Compensation for fine line prints

Abstract

In an electrophotographic printer or the like, compensation is provided for environmental effects (temperature, humidity, photoconductor aging, etc.) which would otherwise affect print quality. Analyzing print data allows identification of compensation locations; those are locations at which compensation is most critical, such as single pel lines. A series of clock pulses of varying phase displacement are employed, and selected based on environmental variations, so as to modify the print data at the identified compensation locations. The print data comprises a series of pulses. Compensation to control the width of lines perpendicular to the scan direction is effected by selectively advancing the leading edge of pulses defining a white/black transition and delaying the trailing edge of pulses defining the black/white transition. This control then affects the duration of the print pulses. For lines which are parallel to the scan direction width control is effected by adding gray pulses, both the leading and trailing edges of these gray pulses are controlled in accordance with environmental variations. Accordingly, the duration of the gray pulse is also controlled.