Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and printer

摘要

Provided is an image processing apparatus that can accurately and efficiently reduce color unevenness that occurs in a color image, which is formed by color mixture of a plurality of different types of inks, due to a variation in ejection characteristic among nozzles. The inks are respectively ejected from the nozzle arrays to print patches; regions where color correction for test color images should be performed are specified; a different types of color correction processing for color signals corresponding to the color correction regions are performed to print color correction patches; a color correction patch to be used is selected; on the basis of selected color correction processing, a table parameter corresponding to a nozzle is formed; when the plurality of color correction patches are formed, only correction candidate values having larger color differences than a predetermined threshold value in a uniform color space are generated for color signals.

主权项

1. An image processing apparatus that performs image processing for printing an image on a printing medium by using a printing head, the printing head including a first nozzle array having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a first color ink, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the first nozzle array are arranged in a predetermined direction, and a second nozzle array having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a second color ink, wherein the plurality of nozzles of the second nozzle array are arranged in the predetermined direction, the second color ink being different from the first color ink, wherein the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array are arranged in an intersecting direction which intersects with the predetermined direction, the image processing apparatus comprising:
a first printing control unit configured to (i) print a first image on a first area in the printing medium by ejecting at least the first and second color ink from a first nozzle unit based on a predetermined color signal representing a predetermined color, wherein the first nozzle unit comprises a predetermined number of nozzles of the first nozzle array and a predetermined number of nozzles of the second nozzle array, and (ii) print a second image on a second area in the printing medium which is in a different position from the first area in the predetermined direction by ejecting at least the first and second color ink from a second nozzle unit based on the predetermined color signal, wherein the second nozzle unit comprises a predetermined number of nozzles of the first nozzle array and a predetermined number of nozzles of the second nozzle array, wherein the respective nozzles of the predetermined number of nozzles of the first and second nozzle arrays are different from the nozzles of the first nozzle unit, and wherein a position of nozzles of the second nozzle unit in the predetermined direction is different from a position of nozzles of the first nozzle unit in the predetermined direction; a first obtaining unit configured to obtain information showing whether or not a color correction to the first image is to be performed; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a predetermined value of color difference which is used for performing color correction to the first image, wherein the predetermined value of color difference is determined by a user; and a second printing control unit configured to, in a case that the first obtaining unit obtains information showing the color correction to the first image is performed, print a plurality of color correction images which are used for specifying a first correcting color for correcting the predetermined color signal corresponding to the first nozzle unit, wherein each of the plurality of the color correction images is printed by ejecting ink from the first nozzle unit to a third area in the printing medium based on each of a plurality of correcting color signals representing each of a plurality of correcting colors obtained by the color correction to the predetermined color signal, and wherein a value of color difference between each of the plurality of correcting colors and the predetermined color corresponds to the predetermined value of color difference obtained by the second obtaining unit, and by ejecting ink from the second nozzle unit to a fourth area in the printing medium which is in a different position from the third area in the predetermined direction based on the predetermined color signal without the color correction.