Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a method for controlling temperature for the ink jet printing apparatus wherein the temperature of a print head, which may lower during printing, is controlled before printing without using any sub-heater to allow a favorable ejection condition to be established without reducing the head temperature below a predetermined value. Thus, scan width information and dot count information are acquired before a carriage starts scanning to determine the heating temperature of the print head on the basis of the information.

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 provides a printing apparatus and method which can appropriately thin dots for printing so as to ensure a print grade. When dots of a black ink is subjected to thinned printing, the dots are thinned using output gamma correction that corrects print data so as to reduce the print density of an image. On the other hand, when dot of a color ink other than the black ink is subjected to the thinned printing, the number of dots formed per print pixel is reduced.

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: 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: A recording apparatus performs a recording operation with a recording head including a first nozzle array including first type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to first discharge characteristics and a second nozzle array including second type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to second discharge characteristics. Driving parameters required for driving different types of nozzles are separately stored in a built-in memory unit of the recording head and in an internal memory unit of the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the first type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the second type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles, and the information relating to differences in characteristics between the first type nozzles and the second type nozzles.

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: 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: 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: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and method which can appropriately thin dots for printing so as to ensure a print grade. When dots of a black ink is subjected to thinned printing, the dots are thinned using output gamma correction that corrects print data so as to reduce the print density of an image. On the other hand, when dot of a color ink other than the black ink is subjected to the thinned printing, the number of dots formed per print pixel is reduced.

Abstract: To drive an inkjet printhead having an array of printing elements, where the first and second printing elements which discharge relatively different amounts of ink are arranged on the same array in a predetermined direction, print data for the first or second printing element is serially inputted, the inputted print data is sequentially stored, the stored print data is latched, a selection signal indicative of which of the first or second printing element is to be driven is inputted, a driving signal indicative of a driving period is inputted, and respective printing elements are driven in accordance with the latched print data, the selection signal, and the driving signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the cost of the printhead having plural types of printing elements, which discharge relatively different amounts of ink, and possible to easily control driving of the printhead.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and method which can appropriately thin dots for printing so as to ensure a print grade. When dots of a black ink is subjected to thinned printing, the dots are thinned using output gamma correction that corrects print data so as to reduce the print density of an image. On the other hand, when dot of a color ink other than the black ink is subjected to the thinned printing, the number of dots formed per print pixel is reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing control system in which a host computer and a printer are connected so as to be capable of bidirectional communication. The printer stores color-conversion information, which is model-specific information, and a control command in a ROM and, in response to a command from the host computer, transmits the stored color-conversion information to the host computer. Using the color-conversion information and control command, the host computer sets the parameters of a printer driver, creates a command and transmits generated print data to the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing control system in which a host computer and a printer are connected so as to be capable of bidirectional communication. The printer stores model-specific parameter information, which is control information, in a ROM and, in response to a command from the host computer, transmits the stored model-specific parameters to the host computer to store the parameters in a memory of the host computer. Using the model-specific parameters stored in the memory, the host computer changes the parameters of a printer driver to thereby control printing performed by the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing system in which a high-order apparatus and a low-order apparatus are connected so as to be capable of bidirectional communicating. The low-order apparatus stores control command information of the low-order apparatus in a ROM and, in response to a request from the high-order apparatus, transmits the control command information to the high-order apparatus to store the information in a memory of the high-order apparatus. Using the control command information corresponding to the low-order apparatus stored in the memory, the high-order apparatus transmits print data to the low-order apparatus and controls the operation of the low-order apparatus.

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.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing system in which a host computer and a printer are connected so as to be capable of communicating in both directions. Model-specific information, which is information relating to number of tones of image data handled by the printer, is stored in the printer in advance. Stored model-specific parameters and a control command are transmitted to the host computer in response to a command from the host computer. The host computer uses the model-specific parameters of the printer and the control command to process image data that is output to the printer.

Abstract: When positional information expressed by a black dot pattern and an image other than the positional information recorded as color dots are recorded, black data and color (cyan, magenta, and yellow) data are compared. If the black dots and color dots are provided in the same positions, data conversion is performed so that color dots corresponding to those positions are not formed. Thus, bleeding resulting from overlaps of positional information image with the other image is reduced to prevent the degradation of recording quality, and waste of ink is prevented.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus capable of printing input data in proper adaptation to plural types of printing data input units and environments of use. For this purpose, the type of an input unit is first recognized. For example, when it is recognized that a personal computer capable of causing the printing apparatus to perform a setting process for registration is connected, it is judged that the process has already been performed, and a mode for printing at a high speed is adopted. When it is recognized that a digital camera is connected, since it is likely that the process has not been performed yet, a mode for printing at a low speed is adopted to prevent any reduction in image quality.