Abstract: Control circuit 30 determines whether or not all ink cartridges CA1 through CA6 are attached in the home position based on cartridge out signals COO. Control circuit 30 carries out communication with memory devices 21 through 26 and determines the presence or absence of communication malfunctions. When a communication malfunction develops in one of memory devices 21 through 26, control circuit 30 determines if a communication malfunction is caused by ink cartridge 30 being detached and identifies detached ink cartridge CA using identifying information. When all of ink cartridges CA1 through CA6 are attached, control circuit 30 determines which of memory devices 21 through 26 has developed a communication malfunction and identifies ink cartridge CA in which a communication malfunction has developed using identifying information.

Abstract: A high quality image is obtained by decreasing color aberration and image blurring accompanying the temperature rise in an image forming apparatus while escaping the rise of costs and the increase of the size thereof. A DSP samples a surface image of a transferring belt or a transferring material at a fixed period with a CMOS sensor, and the DSP takes the sampled image into an inner buffer and stores it in an image memory. Next, the DSP performs the comparison operation of the image taken in by the sampling and an image on the image memory that has been sampled at last sampling in advance with an image comparison processing part. Next, the DSP detects a shifted amount of the image in the conveyance direction of the transferring material or the transferring belt. Thereby, it is introduced how many pixels of the last sampled image has shifted in the conveyance direction at the time of the next sampling, and then the movement rate is calculated on the sampling time.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a technique that flexibly determines compatibility of an ink cartridge with a printing apparatus with high accuracy. The ink cartridge has a storage element that stores therein compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with the ink cartridge. The printing apparatus collates information of a selected printer driver with the compatible driver information and determines compatibility of the ink cartridge with the printer driver. The printer driver changes over the method of generating print data, based on the compatible driver information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a sensed device having indicia that is capable of being sensed positioned adjacent to a movable print device, and at least first and second indicia sensors carried by the movable print device in spaced relation to one another.

Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a method and apparatus for adjusting the height of a platform having a substrate thereon in order to adjust the distance between the substrate and an ink-jet print head located above is provided. In other embodiments, an apparatus for the step-wise conveyance of materials is provided. It comprises a support structure for the material being conveyed and movable and fixed elements for applying forces for temporarily engaging the conveyed material to the support structure.

Abstract: In a sheet output system with a stacking tray for accumulating, registering, and stacking on top of preceding sheets in a superposed set stack the printed sheets sequentially individually outputted by a reproduction system; a low force sheet hole punching system integral the output stacking tray for punching holes through only one individual sheet at a time on top of the set stack, before the next sequential sheet is so registered and stacked, with all of the sheets having underlying commonly superposed sheet holes.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet print head includes a temperature regulation system. The print head preferably includes a thermal inkjet print head and an array or array of Peltier devices in proximity to the thermal inkjet print head such that the array of Peltier devices can raise or lower the temperature of the thermal inkjet print head or components thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for testing the operational status of printhead nozzles. High throughput drop detection devices are used to detected ink drops that are fired from the printhead nozzles, and the operational status is determined from the ink drop characteristics. The ink drop characteristics may include the presence or absence of an ink drop. Ink drop characteristics may also include the size and the location of an ink drop. The drop detection devices are capable of detecting a plurality of ink drops that are ejected substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: Circuit board 10 is of substantially rectangular shape, provided in the upper half of the juxtaposed face 13 with a substantially circular test terminal 20. In the lower half are provided a plurality of substantially rectangular terminals 21-27, arrayed in two rows, i.e., an upper and lower row, the upper row containing an I/O terminal 21 for data input/output, a power supply terminal 22 for supplying power, and a chip select terminal 23 for input of a chip select signal CS. The lower row of juxtaposed face 13 contains a ground terminal 24, a read/write terminal 25 for inputting read/write control signals W/R, a clock terminal 26 for inputting a clock signal CLK, and a ground terminal 27.

Abstract: In a printing system with multiple printheads, a spot of ink is created on a recording medium using up to N drops of ink fired from an ejector of one of the printheads. Each printhead has an array of ejectors. A single power supply drives the ejectors of the multiple printheads. Each of the printheads delivers a single color such as cyan, magenta, yellow, or black. A memory, which is coupled to the multiple printheads, records a printfile. Values in the printfile record channel values. Each channel value specifies how many drops of ink to deliver onto the recording medium over a spot cycle. The spot cycles of the multiple printheads, which consist of one to N actuation intervals, are desynchronized by operating the spot cycles out of phase with each other. The spot cycles of two printheads, for example, are desynchronized by beginning the spot cycle of one printhead a non-multiple of N drops prior to beginning the spot cycle of the other printhead.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inkjet multifunction device having a function of attempting to correct malfunctioning nozzles. The inkjet multifunction device includes a printing unit for printing a test pattern, a scanner for scanning the printed test pattern, and a control unit for determining whether respective nozzles in the printing unit malfunction based on the scanned test pattern. The control unit controls the printing unit in order for the nozzles determined as malfunctioned to perform spitting. The determination on whether the nozzles malfunction and the purging of the nozzles are repeatedly performed by the predetermined number of times, and the test step stops if it is determined that all the nozzles normally operate after the repetition operation. Paper and ink can be saved since the purging is selectively performed only on nozzles deemed to be malfunctioning, and meaningless testing and purging operations are prevented from occurring in the case of where there is an absence of malfunctioning nozzles.

Abstract: A method, a computer readable medium and an apparatus for modifying a printing process in response to an environmental condition received via a network. In the method, the environmental condition is received via the network and the printing process is modified in response to the environmental condition. In the computer readable medium, software embedded in the medium includes executable code to perform the above mentioned method. In the apparatus, a printing device is configured to apply a colorant to a print medium and a controller is configured to modify the printing device based on the environmental condition received via the network.

Abstract: A method of calculating at least a component of ink drop velocity in an ink jet printer includes jetting at least one first ink drop from a printhead firing plane. It is detected when the first ink drop is a first predetermined distance away from a reference plane. A first time period between the jetting and the detecting of the first ink drop is measured. At least one second ink drop is jetted from the printhead firing plane. It is detected when the second ink drop is a second predetermined distance away from the reference plane. A second time period between the jetting and the detecting of the second ink drop is measured. A difference between the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance is divided by a difference between the first time period and the second time period.

Abstract: A printing device includes a print unit for printing data. In each printing procedure, the printer separates at least a printing division from a path that the print unit passes through in the printing procedure and determines if the path includes a non-printing division according to the print data. The printer controls the print unit to move at a first velocity and print the document when the print unit passes through the printing division. If the path includes a non-printing division, the printer controls the print unit to stop printing the document and to move at a second velocity within the non-printing division when the print unit passes through the non-printing division.

Abstract: A method for determining ink drop velocity of a printhead located at a gap above a print medium. A first ink mark is printed at a first printhead velocity. A second ink mark is printed at a different (in magnitude and/or direction) second printhead velocity. The ink for the second ink mark is ejected from the printhead at the same print ejection position used for the first ink mark plus a predetermined offset distance (if any). The distance between the ink marks is measured. The ink drop velocity is calculated using the measured distance, the predetermined offset distance, the first and second printhead velocities, and the predetermined gap. In another method, an ink mark is printed, a distance is measured between the ink mark and the ink-ejection position, and the ink drop velocity is calculated using the measured distance, the printhead velocity, and the gap.

Abstract: An ink detection sensor for an ink jet printer includes two terminals defining a substantially linear gap therebetween. An ink support device supports ink in the gap between the terminals. An electrical measuring device detects a change in an electrical resistance between the terminals when ink is supported in the gap by the ink support device.

Abstract: Overall print quality is improved via a method whereby an actual image is printed, a virtual image is defined based on image data, and the actual and virtual images are compared to identify a printhead error pattern which may be used to correct subsequent printing errors. This typically is accomplished via a system which employs an optical device which views an actual image to produce optical data, and a controller which derives a virtual image from image data provided to the printhead. The controller then compares the actual and virtual images to identify an error pattern, and modifies subsequent image data to compensate for perceived errors.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus is provided which can prevent a discharged paper-induced smear efficiently with a simple construction. To achieve this objective, the ink jet printing apparatus of this invention determines, based on an amount of ink ejected per unit area onto a preceding print medium last discharged to the discharge position by the discharging section, a required time duration that needs to elapse before a subsequent print medium being discharged toward the discharge position is allowed to contact a predetermined area of the preceding print medium and then controls a printing speed on the subsequent print medium so that the subsequent print medium will not contact the predetermined area of the preceding print medium within the time duration determined.

Abstract: In a calibration data input process, a carriage 5 is moved toward an ink sensor 19 to a prescribed position while the ink sensor 19 detecting levels of reflected light. Then the amount of reflected light is read for over a range wider than the width of the carriage 5 including a theoretical detecting position P2. An actual detecting position P1 is found based on the level of reflected light. The difference between the theoretical detecting position P2 and the actual detecting position P1 is calculated and is stored as the calibration value &agr; in a first calibration data memory M1. Accordingly, the actual detecting position P1 is set as P2±&agr;. The calibration value &agr; is used in a calibration process to calibrate the detecting position, so that the level of reflected light can be detected with accuracy.

Abstract: A method of controlling an image processing condition comprises: a first step of inputting a first test image on a recording sheet, and performing first calibration that determines an image processing condition based on a density of the first test image; a second step of automatically forming a second test image, measuring a density thereof, and performing second calibration that determines the image processing condition based on the measured density, a third step of receiving the image processing condition, calibrating the received condition and an engine characteristic at first calibration time, and storing a calibrated result, and a fourth step of correcting, at the second calibration and the image processing condition storage, the stored condition based on the calibrated and stored engine characteristic and the measured engine characteristic. Thus, a printing characteristic can be stabilized as a user's load is reduced by combining plural calibrations.