Abstract: With respect to an area quantized by using an area of part in a quantization pattern and also without using an area of the other part in the quantization pattern in quantized data, a mask pattern part corresponding to the area of the part among mask pattern parts constituted by dividing a mask pattern is applied.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing apparatus and a recovery method therefore which can minimize ink consumption in a recovery process for a print head of the apparatus. The invention has a control unit to cause a print head to eject ink from nozzles arrayed on the print head so as to recover ink ejecting function of the nozzles, and a specification unit to specify a set print mode selected from among a plurality of print modes. The print modes define number and position of nozzles in use for printing an image. The control unit executes a first preliminary ejection process before or after printing an image on a print medium. The first preliminary ejection process has selectively ejecting ink from both of the nozzles in use selected by the currently set print mode and the unused nozzles in the vicinity of the nozzles in use.

Abstract: A recording apparatus to record an image to a recording medium includes a recording head having nozzles arranged in a predetermined direction in a nozzle array, scanning, recording control, obtaining, determining, and adjusting units. The scanning unit scans the recording head to the recording medium in a crossing direction. The recording control unit causes the recording head to record an adjusting pattern and a detecting pattern by discharging ink from a nozzle group. The obtaining unit obtains an information regarding number of defective discharge nozzles in the nozzle group based on the detecting pattern. The determining unit determines an adjusting value based on the recorded adjusting pattern where the indicated number is smaller than a threshold value, and not based on the adjusting pattern where the indicated number is larger than the threshold value. The adjusting unit adjusts the recording head recording position based on the determined adjusting value.

Abstract: An embodiment of this invention implements both suppression of occurrence of a print failure, and suppression of wasteful ink consumption along with bubble exhaust. Bubble sucking is performed as follows in a printing apparatus including a printhead in which a plurality of orifices are provided for discharging ink, an ink tank for supplying ink to the printhead through an ink channel, and a suction unit configured to suck ink from the orifices. A bubble is injected to the ink channel by using, for example, a pump and hollow needle. After injecting the bubble to the ink channel, the suction unit is operated to suck the injected bubble from the orifices.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: A recording apparatus to record an image to a recording medium includes a recording head having nozzles arranged in a predetermined direction in a nozzle array, scanning, recording control, obtaining, determining, and adjusting units. The scanning unit scans the recording head to the recording medium in a crossing direction. The recording control unit causes the recording head to record an adjusting pattern and a detecting pattern by discharging ink from a nozzle group. The obtaining unit obtains an information regarding number of defective discharge nozzles in the nozzle group based on the detecting pattern. The determining unit determines an adjusting value based on the recorded adjusting pattern where the indicated number is smaller than a threshold value, and not based on the adjusting pattern where the indicated number is larger than the threshold value. The adjusting unit adjusts the recording head recording position based on the determined adjusting value.

Abstract: A pattern forming method that includes forming a pattern for detecting defective discharges of a plurality of ink discharging nozzles and recording a first dot pattern with the plurality of ink discharging nozzles. The pattern forming method also includes recording a second dot pattern to be adjacent to at least one side of the first dot pattern in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus performs printing on a print medium, and includes a print head having a plurality of ejection openings, a head temperature acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the print head, and a heating unit configured to heat the print head. In addition, a control unit is configured to control the heating unit so as to cause a temperature of the print head to be a target temperature, at start of a print scan by the print head, and a setting unit is configured to set the target temperature. If a completion temperature acquired by the acquisition unit at a time when a previous print scan is completed is lower than a threshold temperature, the setting unit sets a temperature higher than the completion temperature as the target temperature, and if the completion temperature is equal to or higher than the threshold temperature, the setting unit sets a temperature lower than the completion temperature as the target temperature.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus and a print head recovery method are provided according to which, in an environment in which dust (e.g., paper dust) is easily attached to the periphery of an ejection port of a print head, the print head is subjected to a recovery operation depending on the level of the attached dust. The inkjet printing apparatus has a cutter unit for cutting a print medium and a recovery unit for performing the recovery operation by wiping the ejection port formation portion at which the ejection port is formed of the print head while sucking the ejection port formation portion. When the passing number showing how many times the cut part of the print medium cut by the cutter passes the printing position is equal to or higher than a threshold value, the recovery means subjects the print head to the recovery operation.

Abstract: When the head temperature Tfinish, which is the head temperature at the time of completion of a preceding scan, is higher than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ?T lower than the head temperature Tfinish. On the other hand, when Tfinish, the head temperature at the time of print completion, is lower than the stable ejection temperature Tstable, the target temperature is made a temperature that is only a temperature value ?T higher than the head temperature Tfinish. Because of this it is possible to inhibit head temperature rise in the case where an image with a high print density is printed.

Abstract: A recording apparatus or a method for recording a pattern according to the present invention can record patterns for adjusting a recording position deviation between a forward direction and a backward direction of a scanning direction at a position in the scanning direction through which both of a first recording medium and a second recording medium smaller than the first recording medium in the scanning direction pass.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, a data amount of printing data generated for each different size of dot is reduced. Specifically, in quantization to obtain data for each printing head, printing data for a large dot is set as data in which a bit number per pixel is two bits, and printing data for a medium or small dot is set as data in which a bit number per pixel is one bit. Thereby, a data amount per pixel can be reduced compared with data in which all bit numbers per pixel for the large, medium and small dots are equally two bits.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and a print head recovery method are provided which effectively execute a preliminary ejection to eject ink not contributing to image printing from nozzle opening of the print head to maintain the ink ejection performance in good condition. The ink in the print head is heated to a first temperature, at which a first preliminary ejection is executed. Then, when the ink temperature falls to a second temperature, which is lower than the first temperature, a second preliminary ejection is executed.

Abstract: There are provided an inkjet printing apparatus and an inkjet printing method, whereby, the temperature of a print head is controlled and the ejection volume of ink to be ejected is stabilized to print a high-quality image, even at a high printing duty. Based on print data, an ejection number of ink to be ejected into a unit printing area is counted. The print head is heated to a target temperature that is raised in consonance with an increase in the count value.

Abstract: Wet wiping processing is performed on an ink ejection opening forming surface of a print head by use of a wiper. Then, as bubble removal processing, the print head is heated by use of either an electrothermal conversion element or a heat generating element located inside the print head, and then a control unit causes the print head to perform preliminary ejection K1 and preliminary ejection K2.

Abstract: Provided is a print position control method whereby displacement of a print position in a wide range can be corrected very accurately, without reducing a printing speed or increasing a manufacturing cost. Thus, a printing apparatus includes: a first correction unit, for correcting a print position at accuracy equal to the resolution of the printing apparatus; and a second correction unit, for correcting the print position at accuracy higher than the resolution and in the range of an area that corresponds to one pixel of the resolution. With this arrangement, the print position displacement in a wide range equal to or greater than one pixel can be corrected by the first correction unit, and a print position displacement smaller than one pixel can be corrected by the second correction unit. Therefore, correction of a print position displacement in a wide range is enabled at a higher accuracy.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide a high quality halftone recording with a reduced grainy feeling without lowering the true resolving power. Provided is an apparatus for making a halftone recording by employing three or more types of color materials, each of which has at least one grade of concentration, wherein each type of the color materials having the lowest concentration provides, when recording on a recording medium having a first lightness, a recorded region having its own lightness, and wherein a difference between the first lightness and the lightness of the recorded region is not more than 35, the lightness being measured according to the definition of CIE 1976 psychological measurement lightness using a standard illuminating light D65 as a light source.