Recording apparatus and recording method

摘要

In a mask pattern used in effecting multi-path recording, (A) a recording permission ratio in each pixel row of a non-boundary area of a first pattern portion corresponding to a first nozzle block is substantially a first value, and a recording permission ratio in each pixel row of a non-boundary area of a second pattern portion corresponding to a second nozzle block adjacent the first nozzle block is substantially a second value, and (B) in a boundary area including a boundary between the first pattern portion and the second pattern portion, the recording permission ratio in each pixel row is between the first value and the second value, and the recording permission ratios in each pixel line are made different depending on a position with respect to a scanning direction. In-band and inter-band unevenness and a connecting stripe are reduced by (A) and (B), respectively.

主权项

1. A printing apparatus for printing on a recording material, said apparatus comprising;
a scanning unit for effecting a scanning movement of a recording head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink, the nozzles being arranged in a first direction, wherein said scanning movement is in a second direction crossing the first direction; a moving unit for effecting relative movement between the recording material and said recording head in a third direction crossing the second direction between a scanning movement in which the ink is ejected onto a unit area of the recording material by a part of the nozzles and a subsequent scanning movement in which the ink is ejected onto the unit area by another part of said nozzles; and a controlling unit for ejecting the ink from the nozzles in accordance with a mask pattern for determining recording permission ratios of respective nozzles of said recording head in one scanning movement of said recording head, wherein the mask pattern defines, with respect to each of pixel lines extending in the first direction, a first zone having a substantially constant first recording permission ratio and a second zone having a substantially constant second recording permission ratio which is larger than the first recording permission ratio and being positioned at an adjacent position to said first zone in the first direction, and wherein a boundary position between the first zone and the second zone, with respect to the first direction, is different depending on a position with respect to the second direction.