Abstract: A data processing method, printing apparatus, host apparatus, and printing system are capable of reducing the data transfer rate from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus, suppressing density unevenness, and reducing the cost of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method of adjusting bidirectional registration to reduce negative effects on the image such as “banding” even if bidirectional registration includes a slight amount of displacement is provided. For that purpose, correction is applied to a first adjustment value for adjusting a bidirectional registration displacement in response to an extent of inclination of a printing head to obtain a second adjustment value. Then a bidirectional printing is performed with timing adjusted on the basis of the second adjustment value. As a result of that, even if there is a slight variation in an adjustment value of the bidirectional registration and the inclination of the printing head, the banding generated by this can be reduced as much as possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet print head that allows for a fast printing of high-density, high-quality images without increasing cost and size of the print head. To this end, the ink jet print head has orifices for ejecting ink of a first volume and orifices for ejecting ink of a second volume, the second volume being smaller than the first volume. Further, the number of orifices for first-volume ink per unit length is greater than the number of orifices for second-volume ink per unit length.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: In a printer, when difference in ejection characteristic among nozzles appears as density non-uniformity and the way of letting the density non-uniformity appear is different depending upon kind of image, proper density correction is performed. Specifically, the kind of image to be printed is judged, and when the kind of image is a halftone image according to the judgment, a density correction table corresponding to the halftone image is selected and used to perform the density correction. Also when the kind of image is judged to be a solid image (without a portion of the halftone image), a proper table is selected similarly and used to perform the density correction.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a nozzle array of plural nozzles capable of discharging ink. The inkjet recording apparatus performs a scanning/recording operation for forming an image on a recording medium by shifting the recording head in a main scanning direction. The inkjet recording apparatus repeatedly perform the scanning/recording operation and a recording medium conveying operation. The inkjet recording apparatus sets a recording position correction amount for each section of the nozzle array based on information relating to the inclination, so that a recording position correction amount in a forward scanning operation is different from a recording position correction amount in a backward scanning operation.

Abstract: In an image printing apparatus for printing an image by combining dots of a plurality of sizes, a banding problem attributable to variations in conveying operation, and a temperature rise of a print head with an increase of the number of ejections are solved with a relatively simple configuration. To this end, a combination of dots of a plurality of sizes is assigned to each of pixels expressed at a plurality level of density. In this assignment, a dot larger than a pitch of an image resolution is preferentially allocated to a pixel having a density level higher than that to which one dot smaller than the pitch of the image resolution is allocated.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: In an image processing method, on the basis of input image data with respect to a target pixel, independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to respective plural species of dots which are different in at least one of a density and a diameter are generated, and then data (O0, O1) relating to an amount of generation of the dots with respect to the target pixel are generated on the basis of a relationship between the generated independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to the plural species of dots. The image processing method is effective in performing design having a high degree of flexibility in proper use of a relatively high power dot (high density dot or large dot) and a relatively low power dot (low density dot or small dot) and can realize obviation or alleviation of an occurrence of granulation or an apparent frame caused due to the relatively high power dot.

Abstract: A control method at the time of preliminary ejection of ink is changed between a recording area in which a nozzle used for recording is not switched every recording scanning and a recording area in which the nozzle for recording is switched every recording scanning, whereby the preliminary ejection is performed at an appropriate frequency in any recording area.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which are capable of printing high-quality images by performing printing scanning in a forward direction and in an opposite direction without needing complicated control of a transfer amount of a printing medium nor causing throughput degradation. Inks are ejected from odd-numbered nozzles in scanning in the forward direction and are ejected from even-numbered nozzles in scanning in the opposite direction.

Abstract: In an image processing method, on the basis of input image data with respect to a target pixel, independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to respective plural species of dots which are different in at least one of a density and a diameter are generated, and then data (O0, O1) relating to an amount of generation of the dots with respect to the target pixel are generated on the basis of a relationship between the generated independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to the plural species of dots. The image processing method is effective in performing design having a high degree of flexibility in proper use of a relatively high power dot (high density dot or large dot) and a relatively low power dot (low density dot or small dot) and can realize obviation or alleviation of an occurrence of granulation or an apparent frame caused due to the relatively high power dot.

Abstract: In the case where a multipass printing and an interlace printing are used together, the present invention enables outputting an image of good quality independently of the relation between the number of passes in the multipass printing and increase in the resolution in the sub-scanning direction through the interlace printing. Data processing is executed while pixels of inputted image data are made to correspond to two or more rasters in the sub-scanning direction, so that the dots are arranged in these rasters at a substantially equal rate, in the case where the number of print scannings to be executed multiple times is not an integral multiple of the number of rasters.

Abstract: A control method at the time of preliminary ejection of ink is changed between a recording area in which a nozzle used for recording is not switched every recording scanning and a recording area in which the nozzle for recording is switched every recording scanning, whereby the preliminary ejection is performed at an appropriate frequency in any recording area.

Abstract: A recording apparatus scans a recording head in a main scanning direction to perform time-division driving for a plurality of blocks of recording elements to perform recording. The recording apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain information regarding inclination of the recording element array with respect to a main scanning direction, a first changing unit configured to change, in units of recording elements, based on the obtained information, storage positions of recording data items that are stored in a storage unit and that are assigned to recording elements in each of groups, each of the groups including recording elements belonging to the blocks in the recording element array which are consecutive, and a second changing unit configured to change, in units of groups, based on the obtained information, the storage positions of the recording data items in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus, performing recording by time-division driving of multiple recording elements on a recording head in increments of blocks, includes: a storing unit storing recording data; an obtaining unit obtaining information relating to inclination of the recording elements in the main scanning direction; a changing unit changing, in increments of recording elements, the main scanning direction storage position of recording data stored in the storing unit to be provided to recording elements of a group, configured of consecutive recording elements in each block of the recording elements, based on the obtained information; and a determining unit determining the driving order of the recording elements subjected to time-division driving in increments of the blocks, for each of the scans; wherein recording is performed based on recording data with the main scanning direction storage position having been changed by the changing unit, and the driving order determined by the determining unit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having a plurality of interfaces capable of communicating with external devices performs recording based on recording data input through any one of the plurality of interfaces. The recording apparatus determines which interface is used for receiving the recording data from the plurality of interfaces, and performs conversion processing on the recording data by increasing the amount of data in accordance with the determination result of which interface is used for receiving the recording data. The conversion processing changes depending on whether or not the interface used for receiving the recording data is an interface having a relatively high transfer rate (high speed interface).

Abstract: A printing apparatus, which forms a color image by applying different color inks to a printing material while bi-directionally moving the recording head to scan the recording material, includes a changing unit for changing an order of applications of the inks of different colors to be applied at least at one amount for printing a secondary color to a secondary color pixel area; and a forming unit for forming the secondary color while making the order of applications of the inks to at least one of a plurality of the secondary color pixel areas arranged along a predetermined direction different from the order of another, by the changing unit.

Abstract: A recording device drives a recording head mounted on a carriage while main-scanning by moving the carriage in a direction generally orthogonal to the sheet-feeding direction of a sheet. The recording device drives a first nozzle of the recording head at an upstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a first dot pattern while scanning the carriage and drives a second nozzle at a downstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a second dot pattern. The recording device feeds a region where the first dot pattern is recorded to a position facing the second nozzle. The second dot pattern is recorded in a region where the first dot pattern is not recorded.

Abstract: Printing can be properly performed on a print medium other than print media preset in accordance with print modes of a printer. Specifically, when the print medium other than the print media preset in accordance with the print modes is used, patches are printed on the print medium in each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes, and information regarding each evaluation of granularity and banding based on colorimetry of the patches is obtained for each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes. Next, a combination of the maximum ink ejection amount and the maximum number of passes is selected from the combinations that each evaluation of the granularity and the banding satisfies a certain level. Then, a print mode having a combination nearest the combination is selected from the plurality of print modes.