Abstract: A printing method is provided for a printer having a printhead with a plurality of print elements and capable of printing a binary pixel image. The method includes locating defective print elements, determining a camouflage area in the vicinity of pixels that would have to be printed with the defective print elements, and camouflaging the defective print elements by modifying image information in the camouflage area, wherein the camouflaging step is incorporated in a halftoning step in which error diffusion is used for creating the binary pixel image, and comprises a step of modifying an error propagation scheme for the camouflage area.

Abstract: A printer, a computer program and a method are provided for camouflaging defective print elements in the printer having a printhead with a plurality of print elements. The method includes (a) representing the image information to be printed by a multi-level pixel matrix wherein a grey level of each pixel is indicated by a number, (b) transferring the grey levels of pixels that are assigned to a defective print element, to neighboring pixels in the pixel matrix, and (c) converting the pixel matrix having the transferred grey levels, into a bitmap to be printed.

Abstract: A printing device comprising print heads having discharging elements arranged in (a) linear array(s) and a control method thereof is disclosed enabling to overcome or at least reduce the visibility to the human eye of systematic image dot-size variations, i.e. differences in dot-size of printed dots attributable to groups of discharging elements of print heads of the printing device. Therefore, on the basis of the dot-size differences of dots printed by different groups of discharging elements, the print heads and the image-receiving member displacement means are controlled such that in operation, for a given print mask, an optimal number of discharging elements is actually image-wise activated and an optimal displacement distance in the sub scanning direction is determined.

Abstract: A method of camouflaging defective print elements in a printer having a printhead with print elements, and each pixel of the image is assigned to a print element, and image information of a pixel that is assigned to a defective print element shifts to a nearby pixel position capable of printing with a non-defective print element. Shifting the image information includes the steps of a) encoding the image information to be printed as a multi-level pixel matrix in which one of a predetermined set of pixel values (“0”, “1”, “2”) is assigned to each pixel and at least one of the pixel values is a conditional pixel value (“1”) encoding a print instruction that depends upon whether or not a neighbouring pixel corresponds to a defective print element, b) determining defective print elements of the printer, and c) executing the print instruction.

Abstract: A printing method is provided for a printer having a printhead with a plurality of print elements and capable of printing a binary pixel image. The method includes locating defective print elements, determining a camouflage area in the vicinity of pixels that would have to be printed with the defective print elements, and camouflaging the defective print elements by modifying image information in the camouflage area, wherein the camouflaging step is incorporated in a halftoning step in which error diffusion is used for creating the binary pixel image, and comprises a step of modifying an error propagation scheme for the camouflage area.

Abstract: A method of camouflaging defective print elements in a printer having a printhead with print elements, and each pixel of the image is assigned to a print element, and image information of a pixel that is assigned to a defective print element shifts to a nearby pixel position capable of printing with a non-defective print element. Shifting the image information includes the steps of a) encoding the image information to be printed as a multi-level pixel matrix in which one of a predetermined set of pixel values (“0”, “1”, “2”) is assigned to each pixel and at least one of the pixel values is a conditional pixel value (“1”) encoding a print instruction that depends upon whether or not a neighbouring pixel corresponds to a defective print element, b) determining defective print elements of the printer, and c) executing the print instruction.

Abstract: A printer, a computer program and a method are provided for camouflaging defective print elements in the printer having a printhead with a plurality of print elements. The method includes (a) representing the image information to be printed by a multi-level pixel matrix wherein a grey level of each pixel is indicated by a number, (b) transferring the grey levels of pixels that are assigned to a defective print element, to neighbouring pixels in the pixel matrix, and (c) converting the pixel matrix having the transferred grey levels, into a bitmap to be printed.

Abstract: A printer and a method for printing a receiving material with such a printer, wherein the printer is provided with a printhead with a number of print elements from which individual ink drops can be transferred to a receiving material in accordance with a pattern, wherein the printer uses hot melt ink and also contains a selection means for the selection for a specific degree of gloss based on the selection of the pattern to be generated, which pattern is such that the ink acquires the said degree of gloss on the receiving material.

Abstract: A printing device comprising print heads having discharging elements arranged in (a) linear array(s) and a control method thereof is disclosed enabling to overcome or at least reduce the visibility to the human eye of systematic image dot-size variations, i.e. differences in dot-size of printed dots attributable to groups of discharging elements of print heads of the printing device. Therefore, on the basis of the dot-size differences of dots printed by different groups of discharging elements, the print heads and the image-receiving member displacement means are controlled such that in operation, for a given print mask, an optimal number of discharging elements is actually image-wise activated and an optimal displacement distance in the sub scanning direction is determined.

Abstract: A printer and a method for printing a receiving material with such a printer, wherein the printer is provided with a printhead with a number of print elements from which individual ink drops can be transferred to a receiving material in accordance with a pattern, wherein the printer uses hot melt ink and also contains a selection means for the selection for a specific degree of gloss based on the selection of the pattern to be generated, which pattern is such that the ink acquires the said degree of gloss on the receiving material.