The present disclosure relates to a printhead control system for a printer, wherein the printer includes at least one printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles for ejecting printing fluid, wherein the nozzles include high drop weight nozzles and low drop weight nozzles ejecting drops of different drop weight, and are each arranged to eject printing fluid on a print medium such as to print images in frame areas of the print medium and such as to clean nozzles in spit bar areas of the print medium; the printer further includes a transport unit for moving the print medium relative to the printhead, wherein the print medium includes frame areas for printing images and spit bar areas for cleaning the nozzles; the printhead control device including: a module to determine a first group of said nozzles located over a frame area of the print medium and a second group of said nozzles located over a spit bar area of the print medium; a module to operate the high drop weight nozzles of the first group such as to eject printing fluid and print an image in the frame area; a module to operate disable the low drop weight nozzles of the first group such as to not eject printing fluid in the frame area; and a module to operate the high drop weight nozzles and the low drop weight nozzles of the second group such as to alternately eject printing fluid in the spit bar area.

A liquid discharge apparatus to apply liquid to an application surface includes a head and processing circuitry. The head applies the liquid discharged from a nozzle to the application surface. The processing circuitry outputs abnormal discharge information of the nozzle. The abnormal discharge information is detected based on a shape of the liquid applied to the application surface.

In a method to create a print image with an inkjet printing system that has optional nozzles, for each image point, a distribution parameter can be determined. The distribution parameter can indicate how the ink quantity that is to be ejected for the image point is to be divided up among the optional nozzles. A controller can be configured to control a printing system to perform the method.

A geographically remote computing device transmits an image to a central computing device. The geographically remote computing device also communicates specifications of a substrate or substrates to be imaged to the central computing device. The central computing device selects a geographically remote fulfillment printer. A local, but geographically diverse distribution system is available according to the invention. The central computing device chooses the geographically remote fulfillment printer as a function of factors such as the selected image and substrate, printer capabilities, and the consumer's location. Image quality and consistency is maintained by the central computer selecting an appropriate geographically remote computing device and providing printer the appropriate instructions, rather than the instructions for printing being determined locally at the printer.

According to one embodiment, a liquid dispensing apparatus includes a mounting unit configured to hold a liquid discharging apparatus that discharges liquid from nozzles simultaneously by an operation of an actuator. An inspection media placement region is provided on which an inspection medium can be placed to receive the liquid discharged from the liquid discharging apparatus. A controller is configured to control the actuator to vary a volume of the liquid discharged from each nozzle for a nozzle inspection operation. The volume is varied according to a predetermined distance between adjacent nozzles that simultaneously discharge liquid and a predetermined contact angle for a droplet of the liquid when on the inspection medium.

An ink discharge operation adjustment method includes the following, recording a halftone image in which the ink is discharged to form a predetermined halftone pattern and a solid image in which the ink completely covers a surface of the recording medium; obtaining a first reading result by a reader reading a non-recording region in which an image is not recorded on a recording medium; obtaining a second reading result of the halftone image and the solid image so that a difference of an elapsed time from a start of the curing to the reading is within a predetermined reference difference; obtaining coverage rate information based on the reading results; and performing setting regarding adjustment of a droplet amount of the ink based on the coverage rate information.

A digital printing system (10) includes a print head (622) and a processor (20). The print head is configured to jet droplets of ink. The processor is further configured to translate a required shade of a color, to be printed at a given location on a substrate by tire print head, into a sequence of pulses (625, 630), the sequence including: (a) up to a predefined maximum number of driving pulses (625) that cause the print head to jet respective droplets, and (b) a tickling pulse (630), which has a smaller amplitude than the driving pulses and which causes the print head to jet a droplet smaller than the droplets jetted in response to the driving pulses. The processor is additionally configured to apply the sequence of pulses to the print head.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head including a nozzle configured to discharge a dot of a first size and a dot of a second size smaller than the first size, the dots being ink dots, and a control unit configured to control the printing head to print, on a printing medium, a test pattern for inspecting a state of ink discharge by the nozzle. The test pattern includes a first pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the first size and a second pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the second size. The control unit causes the printing head to print the test pattern where a number of the dots of the second size forming the second pattern element is greater than a number of the dots of the first size forming the first pattern element.

A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of discharge holes, a plurality of pressurizing units, a plurality of drive circuits, a switch circuit, and first and second control circuits. The drive signals include a first signal for a pixel of a first size and a second drive signal for a pixel of a second size. The second control circuit controls the switch circuit so that each of the plurality of pressurizing units is connected to the drive circuit outputting the first signal when a droplet forming the pixel of the first size is discharged and is connected to the drive circuit outputting the second signal when a droplet forming the pixel of the second size is discharged. The first control circuit controls the drive circuits so that the drive circuits in charge of outputting the first signal is changed among the plurality of drive circuits.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head including a nozzle configured to discharge a dot of a first size and a dot of a second size smaller than the first size, the dots being ink dots, and a control unit configured to control the printing head to print, on a printing medium, a test pattern for inspecting a state of ink discharge by the nozzle. The test pattern includes a first pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the first size and a second pattern element formed by a plurality of the dots of the second size. The control unit causes the printing head to print the test pattern where a number of the dots of the second size forming the second pattern element is greater than a number of the dots of the first size forming the first pattern element.