Abstract:
In some examples, a print controller is to receive a preference relating to a choice between quantity in printing images by a printing apparatus and quality of printed images and vary a threshold value according to the received preference to produce a dynamically set threshold value. The print controller is to further initiate printing of a print job using the first print head array, determine whether an image quality defect value associated with printing at least one of image of the print job exceeds the dynamically set threshold value, in response to determining that the image quality defect value does not exceed the dynamically set threshold value, continue printing the at least one image with the first print head array, and in response to determining that the image quality defect value exceeds the dynamically set threshold value, cause movement of the first print head array from a first position to the servicing station.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/878,472, filed Oct. 8, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/130,451, filed May 20, 2011, which is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT/US2008/087268, filed Dec. 17, 2008, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional servicing of a print head array is often dependent on fixed situations, such as when a severe error occurs and/or at periodic fixed intervals based on previous instructions. This traditional form of servicing often is inflexible and often does not take into consideration different user preferences of quantity versus quality for various situations. This often results in significant unwanted downtime which leads to reduced output, even when a user considers the image quality sufficient and would like to continue printing. The user may thus feel that they are bound by these fixed circumstances and have no control or flexibility in the printing. This may especially be dissatisfying when the user would like to continue to print in order to meet an impending deadline. On the opposite end, the user may feel that image quality is not acceptable even when there is no severe error detected. As a result, the printing apparatus may continue to print unsatisfactory images that the user feels is unacceptable and thus waste resources in the form of time, media, and ink. 
     Further, the servicing of a print head array conventionally involves halting a print job entirely while a print head or a print head array is being serviced without offering an option to resume printing the same image with another print head array while the erred print head array is being serviced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a printing apparatus, various components and devices included in the printing apparatus, and various components and devices attached to the printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a print controller software coupled to a printing apparatus configuring at least one sensor to detect when at least one print head array needs to be serviced, servicing at least one print head array at a servicing station, configuring at least one additional print head array to continue a print job started by at least one print head array, and at least one secondary printing apparatus that may mark at least one image according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates at least one additional print head array that may be functional and at a position following at least one print head array when at least one sheet of media travels in an upward stream and/or downward stream according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a printer controller software that may be embedded into the printing apparatus and/or may be stored on a removable medium being accessed by a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method for continuing a print job started by at least one print head array utilizing at least one additional print head array when at least one print head array needs to be serviced according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for determining whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced, continuing a print job started by at least one print head array utilizing one additional print head array when at least one print head array needs to be serviced, servicing at least one print head array, and reprinting at least one image according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention differs from previous approaches by offering flexibility to a user when printing upstream or downstream by controlling when a print head array is to be serviced based not only on traditional error conditions, but when the user wishes to choose quality over quantity of the images printed or quantity over quality of the images printed. A common practice for conventional servicing of a print head array is dependent on fixed conditions on when an error is detected, such as when a nozzle head has crashed, a nozzle is clogged, and/or when a misalignment occurs. Further conventional methods of servicing a print head array may involve always stopping the print job entirely, regardless of whether or not an image or print job is currently being printed, or always completing the printing of an image or the print job. 
     As a result, a user may find that images are continued to be printed when the user does not find that the image quality is satisfactory, thereby wasting resources, or that images that are salvageable are not being printed or completed when the user feels that the image quality for the images are sufficient, further wasting resources and time. This ultimately leads to wasted time in servicing the printing apparatus when not desired, wasted resources in printing unsatisfactory images, and an unsatisfactory printing experience for the user. The present invention alleviates many of these issues and concerns by taking into consideration an image quality when determining whether to service a print head array and determining whether to halt or continue printing an image or print job when an image or print job is currently being printed. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a printing apparatus, various components and devices included in the printing apparatus, and various components and devices attached to the printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. A printing apparatus is an apparatus that may access print data from at least one print job to print one or more images, text, and/or patterns on one or more sides of a sheet upon instruction. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the printing apparatus may include a print controller, at least one print head array, at least one additional print head array, a servicing station, at least one sensor, a video display device, and at least one secondary printing apparatus. Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the print controller which may further include a PROCESSOR, RAM, computer readable medium, and print controller software. The printing apparatus may include additional devices and/or components and may be attached and/or coupled to additional devices or components in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     As noted above, the printing apparatus  100  may include a printer controller  160 , which may be used to control the printing apparatus  100  and include a PROCESSOR, RAM, Storage/Computer Readable Medium, and print controller software  170 . The print controller software  170  may manage the operations of the printing apparatus  100 , in conjunction with the print controller  160 , by sending instructions to one or more components and/or devices coupled to the printing apparatus  100 . It will be understood that the term, at least one print head array, is used to describe a print head array that is initially encountered before encountering at least one additional print head array. It will further be understood that the term, at least one additional print head array, is used to describe a print head array that is encountered after encountering at least one print head array. As a result, depending on whether a sheet or web of media is moving up or down stream, will determine whether a print head array may be considered at least one print head array or at least one additional print head array for purposes of this application. 
     The print controller software  170  may be firmware that is embedded onto the print controller  160  or the printing apparatus  100 . Additionally, the print controller software  170  may be a software application stored on the printer apparatus  100  through a storage medium readable and accessible by the printing apparatus  100  or the print controller software  170  may be stored on a computer readable medium readable and accessible by the printing apparatus  100  from a different location. Further, the print controller software  170  may be stored and/or accessed through a server coupled through a local area network or a wide area network. The print controller software  170  may communicate with the print controller  160  and/or other additional devices and/or components coupled to the printing apparatus  100  physically or wirelessly through one or more communication channels included in or attached to the printing apparatus  100 . 
     In one embodiment, a sheet or web of media may be traveling down stream and initially make contact with print head array  110  before making contact with print head array  120 . As a result for the present embodiment, print head array  110  will hereby be referred to as at least one print head array  110 , and print head array  120  will hereby be referred to as at least one additional print head array  120 . The print controller software  170  may initially determine whether there are any images to be printed in a print job and instruct at least one print head array  110  or at least one additional print head array  120  to print the image and/or any additional images from the print job on at least one sheet of media. The print controller software  170  may then determine whether at least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head arrays  120 , coupled to the printing apparatus  100 , needs to be serviced. At least one print head array  110  and any additional print head array  120  may include at least one print head coupled to the printing apparatus  100  that may be used to print at least one image and/or text onto at least one sheet of media. In determining whether at least one print head array  170  needs to be serviced, the print controller software  170  may scan at least one image from a print job for a defect in image quality and create an image quality defect value. At least one image from a print job may be an image, text, or a combination of text and images. A print job may include data indicating the number of pages and/or number of images to be printed, whether to print in duplex mode or single sided mode, the type of sheets to print on, such as media type, as well as the size of sheets to print on. The print job may be created from at least one image and/or data that has been captured through a scanner, a fax, a copier, and/or another device, such as a computer. 
     As noted above, the print controller software  170  may scan at least one image from the print job for a defect in image quality and create an image quality defect value. In creating the image quality defect value for at least one image and/or any additional image of a print job, the print controller software  170  may utilize at least one sensor  130  and/or any additional sensors  140  coupled to the printing apparatus  100  to scan or capture the image of at least one image or any additional images of the print job being printed by at least one print head array  110  or any additional print head arrays  120 . Further, at least one sensor  130  and/or any additional sensors  140  may be utilized to scan and detect when a nozzle head has crashed, when a nozzle has clogged, when a print head has failed, and/or when there is a misalignment. At least one sensor  130  and any additional sensors  140  may be a scanner, camera or any other form of imaging device that may capture an image and create a copy of the image. 
     After scanning at least one image with at least one sensor  130  and/or any additional sensors  140 , the print controller software  170  may create a scanned copy of at least one image. The scanned copy of at least one image and/or any additional image may be a corresponding copy of at least one image and/or any additional image that has finished printing or is currently being printed. Once the scanned copy of at least one image has been created, the print controller software  170  may compare the scanned copy of at least one image to a corresponding digital copy of at least one image. The digital copy of at least one image may be a digital target image of what at least one image should look like. After comparing the scanned copy of at least one image to a digital copy of at least one image, the print controller software  170  may determine an amount of error between the scanned copy of at least one image and the digital copy of at least one image. 
     In determining the amount of error, the print controller software  170  may count and store the number of defects in the scanned copy of at least one image in comparison to the digital copy of at least one image. In counting the number of defects, the print controller software  170  may scan for any missing pixels, incorrect colors, incorrect position of printing, and/or any combination of the previous errors in comparison to the digital copy of at least one image and count the number of defects. Additionally, the print controller software  170  may use the number of defects found in the scanned copy of at least one image to create a letter grade from A through F for the scanned copy of at least one image. Further, the print controller software  170  may use the number of defects found in the scanned copy of at least one image to calculate a percentage of error and/or defects found in the scanned copy of at least one image in comparison to the digital copy of at least one image. The print controller software  170  may then utilize the results to create an image quality defect value. 
     The image quality defect value is a value such as a numerical number, a letter grade, or a percentage that may be used to indicate a level of defectiveness of an image. As noted above, the image quality defect value may be a letter grade indicating the level of quality of the image. Additionally, the image quality defect value may be a numerical value specifically indicating the number of defects found in at least one image or the image quality defect value may be percentage indicating the percentage of defect of the image. 
     As noted above, the print controller software  170  may determine whether at least one print head array  110 , coupled to the printing apparatus  100 , needs to be serviced. In determining whether at least one print head array  110  needs to be serviced, the print controller software  170  may scan for a nozzle head crash, a clogged nozzle, a failure of a print head, a misalignment, and/or an image quality defect value being above a threshold value. If any of the previous are detected, the print controller software  170  may determine that at least one print head array  110  needs to be serviced. At least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head arrays  120  may need to be serviced when additional factors occur or are detected in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted above. 
     The threshold value utilized above may be a predefined value created by the printing apparatus, downloaded and stored through a network from another printing apparatus or computer, and/or created manually by a user. Similar to the image quality defect value, the threshold value may be a value such as a numerical number, a letter grade, or a percentage that may be used to indicate the level of defectiveness of an image. Further each print job and/or image printing may have a corresponding threshold value that may be the same or may vary depending on user or system preference for quality and/or quantity produced. 
     A user or the printing apparatus  100  may choose quantity produced over quality when the image quality is not as important as getting as many copies printed as possible by defining a lower image quality defect value. As a result, at least one print head array may need to be serviced less frequently and an amount of time the printing apparatus  100  is up may be increased. Alternatively, the user or printing apparatus  100  may determine that image quality is more important, where as the quantity is not as important a factor by defining a higher image quality defect value. As a result, at least one print head array  110  and/or at least one additional print head array  120  may need to be serviced more frequently, however the image quality of the prints will be insured to be of higher quality. The present invention thus offers flexible printing to accommodate different preferences for one or more users depending on different circumstances while contiguously printing at least one image and/or any additional images of a print job. 
     If at least one print head array  110  is determined to need servicing, the print controller software  170  may further determine whether servicing at least one print head array  110  will interrupt at least one image from a print job from completing. In determining whether at least one print head array  110  will interrupt at least one image from a print job from completing, the print controller software  170  may access the corresponding print job and determine whether at least one image from the print job is currently active. Additionally, the print controller software  170  may check whether at least one print head array  110  or any additional print head array  120  is currently active. If at least one image from the print job is not active or at least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head array  120  is not active, the print controller software  170  may determine that servicing at least one print head array  110  will not interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing. Further, if at least one image from the print job is active or at least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head array  120  is active, the print controller may determine that servicing at least one print head array  110  will interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing. 
     If servicing at least one print head array  110  will not interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing and at least one print head array  110  needs to be serviced, the print controller software  170  may issue an instruction to move at least one print head array  110  to a service station  130 . After moving at least one print head array to a service station  130 , the print controller software  170  may then proceed to configure at least one additional print head array  120  to continue the print job when at least one additional print head array  120  is functional and at a position following at least one print head array  110 . At least one additional print head array  120  is functional when it does not need to be serviced. 
     If servicing at least one print head array  110  will interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing and at least one print head array  110  needs to be serviced, the print controller software  170  may proceed to determine whether to continue printing at least one image from the print job. In determining whether to continue printing at least one image from the print job, the print controller software will again consider whether at least one image from the print job has an image quality defect value above a predefined threshold value. 
     If at least one image does from the print job does not have an image quality defect value above threshold value, the print controller may configure at least one additional print head array  120  to wait until after at least one image from the print job has completed printing before continuing the print job when at least one additional print head array  120  is functional and at a position following at least one print head array  110 . If at least one image from the print job has an image quality defect value above threshold value, the print controller may interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing and configure at least one additional print head array  120  to continue printing the at least one image from the print job when at least one additional print head array  120  is functional and at a position following at least one print head array  110 . 
     As a result, the printing apparatus  100  may contiguously print an existing image of the print job or continue printing the print job, while reducing the number of unacceptable images printed and maintain a higher number of acceptable images that have an image quality value that is above a threshold value. 
     While printing the print job with at least one additional print head array  120 , the print controller software  170  may send an instruction to service at least one print head array  110  at the service station  130 . If at least one print head array  110  has not already been moved to the service station  130 , the print controller software  170  may issue an instruction to move at least one print head array  110  to the service station  130  for servicing. 
     A service station  130  is a position in the printing apparatus  100  that is currently not printing and where at least one print head array  110  may be serviced. Servicing at least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head array  120  may include recovering a nozzle head after a crash, unclogging a clogged nozzle, replacing a failed print head, realigning at lease one print head and/or nozzle after a misalignment, and/or recalibrating at least one print head and/or nozzle to increase image quality. Servicing at least one print head array  110  and/or any additional print head array  120  may include performing additional functions and/or operations to improve image quality and reduce defects in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted above. After at least one print head array  110  has been serviced, the print controller software  170  may configure at least one print head array  110  to resume printing the print job being printed by at least one additional print head array  120 . 
     Further, the print controller software  170  may identify at least one image or any additional images of the print job that may have an image quality defect value above a threshold value. The print controller software may identify at least one image or any additional images of the print job that may have an image quality defect value above a threshold value by issuing an instruction for a video display device coupled to the printing apparatus  100  to output defect message whenever at least one image or any additional images of the print job has have an image quality defect value above a threshold value. A video display device may be a device coupled to the printing apparatus that may display images and/or text. Additionally, the video display device may be embedded into the printing apparatus  100  or coupled physically or wirelessly to the printing apparatus  100 . 
     Additionally, in identifying at least one image and/or any additional images of the print job that may have an image quality defect value above a threshold value, the print controller software  170  may also configure at least one print head array  110 , at least one additional print head array  120 , and/or at least one secondary printing apparatus  180  to mark at least one image and/or any additional image of the print job when the corresponding image has an image defect value above a threshold value. A secondary printing apparatus  180  may be a print head array, a print head, and/or a stamp that may mark at least one or more images of a print job. The print controller software  170  may further keep a log of at least one image and/or any additional image of the print job that has been marked using a log that may be stored as a file on the printing apparatus, a computer readable medium, and/or through a network. The print controller software  170  may identify and/or mark at least one image or any additional image of a print job that has an image quality defect value above a threshold value using additional means and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted above and  FIG. 1 . 
     The print controller software  170  may also determine whether at least one image and/or any additional image from the print job has not been printed by examining the print job and determining whether any images of the print job have timed out and/or are still queued for printing. Further, the print controller software  170  may issue an instruction to reprint at least one image or any additional images from the print job when at least one image or any additional images from the print job have not been printed or when an image quality defect value of the corresponding image are above a threshold value that may be predefined. The print controller software may issue additional instructions, perform additional functions, and/or control additional devices and/or components in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a print controller software coupled to a printing apparatus configuring at least one sensor to detect when at least one print head array needs to be serviced, servicing at least one print head array at a servicing station, configuring at least one additional print head array to continue a print job started by at least one print head array, and at least one secondary printing apparatus that may mark at least one image according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the printing apparatus may include a print controller software, at least one print head array, a service station, at least one secondary printing apparatus, and at least one sensor. The printing apparatus may include additional components and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 2  and noted above. 
     In one embodiment, a sheet or web of media may be traveling down stream and initially make contact with print head array  210  before making contact with print head array  220 . As a result for the present embodiment, print head array  210  will hereby be referred to as at least one print head array  210 , and print head array  220  will hereby be referred to as at least one additional print head array  220 . As noted above, the print controller software  240  may instruct at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  to print at least one image of a print job. As illustrated in  FIG. 2  and noted above, the printing apparatus  200  may include at least one print head array  210  and at least one additional print head array  220  that may be functional or may need servicing. At least one print head array  210  and at least one additional print head array  220  may include one or more print heads. Further, one or more print heads may further include one or more nozzles where ink may be fired out of and onto at least one sheet of media to create at least one image of a print job. 
     Further, the print controller software  240  may then determine when at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  needs to be serviced. As noted above, in determining whether at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  needs to be serviced, the print controller software  240  may configure at least one sensor  260 ,  263 ,  266  to scan at least one image of a print job for defects, detect when a nozzle head has crashed, when a nozzle has clogged, when a print head has failed, and/or when there is a misalignment. At least one sensor  260 ,  263 ,  266  may be located at different positions on the printing apparatus  200 . Additionally, as noted above, at least one sensor  260 ,  263 ,  266  may be a scanner, camera or any other form of imaging device that may capture an image and create a copy of the image. 
     In one embodiment, a sheet of media may be traveling in a downward stream and the sheet of media may already have at least one image printed on it. At least one sensor  260  may initially scan the sheet of media and determine that it has an image quality defect value above a threshold value and thus determine that at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  needs to be serviced. Alternatively, the sheet of media may be traveling in a downward stream and the sheet of media may not be printed on yet, at least one sensor  260  may initially scan the image and determine that there are no defects. At least one print head array  210  may then proceed to print on the sheet of media, however at least one additional sensor  263  may determine that the image printed now has an image quality defect value above a threshold value. The print controller software  240  may then determine that at least one print head array  210  needs to be serviced. In another embodiment, at least one sensor  260  and at least one additional sensor  263  may determine that an image quality defect value is not above a threshold value, the print controller software  240  may then proceed to instruct at least one additional print head array  220  to print. At least one additional sensor  266  may then scan the image and determine that the image has an image quality defect value above a threshold value. The print controller software  240  may then determine that at least one additional print head array  220  needs to be serviced. As a result, the present invention may accurately determine whether at least one print head array  210 , whether at least one additional print head array  220 , or both print head arrays need to be serviced. 
     As noted above, at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  may need to be serviced at a servicing station  230  when at least one image of a print job has an image defect value above a threshold value, when a nozzle head has crashed, when a nozzle is clogged, when a print head has failed, and/or when there is a misalignment. As noted above, the service station  230  may be a position in the printing apparatus  200  that is currently not printing and where at least one print head array  210  may be serviced. Additionally, as noted above, at least one print head array  210  and/or any additional print head array  220  may be serviced by recovering a nozzle head after a crash, unclogging a clogged nozzle, replacing a failed print head, realigning at lease one print head and/or nozzle after a misalignment, and/or recalibrating at least one print head and/or nozzle to increase image quality. The servicing of at least one print head array  210  and/or at least one additional print head array  220  at the service station  230  may be performed automatically by the printing apparatus  200  or manually by one or more users. 
     As noted above, after at least one print head array  210  or at least one additional print head array  220  has been serviced, the print controller may configure the print head array  210 , 220  which has been serviced to resume printing the print job. Additionally, when at least one print head array  210  needs to be serviced, at least one print head array  210  may need to be moved to a service station. Further, as noted above, at least one additional print head array  220  may be configured to continue printing at least one image of the print job or continue printing the print job started by at least one print head array  210  when at least one additional print head array is functional. At least one additional print head array  220  is functional when it does not need to be serviced. 
     Further as noted above, at least one image of the print job may be marked by at least one print head array  210 , at least one additional print head array  220 , and/or at least one secondary printing apparatus  250 ,  253 ,  256  when the image has an image defect value above a threshold value. Additionally, as noted above, at least one secondary printing apparatus  250 ,  253 ,  256  may be a print head array, a print head, and/or a stamp that may mark at least one or more images of a print job. 
     In one embodiment, where a sheet of media is traveling in a downstream and at least on image has already been printed on the sheet, at least one sensor  260  may initially determine that the image printed on the sheet already has an image defect value above a threshold value. The print controller software may then instruct at least one secondary printing apparatus  250  to mark the image. Additionally, at least one sensor may determine that the image does not have an image quality defect value above a threshold value and at least one print head array  210  may proceed to print on the sheet of media. At least one additional sensor  263  may then scan the image and determine that the image has an image quality defect value above a threshold value. At least one secondary printing apparatus  253  may then mark the image. In another embodiment, at least one sensor  260  and at least one additional sensor  263  may determine that the image does not have an image quality defect value above a threshold value and at least one additional print head array  220  may proceed to print on the sheet of media. At least one additional sensor  266  may then scan and determine that the image has an image quality defect value above a threshold value and at least one secondary printing apparatus  256  may then mark the image. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates at least one additional print head array that may be functional and at a position following at least one print head array when at least one sheet of media travels in an upward stream and/or downward stream according to an embodiment of the invention. As noted above, at least one print head array  310  and/or at least one additional print head array  320  may be functional if they do not require servicing. Further, at least one additional print head array  320  is at a position following at least one print head array  310  when at least one sheet of media  330 , 340  makes contact with at least one additional print head array after initially making contact with at least one print head array  310  following a direction of travel for at least one sheet of media  330 , 340 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment, a sheet of media  330  may travel in a downward stream in the printing apparatus. Following the downward stream, the sheet of media  330  may make contact with print head array  320  after initially making contact with print head array  310 . As a result, print head array  320  may be at a position following print head array  310 . In another embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a sheet of media  340  may travel in an upward stream in the printing apparatus. Following the upward stream, the sheet of media  340  may make contact with print head array  310  after initially making contact with print head array  320 . As a result, print head array  310  may be at a position following print head array  320 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a printer controller software that may be embedded into the printing apparatus and/or may be stored on a removable medium being accessed by a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. As noted above, the printer controller software  400  may control and/or manager the hardware components of the printing apparatus by sending instructions and/or commands to each component of the printing apparatus independently or in conjunction using one or more communication channels. 
     Further, as noted above, the printer controller software  400  may be firmware that may be imbedded into one or more components of the printing apparatus  410 . Additionally, the printer controller software  400  may be a software application which may be stored and accessed from a hard drive, a compact disc, a flash disk, a network drive or any other form of computer readable medium that is coupled to the printing apparatus. In one embodiment, the printer controller software  400  may be stored on a server or another device that may or may not be coupled to the printing apparatus  410 . The printing apparatus  410  may utilize a local area network or a wide area network to store and access the printer controller software  400 . The printer controller  400  may be stored and accessed from additional devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
     Reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one of ordinary skill within the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method for continuing a print job started by at least one print head array utilizing at least one additional print head array when at least one print head array needs to be serviced according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of  FIG. 5  may utilize a print controller software, at least one sensor, at least one print head array, at least one additional print head array, and a servicing station. The method of  FIG. 5  may utilize additional components and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     As noted above, a print controller software may initially determine whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced  500 . If at least print head array needs to be serviced, the print controller software may then issue an instruction to move at least one print head array to a servicing station when at least one print head array needs to be serviced and servicing at least one print head array will not interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing  510 . The print controller software may then configure at least one additional print head array to continue the print job when at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following at least one print head array after at least one image from the print job has completed  520 . 
     Alternatively, if at least one print head array needs to be serviced, the print controller software may initially wait until at least one image from the print job has completed before configuring at least one additional print head array to continue the print job when at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following the at least one print head  520 . 
     Additionally, if at least one print head array needs to be serviced, the print controller software may send an instruction to interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing and configure at least one additional print head array to continue printing at least one image from the print job when at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following at least one print head array  530 . 
     The process may then be complete or the print controller software may continue to determine whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced and repeat the method disclosed in  FIG. 5 . The method of  FIG. 5  may include additional steps in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for determining whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced, continuing a print job started by at least one print head array utilizing one additional print head array when at least one print head array needs to be serviced, servicing at least one print head array, and reprinting at least one image according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of  FIG. 6  may utilize a print controller software, at least one sensor, at least one print head array, at least one additional print head array, at least one secondary printing apparatus, and a servicing station. The method of  FIG. 6  may utilize additional components and/or devices in addition to and/or in lieu of those noted above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     As noted above, the print controller software may initially determine whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced  600 . Further, as noted above, in determining whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced, the print controller software may scan at least one image from a print job for a defect in image quality and create an image quality defect value  605 . In creating the image quality defect value, the print controller software may create a scanned copy of at least one image, compare the scanned copy of at least one image to a digital copy of at least one image, and determine an amount of error between the scanned copy of at least one image and at least one digital copy of at least one image  610 . 
     The print controller software may then determine whether a nozzle head crash, a clogged nozzle, a failure of a print head, a misalignment, or an image quality defect value above a threshold value been detected  620 . If none have been detected, the print controller software may continue to have at least one print head array print and continue to determine whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced  600 . If a nozzle head crash, a clogged nozzle, a failure of a print head, a misalignment, or an image quality defect value above a threshold value has been detected, then the print controller software may proceed to determined whether servicing at least one print head array will interrupt at least one image from a print job from completing when at least one print head array needs to be serviced  630 . 
     If at least one image from a print job will not be interrupted, the print controller may proceed to move at least one print head array to a servicing station when at least one print head array needs to be serviced  635 . The print controller software may then configure at least one additional print head array to continue the print job when the at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following the at least one print head array  645 . 
     If at least one image from the print job will be interrupted, the print controller software may then determine whether to continue printing at least one image from the print job  640 . In determining whether to continue printing at least one image from the print job, the print controller software may check whether the image defect value is above a predefined threshold value  640 . 
     If the image defect value is not above a threshold value, the print controller software may configure at least one additional print head array to wait until after at least one image from the print job has completed before continuing the print job when at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following the at least one print head array  645 . As noted above, at least one additional print head array is at a position following at least one print head array when at least one sheet of media makes contact with the at least one additional print head array after initially making contact with at least one print head array following a direction of travel for the at least one sheet of media. 
     If the image defect value is above a threshold value, the print controller software may interrupt at least one image from the print job from completing and configure at least one additional print head array to continue printing at least one image from the print job when at least one additional print head array is functional and at a position following at least one print head array  650 . While at least one additional print head array is printing the print job, at least one print head array may be serviced in a servicing station. After at least one print head array has been serviced, the print controller software may configure at least one print head array to resume printing the print job  660 . 
     The print controller software may output a defect message to a video display or mark at least one image from the print job when an image quality defect value is above a threshold value  670 . As noted above, at least one print head array, at least one additional print head array, and/or at least one secondary printing apparatus may be configured to mark at least one image when the image quality defect value is above a threshold value. 
     The print controller software may then proceed to determine whether at least one image from the print job has not been printed  680 . The print controller software may then reprint at least one image from the print job when at least one image from the print job has not been printed or when an image quality defect value of the at least one image is above a threshold value  690 . As noted above, the threshold value may be predefined by a user or the printing apparatus. The process may then be complete or the print controller software may continue to determine whether at least one print head array needs to be serviced and repeat the method disclosed in  FIG. 6 . The method of  FIG. 6  may include additional steps in addition to and/or in lieu of those depicted in  FIG. 6 .