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US 6,318,830 B1Granted
Image printing method, and apparatus thereof
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorKiyohisa Sugishima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are an image printing method and apparatus in which printing is made possible in a multiscanning mode for printing the same line using a plurality of printing elements of a printing head in order that uneven density caused by a variance in the printing elements may be rendered inconspicuous. When the multiscanning mode is designated, a plurality of nozzles of the printing head are divided into a plurality of blocks, the nozzle blocks used are changed over every scan of the printing head, and the image of the printing width (band) printed using all of the nozzles is printed by causing the printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times.
Claims62
An image printing apparatus for causing a printing head having a plurality of printing elements to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the printing elements are arrayed and printing an image on a printing medium based upon entered image information, comprising:
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of said printing head, an image having a printing width within the image information that conforms to the plurality of printing elements;
- second printing means for dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image having a width, which is substantially the same as the printing width printed by said first printing means, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- selecting means for selecting said first printing means in a case that an optical density of the image information is higher than a predetermined value and for selecting said second printing means in a case that the optical density of the image information is lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying the printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning.
2 more elements
An image printing apparatus for causing a printing head having a plurality of printing elements to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the printing elements are arrayed and printing an image on a printing medium based upon entered image information, comprising:
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of said printing head, an image having a recording width within the entered image information that conforms to the plurality of printing elements;
- second printing means for dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image, which is printed by said first printing means, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- judging means for judging whether or not an optical density of the image information is higher than a predetermined value;
- selecting means for selecting said first printing means in a case that the optical density of the image information is higher than the predetermined value and for selecting said second printing means in a case that the optical density of the image information is lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying the printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning.
3 more elements
An image printing method for causing a printing head having a plurality of printing elements to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the printing elements are arrayed and printing an image on a printing medium based upon entered image information, comprising:
- a first printing step of printing, by a single scan of said printing head, an image having a printing width within the image information that conforms to the plurality of printing elements;
- a second printing step of dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image having a width, which is substantially the same as the printing width printed in said first printing step, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- a step of selecting said first printing step in a case that an optical density of the image information is higher than a predetermined value and for selecting said second printing step in a case that the optical density of the image information is lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- a step of conveying the printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning.
2 more elements
An image printing method for causing a printing head having a plurality of printing elements to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the printing elements are arrayed and printing an image on a printing medium based upon entered image information, comprising:
- a judging step of judging whether or not an optical density of the image information is higher than a predetermined value;
- a printing step of printing by a first mode or a second mode based upon the optical density judged, wherein said first mode prints, by a single scan of said printing head, an image having a recording width within the image information that conforms to the plurality of printing elements, and said second mode divides said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, uses the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and prints the image having a width, which is substantially the same as the recording width printed in said first mode, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- and
- a conveying step of conveying the printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning,
- wherein in said printing step, said second mode is selected in a case that the optical density of the image information is less than the predetermined value and said first mode is selected in a case that the optical density of the image information is higher than the predetermined value.
2 more elements
A copying apparatus for reading and copying an image of an original, comprising:
- reading means for causing a photoelectric transducer to scan and read the original and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the image of the original;
- print-data creating means for creating print data from the electric signal outputted by said reading means;
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of a printing head, an image having a printing width within said print data that conforms to a plurality of printing elements of said printing head;
- second printing means for dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image width, which is printed by said first printing means, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- selecting means for selecting said first printing means in a case that an optical density of the print data is higher than a predetermined value and for selecting said second printing means in a case that the optical density of the print data is lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying a printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning.
4 more elements
A copying apparatus for reading and copying an image of an original, comprising:
- reading means for causing a photoelectric transducer to scan and read the original and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the image of the original;
- print-data creating means for creating print data from the electric signal outputted by said reading means;
- judging means for judging whether or not an optical density of the print data is higher than a predetermined value;
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of a printing head, an image having a printing width within said print data that conforms to a plurality of printing elements of said printing head;
- second printing means for dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image having a width, which is substantially the same as the printing width printed by said first printing means, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times and by performing a plurality of complementary printings using different blocks of the printing elements in each scanning;
- control means for printing the image by selecting said first printing means in a case that the optical density of the print data is higher than the predetermined value and for selecting said second printing means in a case that the optical density of the print data is less than the predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying a printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning.
5 more elements
A copying apparatus for reading and copying an image of an original, comprising:
- reading means for causing a photoelectric transducer to scan and read the original and outputting an electric signal corresponding to the image of the original;
- print-data creating means for creating print data from the electric signal outputted by said reading means;
- judging means for judging optical density of said print data;
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of a printing head, an image having a printing width within said print data that conforms to a plurality of printing elements of said printing head;
- second printing means for dividing said plurality of printing elements into a plurality of blocks, using the blocks of printing elements by changing over the blocks every scan, and printing the image having a width, which is printed by said first printing means, by causing said printing head to perform scanning a plurality of times;
- and
- control means for printing the image by selecting said first printing means in a case that the optical density of the print data is higher than a predetermined value and selecting said second printing means in a case that the optical density of the print data is lower than the predetermined value.
4 more elements
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- selecting means for selecting said single scanning mode in a case that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than a predetermined value and selecting said multiscanning mode in a case that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying a recording medium in a sub-scan direction.
1 more element
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- selecting means for selecting said single scanning mode in a case that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than a predetermined value and selecting said multiscanning mode in a case that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density lower than the predetermined value;
- and
- reading means for reading an image to be recorded by said recording head.
1 more element
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- selecting means for selecting one of said single scanning mode and said multiscanning mode;
- and
- judging means for judging whether or not an image to be recorded has an optical density higher than a predetermined value, wherein said selecting means selects the multiscanning mode in a case that said judging means judges the image to be recorded has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and said detecting means selects the single scanning mode in a case that said judging means judges the image to be recorded has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
1 more element
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- and
- selecting means for selecting one of said single scanning mode and said multiscanning mode based on whether or not the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than a predetermined value, wherein said selecting means selects the multiscanning mode when the image of the predetermined area has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and selects the single scanning mode when the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- and
- selecting means for selecting one of said single scanning mode and said multiscanning mode based on whether or not the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than a predetermined value, wherein said selecting means selects the multiscanning mode when a command from a host computer indicates that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and selects the single scanning mode when a command from the host computer indicates that the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a single scan of said recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area in a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head;
- and
- selecting means for selecting one of said single scanning mode and said multiscanning mode based on whether or not the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than a predetermined value, wherein said selection means selects the multiscanning mode when the image of the predetermined area has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and selects the single scanning mode when the image of the predetermined area has an optical density higher than the predetermined value and said image recording apparatus is utilized in a facsimile apparatus having a communication function.
An image recording method for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a recording mode for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, with the selection based on whether or not the image information has an optical density higher than a predetermined value;
- forming the image of said predetermined area by a single scan of said recording head when a single scanning mode is selected in said selecting step;
- and
- forming the image of said predetermined area by a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head when a multiscanning mode is selected in said selecting step,
- wherein in said selecting step, said multiscanning mode is selected when the image information has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and said single scanning mode is selected when the image information has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
2 more elements
An image recording method for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a recording mode for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing said recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, with the selection based on whether or not image information has an optical density higher than a predetermined value;
- forming the image of said predetermined area by a single scan of said recording head when a single scanning mode is selected in said selecting step;
- and
- forming the image of said predetermined area by a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording head when a multiscanning mode is selected in said selecting step, wherein said image recording method is applied to a recording method in a facsimile apparatus having a communication function,
- wherein in said selecting step, said multiscanning mode is selected when the image information has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and said single scanning mode is selected when the image information has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
2 more elements
An image printing apparatus for causing a printing head having a plurality of printing elements to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the printing elements are arrayed and printing an image on a printing medium based upon entered image information, comprising:
- first printing means for printing, by a single scan of said printing head, an image having a printing width corresponding to the width of the plurality of printing elements related to the printing by said first printing means;
- second printing means for dividing the plurality of printing elements on the printing head into a plurality of blocks, and for printing in the main scanning, using each of the plurality of blocks by changing blocks in every main scanning, until every block has performed printing over the same printing area, and wherein dots neighboring in a direction of the main scanning are printed using different printing elements of the printing head;
- selecting means for selecting one of said first and second printing means, with the selection based on whether or not the image information has an optical density higher than a predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying the printing medium by a length corresponding to the width of each block every scanning in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning,
- wherein said selecting means selects said second printing means when the image information has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and selects said first printing means when the image information has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
3 more elements
An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium using a recording portion having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by controlling said recording portion to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which said recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means having a single scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area by a single scan of said recording portion, and a multi-scanning mode for forming the image of said predetermined area by a plurality of complementary scans of different recording elements of said recording portion;
- selecting means for selecting one of said single scanning mode and said multi-scanning mode based on whether or not the image information has an optical density higher than a predetermined value;
- and
- conveying means for conveying the recording medium by a length corresponding to the predetermined area every complementary scan in a sub-scan direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main scanning,
- wherein said selecting means selects said multi-scanning mode when the image information has an optical density lower than the predetermined value and selects said single scanning mode when the image information has an optical density higher than the predetermined value.
2 more elements
An image recording apparatus for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image of a predetermined area by causing the recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the recording elements are arrayed, said image forming means being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of the predetermined area in a single scan of the recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of the predetermined area in a plurality of scans of different recording elements of the recording head;
- and
- selecting means for selecting one of the single scanning mode and the multiscanning mode based on information regarding whether or not the image of the predetermined area comprises character information,
- wherein said selecting means selects the multiscanning mode in a case the image does not comprise the character information and said selecting means selects the single scanning mode in a case that the image comprises the character information.
1 more element
An image recording method for recording an image using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, comprising the steps of:
- forming an image of a predetermined area by causing the recording head to perform main scanning in a direction different from a direction in which the recording elements are arrayed, said image forming step being operable in a single scanning mode for forming the image of the predetermined area in a single scan of the recording head, and a multiscanning mode for forming the image of the predetermined area in a plurality of scans of different recording elements of the recording head;
- and
- selecting one of the single scanning mode and the multiscanning mode based on information regarding whether or not the image of the predetermined area comprises character information,
- wherein in said selecting step, the multiscanning mode is selected in a case the image does not comprise the character information and the single scanning mode is selected in a case that the image comprises the character information.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.