Printing device and printing method

摘要

A printing device using a print head ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles to print ink dots of a plurality of dot diameters, includes a print-characteristic acquisition unit obtaining print characteristic information on dot diameters of ink dots to be printed per each predetermined portion of the plurality of nozzles, a distribution ratio determination unit determining a distribution ratio for distributing image data to the predetermined portions of the plurality of nozzles based on the information, a dot print position determination unit quantizing the image data to determine a dot print position based on the image data and sizes and an array of thresholds; and a plurality of masks based on dot distribution order determined according to the distribution ratio, distributing printing of each of the ink dots of the plurality of dot diameters to the dot print position determined by the dot print position determination unit.

主权项

1. A printing device capable of using a print head ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles to print ink dots of a plurality of dot diameters on a print medium, comprising:
a print-characteristic obtaining unit configured to obtain print characteristic information on dot volume of ink dots to be printed from predetermined portions of the plurality of nozzles; a distribution ratio determination unit configured to determine a distribution ratio for distributing image data to the predetermined portions of the plurality of nozzles for each of the plurality of dot diameters on the basis of the print characteristic information; a dot print position determination unit configured to determine a dot print position on an area, corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels, on the print medium by quantizing the image data based on threshold values to be compared with gradation values of the image data which are arrayed corresponding to the area; and a print dot distribution processing unit configured to distribute printing of each of the ink dots of the plurality of dot diameters to the dot print position determined by the dot print position determination unit using a plurality of mask patterns indicating print-permitting position on the print medium for each of the ink dots of the plurality of dot diameters, wherein the plurality of mask patterns are based on a dot distribution order, for distributing each of the ink dots of the plurality of dot diameters to a plurality of dot print positions corresponding to an order of the arrayed threshold values, determined in accordance with the distribution ratio, wherein the print dot distribution processing unit determines the plurality of mask patterns to be used for each of the predetermined portions of the plurality of nozzles.