System and method for selective printhead based servicing operations

摘要

The time required to perform servicing operations may be substantially reduced by application of different criteria on different pens of a printing mechanism. The servicing operation routines for each of the pens may be individually established according to their characterizations which are based upon the ink drops to be fired from each of the pens. The timing of the servicing operations for the selected pens may be predicated upon a selected printmode to thereby substantially comply with a user's expectations of throughput and print quality. In addition, the nozzles of each of the printheads may be grouped according to their condition or health. Those nozzles having a condition that falls below a predetermined threshold value may undergo drop detections more frequently than other nozzles. In this respect, the throughput and the print quality of a printing operation may be adjusted according to user preferences.