Image processing device and image processing method

An image processing apparatus that processes input image data corresponding to a pixel region of a recording medium, to perform recording in the pixel region of the recording medium by a plurality of relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes a plurality of recording element groups for ejecting ink of a single color, the apparatus comprising:

• first generating means for generating multivalued image data for the single color corresponding to the plurality of relative movements from the input image data;
• second generating means for quantizing the multivalued image data for the single color generated by the first generating means to generate quantized data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements;
• and
• third generating means for performing logical multiplication between the quantized data generated by the second generating means and corresponding to the plurality of relative movements and a plurality of mask patterns being complements of each other to generate quantized data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements for the plurality of recording element groups.

An image processing apparatus that processes input image data corresponding to a pixel region of a recording medium, to perform recording in the pixel region by at least first and second relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes a plurality of recording element groups for ejecting ink of a first color and a plurality of recording element groups for ejecting ink of a second color, the apparatus comprising:

• first generating means for generating four types of multivalued data including first-color first multivalued data corresponding to the first relative movement, first-color second multivalued data corresponding to the second relative movement, second-color first multivalued data corresponding to the first relative movement, and second-color second multivalued data corresponding to the second relative movement, on the basis of the input image data;
• second generating means for quantizing the first-color first multivalued data on the basis of the four types of multivalued data to generate first-color first quantized data, quantizing the first-color second multivalued data on the basis of the four types of multivalued data to generate first-color second quantized data, quantizing the second-color first multivalued data on the basis of the four types of multivalued data to generate second-color first quantized data, and quantizing the second-color second multivalued data on the basis of the four types of multivalued data to generate second-color second quantized data;
• and
• third generating means for generating quantized data for the first relative movement corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups for ejecting the ink of the first color from the first-color first quantized data, generating quantized data for the second relative movement corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups for ejecting the ink of the first color from the first-color second quantized data, generating quantized data for the first relative movement corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups for ejecting the ink of the second color from the second-color first quantized data, and generating quantized data for the second relative movement corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups for ejecting the ink of the second color from the second-color second quantized data.

An image processing apparatus that processes input image data corresponding to an image to be recorded in a predetermined region of a recording medium, to record the image in the predetermined region of the recording medium by a plurality of relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes a plurality of recording element groups for ejecting ink of a single color, the apparatus comprising:

• first generating means for generating a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data for a same pixel of the single color respectively corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups from the input image data on a pixel basis;
• second generating means for quantizing each of the pieces of the multivalued image data for the same pixel of the single color generated by the first generating means on a pixel basis to generate quantized data corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups;
• and
• dividing means for dividing each of the pieces of the quantized data generated by the second generating means and corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups into quantized data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements and being complements of each other.

An image processing apparatus that processes input image data corresponding to a pixel region of a recording medium, to perform recording in the pixel region of the recording medium by a plurality of relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes a plurality of recording element groups for ejecting ink of a single color, the apparatus comprising:

• first generating means for generating multivalued image data for the single color corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups from the input image data;
• second generating means for quantizing the multivalued image data for the single color generated by the first generating means to generate quantized data corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups;
• and
• third generating means for performing logical multiplication between the quantized data generated by the second generating means and corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups and a plurality of mask patterns being complements of each other to generate quantized data corresponding to the plurality of recording element groups for the plurality of relative movements.

An image processing method that processes input image data corresponding to an image to be recorded in a predetermined region of a recording medium, to record the image in the predetermined region of the recording medium by M (M is an integer equal to or larger than 2) relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) recording element groups for ejecting ink of a single color, the method comprising the steps of:

• using a processor for generating M sets of multivalued image data for a same pixel of the single color respectively corresponding to the M relative movements from the input image data on a pixel basis;
• quantizing each of the M sets of multivalued image data for the same pixel of the single color on a pixel basis to generate M sets of quantized data respectively corresponding to the M relative movements using the processor;
• and
• dividing each of the M sets of quantized data into N sets of quantized data corresponding to the N recording element groups and being complements of each other using the processor.

An image processing method that processes input image data corresponding to an image to be recorded in a predetermined region of a recording medium, to record the image in the predetermined region of the recording medium by M (M is an integer equal to or larger than 2) relative movements between the recording medium and recording means that includes N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) recording element groups for ejecting ink of a single color, the method comprising the steps of:

• using a processor for generating N sets of multivalued image data for a same pixel of the single color respectively corresponding to the N recording element groups from the input image data on a pixel basis;
• quantizing each of the N sets of multivalued image data for the same pixel of the single color on a pixel basis to generate N sets of quantized data respectively corresponding to the N recording element groups using the processor;
• and
• dividing each of the N sets of quantized data into M sets of quantized data corresponding to the M relative movements and being complements of each other using the processor.