US-20260129137-A1 - PRINT SCALING CORRECTION MECHANISM

Abstract

A system is disclosed. The system includes at least one physical memory device to store scaling correction logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the scaling correction logic to obtain first captured printed image data of first side markings printed on a first side of a first print medium and generate a side scaling factor for the second side of the first print medium based on the first captured printed image data.

Inventors

• Scott R. Johnson
• Qingzhao Zhu
• Hiroshi Takaki
• Tetsuya Mutoh

Assignees

• Scott R. Johnson
• Qingzhao Zhu
• Hiroshi Takaki
• Tetsuya Mutoh

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241105

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system comprising: at least one physical memory device to store scaling correction logic; and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the scaling correction logic to: obtain first captured printed image data of first side markings printed on a first side of a first print medium; and generate a side scaling factor for the second side of the first print medium based on the first captured printed image data.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the side scaling factor is generated by comparing measured dimensions of the printed first side markings with corresponding dimensions of instructed first side markings.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first side markings are printed according to print instructions, and the side scaling factor is generated to calibrate scaling of second side printing to first side printing when the side scaling factor is applied to the print instructions.
4. 4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein generating the side scaling factor comprises averaging two or more dimensions of the printed first side markings.
5. 5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein generating the side scaling factor comprises averaging two or more generated side scaling factors.
6. 6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the side scaling factor comprises a first dimension scaling component and a second dimension scaling component orthogonal to the first dimension scaling component.
7. 7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein generating the side scaling factor further comprises performing an affine transformation on the averaged dimensions.
8. 8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the scaling correction logic further to: associate the side scaling factor with a print medium identifier associated with the first print medium; and store the side scaling factor.
9. 9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the scaling correction logic further to: receive a notification of a second print job to be printed on the first print medium; retrieve the side scaling factor from a plurality of stored generated side scaling factors based on the print medium identifier included with the second print job; and apply the retrieved side scaling factor to print the second print job.
10. 10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the scaling correction logic further to: obtain third captured printed image data of third side markings printed on the first side of the first print medium; generate a successive side scaling factor based on the third captured print image data; and generate an updated side scaling factor based on the side scaling factor and the successive side scaling factor.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the scaling correction logic further to generate an updated side scaling factor based on an average of the side scaling factor and the successive side scaling factor.
12. 12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the scaling correction logic further to: determine whether a difference between the side scaling factor and the successive side scaling factor exceeds a predetermined threshold; and generate an alert upon determining that the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold.
13. 13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more image capture devices to capture printed image data.
14. 14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more printers to print a print job.
15. 15 . A method comprising: obtaining first captured printed image data of first side markings printed on a first side of a first print medium; and generating a side scaling factor for the second side of the first print medium based on the first captured printed image data.
16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the side scaling factor is generated by comparing measured dimensions of the printed first side markings with corresponding dimensions of instructed first side markings.
17. 17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first side markings are printed according to print instructions, and the side scaling factor is generated to calibrate scaling of second side printing to first side printing when the side scaling factor is applied to the print instructions.
18. 18 . At least one computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to: obtain first captured printed image data of first side markings printed on a first side of a first print medium; and generate a side scaling factor for the second side of the first print medium based on the first captured printed image data.
19. 19 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the side scaling factor is generated by comparing measured dimensions of the printed first side markings with corresponding dimensions of instructed first side markings.
20. 20 . The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the first side markings are printed according to print instructions, and the side scaling factor is generated to calibrate scaling of second side printing to first side printing when the side scaling factor is applied to the print instructions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of printing systems, and in particular, to image processing in a printing system. BACKGROUND Entities with substantial printing demands typically implement a high-speed production printer for volume printing (e.g., one hundred pages per minute or more). Production printers may include continuous-forms printers that print on a long web of print medium (e.g., paper) stored on a large roll. A production printer typically includes a localized print controller that controls the overall operation of the printing system, and one or more print engines that include one or more printhead assemblies, where each printhead assembly includes an array of printheads. Each print engine may be three meters or more in length. Each printhead comprises many nozzles (e.g., inkjet nozzles) for the ejection of ink or any marking material suitable for printing on a print medium. SUMMARY In one embodiment, a system includes at least one physical memory device to store scaling correction logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the scaling correction logic to obtain first captured printed image data of first side markings printed on a first side of a first print medium and generate a side scaling factor for the second side of the first print medium based on the first captured printed image data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a printing system; FIGS. 2A-2C are block diagrams illustrating embodiments of a print controller; FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a scaling module; FIGS. 4A & 4B illustrate embodiments of finder marks; FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a print verification system; FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a scaling correction logic; FIGS. 7A&7B illustrate embodiments of a graphical user interface; FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process for scaling correction; FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating another embodiment of a scaling correction process; and FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The implementation of multiple print engines in a high-speed production printer may often lead to problems with paper shrinkage. For example, a print medium (or paper) begins at room temperature with some amount of moisture. However, a significant amount of shrinkage to the paper may occur after printing and drying a first side of paper at a first print engine. Further, the second side of this now shrunk paper is input to and printed at a second print engine. The difference in paper shrinkage when the paper is input to the first print engine versus when the same paper is input to the second print engine often results in undesirable different printed image sizes on the front and back side of the paper even with the same print instructions for both sides of the paper. Conventional methods to correct for such shrinkage involves manually inspecting printed pages to estimate how the front and back sides line up in order to determine how to scale the two sides. Subsequently, the appropriate scaling is performed to compensate for the shrinkage amounts (e.g., by either correcting the side two scale or correcting the side one scale so that the dimensions of printed markings on the two sides match each other). Other parameters within the print system such as ink coverage (e.g., the amount of ink applied to a page), dryer operating points (e.g., temperature or airflow), and paper moisture content affect the amount of shrinkage. Moreover, this scaling correction process must be performed for each paper type implemented at the printer due to the varying paper type physical characteristics that affect paper shrinkage. According to one embodiment, a mechanism to automatically perform scaling correction (e.g., increasing or decreasing dimensions of printed markings) to compensate for paper shrinkage is described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the underlying principles of the present invention. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Throughout this docu