Printing method, storage medium, medium, printing apparatus, method for detecting end of image, method for detecting carrying unevenness of medium, and device for detecting carrying unevenness of medium

Abstract

A printing method according to the present invention includes carrying a medium, and printing, using a nozzle for ejecting ink, a plurality of images each having a section to be detected for detecting an inclination of the image with respect to the carried medium.

1 . A method for detecting an end of an image, comprising:
 printing, on a medium by a printing section, an image in which a plurality of dot rows constituted by a plurality of dots formed along a predetermined direction are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects with the predetermined direction, and in which an outermost dot row positioned at an outermost position of the plurality of dot rows that are arranged has an extending portion that extends in an area wider than the other dot rows in the predetermined direction;   reading, by a reading section, the image that has been printed on the medium; and   detecting, by a controller, an end of the image based on data obtained by reading the extending portion of the image at the reading section.   
   
   
       2 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the printing section includes a plurality of nozzles that eject ink and that are provided along the intersecting direction, and   wherein the image is printed by forming dots on the medium by ejecting the ink from the plurality of nozzles while moving the nozzles in the predetermined direction based on image data for printing the image.   
   
   
       3 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the image includes an adjustment pattern that is used for adjustment.   
   
   
       4 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the image data for printing an image other than the adjustment pattern is corrected, by the adjustment, so as to suppress darkness non-uniformity between row areas in which the dot rows are formed using each of the nozzles when the image other than the adjustment pattern is printed.   
   
   
       5 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the image data indicates gradation values for respective unit areas formed on the medium, and   wherein the method includes reading, by the reading section, darknesses of the adjustment pattern that has been printed based on specific gradation values as darkness data of each minimum reading area in the reading section.   
   
   
       6 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 5 , including:
 detecting, by the controller, a center of gravity position in a darkness distribution in the intersecting direction based on the darkness data of the minimum reading areas that are arranged in the intersecting direction in the extending portion, and detecting, by the controller, the end of the image based on the detected center of gravity position of the darkness distribution.   
   
   
       7 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the reading resolution of the reading section is higher than the print resolution of the printing section.   
   
   
       8 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the extending portions extend in both directions, in a certain direction, from a section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows,   the center of gravity position in the darkness distribution in the intersecting direction is detected at each of both sides of the section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows, and   a center of the two detected center of gravity positions is detected as a center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row.   
   
   
       9 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein information indicating the reading resolution and the print resolution respectively is provided,   wherein the method includes calculating, by the controller, the number of the successive minimum reading areas included within a width in the intersecting direction of the extending portion and half of the number based on the reading resolution and the print resolution, and   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an even number, detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away toward an outer side in the image, by the half of the number, from an edge on a side closer to the center position of the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row.   
   
   
       10 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein information indicating the reading resolution and the print resolution respectively is provided,   wherein the method includes calculating, by the controller, the number of the successive minimum reading areas included within a width in the intersecting direction of the extending portion based on the reading resolution and the print resolution, and   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an odd number, calculating half of the number that is smaller by one than the number of the successive minimum reading areas, taking the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row as a center minimum reading area that is positioned at the center in the intersecting direction in the extending portion of the image, and   detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away from the center minimum reading area by the half of the number toward an outer side in the image.   
   
   
       11 . A method for detecting an end of an image according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the darkness data corresponding to areas in the intersecting direction of the adjustment pattern is extracted from data obtained by reading the adjustment pattern with the reading section using as a reference the detected end of the image, and the extracted darkness data is associated with each of the unit areas of the adjustment pattern.   
   
   
       12 . A method for detecting an end of an image, comprising:
 printing, on a medium by a printing section, an image in which a plurality of dot rows constituted by a plurality of dots formed along a predetermined direction are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects with the predetermined direction, and in which the outermost dot row positioned at outermost position of the plurality of dot rows that are arranged has an extending portion that extends in an area wider than the other dot rows in the predetermined direction;   reading, by a reading section, the image that has been printed on the medium; and   detecting, by a controller, an end of the image based on data obtained by reading the extending portion of the image at the reading section,   wherein the printing section includes a plurality of nozzles that eject ink and that are provided along the intersecting direction,   wherein the image is printed by forming dots on the medium by ejecting the ink from the plurality of nozzles while moving the nozzles in the predetermined direction based on image data for printing the image,   wherein the image includes an adjustment pattern that is used for adjustment,   wherein the image data for printing an image other than the adjustment pattern is corrected, by the adjustment, so as to suppress darkness non-uniformity between row areas in which the dot rows are formed using each of the nozzles when the image other than the adjustment pattern is printed,   wherein the image data indicates gradation values for respective unit areas formed on the medium,   wherein the method includes reading, by the reading section, darknesses of the adjustment pattern that has been printed based on specific gradation values as darkness data of each minimum reading area in the reading section,   wherein the method includes detecting, by the controller, a center of gravity position in a darkness distribution in the intersecting direction based on the darkness data of the minimum reading areas that are arranged in the intersecting direction in the extending portion, and detecting, by the controller, the end of the image based on the detected center of gravity position of the darkness distribution,   wherein the reading resolution of the reading section is higher than the print resolution of the printing section,   wherein the extending portions extend in both directions, in a certain direction, from a section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows,   wherein the center of gravity position in the darkness distribution in the intersecting direction is detected at each of both sides of the section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows,   wherein a center of the two detected center of gravity positions is detected as a center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row,   wherein information indicating the reading resolution and the print resolution respectively is provided,   wherein the method includes calculating, by the controller, the number of the successive minimum reading areas included within a width in the intersecting direction of the extending portion and half of the number based on the reading resolution and the print resolution,   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an even number, detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away toward an outer side in the image, by the half of the number, from an edge on a side closer to the center position of the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row,   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an odd number, calculating half of the number that is smaller by one than the number of the successive minimum reading areas, taking the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row as a center minimum reading area that is positioned at the center in the intersecting direction in the extending portion of the image,   detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away from the center minimum reading area by the half of the number toward an outer side in the image, and   wherein the darkness data corresponding to areas in the intersecting direction of the adjustment pattern is extracted from data obtained by reading the adjustment pattern with the reading section using as a reference the detected end of the image, and the extracted darkness data is associated with each of the unit areas of the adjustment pattern.   
   
   
       13 . A computer usable storage medium storing a computer-readable program that causes a printing apparatus to execute a printing process, the printing process comprising:
 causing a printing section to print, on a medium, an image in which a plurality of dot rows constituted by a plurality of dots that are formed in a predetermined direction are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects the predetermined direction, and in which the outermost dot row that is positioned at outermost of the plurality of dot rows arranged has an extending portion that is formed so as to extend in an area wider than the other dot rows in the predetermined direction;   causing a reading section to read the image that has been printed on the medium, detect an end of the image based on data obtained by reading the extending portions of the image; and   causing a controller to detect an end of the image based on data obtained by reading the extending portion of the image at the reading section.   
   
   
       14 . A printing apparatus, comprising:
 a printing section that prints, on a medium, an image in which a plurality of dot rows constituted by a plurality of dots that are formed along a predetermined direction are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects with the predetermined direction, and in which an outermost dot row positioned at outermost of the plurality of dot rows that are arranged has an extending portion that extends in an area wider than the other dot rows in the predetermined direction;   a reading section that reads the image that has been printed on the medium; and   a controller that detects an end of the image based on data obtained by reading the extending portions of the image with the reading section.   
   
   
       15 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the printing section includes a plurality of nozzles that eject ink and that are provided along the intersecting direction,   the image being printed by forming dots on the medium by ejecting the ink from the plurality of nozzles while moving the nozzles in the predetermined direction based on image data for printing the image.   
   
   
       16 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the image includes an adjustment pattern that is used for adjustment, and   wherein the image data for printing an image other than the adjustment pattern is corrected, by the adjustment, so as to suppress darkness non-uniformity between row areas in which the dot rows are formed using each of the nozzles when the image other than the adjustment pattern is printed.   
   
   
       17 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein the image data indicates gradation values for respective unit areas formed on the medium;   wherein the reading section reads darknesses of the adjustment pattern that has been printed based on specific gradation values as darkness data of each minimum reading area in a reading section for reading the image; and   wherein the controller detects a center of gravity position in a darkness distribution in the intersecting direction based on the darkness data of the minimum reading areas that are arranged in the intersecting direction in the extending portion, and detects the end of the image based on the detected center of gravity position of the darkness distribution.   
   
   
       18 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the reading resolution of the reading section is higher than the print resolution of the printing section;   wherein the extending portions extend in both directions, in a certain direction, from a section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows;   wherein the center of gravity position in the darkness distribution in the intersecting direction is detected at each of both sides of the section that is formed in the same area as the other dot rows; and   wherein a center of the two detected center of gravity positions is detected as a center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row.   
   
   
       19 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein information indicating the reading resolution and the print resolution respectively is provided,   the controller calculates the number of the successive minimum reading areas that are included within a width in the intersecting direction of the extending portion, and half of the number based on the reading resolution and the print resolution, and   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an even number,   detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away toward an outer side in the image, by the half of the number, from an edge on a side closer to the center position of the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row.   
   
   
       20 . A printing apparatus according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein information indicating the reading resolution and the print resolution respectively is provided,   the controller calculates the number of the successive minimum reading areas that are included within a width in the intersecting direction of the extending portion based on the reading resolution and the print resolution, and   in a case where the number of the successive minimum reading areas that has been calculated is an odd number,   calculating half of the number that is smaller by one than the number of the successive minimum reading areas,   taking the minimum reading area including the detected center position in the intersecting direction of the outermost dot row as a center minimum reading area that is positioned at the center in the intersecting direction in the extending portion of the image, and   detecting, as the end of the image, an edge of the minimum reading area that is positioned away from the center minimum reading area by the half of the number toward an outer side in the image.