Patent ID: 7086715

Claim:
A method of printing a test pattern on a recording medium by operating an image forming device having a printing element to form dots on the recording medium, and a print head, which mounts the printing element and moves relative to the recording medium, wherein the test pattern is used to inspect the printing element, the method comprising: a line printing step that prints a dot line in a predetermined region on the recording medium by driving the printing element while moving the print head relative to the recording medium in a first direction of the recording medium; and a moving step wherein the print head and the recording medium move relative to one another in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the recording medium such that the printing element can print a dot line adjacent and parallel to a dot line previously printed, wherein the line printing step and the moving step are repeated alternately, whereby the printing element individually prints a plane image which is an assemblage of a plurality of the dot lines as a component part of the test pattern, wherein the print head comprises a plurality of print heads each print head having a plurality of printing elements, each one of the printing elements of one print head being separated from each one of the printing elements of an adjacent print head in a direction approximately parallel to the first direction, wherein a printing element printing the dot line is changed in some steps of the repeated line printing steps, whereby each one of printing elements individually prints the plane image, and a printing element printing the dot line is changed in each step of the repeated line printing steps, whereby each one of printing elements individually prints the plane image.