Method for determining pixel dropout

1. A method of determining pixel dropout of a printhead that has a plurality of print elements arrayed along a first axis, comprising:

printing on surfaces of a plurality of substrates using the printhead by moving the substrates and the printhead relative to one another in a printing direction that is generally perpendicular to the first axis;

using a mechanical image capture device to capture printed on the surfaces of the substrates using the printhead or to capture images of portions of a print ribbon that was used to print the images on the substrates using the printhead;

inputting the captured images into a processing device and using the processing device to generate datasets of integrated intensity values, in a printing direction, of the captured images;

using the datasets to determine if pixel dropout has occurred; and

generating an alert signal if pixel dropout has occurred on a predetermined number of the substrates or print ribbon portions.

2. A method of determining pixel dropout of a printhead that has a plurality of print elements arrayed along a first axis, comprising:

printing on surfaces of a plurality of substrates using the printhead by moving the substrates and the printhead relative to one another in a printing direction that is generally perpendicular to the first axis;

using a mechanical image capture device to capture images printed on the surfaces of the substrates using the printhead or to capture images of portions of a print ribbon that was used to print the images on the substrates using the printhead; Ser. No. 13/902,193

inputting the captured images into a processing device and using the processing device to generate datasets of integrated intensity values, in a printing direction, of the captured images;

using the datasets to determine if pixel dropout has occurred; and

generating an alert signal if pixel dropout has occurred on a predetermined consecutive number of the substrates or print ribbon portions, on a predetermined percentage of the substrates or print ribbon portions, or if an amount of pixel dropout exceeds a predetermined threshold on a predetermined number of the substrates or print ribbon portions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printed images are monochromatic or multi-color.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the captured images are multi-color or monochromatic.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising decomposing the captured multi-color images into a plurality of color datasets, each dataset representing an individual color; and

analyzing each of the color datasets to determine if pixel dropout has occurred for a particular color.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein printing comprises printing using a plurality of the printheads, each printhead printing a CMYK color;

capturing the images printed on the substrate surfaces or the print ribbon portions after one or more of the printheads print; and

for each captured image, generate a dataset of integrated intensity values, in the printing direction, of the respective captured image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each substrate is a plastic card, a page of a passport, or a retransfer film.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising performing a verification process on each plastic card, passport page, or retransfer film.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the verification process comprises one or more of the following:

verification of printed data;

verification of a printed image;

verification of embossing;

verification of topping;

verification of data on a chip; and

verification of data on a magnetic stripe.