Ink-jet printing method and apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasataka Yashima, Tsuyoshi Shibata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When multilevel printing is performed by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, an ink distribution table which defines a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in correspondence with each gray level value is generated on the basis of input information associated with the relative densities of the respective inks. A combination to be used to print each pixel is selected on the basis of the ink distribution table, thereby printing a good grayscale image free from gray-level reversal and the like.
Claims32
An ink-jet printing apparatus which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, comprising:
- input means for inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- table generating means for generating, on the basis of the information associated with the relative densities, an ink distribution table for defining a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in correspondence with each gray level value;
- and
- combination selection means for selecting, on the basis of the ink distribution table, the combination to be used to print each pixel.
An ink-jet printing method which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, comprising:
- the input step of inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- the table generating step of generating, on the basis of the information associated with the relative densities, an ink distribution table for defining a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in correspondence with each gray level value;
- and
- the combination selection step of selecting the combination to be used to print each pixel on the basis of the ink distribution table.
A storage medium storing program codes for realizing an ink-jet printing method which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, the program codes comprising:
- a code for the input step of inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- a code for the table generating step of generating, on the basis of the information associated with the relative densities, an ink distribution table for defining a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in correspondence with each gray level value;
- and
- a code for the combination selection step of selecting the combination to be used to print each pixel on the basis of the ink distribution table.
An ink-jet printing apparatus which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, comprising:
- input means for inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- reference combination input means for inputting a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets which exhibits a predetermined density as a reference combination;
- table generating means for generating, on the basis of information associated with the relative densities and the reference combination, an ink distribution table which defines a correspondence between various combinations of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets and gray level values printed by the respective combinations;
- and
- combination selection means for selecting, on the basis of the ink distribution table, a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets to be used to print each pixel.
An ink-jet printing method which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, comprising:
- the input step of inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- the reference combination input step of inputting a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets which exhibits a predetermined density as a reference combination;
- the table generating step of generating, on the basis of information associated with the relative densities and the reference combination, an ink distribution table which defines a correspondence between various combinations of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets and gray level values printed by the respective combinations;
- and
- the combination selection step of selecting, on the basis of the ink distribution table, a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets to be used to print each pixel.
A storage medium storing program codes for realizing an ink-jet printing method which performs multilevel printing by using a plurality of types of inks, which present different densities for similar colors when used for printing, and changing the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets in printing each pixel, the program codes comprising:
- a code for the input step of inputting information associated with relative densities for the respective inks in case of being used for printing;
- a code for the reference combination input step of inputting a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets which exhibits a predetermined density as a reference combination;
- a code for the table generating step of generating, on the basis of information associated with the relative densities and the reference combination, an ink distribution table which defines a correspondence between various combinations of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets and gray level values printed by the respective combinations;
- and
- a code for the selection step of selecting, on the basis of the ink distribution table, a combination of the types of inks and the numbers of ink droplets to be used to print each pixel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.