Ink-jet printing apparatus and method for test printing using ink and an ink improving liquid

An ink-jet printing apparatus for performing printing on a printing medium employing ink ejecting means for ejecting an ink and liquid ejecting means for ejecting a liquid containing a material for making a coloring agent in the ink ejected through said ink ejecting means insoluble or for agglomerating, said apparatus comprising:

• moving means for moving the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means relative to the printing medium;
• and
• control means for controlling said moving means and causing the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means to eject the ink and the liquid, respectively, so as to print a test pattern, in which the liquid is ejected at only a predetermined pixel and the ink is ejected at pixels including the predetermined pixel, so that the ink and the liquid are overlaid with each other at the predetermined pixel,
• wherein said test pattern is a pattern, in which said predetermined pixel is printed with at least one color of the ink ejected by said ink ejecting means and the liquid ejected by said liquid ejecting means, and pixels around said predetermined pixel are printed with said at least one color of the ink ejected by said ink ejecting means.

An ink-jet printing apparatus for performing printing on a printing medium employing ink ejecting means having a plurality of ink ejection openings to eject an ink and liquid ejecting means having a plurality of liquid ejection openings to eject a liquid containing a material for making a coloring agent in the ink ejected through said ink ejecting means insoluble or for agglomerating, said apparatus comprising:

• moving means for moving the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means relative to the printing medium;
• control means for controlling said moving means and making the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means eject the ink and the liquid, respectively, so as to print a test pattern correspondingly to respective liquid ejection openings of said liquid ejecting means, the test pattern having a first portion on which only ink is applied from an ink ejection opening corresponding to a liquid ejection opening, which does not eject the liquid to print the first portion, and a second portion on which both the ink from the ink ejection opening and the liquid from the liquid ejection opening are applied in an overlaying manner;
• and
• detecting means for detecting said test pattern.

An ink-jet printing apparatus for performing printing on a printing medium employing ink ejecting means for ejecting an ink and liquid ejecting means for ejecting a liquid containing a material for making a coloring agent in the ink ejected through said ink ejecting means insoluble or for agglomerating, said apparatus comprising:

• moving means for moving the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means relative to the printing medium;
• and
• control means for controlling said moving means and causing the ink ejecting means and the liquid ejecting means to eject the ink and the liquid, respectively, so as to print a test pattern, in which the liquid is ejected at only a predetermined pixel and the ink is ejected at pixels including the predetermined pixel, so that the ink and the liquid are overlaid with each other at the predetermined pixel,
• wherein said ejecting means performs printing in a first printing mode for said predetermined pixel employing said ink ejecting means for ejecting the ink and said liquid ejecting means for ejecting the liquid, and performs printing in a second printing mode for the pixels other than said predetermined pixel employing said ink ejecting means for ejecting the ink.