US Patent 9914309 Method and apparatus for single-pass failed nozzle compensation

Compensation algorithms are applied to hide failed nozzles or, at least, reduce the objectionable effect of such nozzles in a printed image. Once a failed nozzle or under-performing nozzle is detected in a single-pass printing system, it is shut-off and the image data that was intended to be printed by this nozzle is redistributed to its neighboring nozzles. Embodiments of the invention use of a 1-D look-up table and stochastically distribute the duty cycle to each neighboring nozzle. In this way, failed nozzles are effectively hidden in the final print.