Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing image forming program

An image forming method that forms an image on an image forming medium on the basis of input image data using colorant of plural colors, comprising:

• a halftone processing step performing a halftone process for the input image data using plural dither matrices;
• a calibration processing step generating calibration data to calculate an amount of a color registration error corresponding to a primary scanning directional position of an image forming available width with regard to an image formed with the colorant of the plural colors;
• an image area dividing step (a) determining (a1) plural matrix boundaries as boundaries of plural dither matrices arranged in an image forming target area in the image forming available width and (a2) an image boundary position that is identical to any of the plural matrix boundaries, and (b) dividing the image forming target area with the determined image boundary position in the primary scanning direction and thereby setting plural image adjustment areas;
• and
• a correction processing step (a) calculating correction amounts for the plural image adjustment areas using the calibration data in accordance with primary scanning directional positions of the plural image adjustment areas respectively, and (b) correcting secondary scanning directional positions of the plural image adjustment areas using the calculated correction amounts respectively and thereby restraining the color registration error;
• wherein the image area dividing step comprises a step determining the image boundary position using a remainder left by dividing the number of pixels consisting of a width of the image adjustment area by the number of pixels in the primary scanning direction of the dither matrix.

A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program to control an image forming apparatus that forms an image on an image forming medium on the basis of input image data using colorant of plural colors, wherein the image forming program causes the image forming apparatus to act as:

• a halftone processing unit configured to perform a halftone process for the input image data using plural dither matrices;
• a calibration processing unit configured to generate calibration data to calculate an amount of a color registration error corresponding to a primary scanning directional position of an image forming available width with regard to an image formed with the colorant of the plural colors;
• an image area dividing unit configured to (a) determine (a1) plural matrix boundaries as boundaries of plural dither matrices arranged in an image forming target area in the image forming available width and (a2) an image boundary position that is identical to any of the plural matrix boundaries, and (b) divide the image forming target area with the determined image boundary position in the primary scanning direction and thereby set plural image adjustment areas;
• and
• a correction processing unit configured to (a) calculate correction amounts for the plural image adjustment areas using the calibration data in accordance with primary scanning directional positions of the plural image adjustment areas respectively, and (b) correct secondary scanning directional positions of the plural image adjustment areas using the calculated correction amounts respectively and thereby restrain the color registration error;
• wherein the image area dividing unit determines the image boundary position using a remainder left by dividing the number of pixels consisting of a width of the image adjustment area by the number of pixels in the primary scanning direction of the dither matrix.