Method for adjusting drive roller linefeed distance

Abstract

A difference in feed roller diameter from one printer to another causes a media to advance by a different amount for a given rotation of a drive shaft to which the feed roller is coupled. Such variation in advance distance is a linefeed error. Mean linefeed error is determined and corrected by printing a test plot having several areas. Each area is formed of the same image pattern, but is printed at a different linefeed error adjustment to compensate for mean linefeed error. The different adjustments are prescribed and span a typical compensation range for a given print engine model. The different adjustment factors cause banding to occur in some areas. The user picks one of the test pattern areas which has the highest print quality (i.e., least or no banding). The linefeed adjustment factor corresponding to such area is used for normal printing.

1. A method for calibrating, as part of a printing method, a value for a swath height error adjustment of a given inkjet printhead to avoid a banding artifact on a printed media sheet, comprising the steps of:
 printing on a media sheet with the given inkjet printhead a test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area being a common image printed using a different value of the swath height error adjustment;  
 receiving an input indicating for which one area of the plurality of areas the common image exhibits either the absence of or the least amount of the banding artifact within said common image as perceived by a person viewing the media;  
 setting the value to the swath height error adjustment corresponding to the indicated one area, wherein the set value is a first value;  
 identifying a selected media type for a print job;  
 determining a second value for the swath height error adjustment for use in printing onto the identified media type;  
 printing the print job onto a media sheet using the second value for the swath height error adjustment; and  
 prestoring a set of alternate values for the swath height error adjustment, wherein each one of the set of alternate values corresponds to a different media type; and  
 wherein the step of determining comprises looking up one of the set of alternate values based upon the identified media type.  
 
     
     
       2. A method for determining a normal  value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter of a printer, comprising the steps of:
 printing on a media a test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area being a common image printed using a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 receiving an input indicating which one area of the plurality of areas has a highest print quality as perceived by a person viewing the media; and  
 setting the normal  value of the linefeed error adjustment parameter to the value corresponding to the indicated one area; and  
 in which thevarying the linefeed error adjustment parameter value is  automatically variedin correspondence with a schedulelife cycle of roller wearthe printer.  
 
     
     
       3. An apparatus which prints a test plot onto a media sheet to calibrate a normal value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter, the apparatus comprising:
 a drive motor;  
 a drive shaft driven by the drive motor;  
 a roller coupled to the drive shaft which moves with the drive shaft;  
 an encoder which generates a first signal corresponding to position of the drive shaft;  
 a print controller which receives the first signal and in response generates a second signal fed to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor;  
 memory which stores a test pattern and a range of adjustments for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a print source which during calibration of the linefeed error adjustment parameter prints the test plot, the test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area including the stored test pattern printed with a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter, wherein the different values are based upon the stored range of adjustments of the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a user interface at which a user generates an input indicating one area of the plurality of areas; and  
 processing means which receives the input and in response sets the normal value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter to be the value corresponding to the indicated one area of the plurality of areas of the test plot;  
 wherein the drive motor, drive shaft, roller, encoder and print controller are part of a printer, the apparatus further comprising:  
 means for tracking the use of the printer, and wherein the processing means varies the normal value of the linefeed error parameter value as a function of the tracked usage of the printer.  
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the tracking means tracks life of the roller and the processing means varies the normal value of the linefeed error parameter value as a function of the life of the roller. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus which prints a test plot onto a media sheet to calibrate a normal value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter, the apparatus comprising:
 a drive motor;  
 a drive shaft driven by the drive motor;  
 a roller coupled to the drive shaft which moves with the drive shaft;  
 an encoder which generates a first signal corresponding to position of the drive shaft;  
 a print controller which receives the first signal and in response generates a second signal fed to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor;  
 memory which stores a test pattern and a range of adjustments for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a print source which during calibration of the linefeed error adjustment parameter prints the test plot, the test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area including the stored test pattern printed with a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter, wherein he different values are based upon the stored range of adjustments of the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a user interface at which a user generates an input indicating one area of the plurality of areas; and  
 processing means which receives the input and in response sets the normal value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter to be the value corresponding to the indicated one area of the plurality of areas of the test plot;  
 wherein the drive motor, drive shaft, roller, encoder and print controller are part of a printer, and wherein the apparatus further comprises, a host computer, the host computer sending to the printer a command indicating media type for an ensuring print job, the apparatus further comprising:  
 means for deriving a temporary linefeed error parameter value for use in printing said ensuring print job which is derived as a function of the normal value of the linefeed error adjustment parameter and the indicated media type.  
 
     
     
       6. An apparatus which prints a test plot onto a media sheet to calibrate a normal value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter, the apparatus comprising:
 a drive motor;  
 a drive shaft driven by the drive motor;  
 a roller coupled to the drive shaft which moves with the drive shaft;  
 an encoder which generates a first signal corresponding to position of the drive shaft;  
 a print controller which receives the first signal and in response generates a second signal fed to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor;  
 memory which stores a test pattern and a range of adjustments for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a print source which during calibration of the linefeed error adjustment parameter prints the test plot, the test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area including the stored test pattern printed with a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter, wherein the different values are based upon the stored range of adjustments of the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a user interface at which a user generates an input indicating one area of the plurality of areas; and  
 processing means which receives the input and in response sets the normal value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter to be the value corresponding to the indicated one area of the plurality of areas of the test plot;  
 wherein the memory stores adjustment factors corresponding to different media types and wherein the processing means adjust the linefeed error adjustment parameter for a given print job based upon the media type for said print job.  
 
     
     
       7. An apparatus which prints a test plot onto a media sheet to calibrate a normal value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter, the apparatus comprising:
 a drive motor;  
 a drive shaft driven by the drive motor;  
 a roller coupled to the drive shaft which moves with the drive shaft;  
 an encoder which generates a first signal corresponding to position of the drive shaft;  
 a print controller which receives the first signal and in response generates a second signal fed to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor;  
 memory which stores a test pattern and a range of adjustments for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a print source which during calibration of the linefeed error adjustment parameter prints the test plot, the test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area including the stored test pattern printed with a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter, wherein the different values are based upon the stored range of adjustments of the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a user interface at which a user generates an input indicating one area of the plurality of areas; and  
 processing means which receives the input and in response sets the normal value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter to be the value corresponding to the indicated one area of the plurality of areas of the test plot;  
 wherein the memory stores adjustment factors corresponding to different media stocks and wherein the processing means adjusts the linefeed error adjustment parameter for a given print job based upon the media stock for said print job.  
 
     
     
       8. An apparatus which prints a test plot onto a media sheet to calibrate a normal value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter, the apparatus comprising:
 a drive motor;  
 a drive shaft driven by the drive motor;  
 a roller coupled to the drive shaft which moves within the drive shaft;  
 an encoder which generates a first signal corresponding to position of the drive shaft;  
 a print controller which receives the first signal and in response generates a second signal fed to the drive motor for controlling the drive motor;  
 memory which stores a test pattern and a range of adjustments for the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a print source which during calibration of the linefeed error adjustment parameter prints the test plot, the test plot having a plurality of non-overlapping areas, each area including the stored test pattern printed with a different value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter, wherein the different values are based upon the stored range of adjustments of the linefeed error adjustment parameter;  
 a user interface at which a user generates an input indicating one area of the plurality of areas; and  
 processing means which receives the input and in response sets the normal value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter to be the value corresponding to the indicated one area of the plurality of areas of the test plot;  
 wherein the memory stores adjustment factors corresponding to different media finishes and wherein the processing means adjusts the linefeed error adjustment parameter for a given print job based upon the media finish for said print job  
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a sensor for detecting media type; and
 means for determining a temporary linefeed error parameter value for use in printing said ensuring print job which is derived as a function of the normal value of the linefeed error adjustment parameter and a detected media type.  
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for identifying a media type for a print job;  
 means for determining a second value for the linefeed error adjustment parameter for use in printing onto the identified media type.  
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein memory stores the normal value and a set of alternate values for the normal value for use while printing onto an alternate media type, and wherein the determining means selects the second value from the set of alternative values. 
     
     
       12. A method for determining a value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter of a printer, comprising the steps of:
   varying the linefeed error adjustment parameter value automatically in correspondence with a life cycle of the printer by establishing and storing a factor relating to the life cycle of the printer and using the factor for automatically varying the value;        periodically updating the factor in relation to a prescribed measure of the life cycle of the printer; and        tracking the measure during the life of the printer.     
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the measure relates to a number of pages printed by the printer. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  wherein the measure relates to a distance traversed by pages printed by the printer. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12  wherein the measure relates to elapsed time during the life cycle of the printer. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12  wherein the measure relates to a number of rotations of a drive roller that moves pages of media through the printer. 
     
     
       17. A method for determining a value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter of a printer, comprising the steps of:
   varying the linefeed error adjustment parameter value automatically in correspondence with a life cycle of the printer by establishing and storing a factor relating to the life cycle of the printer and using the factor for automatically varying the value        wherein the factor is stored when the printer is manufactured.     
     
     
       18. A method for determining a value for a linefeed error adjustment parameter of a printer, comprising the steps of:
   varying the linefeed error adjustment parameter value automatically in correspondence with a life cycle of the printer by establishing and storing a factor relating to the life cycle of the printer and using the factor for automatically varying the value        wherein the factor is established during a time that the printer is developed.     
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 2  wherein the life cycle relates to roller wear of the printer. 
     
     
       20. A method of updating the value of a linefeed error adjustment parameter for a printer, comprising:
   empirically deriving a factor relating to the life cycle of the printer;        associating the factor with the printer;        automatically periodically updating the factor; and        applying the factor to change the value.     
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20  wherein the printer has a drive roller, and the measure of the life cycle of the printer is based upon changes in the drive roller during the life cycle of the printer. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  including the step of tracking the drive roller changes during the life cycle of the printer. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22  wherein the driver roller changes relate to the amount of printing done by the printer.