Printing apparatus, printing method, and storage medium

A printing method comprising:

• causing a printing unit in which a plurality of printing elements for ejecting ink are arrayed to reciprocate and scan in a first direction intersecting an array direction of the plurality of printing elements and a second direction opposite to the first direction;
• setting one printing mode from among a plurality of printing modes including (1) a first printing mode in which printing of an image on a predetermined region on a printing medium is completed by one scan of the printing unit in the first direction or the second direction and (2) a second printing mode in which printing of an image on the predetermined region is completed by a plurality of scans of the printing unit including scans in both of the first direction and the second direction;
• controlling an ejection timing of the ink in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and an ejection timing of the ink in a case where the printing unit scans in the second direction;
• and
• controlling an ejection timing of the printing unit such that a first distance becomes shorter than a second distance,
• wherein the first distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the first printing mode,
• wherein the second distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the second printing mode,
• wherein in a case of printing an image for which importance is placed on a reduction in graininess, (1) the setting sets a third printing mode, and (2) the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit controls the ejection timing of the printing unit such that a third distance becomes shorter than the first distance,
• wherein the third distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in a case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in a case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the third printing mode,
• wherein the printing method further comprises storing in a storage unit a registration adjustment value for adjusting the ejection timing in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction relative to the ejection timing in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction,
• wherein in a case where the setting sets the third printing mode, the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit adjusts the ejection timing of the printing unit by using the registration adjustment value stored in the storage unit, and
• wherein in a case where the setting sets the first printing mode or the second printing mode, the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit adjusts the ejection timing of the printing unit by using a registration adjustment value obtained by correcting the registration adjustment value.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer to perform a printing method, the printing method comprising:

• causing a printing unit in which a plurality of printing elements for ejecting ink are arrayed to reciprocate and scan in a first direction intersecting an array direction of the plurality of printing elements and a second direction opposite to the first direction;
• setting one printing mode from among a plurality of printing modes including (1) a first printing mode in which printing of an image on a predetermined region on a printing medium is completed by one scan of the printing unit in the first direction or the second direction and (2) a second printing mode in which printing of an image on the predetermined region is completed by a plurality of scans of the printing unit including scans in both of the first direction and the second direction;
• controlling an ejection timing of the ink in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and an ejection timing of the ink in a case where the printing unit scans in the second direction;
• and
• controlling an ejection timing of the printing unit such that a first distance becomes shorter than a second distance,
• wherein the first distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the first printing mode,
• wherein the second distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the second printing mode,
• wherein in a case of printing an image for which importance is placed on a reduction in graininess, (1) the setting sets a third printing mode, and (2) the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit controls the ejection timing of the printing unit such that a third distance becomes shorter than the first distance,
• wherein the third distance is a distance in the scanning direction between (1) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in a case where the printing unit scans in the first direction and (2) a landing position at which an ink droplet lands on the printing medium in a case where the printing unit scans in the second direction, in the third printing mode,
• wherein the printing method further comprises storing in a storage unit a registration adjustment value for adjusting the ejection timing in the case where the printing unit scans in the second direction relative to the ejection timing in the case where the printing unit scans in the first direction,
• wherein in a case where the setting sets the third printing mode, the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit adjusts the ejection timing of the printing unit by using the registration adjustment value stored in the storage unit, and
• wherein in a case where the setting sets the first printing mode or the second printing mode, the controlling the ejection timing of the printing unit adjusts the ejection timing of the printing unit by using a registration adjustment value obtained by correcting the registration adjustment value.