US Patent 10404868 Image defect detection

Apparatus to detect a defect in a printed image and methods of detecting detects in a printed image are described. In some examples, a printing operation is initiated using image data to generate a printed image. The printed image is then scanned to generate a scanned image. A resolution of the scanned image is estimated, calculated or determined on the basis of a characteristic of the printing operation, and a reference image, having a resolution corresponding to the estimated, calculated or determined resolution, is generated from the image data. Whether defects are present in the printed image may be determined on the basis of a comparison of the reference image with the scanned image.