive to one-color recording data, includes selecting means for selecting a block of a predetermined number of the nozzles in the nozzle array in synchronism with cyclic signals; driving means for driving the nozzles in the block selected by the selecting means; managing means for managing information of the block selected by the selecting means, for each group of the nozzle arrays; generating means for generating, for each nozzle array, driving data including information indicative of a block to be selected by the selecting means and block data corresponding to the block, on the basis of the information of the block managed by the managing means; and transfer means for transferring the driving data generated by the generating means to the recording head.

Abstract: A method of driving a liquid crystal display device includes: branching original image data having an original data rate into branched plural-systems image data comprising plural systems having a converted data rate that is equal to either said original data rate or a half of said original data rate; supplying a source driver circuit with said branched plural-systems image data in synchronization with at least one clock signal having a clock frequency that is a quarter of said original data rate; and allowing said source driver circuit to further branch said branched plural-systems image data into gray-scale voltage signals. Circuitry for driving the liquid crystal display device may include: a timing controller; a plurality of data bus lines; and a plurality of source driver circuits for incorporating said image data in synchronization with said at least one clock signal and converting said image data into gray-scale voltage signals.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel obtained by adhering upper and lower polarizing plates to upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of an electrode substrate. The upper polarizing plate has a first roughened surface on its outer surface. The first roughened surface is formed for the purpose of antiglare. The lower polarizing plate has a second roughened surface on its outer surface. The second roughened surface is formed to have a surface roughness equivalent to or less than that of the first roughened surface. As a result, a moiré fringe is decreased.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel obtained by adhering upper and lower polarizing plates to upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of an electrode substrate. The upper polarizing plate has a first roughened surface on its outer surface. The first roughened surface is formed for the purpose of antiglare. The lower polarizing plate has a second roughened surface on its outer surface. The second roughened surface is formed to have a surface roughness equivalent to or less than that of the first roughened surface. As a result, a moiré fringe is decreased.

Abstract: There is provided a cold cathode fluorescent lamp including a transparent tube including first and second light-emitting areas defined by partitioning an inner space of the transparent tube, a first terminal electrode positioned in the first light-emitting area and at a longitudinal end of the first light-emitting area located closer to an end of the tube, a second terminal electrode positioned in the second light-emitting area and at a longitudinal end of the second light-emitting area located closer to the other end of the tube, a first intermediate electrode positioned in the first light-emitting area and at the other longitudinal end of the first light-emitting area, a second intermediate electrode positioned in the second light-emitting area and at the other longitudinal end of the second light-emitting area, a first lead-in wire connected to the first terminal electrode through the longitudinal end of the first light-emitting area, a second lead-in wire connected to the second terminal electrode through

Abstract: A circuitry for driving a liquid crystal display device comprises: a timing controller for generating image data and at least a clock signal; a plurality of data bus lines for transmitting the image data and at least a clock signal; and a plurality of source driver circuits for incorporating the image data in synchronizing with the at least a clock signal and converting the image data into gray scale voltage signals, wherein the timing controller includes: a branching unit for branching original image data having an original data rate into branched plural-systems image data comprising plural systems having a converted data rate which is equal to either the original data rate or a half of the original data rate.