Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a liquid discharge head having a plurality of discharge ports arranged in a first direction; a transport mechanism which transports a recording medium in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a platen which is provided opposingly to the plurality of discharge ports and which supports the recording medium, the platen having an opening and an auxiliary support portion; a liquid receiving member which is provided on a side opposite to the liquid discharge head with respect to the platen and which receives a liquid discharged from the plurality of discharge ports; a movement mechanism which moves the auxiliary support portion of the platen between a first position and a second position separated in the first direction from the first position; and a control unit which controls the liquid discharge head and the movement mechanism.

Abstract: A lens sheet is provided with a lens layer which is formed by arranging lenses, which extend in a y direction as a first direction, in a plurality of lines in an x direction as a second direction which is a direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, and an ink absorbing layer which configures a surface on the opposite side with regard to a surface which is configured by the lens layer, where the thickness of an edge which is an end surface on one side of the lens layer in the x direction is thinner than the thickness of an edge which is an end surface on the other side. The printer performs recording from the edge which is a reference side toward the edge on the opposite side.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a carriage, a first detector module, and a second detector module. The carriage may selectively move a fluid applicator along a scanning path in a first scanning direction and a second scanning direction across a print zone to print on a media therein. The first detector module and second detector module may be coupled to the carriage. Further, the first detector module may include a first receiver and a first source to form a first detection region there between downstream of the carriage in the first scanning direction to detect an object therein. The second detector module may include a second receiver and a second source to form a second detection region there between downstream of the carriage in the second scanning direction to detect an object therein.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating flush lines that do not interfere with control marks for post-processing equipment. The system includes a print controller able to receive a print job and to insert printable control marks into the print job to direct the actions of post-processing equipment. The system also includes an ink flushing controller that can detect horizontal locations of the control marks along the width of the print job. Responsive to detecting the locations of the control marks, the ink flushing controller can generate flush lines for the print job that have altered optical densities at the horizontal locations.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including: a main body, a liquid jetting head including a plurality of nozzles, a first board including a data generation circuit which generates a jetting control data, a second board, and first and second wiring members respectively connecting the liquid jetting head and the first and second boards, wherein the first wiring member is provided with jetting-data transmission wires, and the first wiring member is arranged to bend on an inner side of the second wiring member.

Abstract: A method for controlling printing speed of print jobs having different printing images on printing material, includes calculating printing data from a first static component, calculating and combining printing data from first variable components with printing data from the first static component forming first printing data and forwarding the first printing data to a printing unit, counting a current value with a counter, calculating printing data from a second static component, printing first printing images with the printing unit using first printing data and controlling printing speed of the printing unit to conclude the calculation before the counter reaches a value, calculating and combining printing data from the second variable components with printing data from the second static component forming second printing data and forwarding second printing data to the printing unit, and printing the second printing images with the printing unit using second printing data.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printhead including a temperature sensor and an element array formed by arraying a plurality of heat generation elements each of which generates a thermal energy required to discharge an ink in response to application of a driving pulse, a specifying unit configured to specify a portion used in printing of the element array, and a selection unit configured to select a driving pulse to be applied to the respective heat generation elements based on the portion specified by the specifying unit and a temperature of the printhead measured by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method for determining an issue in an inkjet nozzle with impedance measurements, includes taking a first impedance measurement to detect a drive bubble with an impedance sensor, and taking a second impedance measurement to detect said drive bubble with said impedance sensor after said first impedance measurement.

Abstract: By performing an average process of a result of a plurality of times of samplings by the temperature sensor provided on a printing element substrate, temperature of the printing element substrate is obtained. In this case, the number of times of samplings is determined on the basis of a simultaneously driven number in the printing element substrate. This enables the number of times of samplings for the temperature sensor to be determined depending on a simultaneously driven number at each time, and therefore while suppressing an influence of noise, the temperature of the printing element substrate can be measured in a highly reliable state where there is no separation from an actual temperature.

Abstract: When image is formed by a liquid ejection head, input image data is subjected to conversion processing including tone conversion using a first look-up table (LUT) and density correction or non-uniformity correction in nozzle units using second LUTs. Ink use amount in image formation is predicted from reduced image data which is generated from the input image data. In this, the calculation is made more efficient by applying a third LUT which is compiled according to requirements from the second LUTs, to the reduced image data, rather than using the second LUTs directly. Since the image conversion processing is carried out which combines the first LUT for tone conversion and the third LUT corresponding to the non-uniformity correction, and the ink amount distribution data is calculated from the reduced image data after the conversion, then it is possible to ascertain an accurate ink amount which reflects the image adjustment conditions.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus which, by applying a drive voltage waveform to a piezoelectric element which drives an ejection nozzle, ejects a liquid from the ejection nozzle. The apparatus includes a reference voltage generating unit which generates a plurality of reference voltages, a drive voltage waveform data storage unit classifies the drive voltage waveform as either a voltage increasing section, decreasing section, or holding section, and stores drive voltage waveform data including a required time of a waveform section configuring the drive voltage waveform, and a voltage, selected from the plurality of reference voltages for the waveform section. The apparatus also includes a drive voltage waveform application unit which, in accordance with information relating to an adjustment of the ejection amount of the liquid ejected from the ejection nozzle, changes the required time included in the drive voltage waveform data, and applies the drive voltage waveform to the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A printhead in a printer is configured to eject a colored ink and a clear ink. The printhead is aligned with other printheads in the printer to register the clear ink ejected by the printhead with colored ink ejected by the other printheads by ejecting the colored ink from the printhead and analyzing image data of the colored ink.

Abstract: Ink ejection problems of black ink nozzles are compensated for by forming dots by mixing cyan, magenta, and yellow inks without reducing print quality. When a nozzle that discharges black ink becomes unable to properly eject ink, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks are ejected from respective nozzles to the discharge area on the recording medium to which the defective nozzle should eject ink. The volume of cyan, magenta, and yellow ink that is ejected is set based on the amount of black ink that should be ejected by the defective nozzle.

Abstract: A method of printing includes directing print media to a print zone between a printhead and a platen for printing; and adjusting a spacing between the printhead and the platen based on a combination of at least two of environmental conditions of the printing, a print mode of the printing, an orientation of the print media for the printing, and a characteristic of the print media for the printing.

Abstract: In a method of adding a gloss control table, first base material information formed from a first gloss control table of a first base material and a first pattern measurement value of a test pattern formed on the first base material, and second base material information formed from a second gloss control table of a second base material and a second pattern measurement value of a test pattern formed on the second base material, are stored in the storage unit. The method includes: measuring a pattern of new base material for measuring the test pattern formed using a predetermined amount of ink of a new recording medium, and interpolating the gloss control tables for obtaining a new gloss control table of the new base material using a predetermined measured value interpolation method based on the first base material information and the second base material information.

Abstract: There is provided a flush box in an area other than a recording area in an end portion of a range in which a recording head can be driven in a main scanning direction. A control circuit performs control such that it is determined whether or not a flag is turned on for flushing operation in step S3; in a case where the flag is turned on, in step S4, it is determined whether final path is already finished or is about to be finished; when it is determined that the recording head is on the final path, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the stop position is on the side of the flush box. Then, maintenance operation is started in step S6 and paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 only when the stop position is on the side of the flush box. In addition, only the paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 when the stop position is on a side opposite to the side of the flush box.

Abstract: A method for high-speed multi-color printing includes at least one high-resolution sensor array (23), wherein an output of the high-resolution sensor array is transmitted to a controller (19); at least one low-resolution sensor array (24); wherein the controller calculates a correction for stitch; wherein the controller, based on the calculated correction, adjusts a timing of image data provided to individual print elements comprising print stations (12) to aligned an output of the print elements; and wherein the low-resolution sensor array provides full page viewing.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an ejection port for ejecting liquid, a liquid chamber communicating with the ejection port, and a substrate having a heat generating resistor arranged in the liquid chamber at a position corresponding to the ejection port and a bubble detecting device arranged on the heat generating resistor for controlling driving of the heat generating resistor by detecting a bubble produced by the heat generated by the heat generating resistor. The bubble detecting device has two electrodes arranged in the liquid chamber and, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, one of the two electrodes is arranged at a position overlapping the heat generating resistor whereas the other one of the two electrodes is arranged at a position not overlapping the heat generating resistor.

Abstract: A selected operating parameter of a device that operates in multiple operating states having differing natural response characteristics, at least one of which is variable over time, is controlled with a servo controller having control parameters which are responsive to the natural response characteristics. Sets of control parameters are provided to the servo controller corresponding to the operating states. One of the sets of control parameters corresponding to a given operating state is used by the servo controller to initiate control of the selected operating parameter in the given operating state. The response of the selected operating parameter in the given operating state is measured while the drive parameter is being controlled by the servo controller using the selected set of control parameters, and, if necessary, modified based on the response. The servo controller continues controlling the selected operating parameter using the modified set of control parameters.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided for fabrication of a semitransparent conductive mesh. A first solution having conductive nanowires suspended therein and a second solution having nanoparticles suspended therein are sprayed toward a substrate, the spraying forming a mist. The mist is processed, while on the substrate, to provide a semitransparent conductive material in the form of a mesh having the conductive nanowires and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are configured and arranged to direct light passing through the mesh. Connections between the nanowires provide conductivity through the mesh.

Abstract: An image forming device, includes: a conveying device that is capable of changing a conveyance speed of a recording medium; a plurality of liquid droplet ejecting devices which is arranged in the order along a conveyance direction of the recording medium which is conveyed by the conveying device; and a control unit which changes a concentration of a liquid droplet per unit area which is ejected from the liquid droplet ejecting device to be landed on the recording medium, in accordance with the conveyance speed, when a multi-color image is formed using liquid droplets of different colors which are ejected from two or more of the plurality of liquid droplet ejecting devices.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a density correction unit that corrects density based on a density detection value of the density correction pattern; a first density correction pattern generating unit that generates a first density correction pattern having low resolution; and a second density correction pattern generating unit that generates a second density correction pattern having high resolution. When a first density detection value of the first density correction pattern is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the density correction unit corrects the density by determining a density correction reflection rate, based on the first density detection value. When the first density detection value is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, the density correction unit corrects the density by determining the density correction reflection rate, based on a second density detection value of the second density correction pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head which jets ink droplets, a head transporting mechanism which transports the recording head, and a control unit which controls the head transporting mechanism to reciprocate the recording head along a transporting path and controls the recording head to form an image on a sheet by jetting the ink droplets when the recording head passes over an image formation area within the transporting path. When the control unit controls the transporting mechanism to transport the recording head toward a turn-around point in the transporting path, the control unit decelerates the recording head in accordance with a first acceleration profile and a second acceleration profile which has a peak of deceleration higher than that of the first acceleration profile.

Abstract: In a printing device, printing is performed by relatively moving a nozzle array for ejecting a liquid droplet with respect to a print medium, a resolution by a nozzle pitch of the nozzle array is lower than a target print resolution, and between liquid droplets ejected by a single nozzle array, liquid droplets are ejected from the same or another nozzle array to attain the target print resolution. Each of a plurality of nozzles in the single nozzle array is printable by changing an ejection density by applying a preset rate thinning when ejecting liquid droplets by relatively moving with respect to the print medium. The printing device is provided with a print control part configured to perform printing by dividing the single nozzle array into a plurality of nozzle blocks and determining the ejection density in every nozzle blocks.

Abstract: In a printing device, a print medium is transferred in a sub-scanning direction, a print head is reciprocately driven in a main scanning direction, a plurality of nozzles for ejecting same color ink in the sub-scanning direction are provided on the print head to form a nozzle array, pairs of nozzle arrays of a plurality of colors are arranged in the main scanning direction so as to be in a symmetrical sequence relative to the main scanning direction, and nozzle data for ejecting the ink at each nozzle in each nozzle array is created to perform printing. The printing device includes an inclination information acquisition part configured to obtain inclination information on an inclination of the nozzle array with respect to the sub-scanning direction, and a nozzle data allocation changing part configured to change the nozzle data to be allocated for each nozzle based on the inclination information.

Abstract: In a method to execute a pause in an ink printing system printing operation in which a printing substrate web is printed with print bars having print heads, with aid of a take-up roller moving the printing substrate web at printing speed past the print bars in a transfer printing zone in order to generate print images. Upon triggering the pause, a strain state of the printing substrate web is measured at a beginning of the pause and stored as a desired strain state. During the pause, the strain state of the printing substrate web is measured as a real strain state at selectable points in time, and the real strain state is compared with desired strain state. Given a deviation of the real strain state from the desired strain state, at the selectable points in time the take-up roller is controlled so that the strain state of the printing substrate web assumes the desired strain state at the beginning of the pause.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method in which if an image is printed using ink and a process liquid serving to improve the printability of the ink, degradation of print image quality can be suppressed which results from a rise in the temperature of a print head. To achieve this, the present invention reduces the amount of process liquid ejected from a process liquid ejection section capable of ejecting a process liquid, with increasing temperature of an ink ejection section capable of ejecting ink.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one inkjet head which is disposed above a feed path of a print medium and on which plural nozzles are aligned along a primary sweeping direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the print medium fed along the feed path. The image forming apparatus forms images by ejecting ink droplets from the nozzles. The image forming apparatus includes a controller that is operable to compensate ejection timings of ink droplets to be ejected from the nozzles onto the print medium based on ejection density of the ink droplets. The image forming apparatus can form good images that are not affected by ink dot displacements caused by feed airflow even when the ink dot displacements are affected by self-induced airflow.

Abstract: A recording device has a medium-supporting part that supports a long recording medium, a recording processing part that performs recording process on the recording medium supported by the medium-supporting part, a recording processing part conveyance system that moves the recording processing part, a medium conveyance system that includes a first drive roller, a first drive motor, a second drive roller and a second drive motor, and a control unit that controls the recording device. The control unit retracts the recording processing part to an area outside of the medium-supporting part while maintaining the movement direction of the recording processing part at a time at which an abnormality has occurred in an interval in which the recording processing is carried out on the recording medium while the recording processing part scans above the recording medium by the recording processing part conveyance system.

Abstract: Conventionally, during a copy operation, certain advanced mode settings make the extraction of additional security information impossible. In order to solve this problem, the print control apparatus includes: determining unit for determining an interval between a pattern element and a pattern element adjacent to the pattern element from the received image data; and control unit for performing a control so as to scale the image at a magnification specified by a user and have the scaled image printed by a printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit falls within a predetermined range, and configured to terminate or interrupt the printing of the image by the printing apparatus when the product of the magnification specified by the user and the interval determined by the determining unit does not fall within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A nail printing device includes: a printing head which implements printing for a nail of a finger; a fingernail image obtaining unit which picks up a region containing the nail, and obtains a nail region image from a picked-up image; a nail tip region extraction unit which extracts a nail tip region of the nail, the nail tip region not overlapping a nail bed of the finger, from the nail region image; and a shape adjustment-required region extraction unit which positionally aligns a model nail image with the nail region image, and extracts, as a shape adjustment-required region, a region located outward of an outline of the model nail image in the nail tip region.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus predicts the volume of air bubbles generated in a storage section of a recording head based on an input recording job. When the volume of the amount of ink in the storage section of the recording head is less than the predicted volume of air bubbles, a recovery operation is performed.

Abstract: A method of detecting a defective nozzle within a nozzle array, may comprise grouping each nozzle with a number of other nozzles within the nozzle array, measuring fluid output from each group of nozzles with a fluid detector, individually regrouping each nozzle within a group of nozzles whose fluid output is detected as not being commensurate with the amount of fluid that should be ejected from that group with a number of known non-defective nozzles to form a number of subsequent groups, and measuring fluid output from the subsequent groups of nozzles to determine which nozzle among the subsequent groups of nozzles is defective.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a conveying section that accelerates a long-length recording medium to a predetermined speed, conveys the long-length recording medium, and decelerates the long-length recording medium to a stopped state; a recording section that records an image on the recording medium, and forms a first test pattern on the recording medium after the image is recorded at a time of deceleration of the recording medium; a reading section that reads the image that the recording section has recorded and the first test pattern that the recording section has formed; an image converting section that converts inputted image data into image data that the recording section outputs; a maintenance section that performs maintenance of the recording section; and a controller that decides, on the basis of first data obtained by reading the first test pattern, whether or not the maintenance is needed and the content thereof.

Abstract: A method obtains color consistency over at least one printing system in order to print a digital image containing pixels and color information of the primary colors per pixel. Each printing system includes at least one engine including a plurality of containers, each of the containers containing a marking material having a primary color. The method includes the steps of, for each primary color, determining a target color which is printable by each engine on the receiving medium, determining for each container how much marking material must be ejected to establish the target color, and for each pixel of the digital image to be printed by an engine, replacing each primary color of the pixel by a corresponding target color, and printing the pixel by ejecting marking material from the containers of the engine according to the determined marking material per target color per container of the engine.

Abstract: A dot position measurement method and a dot position measurement apparatus provide a plurality of common line blocks and averaging measurement values of positions of lines in each common line blocks when correcting the measurement positions in each line block by taking a common line block (reference line block) as a reference position, and it is possible to reduce effects of random positional variation in a main scanning direction of an image reading apparatus.

Abstract: To activate a processing device which processes a surface of a moving work piece at regular intervals, wherein a predetermined time duration passes between an activation signal of the processing device and the processing on the surface, the movement of the work piece is sensed with a sensor that generates work pulses. A respective control pulse is generated if a predetermined number of work pulses has been generated. A number of the work pulses is repeatedly detected in a respective time interval that corresponds to the predetermined time duration. The activation signals are each generated at each control pulse of a series, and the activation signals are offset forward in time relative to the respective control pulse corresponding to the number of work pulses that have been detected in the respective time interval. The activation signals are output to the processing device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet recording apparatus includes a plurality of inkjet heads of a multi-drop method, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller controls ejection of ink drops from a first inkjet head for ejecting a first ink for which print resolution is required, in a manner that a number of ink dots formed in a main scanning direction is great, and that the number of ink drops ejected for each one of the ink dots is small. The second controller controls ejection of the ink drops from a second inkjet head for ejecting a second ink for which coverage over a recording surface of the recording medium is required, in a manner that a number of ink dots formed in the main scanning direction is small, and that the number of ink drops ejected for each of the ink dots is great.

Abstract: In recording on a back side of a sheet in duplex recording, an overlapping pixel where both a pixel in back-side image data and a pixel opposed thereto in front-side image data has a gray level value larger than zero is retrieved from the front-side and back-side image data. A block area containing at least a predetermined number of overlapping pixels is extracted as an overlap area from block areas arranged in a matrix in the back-side image data. The area drying time in a block area other than the overlap area is determined from the volume of droplets to be ejected to the back side. The area drying time in the overlap area is determined from the total volume of droplets to be ejected to the front and back sides. The maximum area drying time is determined to be the drying time for the back side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a belt member, a reflection-type photosensor, and a reflection member. The belt member includes plural suction holes to attract a printing medium onto the belt member. The reflection member reflects light from the reflection-type photosensor through the suction holes. The reflection member is disposed inside the belt member. The reflection member has a reflection rate at which, when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at positions of the suction holes with a transparent printing medium being not present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is lower than a predetermined reference value, and when the reflection-type photosensor receives reflection light at the positions of the suction holes with the transparent printing medium being present on the belt member, a sensor output of the reflection-type photosensor is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A control section of a printing device has a print instruction receiving section configured to receive print instructions to a printing medium including a plurality of pages, and an ink use analyzing section configured to analyze image forming dots formed on each page and to output each of ink use information and ink non-use information for each page. The control section is configured to acquire the ink non-use information of a given first page of continuous pages of the plurality of pages and the ink use information of a second page that is a next page of the first page, and to determine to use ink, that is not used in the first page shown by the ink non-use information and is used in the second page shown by the ink use information, at least for flushing dots to the first page.

Abstract: When printing an image using a plurality of inks, color unevenness caused by variations in ejection characteristics among nozzles is corrected at suitable timings in accordance with change in the color unevenness over time, and favorable image output without noticeably color unevenness is maintained. For this purpose, parameters are prepared, for colors formed by combinations of at least two colors of ink, the parameters being determined so as to reduce differences in coloration on a print medium caused by individual variations in the ejection characteristics of a plurality of nozzles. When printing, a first color signal included in individual pixels is corrected for a second color signal by using the parameters. Information regarding the ejection volume characteristics of a plurality of nozzles is acquired as appropriate, and by estimating changes in coloration from this information, suitable timings for overwriting such parameters are determined.

Abstract: A printing section for performing duplex printing by performing printing on each printing paper sheet fed by a feeding section and performing printing on the other side of the one-side printed printing paper sheet that has been inverted by an inverting section; a control section for exert control to alternately perform the printing on each printing paper sheet from the feeding section and the printing on each one-side printed printing paper sheet; a post-processing time obtaining section for obtaining a post-processing time for each duplex printed printing paper sheet; and a feeding timing setting section for setting a feeding interval of the printing paper sheets from the feeding section based on the post-processing time for each duplex printed printing paper sheet, and calculating a paper spacing interval between each printing paper sheet from the feeding section and each one-side printed printing paper sheet based on the post-processing time.

Abstract: A carriage assembly for an inkjet printer, the carriage assembly includes an inkjet printhead having a printhead die with an array of nozzles, and a holding receptacle for the inkjet printhead. The holding receptacle includes a bottom portion having an opening into which the printhead die extends. A viewing hole is disposed in the bottom portion of the holding receptacle for providing an optical pathway for an optical sensor. A barrier projects from the bottom portion between the opening and the viewing hole for impeding the flow of ink toward the viewing hole.

Abstract: A method of solid ink printer operation compensates for missing black ink in solid fill areas. The method includes ejecting at least one other color of ink into a black solid fill area at a predetermined distance to the area missing the black ink. The additional non-black ink urges black ink between the non-black ink and the area missing the black ink to migrate into the area in which the black ink is missing.

Abstract: A directivity detection device for detection of trajectories of electrically charged drops issuing from a liquid jet is provided. The device includes an electrostatic sensor and a signal processing unit. The electrostatic sensor has a flat functional surface having a precise geometric shape and arrangement relative to a nominal trajectory of drops, and the signal processing unit evaluates the signal from the electrostatic sensor and performs calculations and comparisons which enable the trajectory of the drops to be followed both in the plane parallel to the flat surface of the sensor and in the plane perpendicular to the flat surface of the sensor.

Abstract: A printer includes a print unit that ejects ink droplets of at least one ink color onto the sheet, at least one roller that feeds the printed sheet, and a controller that controls the print unit to print the sheet based on image data that defines an ink provision amount of each ink color for every dot according to a print resolution. The controller detects, based on the image data, a broad solid area, and carries out a print setting change with respect to the broad solid area by making the print resolution in the image data lower and making the ink provision amount of each ink color in the image data larger according to the print resolution that is made lower. According to the printer, stains on the printed sheet can be restricted.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus of the present invention, a moisture content of a print sheet is estimated without decreasing productivity of the printing apparatus and appropriate conditions of printing operation in the subsequent printing process are specified. More specifically, by measuring a change in thickness of the print sheet after printing, a state of moisture content is estimated. Estimating a state of moisture content allows determination of appropriate conditions of printing operation such as a minimum drying time required for printing a high-quality image on various types of print sheets such as print coated paper or coated paper.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a first nozzle row in which first nozzles ejecting a first liquid are arranged in a predetermined direction; a second nozzle row in which second nozzles ejecting a second liquid are arranged in the predetermined direction; a movement mechanism moving the first and second nozzle rows in a movement direction intersecting the predetermined direction relative to a medium; a transport mechanism transporting the medium in the predetermined direction relative to the first and second nozzle rows; and a control unit repeating an image forming operation of ejecting the liquids from the first and second nozzles while moving the first and second nozzle rows in the movement direction by the movement mechanism and a transport operation of transporting the medium in the predetermined direction relative to the first and second nozzle rows by the transport mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mask for divided printing that completes an image by plural scans using inks of different plural inks, the mask being able to suppress possible grains during printing to reduce image degradation resulting from beading. If for example, among the print permitting pixels for which the total repulsive potential is to be calculated, a print permitting pixel Do has the highest total repulsive potential, changes in repulsive potential after movement of the pixels are determined and the print permitting pixel Do is moved to a pixel having the lowest total repulsive potential after the movement. This processing is repeated to enable a reduction in the total energy of the entire plane. Consequently, the print permitting pixels are appropriately dispersed in overlapping plane masks so as to have few low frequency components.