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US5748207A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ink jet recording system for preventing blurring at color boundary portion

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-10-29
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Granted: 1998-05-05
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Expires: 2013-10-29
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Abstract

Abstract A recording head having an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and ejection portion groups for ejecting color inks is used. When a black image to be printed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be printed by the color ink, a black image portion adjacent to the color image and a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image are formed in different scans, thereby obtaining a high-quality image from which ink blurring at a boundary portion between the black and color images is eliminated.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshiharu Inui
  • 👤 Naoji Otsuka
  • 👤 Mamoru Sakaki
  • 👤 Jiro Moriyama
  • 👤 Nobuyuki Kuwabara
  • 👤 Isao Ebisawa
  • 👤 Hiroshi Tajika
  • 👤 Atsushi Arai
  • 👤 Hisao Yaegashi
  • 👤 Kentaro Yano
  • 👤 Kiichiro Takahashi
  • 👤 Osamu Iwasaki
  • 👤 Daigoro Kanematsu

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:13
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2132; B41J19/00; B41J19/14; B41J19/142

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 67
Claim 1
Independent Claim 164 words
An ink jet recording method for obtaining a multi-color image by scanning, on a recording paper sheet, a recording head which has an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and ejection portion groups each including n (2n<m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, and is arranged so that groups of ejection portions for ejecting the black and color inks do not overlap in a scan direction, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image to be printed using the black ink and a color image to be printed using the color inks are present adjacent to each other; and executing a scan for forming a black image portion adjacent to the color image independently of a scan for forming a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image when it is determined that the black and color images are present adjacent to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 164 words
An ink jet recording method for obtaining a multi-color image by scanning, on a recording paper sheet, a recording head which has an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and ejection portion groups each including n (2n<m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, and is arranged so that groups of ejection portions for ejecting the black and color inks do not overlap in a scan direction, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image to be printed using the black ink and a color image to be printed using the color inks are present adjacent to each other; and executing a scan for forming a black image portion adjacent to the color image independently of a scan for forming a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image when it is determined that the black and color images are present adjacent to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 91 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said m ejection portions for ejecting the black ink are divided into a first ejection portion group including first to i-th ejection portions, and a second ejection portion group including (i+1)-th to j-th (1<i<j≦m) ejection portions, the black image portion adjacent to the color image is printed using one of said first and said second ejection portion groups, and the black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image is printed using another of said first and said second ejection portion groups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 8 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein j=2i.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the color inks include yellow, magenta, and cyan inks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink is arranged at an end portion of said recording head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein a space is assigned between each two adjacent ejection portion groups of the respective colors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the color inks are ejected by heat energy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 58 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein heat energy to be applied to print the black image portion adjacent to the color image is set to be different from heat energy to be applied to print the black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image so as to control an ejection amount of the ink.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 229 words
An ink jet recording head comprising: a plurality of nozzles for ejecting inks by forming bubbles upon reception of heat energy, at least some of said nozzles constituting a plurality of nozzle groups, each said nozzle group including m said nozzles for ejecting a black ink, and said nozzle group including n (2n≦m) nozzles for ejecting color inks in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being arranged, so that said nozzle groups for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap each other, wherein said m nozzles for ejecting the black ink are divided into a first nozzle group including a first to an i-th nozzle, and a second nozzle group including an (i+1)-th to a j-th (1<i<j≦m) nozzle, so that one of the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group records a black image using the black ink adjacent to a color image to be recorded using the color inks and another of the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group records a black image not adjacent to the color image, and wherein different amounts of heat energy are supplied to said first and said second nozzle groups, so that a thermal energy applied to one of said first and said second nozzle groups is less than a thermal energy applied to another of said first and said second nozzle groups.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 229 words
An ink jet recording head comprising: a plurality of nozzles for ejecting inks by forming bubbles upon reception of heat energy, at least some of said nozzles constituting a plurality of nozzle groups, each said nozzle group including m said nozzles for ejecting a black ink, and said nozzle group including n (2n≦m) nozzles for ejecting color inks in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being arranged, so that said nozzle groups for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap each other, wherein said m nozzles for ejecting the black ink are divided into a first nozzle group including a first to an i-th nozzle, and a second nozzle group including an (i+1)-th to a j-th (1<i<j≦m) nozzle, so that one of the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group records a black image using the black ink adjacent to a color image to be recorded using the color inks and another of the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group records a black image not adjacent to the color image, and wherein different amounts of heat energy are supplied to said first and said second nozzle groups, so that a thermal energy applied to one of said first and said second nozzle groups is less than a thermal energy applied to another of said first and said second nozzle groups.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 8 words
A head according to claim 9, wherein j=2i.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 177 words
An ink jet recording method for obtaining a multi-color image by scanning, on a recording paper sheet, a recording head which has an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, and is arranged so that groups of ejection portions for ejecting the black and color inks do not overlap in a scan direction, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by an adjacent color ejection portion group for ejecting the color ink, the adjacent color election portion group being arranged adjacent to said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink; and divisionally printing the image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group in a plurality of scans when it is determined that the black image is present adjacent to the color image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 177 words
An ink jet recording method for obtaining a multi-color image by scanning, on a recording paper sheet, a recording head which has an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, and is arranged so that groups of ejection portions for ejecting the black and color inks do not overlap in a scan direction, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by an adjacent color ejection portion group for ejecting the color ink, the adjacent color election portion group being arranged adjacent to said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink; and divisionally printing the image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group in a plurality of scans when it is determined that the black image is present adjacent to the color image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 58 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein when the color image is present adjacent to the black image, the black image is printed using predetermined ejection portions of said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink, so that a scan for forming the black image and a scan for forming the color image are not continuously performed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein when he color image is present adjacent to the black image, the black image is divisionally printed in a plurality of scans.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the number of ejection portions used for printing the black image is 2n.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the color inks include yellow, magenta, and cyan inks.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink is arranged at an end portion of said recording head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein a space is assigned between each two adjacent ejection portion groups of the respective colors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein a number l of predetermined ejection portions of said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink satisfies l≦n.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein a feed pitch of the recording paper sheet when the black image is present adjacent to the color image is associated with the number l of ejection portions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of scans are performed in forward and backward paths.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 19 words
A method according to any one of claims 11 to 20, wherein the inks are ejected by heat energy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 133 words
An ink jet recording method for forming a multi-color image by scanning, relative to a recording medium, a recording head, which has an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and a plurality of ejection portion groups for ejecting a plurality of different color inks, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image to be formed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by the color ink; and performing image formation processing at an adjacent boundary portion between the black ink and the color ink so that said image formation processing at the adjacent boundary portion is different from image formation processing at a non-adjacent boundary portion when it is determined that the black image is present adjacent to the color image.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 133 words
An ink jet recording method for forming a multi-color image by scanning, relative to a recording medium, a recording head, which has an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and a plurality of ejection portion groups for ejecting a plurality of different color inks, comprising the steps of: discriminating whether or not a black image to be formed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by the color ink; and performing image formation processing at an adjacent boundary portion between the black ink and the color ink so that said image formation processing at the adjacent boundary portion is different from image formation processing at a non-adjacent boundary portion when it is determined that the black image is present adjacent to the color image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein when the color image is present adjacent to the black image, the black and color images are formed in different scans.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein when the color image is present adjacent to the black image, at least one of a black image of the adjacent boundary portion and the color image is divisionally formed in a plurality of scans.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein when the color image is present adjacent to the black image, an ink ejection amount for forming at least one of a black image of the adjacent boundary portion and the color image is decreased.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of color inks include yellow, magneta, and cyan inks.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 91 words
An ink jet recording method, having a recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image ink a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image in an ejection amount smaller than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 91 words
An ink jet recording method, having a recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image ink a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image in an ejection amount smaller than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method according to claim 27, wherein when the record pixel located in the predetermined region along the color boundary has a predetermined color, the ejection amount of a recording ink droplet for forming the record pixel is set to be a normal ejection amount.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined region along the color boundary is associated with one pixel adjacent to the color boundary.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined region along the color boundary is associated with a region of two or more pixels adjacent to the color boundary.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 207 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information such that ejection amounts are variable, the method comprising the steps of: converting input image data into data in accordance with the plurality of colors; detecting a presence/absence of record data from the data in accordance with the colors; discriminating in a color discrimination step if the record data detected in the data detecting step is record data of a predetermined color; discriminating in an adjacent data discrimination step if the record data of a color other than the predetermined color discriminated in the color discrimination step is record data of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels; generating in a driving data generating step driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection and discrimination results in the data detection step, the color discrimination step, and the adjacent data discrimination step; and executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 207 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information such that ejection amounts are variable, the method comprising the steps of: converting input image data into data in accordance with the plurality of colors; detecting a presence/absence of record data from the data in accordance with the colors; discriminating in a color discrimination step if the record data detected in the data detecting step is record data of a predetermined color; discriminating in an adjacent data discrimination step if the record data of a color other than the predetermined color discriminated in the color discrimination step is record data of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels; generating in a driving data generating step driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection and discrimination results in the data detection step, the color discrimination step, and the adjacent data discrimination step; and executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined color discriminated in the color discrimination step is black.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 115 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein the driving data generating step includes the steps of: generating driving data for ejecting no ink when no record data is detected in the data detection step; generating driving data which does not change an ejection amount of the ink when it is determined in the color discrimination step that the record data is record data of the predetermined color; and setting an ejection amount of the ink to be smaller than a normal ejection amount when it is determined in the adjacent data discrimination step that the record data of interest is not record data of the same color as the color of the adjacent record data.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 155 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by variably ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, the method comprising the steps of: converting input image data into data in accordance with the plurality of colors; detecting a presence/absence of record data from the data in accordance with the colors; discriminating if the record data detected in the data detection step is record data of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels; generating driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection and discrimination results in the data detection step and the adjacent data discrimination step; and executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 155 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by variably ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, the method comprising the steps of: converting input image data into data in accordance with the plurality of colors; detecting a presence/absence of record data from the data in accordance with the colors; discriminating if the record data detected in the data detection step is record data of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels; generating driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection and discrimination results in the data detection step and the adjacent data discrimination step; and executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 82 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein the driving data generating step includes the steps of: generating driving data for ejecting no ink when no record data is detected in the data detection step; and setting an ejection amount of the ink to be smaller than a normal ejection amount when it is determined in the adjacent data discrimination step that the record data of interest is not record data of the same color as the color of the adjacent record data.
Claim 43
Independent Claim 36 words
A method according to any one of claims 31 to 35, wherein the adjacent data discrimination step includes the step of performing discrimination for upper, lower, right, and left adjacent record data of the record data.
Claim 44
Independent Claim 43 words
A method according to any one of claims 31 to 35, wherein the adjacent data discrimination step includes the step of performing discrimination for upper, lower, right, left, upper-right, lower right, upper left, and lower left adjacent record data of the record data.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 112 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels, which are formed by two or more inks, of record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in a smaller ejection amount of the inks for forming the record pixels than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 112 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels, which are formed by two or more inks, of record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in a smaller ejection amount of the inks for forming the record pixels than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 115 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in an ejection amount smaller than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary when at least one of record pixels of different colors adjacent to the color boundary is formed by two or more inks.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 115 words
An ink jet recording method, having an ink jet recording head provided with a large number of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting the plurality of color inks in accordance with image information, comprising the step of: recording record pixels located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in an ejection amount smaller than an ejection amount for a portion which is not the color boundary when at least one of record pixels of different colors adjacent to the color boundary is formed by two or more inks.
Claim 49
Independent Claim 21 words
A method according to claims 38 or 39, wherein the plurality of color inks includes cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks.
Claim 50
Independent Claim 54 words
A method according to any one of claims 27-35, 38 or 39, wherein said ink jet recording head comprises heat energy generating means for causing a change in state in the ink by heat, and forming flying ink droplets by ejecting the ink from the ejection portions in accordance with the change in state.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method according to claim 40, wherein said ink jet recording head comprises heat energy generating means for causing a change in state in the ink by heat, and forming flying ink droplets by ejecting the ink from the ejection portions in accordance with the change in state.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim 189 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for obtaining a multi-color image on a recording paper sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and a plurality of ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being constructed so that said groups of said ejection portions for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap in a scan direction; scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording paper sheet in the scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image to be printed using the black ink and a color image to be printed using the color inks are present adjacent to each other; and scan executing means for executing a scan for forming a black image portion adjacent to the color image independently of a scan for forming a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image when it is determined that the black and the color images are present adjacent to each other.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim 189 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for obtaining a multi-color image on a recording paper sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and a plurality of ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being constructed so that said groups of said ejection portions for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap in a scan direction; scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording paper sheet in the scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image to be printed using the black ink and a color image to be printed using the color inks are present adjacent to each other; and scan executing means for executing a scan for forming a black image portion adjacent to the color image independently of a scan for forming a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image when it is determined that the black and the color images are present adjacent to each other.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim 202 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for obtaining a multi-color image on a recording paper sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and a plurality of ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being constructed so that said groups of said ejection portions for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap in a scan direction; scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording paper sheet in the scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by an adjacent color ejection portion group for ejecting the color ink, the adjacent color ejection portion group being arranged adjacent to said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink; and divisional print means for divisionally printing the image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group in a plurality of scans when said discriminating means discriminates that the black image is present adjacent to the color image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim 202 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for obtaining a multi-color image on a recording paper sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group including m ejection portions for ejecting a black ink and a plurality of ejection portion groups each including n (2n≦m) ejection portions for ejecting a color ink in accordance with a plurality of colors, said recording head being constructed so that said groups of said ejection portions for ejecting the black and the color inks do not overlap in a scan direction; scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording paper sheet in the scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by an adjacent color ejection portion group for ejecting the color ink, the adjacent color ejection portion group being arranged adjacent to said ejection portion group for ejecting the black ink; and divisional print means for divisionally printing the image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group in a plurality of scans when said discriminating means discriminates that the black image is present adjacent to the color image to be formed by the adjacent color ejection portion group.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim 151 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording a multi-color image on a recording sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and a plurality of ejection portion groups for ejecting a plurality of different color inks, scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording medium in a scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image to be formed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by the color ink; and image processing means for performing an image formation processing at an adjacent boundary portion between the black ink and the color ink so that the image formation processing at the adjacent boundary portion is different from an other image formation processing at a non-adjacent boundary portion when said discriminating means discriminates that the black image is present adjacent to the color image.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim 151 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording a multi-color image on a recording sheet, comprising: a recording head having an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and a plurality of ejection portion groups for ejecting a plurality of different color inks, scanning means for scanning said recording head relative to said recording medium in a scan direction; discriminating means for discriminating if a black image to be formed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be formed by the color ink; and image processing means for performing an image formation processing at an adjacent boundary portion between the black ink and the color ink so that the image formation processing at the adjacent boundary portion is different from an other image formation processing at a non-adjacent boundary portion when said discriminating means discriminates that the black image is present adjacent to the color image.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim 113 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, comprising: a recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording the image on the recording medium by ejecting the color inks in accordance with an input image information; image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image by causing said recording head to eject the ink in an ejection amount which is smaller than an ejection amount of the ink for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim 113 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, comprising: a recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording the image on the recording medium by ejecting the color inks in accordance with an input image information; image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image by causing said recording head to eject the ink in an ejection amount which is smaller than an ejection amount of the ink for a portion which is not the color boundary.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim 239 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in accordance with an input image data, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, an ejection amount of the inks being variable; converting means for converting the input image data into a data in accordance with the colors; data detecting means for detecting if a record data is present from the data in accordance with the colors to obtain a detection result; color discriminating means for discriminating if the record data detected by the data detecting means is data of a predetermined color to obtain a first discrimination result; adjacent data discriminating means for discriminating if the record data is data of a color other than the predetermined color discriminated by the color discriminating means and that record data is of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels to obtain a second discrimination result; driving data generating means for generating a driving data for setting the ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection result, the first discrimination result, and the second discrimination result of the data detecting means, the color discriminating means, and the adjacent data discriminating means; and executing means for executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data generated by the driving data generating means.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim 239 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in accordance with an input image data, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, an ejection amount of the inks being variable; converting means for converting the input image data into a data in accordance with the colors; data detecting means for detecting if a record data is present from the data in accordance with the colors to obtain a detection result; color discriminating means for discriminating if the record data detected by the data detecting means is data of a predetermined color to obtain a first discrimination result; adjacent data discriminating means for discriminating if the record data is data of a color other than the predetermined color discriminated by the color discriminating means and that record data is of the same color as the color of record data of adjacent record pixels to obtain a second discrimination result; driving data generating means for generating a driving data for setting the ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection result, the first discrimination result, and the second discrimination result of the data detecting means, the color discriminating means, and the adjacent data discriminating means; and executing means for executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data generated by the driving data generating means.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim 183 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in accordance with an input image information, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks; converting means for converting the input image data into a data in accordance with the colors; data detecting means for detecting if a record data is present from the data in accordance with the colors to obtain a detection result; adjacent data discriminating means for discriminating if the record data detected by the data detecting means is data of a same color as a color of the record data of adjacent record pixels to obtain a discrimination result; driving data generating means for generating a driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection result and the discrimination result of the data detecting means and the adjacent data discriminating means; and recording executing means for executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data generated by the driving data generating means.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim 183 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in accordance with an input image information, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks; converting means for converting the input image data into a data in accordance with the colors; data detecting means for detecting if a record data is present from the data in accordance with the colors to obtain a detection result; adjacent data discriminating means for discriminating if the record data detected by the data detecting means is data of a same color as a color of the record data of adjacent record pixels to obtain a discrimination result; driving data generating means for generating a driving data for setting an ejection amount of the record data in accordance with the detection result and the discrimination result of the data detecting means and the adjacent data discriminating means; and recording executing means for executing recording by driving said ink jet recording head in accordance with the driving data generated by the driving data generating means.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim 116 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, by ejecting a plurality of color inks in accordance with an image information, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with the plurality of color inks, image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels, which are formed by at least two said inks, the record pixels being located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in a smaller ejection amount of the inks for forming the record pixels than an ejection amount for a region which is not the color boundary.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim 116 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, by ejecting a plurality of color inks in accordance with an image information, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with the plurality of color inks, image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels, which are formed by at least two said inks, the record pixels being located in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, in a smaller ejection amount of the inks for forming the record pixels than an ejection amount for a region which is not the color boundary.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim 138 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording the image on the recording medium by ejecting the color inks in accordance with an input image information; image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, by causing said recording head to eject the ink in an ejection amount which is smaller than an ejection amount of the ink for a region which is not the color boundary when at least one of record pixels of different colors adjacent to the color boundary is formed by at least two said inks.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim 138 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, comprising: an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ejection portions associated with a plurality of color inks, for recording the image on the recording medium by ejecting the color inks in accordance with an input image information; image recording means for recording a plurality of record pixels in a predetermined region along a color boundary defined by a color difference in units of record pixels of the image, by causing said recording head to eject the ink in an ejection amount which is smaller than an ejection amount of the ink for a region which is not the color boundary when at least one of record pixels of different colors adjacent to the color boundary is formed by at least two said inks.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-05-04 2001-11-03 2002-05-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-05-04 2005-11-03 2006-05-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-05-04 2009-11-03 2010-05-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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