Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: A tone setting screen that includes a tone specifying area 110 for specifying a color tone of a monotone image using a single specification point is disclosed. A monotone image tone is determined according to the position of the specification point specified in the tone specifying area 110. The tone specifying area 110 is defined on the a* b* plane in the L*a*b* color space, where three reference tone points Pneutral, Pwarm, and Pcool, for the neutral, warm, and cool tones are disposed linearly in advance in the tone specifying area 110.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: A tone setting screen that includes a tone specifying area 110 for specifying a color tone of a monotone image using a single specification point is disclosed. A monotone image tone is determined according to the position of the specification point specified in the tone specifying area 110. The tone specifying area 110 is defined on the a* b* plane in the L*a*b* color space, where three reference tone points Pneutral, Pwarm, and Pcool, for the neutral, warm, and cool tones are disposed linearly in advance in the tone specifying area 110.

Abstract: While performing main scanning in which a head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink is moved in prescribed forward and reverse main scanning directions relative to a print medium, print images are printed on the print medium by forming dots in each pixel aligned in the main scanning direction in accordance with print data. The dot formation position misalignment amount for each nozzle is corrected using image pixel value data indicating the existence of image pixels comprising images and adjustment pixel value data indicating the existence of adjustment pixels in which dots are not formed.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: To make it easier and more convenient for users to edit images. The user marks certain locations in retouching instruction printed along with an original image which is to be edited so as to specify the desired edit process parameters by the marks. For example, edits can be made for better contrast, and the color tone and sharpness can be automatically adjusted. When the user wishes to edit an image in certain areas, burn parameters can be marked, and the user can specify those areas (burn areas) by directly drawing a frame on the printed image. The marked printing paper is read by a scanner, the edit process details indicated on the printing paper by the user are specified through analysis of the scanned results, and the original image is edited based on those details.

Abstract: A printing system of the present invention reduces a total amount of discharge of at least three different color inks that are mixable to express hues in a predetermined range without deteriorating the degree of granularity. The printing system of the invention reads recording ratios of the respective color inks corresponding to input tone data regarding the respective color inks from tables TC, TM, and TY and forms dots according to the recording ratios. Yellow ink Y has a higher dye density than a balancing density that ensures a color balance. This makes the recording ratio of the yellow ink Y lower than the recording ratios of cyan ink C and magenta ink M. The yellow ink Y has high lightness, so that sparely formed dots do not increase the degree of granularity even in an area of low tone data. The enhanced density of the yellow ink Y reduces the total amount of inks discharged from a head to satisfy a required printing density.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which is used with an inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of ink storage chambers. A first of the storage chambers can store light cyan ink, a second can store deep cyan ink, a third can store light magenta ink, a fourth can store deep magenta ink, and a fifth can store yellow ink. The ink storage chambers can all be accommodated integrally in a single ink cartridge. In one embodiment of the invention, the ink storage chambers are partitioned by partitioning walls which gradually increase in thickness as they approach the portion of the ink chambers having supply ports therein.

Abstract: A printing system of the present invention reduces a total amount of discharge of at least three different color inks that are mixable to express hues in a predetermined range without deteriorating the degree of granularity. The printing system of the invention reads recording ratios of the respective color inks corresponding to input tone data regarding the respective color inks from tables TC, TM, and TY and forms dots according to the recording ratios. Yellow ink Y has a higher dye density than a balancing density that ensures a color balance. This makes the recording ratio of the yellow ink Y lower than the recording ratios of cyan ink C and magenta ink M. The yellow ink Y has high lightness, so that sparely formed dots do not increase the degree of granularity even in an area of low tone data. The enhanced density of the yellow ink Y reduces the total amount of inks discharged from a head to satisfy a required printing density.

Abstract: A printing system of the present invention reduces a total amount of discharge of at least three different color inks that are mixable to express hues in a predetermined range without deteriorating the degree of granularity. The printing system of the invention reads recording ratios of the respective color inks corresponding to input tone data regarding the respective color inks from tables TC, TM, and TY and forms dots according to the recording ratios. Yellow ink Y has a higher dye density than a balancing density that ensures a color balance. This makes the recording ratio of the yellow ink Y lower than the recording ratios of cyan ink C and magenta ink M. The yellow ink Y has high lightness, so that sparely formed dots do not increase the degree of granularity even in an area of low tone data. The enhanced density of the yellow ink Y reduces the total amount of inks discharged from a head to satisfy a required printing density.

Abstract: In a printer that creates dots with a plurality of color inks K, C, M, and Y in both a forward pass and a backward pass of main scan, a delay circuit is provided corresponding to each nozzle array, in order to change an ink ejection timing. The technique of the present invention prints seven test patterns, so as to specify dot creation timings with regard to the K ink in the backward pass, the C ink in both the forward pass and the backward pass, the M ink in both the forward pass and the backward pass, and the Y ink in both the forward pass and the backward pass relative to the dot creation timing with regard to the K ink in the forward pass set as a standard. The delay circuit delays an output timing of a driving waveform to a print head according to the specified dot creation timing. This arrangement effectively prevents a misalignment of dot recording positions with regard to all the color inks in both the forward pass and the backward pass of the main scan, thereby attaining high-quality printing.

Abstract: While performing main scanning in which a head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink is moved in prescribed forward and reverse main scanning directions relative to a print medium, print images are printed on the print medium by forming dots in each pixel aligned in the main scanning direction in accordance with print data. The dot formation position misalignment amount for each nozzle is corrected using image pixel value data indicating the existence of image pixels comprising images and adjustment pixel value data indicating the existence of adjustment pixels in which dots are not formed.

Abstract: While performing main scanning in which a head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink is moved in prescribed forward and reverse main scanning directions relative to a print medium, print images are printed on the print medium by forming dots in each pixel aligned in the main scanning direction in accordance with print data. The dot formation position misalignment amount for each nozzle is corrected using image pixel value data indicating the existence of image pixels comprising images and adjustment pixel value data indicating the existence of adjustment pixels in which dots are not formed.

Abstract: A specific image is first recorded according to a plurality of dot recording schemes which have an identical resolution and which are different at least in sub-scan feed operations. Then a desired dot recording scheme is selected corresponding to a desired recorded image which has been selected out of a plurality of recorded images recorded according to the plurality of dot recording schemes, and scheme selection information for specifying the desired dot recording scheme is stored into a rewritable non-volatile memory. In actual image recording, the scheme selection information stored in the non-volatile memory is read out, and a desired image is recorded on a recording medium according to the desired dot recording scheme specified by the scheme selection information.

Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.

Abstract: One of ink chambers 102 of an ink cartridge 70 has a larger volume. The color ink having the largest lightness value is stored in this ink chamber. For the amounts vc1, vc2, vm1 and vm2 of light and deep cyan and magenta inks contained in the ink chambers thereof, the amount vy of the ink having the largest lightness value contained in the cartridge thereof, or the yellow, is defined as below: vy<vc1+vc2, and vy<vm1+vm2, Vc1<vy<Vc1+vc2, and Vm1<vy<vm1+vm2. When a natural picture or a graph painted with different monocolors are actually printed, those color inks are substantially uniformly used. There is no case where one ink is used up earlier than the remaining ones, and the color ink cartridge 70b must be replaced with a new one in a state that large amounts of the remaining inks are still left.