Printing apparatus, printing method, and computer readable medium

A printing method comprising:

• generating second print data based on first print data in which pixels are arranged in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction crossing the main scanning direction, the pixel including print pixels indicating pixels with which corresponding dots are formed on a print medium by heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in the main scanning direction, the non-print pixels indicating pixels with which no dot is formed on the print medium, the first print data being for printing a first print image represented by the print pixels;
• and
• controlling the thermal head and a moving mechanism, based on at least the second print data generated in the generating, configured to relatively move the print medium with respect to the thermal head in the sub-scanning direction,
• wherein the generating includes:
• extracting, from the non-print pixels, a target pixel to which one of the print pixels is adjacent on one side or the other side in the sub-scanning direction and to which one of the print pixels is adjacent on one side or the other side in the main scanning direction;
• generating n divided pixels by dividing the extracted target pixel into n in the main scanning direction, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2;
• identifying a second print image formed of the print pixels and at least one divided print pixel with which corresponding dot is formed on the print medium and chosen from the n divided pixels in order of closeness to one of the print pixels adjacent to the extracted target pixel in the main scanning direction;
• and
• generating the second print data for printing the second print image, and
• wherein the controlling includes:
• setting, as a first value, a value of energy applied to the heating element in order to cause the heating element to generate heat at a position corresponding to one of the print pixels on the print medium;
• and
• setting, as a second value, a value of energy smaller than the first value and applied to the heating element in order to cause the heating element to generate heat at a position corresponding to the target pixel on the print medium.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for performing printing on a print medium, the process comprising:

• generating second print data based on first print data in which pixels are arranged in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction crossing the main scanning direction, the pixel including print pixels indicating pixels with which corresponding dots are formed on the print medium by heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in the main scanning direction, the non-print pixels indicating pixels with which no dot is formed on the print medium, the first print data being for printing a first print image represented by the print pixels;
• and
• controlling the thermal head and a moving mechanism, based on at least the second print data generated in the generating, configured to relatively move the print medium with respect to the thermal head in the sub-scanning direction,
• wherein the generating includes:
• extracting, from the non-print pixels, a target pixel to which one of the print pixels is adjacent on one side or the other side in the sub-scanning direction and to which one of the print pixels is adjacent on one side or the other side in the main scanning direction;
• generating n divided pixels by dividing the extracted target pixel into n in the main scanning direction, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2;
• identifying a second print image formed of the print pixels and at least one divided print pixel with which corresponding dot is formed on the print medium and chosen from the n divided pixels in order of closeness to one of the print pixels adjacent to the extracted target pixel in the main scanning direction;
• and
• generating the second print data for printing the second print image, and
• wherein the controlling includes:
• setting, as a first value, a value of energy applied to the heating element in order to cause the heating element to generate heat at a position corresponding to one of the print pixels on the print medium;
• and
• setting, as a second value, a value of energy smaller than the first value and applied to the heating element in order to cause the heating element to generate heat at a position corresponding to the target pixel on the print medium.