Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different inks, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these inks. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of an ink that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of an ink that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a good image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire color gamut.

Abstract: An inkjet recording system including a separation unit configured to obtain separated data which corresponds to each of a plurality of nozzle arrays from input image data, a gradation correction unit configured to perform gradation correction by one-dimensional conversion on the separated data obtained by the separation unit, and a quantization unit configured to quantize the data on which the gradation correction is performed by the gradation correction unit to generate the recording data, wherein the separation unit obtains the separated data so that first separated data and second separated data corresponding to at least a pair of nozzle arrays for adjusting an effect of an air current have a same value, and the gradation correction unit performs different gradation correction on the first separated data and the second separated data which have the same value.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus for encoding image data and a method of controlling the same, whether an attribute of each of a plurality of areas in image data corresponds to an edge in an image based on the image data is determined, and one of a plurality of sub-sampling processes is selected according to the determination for each of the plurality of areas. Note that the plurality of sub-sampling processes can sub-sample color difference components of each of the plurality of areas by different processes. By the sub-sampling process selected as that corresponding to each of the plurality of areas, each of the plurality of areas is sub-sampled to encode the image data.

Abstract: When the number (M) of passes is smaller than a threshold value, a first processing mode is selected. In the first processing mode, multivalued image data is divided into pieces of multivalued data corresponding to passes and a common multivalued data for a plurality of passes, the pieces of multivalued data are individually binarized to generate pieces of binary data corresponding to the passes, and the common multivalued data is binarized to generate common binary data for these passes. On the other hand, when the number (M) of passes is equal to or larger than the threshold value, a second processing mode is selected. In the second processing mode, multivalued image data is binarized and the binary data is divided into pieces of binary data corresponding to passes with a mask.

Abstract: Inputted image data is converted to M number of multi-value data having a lower resolution than the inputted image data, and after quantization processing has been performed for each of the M number of multi-value data, an image is printed by M number of relative movements (M-pass printing) that corresponds to the M number of quantized data. By doing so, when compared with the case in which a resolution reduction process is not performed, it is possible to suppress the number of pixels that become the object of quantization processing, and it becomes possible to output an image with no fluctuation in image density or density unevenness without a decrease in the processing speed.

Abstract: In image processing, it is possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the ink used in printing. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating data for 2-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to the two passes is also generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data for each of the passes. Furthermore, when generating the quantized data, the division ratios used when generating the common data using the aforementioned multi-valued data division are set according to the colors of ink used in printing. By doing so, it becomes possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the colors used in printing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different sizes of dots, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these dot sizes. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of a dot size that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of a dot size that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a satisfactory image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire grayscale range.

Abstract: Differences in color change due to bronze colors and the optical interference state related to bronzing are suppressed among multiple print modes. The blue primary color “Blue” in the standard RGB gamut is mapped to a point (color) that has moved in the clockwise direction, and that color is taken to be the primary color “Blue-s” in the Standard mode gamut. As a result, when an observer observes this color, the color shifted in the counter-clockwise direction is perceived as a color of the same hue as the primary color “Blue-f” in the Fine mode gamut, suppressing the difference in perceived color between the Fine mode and the Standard mode.

Abstract: Uneven glossiness is effectively suppressed between areas where light inks are mainly used and areas where dark inks are mainly used. The gloss is raised in areas where dark cyan ink C is used. In other words, the application amount of second clear ink applied by after application printing is set to 32% at primary cyan (grid point 16) to equalize the gloss with areas where light cyan ink LC is used. Also, the application amount of first clear ink applied by common printing is set to 32% in a highlight portion (grid point 8) to equalize the gloss with the maximum gloss reached using dark cyan ink C. In so doing, it is possible to keep the gloss nearly constant over the entire range from white to cyan, or in other words, suppress uneven glossiness.

Abstract: When a gradation mask is used to distribute image data to be recorded by overlapping portions in an overlapping head, color unevenness is generated in an image recorded by the overlapping portions due to a displacement in impact positions caused by an assembly error. As a result, accurate colorimetric measurement of patches recorded by the overlapping portion cannot be performed. To solve such a problem, a distribution ratio by which the image data is distributed to the overlapping portions is set to be approximately constant when recording a test pattern for performing color correction, as compared to when normally recording the image.

Abstract: Provided are an image processor and an image processing method that are capable of suppressing both density unevenness due to printing position shifts among a group of dots printed by a plurality of relative movements (or a plurality of printing element groups) and graininess. In order to accomplish this, a dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which the density unevenness stands out is made higher than the dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which other defects stand out more than the density unevenness. By doing so, it is possible to suitably adjust the dot overlap rate according to the image characteristic, and output an image having no density unevenness or graininess.

Abstract: When dividing multi-valued data and generating data for two-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data that are divided for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected onto the quantized data for each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, division ratios that are used when generating the common data by the multi-valued data division described above are set according to the image characteristics (whether or not the area is flesh color) of the multi-valued data. Thereby, it is possible to perform high-quality printing regardless of the image characteristics by taking a suitable balance between suppressing density unevenness and suppressing graininess.

Abstract: In image processing it is possible to adequately reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating 2-pass multi-pass printing data, in addition to the divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is also generated. Moreover, the quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data of each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, the division ratio when generating common data in the division of multi-valued data is set according to the duty (gradation value) of the multi-valued data. By doing so it becomes possible to adequately reduce the density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data.

Abstract: When multi-pass printing is performed, the dot overlap rate (ratio of the number of dots that overlap and are to be printed in the same pixel area by the plurality of relative movements with respect to the total number of dots to be printed in a pixel area by the plurality of relative movements) in pixel areas having medium-density where density unevenness caused by density fluctuation easily stands out is made higher than the dot overlap rate in pixel areas having low-density and pixel areas having high-density. By doing so density unevenness caused by density fluctuation is suppressed. In addition, the dot overlap rate in pixel areas having low-density and pixel areas having high-density is low, so it is possible to reduce graininess in low-density areas and suppress a decrease in density in high-density areas.

Abstract: Color production with high chroma in a low lightness portion is realized by using an appropriate complementary color ink to a particular color ink reproducing the low lightness portion. More specially the device secondary color G-K is reproduced with ink of the pure color component composed of the color mixture of the particular color G ink and the basic color Y ink to tone the particular color G ink. In addition, as complementary color components, the particular color R ink and K ink are used. Thereby, the reproduction line is substantially linear from the device secondary color G point to the device K point. In color reproduction at the dark portion of the color on the G-K line, sufficient chroma can be obtained.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different sizes of dots, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these dot sizes. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of a dot size that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of a dot size that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a satisfactory image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire grayscale range.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different inks, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these inks. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of an ink that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of an ink that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a good image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire color gamut.

Abstract: In an overlapping head including a plurality of recording head chips overlapped to each other, a color shift can occur between a color recorded by an overlapping region and a color recorded by a non-overlapping region, which cannot be corrected by a density correction using head shading or the like. To correct such a color shift, a test pattern is recorded by the overlapping region and the non-overlapping region and colors of the recorded test pattern are measured. Color correction data to be used in correction of colors of an image to be recorded is generated based on a result of the measurement of the colors.

Abstract: When a gradation mask is used to distribute image data to be recorded by overlapping portions in an overlapping head, color unevenness is generated in an image recorded by the overlapping portions due to a displacement in impact positions caused by an assembly error. As a result, accurate colorimetric measurement of patches recorded by the overlapping portion cannot be performed. To solve such a problem, a distribution ratio by which the image data is distributed to the overlapping portions is set to be approximately constant when recording a test pattern for performing color correction, as compared to when normally recording the image.

Abstract: In image processing, it is possible to suppress density fluctuation and keep graininess low as well as obtain a good balance of the processing load. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating two-pass multi-pass printing data, divided multi-valued data that is common to the two passes is generated in addition to the divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data for each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, a process of generating common data by the aforementioned data division, or a process of performing quantization first without dividing the multi-valued data and then dividing the quantized 2-pass data is selectively performed according to the printing position on printing medium.