Method and apparatus for simulating 2 bit-per-pel printing on a bi-level printer using intelligent double dotting

摘要

An image processing method and apparatus for enhancing the quality of a printed image without degrading overall printer performance or throughput by simulating 2 bit pel printing on a bi-level printer using intelligent double dotting. The present invention allows a bi-level printer to print an 2N dpi 1 bit-per-pel image through intelligent double dotting, thus enhancing the half resolution rendered image to approach the print quality as if the image were rendered at full resolution. In one embodiment, an enhanced resolution mode which uses a bi-level printer's 1200 dpi mode to print 600 dpi, 2 bit-per-pel images, results in an image having higher resolution quality than rendering the image using traditional halftone methods at either 600 dpi or 1200 dpi. Image enhancement through higher order resolution multiplication is also disclosed.