Abstract: A fluid ejection device that ejects fluid from an ejection port includes: a drive element that ejects fluid in accordance with a difference between voltages applied to a first terminal and a second terminal; a drive voltage waveform storing unit that stores a drive voltage waveform applied to the drive element; a plurality of power supplies each having a different voltage; and a drive voltage waveform applying unit that applies the drive voltage waveform to the drive element by switching among the plurality of power supplies connected to the first and second terminals of the drive element.

Abstract: A motor control device includes: a first motor that provides a driving force for rotating a roll on which a roll paper is wound to supply the roll paper from the roll; a second motor that provides a driving force for driving a transport driving roller which is provided on a downstream side than the roll along a supply direction of the roll paper and used for transporting the roll paper; a load measuring unit that measures a relationship between a load on the first motor and a driving speed of the first motor when the second motor is not driven and the first motor is driven; and a motor control unit that simultaneously drives the first and second motors at a certain timing, provides to the first motor an interpolation output based on the measurement result of the load measurement unit and a driving speed of the second motor during the control, and transports the roll paper to the downstream side by driving the second motor.

Abstract: When recording with the use of a multi-pass recording method, the order in which a specific ink and the other inks are applied in layers is controlled while preventing the multiple recording scans (passes) from becoming unnecessary uneven in terms of the ink recording permission ratio, and also, the ratio with which the specific ink is permitted to be applied to each unit pixel is determined for each recording scan (pass), based on the information (for example, CMYK information, RGB information, etc.) regarding the specific ink and the other inks, which are to be applied to each unit pixel. Therefore, it is possible to change the recording scan(s), to which the application of the specific ink is concentrated, based on the application conditions for the specific ink and the other inks, and therefore, it is possible to change the ratio with which the specific ink is applied before or after the other inks are applied.

Abstract: A scanner, an image forming apparatus and a motor control method of the scanner and the image forming apparatus. The motor control method includes scanning a test image formed on a document, calculating an actual speed of a scan head moved by the motor using the scanned test image, calculating a matrix representing a relation between a driving signal to drive the motor and the calculated actual speed of the scan head, and renewing the driving signal using an inverse matrix to the calculated matrix to correct the actual speed of the scan head.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a motor that drives an object to be driven; a detection unit that detects the speed of the object to be driven; and a control unit that controls driving of the motor based on a speed profile including an acceleration range, a constant-speed range, and a deceleration range, and determines that the speed of the object to be driven is abnormal when the difference between the detection speed of the detection unit and the speed of the speed profile exceeds a threshold value, wherein a first threshold value is set in the constant-speed range, and a second threshold value, which is higher than the first threshold value, is set in at least a portion of the acceleration range and the deceleration range.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid, a hollow needle that communicates with the liquid ejection head, a moving mechanism that moves the hollow needle or a liquid cartridge such that the hollow needle penetrates a sealing member of the liquid cartridge, a reader that reads a data stored in a memory, and a controller that controls a speed of the hollow needle relative to the sealing member based on the data read by the reader.

Abstract: A nail print apparatus includes a print head and a display control unit. The print head performs printing on a plurality of fingernails. The display control unit distinguishes between an under-printing fingernail and a not-under-printing fingernail to display the fingernails. The under-printing fingernail is a fingernail under printing performed by the print head. The not-under-printing fingernail is a fingernail not under printing performed by the print head.

Abstract: A drop emitting device that includes a drop generator, a drive signal including a plurality of fire intervals applied to the drop generator, wherein the drive signal includes in each fire interval a bi-polar drop firing waveform or a non-firing waveform.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes an electrolytic capacitor for stabilizing the head power source voltage, a transistor for charging the electrolytic capacitor, a transistor for discharging the electrolytic capacitor, a push-pull circuit, a resistor for controlling the charging/discharging current to the electrolytic capacitor, and a resistor for dividing the head power source voltage. The power supply to the head is turned on with the head power source voltage increased by the capacitor.

Abstract: A printer control unit (3) is described for controlling the size of droplets emitted by a nozzle of a printhead (8) in an inkjet printer. The control unit (3) receives information about an image to be printed by the printer, for example from a raster image processor (5), the information including droplet size information regarding the size of droplet required to be emitted by the nozzle to print the image. Print parameter information for printing the image is determined on the basis of the received droplet size information, the print parameter information including information for use in setting the printer such that droplets emitted by the nozzle during the printing of the image have the required droplet size.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a storing portion configured to store first image data based on which recording is performed on one of recording surfaces of a recording medium and second image data based on which the recording is performed on the other surface; a first density adjusting section configured to make an adjustment to a recording density for at least part of the first image data on the basis of an input of a user; a second density adjusting section configured to make an adjustment to a recording density for at least part of the second image data, the adjustment being reverse to the adjustment by the first density adjusting section; and a recording section configured to perform the recording on the basis of the first image data adjusted by the first density adjusting section and the second image data adjusted by the second density adjusting section.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an image translation device are described herein. The image translation device may include a navigation sensor defining a sensor coordinate system askew to a body coordinate system defined by a body of the image translation device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a method for operating a printing system with variable laydown, including providing the system with print job information, selecting an ink laydown based on the print job information, generating firing instructions for the printing system based on the ink laydown, and printing an image on a substrate at the ink laydown.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system controls an ink droplet mass by regulating a pressure in an ink reservoir. The printing system includes an ink reservoir, an air pressure device, an ink ejection device, and a controller. The ink reservoir is configured to contain a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The air pressure device is fluidly coupled to the air space above the supply of ink. The ink ejection device is fluidly coupled to the ink reservoir to receive ink from the supply of ink and to eject ink droplets onto an image receiving surface. The controller is coupled to the air pressure device and is configured to activate the air pressure device selectively to change a mass of the ink droplets ejected by the ink ejection device.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing by applying heat energy to a recording medium uses a single logic circuit arrangement to enable operating in a plurality of print modes, and enables easily changing the control logic of each print mode to afford high quality printing. Heating elements apply heat energy to the recording medium. A heating element drive circuit is provided for each heating element to drive a particular heating element. A printing control unit 13 supplies predetermined drive signals to the heating element drive circuits based on pixel printing data input from an external source. The printing control unit 13 comprises a configuration registration unit 36 for storing predetermined value groups corresponding to the drive signal supply patterns so that the value groups can be changed.

Abstract: In a method of operating a printer, a release agent application system is operated to conserve release agent. The method of operation rotates the image receiving member that receives the release agent at a slower speed to reduce the amount of release agent applied to the image receiving member at select times. Thus, the release agent supply in the release agent application system lasts longer. For every page that is preceded by this method of image receiving member preparation, image gloss is increased and simplex and duplex image transfer efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A barcode on a medium is received. It is determined whether misalignment of a printhead of the printer is present based on bars in the barcode.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and an inkjet printing method are provided that can a high-quality image without uneven glossiness and the like, without increasing the consumption of treatment liquid. The number of times of scans for applying treatment liquid to an image formed by a group of pigment inks with a large contact angle relative to treatment liquid is made to be smaller than the number of time of scans for applying treatment liquid to an image formed by a group of pigment inks with a small contact angle relative to treatment liquid.

Abstract: In a recording control system, the selecting unit selects at least one pixel from among the pixels in the detection region such that a number of the selected at least one pixel is smaller than a total number of the pixels in the detection region. The determining unit determines whether a pixel value of the selected pixel satisfies a criterion. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data of the first region while scanning in the first direction. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data of the second region adjacent to the first region while scanning in the first direction when the pixel value of the selected at least one pixel satisfies the criterion. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data of the second region while scanning in the second direction when the pixel value of the selected pixel does not satisfy the criterion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print head provided with a plurality of discharge ports, a scanning unit configured to cause the print head to scan the same printing region on a recording medium a number of times, a generation unit configured to generate image forming data for each of scans, based on image information that has been input, and an image forming unit configured to perform image forming by discharging inks from the discharge ports on the recording medium according to the image forming data generated by the generation unit. The generation unit includes a division unit configured to divide the image information, while controlling division coefficients, using each of the discharge ports as the reference based on the division coefficients, and a quantization unit configured to quantize each of image information divided by the division unit.

Abstract: There are provided n number of line-type inkjet nozzles (2) which include nozzles (4) that eject a liquid material and are arranged in a row, and which are arranged in parallel with each other so that positions of the nozzles (4) are shifted from each other by 1/n of a nozzle pitch (P1). Thus, an inkjet head (1) as a whole has a state equivalent to a state in which the nozzles (4) are arranged at 1/n of a nozzle pitch of one line-type inkjet nozzle (2). The inkjet head (1) is capable of adjusting a timing of ejecting the liquid material for each line-type inkjet nozzle (2). Accordingly, adjustment of a dot pitch such as fine coating and rough coating can be performed with ease.

Abstract: A method of using an inkjet printer to print an input digital image containing at least one color channel having a plurality of rows and columns of pixels sampled at a first resolution, each pixel having a code value, includes partitioning the input digital image into a set of spatially non-overlapping blocks; computing an average code value for each block responsive to the pixels in the input digital image that correspond to the block; computing an image quality score for each block responsive to the average code value for that block; determining a print mode in response to the image quality scores for the set of blocks; and printing the image on the inkjet printer using the print mode.

Abstract: The operation accuracy of a printing unit is improved in a printing apparatus. To accomplish this, a motor driving apparatus comprise a brushless motor including coils of a plurality of phases, and a plurality of detection units that output voltages in accordance with rotation of a rotor, a driving unit that drives the brushless motor by switching a current supply destination between the coils of the plurality of phases based on a control signal, and a generation unit that generates the control signal based on addition results of detection signals output from the plurality of detection units, and correction signals based on differences between a predetermined voltage corresponding to a rotation angle of the rotor and voltages corresponding to the rotation angle of the rotor that are obtained from the plurality of detection units.

Abstract: A printer-side controller of a printer repeats transmission of connection confirmation data while response data is received in response to the connection confirmation data. A device-side controller of the connectable device forward the connection confirmation data which is received after transmission of the response data to another connectable device connected thereto. Further, when the printer-side controller confirms connection with any of the plurality of connectable devices by receiving the response data, the device-side controller of the connectable device for which the connection is confirmed stores in the device-side identifier storage memory the identifier corresponding to the position of the connectable device, which is stored in the printer-side identifier storage memory of the printer.

Abstract: Provided is a print position control method whereby displacement of a print position in a wide range can be corrected very accurately, without reducing a printing speed or increasing a manufacturing cost. Thus, a printing apparatus includes: a first correction unit, for correcting a print position at accuracy equal to the resolution of the printing apparatus; and a second correction unit, for correcting the print position at accuracy higher than the resolution and in the range of an area that corresponds to one pixel of the resolution. With this arrangement, the print position displacement in a wide range equal to or greater than one pixel can be corrected by the first correction unit, and a print position displacement smaller than one pixel can be corrected by the second correction unit. Therefore, correction of a print position displacement in a wide range is enabled at a higher accuracy.

Abstract: A solid ink printer is configured to learn the identity of solid ink sticks for printer operation. The solid ink printer includes a feed channel having an insertion opening configured to receive solid ink sticks, a sensor positioned near the insertion opening of the feed channel and configured to obtain solid ink stick type data from a solid ink stick inserted into the insertion opening of the feed channel, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor to receive the solid ink stick type data, the controller being configured to store the solid ink stick type data in a memory in response to an initialization signal and to operate the solid ink printer with reference to the solid ink stick type data stored in the memory by the controller.

Abstract: An image input/output control apparatus includes a control device for controlling input/output of image data with an external apparatus, plural image processing devices for performing predetermined image processes to the image data, and plural data transfer devices for connecting each of the plural image processing devices and the control device like a ring and performing data transfer among them. The plural image processing devices and the control device are composed respectively on different units, whereby the structure of the apparatus can be easily changed, and a decrease in processing speed due to the competition for buses can be reduced without increasing the number of parts necessary for bus control.

Abstract: An image recording device for recording an image by an interlace system of scanning a specified region repeatedly with use of an ink-jet head having a configuration of a plurality of nozzle heads arranged in a sub-scanning direction, the nozzle head including multiple ink discharged discharge nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus records a plurality of measuring patterns on a recording medium. Each measuring pattern is constituted by dots spaced from one another on the recording medium, or by dots contacting one another, forming lines spaced from one another on the recording medium. Further, the measuring patterns have gravity centers are almost identical in position on the recording medium. Hence, the relative record shifts of the measuring patterns recorded by recording element arrays, respectively, can be decreased.

Abstract: A recording element substrate which is provided with a first recording element group and a second recording element group, each group including a plurality of recording elements.

Abstract: The invention discloses a process for printing of panel-shaped workpieces, in particular in the region of an edge, in which a section of a panel-shaped workpiece to be printed is subjected first of all to one or a plurality of pre-treatment stages which are selected from a) pre-cleaning, b) degreasing, c) improvement of the adhesion and wetting properties and d) reduction of the electrostatic charge, and in which the pre-treated section to be printed is subsequently printed with a desired pattern, in particular by means of inkjet printing. The invention also provides an apparatus for performing said process.

Abstract: A print controller is provided for generating dot data, which specifies a dot formation state and which is to be provided to a printing unit. The printing unit is configured to execute, based on the dot data, dot-forming operations to form dots in dot rows extending in a prescribed direction by moving a print head in the prescribed direction while ejecting ink droplets from nozzles in the print head and to print an image by repeatedly executing the dot-forming operation to form a plurality of dot rows juxtaposed in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The print controller includes: a printing width determining unit; a density data generating unit; and a dot data generating unit. The printing width determining unit determines a printing width value corresponding to a working distance of the print head in the prescribed direction.

Abstract: A printer including a printing section with a printing head is disclosed. The printer head includes a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge liquid on a medium at a pass resolution. The printing section being configured to determine the maximum pass number N required to repeatedly move the printing head to print on a section of the medium at a desired resolution. The desired resolution is greater than the pass resolution. The printing section is further configured to determine which passes of N will be designated to discharge the liquid from each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, and whether or not an idle pass is required for each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. When an idle pass is required for each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, the printing section is configured to modify the maximum divided pass number N to divided pass number M, M being less than N.

Abstract: An apparatus for communicating with an RFID tag having a feeding device that feeds a tag tape including an RFID tag circuit element having an IC circuit part and a tag antenna. The RFID circuit element is disposed on one side area along a width direction. To produce an RFID label a fixed inkjet head applies color printing to the one side area and a thermal head prints on another side area along the width direction. An apparatus antenna transmits and receives information to/from the RFID tag circuit element.

Abstract: A recording medium detection unit is provided on the upper stream side of a carrier mechanism in a carrier route and detects at least the front and back ends in a carrier direction of a recording medium. A nozzle array control unit controls the drive of a plurality of nozzles on the basis of job information reported by a higher-order device and the detection information of the front and back ends by the recording medium detection unit and enables the plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process for inject ink only an area in the range between the front and back ends of the recording medium. A control unit receives image data and also notifies the higher-order device of the stoppage of image data transfer according to the detection of the back end of the recording medium by the recording medium detection unit.

Abstract: An ink-droplet detecting unit detects a spray state of an ink droplet sprayed from an ink-droplet spray head. The ink-droplet detecting unit includes a light-emitting element, a light-emitting element holder, a light-receiving element, a light-receiving element holder, and a base member. The light-emitting element holder is attached to the base member in a rotatable manner. The light-receiving element holder is attached to the base member in a slidable manner in a direction perpendicular to a rotation direction of the light-emitting element holder. The ink-droplet detecting unit is attached to a main body of the inkjet recording apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a data sheet includes a pattern forming unit configured to form a predetermined pattern on the data sheet; a pattern reading unit configured to apply a process liquid to the data sheet on which the predetermined pattern is formed by the pattern forming unit, and to read the predetermined pattern on the data sheet after applying the process liquid; an expansion and contraction amount calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of expansion or contraction of the predetermined pattern read by the pattern reading unit; and an image data expansion and contraction unit configured to expand or contract image data depending on the amount of expansion or contraction calculated by the expansion and contraction calculation unit.

Abstract: A disclosed method for setting multiple tones in a halftone process upon recording an image using ink includes the steps of: dividing the image into plural dot areas; and setting the multiple tones such that at least one dot area to which the ink is not attached is present between dot areas to which the ink is attached.

Abstract: A cradle unit for a printhead cartridge is provided having a support bay for removably receiving the printhead cartridge, and an interface mounted on a slanted face within the support bay, the interface comprising connections which are movably tilted on said slanted face so as to be exposed within the support bay for connection with connections of the printhead cartridge when received in the support bay. The connections of the interface connect the printhead cartridge with a power supply which is remote from the interface.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle. A head movement section moves the liquid ejecting head in a movement direction. A controller controls a movement ejection operation that ejects the liquid from the nozzle while moving the liquid ejecting head in the movement direction. If there is satisfied a decision condition that indicates that the ejection rate is excessive, the controller causes the number movement ejection operations related to a certain range to be larger than if the decision condition were not satisfied. With respect to second liquid being higher in viscosity than first liquid, the controller determines the number movement ejection operations related to the above-mentioned certain range by the above-mentioned decision condition determined as excess of the above-mentioned ejection rate at an ejection rate being smaller than that of the first liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an inkjet head driving apparatus. The inkjet head driving apparatus includes a multi pulse generator that receives a trigger signal, and converts and outputs the trigger signal into a multi pulse signal; an amplifier that amplifies the multi pulse signal output from the multi pulse generator; and a controller that controls the number of pulses of the multi pulse signal generated from the multi pulse generator.

Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of performing printing and cutting operations is presented. The printing apparatus including a supporting member for supporting a medium, an ink head comprising a nozzle for discharging ultraviolet light curable ink onto the medium and coupled to the guide rail in a freely moveable manner for moving the ink head in the second direction, a cutting head comprising a cutter for cutting the medium and coupled to the guide rail in a freely moveable manner for moving the cutting head in the second direction, and an ultraviolet light irradiation device coupled to the ink head for irradiating ultraviolet light onto the ultraviolet light curable ink discharged on the medium during the printing operation, wherein at least a portion of the medium is irradiated by the ultraviolet light after a region of the recording medium is cut by the cutter.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided in which information about an ink amount ejected on each of unit areas into which a preceding print medium is divided and information about a size of a following print medium are acquired. A delay time for delaying a printing operation for the following print medium is set based on the information about the ink amount ejected on unit areas which are decided among the divided unit areas according to the information about the size of the following print medium.

Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.

Abstract: A storage device electrically connected to a host circuit includes a data receiving unit, determination unit, and a data transmitting unit. The data receiving unit receives data including first data which are to be written in a memory array and second data which are generated based on the first data from the host circuit. The determination unit determines consistency between the first data and the second data. The data transmitting unit transmits a result of the determination to the host circuit.

Abstract: Ink-jet recording apparatus including carriage movable between first and second stationary members, cap movable between first position for covering nozzles of recording head mounted on the carriage and positioned near the first stationary member, and second position spaced from the first position, abutment portion movable by the carriage moving in first direction to move the cap to the first position, and control device for moving the carriage in second direction for abutment onto the second stationary member, setting this position of abutment as provisional point of origin of the carriage, moving the carriage in the first direction for abutment of the carriage onto the abutment portion at a speed lower than a speed of movement of the carriage before the abutment, further moving the carriage for abutment onto the first stationary member, and setting this position of abutment as point of origin of the carriage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a base member where a plurality of recording heads is provided, the recording heads being configured to jet liquid drops onto a recording medium; a carriage configured to elevatably support the base member; and an elevating part configured to elevate the base member relative to the carriage, wherein the elevating part is a plurality of slide cam members provided movably in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a carriage including image forming units, the carriage driven reciprocally in a main scanning direction; a conveyance unit to convey a sheet of recording media to a position where the image forming units perform image formation; a first detector provided to the carriage, the first detector including a light emitting part and a light receiving part to periodically detect a surface of the sheet; a calculation unit to calculate a relative amount of movement between the sheet and the image forming units by comparing patterns periodically detected by the first detector; and a control unit to control a timing to perform image formation by the image forming units and an amount of conveyance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit based on a result calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a high-resolution, small-size, low-cost driving device includes a clock signal generating unit configured to receive a first clock signal of a differential signaling system and generate a second clock signal, an input unit configured to input a data signal which includes first information and second information, a first timing generating unit configured to select an edge of the second clock signal based on the first information and to generate a first signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge a second timing generating unit configured to select edge of the second clock signal based on the second information and to generate a second signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge, a logical circuit configured to generate a pulse signal based on the first and second signals, and a driving element configured to drive a driven element using the pulse signal.

Abstract: An objective is to provide an inkjet print apparatus and an inkjet print method capable of a print without concentration unevenness. To achieve the objective, in a multiple-pass print using mask patterns each having low-print-percentage areas and high-print-percentage areas, the print-percentage difference between high-print-percentage areas and low-print-percentage areas is cancelled out in left-edge and right-edge parts of an image to be printed.