Abstract: In one example, a wiper for wiping the face of a movable printhead includes a stationary blade oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel of the printhead and spanning the path of the printhead.

Abstract: A detector device is disclosed for detecting an edge of a medium in a media processing system, the detector device comprising a spectrophotometer and a processing unit, the spectrophotometer scanning a medium in a media processing area and generating an output tuple, the processing unit comparing the output tuple to at least one reference tuple for detecting an edge of a medium. A printing system and method of detecting an edge of a medium in a media processing system are also disclosed.

Abstract: A drive signal may be determined to drive a printhead to a series of target temperatures during respective portions of a print pass by the printhead. Each of the target temperatures may be the greater of a temperature of the printhead caused by printing a quantity of printing fluid to be printed during the respective portion and a predetermined threshold temperature. A drive signal may be provided to warm the printhead to the series of target temperatures during the respective portions of the print pass.

Abstract: A method to select a print mode in which a first image comprising a plurality of pixels is received. Color depth for at least a subset of the plurality of pixels of the first image is determined. A print mode is selected from a plurality of print modes using at least the determined color depth.

Abstract: A cleaning module includes an actuator device, a fluid chamber, and a wiper member. The actuator device may enter an activation state based on a movement of at least a portion of the actuator device in response to an engagement with the printhead. The fluid chamber may store and supply fluid to the porous wipe material in response to the activation state of the actuator device. The wiper member may apply pressure to a porous wipe material including the fluid therein to wipe the printhead.

Abstract: A printer control section arranged to control a printhead, is operable to cause the printhead to: perform a plurality of passes over a swath of a print medium, the plurality of passes including first and second treatment passes; apply treatment to the print medium in each of the treatment passes, the treatment in each treatment pass being applied according to a respective treatment mask, wherein each treatment mask indicates a corresponding set of pixels to which the treatment may be applied in a pass to which the treatment mask is applied, the treatment mask having a weight indicative of the proportion of pixels in the corresponding set of pixels, and the treatment masks of the first and second passes are such that a weight of the first treatment mask is different from a weight of the second treatment mask.

Abstract: A printing device (200) and method for controlling the curing of ink are described. An example printing apparatus has a printing module (230) with at least one printhead for printing a swath of a printed image and a print controller (220) arranged to generate image and print control data for a plurality of swaths. A curing module (270) is arranged to receive, for each of the plurality of one or more swaths, image and print control data and to control, before a printed region of the print medium (250) corresponding to a particular one or more swaths arrives, one or more operating parameters of the curing module (270) based on data values within said image data and printing parameters within said print control data.

Abstract: A method of printing includes identifying vertical edges in a halftone image. The method also includes determining whether a lightness of color of a first predetermined area to a left side of a respective vertical edge is substantially equal to, less than, or greater than the lightness of color of a second predetermined area to a right side of the respective vertical edge. The method also includes categorizing respective vertical edges left vertical edges, right vertical edges, and neutral vertical edges to prioritize a print direction thereof.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of maintaining nozzles in a print-ready condition includes determining image content to be printed in an upcoming print swath, and for each ink color present within the image content, constructing an inked portion of an associated spit bar adjacent to the upcoming print swath to include the present ink color. For each ink color not present within the image content, an empty portion of an associated spit bar is constructed adjacent to the upcoming print swath.

Abstract: In one example, a wiper for wiping the face of a movable printhead includes a stationary blade oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel of the printhead and spanning the path of the printhead.

Abstract: Examples of the method may comprise providing a print media under a printhead of the printing system, obtaining an actual height profile signal, related to a height between the printhead and the print media, based on measurements taken at a plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one pass, comparing said actual height profile signal to an earlier height profile signal, obtained based on measurements taken at said plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one earlier pass on the same print media, and determining a media malfunction condition based on said comparison.

Abstract: An example method for determining an amount of a translucent printing fluid in accordance with the present disclosure is provided. The example method comprises printing a plurality of test patterns with different proportions of colored and translucent printing fluids. The plurality of test patterns comprise a first area and a second area contiguous with the first area, wherein a color of the second area is different from a color of the first area. Migration characteristics of the plurality of test patterns are analyzed to determine an amount of translucent printing fluid to use for a successive printing operation.

Abstract: In one example, a print zone heater includes a structure defining a plenum, a heating element, a fan to move air over the heating element into the plenum, and a conduit from the plenum to carry heated air into the print zone.

Abstract: In one example, a vapor control heater for a printer includes a housing, a heating element at least partially enclosed by the housing, and a fan to move air over the heating element and into a flow of air from the printer dryer.

Abstract: A printer control section arranged to control a printhead, is operable to cause the printhead to: perform a plurality of passes over a swath of a print medium, the plurality of passes including first and second treatment passes; apply treatment to the print medium in each of the treatment passes, the treatment in each treatment pass being applied according to a respective treatment mask, wherein each treatment mask indicates a corresponding set of pixels to which the treatment may be applied in a pass to which the treatment mask is applied, the treatment mask having a weight indicative of the proportion of pixels in the corresponding set of pixels, and the treatment masks of the first and second passes are such that a weight of the first treatment mask is different from a weight of the second treatment mask.

Abstract: A detector device is disclosed for detecting an edge of a medium in a media processing system, the detector device comprising a spectrophotometer and a processing unit, the spectrophotometer scanning a medium in a media processing area and generating an output tuple, the processing unit comparing the output tuple to at least one reference tuple for detecting an edge of a medium. A printing system and method of detecting an edge of a medium in a media processing system are also disclosed.

Abstract: Examples of the method may comprise providing a print media under a printhead of the printing system, obtaining an actual height profile signal, related to a height between the printhead and the print media, based on measurements taken at a plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one pass, comparing said actual height profile signal to an earlier height profile signal, obtained based on measurements taken at said plurality of positions across the width of the media during at least one earlier pass on the same print media, and determining a media malfunction condition based on said comparison.

Abstract: In one example, a print substrate edge holder includes a first part to hold down the edge of a print substrate without covering any part of the substrate in the print zone and a second part overlapping the first part to collect printing fluid dispensed past the edge of the print substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method implemented by a printer to control a fluid firing unit of a printhead, when said printhead is coupled to the printer, to operate according to any one of a normal printing mode and a recovery mode. According to the method, if the fluid firing unit is operated according to the normal printing mode, a first voltage is applied to the fluid firing unit to fire the fluid firing unit during a printing operation; and if the fluid firing unit is operated according to the recovery mode, a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied to the fluid firing unit to clean the fluid firing unit.

Abstract: A method to control a printer carriage in which the printer carriage is controlled to move along a first axis at a first predetermined speed when a printhead, installed on the printer carriage, is ejecting printing fluid in a print zone. The printer carriage is moveable bidirectionally along the first axis in swaths to enable the printhead to print in the print zone. The printer carriage is also controlled to move along the first axis at a second predetermined speed, higher than the first predetermined speed, when the printhead is not ejecting printing fluid in the print zone.