Methods, apparatuses, and systems captures image of pre-printed print media information for generating validation image by comparing post-printed image with pre-printed image and improving print quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11941307-B2
Application number	US-202318173463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2023
Priority date	Jan 5, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A method for evaluating a print quality of a printed document that is printed by a printer is provided. The printer comprises a pre-print image scanner, a post-print image scanner, and a printhead disposed between the pre-print image scanner and the post-print image scanner. The method comprises generating a pre-printing image of a print media, generating the printed document, generating a post-printing image of the printed document, generating a validation image by comparing the post-printing image with the pre-printing image, and comparing the validation image with the source image.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for printing an image on print media with a printer, the method comprising:
determining whether a captured image associated with the print media conforms to a reference image associated with print data, wherein the captured image and the reference image comprise two-dimensional images; and
in response to determining that the captured image does not conform to the reference image, removing each of one column from a right vertical edge of the reference image and one row from a bottom horizontal edge of the reference image prior to printing the image on a succeeding print media after the print media.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when determining whether the captured image conforms to the reference image, the method further comprises:
comparing a first horizontal position of the image in the captured image with a second horizontal position of the image in the reference image.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
in response to determining an offset in the first horizontal position of the image in the captured image relative to the second horizontal position of the image in the reference image, shifting at least a part of the print data by a value of the offset to reposition a succeeding image on the print media.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, when shifting at least the part of the print data, the method further comprises:
inserting a margin in a left portion or a right portion of at least the part of the print data.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein, when shifting at least the part of the print data, the method further comprises:
removing a margin in a left portion or a right portion of at least the part of the print data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating a pre-print image based at least in part on scanning the print media prior to the image being printed on the print media by the printer; and
generating a validation image based least in part on subtracting the pre-print image from the captured image.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
comparing the reference image to the validation image; and
in response to determining that the validation image does not conform to the reference image, generating a notice indicating a non-conforming image.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a second captured image of the succeeding print media subsequent to the image being printed on the succeeding print media by the printer;
determining whether the second captured image conforms to the reference image based at least in part on determining whether the second captured image comprises at least one second distortion that is not present in the reference image; and
in response to determining that the second captured image does not conform to the reference image and comprises the at least one second distortion, modifying the print data prior to printing the image on a second succeeding print media after the succeeding print media.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the captured image corresponds to a first two-dimensional barcode.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reference image corresponds to a second two-dimensional barcode.

11. An apparatus for printing an image on print media, the apparatus comprises a processor configured to:
determine whether a captured image associated with the print media conforms to a reference image associated with print data, wherein the captured image and the reference image comprise two-dimensional images; and
in response to determining that the captured image does not conform to the reference image, remove each of one column from a right vertical edge of the reference image and one row from a bottom horizontal edge of the reference image prior to printing the image on a succeeding print media after the print media.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein, when determining whether the captured image conforms to the reference image, the processor is configured to:
compare a first horizontal position of the image in the captured image with a second horizontal position of the image in the reference image.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to determining an offset in the first horizontal position of the image in the captured image relative to the second horizontal position of the image in the reference image, shift at least a part of the print data by a value of the offset to reposition a succeeding image on the print media.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein, when shifting at least the part of the print data, the processor is configured to:
insert a margin in a left portion or a right portion of at least the part of the print data.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein, when shifting at least the part of the print data, the processor is configured to:
remove a margin in a left portion or a right portion of at least the part of the print data.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to:
generate a pre-print image based at least in part on scanning the print media prior to the image being printed on the print media; and
generate a validation image based least in part on subtracting the pre-print image from the captured image.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to:
compare the reference image to the validation image; and
in response to determining that the validation image does not conform to the reference image, generate a notice indicating a non-conforming image.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a second captured image of the succeeding print media subsequent to the image being printed on the succeeding print media;
determine whether the second captured image conforms to the reference image based at least in part on determining whether the second captured image comprises at least one second distortion that is not present in the reference image; and
in response to determining that the second captured image does not conform to the reference image and comprises the at least one second distortion, modify the print data prior to printing the image on a second succeeding print media after the succeeding print media.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the captured image corresponds to a first two-dimensional barcode.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the reference image corresponds to a second two-dimensional barcode.

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Gutierrez Jose Fernando Sanchez
• Schwallie Ronald
• Celinder Thomas Axel Jonas
• Ackley H Sprague

Classifications

• G06F3/1208 Primary

  resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview · CPC title

• G06F3/1243

  Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning · CPC title

• G06F3/1284

  Local printer device · CPC title

• G06K15/027

  Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033) · CPC title

• G06K15/1822

  Analysing the received data before processing · CPC title