Patent ID: 6523937
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: B41J,G06K,G07G,H04N

Abstract:
A method of printing a color image using single pass printing, comprising the steps of:providing a two-color printer for printing said image on a paper; providing a plurality of printer commands representing data from said image to be printed, said data being in a form of primary color dot data, alternate color dot data, and no-print dot data; at a beginning of a single pass, determining a location of a printer carriage with respect to a print location of said image being printed on said paper, wherein said printer carriage contains only two print cartridges, namely, a primary color cartridge and an alternate color cartridge corresponding to a primary color and an alternate color, respectively; at said beginning of said single pass, moving said printer carriage to a second side of said print location if said printer carriage is on a first side of said print location, and when said primary color cartridge is over said print location, one primary color dot is printed on said paper where called for by said primary color dot data; after which, when said alternate color cartridge is over said print location, one alternate color dot is printed on said paper when called for by said alternate color dot data; stopping said print carriage from moving from said first side to said second side once both print cartridges are to said second side of said print location at an end of said single pass; at said beginning of said single pass, moving said printer carriage to said first side of said print location if said printer carriage is on said second side of said print location, and when said alternate color cartridge is over said print location, one alternate color dot is printed on said paper where called for by said alternate color dot data; after which, when said primary color cartridge is over said print location, one primary color dot is printed on said paper when called for by said primary color dot data; and stopping said print carriage from moving from said second side to said first side once both print cartridges are to said first side of said print location at said end of said single pass.