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: There is provided a printing apparatus that conveys a print medium and performs printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data generation unit configured to generate print data by performing predetermined pseudo halftone processing of image data to be printed for quantizing the image data; a pattern data generation unit configured to generate print data on a detection pattern by performing the same predetermined pseudo halftone processing of data on the detection pattern for quantizing the data on the detection pattern; a pattern printing unit configured to print a detection pattern based on the generated print data on the detection pattern; a measuring unit configured to measure the printed detection pattern; and a print control unit configured to control printing based on the print data generated for the image data, based on a measurement result of the detection pattern.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus for conveying a print medium and performing printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data acquisition unit configured to acquire print data in which digital watermark information is added to image data, the digital watermark information being used to identify a position of an image of the image data on a print medium, a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium based on the print data, a conveyance information acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to conveyance of a print medium, based on information on the position of the image that is obtained by detection of digital watermark information in an image read by a reading unit, and a print control unit configured to control printing by the printing unit, based on the acquired information relating to conveyance.

Abstract: Because the ejection state of a printing element in a printing apparatus may vary at all times, an inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set in consideration of the ejection state of the printing element. An inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set based on information including a temperature characteristic of a printing head and a state of ink such as an elapsed time from the last ejection. This allows image inspection that matches with variations in the ejection state of the printing element.

Abstract: Image ink data is generated which represents the absence of ejection of ink corresponding to pixels for which text ink data represents the ejection of ink.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method are provided by which information printed on a printing medium can be used to appropriately control an image printing while allowing the entire printing apparatus to have a simpler and smaller configuration. An image is printed on a conveyed sheet by yellow, black, cyan, and magenta inks ejected from printing heads. The yellow ink ejected from the printing head is used to print an image in which information for sensing a sheet conveying amount is embedded by an electronic watermark. The information is read by a sensor unit. Based on the reading result, a printing control is performed. The printing head to eject yellow ink is positioned at an upstream side in a sheet conveying direction than the sensor unit. The printing head to eject black ink is positioned at a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction than the sensor unit.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus for conveying a print medium and performing printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data acquisition unit configured to acquire print data in which digital watermark information is added to image data, the digital watermark information being used to identify a position of an image of the image data on a print medium, a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium based on the print data, a conveyance information acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to conveyance of a print medium, based on information on the position of the image that is obtained by detection of digital watermark information in an image read by a reading unit, and a print control unit configured to control printing by the printing unit, based on the acquired information relating to conveyance.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus that conveys a print medium and performs printing on the conveyed print medium, the printing apparatus including a print data generation unit configured to generate print data by performing predetermined pseudo halftone processing of image data to be printed for quantizing the image data; a pattern data generation unit configured to generate print data on a detection pattern by performing the same predetermined pseudo halftone processing of data on the detection pattern for quantizing the data on the detection pattern; a pattern printing unit configured to print a detection pattern based on the generated print data on the detection pattern; a measuring unit configured to measure the printed detection pattern; and a print control unit configured to control printing based on the print data generated for the image data, based on a measurement result of the detection pattern.

Abstract: Provided is a quantization processing method using dither patterns that make it possible to obtain a dot array having excellent dispersibility even in the case of a single color or mixed color inks. For this purpose, first and second dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a first ink to different pieces of binary data, respectively. Also, third and fourth dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a second ink to different pieces of binary data. Further, on the basis of a combination of the multivalued data on the first ink and the multivalued data on the second ink, a quantization unit for the first ink, and a quantization unit for the second ink are determined.

Abstract: A check pattern is printed which makes it possible to detect, with high precision, individual patterns corresponding to nozzles of a print head of an inkjet printing apparatus. More specifically, after an alignment mark is printed, ejection of an ink from the nozzles is stopped for a certain time. Because of this stoppage time, the concentration of a coloring material of the ink ejected from the nozzles increases, whereby the optical density of an analysis pattern which is printed later can be increased. In this manner, a scanner can read, with high precision, the patterns corresponding to the nozzles.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus, the colors of ink dots are controlled to make it possible to change the colors of an image to be printed. More specifically, ink temperatures, ink permeation speeds, and the capillary occupancy rates of inks in a print medium are used to control a permeation area formed by performing printing with preceding cyan and subsequent magenta, thereby controlling the colors realized by the inks which are ejected in an overlapping manner.

Abstract: Provided is a dither pattern generation method so that a dot arrangement having excellent dispersibility can be obtained in low-gradation areas for single colors and for mixed colors. The dither pattern generation method generates dot patterns for low-gradation areas having threshold values 1 to S so that high dispersibility is obtained in a cyan dot pattern and a magenta dot pattern, and so that in a combined dot pattern made by combining these dot patterns there are no overlapping pixels. The dither pattern generation method then sets threshold values for a cyan dither pattern and a magenta dither pattern based on these generated dot patterns.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit; wherein a first dither pattern and a second dither pattern have same threshold values that are set for same pixels in a first gradation range, and have different threshold values that are set for same pixels in a second gradation range that exceeds the first gradation range; and the generation unit sets a first threshold value for forming dots of the first dither pattern, and generates a first binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the first dither pattern is included in the first threshold value, and sets a second threshold value for forming dots of the second dither pattern, and generates a second binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the second dither pattern is included in the second threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image data acquisition unit to acquire image data by optically reading a document. A frequency distribution acquisition unit acquires a first frequency distribution of luminances from the image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit. A generation unit generates a second frequency distribution of luminances of a background of the document, by using a maximum frequency of the first frequency distribution as a maximum frequency of the second frequency distribution of luminances of the background of the document. An acquisition unit acquires information indicating a degree of deviation of the second frequency distribution from the first frequency distribution. A correction unit corrects the second frequency distribution based on the information indicating the degree of deviation acquired by the acquisition unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a generation unit; wherein a first dither pattern and a second dither pattern have same threshold values that are set for same pixels in a first gradation range, and have different threshold values that are set for same pixels in a second gradation range that exceeds the first gradation range; and the generation unit sets a first threshold value for forming dots of the first dither pattern, and generates a first binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the first dither pattern is included in the first threshold value, and sets a second threshold value for forming dots of the second dither pattern, and generates a second binary data according to whether or not a threshold value corresponding to a target pixel of the second dither pattern is included in the second threshold value.

Abstract: Provided is a quantization processing method using dither patterns that make it possible to obtain a dot array having excellent dispersibility even in the case of a single color or mixed color inks. For this purpose, first and second dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a first ink to different pieces of binary data, respectively. Also, third and fourth dither patterns are prepared in order to respectively quantize multivalued data for a second ink to different pieces of binary data. Further, on the basis of a combination of the multivalued data on the first ink and the multivalued data on the second ink, a quantization unit for the first ink, and a quantization unit for the second ink are determined.

Abstract: Provided is a dither pattern generation method so that a dot arrangement having excellent dispersibility can be obtained in low-gradation areas for single colors and for mixed colors. The dither pattern generation method generates dot patterns for low-gradation areas having threshold values 1 to S so that high dispersibility is obtained in a cyan dot pattern and a magenta dot pattern, and so that in a combined dot pattern made by combining these dot patterns there are no overlapping pixels. The dither pattern generation method then sets threshold values for a cyan dither pattern and a magenta dither pattern based on these generated dot patterns.

Abstract: Because the ejection state of a printing element in a printing apparatus may vary at all times, an inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set in consideration of the ejection state of the printing element. An inspection item for inspecting a printed image may be set based on information including a temperature characteristic of a printing head and a state of ink such as an elapsed time from the last ejection. This allows image inspection that matches with variations in the ejection state of the printing element.

Abstract: A check pattern is printed which makes it possible to detect, with high precision, individual patterns corresponding to nozzles of a print head of an inkjet printing apparatus. More specifically, after an alignment mark is printed, ejection of an ink from the nozzles is stopped for a certain time. Because of this stoppage time, the concentration of a coloring material of the ink ejected from the nozzles increases, whereby the optical density of an analysis pattern which is printed later can be increased. In this manner, a scanner can read, with high precision, the patterns corresponding to the nozzles.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus, the colors of ink dots are controlled to make it possible to change the colors of an image to be printed. More specifically, ink temperatures, ink permeation speeds, and the capillary occupancy rates of inks in a print medium are used to control a permeation area formed by performing printing with preceding cyan and subsequent magenta, thereby controlling the colors realized by the inks which are ejected in an overlapping manner.