Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program

An image processing method comprising:

• inputting image data;
• generating, from the input image data, print data to be used in each of a plurality of scans of a printing unit;
• acquiring a threshold matrix based on a tone value represented by the image data;
• and
• executing quantization processing for the print data using the acquired threshold matrix,
• wherein if the tone value is included in a first range, a first threshold matrix corresponding to a first scan of the plurality of scans is acquired, and a second threshold matrix corresponding to a second scan is acquired, and if the tone value is included in a second range on a higher tone side of the first range, a third threshold matrix corresponding to the first scan is acquired, and a fourth threshold matrix corresponding to the second scan is acquired, and
• a first degree that a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the third threshold matrix and a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the fourth threshold matrix hold an exclusive relationship is smaller than a second degree that a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the first threshold matrix and a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the second threshold matrix hold the exclusive relationship.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program configured to cause a computer of an information processing apparatus to function to:

• input image data;
• generate, from the input image data, print data to be used in each of a plurality of scans of a printing unit;
• acquire a threshold matrix based on a tone value represented by the image data;
• and
• execute quantization processing for the print data using the acquired threshold matrix,
• wherein if the tone value is included in a first range, a first threshold matrix corresponding to a first scan of the plurality of scans is acquired, and a second threshold matrix corresponding to a second scan is acquired, and if the tone value is included in a second range on a higher tone side of the first range, a third threshold matrix corresponding to the first scan is acquired, and a fourth threshold matrix corresponding to the second scan is acquired, and
• a first degree that a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the third threshold matrix and a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the fourth threshold matrix hold an exclusive relationship is smaller than a second degree that a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the first threshold matrix and a dot arrangement that is a result of quantization using the second threshold matrix hold the exclusive relationship.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• an input unit configured to input image data;
• a generation unit configured to generate, from the image data input by the input unit, print data to be used in each of a plurality of scans, including a first scan and a second scan, of a printing unit;
• and
• a quantization unit configured to perform, using a threshold matrix, quantization processing for the print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans,
• wherein if a tone value represented by the image data is included in a first range, the quantization unit acquires first quantized data corresponding to the first scan by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the first scan and a first threshold matrix, and acquires second quantized data corresponding to the second scan by offsetting at least one of the print data to be printed by the second scan and the first threshold matrix using the print data corresponding to the first scan and performing the quantization processing using the print data and the first threshold matrix after the offset, and
• if the tone value represented by the image data is included in a second range on a higher tone side of the first range, the quantization unit acquires third quantized data corresponding to the first scan by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the first scan and the first threshold matrix, and acquires fourth quantized data corresponding to the second scan by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the second scan and a second threshold matrix different from the first threshold matrix.

An image processing method comprising:

• inputting image data;
• generating, from the input image data, print data to be used in each of a plurality of scans, including a first scan and a second scan, of a printing unit;
• and
• performing, using a threshold matrix, quantization processing for the print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans,
• wherein if a tone value represented by the image data is included in a first range, first quantized data corresponding to the first scan is acquired by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the first scan and a first threshold matrix, and second quantized data corresponding to the second scan is acquired by offsetting at least one of the print data to be printed by the second scan and the first threshold matrix using the print data corresponding to the first scan and performing the quantization processing using the print data and the first threshold matrix after the offset, and
• if the tone value represented by the image data is included in a second range on a higher tone side of the first range, third quantized data corresponding to the first scan is acquired by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the first scan and the first threshold matrix, and fourth quantized data corresponding to the second scan is acquired by performing the quantization processing using the print data corresponding to the second scan and a second threshold matrix different from the first threshold matrix.