Abstract: The system and methods described maintain composite color print integrity of an inoperative ink-jet. The methods may include a computing device and a printer to obtain the print job and reconstruct a pixel bitmap. The methods may also include a sensor configured to generate output signals associated with the individual ink-jets located in the print-head to indicate inoperative ink-jets and help compensate for those ink-jets.

Abstract: A method of compensating for a defective inkjet in an inkjet printer has been developed. A controller identifies pixels in binary image data corresponding to the defective inkjet. The controller identifies alternative pixel locations for non-defective inkjets to print ink drops proximate to the locations of the defective pixels. When a total overlap parameter value identified in a region of image data around the pixels from the defective inkjet exceeds a predetermined value, the controller changes the alternative pixel location for at least one ink drop to reduce overlap and improve image quality.

Abstract: A method for image correction compensates for a defective inkjet in a printhead by distributing compensation values to other image data locations in an image data memory. The method includes searching image data stored in an image data array to detect one or more edges in the image data, modifying an ordered sequence search to search for compensation candidate positions in image data array positions proximate a defective inkjet image data array position in response to an edge being detected proximate to the defective inkjet image data array position, searching the image data array positions proximate the defective inkjet image data array position in accordance with the modified ordered sequence, identifying a compensation candidate image data array position to which a compensation image value can be moved, and moving the compensation image value to the identified compensation candidate image data array position.