Image recording apparatus and method for performing recording by making ink adhere to a recording medium and incorporating image data correction

Claim 2

An image recording apparatus for performing recording with a recording head in response to a recording signal by making ink droplets adhere to a recording medium to form dots thereon, the recording medium having a blot ratio determined by dividing the diameter of a dot on the recording medium by the diameter of the droplet that formed the dot, the apparatus comprising: recording medium having a blot ratio; scanning means for moving said recording head relative to the recording medium so that said recording head scans an area of the recording medium having a boundary, an end of said recording head corresponding to the boundary of the area; means for generating image data; discriminating means for discriminating image data to be supplied to the end of said recording head corresponding to the boundary of the area of the recording medium scanned by said recording head, wherein said discrimination means compares a reference value determined according to the blot ratio of the recording medium with the image data; and drive means for providing said recording head with a recording signal according to the image data, said drive means having a correction circuit for reducing the recording signal to be supplied to the end of said recording head when the discrimination means indicated that the image data is greater than the reference value.

Claim 3

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive circuit does not use said correction circuit and supplies a recording signal equal to the image signal when the image data is smaller than the reference value.

Claim 4

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said correction sets the recording signal at a constant value to be supplied to the end of said recording head.

Claim 5

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head has a plurality of color recording elements for producing an image by superposing inks of a plurality of different colors, and the image data is a total sum of the data for the color inks to be supplied to the end of said recording head.

Claim 6

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is a total sum of pixels in a matrix.

Claim 7

An image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one of the pixels in the matrix is weighted.

Claim 8

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink droplets are emitted using film boiling caused by thermal energy provided by said recording head.

Claim 9

An image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head includes at least one droplet-ejecting orifice at the end of said head and said correction circuit reduces only the recording signal to be supplied for said orifice.

Claim 10

An image data correction and recording method for use in an image recording apparatus for performing recording by making ink droplets adhere to a recording medium to form dots thereon, the recording medium having a blot ratio determined by dividing the diameter of a dot on the recording medium by the diameter of the droplet that formed the dot, the method comprising the steps of: determining the blot ratio of the recording medium; recording an image on the recording medium by relative movement of the recording medium and of recording means for forming droplets to be adhered to the recording medium, the relative movement causing the recording means to scan an area of the recording medium; and conducting a predetermined arithmetic operation on image data to be supplied to an end of the recording means corresponding to a boundary of the area of the recording medium scanned by the recording means, said arithmetic operation being performed according to the blot ratio of the recording medium, wherein said arithmetic operation reduces the image data when the image data is greater than a reference value determined according to the blot ratio, wherein the image on the boundary of the recording medium is recorded using the reduced image data based on the result of the arithmetic operation.

Claim 11

An image data correction and recording method for use in an image recording apparatus for performing recording by making ink droplets adhere to a recording medium to form dots thereon, the recording medium having a blot ratio determined by dividing the diameter of a dot on the recording medium by the diameter of the droplet that formed the dot, the method comprising the steps of: determining the blot ratio of the recording medium; recording an image on the recording medium by relative movement of the recording medium and of recording means for forming droplets to be adhered to the recording medium, the relative movement causing the recording means to scan an area of the recording medium; and conducting a predetermined arithmetic operation on image data to be supplied to an end of the recording means corresponding to a boundary of the area of the recording medium scanned by the recording means, said arithmetic operation being performed according to the blot ratio of the recording medium, wherein said arithmetic operation reduces the image data when the image data is greater than a reference value determined according to the blot ratio, wherein the image on the boundary of the recording medium is recorded using the reduced image data based on the result of the arithmetic operation.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 9, wherein said arithmetic operation includes a correction parameter that is changed according to a change of the recording medium.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 9, wherein the blot ratio of the recording medium is obtained by an automatic discrimination of the recording medium being used in the image recording apparatus, and said arithmetic operation is changed according to the obtained blot ratio.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 9, wherein said arithmetic operation increases the reduction when recording an area approximate to the recording boundary.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 9, wherein said arithmetic operation is conducted on the basis of a gamma non-linear curve.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 9, wherein said image data is a total sum of pixels in a matrix.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 9, wherein the ink droplets are emitted using film boiling caused by thermal energy provided by the recording means.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 9, wherein the recording means includes at least one droplet-ejecting orifice at the end of the recording means and said arithmetic operation reduces only the image data to be supplied for the orifice.

Claim 19

An image recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a recording head having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording head in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; conversion means for converting density data for causing ink to be emitted from at least an end orifice at an end of said recording head to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifice; and drive means for driving said recording head based on the converted density data.

Claim 20

An image recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a recording head having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording head in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; conversion means for converting density data for causing ink to be emitted from at least an end orifice at an end of said recording head to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifice; and drive means for driving said recording head based on the converted density data.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said conversion means is a ROM for converting the density data for causing the ink to be emitted form the end orifice and outputting the same.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said conversion means performs one density data conversion only when the density data is larger than a predetermined value.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said drive means has a binarizing means for binarizing the converted density data.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said recording head produces an ink state transition by means of thermal energy so as to emit the ink from the orifices.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said recording head emits ink of a plurality of colors.

Claim 26

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a recording head having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording head in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; arithmetic operation means for processing density data for causing ink to be emitted from a plurality of orifices defied at a peripheral edge of said recording head to produce arithmetic data which indicates a total sum of a quantity of the ink emitted from the peripheral edge of said recording head; conversion means for converting density data corresponding to at least one end orifice at the periphery edge of said recording head based on the arithmetic data to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in are reduced quantity of ink emitted from the end orifice; and driving means for driving said recording head based on the conveyed density data.

Claim 27

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a recording head having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording head in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; arithmetic operation means for processing density data for causing ink to be emitted from a plurality of orifices defied at a peripheral edge of said recording head to produce arithmetic data which indicates a total sum of a quantity of the ink emitted from the peripheral edge of said recording head; conversion means for converting density data corresponding to at least one end orifice at the periphery edge of said recording head based on the arithmetic data to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in are reduced quantity of ink emitted from the end orifice; and driving means for driving said recording head based on the conveyed density data.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said arithmetic operation means performs a weighted arithmetic operation in processing the density data of ink emitted from the plurality of orifices.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said recording head produces an ink state transition by means of thermal energy so as to emit the ink from the orifices.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said recording head emits ink of a plurality of colors.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said conversion means adjusts the quantity of ink emitted from the orifices based on the density data converted by said conversion means.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said conversion means includes a switch for changing the quantity of the ink emitted from the orifices.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said conversion means includes detection means for detecting a blot coefficient of the recording medium, and switches the quantity of ink emitted from the orifices based on the blot coefficient detected by said detection means.

Claim 34

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: recording heads for recording images on the recording medium, said recording heads having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, with each of said head emitting ink of a different color, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; addition means for adding density data for causing ink to be emitted from an end orifice at each end of said plurality of recording heads to produce adding data which indicates a total sum of a quantity of the ink emitted from a peripheral edge of each recording head; conversion means for converting density data corresponding to at least one end orifice at the peripheral edge of said recording head based on the adding data to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifices; and drive means for driving said recording heads based on the converted density data.

Claim 35

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: recording heads for recording images on the recording medium, said recording heads having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, with each of said head emitting ink of a different color, said orifices being disposed in a predetermined direction; main scanning means for scanning said recording head in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium, wherein the main scanning direction is different from the predetermined direction in which said orifices are disposed; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; addition means for adding density data for causing ink to be emitted from an end orifice at each end of said plurality of recording heads to produce adding data which indicates a total sum of a quantity of the ink emitted from a peripheral edge of each recording head; conversion means for converting density data corresponding to at least one end orifice at the peripheral edge of said recording head based on the adding data to converted density data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifices; and drive means for driving said recording heads based on the converted density data.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said plurality of recording heads emit cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said conversion means converts the density data of the ink emitted form said plurality of recording heads.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said conversion means operates density data for ink emitted from one of said plurality of recording heads.

Claim 39

An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said conversion means performs the density data conversion for said recording head emitting black ink.

Claim 40

An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein each recording head produces an ink state transition by means of thermal energy so as to emit the ink form said orifices.

Claim 41

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of recording heads for recording images on the recording medium, said recording heads having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, with each recording head imitating ink of a different color; main scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; reading means for reading an original document; discrimination means for discriminating density of the images on the original document read by said reading means; conversion means for converting density data for causing ink to be emitted from at least an end orifice located at an end of said recording heads to converted sanity data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifices; and driving means for driving said recording heads based on the converted density data.

Claim 42

An image recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of recording heads for recording images on the recording medium, said recording heads having a plurality of orifices for emitting ink, with each recording head imitating ink of a different color; main scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a main scanning direction relative to the recording medium so that a predetermined width of a recording area is formed on the recording medium; subsidiary scanning means for scanning said recording heads in a subsidiary scanning direction transverse to the main scanning direction and relative to the recording medium; reading means for reading an original document; discrimination means for discriminating density of the images on the original document read by said reading means; conversion means for converting density data for causing ink to be emitted from at least an end orifice located at an end of said recording heads to converted sanity data, the converted density data resulting in a reduced quantity of ink being emitted from the end orifices; and driving means for driving said recording heads based on the converted density data.

Claim 43

An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said conversion means performs the density conversion for said recording head emitting black ink.

Claim 44

An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the recording medium is a back print film.

Claim 45

An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said recording heads produce an ink state transition by means of thermal energy so as to emit the ink from the orifices.