The colors used for forming an image are limited in advance to a predetermined number of color patterns called representative colors; on the host side the image data received is divided into blocks, for each of which a representative color is determined in a representative color code conversion unit; the representative colors and their associated representative color codes are transmitted to the printer side; and on the printer side the representative color codes are converted into dot patterns ...

A printing method and printing apparatus can print a high-quality image free from any visual graininess by reducing density unevenness and color unevenness. In printing by discharging ink from a printhead onto a printing medium, the printing apparatus executes either one of (A) a first printing operation mode in which one dot layout pattern is assigned to a plurality of pixels at the same gradation level and printing is done on the basis of the assigned dot layout pattern, or (B) a second printi...

A printing apparatus and printing method can realize high-quality printing without degrading the quality of a printed image even when a nozzle restriction function is adopted in addition to a discharge failure complement function. In a printing apparatus using an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles, whether the position of an ink discharge failure nozzle exists at or near the end of a nozzle area which is still usable regardless of the use restriction on the nozzles is detected. The u...

The present invention provides a printing apparatus and method which can appropriately thin dots for printing so as to ensure a print grade. When dots of a black ink is subjected to thinned printing, the dots are thinned using output gamma correction that corrects print data so as to reduce the print density of an image. On the other hand, when dot of a color ink other than the black ink is subjected to the thinned printing, the number of dots formed per print pixel is reduced.

A printing group of a printing press is comprised of at least one pair of cylinders which include a form cylinder and a transfer cylinder. The transfer cylinder cooperates with an impression cylinder to apply ink to a web of material, with the web being guided vertically. The circumference of at least one of the transfer cylinders and the impression cylinder is an integral multiple, greater than one of the circumference of the form cylinder. The transfer cylinder and the form cylinder have respe...

A photographic print vending apparatus is provided which comprises a media accepting unit which accepts a recording medium having photographic image information stored thereon. An image information reader reads the image information from the recording medium, and a plurality of printers print images based on image data from a processor connected to the image information reader and an advertisement information storage unit. When an advertisement printing mode is set, the processor reads the adver...

When conveying tables for conveying the printing medium are selected to perform interlace printing, the occurrence of unevenness in an image which results from switching of the tables is prevented. It is determined whether a phase of the conveying table is a transfer inhibition phase in transfer to a printing area. In the case of the transfer inhibition phase, the switching is not made to a new table, but the previously used table is used. Thus, the switching can be made to a conveying table so ...

The present invention provides a printing apparatus and method which can appropriately thin dots for printing so as to ensure a print grade. When dots of a black ink is subjected to thinned printing, the dots are thinned using output gamma correction that corrects print data so as to reduce the print density of an image. On the other hand, when dot of a color ink other than the black ink is subjected to the thinned printing, the number of dots formed per print pixel is reduced.

This invention relates to a printing apparatus and printing method which can stably print at high image quality on print media of various sizes by using a full-line printhead. The printing method uses a full-line printhead which has a long printing width and is configured by arraying a plurality of substrates each prepared by arraying a plurality of printing elements and each having a given printing width. When printing is done by conveying a print medium in a direction different from the array ...

A color laser printer of the invention identifies each object image to be printed as a color image or a monochromatic image. When the object image to be printed is identified as a color image, the control procedure of the invention rotates a developer unit with multiple color toner cartridges to sequentially move positions of the respective color toner cartridges to a development position and forms respective color toner images on a photoreceptor. When the object image to be printed is identifie...