Abstract: The invention provides a printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: providing a print head that includes a plurality of nozzle arrays for ejecting at least N colors of inks, N being an integer of at least 3; performing a halftone process with a dither matrix on image data that represents a tone value of each pixel making up an original image to generate dot data that represents a state of dot formation at each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the printing medium; and generating the print image by combining at least N colors of dot groups formed in at least one scan of the print head in a common print area, the plurality of nozzle arrays respectively forming dot groups having different colors each other in the each scan of the print head according to the dot data.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: a dot data generating step of performing a halftone process on image data representing a input tone value of each of pixels constituting an original image, for generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the print medium; and a print image generating step of forming a dot on each of the print pixels for generating the print image according to the dot data. The halftone process is configured to give specified characteristics to all of dot patterns formed on printing pixels belonging to each of a plurality of basic pixel groups constituting the print image. The print image is formed by mutually combining dots formed on print pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel groups for which a physical difference is assumed with dot formation using the print image generating step, in a common print area.

Abstract: The invention provides printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the print medium, by performing a halftone process on image data representing a input tone value of each of pixels constituting an original image; and generating the print image with a print head by mutually combining a plurality dot groups in a common print area, each of the plurality dot groups being formed in each scan of the print head in response to the dot data. The generating dot data comprise setting a condition for the halftone process for reducing contact between dot groups formed consecutively by a plurality of temporally consecutive scan within at least part of tone values.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: generating dot data that represents state of dot formation at each print pixel of a print image to be formed on the printing medium by performing a halftone process on image data that represents an input tone value of each pixel making up an original image; and generating the print image by forming dots on each of the print pixels according to the dot data. The halftone process determines the state of dot formation by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values, the plurality of threshold values being used for determining state of dot formation at each of print pixels of the print image to be formed on the printing medium according to an input tone value.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: performing a halftone process with a dither matrix on image data that represents a tone value of each pixel making up an original image to determine a state of dot formation at each of print pixels of a print image that is to be formed on the printing medium, and generating dot data that represents the determined state of dot formation; and generating a print image by mutually combining each of dot groups that are formed at each of a plurality of pixel groups in a common print region according to the dot data, the plurality of pixel groups being assumed to have different physical conditions with respect to the dot formation. The dither matrix stores each threshold value such that a number of dots to be allocated to each of the plurality of dot groups is determined according to a dot formation order of each of the plurality of dot groups in the common print region in the halftone process.

Abstract: A plurality of same ink nozzle arrays are provided, and multiple color patches are printed with mutually different dot recording rates respectively using one of the same ink nozzle arrays. Color specification value of the plurality of color patches is measured for each same ink nozzle array. The ink ejection amount error of each same ink nozzle array is determined based on the color specification values of the plurality of color patches for each same ink nozzle array. It is also possible to select among the plurality of color patches a preferable color patch that is closest to a specified reference color patch, and to determine the ink ejection amount error from the dot recording rate of the preferable color patch.

Abstract: The technique of the invention joins a preset number of adjacent pixels into a unit and collectively converts input image data of each unit into dot data. Here the image data is expressed by tone values of respective pixels constituting an image, and the dot data represents dot on-off state. The technique stores dot on-off state determined with regard to at least part of pixels included in a processed unit, which has been subjected to the data conversion, in such a manner that a pixel position in the processed unit is identifiable. The procedure of the data conversion by units specifies a target pixel, in which a dot on-off state is to be determined, in a unit, detects a dot creation status with regard to an object pixel that is located at a specific position relative to the target pixel, and determines the dot on-off state in the target pixel based on the detection result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing control method of generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print. The print unit comprises a print head having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of ejection drive elements for ejecting an ink from the plurality of nozzles, and is capable of selectively forming one of N types of dots having different sizes at one pixel area with each nozzle. The print control method comprises a dot data generation step of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel according to given image data. The dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data with a specific dot data generation step for at least a part of the ink types when a printing environment is a specific environment. The specific dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data using only a part of dot types among the N types of dots.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing technique for improving dot dispersion in highlight areas and shadow areas in an error diffusion method. The image processing device of the invention has a plurality of types of error diffusion matrices with different diffusion ranges, and selects a matrix depending on the error that has occurred, which is then used to diffuse the error into peripheral pixels. Of the plurality of error diffusion matrices, the matrix having the widest diffusion range is a matrix that diffuses error with bias in the raster direction (specifically, a matrix having a directivity factor of 2.0 or higher).

Abstract: The technique of the present invention allocates a coordinate point of target image data on a color space to multiple lattice points in a color conversion table and reads data stored at the multiple lattice points. This arrangement ensures high-speed color conversion of the target image data. The procedure selects multiple lattice points and allocates a coordinate point of one target image data to the selected multiple lattice points. The procedure then specifies color-converted image data corresponding to the target image data, based on data read from the multiple lattice points. A first application allocates the target image data to the coordinate points of the multiple lattice points arbitrarily selected in the vicinity of the target image data. A second application allocates N-dimensional target image data to the coordinate points of multiple but not greater than N lattice points.

Abstract: Small area dither matrices including a consolidation of a specified number of threshold values are taken out from within a large area dither matrix, and the plurality of threshold values contained in this are realigned in size sequence and recorded, and initial data is prepared in which is recorded arrangement restoration data representing the arrangement of the threshold values within this small area dither matrix. Then, for each small area dither matrix, a dot arrangement pattern is generated across the scope of the values that the image data can have based on the previously described threshold value data and arrangement data, and this is recorded in the conversion table. By working in this way, it is possible to easily realize the process of converting image data to a dot arrangement pattern formed on the printing medium.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing method of printing on a print medium with a print unit having a printing head. The method includes: generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each print pixel of a print image to be formed on the print medium, by performing halftone process on image data representing a tone value of each pixel making up an original image to determine the status of dot formation; and printing a print image by forming dots on each print pixel of the print medium according to the dot data during both forward scan and backward scan of the printing head while performing main scan of the printing head.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing method of performing printing on a print medium. The method includes: generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the print medium, by performing a halftone process on image data representing a input tone value of each of pixels constituting an original image; generating the print image by combining forward pass dots with backward pass dots in a common printing area in such a manner that each main scan line includes both the forward pass dots and the backward pass dots, the forward pass dots being formed on a plurality of pixels of a first pixel group in a forward pass of main scan of a print head, the backward pass dots being formed on a plurality of pixels of a second pixel group in a backward pass of main scan of the print head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing control method of generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print. The print unit comprises a print head having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of ejection drive elements for ejecting an ink from the plurality of nozzles, and is capable of selectively forming one of N types of dots having different sizes at one pixel area with each nozzle. The print control method comprises a dot data generation step of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel according to given image data. The dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data with a specific dot data generation step for at least a part of the ink types when a printing environment is a specific environment. Te specific dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data using only a part of dot types among the N types of dots.

Abstract: The invention provides printing method of printing on a printing medium. The method includes: generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the print medium, by performing a halftone process on image data representing, a input tone value of each of pixels constituting an original image; providing a print head having a plurality of nozzle groups that eject inks of mutually different colors; and generating the print image by mutually combining dot groups of multiple colors formed in at least one scan in a common print area, by forming each dot group with each of the plurality of nozzle groups during each scan of the print head in response to the dot data, the each of the dot groups being mutually different in color.

Abstract: The invention provides a dither matrix generating method. This method generates a dither matrix for determining a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on a print medium in response to input image data.

Abstract: The invention provides a printing method of printing on a print medium. This method comprises: performing a halftone process on image data representing a tone value of each of pixels constituting an original image to generate dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on the print medium; and generating the print image in response to the dot data, by mutually combining dots formed on print pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel position groups in a common print area, the plurality of pixel position groups assuming a physical difference each other at the dot formation.

Abstract: This invention is a printing control apparatus for generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print. The print unit is capable of forming dots on a print medium by ejecting at least one type of colored ink containing a color material and a quality-enhancing ink for enhancing quality of a printed material. The printing control apparatus comprises an outline area extractor configured to extract an outline area of an image expressed by given image data and a dot data generator configured to generate colored dot data and transparent dot data according to the image data. The dot data generator is configured to reduce ink volume of dots formed in the outline area among the transparent dots.

Abstract: In an image output control system of the invention, an image processing device makes image data subjected to a preset series of image processing and supplies processed image data to an image output device to output a resulting processed image. The image processing device collects a predetermined number of plural pixels among a large number of pixels constituting the image to one pixel group, specifies number of dots to be created in the pixel group, and outputs dot number data representing the specified number of dots to be created in the pixel group to the image output device. The image output device stores multiple priority orders of pixels for dot formation in each pixel group. The image output device receives the output dot number data, selects one priority order among the stored multiple priority orders, determines position of each dot-on pixel in each pixel group, and actually creates a dot at the determined position of each dot-on pixel, so as to output a resulting image.

Abstract: An ink ejection amount error is acquired for each of a plurality of same ink nozzle arrays for ejecting same ink. Line sets consisting of N adjacent main scan lines are classified into a plurality of line set types LT11 to LT13 according to a ratio of the pixel counts allocated to the plurality of nozzle arrays on the line set. Using the ink ejection amount error of each nozzle array, the average ink ejection error ? is obtained for each of the line set types LT11 to LT13. The ink amount data on each main scan line of each line set is corrected using the average ink ejection amount error for each line set.