Abstract: A technique of the present invention uses dark yellow (DY) ink, in addition to a plurality of conventionally used basic color inks including cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, and yellow (Y) ink. The technique may cause a printer to create dots with the DY ink, in place of creation of dots with the Y, C, and M inks. This arrangement enhances the degree of freedom in specification of dot on-off conditions of the respective inks, and relieves the restriction of ink duty, thereby enabling a resulting printed image to have higher picture quality.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printer and a method of driving the printer. It is an object of the invention to reduce graininess using a simple structure by applying the invention to a thermal inkjet printer. To achieve this, diffusion liquid is previously adhered to an ink adhering location, and the amount of diffusion liquid is controlled.

Abstract: The technique of the present invention improves the picture quality of resulting prints, which are subjected to special effects like halftoning, in an ink jet printer. With regard to two specific colors, light cyan and light magenta, among six colors, cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, and black, the technique corrects image data having tone values in a predetermined range with regard to each color with noise data simulating a halftone dot pattern, and carries out a dot distributed-type halftoning process, for example, according to the error diffusion method to print an image. Namely the technique provides image data corresponding to a resulting image subjected to special effects like halftoning, and carries out the halftoning process for the image data to implement printing. This arrangement attains the high-quality halftone printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for employing print mode techniques to optimize image quality, throughput speed and reliability, including generating pseudo-random printmasks to minimize banding, bleeding, blocking, and other undesirable printing artifacts, and combining random selection of a pass number for printing each pixel of a printmask with application of various constraints. In combination with other aspects of the invention, speed is optimized by depositing substantially a single drop of ink per pixel, thereby minimizing both the number of passes required to render all pixels completely and drying time. Image quality is optimized by maximizing the time and distance between deposition of individual ink drops, thereby minimizing coalescence, bleeding, cockling, blocking, pen temperature, and pen-firing frequency which affect uniformity and consistency of ink drop size.

Abstract: An image processing method which converts R, G and B multivalued image signals into color signals corresponding to coloring materials used for an image forming means, comprising the step of converting an achromatic color used to control a skin color and at predetermined brightness into a predetermined value. Thus, the skin color difficult to be satisfactorily reproduced can be easily converted into a desirable color by controlling the achromatic color. Moreover, the skin color on the various media can be approximately unified by setting the achromatic color having high brightness to be approximately the same even on the plural media respectively having different paper colors.

Abstract: A method of recording a multi-color image containing a plurality of image regions formed by applying an black ink and a color ink to overlap each other in different orders, where the black ink contains a salt, an aqueous medium and a pigment dispersed in the aqueous medium by the action of an ionic group, and the color ink contains a dye. Otherwise, the black ink contains a salt, an aqueous medium and a pigment dispersed in the aqueous medium by the action of an ionic group, and the color ink is reactive with the black ink. This method enables to obtain high quality images free from density unevenness or excellent in uniform feeling.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus uses a recording head having discharge ports to discharge ink, and records by discharging ink from the recording head while enabling said recording head to travel in the direction of main scan. This apparatus comprises a recording head which is provided integrally with a plurality of recording units having a plurality of discharge port arrays for discharging ink of different colors, respectively, and then, the plurality of recording units are arranged in the direction of main scan to discharge ink of different densities, respectively. With the structure thus arranged, the recording in all the colors is not executed at a time thus making it possible to obtain an excellent image with a lesser deterioration of image due to ink blur and the like.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method define an achromatic region and a chromatic region of image data. The image data is defined as an achromatic region when a difference between a maximum and a minimum values among R, G, B values corresponds to 1% to 10% of a range of values that R, G, B values are obtainable. In the achromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 4 dots at the maximum. A chromatic region is defined as an area where does not satisfy the requirements of the achromatic region. In the chromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 1 dots at the maximum.

Abstract: A paper feed operation is performed by a width less than one pixel (½) in addition to an integer multiple number of pixels (n/2) with respect to a basic number of pixels inherent to an ink jet recording apparatus having a multi nozzle head having n nozzles. When a plurality of pixel recording operations are performed for a single pixel region, ink dots land within a distance less than one pixel unit (½). Thus, a variation in ink surface density on a recording sheet in an overlapping print operation is reduced, thereby efficiently increasing the image density, and preventing blurring by promoting absorption and evaporation of an ink to and from a paper sheet.

Abstract: There is provided a printer head in an ink jet printer that includes: a quantification medium pressuring chamber where a quantification medium is introduced; a discharge medium pressuring chamber where a discharge medium is introduced; a quantification medium nozzle communicating with the quantification medium pressuring chamber; a discharge medium nozzle communicating with the discharge medium pressuring chamber, the discharge medium nozzle being disposed to adjoin the quantification medium nozzle; and a first pressure generating element pulling the quantification medium pushed out of the quantification medium nozzle into the discharge medium nozzle to form a mixed solution by contacting the quantification medium in the discharge medium nozzle through a surface where the quantification medium nozzle opens, wherein the first pressure generating element then generates a pressure for discharging the mixed solution from the discharge medium nozzle.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus and a method of preventing misplacing the inkjet cartridge therein are disclosed. The inkjet apparatus comprises a carriage, a control unit and a sensor. The carriage is equipped with at least an inkjet cartridge that has an identifiable area. The color of the identifiable area is associated with the colors of ink stored in the inkjet cartridge. The sensor detects the color of the identifiable area and sends a signal to the control unit. The control unit receives the signal and determines whether the inkjet cartridge is correctly placed. If the inkjet cartridge is misplaced, a warning signal is generated to alert the user.

Abstract: A print element unit comprising a print element substrate, and a plate-like member having a surface to be adhered on which the print element substrate is positioned and fixedly adhered via heat-hardening adhesive and a first reference surface used as a positioning reference to the print element substrate to be fixedly adhered, wherein a holder member for holding tanks for storing liquid supplied to the print element substrate, having the second reference surface to be detachably engaged with the first reference surface of the plate-like member and with a reference surface of a mounting portion of a carriage member movable together with the print element substrate and the plate-like member, and the second reference surfaces are engaged with the first surface, and then the print element unit and the holder member are fixedly adhered with each other via a hardening adhesive at a low (normal) temperature.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method define an achromatic region and a chromatic region of image data. The image data is defined as an achromatic region when a difference between a maximum and a minimum values among R, G, B values corresponds to 1% to 10% of a range of values that R, G, B values are obtainable. In the achromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 4 dots at the maximum. A chromatic region is defined as an area where does not satisfy the requirements of the achromatic region. In the chromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 1 dots at the maximum.

Abstract: A swath printer and printing method using multiple printmodes per swath to improve printing time for print data that contains a mix of monochrome regions such as text, and color regions such as photographic images. Monochrome regions typically can be printed with a given print quality level using a fewer number of scans or passes over the area than can color regions. Throughput can be improved by identifying color and monochrome regions of each swath, and switching printmodes when printing these different areas of the swath. Because reversing direction at region boundaries in the middle of a swath can adversely affect printing throughput, the ratio of the size of monochrome regions to color regions is analyzed to ensure that throughput will be improved before enabling multiple printmode per swath mode. A number of different combinations of monochrome printmodes and color printmodes can be advantageously implemented.

Abstract: In a case of forming an image of a black series, a low concentration colored ink having an opposite polarity to that of a black series ink is added thereto in an overlaying manner. Then, the deviation can be made visually unrecognized for the low concentration of the colored ink even if the overlaid condition of inks is not within a predetermined range. In addition to an increase in density due to insolublization of the black series ink, this increase in the density of the black image can be achieved within a range in which no change is recognized in the hue. More specifically, a relation between an optical density according to a dye concentration of cyan ink or a thinning rate of cyan dots and permissible deviation to print quality is examined in advance, and the dye concentration or thinning rate of cyan ink is set in order to determine an optical density of cyan ink according to predictable or existing deviation on a printer.

Abstract: In the course of the operation of a bi-directionally printing inkjet printer, travel of the printhead in the left-to-right direction results in the ability to apply colored ink droplets onto a pixel location in one sequence. However, when the printhead moves right-to-left, the sequence by which the colors may be applied is reversed. Therefore, hue shift alters the appearance of a pixel depending on the direction of printhead movement at the time of printing. In one implementation, a system and method of color data translation includes a first color mapping look-up table for left-to-right printhead travel and a second color mapping look-up table for right-to-left printhead travel. Accordingly, greater control over print output is obtained. In particular, hue shift between swaths, wherein each swath is associated with printhead travel in a particular direction, are avoided.

Abstract: In an image printed by a printing apparatus, graininess particularly in a light part of the printed image is reduced by relatively simple structure by using a second color. To do so, magenta and cyan color component data in image data is subjected to under color removal to generate image data of a blue ink being the secondary color. On the basis of the data of the blue ink replaced for magenta and cyan, printing is performed by forming dots of the blue ink. At this time, black data is distributed into dark black and light black by density distribution, and the light black is substituted by the blue and yellow inks, whereby it is possible by the simple structure to prevent the graininess appeared when the cyan and magenta dots mutually appear biasedly and the graininess due to the black ink dots.

Abstract: A color ink-jet head is provided which includes: a plurality of head units each having 1/n of a total number of nozzles predetermined as a maximum number to jet ink of one color in one scanning, where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2, and wherein the nozzles of each of the head units are arranged at a same pitch; and a plurality of head blocks each having at least as many head units as a number of different ink colors to be used for the ink-jet head. The head units are provided for holding respective inks of the different ink colors and are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a printing direction of the ink-jet head. A predetermined number of head blocks are arranged in the printing direction in such a manner that no head units of a same color are aligned in the printing direction, and the head blocks execute printing for the predetermined number of head blocks multiplied by 1/n of a printing width in one scanning.

Abstract: In complementarily printing by bi-directional scannings of a head or by a plurality of print heads, first patterns and second patterns including reference dots for example, dots formed by a forward scan of the bi-directional scannings or by one of the plurality of print heads and dots each having the different direction of shifting of relative printing positions to the reference dots are printed in corresponding to the plurality of shifting amounts. These first and second patterns have the similar characteristics of a change in density. The difference is only that their characteristics in density change are inverted according to the direction of shifting. The intersection point of these two characteristics in density change is obtained as a position for adjustment where dot-formed positions match.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating printer data from application print data, the apparatus including a memory and a processor. The memory stores the application print data. The processor is coupled to the memory and is further adapted to be coupled to receive printer status data from a multi-color printer. The processor is also adapted to provide printer data to the multi-color printer. The processor is operable to obtain from the printer status data information identifying a first color ink for which printing is inhibited. The processor is also operable to identify one or more substitute color inks from a set of color inks for which printing is not inhibited. The processor is further operable to generate printer data from application print data, substituting the one or more substitute color inks when print data requires the first color ink.

Abstract: A method is provided to increase the gray level resolution of a thermal print head. The thermal print head includes a plurality of heaters which are used to heat color dye so as to deposit the color dye on a paper to form a line image. The line image contains a plurality of pixels, each formed by one heater. When generating a pixel, a pulse sequence is fed to one heater to control the heater″s heating period. The pulse sequence contains first and second portions. The first portion contains a plurality of consecutive pulses which is used to generate a first gray level. And the second portion contains at least one empty pulse period followed by at least one pulse which is used to generate a second gray level. The combination of the first and second gray levels will determine the gray level of each pixel of the line image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink ejection type printhead having a plurality of ink ejection devices and a central axis, the ink ejection devices configured to eject ink generally parallel to the axis and arranged about the axis and arranged in a series of groups, each of the groups generally extending along non parallel lines .

Abstract: A computer (20) adapted to communicate with a measuring apparatus (12) for receiving liquid level measurements and delivering a calibrated fuel quantity output (24) to a readout instrument (14). The computer (20) has an input interface (34) with a first input (22A) for accepting a first liquid level measurement signal from said measuring apparatus (12). A first bias circuit (30A) provides an adjustable offset bias to minimize voltage errors due to input bias current received in the first liquid level measurement signal (26A). Computer(20) also has a calibrating circuit (36) for calibrating the first liquid level measurement signal to provide a calibrated fuel quantity output signal (24) that can be read by readout instrument (14) through output interface (42).

Abstract: An apparatus for generating printer data from application print data, the apparatus including a memory and a processor. The memory stores the application print data. The processor is coupled to the memory and is further adapted to be coupled to receive printer status data from a multi-color printer. The processor is also adapted to provide printer data to the multi-color printer. The processor is operable to obtain from the printer status data information identifying a first color ink for which printing is inhibited. The processor is also operable to identify one or more substitute color inks from a set of color inks for which printing is not inhibited. The processor is further operable to generate printer data from application print data, substituting the one or more substitute color inks when print data requires the first color ink.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head comprises a plurality of pairs arranged correspondingly on one base plate, having at least a plurality of heat generating resistive elements for use of ink discharges arranged on the base plate for generating thermal energy for discharging ink as ink droplets; a plurality of ink discharge ports each arranged in a position facing each of the heat generating resistive elements; a plurality of ink flow paths each communicated with each of the ink discharge ports; and elongated ink supply ports arranged on the base plate along the lines of the heat generating elements for use of ink discharges, being communicated with the plurality of ink flow paths.

Abstract: A 2-color ink jet point of sale (POS) printer includes a converter for converting full color printing commands into a commands for printing in two colors, a primary color and an alternate color. A three color image is possible when using the background color of the paper as a color. The printer includes a print carriage which contains only two print cartridges. The printer determines a location of the print cartridge relative to a print location of the image to be printed, and when the print cartridges are both on one side of the print location, the print carriages traverses the paper in one direction, printing first with the primary color and then with the alternate color on the same pass. After the paper is advanced in the printer, the print carriage traverses the paper in the other direction, with the alternate color printing before the primary color.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus which performs printing by using a print head. The print head has at least a predetermined number of nozzles to eject ink. The apparatus includes first prefiring means for causing the print head to perform a prefiring operation to eject ink from nozzles of the print head for maintaining printing quality after a first time interval during a printing operation. The apparatus also includes driving means for driving nozzles of the print head based on data to be printed, and second prefiring means for causing the print head to perform the prefiring operation in a case where a number of the nozzles to be driven is changed. Preferably, the apparatus further includes shifting means for causing the driving means to drive the nozzles of the print head based on the first time interval during the printing operation so as to enhance a power of ejecting ink and continue the printing operation after the first time interval without performing the prefiring operation.

Abstract: A color ink-jet printer is provided, with one pen for dispensing black ink onto a print medium and at least one pen for dispensing color ink onto a print medium. The pen for dispensing black ink contains a fade resistant dye-based ink and the pen(s) for dispensing color ink(s) contain a pigment-based ink(s). Such a color ink-jet printer provides both superior color gamut with contrast and excellent fade resistance. Since the black ink does not need to be chromatic one can employ fade resistant dyes that do not decrease the lightfastness of the whole ink set. In addition, very soluble fade resistant dyes can be used reliably in high concentrations allowing the black ink to provide more optical density than current pigment-based black inks.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus for ejecting a ink liquid fluid constituted by plural inks from a common ink ejection port while changing a mixture proportion of the plural inks with respect to one pixel based on an image signal. The ejected fluid is transported to an image receiving medium which is moved relatively to the ink ejection port to form an image. A flow rate of at least one image forming ink of the plural inks is controlled so as not to be always zero. The image quality is prevented from being deteriorated by undesired mixing of inks due to natural diffusion of the image forming ink into other inks. A minimum addition amount of the image forming ink can be equal to or above a flow rate required for refreshing a volume of the image forming ink mixed with any other ink by natural diffusion.

Abstract: To provide an ink jet printing apparatus that can realize fast printing based on fast fixing and that can print high density black characters with little feathering and images with little bleeding at a boundary between colors. More specifically, a black ink is applied to a printing medium and a processing liquid is then applied to the black ink to mix the black ink and the processing liquid together on the printing medium in a liquid state. After reaction resulting from the mixture of the black ink and the processing liquid, color inks are applied to an area of the printing medium to which the black ink and the processing liquid are not applied. Accordingly, a reactant between the black ink and the processing liquid or the black ink becomes insoluble and thus is prevented from flowing out to peripheries of the image, thereby reducing bleeding at the boundary between a color image and a black image as may occur when the color ink is applied to the peripheries.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet printing apparatus for forming an image by repeatedly causing the scanning of a printhead that prints an image in a scan area using inks of a plurality of types. Residual duty, which is obtained by quantifying the mixed state of the inks used in printing the image in the scan area, is defined. The residual duty with regard to the next scan area is found from image data, the scanning direction for printing in the next scan area is decided based upon the residual duty, and the area is printed in the scanning direction that has been decided. Thus, back-and-forth scanning and unidirectional scanning are used jointly in appropriate fashion in accordance with the printed image. As a result, high-quality printing of an image becomes possible and a higher printing speed is achieved.

Abstract: On the basis of name of a printing medium, which is supplied from a printing medium specifying section, a recording pattern producing section determines whether the printing medium to be printed is a medium in which an ink easily penetrates or that in which an ink hardly penetrates, determines hue changing degree due to bidirectional printing for each pixel from position information of CMYK image data and a scanning pattern, and changes the densities of CMY so that the output density of a hue having a larger hue changing degree in the input image data is lowered, and that of a hue having a smaller hue changing degree is raised. As a result, a total amount of inks ejected from a head of an ink recording section is controlled with respect to the color which is early impacted and that which is lately impacted.

Abstract: When a printing apparatus performs printing using dark and light inks, a large variation in density caused by a rapid decrease in ink applying rate is prevented, thereby enabling proper density reproduction. More specifically, when for example, green hues of different densities are printed, light cyan ink is used between points corresponding to a variation of color from white to green. Furthermore, after the maximum saturation point, light cyan ink is used in addition to the dark cyan ink. This prevents the total applying rate from decreasing rapidly near the maximum eaturation point.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein an image for a predetermined region of a recording material is formed using images having a complementary relation by a plurality of scans of a recording head, the apparatus including allocating means for allocating a multi-level image data for the predetermined region for the scans; gradation reducing means for reducing gradation of the multi-level image data allocated by the allocating means, respectively; image forming means for forming an image having the complementary relation by driving the recording head in the scans on the basis of the image data having gradations reduced by the reducing means; wherein the complementary relation of the image by the forming means is reduced by at least one of the allocating means and the gradation reducing means.

Abstract: A printer device and a picture printing method is disclosed, in which, if the gradation for cyan is to be represented, an ink C′ of low concentration is superimposed to represent the low gradation area. This cyan ink is used in combination with a high-concentration blue ink B and a high-concentration green ink G to represent a high gradation area. In representing the high gradation area, the emitting proportions of the high-concentration blue ink B and the high-concentration green ink G are changed to enable the color hue in the high gradation area to be varied delicately to improve color reproducibility.

Abstract: A method for printing an image on an absorbent substrate using liquid colorants. The colorants are assigned to pixel groups on the substrate surface that define the image. Some colorants are applied to pixels in quantities that exceed the absorption capacity of the substrate. These colorants migrate into adjoining pixels, blending with other colorants in those pixels and forming new, otherwise unavailable colors.

Abstract: Under the condition that common ink flow passages are formed for separately supplying inks to respective ejection opening arrays of an orifice plate, flow passage cross sectional areas of branched ink flow passages are set respectively according to ejection amounts of the respective ejection opening arrays.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printhead in which a plurality of resistors are selectively activated by an external control circuit to produce the ejection of droplets of ink through nozzles located in correspondence with the resistors. Selection and activation are performed according to a matrix having a plurality of vertical lines corresponding to the number of resistors (1) per group of nozzles and a plurality of horizontal lines corresponding to the number of groups of nozzles (P) in the head. The groups of nozzles (P) in the polychromatic head comprise real nozzles ( 1, 27, 53, 79, 131, 157, 183, 235, 261, 287) and fictitious nozzles (105, 209), as a result of which the groups of nozzles have a regular layout, and are uniformly distributed and equivalent to the corresponding layout of a monochromatic head. With this solution, polychromatic heads having the same number and the same disposition of contacts with the external circuit and the same height as a monochromatic head can be manufactured simply.

Abstract: A 2-color ink jet point of sale (POS) printer includes a converter for converting full color printing commands into a commands for printing in two colors, a primary color and an alternate color. A three color image is possible when using the background color of the paper as a color. The printer includes a print carriage which contains only two print cartridges. The printer determines a location of the print cartridge relative to a print location of the image to be printed, and when the print cartridges are both on one side of the print location, the print carriages traverses the paper in one direction, printing first with the primary color and then with the alternate color on the same pass. After the paper is advanced in the printer, the print carriage traverses the paper in the other direction, with the alternate color printing before the primary color.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a printing system of an ink jet printer that can obtain a sufficient image density by suppressing a feathering.

Abstract: A color image processing device is disclosed which has an increased degree of freedom in black-coloring processing and permits color images which have good color reproducibility and are less susceptible to position displacement in black-colored portions to be output. The device includes a minimum detector circuit, a first lookup table for determining the amount of black material (K), a second lookup table for determining the amount of black material (k1) in color materials which has one of 256 values from 0 to 255, a third lookup table for determining the amount by which the underlying color is removed (k2) which has one of 256 values from 0 to 255, and three subtracters and three dividers for processing the outputs of the lookup tables to calculate C′, M′ and Y′ indicating the amounts of color materials used in the printer.

Abstract: Dot cells are made up of halftone threshold data of color images of C, M, Y, K. At least the dot cells of color images of C, M, K are set under the condition of a non-rational tangent. Halftone screen periods and screen angles of said three color images of C, M, K are set such that a period and an angle of a primary moiré pattern produced when two of the three color images of C, M, K are superposed are substantially equal to a halftone screen period and a screen angle of the remaining one of the three color images of C, M, K. A halftone image is generated using dot cells thus produced.

Abstract: Optimization apparatus for photographic image data with a data input device for input of first image data which are present in a first color space and represent a photographic image or a set of photographic images, an optimization device for optimizing the first image data and a data output device for output of the optimized first image data which optimally represent the photographic image or the set of photographic images, whereby the optimization device carries out an optimization transformation on the first image data, whereby the optimization transformation corresponds to a combination of at least the following transformations: a first transformation which transforms the first image data from the first color space into another, second color space; a correction transformation, which corrects the transformed first image data in the second color space; and a second transformation which transforms the corrected first image data into a third color space.

Abstract: When an image is printed on a print medium in multi-pass printing by scanning a printhead, having a plurality of nozzles, relatively to the print medium, and ejecting ink in accordance with image data, it is determined whether or not a density of the image data is higher than a predetermined value. An image, in which it is determined to have a density higher than the predetermined value, is printed while the printhead is reciprocally scanned, whereas an image, in which it is determined to have a density lower than the predetermined value, is printed while the printhead is scanned in one direction.

Abstract: The printing apparatus of the present invention comprises a print head that has basic-color nozzle arrays and a specific nozzle array disposed in a staggered manner in relation to a black ink nozzle array, which is one of the basic-color nozzle arrays; the specific nozzle array can receive a solution independently of the basic-color nozzle arrays; the solution can be selected from a plurality of solutions (including black ink) by selecting a specific cartridge mounted in a ink feeder; and images can be printed in black and white at a high speed with the aid of the two nozzle arrays (black ink nozzle array and specific nozzle array) by selecting black ink for the solution. Higher picture quality can also be obtained during photographic printing by selecting, for example, a dark yellow ink or a gray ink as the solution.

Abstract: A print array head and a fabrication method thereof. The print array head includes a positioning means for aligning coordinates of a nozzle plate of a page width size with coordinates of a heater chip. The positioning means includes a pair of aligning holes formed on opposite sides of a nozzle section of the nozzle plate, and a pair of aligning marks formed on of a recess of the heater chip. Since the nozzle plate and the heater chip are aligned with each other through observation of the aligning marks through the aligning holes, possible error between a desired an and actual attaching location of the heater chip with respect to the nozzle plate is minimized, and accordingly, printing quality and productivity are increased, while the fabricating costs are decreased.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing control method are disclosed, which can ensure a sufficient acceleration area for stable movement of a carriage and realize the downsizing. According to the printing apparatus, an inkjet printhead is used, on which a plurality of nozzle arrays each having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink are arranged in a direction different from the array direction of the nozzles. The apparatus performs printing operation on a printing medium by discharging ink while reciprocally moving the carriage, on which the above inkjet printhead is mounted, in a direction in which the plurality of nozzle arrays are arranged. When preliminary discharge is performed from the inkjet printhead to an ink receptor arranged on at least one end of a reciprocal movement area of the inkjet printhead, the carriage is stopped.

Abstract: A tele-printing system includes a plurality of printers each for performing printing on a medium based on common electronic printing data at a printing request from a request source; a plurality of color conversion tables, created one for each of the plural printers, each containing printing characteristic information unique to the respective printer; and a management unit for sending said printing data to said plural printers and managing the printing of said printing data on each said printer, in accordance with said unique printing characteristic information. The tele-printing system realizes large item small volume printing at a low cost. It is possible to shorten time required for delivering print mediums to request source and delivery destination from the respective printers. A print specification of each print medium can be modified at a reasonable cost, and the results of printing on plural printer obtain an identical quality in color.

Abstract: Printing is performed on a printing medium by using an ink-jet printhead for discharging ink, multilevel printing is performed by multipass printing operation of executing main scanning operation of moving the printhead relative to the printing medium with respect to each print area while changing the number of ink droplets discharged to each pixel, and the number of scans to be performed to discharge ink droplets used to print a pixel with a low gray level value is made larger than the number of scans to be performed to discharge ink droplets used only to print a pixel with a high gray level value, thereby preventing the occurrence of density irregularity and streaks in a low gray level portion and printing a high-quality image.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses are provided for use in printing color swaths in a bi-directional printing device. The bi-directional printing device is configured to use a plurality of color inks including at least one light color ink and at least one dark color ink. One method includes selectively printing at least one dark color ink on a print media based on a non-uniform probabilistic print mask function, and selectively printing at least one light color ink on the print media based on a substantially uniform probabilistic print mask function.