Patent Grant
9662889
This application is a national application of PCT/CN2013/086738, filed on Nov. 8, 2013, which application claims a right of priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201310395492.4, filed Sep. 3, 2013, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
This invention relates to the field of checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, particularly to a method and device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer.
Nozzles of an inkjet printer are liable to be blocked after a period of time of use of the inkjet printer, which may cause broken lines, white stripes, lack of colors, obscured text, or even abnormal printing.
In inkjet printing, sometimes it is necessary to accurately determine the positions of blocked nozzles, i.e., the numbers of the blocked nozzles, to take corresponding measures to reduce impacts on printing quality caused by nozzle blocking. According to traditional methods for checking nozzle blocking, through printing a checking image (shown in
The description in this specification for any techniques in the prior art should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art before the filing date of this application or the priority date of any claim of this application.
A technical problem to be solved in this invention is to provide a method and device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, so as to realize the automatic analysis and check of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer.
In order to solve the above technical problem, a method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer is provided in an embodiment of this invention, comprising:
obtaining an electronically scanned image which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a predetermined checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkier printer;
analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and
according to the pixel point positions free of ink, obtaining and outputting the corresponding nozzle numbers.
In one embodiment, when the checking image is printed on the inkjet printer, the pixel point positions of the checking image correspond to nozzle numbers of the inkjet printer according to the correspondence relationships.
In one embodiment, the step of analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel positions free of ink in the scanned image comprises:
removing background colors and image noises from the scanned image to obtain a first scanned sub-image;
dividing the first scanned sub-image according to positions of points with ink in the first scanned sub-image to obtain a second scanned sub-image having multiple areas with ink;
correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain a third scanned sub-image; and
finding out the pixel point positions free of ink from the third scanned sub-image.
In one embodiment, the step of correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain the third scanned sub-image comprises:
determining a size of the predetermined area with ink according to the checking image, a printing resolution of the inkjet printer and the scanning resolution of the scanned image; and
correcting the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image according to the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image.
In one embodiment, the step of correcting the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image according to the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image comprises:
comparing the size of the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image and the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain an incorrect area with ink having a difference from the size of the predetermined area with ink and the difference exceeding a predetermined error range;
determining whether the incorrect area with ink is a stain point area and obtaining a determination result; and
in the case of a positive determination result, deleting the incorrect area with ink; otherwise, adjusting the incorrect area with ink to an area of the same size as the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image.
In order to solve the above technical problem, a device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer is provided in an embodiment of this invention, comprising:
an obtaining module for obtaining an electronically scanned image which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a predetermined checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer;
an analyzing module for analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and
an outputting module for obtaining and outputting the corresponding nozzle numbers according to the pixel point positions free of ink.
In one embodiment, when the checking image is printed on the inkjet printer, the pixel point positions of the checking image correspond to nozzle numbers of the inkjet printer according to the correspondence relationships.
In one embodiment, the analyzing module comprises:
a removing module for removing background colors and image noises from the scanned image to obtain a first scanned sub-image;
a division module for dividing the first scanned sub-image according to positions of points with ink in the first scanned sub-image to obtain a second scanned sub-image having multiple areas with ink;
a correction module for correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain a third scanned sub-image; and
a finding module for finding out the pixel point positions free of ink from the third scanned sub-image.
In one embodiment, the correction module comprises:
a determination module for determining a size of a predetermined area with ink according to the checking image, a printing resolution of the inkjet printer and a scanning resolution of the scanned image; and
a correction sub-module for correcting the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain the third scanned sub-image according to the size of the predetermined area with ink.
In one embodiment, the correction sub-module comprises:
a comparison module for comparing the size of the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image and the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain an incorrect area with ink having a difference from the size of the predetermined area with ink and the difference exceeding a predetermined error range;
a determination module for determining whether the incorrect area with ink is a stain point area and obtaining a determination result; and
an adjustment module for, in the case of a positive determination result, deleting the incorrect area with ink; otherwise, adjusting the incorrect area with ink to an area of the same size as the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image.
The above technical solutions of this invention have the following beneficial effects.
In the method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer provided in an embodiment of this invention, an electronically scanned image is first obtained, which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer; the scanned image is then analyzed to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and according to the pixel point positions free of ink, the corresponding nozzle numbers are finally obtained and outputted. Automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
For a more clear understanding of the technical problem to be solved in this invention, its technical solution and advantages, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
It should be noted that the relative arrangement of the components and steps, the numerical expressions, and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention unless it is specifically stated otherwise.
Meanwhile, it should be appreciated that, for the convenience of description, various parts shown in those drawings are not necessarily drawn on scale.
The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Techniques, methods and apparatus as known by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail but are intended to be part of the allowed specification where appropriate.
In all of the examples illustrated and discussed herein, any specific values should be interpreted to be illustrative only and non-limiting. Thus, other examples of the exemplary embodiments could have different values.
With the method for checking nozzles in an ink jet printer provided in an embodiment of this invention, automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
As shown in
Step 11, obtaining an electronically scanned image which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a predetermined checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer.
Step 12, analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image.
Step 13, according to the pixel point positions free of ink, obtaining and outputting the corresponding nozzle numbers.
In the method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer provided in an embodiment of this invention, an electronically scanned image is first obtained, which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer the scanned image is then analyzed to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and according to the pixel point positions free of ink, the corresponding nozzle numbers are finally obtained and outputted. Automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
In this particular embodiment of this invention, when the checking image is printed on the inkjet printer, the pixel point positions of the checking image correspond to nozzle numbers of the inkjet printer according to the correspondence relationships. In this case, points with ink at pixel point positions on the printed checking image have the identical correspondence relationships with the numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer, which may facilitate the subsequent analyzing and checking processes.
In one embodiment, the pixel points on the predetermined checking image may be spaced by five pixel points or even more, so that there is a larger distance between adjacent pixel points, making a larger distance between adjacent points with ink that have been printed, thereby the adjacent points with ink are prevented from joining with each other due to ink diffusion, which may affect nozzle checking in the inkjet printer.
In a particular embodiment, as shown in
Step 12 described above may comprise the following steps.
Step 121: removing background colors and image noises from the scanned image to obtain a first scanned sub-image.
Step 122: dividing the first scanned sub-image according to positions of points with ink in the first scanned sub-image to obtain a second scanned sub-image having multiple areas with ink.
Step 123: correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain a third scanned sub-image.
Step 124: finding out the pixel point positions free of ink from the third scanned sub-image.
According to an embodiment of the method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer provided in this invention, through organizing and analyzing the obtained electrically scanned image, positions of blocked nozzles may be found accurately and rapidly, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
In the particular embodiment of this invention, the method for removing image noises in the scanned image may be the mean filter removing method, the median filter removing method, the morphology filter removing method, etc. Any method for removing image noises in the prior art may be adopted in particular embodiments of this invention, and will not be listed specifically.
Below, the particular embodiments of this invention will be illustrated.
Assume that a scanned image obtained according to the checking image shown in
First of all, background colors and image noises are removed from the scanned image, so that positions of points with ink in the scanned image may be shown clearly, and a first scanned sub-image shown in
According positions of various points with ink in the first scanned sub-image, the first scanned sub-image is divided. Particularly, separation marks are provided in the spacing between adjacent points with ink in the first scanned sub-image to enclose the points with ink in individual communicated areas with the separation marks, so that a second scanned sub-image having multiple areas with ink is obtained as shown in
Due to the presence of stain points and nozzle blocking, there may be errors in the division of the first scanned sub-image. Thus, the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image need to be corrected to obtain a corrected third scanned sub-image, as shown in
Finally, according to the third scanned sub-image, each area with ink in the third scanned sub-image is traversed to find out pixel point positions free of ink.
In one embodiment, step 123 described above may particularly comprises the following steps.
Step 1231: determining a size of the predetermined area with ink according to the checking image, a printing resolution of the inkjet printer and the scanning resolution of the scanned image.
Step 1232: correcting the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain the third scanned sub-image according to the size of the predetermined area with ink.
Through correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image, the areas with ink in the third scanned sub-image and the pixel point positions in the scanned image have a one-to-one correspondence relationship. Because interference has been removed, pixel point positions free of ink may be found distinctly and rapidly.
In a particular embodiment, the checking image is shown in
In one embodiment, step 1232 particularly comprises the following steps.
Step 12321: comparing the size of the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image and the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain an incorrect area with ink having a difference from the size of the predetermined area with ink and the difference exceeding a predetermined error range.
Step 12322: determining whether the incorrect area with ink is a stain point area and obtaining a determination result.
Step 12323: in the case of a positive determination result, deleting the incorrect area with ink, otherwise, adjusting the incorrect area with ink to an area of the same size as the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image.
Through removing stain point areas in the second scanned sub-image, and adjusting incorrect areas with ink among non-stain point areas to areas of the same size as the predetermined area with ink, the areas with ink in the third scanned sub-image and pixel point positions in the scanned image may obtain a better correspondence relationship, facilitating the finding of pixel point positions free of ink.
Below, the particular embodiments of this invention will be illustrated.
Assume that a second scanned sub-image obtained based on the checking image of
According to the method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
As shown in
an obtaining module for obtaining an electronically scanned image which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a predetermined checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer;
an analyzing module for analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and
an outputting module for obtaining and outputting the corresponding nozzle numbers according to the pixel point positions free of ink.
According to the device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
In the particular embodiment of the present invention, in the obtaining module, when the checking image is printed on the inkjet primer, the pixel point positions of the checking image correspond to nozzle numbers of the inkjet printer according to the correspondence relationships. In this case, the points with ink at the pixel point positions on the printed checking image and nozzle numbers in the inkjet printer have the same correspondence relationships.
In one embodiment, the analyzing module comprises:
a removing module for removing background colors and image noises from the scanned image to obtain a first scanned sub-image;
a division module for dividing the first scanned sub-image according to positions of points with ink in the first scanned sub-image to obtain a second scanned sub-image having multiple areas with ink;
a correction module for correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain a third scanned sub-image; and
a finding module for finding out the pixel point positions free of ink from the third scanned sub-image.
With the device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, positions of blocked nozzles may be found accurately, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
In one embodiment, the correction module comprises:
a determination module for determining a size of a predetermined area with ink according to the checking image, a printing resolution of the inkjet printer and a scanning resolution of the scanned image; and
a correction sub-module for correcting the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image to obtain the third scanned sub-image according to the size of the predetermined area with ink.
Through correcting the areas with ink in the second scanned sub-image, interference may be removed, so that pixel point positions free of ink may be found distinctly and rapidly.
In one embodiment, the correction sub-module comprises:
a comparison module for comparing the size of the area with ink in the second scanned sub-image and the size of the predetermined area with ink to obtain an incorrect area with ink having a difference from the size of the predetermined area with ink and the difference exceeding a predetermined error range;
a determination module for determining whether the incorrect area with ink is a stain point area and obtaining a determination result; and
an adjustment module for, in the case of a positive determination result, deleting the incorrect area with ink; otherwise, adjusting the incorrect area with ink to an area of the same size as the predetermined area with ink to obtain the third scanned sub-image.
Through removing stain point areas in the second scanned sub-image, and adjusting the incorrect areas with ink among non-stain point areas to the areas of the same size as the predetermined area with ink, areas with ink in the third scanned sub-image and pixel point positions in the scanned image have a better correspondence relationship, facilitating the finding of pixel point positions free of ink.
With the device for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer of the embodiment in the present invention, automatic analysis and checking of nozzle blocking in the inkjet printer is realized, so that the convenience of checking may be increased and the error rate may be reduced.
Note that the device is a device corresponding to the above method embodiment. All implementations of the above method embodiment are applicable to the device embodiment and may achieve the same technical effects.
This disclosure also provides one or more computer readable mediums having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer, comprising: obtaining an electronically scanned image which is obtained from a printed paper image that has been printed on the inkjet printer according to a checking image, the checking image being a predetermined checking image having correspondence relationships between pixel point positions and numbers of nozzles in the inkjet printer, analyzing the scanned image to obtain pixel point positions free of ink in the scanned image; and according to the pixel point positions free of ink, obtaining and outputting the corresponding nozzle numbers.
This disclosure also provides a computer comprising one or more computer readable mediums having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that when executed on the computer perform the above method for checking nozzles in an inkjet printer.
Exemplary Operating Environment
The computer or computing device as described herein comprises hardware, including one or more processors or processing units, system memory and some types of computer readable media. By way of example and not limitation, computer readable media comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media comprises volatile or non-volatile, removable or non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media.
The computer may use one or more remote computers, such as logical connections to remote computers operated in a networked environment. Although various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the context of the exemplary computing system environment various embodiments of the present disclosure may be used with numerous other general purpose or application specific computing system environments or configurations. The computing system environment is not intended for limiting any aspect of the scope of use or functionality of the invention. In addition, the computer environment should not be interpreted as depending on or requiring any one or combination of components shown in the exemplary operating environment. Well-known examples of the computing systems, the environment and/or configurations suitable for all aspects of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to: personal computers, server computers, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, mobile phone, network PC, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments including any one of the above systems or devices, and so on.
Various embodiments of the invention may be described in a general context of computer executable instructions such as program modules executed on one or more computers or other devices.
The computer-executable instructions may be organized into one or more computer-executable components or modules as software. Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects of the invention may be implemented with any number and organization of such components or modules. For example, aspects of the invention are not limited to the specific computer-executable instructions or the specific components or modules illustrated in the figures and described herein. Other embodiments of the invention may include different computer-executable instructions or components having more or less functionality than illustrated and described herein. Aspects of the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
The descriptions above are just preferred implementing ways of the invention. It should be noted that many improvements and embellishments may be made to the invention without departing the scope of the present invention. The improvements and embellishments should be interpreted as within the scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 1 0395492 | Sep 2013 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2013/086738 | 11/8/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2015/032127 | 3/12/2015 | WO | A |
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| 6168261 | Miyake | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| 8363261 | Zimmerman | Jan 2013 | B1 |
| 20130187970 | Inoue | Jul 2013 | A1 |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20160271957 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |
