US5604520A — Ink jet recording method using different mask pat…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 225 words

An ink jet recording method for recording a color image on a recording medium while performing a main scan operation by using a first recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a first color and a second recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a second color, said method comprising the steps of: dividing a record area of each of said first and second recording heads into n, n>2, blocks and performing a main scan operation n times for the recording medium by using said first and second recording heads, such that different thinning mask patterns are used for said n blocks of each recording head, while performing a sub scan operation by a distance corresponding to said block each time the main scan operation is performed, thereby sequentially recording n different thinned images of the first color, which correspond to said different thinning mask patterns, by using said n blocks of said first recording head and sequentially recording n different thinned images of the second color, which correspond to said different thinning mask patterns, by using said n blocks of said second recording head, on predetermined areas of the recording medium, wherein the thinning mask pattern for each of said blocks is maintained constant during recording on the recording medium.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 225 words

An ink jet recording method for recording a color image on a recording medium while performing a main scan operation by using a first recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a first color and a second recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a second color, said method comprising the steps of: dividing a record area of each of said first and second recording heads into n, n>2, blocks and performing a main scan operation n times for the recording medium by using said first and second recording heads, such that different thinning mask patterns are used for said n blocks of each recording head, while performing a sub scan operation by a distance corresponding to said block each time the main scan operation is performed, thereby sequentially recording n different thinned images of the first color, which correspond to said different thinning mask patterns, by using said n blocks of said first recording head and sequentially recording n different thinned images of the second color, which correspond to said different thinning mask patterns, by using said n blocks of said second recording head, on predetermined areas of the recording medium, wherein the thinning mask pattern for each of said blocks is maintained constant during recording on the recording medium.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method according to claim 1, wherein the thinning mask patterns of said n blocks are complementary patterns.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said first and second recording heads induces a state change in an ink by using thermal energy to eject the ink from said eject orifices.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 176 words

An ink jet recording method for recording a color image on a recording medium while performing a main scan operation by using a first recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a first color and a second recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a second color, said method comprising the steps of: dividing a record area of each of said first and second recording heads into a plurality of blocks, and performing a main scan operation a plurality of number of times for the same area of the recording medium by using different blocks of said plurality of blocks of each of said first and second recording heads, thereby sequentially recording a plurality of thinned images of the first color and a plurality of thinned images of the second color, wherein different thinning mask patterns are used for said blocks of each recording head and the thinning mask pattern for each block is maintained constant during recording on the recording medium.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 176 words

An ink jet recording method for recording a color image on a recording medium while performing a main scan operation by using a first recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a first color and a second recording head having a plurality of ink eject orifices for ejecting an ink of a second color, said method comprising the steps of: dividing a record area of each of said first and second recording heads into a plurality of blocks, and performing a main scan operation a plurality of number of times for the same area of the recording medium by using different blocks of said plurality of blocks of each of said first and second recording heads, thereby sequentially recording a plurality of thinned images of the first color and a plurality of thinned images of the second color, wherein different thinning mask patterns are used for said blocks of each recording head and the thinning mask pattern for each block is maintained constant during recording on the recording medium.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method according to claim 4, wherein the thinning mask patterns of said blocks are complementary patterns.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each of said first and second recording heads induces a state change in an ink by using thermal energy to eject the ink from said eject orifices.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 166 words

An ink jet recording method for recording an image corresponding to image data on a recording medium by moving recording means for recording and having a plurality of ink eject orifices in a main scan direction relative to a predetermined area of the recording medium, thereby performing a main scan operation a plurality of or a predetermined number of times, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of mask block patterns each comprising a combination of a plurality of basic patterns, each basic pattern comprising an area containing print and non-print pixels and having at least two pixels in each of main and sub scan directions, one of the basic patterns and another of the basic .patterns having mutually reversed arrangements of print and non-print pixels, and sequentially generating different mask block patterns each time said recording means performs a main scan operation, thereby sequentially recording complementary thinned images on the recording medium in accordance with thinning patterns formed by repeating the block patterns.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 166 words

An ink jet recording method for recording an image corresponding to image data on a recording medium by moving recording means for recording and having a plurality of ink eject orifices in a main scan direction relative to a predetermined area of the recording medium, thereby performing a main scan operation a plurality of or a predetermined number of times, said method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of mask block patterns each comprising a combination of a plurality of basic patterns, each basic pattern comprising an area containing print and non-print pixels and having at least two pixels in each of main and sub scan directions, one of the basic patterns and another of the basic .patterns having mutually reversed arrangements of print and non-print pixels, and sequentially generating different mask block patterns each time said recording means performs a main scan operation, thereby sequentially recording complementary thinned images on the recording medium in accordance with thinning patterns formed by repeating the block patterns.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 7, wherein the number of print pixels in each mask block pattern is equal to the number obtained by equally dividing the total number of pixels in said mask block pattern by the predetermined number of times.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method according to claim 7, wherein each time the main scan operation is performed, a sub scan operation is performed by a length smaller than a recording length of said recording means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method according to claim 9, wherein the sub scan operation is performed by a length obtained by equally dividing the recording length of said recording means by the predetermined number of times.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method according to claim 7, wherein said basic pattern comprises an area having a larger number of pixels than the predetermined number in each of the main and sub scan directions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 226 words

A method according to claim 7, wherein in said providing step, a first block pattern obtained by arranging first and second basic patterns in the main scan direction is generated, said first basic pattern containing print and non-print pixels, comprising an area in which m pixels, m≧2, are arranged in the sub scan direction and two pixels in the main scan direction, and being formed by arranging the print and non-print pixels such that the print pixels do not adjoin each other in the main and sub scan directions, and said second basic pattern being formed by reversing the array of the print and non-print pixels of said first basic pattern, and a block pattern formed by reversing the array of the print and non-print pixels of said first block pattern, a thinned image is recorded on the recording medium in accordance with a thinning pattern formed by repeating said first block during a first main scan operation performed by said recording means, a sub scan operation is performed by a length half the recording length of said recording means after the first main scan operation is finished, and another thinned image is recorded on the recording medium in accordance with a thinning pattern formed by repeating said reversed pattern of said first block pattern during a second main scan operation performed by said recording means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method according to claim 12, wherein said first basic pattern comprises an area in which two pixels are arranged in each of the main and sub scan directions and print pixels are located diagonally.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 149 words

A method according to claim 7, wherein in said providing step, an n-th block pattern is generated, the n-th block pattern comprising an area which contains print and non-print pixels and in which m , m≧2, pixels are arranged in the sub scan direction and k×2 n , k≧2, n≧1, pixels are arranged in the main scan direction, and a block pattern formed by reversing the array of the print and non-print pixels of said n-th block pattern, a thinned image is recorded in accordance with a thinning pattern formed by repeating said n-th block pattern during a first main scan operation performed by said recording means, and another thinned image is recorded in accordance with a thinning pattern formed by repeating said reversed pattern of said n-th block pattern during a second main scan operation performed by said recording means after the first main scan operation is finished.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 75 words

A method according to claim 14, wherein said nth block pattern is obtained by arranging, in the main scan direction, an (n-1)th pattern comprising an area which contains print and non-print pixels and in which m pixels are arranged in the sub scan direction and k×2 n-1 pixels are arranged in the main scan direction, and a block pattern formed by reversing the array of the print and non-print pixels of said (n-1)th block pattern.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 34 words

A method according to one of claims 7 to 15, wherein said recording means induces a state change in an ink by using thermal energy to eject ink droplets from said ink eject orifices.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-02-18	2000-08-19	2001-02-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-02-18	2004-08-19	2005-02-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-02-18	2008-08-19	2009-02-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ink jet recording method using different mask patterns

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