Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement between a plurality of print heads and the print medium, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to quantize each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by said generation unit;
• wherein said generation unit generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data such that the number of print heads available for printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data lower than a threshold is smaller than the number of print heads available for printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data higher than the threshold.

An image processing apparatus for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a plurality of relative movements between a print head and the print medium, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to quantize each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by said generation unit;
• wherein said generation unit generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data without dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is lower than a threshold, and generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data by dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is higher than the threshold.

An image processing apparatus for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement of a plurality of print heads between and the print medium, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to quantize each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by said generation unit;
• wherein said generation unit generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data without dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is lower than a threshold, and generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data by dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is higher than the threshold.

An image processing apparatus to process input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a plurality of relative movements between a print head and the print medium, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements by dividing the input image data according to a dividing number corresponding to a grayscale value of the input image data;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to quantize each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by said generation unit;
• wherein the division number for the input image data having a grayscale value lower than a threshold is smaller than a division number for the input image data having a grayscale value higher than the threshold.

An image processing apparatus for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement between a plurality of print heads and the print medium, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a generation unit configured to generate a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads by dividing the input image data according to a division number corresponding to a grayscale value of the input image data;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to quantize each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by said generation unit;
• wherein the division number for the input image data having a grayscale value lower than a threshold is smaller than a division number for the input image data having a grayscale value higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a plurality of relative movements between a print head and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein, in the generation step, the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data are generated such that the number of relative movements available for performing printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data lower than a threshold is smaller than the number of relative movements available for printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement between a plurality of print heads and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein, in the generation step, the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data are generated such that the number of print heads available for printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data lower than a threshold is smaller than the number of print heads available for printing of a pixel having a grayscale value of the input image data higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a plurality of relative movements between a print head and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein the generation step generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data without dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is lower than a threshold, and generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data by dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement between a plurality of print heads and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating, based on the input image data, a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein the generation step generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data without dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is lower than a threshold, and generates the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data by dividing the grayscale value of the input image data when the grayscale value of the input image data is higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a plurality of relative movements between a print head and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements by dividing the input image data according to a division number corresponding to a grayscale value of the input image data;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein the division number for the input image data having a grayscale value lower than a threshold is smaller than a division number for the input image data having a grayscale value higher than the threshold.

An image processing method for processing input image data corresponding to a pixel of the print medium so as to perform printing to the pixel by a relative movement between a plurality of print heads and the print medium, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of print heads by dividing the input image data according to a division number corresponding to a grayscale value of the input image data;
• and
• quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data generated by the generation step;
• wherein the division number for the input image data having a grayscale value lower than a threshold is smaller than a division number for the input image data having a grayscale value higher than the threshold.