Image recording apparatus, control method for image recording apparatus, and storage medium storing control program of image recording apparatus

1. An image recording apparatus having a conveyance mechanism for generating conveyance information about a record medium when the record medium is conveyed, and at least one recording unit obtained by providing at least one nozzle array formed in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the record medium using a plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process by a nozzle array drive unit of the recording unit driving the plurality of nozzles to jet ink, the apparatus comprising:

a phase locked loop for generating an ink jet timing control signal determining drive timing of the nozzle array drive unit according to notified job information, controlling a frequency of the ink jet timing control signal, and allowing the drive timing to be synchronous with a conveyance distance of the record medium in the conveyance information; and

a phase locked loop setting unit for setting information determining a lock range of the phase locked loop in the phase locked loop according to the job information as a condition for determining the drive timing, wherein

the recording process is performed by controlling the nozzle array drive unit with the drive timing determined by the ink jet timing control signal generated by the phase locked loop.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the job information includes information about a resolution in the recording process; and

the phase locked loop setting unit sets the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the phase locked loop on a basis of the resolution.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising

a storage unit storing in advance a data table in which the resolution is associated with the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop, wherein

the phase locked loop setting unit sets the information associated with the resolution indicated in the information included in the job information in the phase locked loop.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the phase locked loop comprises:

an oscillator generating the ink jet timing control signal; and

a phase comparator comparing a phase of the ink jet timing control signal with a phase of a pulse signal generated each time the record medium is conveyed for a predetermined conveyance distance, wherein

the oscillator changes a frequency of the generated ink jet timing control signal according to information about a comparison result by the phase comparator, and

the phase locked loop setting unit sets information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency of the ink jet timing control signal generated by the oscillator as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator according to the job information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the oscillator comprises:

a reference frequency signal oscillator generating a signal of a predetermined reference frequency; and

a frequency divider dividing a signal generated by the reference frequency signal oscillator by a frequency division ratio corresponding to the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator to set the signal as the ink jet timing control signal, wherein

the phase locked loop setting unit sets information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency division ratio of the frequency divider as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator on a basis of the job information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a control unit having the phase locked loop setting unit, wherein

the control unit comprises:

an arithmetic operation device; and

a storage unit storing in advance a control program, and

the control unit functions as the phase locked loop setting unit by directing the arithmetic operation device to execute the control program.

7. A control method of an image recording apparatus having a conveyance mechanism for generating conveyance information about a record medium when the record medium is conveyed, and at least one recording unit obtained by providing at least one nozzle array formed in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the record medium using a plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process by a nozzle array drive unit of the recording unit driving the plurality of nozzles to jet ink, wherein:

the image recording apparatus further comprises a phase locked loop for generating an ink jet timing control signal determining drive timing when the nozzle array drive unit is controlled to perform the recording process, controlling a frequency of the ink jet timing control signal, and allowing the drive timing to be synchronous with a conveyance distance of the record medium in the conveyance information; and

the method comprises:

setting a generation condition when the phase locked loop generates the ink jet timing control signal in the phase locked loop on a basis of notified job information; and

performing the recording process by controlling the nozzle array drive unit with the drive timing determined by the ink jet timing control signal generated by the phase locked loop.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the job information includes information about a resolution in the recording process; and

in setting the generation condition, the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop is set in the phase locked loop on a basis of the resolution.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the image recording apparatus further comprises a storage unit storing in advance a data table in which the resolution is associated with the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop; and

in setting the generation condition, the information associated with the resolution indicated in the information included in the job information is set in the phase locked loop.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein

the phase locked loop comprises:

an oscillator generating the ink jet timing control signal; and

a phase comparator comparing a phase of the ink jet timing control signal with a phase of a pulse signal generated each time the record medium is conveyed for a predetermined conveyance distance, wherein

the oscillator changes a frequency of the generated ink jet timing control signal according to information about a comparison result by the phase comparator, and

in setting the generation condition, information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency of the ink jet timing control signal generated by the oscillator is set as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator according to the job information.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein

the oscillator comprises:

a reference frequency signal oscillator generating a signal of a predetermined reference frequency; and

a frequency divider dividing a signal generated by the reference frequency signal oscillator by a frequency division ratio corresponding to the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator to set the signal as the ink jet timing control signal, wherein

in setting the generation condition, information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency division ratio of the frequency divider is set as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator on a basis of the job information.

12. A storage medium storing a program used to direct an arithmetic operation device to control an image recording apparatus having a conveyance mechanism for generating conveyance information about a record medium when the record medium is conveyed, and at least one recording unit obtained by providing at least one nozzle array formed in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the record medium using a plurality of nozzles to perform a recording process by a nozzle array drive unit of the recording unit driving the plurality of nozzles to jet ink, wherein:

the image recording apparatus comprises a phase locked loop for generating an ink jet timing control signal determining drive timing when the nozzle array drive unit is controlled to perform the recording process, controlling a frequency of the ink jet timing control signal, and allowing the drive timing to be synchronous with a conveyance distance of the record medium in the conveyance information; and

the program directs the arithmetic operation device to perform the processes of:

setting a generation condition when the phase locked loop generates the ink jet timing control signal in the phase locked loop on a basis of notified job information; and

performing the recording process by controlling the nozzle array drive unit with the drive timing determined by the ink jet timing control signal generated by the phase locked loop.

13. The storage medium according to claim 12 , wherein:

the job information includes information about a resolution in the recording process; and

in setting the generation condition, the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop is set in the phase locked loop on a basis of the job information.

14. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein:

the image recording apparatus further comprises a storage unit storing in advance a data table in which the resolution is associated with the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop; and

in setting the generation condition, the information associated with the resolution indicated in the information included in the job information is set in the phase locked loop.

15. The storage medium according to claim 12 , wherein

the phase locked loop comprises:

an oscillator generating the ink jet timing control signal; and

a phase comparator comparing a phase of the ink jet timing control signal with a phase of a pulse signal generated each time the record medium is conveyed for a predetermined conveyance distance, wherein

the oscillator changes a frequency of the generated ink jet timing control signal according to information about a comparison result by the phase comparator, and

in setting the generation condition, information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency of the ink jet timing control signal generated by the oscillator is set as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator according to the job information.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein

the oscillator comprises:

a reference frequency signal oscillator generating a signal of a predetermined reference frequency; and

a frequency divider dividing a signal generated by the reference frequency signal oscillator by a frequency division ratio corresponding to the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator to set the signal as the ink jet timing control signal, wherein

in setting the generation condition, information about a correspondence between the information about the comparison result by the phase comparator and the frequency division ratio of the frequency divider is set as the information determining the lock range of the phase locked loop in the oscillator on a basis of the job information.