Nozzle misalignment compensation in a drop on demand printhead

摘要

A method and apparatus is provided for compensating for variable overlap between segments of a page width print head system to reduce visually perceptible artifacts due to misalignment of adjacent overlapped segments. One method employs a summation means which sums a current dither value from a dither matrix with an overlap signal to provide an output value which is then compared in a comparator with an input continuous tone data value providing an output compensated dither value to control nozzles in the overlap region of the segments. Another method uses a software program to provide the compensated dither matrix. A sensing means provides a measure of the degree of overlap of the segments to generate the overlap signal. The sensing means may sense temperature or relative displacement of the segments. The degree of overlap may be determined for various temperatures and stored in a ROM.