Abstract: Print head for black material is arranged such that the black material is to be ejected later than cyan, magenta, and yellow materials on both of forward and backward strokes, and the print heads for the cyan, magenta, and yellow materials are arranged in tandem in a main-scanning direction. The first processing unit converts input image data into CMY image data and then performs black generation and undercolor removal on the CMY image data, to obtain CMYK image data. The second processing unit converts CMY image data excluding K image data from the CMYK image data into image data for use in printing in the backward direction. The on/off switching unit switches between causing and not causing the second processing unit to covert the CMY image data depending on which one of printing in the forward stroke and printing in the backward stroke is to be performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage that includes a head including a black nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged and a color nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arrange, the black nozzle array being disposed at a position shifted in the sub-scanning direction downstream in a medium conveying direction with respect to the color nozzle array; a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction; and a control unit. The control unit forms an image by the color nozzle array in a main scanning in one direction, relatively moves the recording medium to a subsequent main-scanning position thereafter, and forms an image by the black nozzle array on the image formed by the color nozzle array in a following main scanning in the other direction so as to complete an image for one scanning area.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing apparatus performs an image processing operation to execute double-side printing on both sides of an image forming medium. The image processing apparatus forms a dot font including a dot pattern of a character in a character image that has undergone a halftone process using a predetermined coefficient for mitigating show-through when the double-side printing is performed; forms a correction dot for making a correction to reduce step-like irregularities along an outline portion of the character in the character image, which correction dot is formed based on an arrangement position, a color, and a dot size of the correction dot for reproducing a gradation that has undergone the halftone process using said predetermined coefficient; and combines the dot font and the correction dot.

Abstract: An image forming device forms an image on a recording sheet by bidirectional recording. In the image forming device, a control part controls the image forming device. The control part includes a distance changing part that changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a forward movement of a recording head to a first transport distance and changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a backward movement of the recording head to a second transport distance, and a nozzle changing part that determines inactive nozzles which do not discharge a recording liquid among nozzles of the recording head alternately for one of the forward movement and the backward movement of the recording head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel image processing apparatus that facilitates obtaining high-quality image even in low resolution without driving up costs and lowering speed. The image processing apparatus of this invention includes the line width determining unit that determines whether or not line width in image with high resolution is one pixel. The adding unit adds one pixel either above or below the line in image converted to lower resolution and makes the width of the line two pixels.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, which performs an error diffusion on M-value image data with an error weight matrix into N-value image data, includes: a corrected-value calculating unit that calculates a corrected value by adding a first value and a second value to a pixel value corresponding to a processing-target color component of a pixel of interest, the first value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of the processing-target color component by the matrix, and the second value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of a different color component by the matrix; a quantizing unit that compares the corrected value with a quantization threshold, and outputs N-value image data; and an error diffusion unit that calculates an error at the pixel of interest by subtracting a quantization threshold from a value obtained by adding the first value to the pixel value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage that includes a head including a black nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged and a color nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arrange, the black nozzle array being disposed at a position shifted in the sub-scanning direction downstream in a medium conveying direction with respect to the color nozzle array; a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction; and a control unit. The control unit forms an image by the color nozzle array in a main scanning in one direction, relatively moves the recording medium to a subsequent main-scanning position thereafter, and forms an image by the black nozzle array on the image formed by the color nozzle array in a following main scanning in the other direction so as to complete an image for one scanning area.

Abstract: Print head for black material is arranged such that the black material is to be ejected later than cyan, magenta, and yellow materials on both of forward and backward strokes, and the print heads for the cyan, magenta, and yellow materials are arranged in tandem in a main-scanning direction. The first processing unit converts input image data into CMY image data and then performs black generation and undercolor removal on the CMY image data, to obtain CMYK image data. The second processing unit converts CMY image data excluding K image data from the CMYK image data into image data for use in printing in the backward direction. The on/off switching unit switches between causing and not causing the second processing unit to covert the CMY image data depending on which one of printing in the forward stroke and printing in the backward stroke is to be performed.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing apparatus performs an image processing operation to execute double-side printing on both sides of an image forming medium. The image processing apparatus forms a dot font including a dot pattern of a character in a character image that has undergone a halftone process using a predetermined coefficient for mitigating show-through when the double-side printing is performed; forms a correction dot for making a correction to reduce step-like irregularities along an outline portion of the character in the character image, which correction dot is formed based on an arrangement position, a color, and a dot size of the correction dot for reproducing a gradation that has undergone the halftone process using said predetermined coefficient; and combines the dot font and the correction dot.

Abstract: To provide an ink jet recording method including: performing image recording on a recording medium to obtain an ink adhesion quantity of 15 g/m2 or less of an ink containing at least a colorant, the recording medium having at least one coating layer on at least one surface of a substrate including cellulose pulp; and dry-to-touch drying the recorded image and bringing a heat source into direct contact with the recording medium for image fixing, wherein the recording medium is formed such that a transfer quantity of pure water into the recording medium in a contact interval of 100 ms that is measured with a dynamic scanning liquid absorptometer is 1 mL/m2 or more to 30 mL/m2 or less and a transfer quantity of pure water into the recording medium in a contact interval of 400 ms is 2 mL/m2 or more to 35 mL/m2 or less.

Abstract: An image forming device forms an image on a recording sheet by bidirectional recording. In the image forming device, a control part controls the image forming device. The control part includes a distance changing part that changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a forward movement of a recording head to a first transport distance and changes a sheet transporting distance for transporting the recording sheet after a backward movement of the recording head to a second transport distance, and a nozzle changing part that determines inactive nozzles which do not discharge a recording liquid among nozzles of the recording head alternately for one of the forward movement and the backward movement of the recording head.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, which performs an error diffusion on M-value image data with an error weight matrix into N-value image data, includes: a corrected-value calculating unit that calculates a corrected value by adding a first value and a second value to a pixel value corresponding to a processing-target color component of a pixel of interest, the first value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of the processing-target color component by the matrix, and the second value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of a different color component by the matrix; a quantizing unit that compares the corrected value with a quantization threshold, and outputs N-value image data; and an error diffusion unit that calculates an error at the pixel of interest by subtracting a quantization threshold from a value obtained by adding the first value to the pixel value.

Abstract: To provide an ink jet recording method including: performing image recording on a recording medium to obtain an ink adhesion quantity of 15 g/m2 or less of an ink containing at least a colorant, the recording medium having at least one coating layer on at least one surface of a substrate including cellulose pulp; and dry-to-touch drying the recorded image and bringing a heat source into direct contact with the recording medium for image fixing, wherein the recording medium is formed such that a transfer quantity of pure water into the recording medium in a contact interval of 100 ms that is measured with a dynamic scanning liquid absorptometer is 1 mL/m2 or more to 30 mL/m2 or less and a transfer quantity of pure water into the recording medium in a contact interval of 400 ms is 2 mL/m2 or more to 35 mL/m2 or less.

Abstract: An image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein color space transformation processes that differ between single face printing and double face printing are performed. In addition, an image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein input tone transformation processes and adhering recording liquid quantity limiting processes that differ between double face printing and single face printing are performed.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing method is for generating and processing image data to be sent to an image forming apparatus including a recording head for ejecting droplets of a recording liquid, the image forming apparatus forming an image on paper based on input data. The image processing method includes: color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with a specified density or color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with characteristics regarding permeability of the paper to a coloring agent.

Abstract: An image processing method of processing image data includes a color space conversion step of converting an input color signal of image data into an output color signal having cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) values; a black generation/under color removal step of converting the CMY values into cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) values by adding a black (K) value and decreasing the CMY values so that portions of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) recording liquids used to form the image data are replaced with a black (K) recording liquid; and a total amount control step of controlling amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) recording liquids calculated from the CMYK values so that a total amount of the CMYK recording liquids per unit area on a recording medium does not exceed a predetermined total amount limit.

Abstract: An image processing method is disclosed for performing an under color removal process and a black recording liquid incorporation process on an input three-color signal, and generating image data for an imaging apparatus that is configured to form a color image on a recording medium using recording liquids of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The method includes the steps of regulating a maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount such that glossiness of black realized in an image formed on a glossy recording medium is not degraded, setting the black to be realized by the black recording liquid until reaching the regulated maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount, and setting the black to be realized through addition of a composite of the cyan, magenta, and yellow recording liquids if the black to be realized requires an amount of the black recording liquid exceeding the regulated maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus is capable of forming an image using a black recording liquid and at least one color recording liquid and generating image data on an image to be output. When an input image is black, the image data is generated for forming the image with the black recording liquid and using the color recording liquid for the image.

Abstract: An image processing method of processing image data includes a color space conversion step of converting an input color signal of image data into an output color signal having cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) values; a black generation/under color removal step of converting the CMY values into cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) values by adding a black (K) value and decreasing the CMY values so that portions of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) recording liquids used to form the image data are replaced with a black (K) recording liquid; and a total amount control step of controlling amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) recording liquids calculated from the CMYK values so that a total amount of the CMYK recording liquids per unit area on a recording medium does not exceed a predetermined total amount limit.

Abstract: An image processing method for producing and processing image data based on input data which image data are sent to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a paper form on which apparatus a recording head for ejecting a liquid drop of recording liquid is mounted and which apparatus is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein color space transformation processes different between single face printing and double face printing are performed when input data are transformed into color space values for the image forming apparatus.