Abstract: In an image processing for printing a monochrome image, color deviation can be suppressed to print a favorable monochrome image. Specifically, the printing of a monochrome image is performed by using black ink in all of a color reproduction region (color gamut) including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis. This avoids the use of C, M, and Y for the expression of the monochrome image to suppress the color deviation due to slight imbalance among amounts of three colors of inks.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an image to optimize print time of the image by a print apparatus based on the size of the image to be printed and the print pass thresholds of the print apparatus. A dimension of the image corresponding to the dimension along the sub-scanning axis of the image as it will be printed by the print apparatus is obtained, along with the corresponding number of print passes required to print the image. An analysis is performed to determine whether the size of the image could be reduced to require one less print pass by the print apparatus in printing the reduced image based on the proximity of the determined dimension to the range of dimensions that will result in one less print pass by the print apparatus.

Abstract: A determination is made, throughout one page, of whether a unit region is to be printed chromatically or achromatically, or nothing is to be printed; a determination is made of whether or not, in the one page, there is at least one unit region determined to be printed achromatically between two unit regions where nothing is to be printed; when it is determined that there is at least one such unit region, a determination is further made of whether or not there is at least one unit region determined to be printed chromatically between the two unit regions where nothing is to be printed; when it is determined that there is at least one such unit region, the determination results of the unit region determined to be printed achromatically are changed to chromatic printing; and printing is performed according to the changed results.

Abstract: A method of reducing the amount of black in an image is disclosed. The method is using a computer to reduce the amount of or eliminate the black in an original digital image. The major procedure is to increase the pixels of the original digital image (by four or nine times) and then change the color information of the pixels.

Abstract: In a recording control system, representative pixels are set as a part of the pixels in the detection region. The determining unit determines whether a pixel value of the selected at least one representative pixel falls within a first pixel value range. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data in the first region while scanning in the first direction. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data in the second region adjacent to the first region while scanning in the first direction when the pixel value of the selected at least one representative pixel falls within the first pixel value range. The recording head ejects ink based on pixel data in the second region while scanning in the second direction when the pixel value of at least one of the selected at least one representative pixel does not falls within the first pixel value range.

Abstract: A printing head, having symmetrically-arranged ejection openings, can suppress deterioration in image quality caused by manufacturing errors or problems in mounting accuracy thereof. Specifically, in the case the printing head inclines, for example, by 0.5 degrees at a line connecting corresponding ejection openings of ejection opening arrays relative to the scanning direction, deviations occur in the dots formed through one of the ejection opening arrays with reference to the dots formed through another ejection opening array. However, the deviations can be minimized by arranging adjacently small-ejection opening arrays for cyan and magenta with a spacing reduced between those ejection opening arrays.

Abstract: A method for using a processor to process image data received from an image data source in preparation for multipass printing, comprising multitoning the image data to produce a multitoned image, using the multitone level of a pixel in the multitoned image to select a plane of a print mask, using the location of the pixel in the multitoned image to select a cell of output pixels in the selected plane of the print mask, and copying the selected cell of output pixels to corresponding locations within a print buffer.

Abstract: A method and system modify a rasterized digital image to reduce registration artifacts, the image having a black plane and a color plane by determining if a pixel is part of a connected black region and if the pixel is part of a connected color region. It is determined if the pixel is part of a connected black region and a connected color region that are contiguous. A dilation operation is performed on the color plane value of the pixel if the pixel is part of a connected black region and a connected color region that are contiguous.

Abstract: An ink jet print head is provided which has a reduced size and still can prevent an overall temperature increase in a printing element board. To this end, among ink supply port arrays formed on both sides of each nozzle array, the heat resistance of the portion (beams) of the printing element board between the adjoining ink supply ports is lowered in those arrays that are close to the end portions of the common liquid chamber.

Abstract: A method of printing executes a software instruction using a print system controller to measure a vertical position of each row of an array of jets, having at least one offset subset of the array offset in a movement direction, adjusts timing of firing intervals for the offset subset such that the offset subset fire after a longer interval than other jets, and fires jets other than the offset subset at a predetermined firing interval. A print head has an array of transducers, an ink chamber to store ink arranged adjacent the array of transducers, and an array of jets arranged adjacent the ink chamber such that when selected ones of the array of transducers are activated, ink from the chamber exits a jet corresponding to the selected ones of the transducers, the array of jets having at least one subset of the array offset in a vertical direction relative to the other jets.

Abstract: Consumable reduction is achieved for a printing device by utilizing a processor (32), memory (34) and software for receiving input information representative of an image to be printed and generating output information representative of a reduced consumable image in response to consumable smear, spatial relationship between adjacent dots and an image quality degradation. Factors such as print medium characteristics, heat or humidity and composure of the consumable are considered in performing the consumable reduction.

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes an elongate carrier. A plurality of printhead modules is serially positioned on the carrier. Each printhead module includes an ink supply arrangement mounted on the carrier and a printhead chip mounted on the ink supply arrangement to be fed with ink from the ink supply arrangement. A plurality of capping devices is mounted on the carrier. Each capping device is displaceable with respect to the carrier between an operative position in which the capping device caps the printhead chip and an inoperative position in which the printhead chip is uncapped.

Abstract: A conveyance unit continually conveys sheets of the number of continual prints. A head control section controls ejection of ink droplets from inkjet heads in such a way that there are produced image dots which make up an image to be printed on each of the sheet every time the sheet is conveyed and flushing dots corresponding to flushing dot candidates, among flushing dot candidates for flushing patterns included in a flushing pattern group determined from the continual print count, which are placed at locations where the image dots are not to be produced.

Abstract: Provided herein is a head unit arrangement method for arranging a plurality of head units in a liquid droplet ejection device that plots an image in a matrix form with functional liquid droplets in a number n of colors by performing the number n of primary scans and a number (n?1) of secondary scans. The head unit arrangement method includes evaluating liquid droplet ejection performance of each of the head units based on an inspection result of a volume of liquid droplet ejection from each of the functional liquid droplet ejection heads to arrange two of the head units that exhibit the lowest liquid droplet ejection performance at both ends in the Y-axis direction.

Abstract: A system and method for printing documents on a continuous web of printable material by merging document data with form information and formatting the merged result into a printable simplexed or duplexed lazy-portrait narrow-edge-to-narrow-edge page format and printing the merged result to produce simplexed or duplexed lazy-portrait narrow-edge-to-narrow-edge pages on the continuous web of printable material.

Abstract: A print defect management device that supports job-specific print defect management automatically assesses print job pages to determine the severity of image quality defects likely to occur on one or more selected printers. Views of identified troubled pages may be rendered to include approximations of color and image quality defects based on the original page image data, and each printer's color rendition data and defect data, thereby allowing troubled pages for one or more selected printers to be viewed prior to printing. Suggested changes may be automatically or manually applied. Once satisfied with the image quality of print job pages rendered for a specific printer, a user may submit the print job to the same printer, thereby assuring that the user's image quality expectations are met in the printed product. The device may support job-specific print defect management with both local and/or remote printers via LAN, WAN and/or Internet based connectivity.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head configured to scan a recording medium and record an image on the recording medium. The recording apparatus includes a recording buffer to store image data representing one pixel with a plurality of bits, a reading unit to read, from a storage area of the recording buffer, image data corresponding to a region including a boundary between two regions recorded on the recording medium in successive scanning and recording operations, a thinning unit to thin out image data based on a thinning rate corresponding to the image data read by the reading unit, a storage unit to store image data thinned out by the thinning unit in the storage area of the recording buffer, a quantization unit to perform quantization processing on the image data stored in the recording buffer when the image data is transferred to the recording head, and a recording unit to perform recording based on the image data quantized by the quantization unit.

Abstract: Among other things, for jetting ink droplets on a substrate during relative motion of an apparatus and the substrate along a process direction, a first and second jetting assemblies at least partially overlap in a direction perpendicular to the process direction so that some jets in the first jetting assembly align with some jets in the second jetting assembly along the process direction to form one or more pairs of aligned jets. A mechanism enables, in at least one pair of the aligned jets, one jet to jet a first ink drop that has a size smaller than a size of an ink drop the jet would otherwise be required to jet to form a desired pixel and the other jet to jet a second ink drop that has a size sufficient to form the desired pixel in combination with the first ink drop.

Abstract: A droplet discharge device includes a stage, a droplet discharge head, a movement unit and a light radiating unit. The droplet discharge head includes nozzles arranged to discharge droplets of photo-curable liquid material toward a drawing region of a workpiece. The movement unit is arranged to move the stage and the droplet discharge head relative to each other. The light radiating unit has a light emitting part capable of emitting light to an entire area of the drawing region and disposed on a side opposite from the surface of the workpiece on which the liquid material is applied. The light emitting part is arranged not to emit the light to the portion of the drawing region when the droplet discharge head is disposed at a position over the portion, and to emit the light to the portion when the droplet discharge head has moved away from the position.

Abstract: While the print head is reduced in size, the adverse effect of air flows produced by ink droplets as they are ejected from a small number of ejection opening arrays is minimized. A small number of first ejection opening arrays eject one of three primary colors—cyan, magenta and yellow—and a large number of second and third ejection opening arrays eject the remaining two primary colors. A fourth ejection opening array is disposed between the first ejection opening array and the second or third ejection opening array.

Abstract: Two arrays of ejection openings which eject relatively large amounts of ink are provided for each of different color inks and are disposed at symmetrical positions in the order of colors in a direction corresponding to a record scan. In addition, a single array of ejection openings which eject relatively small amounts of ink is disposed for at least one color ink. Since the symmetrical disposition in the color order of the ejection opening arrays which eject large amounts of ink prevents color unevenness from appearing even when the bidirectional recording is performed. Since the single array is formed of the ejection openings which eject small amount of ink, and which is used for highly precise recording, it is possible to avoid image deterioration due to the shift of dot formed positions, even when the recording head is mounted in an inclined manner attributable to the variation in manufacturing.

Abstract: Gradation data for each color to be input to a recording apparatus includes dot-recording-position information for every unit pixel and information for determining a nozzle position in a recording head for recording a dot. The information for determining the nozzle position makes determination in accordance with image data of an ink with resin and image data of an ink without resin. In a region where the ink with resin and the ink without resin overlap with each other, the ink without resin can land first.

Abstract: The present invention provides an printing apparatus including a pattern printing unit for causing printing elements in partial regions of first and second printing element arrays to print adjustment patterns on a print medium, the adjustment patterns being for acquiring an amount of printing position shift of the second print head with respect to a printing position of the first print head, an acquisition unit for acquiring an amount of relative inclination between the first and second print element arrays, and a selection unit for selecting positions of the partial regions of the first and second printing element arrays based on the amount of relative inclination between the first and second print element arrays. As a result, consumption of media and ink upon a registration process and the amount of time required for the registration process can be reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fluid receiving member having fluid receiving cells in which the fluid receiving cells are configured to receive at least one of an ink repellant and an ink, a fluid ejector unit configured to eject the ink repellant to a first set of the fluid receiving cells, and an inking unit configured to apply the ink to a second set of the fluid receiving cells.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus which can prevent possible stripe-like density unevenness in a joint in a print head constructed by joining a plurality of chips together even if the print head is inclined to the regular position of the print head. The present invention uses a print head having the nozzle arrays being shifted in a direction in which the nozzles are arranged, so as to have overlapping portions in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arranging direction. The present invention controls an ink ejecting operation of the nozzles in the overlapping portions between the plurality of nozzle arrays on the basis of an angle between the nozzle array arranging direction and a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the print head moves relative to the print medium.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording device which includes recording elements by performing deposition of ink droplets including main droplets forming main dots on a recording medium and satellite droplets accompanying the main droplets and forming subsidiary dots; a dot pattern storage device which beforehand stores a plurality of dot patterns; and a dot pattern selector device which selects the dot patterns from the dot pattern storage device, wherein when one pixel satisfies i+j?k, where i is a main dots total number to be recorded for the pixel, j is a subsidiary dots total number to be recorded for the pixel and k is a number of the main dots to be recorded for the pixel by the recording elements of one type, then the dot pattern selector device selects certain dot patterns for the pixel.

Abstract: A sub-carriage includes a first head mounting portion and a second head mounting portion. The second head mounting portion includes at least a portion of constitution members of an adjustment mechanism which adjusts a position of the second head, a first recording head of one side of the same set is fixed in a state of being positioned to the first head mounting portion so that the nozzles are disposed in a defined position, and a second recording head of the other side is fixed to the second head mounting portion in a state where the relative position to the first recording head is defined by the adjustment mechanism based on a landing position in a recording medium of ink ejected from predetermined nozzles of the second recording head with respect to a landing position in a recording medium of ink ejected from predetermined nozzles of the first head.

Abstract: A head unit includes a plurality of nozzle groups. Each group has a plurality of nozzles discharging liquid as liquid droplets. The nozzles are arranged at an approximately equal distance from one another when viewed from a first direction. The nozzle groups are arranged at the distance when viewed from the first direction and in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and adjacent nozzles of the nozzle groups adjacent when viewed from the first direction discharge an approximately equal amount of the liquid droplet.

Abstract: A liquid body discharge device includes a plurality of nozzles for discharging a liquid body to a liquid body discharged region of a substrate, and a plurality of heads moving along a moving path and each including the plurality of nozzles. Among the plurality of heads, at least one of the plurality of heads includes the plurality of nozzles aligned in a first alignment direction, while a rest of the plurality of heads includes the plurality of nozzles aligned in a second alignment direction that is different from the first alignment direction. The liquid body is discharged to the liquid body discharged region of the substrate by moving one of the substrate and at least one of the plurality of heads.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided with a line-type ink jet head having a plurality of blocks on each of which a set of ink ejection elements are arranged. A drive signal generating unit is configured to generate a drive voltage signal including a prepulse to be applied to the set of the ink ejection elements for each block, based on data indicating a number of times of ejecting ink to each pixel; and a first storage unit is configured to store a drive signal adjustment value to adjust a set of a voltage value of the drive voltage signal and a width of the prepulse for each block. The drive signal generating unit generates the drive voltage signal for each block, based on the drive signal adjustment value for each block read out from the first storage unit.

Abstract: To reduce the trade-off between image quality and marking speed, high-resolution data for an image is evaluated, and an output value is created based on the evaluation of the high-resolution data. The output value has a larger output spacing than the high-resolution data, and approximates an edge of a solid defined by the high-resolution data, but within an output area defined by the larger output spacing.

Abstract: An inkjet printing cartridge capable of ejecting miniaturized ink droplets in a stable manner while avoiding the complexity of the structure and control as well as suppressing the cost rise. For this purpose, the inkjet printing cartridge is formed of a material having the permeability to liquid and gas, and the ink supply path for supplying ink to the ejection opening having a relatively small ejection amount is arranged adjacent to other ink supply paths via walls.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording head having plural recording elements; a characteristics information acquisition device; a correction calculation device which corrects image data using recording point positional deviation information within acquired characteristics information, and generates image data suppressing a non-uniformity streak in an output image; a nearest recording point specifying device specifying, when image density is outside an output image density range, a second recording element concerning a recording position nearest to a recording position of a first recording element corresponding to first image data outside the output image density range; a sum density calculation device calculating sum density of the first image data and second image data; an image data modification device which preserves the calculated slim density; and a drive control device controlling driving of the recording head in accordance with the corrected image data and modified image data.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a group of first nozzle rows composed of a plurality of first nozzle rows and a group of second nozzle rows composed of a plurality of second nozzle rows, both the group of first nozzle rows and the group of second nozzle rows satisfying one of the following requirements (1) through (3): (1) a black nozzle row is included, (2) a yellow nozzle row, a magenta nozzle row and a cyan nozzle row are all included, and (3) the secondary color nozzle row for the secondary color made by mixing any two of yellow, magenta and cyan, and at least one of the nozzle row that ejects liquid of the remaining one of yellow, magenta and cyan and the secondary color nozzle row for the secondary color which includes the remaining one of yellow, magenta and cyan are included.

Abstract: A printer provided in which a printing head is relatively scanned in a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction with respect to a printing medium to perform printing. The printing head includes a color ink nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting a color ink are arranged in the sub-scanning direction, a first white ink nozzle row and a second white nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting white ink are arranged in the sub-scanning direction. The second white nozzle row is different from the first white ink nozzle row. The first white ink nozzle row is provided at a position overlapping with the color ink nozzle row in the main scanning direction. The second white ink nozzle row is provided at a position which does not overlap with the color ink nozzle row in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: Restriction information on a total colorant amount for a medium is obtained. Patches at grid points in a color space corresponding to a plurality of colorants at which the total colorant amount falls within a restriction represented by the restriction information, and a patch at a point surrounded by the patches are generated. Color values are obtained by measuring the colors of the patches printed on the medium. It is determined based on a color prediction value between the grid points whether the measured color values are appropriate, and if so, a color value at a grid point at which the total colorant amount exceeds the restriction is estimated based on the measured color values. A color separation table is created based on the measured color values and the estimated value.

Abstract: An approach is provided for managing the processing of print data at a printing device based upon available consumable resources. A printing device includes a print process configured to determine consumable resources that are currently available at the printing device. The print process is further configured to determine which print data is to be processed based upon the consumable resources currently available at the printing device and the consumable resources required to completely process each of the print data. Print data that can be completely processed using the currently available consumable resources are selected for processing. The print process may also be configured to cause a notification to be provided to a client device to indicate the consumable resources currently available at a printing device and/or that insufficient consumable resources were available to process particular print data and to recommend other consumable resources to process the particular print data.

Abstract: The color printing control device outputs color material reduction processed data generated by applying a color material reduction process to each pixel of bitmaps converted to color material colors to be used in printing, when it is judged that the color material reduction printing mode is specified. The color material reduction process includes chroma conversion that reduces chroma and under-color removal/black generation that replaces at least a portion of achromatic components generated by overlaying of a plurality of color materials.

Abstract: For a serial color ink jet printing apparatus that forms an image using a symmetric printing head that ejects large dots and small dots, the configuration of a printing head is provided for suppressing, to the extent possible, a cyclic fluctuation in the main scanning direction. According to the present invention, individual nozzle arrays are arranged so that two nozzle arrays, i.e., a cyan nozzle array c1 and a magenta nozzle array m1, that are located nearer each other, form dots on adjacent scan lines. With this arrangement, a high quality image, having neither an uneven density nor an uneven color, can be formed when a printing head is inclined, or when a cyclic shift in printing positions occurs, depending on the position of the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A print apparatus includes a color ink ejecting portion that ejects color ink and a metal ink ejecting portion that ejects metal ink, and prints an image using both color print data that is created based on color image data indicating a color image and specifies pixels to which the color ink is ejected and pixels to which the color ink is not ejected, and metallic print data that is created based on metallic image data indicating a metallic image and specifies pixels to which the metal ink is ejected and pixels to which the metallic ink is not ejected. When there exists an overlap portion of the color image and the metallic image, the pixels to which the color ink is ejected in the color print data and the pixels to which the metal ink is ejected in the metallic print data do not overlap each other.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which use a print head having a plurality of ejection port rows to enable high-quality printing without causing uneven density in a conveying direction by varying the printing distribution ratio of the ejection port rows in the print head depending on gray level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a defect position detecting section to detect a defect position at which no recording material is outputted; a defect position specifying section to specify a defect recording element, which resides at the defect position, and a kind of recording material to be outputted by the defect recording element; a mixture ratio determining section to determine a mixture ratio of plural recording materials, so as to make the mixture ratio of a specific recording material to be outputted by plural recording elements residing in a peripheral area of the defect position and including the defect recording element, decrease to a value lower than a normal mixture ratio, while using the normal mixture ratio for other recording elements residing in other areas.

Abstract: A handheld printer that provides an appropriate application of ink to a print medium without a bulky and complex mechanical system for positioning a print head with respect to the print medium. A handheld printer according to the present teachings includes a navigation subsystem that tracks a motion of the handheld printer with respect to a printing surface and a print head controller that causes a print head to fire ink drops onto the printing surface in response to the motion and in response to an image contained in an image buffer.

Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method are provided by which, when an image is printed by a plurality of printing modes using different printing elements, a plurality of printing elements can have an equalized use frequency to thereby maintain the uniformity of quality of the printed image. In a first multipath printing control, a use rate of a nozzle group that is not used in the first multipath printing control and that is used in a second multipath printing control is higher than that of a nozzle group that is used in the first and second multipath printing controls.

Abstract: Misalignments of dot forming positions are adjusted by selectively using a position adjustment value for a used bi-directional print mode out of a plurality of position adjustment values that are respectively suitable for a plurality of bi-directional print modes including a first bi-directional print mode and a second bi-directional print mode that are made available by changing ink types.

Abstract: A liquid body discharge device includes: a head; and a plurality of nozzles provided to the head. In the device, a liquid body is discharged from the plurality of nozzles to a liquid body discharged region of a substrate by moving one of the substrate and the head, and the nozzles are aligned in a first alignment direction and a second alignment direction.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus that superposedly forms an image layer representing an image and a specific glossy layer that is different from the image layer on a printing medium, including: a first connection unit, a second connection unit, a reception unit, a print head and at least one of specific color nozzle columns and a printing unit, wherein at least the connection unit that can supply the ink to the end-portion specific color nozzle column inside the second connection unit can be connected to a specific gloss agent container containing a specific gloss agent that is used to form the specific glossy layer instead of the specific color ink container, and wherein, when the specific gloss agent container is connected to the second connection unit and the reception unit receives the specific gloss agent as the available ink, the printing unit ejects the specific gloss agent from the end-portion specific color nozzle column to form the specific glossy layer.

Abstract: A preference color adjusting system includes a saturation calculator, a hue calculator, a first lookup table device, a second lookup table device, a mixer, and a UV converter. The saturation calculator receives an RGB pixel and produces a saturation of the pixel. The hue calculator receives the RGB pixel and produces a hue of the pixel. The first lookup table device stores plural first adjustment coefficient pairs for outputting a first adjustment coefficient pair according to the hue. The second lookup table device stores plural second adjustment coefficient pairs for outputting a second adjustment coefficient pair according to the hue. The mixer performs a weighting operation on the first and second adjustment coefficient pairs according to the saturation to thereby output an output coefficient pair. The UV converter adjusts U and V values of a YUV pixel corresponding to the RGB pixel according to the output coefficient pair.

Abstract: In a data transmission apparatus, each dot data element is one of a predetermined number of kinds. The data transmitting apparatus includes a template-data generating portion generating template data from the image data by initially determining one of the kinds of dot data element that most frequently occurs in each of one of the rows and the columns and then sequencing the most frequently occurring kinds of dot data elements determined in a direction of the other of the rows and the columns, a data-block generating portion generating a data block by sequencing in the direction of the other of the rows and the columns codes each indicative of a difference between one of the dot data elements of a kind in the image data as stored in the storing portion and one of the dot data elements of a kind in the template data.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a first ink-jet recording head which forms a first layer having first undulations in accordance with an image to be recorded, a second ink-jet recording head which performs image recording of the image to be recorded and a third ink-jet recording head which forms a second layer having second undulations that are also in accordance with the image to be recorded but larger than such that the first undulations of the first layer that is to be formed by the first ink-jet recording head are large and the second undulations are fine or smaller in comparison therewith.