Bidirectional black and color pass print method for ink-jet printers
US5442385A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1992 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2/2132
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Bidirectional interleaving of tri-color and black ink-jet pen print pass carriage retrace periods by the invention are utilized whenever possible for black printing. Preferably, printer controller logic used to determine next print direction monitors and records a most recent, or last, black print direction indicium such as a flag stored in memory. If certain predetermined last black print direction criteria are met, the next black print pass is performed in the opposite direction from that of the most recent color print pass, thereby increasing printer throughput. In accordance with the invention, typical tricolor and black printed swaths require up to three color print passes, one black print pass during retrace and only two non-printing retraces, thereby saving time and motion that otherwise would be wasted performing two additional, non-printing retraces.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.