Printing apparatus and print control method

1 . A printing that performs printing by apparatus ejecting ink onto a print medium having a shape elongated in a conveyance direction, the printing apparatus comprising:

a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the print medium in a first direction;

at least one ink ejection head including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and configured to eject ink from the plurality of nozzles onto the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism;

at least one end detection sensor configured to detect a position of an end of the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism;

a meandering amount calculation unit configured to obtain a meandering amount of the print medium on a basis of the position of the end detected by the at least one end detection sensor;

a mark image detection sensor configured to detect a mark image to be placed at a predetermined position on the print medium;

a layout processing unit configured to generate printing image data by determining, on a basis of input image data including a plurality of images, print positions of respective images on each of a plurality of pages to be printed, in consideration of the meandering amount; and

an ink ejection control unit configured to control ejection of ink from the at least one ink ejection head on a basis of the printing image data, wherein

the plurality of pages includes a nozzle check page including the mark image and an ejection failure detecting pattern image for detecting a nozzle in an ejection failure state from among the plurality of nozzles, and a normal page including the mark image and an image other than the ejection failure detecting pattern image, and

for the normal page, the layout processing unit shifts print positions of all the images in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print positions when the meandering amount is zero, and

for the nozzle check page, the layout processing unit shifts a print position of the mark image in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print position when the meandering amount is zero while maintaining a print position of the ejection failure detecting pattern image at the print position when the meandering amount is zero.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the nozzle check page further includes a position identifying pattern image for identifying a position of a nozzle in an ejection failure state detected on a basis of the ejection failure detecting pattern image, and

the layout processing unit maintains a print position of the position identifying pattern image at the print position when the meandering amount is zero.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the nozzle check page includes an accessory image, and

the layout processing unit shifts a print position of the accessory image included in the nozzle check page in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print position when the meandering amount is zero.

4 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when a print position of at least a part of the ejection failure detecting pattern image is out of an area of the printing medium due to meandering of the printing medium, the layout processing unit performs a trimming process to remove a portion of the ejection failure detecting pattern image where the print position is out of the area of the printing medium.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein when a print position of at least a part of the ejection failure detecting pattern image is out of an area of the printing medium due to meandering of the printing medium, the layout processing unit extends a print area of the ejection failure detecting pattern image by a width equivalent to the meandering amount in a direction in which the printing medium deviates.

6 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the at least one ink ejection head includes a plurality of ink ejection heads corresponding to a plurality of ink colors,

the at least one end detection sensor includes a plurality of end detection sensors corresponding to the plurality of ink ejection heads,

the meandering amount calculation unit obtains the meandering amount for each of the plurality of ink colors, and

the layout processing unit determines, for each color, the print positions of the respective images in consideration of the meandering amount corresponding to relevant color.

7 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an imaging device configured to capture the ejection failure detecting pattern image recorded on the print medium.

8 . The printing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:

an ejection failure position identification unit configured to identify a position of a nozzle in an ejection failure state on a basis of the ejection failure detecting pattern image captured by the imaging device; and

an ink amount compensation processing unit configured to correct the printing image data so that an amount of ink ejected to the print medium is compensated on a basis of the position of the nozzle in the ejection failure state identified by the ejection failure position identifying unit.

9 . A printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a print medium having a shape elongated in a conveyance direction, the printing apparatus comprising:

a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the print medium in a first direction;

at least one ink ejection head including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and configured to eject ink from the plurality of nozzles onto the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism;

at least one end detection sensor configured to detect a position of an end of the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism;

a mark image detection sensor configured to detect a mark image to be placed at a predetermined position on the print medium;

a processor; and

a memory configured to store a program, wherein

when the program stored in the memory is executed by the processor, the program causes the processor to execute:

(A) obtaining a meandering amount of the print medium on a basis of the position of the end detected by the at least one end detection sensor,

(B) generating printing image data by determining, on a basis of input image data including a plurality of images, print positions of respective images on each of a plurality of pages to be printed, in consideration of the meandering amount, and

(C) controlling ejection of ink from the at least one ink ejection head on a basis of the printing image data,

the plurality of pages includes a nozzle check page including the mark image and an ejection failure detecting pattern image for detecting a nozzle in an ejection failure state from among the plurality of nozzles, and a normal page including the mark image and an image other than the ejection failure detecting pattern image, and

in generating the printing image data, for the normal page, the processor shifts print positions of all the images in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print positions when the meandering amount is zero, and for the nozzle check page, the processor shifts a print position of the mark image in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print position when the meandering amount is zero while maintaining a print position of the ejection failure detecting pattern image at the print position when the meandering amount is zero.

10 . A print control method used in a printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a print medium having a shape elongated in a conveyance direction, the printing apparatus including

a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the print medium in a first direction,

at least one ink ejection head including a plurality of nozzles arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and configured to eject ink from the plurality of nozzles onto the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism,

at least one end detection sensor configured to detect a position of an end of the print medium being conveyed by the conveyance mechanism, and

a mark image detection sensor configured to detect a mark image to be placed at a predetermined position on the print medium,

the print control method comprising:

obtaining a meandering amount of the print medium on a basis of the position of the end detected by the at least one end detection sensor;

generating printing image data by determining, on a basis of input image data including a plurality of images, print positions of respective images on each of a plurality of pages to be printed, in consideration of the meandering amount; and

controlling ejection of ink from the at least one ink ejection head on a basis of the printing image data, wherein

the plurality of pages includes a nozzle check page including the mark image and an ejection failure detecting pattern image for detecting a nozzle in an ejection failure state from among the plurality of nozzles, and a normal page including the mark image and an image other than the ejection failure detecting pattern image, and

in generating the printing image data, for the normal page, print positions of all the images are shifted in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print positions when the meandering amount is zero, and for the nozzle check page, a print position of the ejection failure detecting pattern image is maintained at the print position when the meandering amount is zero and a print position of the mark image is shifted in the second direction on a basis of the meandering amount with reference to the print position when the meandering amount is zero.