Modifying image data to compensate for defective printer nozzles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12311680-B2
Application number	US-202318320107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2023
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method for addressing a defective printer nozzle among a plurality of printer nozzles, the method comprising:
obtaining image data that is to be used to print an image formed of raster rows and raster columns on a medium in accordance with a print mask that maps to defective printer nozzle to a pixel at a first location; and
modifying the image data such that the pixel is printed by another printer nozzle of the plurality of printer nozzles at a second location that is different than the first location,
wherein the other printer nozzle is able to eject ink in the same raster rows as the defective printer nozzle but in opposite odd or even positions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location partially intersects the first location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said obtaining comprises:
receiving the image data from a computer or other host device that is separate from a printer of which the plurality of printer nozzles are a part.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of printer nozzles are included in a printhead, and wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting the modified image data to a memory internal to the printhead, for use by the plurality of printer nozzles in printing the image.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing the image to be printed using the modified image data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the other printer nozzle is randomly selected from among one or more printer nozzles, of the plurality of printer nozzles, that are partially complementary to the defective printer nozzle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enumerating a list of fully and partially complementary nozzles for the defective printer nozzle; and
selecting the other printer nozzle from among the list of fully and partially complementary printer nozzles.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pixel is one of a plurality of pixels assigned to the defective printer nozzle in the image data, and wherein each one of the plurality of pixels is assigned to one of the plurality of printer nozzles other than the defective printer nozzle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a nozzle map with entries corresponding to pixels of the image,
wherein each of the entries identifies (i) one of the plurality of nozzles that is to deposit ink to form a corresponding one of the pixels and (ii) a pass on which the identified nozzle deposits the ink.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
identifying the other printer nozzle from among the plurality of printer nozzles through analysis of the nozzle map.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the other printer nozzle is identified based on a determination that the other printer nozzle is able to deposit ink in the second location on a different pass than the defective printer nozzle would be able to deposit ink in the first location.

Assignees

• Electronics For Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Billow Steven

Classifications

• B41J2/0451

  for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator · CPC title

• B41J2/2139

  Compensation for malfunctioning nozzles creating dot place or dot size errors (generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers B41J2/045) · CPC title

• B41J2/0458

  controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2/2142

  Detection of malfunctioning nozzles (generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers B41J2/045, B41J2/05; jet deflection sensors B41J2/125; for cleaning purposes B41J2/16579) · CPC title