Patent ID: 8724131

Claim:
A method for printing an image on a recording medium, the method comprising: performing printing with a print head mounted on a carriage that reciprocates in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the recording medium moves from upstream to downstream, the printing being performed by a plurality of printing passes each of which is to print one band with the print head while the carriage moves; performing a respective pre-print scan of the recording medium during each printing pass of a first set of printing passes, using a first sensor mounted on the carriage at an upstream location of the print head in the second direction, wherein respective pre-print data is obtained from each of the pre-print scans, the respective pre-print data from each of the pre-print scans corresponding to a respective area of the recording medium upon which printing is to be performed; performing a respective post-print scan of the recording medium during each printing pass of a second set of printing passes, using a second sensor mounted on the carriage at a downstream location of the print head in the second direction, wherein respective post-print data is obtained from each of the post-print scans, the respective post-print data from each of the post-print scans corresponding to a respective area of the recording medium after printing was to have been performed thereon; determining a pre-print data result, the pre-print data result comprising the sum of the respective pre-print data obtained from each of the pre-print scans divided by the number of printing passes in the first set of printing passes; determining a post-print data result, the post-print data result comprising the sum of the respective post-print data obtained from each of the post-print scans divided by the number of printing passes in the second set of printing passes; and determining whether printing was successful using the pre-print data result and the post-print data result.