Abstract: A head in a printer has an outlet row including a plurality of outlets arranged in a width direction perpendicular to a scan direction. A threshold matrix is stored in a main body control part, and sleep elements representing sleep of ejection of ink are arranged in the threshold matrix at a regular interval in each element row which is a plurality of elements arranged in a row direction corresponding to the width direction. The threshold matrix is compared with a grayscale original image to generate data of a halftone image where during printing, the number of outlets included in each outlet group not brought into sleep state continuously in the width direction is made equal to or larger than 1 and equal to or smaller than a predetermined number. Thus, it is possible to easily suppress occurrence of unevenness in a printed image, caused by cross talk between outlets.

Abstract: To generate a threshold matrix which is compared with an original image in creating a halftone dot image for each color component, in a matrix area for one color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a predetermined density and in a matrix area for another color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a density about 0.7 times the predetermined density. Then, threshold values are set so that dots should grow around the dot centers in accordance with an increase in gray level of the original image, to generate the threshold matrix for each color component. In creating the halftone dot images by using these threshold matrixes, characteristics of spatial frequency of the halftone dot images of these color components can be represented in a frequency space as areas (75K, 75C) in a shape of concentric rings.

Abstract: In a threshold matrix generation part 3 implemented by a computer, a tint image in a specified gray level is generated from temporary lighting order set in a matrix area, and a smoothing operation is performed on the tint image, to generate a grayscale evaluation image. The lighting order is modified by changing ordinal numbers in the lighting order of respective positions included in specified areas in the matrix area which correspond to areas around boundaries of halftone dot areas in the tint image on the basis of values of corresponding pixels in the evaluation image.

Abstract: In a matrix area (720), a plurality of highlight-side dot centers (731) and a plurality of shadow-side dot centers (741) are regularly arranged and a plurality of reference points (751) are set while being distributed almost uniformly. Each of the dot centers (731, 741) is rotated about a nearest reference point (751). Threshold values of the matrix area (720) are determined so that halftone dot areas should be changed around a plurality of highlight-side dot centers (731) after being rotated in accordance with the variation in gray level on the highlight side and a halftone dot area (i.e., joined dot areas) should be changed around a plurality of shadow-side dot centers after being rotated in accordance with the variation in gray level on the shadow side. In a halftone dot image generated by using the matrix area which is thus generated, it is possible to suppress moire and graininess.

Abstract: A head in a printer has an outlet row including a plurality of outlets arranged in a width direction perpendicular to a scan direction. A threshold matrix is stored in a main body control part, and sleep elements representing sleep of ejection of ink are arranged in the threshold matrix at a regular interval in each element row which is a plurality of elements arranged in a row direction corresponding to the width direction. The threshold matrix is compared with a grayscale original image to generate data of a halftone image where during printing, the number of outlets included in each outlet group not brought into sleep state continuously in the width direction is made equal to or larger than 1 and equal to or smaller than a predetermined number. Thus, it is possible to easily suppress occurrence of unevenness in a printed image, caused by cross talk between outlets.

Abstract: Halftone cells each serving as a unit for formation of a dot are arranged in irregular shapes at random and divided into two groups. The halftone cells (720) in the first group are fewer than the halftone cells (730) in the second group and dispersed, and the area of each of the halftone cells (720) in the first group is set larger than that in the second group. The dot growth speed of the halftone cells (720) in the first group is higher than that of the halftone cells (730) in the second group. This allows formation of fine halftone dots consisting of the halftone cells in the first and second groups, and it is possible to reduce banding appearing in a main scan direction during recording of the halftone dots, with low-frequency components in spatial frequency of the halftone dots caused by the halftone cells (720) in the first group.

Abstract: In a threshold matrix generation part 3 implemented by a computer, a tint image in a specified gray level is generated from temporary lighting order set in a matrix area, and a smoothing operation is performed on the tint image, to generate a grayscale evaluation image. The lighting order is modified by changing ordinal numbers in the lighting order of respective positions included in specified areas in the matrix area which correspond to areas around boundaries of halftone dot areas in the tint image on the basis of values of corresponding pixels in the evaluation image.

Abstract: In a matrix area (720), a plurality of highlight-side dot centers (731) and a plurality of shadow-side dot centers (741) are regularly arranged and a plurality of reference points (751) are set while being distributed almost uniformly. Each of the dot centers (731, 741) is rotated about a nearest reference point (751). Threshold values of the matrix area (720) are determined so that halftone dot areas should be changed around a plurality of highlight-side dot centers (731) after being rotated in accordance with the variation in gray level on the highlight side and a halftone dot area (i.e., joined dot areas) should be changed around a plurality of shadow-side dot centers after being rotated in accordance with the variation in gray level on the shadow side. In a halftone dot image generated by using the matrix area which is thus generated, it is possible to suppress moire and graininess.

Abstract: To generate a threshold matrix which is compared with an original image in creating a halftone dot image for each color component, in a matrix area for one color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a predetermined density and in a matrix area for another color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a density about 0.7 times the predetermined density. Then, threshold values are set so that dots should grow around the dot centers in accordance with an increase in gray level of the original image, to generate the threshold matrix for each color component. In creating the halftone dot images by using these threshold matrixes, characteristics of spatial frequency of the halftone dot images of these color components can be represented in a frequency space as areas (75K, 75C) in a shape of concentric rings.

Abstract: Halftone cells each serving as a unit for formation of a dot are arranged in irregular shapes at random and divided into two groups. The halftone cells (720) in the first group are fewer than the halftone cells (730) in the second group and dispersed, and the area of each of the halftone cells (720) in the first group is set larger than that in the second group. The dot growth speed of the halftone cells (720) in the first group is higher than that of the halftone cells (730) in the second group. This allows formation of fine halftone dots consisting of the halftone cells in the first and second groups, and it is possible to reduce banding appearing in a main scan direction during recording of the halftone dots, with low-frequency components in spatial frequency of the halftone dots caused by the halftone cells (720) in the first group.

Abstract: A maintenance/inspection support apparatus including an inspection information storage section storing inspection information of a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets, an inspection information write section for writing, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information stored in the inspection information storage section on a plurality of information recording media corresponding to the plurality of equipments, an inspection information read section for reading, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information written on the information recording media by the inspection information write section, and a display section for displaying the inspection information read by the inspection information read section.

Abstract: This invention is a maintenance/inspection support apparatus including an inspection information storage section storing inspection information of a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets, an inspection information write section for writing, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information stored in the inspection information storage section on a plurality of information recording media corresponding to the plurality of equipments, an inspection information read section for reading, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information written on the information recording media by the inspection information write section, and a display section for displaying the inspection information read by the inspection information read section.

Abstract: This invention is a maintenance/inspection support apparatus including an inspection information storage section storing inspection information of a plurality of equipments serving as maintenance/inspection targets, an inspection information write section for writing, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information stored in the inspection information storage section on a plurality of information recording media corresponding to the plurality of equipments, an inspection information read section for reading, in a noncontact manner, the inspection information written on the information recording media by the inspection information write section, and a display section for displaying the inspection information read by the inspection information read section.