Image processing method and image processor

Claim 2

An image processing method for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the method comprising: an obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel to be printed on the print medium by using a nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the first pixel; a determining step of determining, on the basis of the obtained first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, a correction value; a first generating step of generating, on the basis of the determined correction value and the multi-valued data, corrected multi-valued data; a second generating step of generating, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data, ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the nozzle; and a third generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the ejection data, a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing a second pixel that is a pixel printed next to the first pixel, by the nozzle, on the print medium, wherein a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a first degree, is larger than a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a second degree, which is lower than the first degree.

Claim 3

The image processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising a printing step of, on the basis of the ejection data generated by the second generating step, printing an image on the print medium.

Claim 4

The image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in the second generating step, the ejection data is binary data.

Claim 5

The image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the print head performs printing on the first pixel by a plurality of nozzles, and in the obtaining step, the first parameter is obtained for each of the plurality of nozzles.

Claim 6

The image processing method according to claim 4 , wherein in the first generating step, an average value of the first parameters of the plurality of nozzles is calculated, and on the basis of the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel and the average value, the corrected multi-valued data is generated.

Claim 7

The image processing method according to claim 4 , wherein in the second generating step, a resolution of the corrected multi-valued data is lower than the resolution of the ejection data.

Claim 8

The image processing method according to claim 4 , wherein the third generating step generates the second parameter for each of the plurality of nozzles, the image processing method further comprising an acquiring step of acquiring an average value of the second parameters for the plurality of nozzles.

Claim 9

An image processor for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the image processor comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel to be printed on the print medium by using a nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the first pixel; a determining unit configured to, on the basis of the obtained first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, determine a correction value; a first generating unit configured to, on the basis of the determined correction value and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, generate corrected multi-valued data; a second generating unit configured to, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data, generate ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the nozzle; and a third generating unit configured to, on the basis of the first parameter and the ejection data, generate a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the second pixel that is a pixel printed next to the first pixel, by the nozzle, on the print medium, wherein a correction value that is determined in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a first degree, is larger than a correction value that is determined in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a second degree, which is lower than the first degree.

Claim 10

An image processor for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the image processor comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel to be printed on the print medium by using a nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the first pixel; a determining unit configured to, on the basis of the obtained first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, determine a correction value; a first generating unit configured to, on the basis of the determined correction value and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, generate corrected multi-valued data; a second generating unit configured to, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data, generate ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the nozzle; and a third generating unit configured to, on the basis of the first parameter and the ejection data, generate a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the second pixel that is a pixel printed next to the first pixel, by the nozzle, on the print medium, wherein a correction value that is determined in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a first degree, is larger than a correction value that is determined in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a second degree, which is lower than the first degree.

Claim 11

An image processing method for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the method comprising: an obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel to be printed on the print medium by using a nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the first pixel; a determining step of determining, on the basis of the obtained first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, a correction value; a first generating step of generating, on the basis of the determined correction value and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, corrected multi-valued data; and a second generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the corrected multi-valued data, a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing a second pixel that is a pixel printed next to the first pixel, by the nozzle, on the print medium, wherein a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a first degree, is larger than a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a second degree which is lower than the first degree.

Claim 12

An image processing method for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the method comprising: an obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel to be printed on the print medium by using a nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing the first pixel; a determining step of determining, on the basis of the obtained first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, a correction value; a first generating step of generating, on the basis of the determined correction value and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, corrected multi-valued data; and a second generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the corrected multi-valued data, a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the nozzle at a timing for printing a second pixel that is a pixel printed next to the first pixel, by the nozzle, on the print medium, wherein a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a first degree, is larger than a correction value that is determined, in the determining step, in a case where the concentration degree of the ink in the nozzle indicated by the first parameter is a second degree which is lower than the first degree.

Claim 13

An image processing method for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head in a scan direction, the print head being provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the method comprising: a first obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel on the print medium, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in a predetermined nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles at a timing when the predetermined nozzle is relatively positioned at position corresponding to the first pixel; a first generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, corrected multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel; a second generating step of generating, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data, ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the predetermined nozzle to the first pixel; and a third generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the ejection data, a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the predetermined nozzle at a timing when the predetermined nozzle is relatively positioned at a position corresponding to a second pixel that is next to the first pixel in the scan direction on the print medium, such that (i) in a case that the ejection data indicates ejection of the ink to the first pixel, and a value of the first parameter is a predetermined value, a value of the second parameter is a first value, and (ii) in a case that the ejection data indicates ejection of the ink to the first pixel, and the value of the first parameter is larger than the predetermined value, a value of the second parameter is a second value, which is larger than the first value and smaller than the value of the first parameter.

Claim 14

An image processing method for printing an image on a print medium by a relative scan between the print medium and a print head in a scan direction, the print head being provided with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, the method comprising: a first obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to a first pixel on the print medium, and a first parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in a predetermined nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles at a timing when the predetermined nozzle is relatively positioned at position corresponding to the first pixel; a first generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel, corrected multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel; a second generating step of generating, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data, ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the predetermined nozzle to the first pixel; and a third generating step of generating, on the basis of the first parameter and the ejection data, a second parameter that indicates a concentration degree of ink in the predetermined nozzle at a timing when the predetermined nozzle is relatively positioned at a position corresponding to a second pixel that is next to the first pixel in the scan direction on the print medium, such that (i) in a case that the ejection data indicates ejection of the ink to the first pixel, and a value of the first parameter is a predetermined value, a value of the second parameter is a first value, and (ii) in a case that the ejection data indicates ejection of the ink to the first pixel, and the value of the first parameter is larger than the predetermined value, a value of the second parameter is a second value, which is larger than the first value and smaller than the value of the first parameter.

Claim 15

The image processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising: a printing step of printing, on the basis of the ejection data generated by the second generating step, an image on the print medium.

Claim 16

The image processing method according to claim 10 , wherein in the second generating step, the ejection data is binary data.

Claim 17

The image processing method according to claim 10 , wherein the print head performs printing on the first pixel by a plurality of nozzles, and in the obtaining step, the first parameter is obtained for each of the plurality of nozzles.

Claim 18

The image processing method according to claim 13 , wherein in the first generating step, an average value of the first parameters of the plurality of nozzles is calculated, and on the basis of the multi-valued data corresponding to the first pixel and the average value, the corrected multi-valued data is generated.

Claim 19

The image processing method according to claim 13 , wherein in the second generating step, a resolution of the corrected multi-valued data is lower than the resolution of the ejection data.

Claim 20

The image processing method according to claim 13 , wherein the third generating step generates the second parameter for each of the plurality of nozzles, and the image processing method further comprises: an acquiring step of acquiring an average value of the second parameters for the plurality of nozzles.

Claim 21

The image processing method according to claim 10 , wherein in the third generating step, the first value is zero.

Claim 22

The image processing method according to claim 17 , wherein in the determining step, the correction value corresponding to the second pixel that is generated in a case that the value of the second parameter is relatively high, is larger than the correction value corresponding to the second pixel that is generated in a case that the value of the second parameter is relatively low.

Claim 23

The image processing method according to claim 10 , wherein in the third generating step, the second value is larger than zero.

Claim 24

The image processing method according to claim 10 , wherein the second parameter is generated, in the third generating step, such that (iii) in a case that the ejection data indicates non-ejection of the ink to the first pixel, the value of the second parameter is larger than the value of the first parameter.

Claim 25

The image processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising: a second obtaining step of obtaining multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel; a determining step of determining, on the basis of the second parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel, a correction value corresponding to the second pixel; a fourth generating step of generating, on the basis of the correction value corresponding to the second pixel and the multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel, corrected multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel; a fifth generating step of generating, on the basis of the corrected multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel, ejection data that indicates ejection or non-ejection of the ink from the predetermined nozzle to the second pixel.

Claim 26

The image processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising: a fourth generating step of generating, on the basis of the second parameter and the multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel, corrected multi-valued data corresponding to the second pixel.