Ink-jet print method and apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsOsamu Iwasaki, Naoji Otsuka, Kentaro Yano, Kiichiro Takahashi, Hitoshi Nishikori, Daigoro Kanematsu, Hidehiko Kanda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Print codes supplied from a host computer are received and analyzed to generate print data for the individual colors, and the generated print data are stored in print buffers corresponding to the colors. The print data corresponding to yellow ink with high lightness is expressed by binary data, and is printed by one dot per pixel by a single print scan. The print data corresponding to each of the remaining high-density (thick) inks is expressed by multi-valued data having a larger number of bits than the yellow data, and is printed by a plurality of print scans.
Claims25
An ink-jet printer for printing an image by ejecting ink from a plurality of print heads onto a printing medium, comprising:
- a plurality of print heads for ejecting inks each having a different color and lightness level from each other;
- data generation means for generating print data having a first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a first ink other than black, with a first lightness level and a first color, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a second ink other than black, with a second lightness level lower than the first lightness level and a second color different from the first color;
- supply means for supplying the print data generated by said data generation means to corresponding print heads;
- and
- print means for driving said plurality of print heads on the basis of the print data supplied from said supply means.
An ink-jet printing apparatus for printing an image on a printing medium using a print head having a plurality of print elements for ejecting ink, said print head having a plurality of print element groups for respectively ejecting yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks, comprising:
- data generation means for generating print data having a first resolution for supply to the print element group that ejects the yellow ink with high lightness level, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to another one of the print element groups that ejects another ink with low lightness level;
- first print means for performing printing in accordance with the print data having the first resolution and expressed by binary data using the print element group for ejecting the yellow ink;
- first storage means for storing the print data having the first resolution and expressed by the binary data;
- second print means for performing printing in accordance with the print data having the second resolution higher than the first resolution and expressed by multi-valued data using the print element group other than the print element group for ejecting the yellow ink;
- and
- second storage means for storing the print data having the second resolution and expressed by the multi-valued data.
An ink-jet print method for printing an image by ejecting ink from a plurality of print heads onto a printing medium, comprising:
- a step of inputting data corresponding to inks each having different colors and lightness levels;
- a step of generating print data having a first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a first ink other than black, with a first lightness level and a first color, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a second ink other than black, with a second lightness level lower than the first lightness level and a second color different from the first color, based upon the data inputted in said inputting step;
- and
- a step of performing printing by ejecting the inks having different colors and lightness levels in accordance with the print data.
An ink-jet print method for printing an image on a printing medium using a print head having a plurality of print elements for ejecting ink, said print head having a plurality of print element groups for respectively ejecting yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks, comprising:
- a step of generating print data having a first resolution for supply to the print element group that ejects the yellow ink, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to another print element group that ejects another ink based upon input data;
- a first print step of performing printing in accordance with the print data having the first resolution and expressed by binary data using the print element group for ejecting the yellow ink;
- and
- a second print step of performing printing in accordance with the print data having the second resolution higher than the first resolution and expressed by multi-valued data using the print element group other than the print element group for ejecting the yellow ink.
An ink-jet printing apparatus for printing an image by ejecting ink from a print head onto a printing medium, comprising:
- a mount portion for exchangeably mounting print heads which eject inks each having different colors and lightness levels;
- data generation means for generating print data having a first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a first ink other than black, with a first lightness level and a first color, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a second ink other than black, with a second lightness level lower than the first lightness level and a second color different from the first color;
- and
- print means for printing by using the ink ejected by a print head mounted on said mount portion.
An ink-jet printing apparatus comprising:
- a mount portion for exchangeably mounting a first ink-jet print head for ejecting a first ink of a first color other than black with high lightness, and a second ink-jet print head for ejecting a second ink of a second, different color other than black with low lightness;
- driving means for providing a driving condition to an ink-jet print head mounted on said mount portion;
- data generation means for generating print data having a first resolution for supply to the first ink-jet print head that ejects the first ink of the color with high lightness, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to the second ink-jet print head that ejects the second ink of the color with low lightness;
- and
- print means for printing a plurality of different inks having different colors and lightness ejected by the ink-jet print heads mounted on said mount portion.
A data generating apparatus for generating print data for printing an image by ejecting ink from a plurality of print heads onto a printing medium, the plurality of print heads for ejecting inks each having a different color and lightness level from each other, said apparatus comprising:
- data generation means for generating print data having a first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a first ink other than black, with a first lightness level and a first color, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a second ink other than black, with a second lightness level lower than the first lightness level and a second color different from the first color;
- and
- supply means for supplying the print data generated by said data generation means to corresponding print heads,
- wherein the plurality of print heads are driven on the basis of the print data supplied from said supply means.
A data generating process for generating print data for printing an image by ejecting ink from a plurality of print heads onto a printing medium, the plurality of print heads for ejecting inks each having a different color and lightness level from each other, said process comprising the steps of:
- generating print data having a first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a first ink other than black, with a first lightness level and a first color, and print data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution for supply to a print head that ejects a second ink other than black, with a second lightness level lower than the first lightness level and a second color different from the first color;
- and
- supplying the print data generated in said print data generating step, to corresponding print heads,
- wherein the plurality of print heads are driven on the basis of the print data supplied in said supplying step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.