Abstract: A printing control method of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel in a printed image represented by an given image data, by formation of dots in respective pixels with the at least one colored ink and the quality-enhancing ink available in the print unit. This process includes a processing of setting a predetermined tone value to the tone value of the quality-enhancing ink when the pixel value is equal to the characteristic value.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing apparatus that performs printing on a print medium. The printing apparatus includes: a dot data generator that performs a halftone process on image data, wherein the print image is formed by mutually combining print pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel position groups for which a physical difference is assumed at a formation of dots by the print image generator, in a common print area, and the halftone process is configured to determine the status of dot formation on each of the print pixels on an assumption of the physical difference.

Abstract: An image-processing apparatus includes (A) a value-multiplexing processing section and (B) a dot-formation-data generating section. The value-multiplexing processing section generates, based on image data, multivalue gradation-value data by performing value-multiplexing processing on a gradation value of each of a plurality of pixels that constitute an image expressed by the image data, in accordance with a resolution of an output image. The dot-formation-data generating section converts the multivalue gradation-value data generated by the value-multiplexing processing section into dot-number data indicating a number of dots, determines whether or not to form a dot individually for each of one or more pixels based on the dot-number data, and generates dot-formation data of the output image having the above-described resolution by employing at least a portion of the pixels, among the one or more pixels for which whether or not to form a dot has been determined, as a pixel that constitutes the output image.

Abstract: The purpose of the image processing device is to convert color image data rapidly to data expressed by the dot on/off state. A plurality of adjacent pixels is grouped as a first type of block, and judgment of the dot on/off state performed by suitably using the error diffusion method is performed in block units. The image data after the color conversion used for this judgment is stored once in memory in a compressed state according to the result of edge detection for the block, and when necessary, judgment of the dot on/off state is performed while reading from the memory. The image processing device realizes the judgment rapidly while avoiding making more complex the judgment of the dot on/off state performed in block units. Also, the image data is compressed according to the result of edge detection, so it is possible to read and write rapidly in relation to memory, and furthermore to decompress rapidly.

Abstract: A computer serving as an image processing device produces pixel groups by assembling a plurality of adjacent pixels among the plurality of pixels forming the image data, and determines the pixel group tone value for each pixel group. Number data corresponding to the pixel tone values of the pixel groups is then obtained based on a predetermined correspondence. At that time, tone errors occurring during the conversion of the pixel group tone value to number data are diffused to the surrounding pixel groups so as to be reflected in the calculation of the pixel group tone values. The computer outputs the resulting number data to a printer. The printer, which serves as an image generating device, determines the position of the pixels by which the dots are formed in the pixel groups based on the number data that has been obtained, and drives a printing head to form dots in those positions.

Abstract: A printing system of the invention successively forms rasters or dot lines on a printing medium to complete a printed image. A raster formation assembly is scanned in a raster-forming direction relative to the printing medium and completes each raster on the printing medium by a preset number of multiple main scans. The printing system of the invention determines the dot on-off state of respective pixels included in an object image according to image data of the object image, stores data representing the determination results in a classified manner in a memory, and supplies data of each group read from the classified storage in the memory to the raster formation assembly. The determination results representing the dot on-off state of plural pixels on each raster are classified and stored into multiple groups according to allocation of the preset number of multiple main scans to raster formation in the plural pixels on the raster.

Abstract: A representative gradation value is set collectively for each pixel group of several pixels each, and then the representative gradation value undergoes multilevel halftoning. From the multilevel halftoning result value obtained in this way, the presence or absence of dot formation for each pixel is set and the image is output. Also, based on the resolution ratio of the image data input resolution and output resolution, if the pixel group is divided, it is possible to divide the pixel group into suitable sizes for processing, so it is possible to improve the output image quality. Furthermore, even when the pixel group is divided, it is possible to share data for processing, so it is possible to save memory. In addition, it is possible to rapidly output high quality images with a simple process.

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 determines the number of dots to be created in each pixel group, which has a preset number of multiple pixels included in an image, and outputs the determined number of dots as dot number data to the image output device. The image output device stores multiple options for a priority order of individual pixels included in each pixel group for dot formation. In response to reception of the dot number data, the image output device selects one among the multiple options for the priority order, determines the positions of dot-on pixels in the pixel group, and actually creates dots at the determined positions of the dot-on pixels to output a resulting image.

Abstract: When color converting image data of a first color coordinate system to image data of a second color coordinate system using a color conversion module, the tone values of said second image data are proportionally increased for conversion in a tone value range in which small dots or light dots are formed. Next, second image data is converted to dot volume data relating to the dot forming density for various dots with different tone values expressed per single dot. At this time, the proportional increase part of the tone values of the second image data is corrected, and suitable dot volume data is obtained. If this is done, even in an area where small dots or light dots are formed, it is possible to supplement insufficient resolution of image data during color conversion, and to display images of high image quality.

Abstract: For image processing for repeatedly executing process segment sets including N (N is an integer of 3 or greater) unit process segments Lc, Lm, Ly, Lk, Llc, Llm and Ldy, unit process segments are executed by M (M is an integer of 2 or greater but less than N) processing units. The unit process segments include a first-type unit process segments Lc, Llc, Llm, and Lk for performing processing using a first processing method and a second-type unit process segment Lm, Ly and Ldy for performing processing using a second processing method that is different from the first processing method. Then, when executing process segment sets, the M unit process segments including at least one each of the first-type and the second-type unit process segments Lc, Lm are first executed on the M processing units.

Abstract: For image processes performed repeatedly using a plurality of processing units on a plurality of partial images aligned mutually adjacent to each other, specified processing is performed. This image process includes (i) a first-type process segment on first partial image data representing a partial image to generate M types (M is an integer of 2 or greater) of second partial image data; and (ii) the respectively corresponding M types of second-type process segments on the M types of second partial image data. When executing image processing, parallel processing is performed for the second-type process segment relating to the i-th (i is a positive integer) partial image and the first-type process segment relating to any of the (i+1)-th to the (i+p)-th (p is a positive integer) partial images.

Abstract: In a printing process with a print head having multiple dot formation elements for creating dots, an overlap printing technique that uses at least two dot formation elements for formation of each raster line requires a large memory capacity for storage of dot data. In a printing system of the invention, an image processing device takes charge of a former part of image processing and outputs intermediate data in a state requiring expansion into multiple pixels to a printing device. The printing device expands intermediate data including a target pixel, for which a dot on-off state is to be specified, and specifies the dot on-off state in the target pixel based on the intermediate data. Every time the dot on-off state is specified in each target pixel, intermediate data including the target pixel is expanded. This arrangement does not require the printing device to have a large storage capacity for the image processing.

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: A printing system of the invention sets each pixel group having a predetermined number of multiple pixels, determines a number of dots to be created in the pixel group, and supplies the determined number of dots as number data to a printing device. The printing device converts the received number data into dot data representing a dot on-off state in each pixel and stores only a relevant part of the dot data into a buffer. A head is driven according to the dot data stored in the buffer to print an image. The relevant part of the dot data stored in the buffer regards only pixels that are processed simultaneously by each reciprocating motion of the head for dot creation. This arrangement does not require storage of the dot data with regard to all the pixels, thus desirably attaining high-speed printing of a resulting image while advantageously saving the storage capacity required for the printing device.

Abstract: In image processing carried out by means of repeated execution of process set which includes N unit processes (where N is an integer equal to 3 or greater), prior to execution of the process groups, the N unit processes are assigned to a number M (where M is an integer equal to 2 or greater, but less than N) of processing modules for executing the unit processes. First, on the basis of execution results of unit processes included in the process group executed immediately prior, there is estimated an estimated load of unit processes of each class in the next process group. Then, on the basis of the estimated load, the N unit processes are assigned to the processing modules. During this process, a selected unit process which is one of the unit processes not yet assigned to a processing module, is assigned to one of the processing modules.

Abstract: A printer-system for printing or recording images using a plurality of dots having different densities. The printer system includes a head for producing at least 2 different types of dots having different densities per unit area, an input unit for receiving input tone data with respect to each of the pixels in an original image, a threshold value storage unit for storing threshold values, a multi-valuing unit for determining the on-off state of a dot and the type of the dot to be created at each pixel, and a dot creation unit for driving the printer head. Print image quality is degraded for example when, around any specific input tone value, there are abrupt changes in the number density of large dots to small dots. The multi-valuing unit, employing error diffusion techniques, changes the threshold values for selecting the type of dot printed to control the relative density of large dots at each input tone value and thus regulates the print image quality.

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: 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.

Abstract: A printing control method of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel in a printed image represented by an given image data, by formation of dots in respective pixels with the at least one colored ink and the quality-enhancing ink available in the print unit. This process includes a processing of setting a predetermined tone value to the tone value of the quality-enhancing ink when the pixel value is equal to the characteristic value.

Abstract: A one-dimensional LUT has been incapable of color matching. A three-dimensional LUT has been incapable of ensuring a color conversion accuracy enough to reproduce fine changes in color tone on a monochrome image. It has been impossible to suppress a storage capacity for a color conversion table by ensuring the accuracy. There is provided a color conversion table which has a plurality of pieces of reference color image data making correspondence between color data for a first image device and color data for a second image device and comprises a specified total information amount. The color conversion table is used to distribute the reference color image data over a prescribed area in a specified color space. Color data information for each reference color image data is increased more than a specified amount within a limit of the specified total information amount. Further, a color conversion table is created using an original table which highly accurately defines colors in part of the color conversion table.