Abstract: When an image is recorded using a multichip recording head including a plurality of chips each having a plurality of nozzle arrays, a change in image density can occur due to a registration error between chips in an overlapping part where two chips are connected. To suppress the change in image density, input image data is distributed to two chips such that there are dots overlapping each other between the two chips in the overlapping part.

Abstract: An adaptor which mediates between an image supply device and a printer causes the printer to print by selecting either of the first operation mode in which image data from the image supply device is received by wireless communication and before the completion of receiving the image data, a print job is issued to the printer by wired communication, and the second operation mode in which image data from the image supply device is received by wireless communication and after the completion of receiving the image data, a print job is issued to the printer by wired communication.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively high frequency overlap in an intersecting direction that intersects an array direction of nozzles is smaller than the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively low frequency overlap in the intersecting direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein overlapping portions of the recording heads for two different colors are separated from each other with a distance therebetween in an array direction of nozzles.

Abstract: A first humidified gas is supplied through a first supply port to a sheet. A second humidified gas is supplied to a space where nozzles of an inkjet recording head are exposed through a second supply port located at a position closer to the recording heads than the first supply port, to increase atmosphere humidity in the space. The sheet portion having a moisture content increased by the humidification in advance is advanced into the space having the increased atmosphere humidity, to record on the sheet using the inkjet recording head. An amount of humidification with the first humidified gas is set according to at least one recording condition.

Abstract: In a line-head type inkjet printing apparatus that ejects a plurality of types of inks, an inkjet printing apparatus is provided in which the change of its ejection properties different depending on the type of ink is prevented from occurring. The line-head type printing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that counts the ejection number of liquid from each of print heads in each of a plurality of print heads. Furthermore, the printing apparatus compares the ejection number of liquid from each of the print heads counted by the acquisition unit with a threshold value set for each of the print heads. The printing apparatus includes a change unit that can move a holder in the main scanning direction when the counted ejection number of liquid exceeds the threshold value set for the print head.

Abstract: A waiting time Ts is decided on the basis of ink type information and ink feed amount information, referring to waiting time table A (Step 6). Along with this, a dried printing paper is carried to and stopped in a waiting area 9 (Step 7), a time period T is measured after stopping, and measurement processing in the next step is delayed until the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts. Then, when the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts, a measuring instrument 10 is used to measure a density of a patch printed on the printing paper (Steps 8 and 9).

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a drying unit to dry a printing medium on which an image was printed using an inkjet head; a humidification unit to humidify the printing medium that was dried by the drying unit so that the moisture content of the printing medium becomes the equilibrium state in the ambient environment; a colorimetric unit to perform colorimetry on the printing medium that was humidified by the humidification unit; and a calibration unit to calibrate printing properties on the basis of the result of colorimetry by the colorimetric unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of inkjet print heads to which humidified air is supplied to retain the humidity in the print heads. Ink colors for the plurality of heads are arranged in a sequence corresponding to ink characteristics. The plurality of print heads are arranged in a sequence such that a print head configured to eject ink characterized by having a larger amount of volatile components evaporated within a predetermined time is located in a more upstream area.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus to perform an edge intensifying processing of an image includes an obtaining unit, a calculating unit, a setting unit, and a processing unit. The obtaining unit obtains image data composed of pixels aligned in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The calculating unit obtains an edge direction of an image and a variation amount indicating a magnitude of change in a luminance value. The setting unit sets an intensity of the edge intensifying processing. The processing unit performs the edge intensifying processing. In a case where the image data resolution in the sub-scanning direction is higher than in the main scanning direction, the setting unit sets the intensity of the edge intensifying processing to an amount that is higher when the edge direction is the sub-scanning direction than when the edge direction is the main scanning direction.

Abstract: This invention allows printing an image with less image deterioration with respect to a document including both text and an image. An image processing apparatus includes a pixel value acquisition unit which acquires a pixel value of a pixel as a target in an input digital image, and a pixel value correction/modification processing unit which executes a correction/modification process based on the pixel value of the pixel acquired by the pixel value acquisition unit. The pixel value correction/modification processing unit includes a contrast correcting unit which executes contrast correction based on information representing a brightness value corresponding to the pixel value of the pixel, and an intermediate color removing unit which removes intermediate color in the digital image by replacing the pixel value of the pixel by pixel values of pixels around that pixel.

Abstract: A first reading unit that reads a pattern or an image formed on a sheet by a print unit for recognizing a print unit state, a second reading unit that reads a cut mark formed on the sheet on a downstream thereof, a cutter that cuts the sheet on a downstream thereof, and a reverse unit that reverses the sheet fed to the print unit again are provided. In duplex printing, the sheet where images are sequentially printed on a first surface is led to the reverse unit, the front and rear faces are reversed, and the sheet is fed to the print unit again. The sheet where images and cut marks are sequentially printed on a second surface is cut by the cutter for each piece and discharged. The sheet is cut on the basis of a reading of the cut mark by the second reading unit.

Abstract: A cut mark is recorded in an area between one image and the next image to be printed, and the recorded cut mark is to be detected. When the cut mark cannot be detected, a position of the cut mark is estimated based on information on an already detected cut mark and information on a length of the image printed after said already detected cut mark. A first cut position and a second cut position for cutting off the area are set based on the estimation.

Abstract: An increase in energy applied to a heating element can be prevented and the service life of a printhead can be prolonged even when the temperature of the printing element having a negative temperature coefficient rises and the resistance of the heating element decreases. A printhead having heating elements connected to a common power supply comprises a switching element series-connected to and controlling driving of the heating element at a voltage applied to a control terminal; a constant voltage source; a wiring resistance generated at a connection wiring line serial-connected to the heating element; and a voltage control circuit which controls to make the potential difference between both ends of the wiring resistance equal to the voltage of the constant voltage source when driving the heating element. A current flowing through the heating element is made constant without any influence of the temperature.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to apply correction processing to image data having sharpness varying depending on an alignment direction of pixels. The image processing apparatus detects a feature quantity in an edge direction of the image data. The image processing apparatus sets an intensity of the correction processing based on correction intensity which is predetermined based on the sharpness varying depending on the alignment direction of the pixels, according to the detected feature quantity in the edge direction of the image data.

Abstract: According to a print system, a printer supplies function information of the printer to a DSC based on a communication link between the DSC and the printer, and the DSC establishes a UI based on the supplied function information to display it on the DSC. The DSC converts image data of an image file according to print conditions set up based on the UI and the function information of the printer and transmits the converted image file to the printer.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus and image processing method for formation of high quality image by high-speed error diffusion processing by execution of more complicated threshold condition processing in a simple manner. When error diffusion processing is performed on multivalued image data having plural density components and the result of processing is outputted, upon execution of error diffusion processing on a first density component among the plural density components, a threshold value used in the error diffusion processing is determined based on a density value of a second density component, then the error diffusion processing is performed on the first density component based on the determined threshold value, and the result of execution of the error diffusion processing is outputted.

Abstract: An image processing method is used to converting a color within a first color reproduction range that is a device-independent color space into a color within a second color reproduction range that is a color reproduction range of an output device. The image processing method includes defining, within the first color reproduction range, a third color reproduction range of a color that is estimated to be input; defining, within the second color reproduction range, a fourth color reproduction range that is smaller than the second color reproduction range; and, in performing the color conversion, compressing a color within the third color reproduction range into a color within the fourth color reproduction range and compressing a color within the first color reproduction range and outside the third color reproduction range into a color within the second color reproduction range and outside the fourth color reproduction range.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for applying an adjusting process to an image including multicolor image signals. An image area including a pixel to be processed is extracted, and one representative signal value is generated from signal values corresponding to a plurality of colors of pixels included in the image area (S2501). A feature amount associated with the image area is calculated based on the representative signal value (S2503, S2505, S2511), and a substitute candidate pixel common to the plurality of colors is selected from the image area based on the calculated feature amount (S2512). Signal values of the pixel to be processed are substituted by new pixel values, which are calculated from the signal values of the pixel to be processed and signal values of the substitute candidate pixel.

Abstract: An optical fiber, which has a zero-material dispersion wavelength equal to or greater than 2 ?m, and a high nonlinear susceptibility ?3 equal to or greater than 1×10?12 esu, and uses tellurite glass having sufficient thermal stability for processing into a low loss fiber, employs a PCF structure or HF structure having strong confinement into a core region. This enables light to propagate at a low loss. The size and geometry of air holes formed in the core region, and the spacing between adjacent air holes make it possible to control the zero dispersion wavelength within an optical telecommunication window (1.2-1.7 ?m), and to achieve large nonlinearity with a nonlinear coefficient ? equal to or greater than 500 W?1 km?1.