Abstract: An object of the present invention is to implement a bit pattern capable of specifying a plurality of colors while storing information on a shape. The present invention is an image processing apparatus that converts image data in a bitmap format into data including a bit pattern, the apparatus including: a creation unit configured to create, based on pixel values of pixels within an image area of a predetermined size within the image data, the bit pattern storing shape information on the image area, which specifies to which of a plurality of kinds of pixel each pixel within the image area corresponds, and color information on the image area, which specifies a number of colors in accordance with a kind of pixel specified by the shape information, and the number in accordance with a kind of pixel specified by the shape information is smaller than a total number of pixels within the image area.

Abstract: A distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a high permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts is made to be shorter than a distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a low permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts.

Abstract: A printing apparatus uses a printing unit on which a right and a left printing heads are mutually arranged in opposite orientations in a predetermined direction to execute multi-pass printing.

Abstract: The positions and widths of a shared printing area and the gradients of printing ratios are made different between front surface printing and back surface printing.

Abstract: A recording apparatus acquires residual amounts of respective tanks and determines a recording area of one recording head and a recording area of another recording head from among the two recording heads based on the acquisition result, so as to reduce a difference between residual amounts of ink within the tanks corresponding to the respective recording heads.

Abstract: The remaining amounts of inks in tanks are obtained, and, based on the obtained results, whether direction for printing an image next is to be inverted with respect to a set direction. This can reduce a difference in ink remaining amount between the tanks corresponding to print heads.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a determination unit that determines a print operation to be performed and a generation unit that generates quantized data for printing a dot by comparing a threshold value and the multi-valued data. In a case of performing a first print operation, dot arrangement of the multiple types of inks printed on the print medium by the print unit on a basis of pieces of quantized data generated by the generation unit is higher in exclusiveness and dispersibility between or among dots of the multiple types of inks and lower in an overlap rate between or among the dots of the multiple types of inks than dot arrangement of the multiple types of inks printed on the print medium by the print unit on a basis of the pieces of quantized data generated by the generation unit in the case of performing the second print operation.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a first and a second image processing module including an image processing unit, and a connection module that is connected to the first and second image processing modules, and moves an image data from one image processing module to the other image processing module. At least one of the image processing modules includes a weighted average processing unit that calculates, based on a weighting coefficient included in an attribute value, a weighted average of a pixel value of the input image data and a image processed pixel value, and an output unit which outputs at least one of the image processed pixel value and the weighted-averaged pixel value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a determination unit that determines a print operation to be performed and a generation unit that generates quantized data for printing a dot by comparing a threshold value and the multi-valued data. In a case of performing a first print operation, dot arrangement of the multiple types of inks printed on the print medium by the print unit on a basis of pieces of quantized data generated by the generation unit is higher in exclusiveness and dispersibility between or among dots of the multiple types of inks and lower in an overlap rate between or among the dots of the multiple types of inks than dot arrangement of the multiple types of inks printed on the print medium by the print unit on a basis of the pieces of quantized data generated by the generation unit in the case of performing the second print operation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus sets a threshold value matrix for each of multiple color materials, and uses the set threshold value matrix to acquire a first threshold value. On the other hand, the image processing apparatus sets reference data on the basis of multivalued data of that color material. Then, the image processing apparatus calculates a second threshold value matrix by performing a predetermined process on the first threshold value on the basis of the reference data for that color material. Further, by comparing the second threshold value with the multivalued data, quantization data for printing a dot is generated. When doing this, the threshold value matrix and the reference data for that color material are set so as to make the graininess of a dot pattern of that color material lower than the graininess of a mixed color dot pattern obtained by mixing dot patterns of the respective multiple color materials.

Abstract: A recording device includes a recording unit, a scanning unit, and a recording control unit. The recording unit includes first and second recording parts each having multiple discharge orifice rows that each have multiple discharge orifices arrayed in a predetermined direction. The first recording part and the second recording part are separated from each other in an intersecting direction that intersects the predetermined direction. The scanning unit performs recording scanning by moving the recording unit. The recording control unit performs recording of a region on the recording medium including one edge of the recording medium by the first recording part alone, recording of another region including the other edge of the recording medium by the second recording part alone, and recording of a region in between the two regions using both recording parts.

Abstract: A distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a high permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts is made to be shorter than a distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a low permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts.

Abstract: A dividing unit generates, from input data, divided data corresponding to the first area and the second area to be printed by a recording head and partly overlapping each other. The dividing unit supplies the respective divided data to the first processing unit and the second processing unit which can concurrently perform processing. Each of the first and second processing units generates the recording image data from the divided data based on a characteristic of the recording head corresponding to a recording area assigned to one of the processing units and a partial area assigned to the other processing unit. Each of the first and second processing units then performs driving control on the recording head based on data, in generated recording image data, which corresponds to an area recorded by one of the processing units.

Abstract: In color separation processing by a method that combines a multidimensional LUT and interpolation processing, smooth gradation is implemented by reducing errors accompanying interpolation processing. An image processing apparatus includes a color separation processing unit configured to perform, by interpolation processing using a lookup table having a plurality of dimensions in accordance with signal components of an input image, color separation of an input value that is each pixel value of the input image into an output value corresponding to each of signal components handled by an output device, and each grid point of the lookup table is associated with information representing change characteristics at each portion between adjacent grid points for each dimension of the plurality of dimensions, and in the color separation processing, the interpolation processing is performed based on the information representing the change characteristics.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus sets a threshold value matrix for each of multiple color materials, and uses the set threshold value matrix to acquire a first threshold value. On the other hand, the image processing apparatus sets reference data on the basis of multivalued data of that color material. Then, the image processing apparatus calculates a second threshold value matrix by performing a predetermined process on the first threshold value on the basis of the reference data for that color material. Further, by comparing the second threshold value with the multivalued data, quantization data for printing a dot is generated. When doing this, the threshold value matrix and the reference data for that color material are set so as to make the graininess of a dot pattern of that color material lower than the graininess of a mixed color dot pattern obtained by mixing dot patterns of the respective multiple color materials.

Abstract: A system comprises: an obtaining unit that obtains predetermined information relating to amount of printing materials for a tank attached to a printing apparatus; and a determining unit that determines an interchangeable tank to be provided from a plurality of types of interchangeable tanks based on the predetermined information, wherein the plurality of types of interchangeable tanks include a first tank and a second tank, the first tank contains printing materials of at least two colors, with a ratio of amounts of the printing materials of the at least two colors being a first constituent ratio, and the second tank contains printing materials of at least the same two colors as those in the first tank, with a ratio of amounts of the printing materials of at least the two colors being a second constituent ratio different from the first constituent ratio.

Abstract: In low-resolution processing (reduction processing) in which input image data is separated into character print data and image print data to generate print data of lower resolution than that of the input image data, if a plurality of pixels is simply reduction-processed to one pixel, color of a color image surrounding a character may change. In an image processing method, calculation for performing reduction processing so that the plurality of pixels in the input image data corresponds to one pixel in the print data is performed as follows. A ratio of using a pixel value of a character attribute pixel in the calculation is set to 0, or set smaller than a ratio of using a pixel value of an image attribute pixel. As a result, a change in the color of the color image surrounding the character can be prevented.

Abstract: Printing heads of combinations of four ink colors and seven printing characteristic ranks are previously used to print an image for measurement, and table parameters corresponding to all of the combinations of nozzle ink colors and printing characteristic ranks are obtained on the basis of a measurement result of this image for measurement and stored in a memory. Then, when printing is actually performed in a printer, a primary color image for measurement is printed for each nozzle of a printing head for each of four ink colors. A printing characteristic rank for each nozzle is obtained for each of four ink colors based on a measurement result of this image for measurement, and a table parameter is selected that corresponds to the same combination as the combination of the obtained printing characteristic rank of each nozzle of four ink colors, by referring to the memory.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, an image processing method, an inkjet printing apparatus and a data generating apparatus are provided that can reduce, when a plurality of types of inks are used to print an image, the color unevenness that is caused by the variation of ejecting characteristics among a plurality of nozzles. A conversion table for correcting, based on an ejecting characteristic, a multi dimensional color printed by ejecting at least two types of inks on a common region on a printing medium is used to correct a plurality of color signals corresponding to these inks.

Abstract: An image processor, a printing apparatus, and an image processing method are provided that can reduce, when a plurality of types of inks are used to print an image, the color unevenness that is caused by the variation of ejecting characteristics among a pluralities of nozzles. To realize this, for a color formed by overlapping at least two colors of inks, parameters are prepared that are determined so as to reduce the color difference in the printing medium due to the variation of the ejecting characteristic among the respective pluralities of nozzles. During printing, the parameters are used to correct the first color signal owned by the individual pixels to the second color signal.