Abstract: Image deterioration is suppressed as much as possible which is complexly generated by variations of printing positions respectively of printing elements in a printing element row and by displacement of printing positions among printing element rows. To this end, a first adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among a plurality of printing elements included in a printing element row is obtained. Next, printing positions among a plurality of printing elements are adjusted based on the first adjustment value. Then a second adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among not less than two of the printing element rows is obtained. Thereby variations of printing positions in a discharge port row and displacement of printing positions among discharge port rows are properly adjusted in different phases, and adverse effects generated by two kinds of different causes are collectively suppressed.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and a print position adjusting method capable of easily adjusting a relative print position between nozzle lines are provided. Images are printed on a print medium in a drive mode A and a drive mode B by using a print head which has first and second nozzle groups, each including a plurality of ink ejection nozzle lines. In the drive mode A, only one of the first and second nozzle groups is driven during one scan of the print head. In the drive mode B, the first and second nozzle groups are driven at different timings during one scan of the print head. A print position adjust value for adjusting a relative print position between the nozzle lines in the drive mode A is retrieved. Depending on whether the print position adjust value is even or odd, a print position correction value for the first nozzle group and a print position correction value for the second nozzle group are determined.

Abstract: When conveying tables for conveying the printing medium are selected to perform interlace printing, the occurrence of unevenness in an image which results from switching of the tables is prevented. It is determined whether a phase of the conveying table is a transfer inhibition phase in transfer to a printing area. In the case of the transfer inhibition phase, the switching is not made to a new table, but the previously used table is used. Thus, the switching can be made to a conveying table so as not to make a shift amount +1/2N or ?1/N continue. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of unevenness in an image which is caused by 1/N deviation of a printing position in a sub-scanning direction with regard to print data at the time of transfer from a rear end area to the normal area or the normal area to the rear end area.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus prints by scanning an inkjet printhead for discharging ink and a printing medium relative to each other. The printhead includes a first nozzle group used to print a dot having a first density, and a second nozzle group used to print a dot having a second density. The inkjet printing apparatus has a first printing mode in which only one of the first and second nozzle groups is used during one printing scan, and a second printing mode in which the first and second nozzle groups are driven at different timings during one printing scan. In this inkjet printing apparatus, a pattern for adjusting the relative printing positions of the nozzle rows in the first printing mode is printed. From this pattern, set values of relative printing positions in the first printing mode are specified. On the basis of the specified set values, set values of the relative printing positions of the nozzle rows in the second printing mode are determined.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method of ejecting ink using an ink jet head substrate provided with a heat generating resistor which is coated with a protecting film, wherein the ink is ejected by a pressure produced by generation of a bubble created by film boiling of the ink caused by application of thermal energy to the ink through the protecting film, the thermal energy being generated by driving of the heat generating resistor, the improvement residing in that: there is provided a recording mode in which the ink is ejected with a maximum temperature at the surface of the protecting film which is contacted to the ink not higher than 560° C.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method for ejecting ink using an ink jet head substrate provided with a heat generating resistor, which is coated with a protection film, wherein the ink is ejected by a pressure produced by generation of a bubble, the bubble being created by film boiling of the ink caused by the application of thermal energy to the ink through the protection film, the thermal energy being generated by driving of the heat generating resistor, the improvement residing in that: there is provided a recording mode in which the ink is ejected with a maximum temperature at the surface of the protection film, which is contacted to the ink, not higher than 560° C.

Abstract: There is provided a small, low-cost, and highly reliable ink jet printing apparatus capable of performing a recovery operation smoothly and forming an image with a stabilized quality. More specifically, when a suction recovery operation for a printing head for ejecting ink is performed, an ejection port surface of the printing head is covered with a cap member, and a cap opening help operation that facilitates the cap opening operation is performed when performing a cap opening operation that separates the cap member from the ejection port surface.

Abstract: A printing method and printing apparatus can print a high-quality image free from any visual graininess by reducing density unevenness and color unevenness. In printing by discharging ink from a printhead onto a printing medium, the printing apparatus executes either one of (A) a first printing operation mode in which one dot layout pattern is assigned to a plurality of pixels at the same gradation level and printing is done on the basis of the assigned dot layout pattern, or (B) a second printing operation mode in which plural types of dot layout patterns are assigned to a plurality of pixels at the same gradation level and printing is done on the basis of the assigned dot layout patterns.

Abstract: Image deterioration is suppressed as much as possible which is complexly generated by variations of printing positions respectively of printing elements in a printing element row and by displacement of printing positions among printing element rows. To this end, a first adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among a plurality of printing elements included in a printing element row is obtained. Next, printing positions among a plurality of printing elements are adjusted based on the first adjustment value. Then a second adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among not less than two of the printing element rows is obtained. Thereby variations of printing positions in a discharge port row and displacement of printing positions among discharge port rows are properly adjusted in different phases, and adverse effects generated by two kinds of different causes are collectively suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention can correct, when a printing position is displaced by an inclination of a printing head for example, the displacement in an easy and effective manner and also allows a user to easily recognize the displacement of the printing position to correct the displacement. To realize this, dots for forming a test pattern are formed by different scannings by a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at one end side of a nozzle row and a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at the other end side of the nozzle row. Depending on displacements of the printing positions of these dots, the plurality of nozzles constituting the nozzle row are divided to a plurality of divided nozzle groups. Then, the printing position is adjusted on the basis of the divided nozzle groups.

Abstract: A method of adjusting bidirectional registration to reduce negative effects on the image such as “banding” even if bidirectional registration includes a slight amount of displacement is provided. For that purpose, correction is applied to a first adjustment value for adjusting a bidirectional registration displacement in response to an extent of inclination of a printing head to obtain a second adjustment value. Then a bidirectional printing is performed with timing adjusted on the basis of the second adjustment value. As a result of that, even if there is a slight variation in an adjustment value of the bidirectional registration and the inclination of the printing head, the banding generated by this can be reduced as much as possible.

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: When bidirectional multi-pass printing is carried out by use of a printing head having an inclination, even if a bidirectional printing is somewhat displaced, an inclination of a printing position is corrected in a state where “band unevenness” is suppressed as much as possible. In order to realize the correction described above, a division number B for dividing a plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, and a timing at which each of the blocks is driven, are set on the bases of inclination information on the printing head and the number of multi-passes. Thus, even if the bidirectional printing is displaced, printing widths are equally increased or reduced in the respective regions. Consequently, it is made possible to avoid the “band unevenness” which is caused by differences in the printing width among the regions.

Abstract: This invention provides a data processing method, printing apparatus, host apparatus, and printing system capable of reducing the data transfer rate from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus, suppressing density unevenness, and reducing the cost of the apparatus.

Abstract: A recording device drives a recording head mounted on a carriage while main-scanning by moving the carriage in a direction generally orthogonal to the sheet-feeding direction of a sheet. The recording device drives a first nozzle of the recording head at an upstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a first dot pattern while scanning the carriage and drives a second nozzle at a downstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a second dot pattern. The recording device feeds a region where the first dot pattern is recorded to a position facing the second nozzle. The second dot pattern is recorded in a region where the first dot pattern is not recorded.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: a computer for supplying image data; and a printer having a sub-tank for retaining ink to be supplied to a printing head and a system performing an on-demand supply of ink to the sub-tank. With the image forming system, during printing, the occurrence of a fuzzy image, due to ink in the sub-tank being exhausted, is prevented, and a reduction in the throughput of printing is also prevented. The computer counts, in advance, dots required for the printing of image data, and transmits the dot count, as well as image data, to the printer. The printer compares the amount of ink in the sub-tank with the required ink amount that based on the received dot counts. Only when it is determined that the remaining ink amount is insufficient, refilling of the sub-tank is performed, and thereafter, the printing of the image data is performed.

Abstract: In cleaning an orifice surface in which the orifices of a printhead are formed, a portion of the orifice surface that readily becomes dirty along with ink discharge from the printhead is preferentially cleaned.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus utilizing an inkjet head and an ink tank for supplying ink to the same, it is made possible to suppress any reduction in image quality attributable to changes in physical and chemical properties of the ink that occur during an elapsed time from the manufacture of the ink tank to the use of the same, thereby allowing images to be formed with high reliability and stability at a low running cost. The apparatus has a discharging unit for discharging the ink through a nozzle at the head and an ink detecting unit for detecting the consumption of the ink in the ink tank. The detected ink consumption is compared with a threshold for ink consumption appropriately determined based on the elapsed time, and control is performed such that the amount discharged by the discharging unit is increased when the ink has not been consumed sufficiently.

Abstract: A printing apparatus receives, from a host apparatus, main scanning/printing direction information representing the main scanning/printing direction of a printhead. The printing apparatus stores, in a print buffer, print data corresponding to the printing direction represented by the main scanning/printing direction information generated by the host apparatus. The CPU of the printing apparatus controls printing by the printhead on the basis of the main scanning/printing direction information and the print data stored in the print buffer.