Abstract: At least two different printmasks are used for different printing devices--such as inkjet pens--that operate concurrently, or different printing steps that proceed concurrently, to produce respective image swaths in a single, pixel-based printing machine. In one form of the invention, the different printing devices produce different respective pixel-row pitches (related to resolution) on a printing medium, and the different printmasks help to minimize adverse patterning effects that result from interaction of the different pitches with dot-placement errors. The different pitches on the print medium may be provided through different pitches of marking devices (for example, the number of inkjet nozzles per unit distance along a pen) or in other ways.

Abstract: At least two different printmasks are used for different printing devices--such as inkjet pens--that operate concurrently, or different printing steps that proceed concurrently, to produce respective image swaths in a single, pixel-based printing machine. In one form of the invention, the different printing devices produce different respective pixel-row pitches (related to resolution) on a printing medium, and the different printmasks help to minimize adverse patterning effects that result from interaction of the different pitches with dot-placement errors. The different pitches on the print medium may be provided through different pitches of marking devices (for example, the number of inkjet nozzles per unit distance along a pen) or in other ways.

Abstract: The present invention improves the quality of halftone graphics patterns which convey shades of gray using dots. In the preferred embodiment, an initial low resolution graphics pattern is translated into a higher resolution graphics pattern by printing a variable number of high resolution dots for each dot in the low resolution graphics pattern. The number of high resolution dots printed for each initial low resolution dot is dependent upon the density of dots in the low resolution pattern. In another embodiment, the size of each dot printed, rather than the number of dots, is varied depending upon the density of dots in the low resolution pattern. When the dot density increases to where the low resolution pattern appears to be part of a text pattern, a different set of enhancement rules are then applied to correct the text pattern.