US 11,945,239 B2
Method for controlling a printing process
Rolf Silbert, Del Mar, CA (US); Robert J. Rosati, Carlsbad, CA (US); David Buse, San Diego, CA (US); Olev Tammer, New York, NY (US); and Matthias Merten, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/396,525.
Application 15/669,378 is a division of application No. 14/919,467, filed on Oct. 21, 2015, granted, now 9,724,948, issued on Aug. 8, 2017.
Application 17/396,525 is a continuation of application No. 16/696,574, filed on Nov. 26, 2019, granted, now 11,090,963.
Application 16/696,574 is a continuation of application No. 15/971,660, filed on May 4, 2018, granted, now 10,562,329, issued on Feb. 18, 2020.
Application 15/971,660 is a continuation of application No. 15/669,378, filed on Aug. 4, 2017, granted, now 10,464,360, issued on Nov. 5, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/066,468, filed on Oct. 21, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0105739 A1, Apr. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 29/38 (2006.01); B41J 2/32 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 29/38 (2013.01) [B41J 2/32 (2013.01); B41J 3/4073 (2013.01); B41J 3/4075 (2013.01); G01N 35/00732 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00861 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1032 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a printing process by which a print head prints an image onto a label affixed to a tube positioned adjacent to the print head and adjacent to a sensor configured to detect optical and/or physical features of the label, the method comprising:
(a) with a controller, transmitting a command to the sensor to detect the presence of the label affixed to the tube, wherein the sensor either:
(1) fails to generate a signal indicating the presence of the label affixed to the tube, or
(2) generates a signal indicating the presence of the label;
(b) when the sensor generates a signal indicating the presence of the label affixed to the tube in step (a)(2), then, with the controller, transmitting a command to the sensor to detect a position of a timing mark on the label, wherein the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the position of the timing mark on the label affixed to the tube; and
(c) when the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the presence of the label affixed to the tube in step (a)(1) or the sensor fails to generate a signal indicating the position of the timing mark on the label affixed to the tube in step (b), then, with the controller, selectively activating the print head while effecting relative movement between the print head and the label to print multiple images at multiple positions on the label affixed to the tube.