Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus performs recording by supplying heat energy according to driving pulses to an ink to form a bubble based on film boiling, and ejecting the ink from a recording head onto a recording medium on the basis of formation of the bubble. The apparatus includes a driver and a driving pulse controller. The driver supplies the driving pulses, comprised of a plurality of pulses including a main pulse for causing the ink to be ejected, to the recording head for each ejection of the ink. The driving pulse controller controls an amount of the ink to be ejected, by changing a waveform of the driving pulses supplied by the driver during a recording operation. The driving pulse controller limits energy of the main pulse in accordance with a start timing of the film boiling which is variable according to a change in waveform of pulses other than the main pulse.

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: Multi-valued image data is separated into data in units of nozzle groups of the individual colors of a printhead, and each divided multi-valued image data is converted into n-valued image data consisting of a plurality of bits. Based on the n-valued image data of the corresponding colors, print codes are generated and are transmitted to a printer apparatus. The printer apparatus receives the print codes, stores them in print buffers of the corresponding colors, and generates print data based on the print codes using mask patterns set in correspondence with image data of the individual colors. The print timing in each scan of the printhead is determined in accordance with the significant bit position in the print data, and an image is printed on the basis of the print data by multi-pass printing.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises a recording head having ink ejection orifices, and a common ink chamber communicating with the ink ejection orifices to supply the ink to the ink ejection orifices, a driver for non-simultaneously causing at least one of adjacent ones of the ejection orifices of the recording head to eject the ink, and a driving controller for changing an order of ejection performed by the driver.

Abstract: In the case of printing in three-value level utilizing two kinds of inks mutually different densities for one color (higher and lower density inks), it is assumed that a reflection density of a region having a predetermined area when solid print is performed only by the lower density ink, and that when solid print is performed only by the higher density ink are expressed ODt and ODn, respectively. Since the granular appearance of the ink dots is expressed in terms of reflection density of one dot, the granular appearance of a lower density ink dot at a portion of image formed only by the lower density ink dots and the granular appearance of a higher density ink dot at a portion of image formed by the higher and lower density ink dots are expressed in terms of values of ODt and (ODn-ODt) divided by the number of pixels included in the above region, respectively.

Abstract: A user interface for high-quality image output and an image processing apparatus utilizing the user interface which performs apparatus setting for appropriate printing by selecting a print medium and a print mode in accordance with the type of ink cartridge. When an exchangeable ink cartridge, containing YMCK color ink or ink having different ink densities from those of the YMCK color ink in approximately the same color hues, is attached to a printer, the type of the ink cartridge is discriminated by an ink cartridge ID, and available print media and appropriate output image types are displayed for user's selection based on the ID. Then print operation is set in accordance with instruction by the user.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inkjet printing method and an inkjet printer capable of printing high-quality images by the inkjet printing method even when ink is exchanged for ink having a different density, particularly ink having a lower density. A printer using this method identifies the type of an ink tank attached to a printhead. When the printer detects in accordance with the type of an ink tank that an ink tank is changed to another ink tank containing ink with a different density, recovery conditions for the printhead are changed in accordance with the type of the ink. Especially when an ink tank is exchanged for another ink tank containing ink with a lower density, the printer increases the number of times of suction for the printhead after the ink tank exchange and the number of times of preliminary discharge after wiping. The printer also shortens preliminary discharge intervals and increases the number of preliminary discharge times at the time of printing.

Abstract: In a print apparatus and method in which the print head having printing elements to form print dots is made to scan over a printing medium in a predetermined direction to form a printed image, the drive timing intervals between a plurality of dots formed in the scan direction by the same printing element are changed in a cycle smaller than a cycle in which a printed image variation appears, in order to eliminate the printed image unevenness that cyclically appears due to variations in the manufacturing errors of a rotary drive source and other mechanisms for performing the scanning. By driving the printing elements in this way, it is possible to change the distance between adjoining dots in the predetermined direction in a short cycle and thereby render the cyclic unevenness caused by the rotary drive source visually impossible to recognize.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus records by supplying heat energy according to a drive pulse to an ink to form a bubble based on film boiling and ejecting the ink from a recording head onto a recording medium based on formation of the bubble. The ink jet recording apparatus includes a driver for supplying a pre-driving pulse that does not cause ink ejection and a main driving pulse that causes the ink ejection with a rest period between the two pulses for ejection of one ink droplet, and a rest period controller for controlling the rest period within a range where an amount of the ink ejection increases in accordance with an increase of the rest period. Controlling the rest period controls an amount of the ink ejection, with the rest period based on a temperature of the recording head. Also, a temperature of the recording head is obtained by calculating the energy input to the recording head by the supplied driving pulses.

Abstract: Print codes supplied from a host computer are received and analyzed to generate print data for the individual colors, and the generated print data are stored in print buffers corresponding to the colors. The print data corresponding to yellow ink with high lightness is expressed by binary data, and is printed by one dot per pixel by a single print scan. The print data corresponding to each of the remaining high-density (thick) inks is expressed by multi-valued data having a larger number of bits than the yellow data, and is printed by a plurality of print scans.

Abstract: A head for discharging yellow ink, magenta ink, cyan ink and first black ink having a relatively fast penetration velocity to a recording medium and a head for discharging second black ink having a relatively low penetration velocity are used to print an image. When a black image is adjacent to a color image, the black image is formed by using the first black ink, and when the black image is not adjacent to the color image, the black image is formed by using the second black ink. A black ink and a plurality of color inks having a different penetration velocity to a recording medium than that of the black ink are also used to print an image.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head for ejecting ink from an ejection unit to cause a change in temperature in a recording period, a temperature keeping unit for maintaining a temperature of the recording head at a predetermined keeping temperature higher than an upper limit of a surrounding temperature range in which recording is possible, a temperature prediction unit for predicting an ink temperature in the ejection unit in the recording period prior to recording, and an ejection stabilization unit for stabilizing ink ejection from the ejection unit according to the ink temperature in the ejection unit predicted by the temperature prediction unit.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus which prestore a mask pattern generated using a pseudo-random number in a ROM within the apparatus, and perform image data conversion using the mask pattern. This avoids overlap between the pixel pattern of the image data and the mask pattern in a large area, and conserves the respective color densities. Accordingly, the method and apparatus enable image processing conserving the color hue and tonality of the original image data.

Abstract: A wiping mechanism for wiping an ink ejection side surface of an ink jet head for effecting recording by ejection of ink through ejection outlets includes a wiper for wiping the ejection side surface; and control mechanism for controlling operation of the wiper member in accordance with arrival of a carriage carrying the ink jet head and moving in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A method for preserving a liquid-ejection head is disclosed. The method uses the liquid-ejection head having a first liquid-flowing passage that receives a supply of a first liquid and communicates with an ejection port; a second liquid-flowing passage that receives a supply of a second liquid that differs from the first liquid; a bubble generation area formed on the second liquid-flowing passage for heating the second liquid to generate a bubble in said second liquid; and a movable member positioned between the bubble generation area, having a free end on an ejection port's side of the first liquid-flowing passage and a supporting end on other side of the first liquid-flowing passage, where the free end of the movable member is displaced toward the first liquid-flowing passage by a pressure caused by a generation of the bubble when said second liquid is heated.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing registration method permits printing registration between a forward and a reverse scan of a head cartridge between a plurality of head cartridges without troubling a user and simply. By forward and reverse scan of the head cartridge, a plurality of patterns, in which a print start timing of the reverse scan is shifted per a predetermined amount relative to that of the forward scan, are printed. These patterns may vary an area factor by the dots formed by printing depending upon offset amount. On the other hand, the plurality of patterns are optically read an average density. By this, the timing, at which the read average density is maximum is set as the printing registration condition.

Abstract: A recording system and a recording method which can perform the recording operation without increasing an image storage capacity of a recording apparatus even if image data is increased with an increase in a recording resolution. Picture element data of image data is split into a plurality of split picture element data by a specific pattern. The plurality of split image data are transferred with offsetting each of the split picture element data. The offset and transferred split picture element data are held by a storage means. The split picture element data held by the storage means are controlled so as to be recorded on a recording medium at positions where the above-described picture element split processing is not subjected thereto.

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: An image processing method and an apparatus capable of employing the method, which smooth notches on outlines and output an image of high quality having smooth outlines. First, edges to be smoothed are determined, then numbers of consecutive black dots in the horizontal and vertical directions are counted from originating points in the determined edge. Further, dots for correcting an original image are calculated based on the counted numbers of consecutive black dots. Thereby it is possible to perform the high speed smoothing correction efficiently, facilitating production of a high quality printing apparatus for a reasonable price.

Abstract: An apparatus uses a liquid ejection head including a first liquid passage communicating with an ejection port, a second liquid passage separated from the first liquid passage by a separation wall, and a movable member formed as a part of the separation wall. In the second liquid passage, a thermal energy generation device is arranged at a position opposing to the movable member. The movable member has a free end portion and a fulcrum. Recovery of the first and second liquid passages is performed by suction and/or pressurization. Upon recovery by discharging the liquid in respective liquid passage having higher flow resistance, the pressurizing force and/or the suction force for the liquid passage having higher resistance is set to be greater that the pressurizing force and/or the suction force for the other liquid passage having lower flow resistance.