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: In an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ink ejection opening, appropriate preliminary ejection is performed per each ejection amount mode set by heater to be used among a plurality of heaters. Depending upon set printing mode (step S9), printing is the performed one of large, medium and small ejection amount modes (steps S10, S12, S14). For example, after printing is performed for a predetermined amount by the small ejection amount mode (step S10), the preliminary ejection during printing, is performed in the medium ejection amount mode which is greater in ejection amount than the small ejection amount mode. By this, internal of preliminary ejection during printing can be set longer to prevent lowering of through put due to preliminary printing operation.

Abstract: A preliminary process for ejecting an ink after ejecting a processing liquid on a printing medium and a post-process for ejecting the processing liquid after ejecting the ink on the printing medium are distinguished. In one preferred mode, when a preliminarily process portion, in which an ink dot is formed after formation of a processing liquid dot, and a post-process portion, in which the processing liquid dot is formed after formation of the ink dot are present in admixing fashion, an ejection amount of the ink per unit area in the post-process portion is made smaller than the ejection amount of the ink per unit area in the preliminarily process portion. By this, a difference of printing quality in the preliminarily process portion and the post-process portion on the printing medium can be made smaller.

Abstract: A distinction apparatus of a printing apparatus distinguishes data compression rate according to each of the data transferred from a host computer, and a mode selection apparatus selects a printing mode according to slow printing velocity when data compression rate is low and selects a printing mode according to fast printing velocity when data compression rate is high, and then the printing head can be controlled under printing velocity according to the selected printing mode.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus ejects droplets of a recording-improvement liquid on a boundary line between two different color portions of an image by using an ink-jet recording head. The ink-jet recording head comprises a group of nozzles for ejecting the recording-improvement liquid which is responsible for precipitating or condensing a coloring substance in the ink. Accordingly, a high-quality image that comprises black-color portion with a high image density without causing any feathering and multiple-color portions without a spread of ink can be obtained.

Abstract: A liquid detection method and a liquid discharging device can exactly detect whether or not a liquid can be supplied in a state in which a liquid channel from a tank for accommodating the liquid to each discharging port of a recording head is not disconnected by a bubble. A detection-signal input terminal is provided at a position where it contacts the liquid. A detection terminal is provided at a position where it does not electrically contact the liquid and is isolated from the liquid within the tank via a lower wall of the tank, made of an insulating plastic material, and the air. An electrical signal is input from a recording apparatus to the detection-signal input terminal via a connection terminal. The input electrical signal is transmitted through the ink within the recording head, the liquid channel within a joint, and the liquid within the tank.

Abstract: Ink jet recording in both color and monochromatically uses a recording apparatus having a recording head with ink discharge openings for discharging ink onto a recording medium, wherein the ink discharge openings correspond respectively to black ink and a plurality of non-black inks of colors that become black when mixed, and also having a carriage for moving the recording head relative to the recording medium. Monochromatic recording is performed by alternately recording on the recording medium black dots formed by the black ink and black dots formed by mixing the plurality of non-black inks while moving the recording head relative to the recording medium.

Abstract: In an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ink ejection opening, appropriate preliminary ejection is performed per each ejection amount mode set by a heater to be used among a plurality of heaters. Depending upon a set printing mode, printing is performed in one of large, medium and small ejection amount modes. For example, after printing is performed for a predetermined amount by the small ejection amount mode, preliminary ejection during printing is performed in the medium ejection amount mode, which is greater in ejection amount than the small ejection amount mode. By this, the interval between preliminary ejections during printing can be set to be longer to prevent lowering of throughput due to the preliminary ejection operations.

Abstract: Whether or not a color image is present adjacent to a black image is discriminated. Whether the black image is formed using a black ink or a plurality of color inks C, M, and Y is determined in accordance with the discrimination result. When the black image is formed using the plurality of color inks, it is recorded using a repetitive pattern of two of C, M, and Y so as to prevent blurring with the color image, and to improve fixing characteristics by decreasing the total ejection amount.

Abstract: In an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ink ejection opening, appropriate preliminary ejection is performed per each ejection amount mode set by a heater to be used among a plurality of heaters. Depending upon a set printing mode, printing is performed in one of large, medium and small ejection amount modes. For example, after printing is performed for a predetermined amount by the small ejection amount mode, preliminary ejection during printing is performed in the medium ejection amount mode which is greater in ejection amount than the small ejection amount mode. By this, the interval between preliminary ejections during printing can be set to be longer to prevent lowering of throughput due to the preliminary ejection operations.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes supplying a driving signal of a phase, wherein the driving signal comprising at least first and second signal periods with a rest period therebetween; and supplying a driving signal of a phase which is different to provide the first or second signal overlaps with the rest period of the driving signal having the first mentioned phase.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording method includes the steps of recording black circles of a black ink ejected by black ink nozzles at the positions corresponding to a resolution of, for example, 600 dpi, and recording black dots of the black ink formed by selectively mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow inks at the positions offset by a distance corresponding to a resolution of 1200 dpi, thereby forming a black image having high resolutions, whereby the black image can be recorded at a high speed and with high resolutions.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method for performing printing onto a printing medium with the use of both of a colored ink ejected from an ink jet head and a printing property improving liquid to be applied to the printing medium for improving a printing property for an ink jet printing apparatus, having the steps of: at least one time or more printing a first colored ink on the printing medium, at least one time or more applying the printing property improving liquid onto a region printed with the colored ink, and at least one time or more printing a second colored ink on a region where the printing property improving liquid is applied.

Abstract: A recording head for ejecting ink to effect recording on a recording material includes a first group of ejection outlets, arranged in a first direction, for ejecting record improving liquid for improving record property on the recording material; a second group of ejection outlets arranged in the first direction for ejecting ink having a first density; a third group of ejection outlets, arranged in the first direction, for ejecting ink having a second density which is lower than the first density; wherein the first, second and third groups are arranged in a second direction which is different from the first direction.

Abstract: In an apparatus to perform printing by ejecting an ink and a printing quality improving liquid for making a coloring agent in the ink insoluble or coagulated, reaction between the printing quality improving liquid and the coloring agent of the ink is certainly caused. Namely, after ejecting the printing quality improving liquid from a head, Bk ink, Y ink, M ink and C ink are ejected through heads within a given period, e.g. 500 msec. By this, the printing quality improving liquid may react with the coloring agent of the ink before penetrating into a printing medium to certainly make the coloring agent insoluble or coagulated.

Abstract: A recording method includes the steps of ejecting ink onto a recording material on the basis of image data; and ejecting record quality improving liquid to improve a record quality of the ink ejected onto the recording material; wherein one of the ink ejecting step and the liquid ejecting step is carried out after the other; the liquid ejecting step ejects the liquid to a part of an ink-ejection-area on the recording material to provide liquid-ejection-area and non-liquid-ejection-area.

Abstract: A method of forming a black image on a recording member includes the steps of providing each of a black ink having a first penetration rate and at least one color ink having a second penetration rate different from the first penetration rate, applying the at least one color ink to the recording member, and applying the black ink to the recording member after the at least one color ink has been absorbed into the recording member is disclosed. An ink-jet recording apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: When recording a color image on a recording medium according to record data using black ink and color ink of a plurality of colors having a different characteristic of permeation into the recording medium from the black ink, detecting the boundary between a black image and a color image is executed. For an area where the boundary has not been detected, normal printing which can record the image at a relatively high speed is set. For an area where the boundary has been detected, multi-pass printing which can record the image at a relatively low speed is set. Thus, a drop of recording speed and bleeding at the boundary are prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet recording process for forming an image by applying an ink to a recording medium in accordance with an ink-jet recording system, comprising the steps of:(A) applying an ink containing a coloring material to the recording medium in accordance with the ink-jet recording system; and(B) applying a liquid composition different from the ink to an ink-applying region of the recording medium in accordance with the ink-jet recording system, wherein the liquid composition is applied in an amount less than 50% by volume of the amount of the ink to be applied to the ink-applying area.

Abstract: An in ink jet printing method and apparatus are disclosed which prevents mixing of ink with a liquid insolubilizing and/or agglomerating the ink and which can print images having excellent water resistance and high quality. Prevention of mixing of the ink with the liquid is achieved by separately arranging an ink receiver for receiving ink ejected by preliminary ejection and the liquid insolubilizing and/or agglomerating the ink ejected by preliminary ejection, or by setting the distance between the ink jet cartridge for the liquid and the cartridge for ink adjacent thereto is made larger than the distance between two adjacent ink jet cartridges. Alternatively, the direction of ejecting ports of an ink jet ejectors may be deviated.