Patent ID: 9492998
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: B41J

Claim Text:
1. An image processing apparatus for generating recording data to be used in each of a plurality of times of relative scanning of a recording head including a discharge port array in which discharge ports for discharging ink are arrayed in a predetermined direction, with respect to a unit region on a recording medium, in a crossing direction intersecting with the predetermined direction, the recording data defining ink discharge or non-discharge for each of a plurality of pixel regions corresponding to a plurality of pixels in the unit region, the image processing apparatus comprising: a first acquisition unit configured to acquire image data in which information about a number of ink discharge times from 0 to N (N≧2) for each of the plurality of pixel regions is defined for each pixel; a second acquisition unit configured to acquire, for each of a plurality of divided regions being obtained by dividing the unit region in the predetermined direction and the crossing direction and each including a plurality of pixel regions, information about a total value of respective numbers of ink discharge times for the plurality of pixel regions in each of the divided regions based on the image data acquired by the first acquisition unit; a third acquisition unit configured to acquire, based on pieces of information about the respective total values for a plurality of divided regions adjacent to a target divided region, among pieces of information about the respective total values for the plurality of divided regions that have been acquired by the second acquisition unit, information about a representative value of numbers of ink discharge times for the plurality of adjacent divided regions; a first generation unit configured to generate, based on the information acquired by the second acquisition unit and the information acquired by the third acquisition unit, correction data in which information indicating the number of ink discharge times from 0 to N for each of the plurality of pixel regions is defined for each pixel; and a second generation unit configured to generate, based on the correction data generated by the first generation unit, the recording data to be used in each of the plurality of times of scanning, wherein, (i) in a case in which a difference between the total value for the target divided region that is indicated by the information acquired by the second acquisition unit, and the representative value for the plurality of adjacent divided regions that is indicated by the information acquired by the third acquisition unit is larger than a first threshold value, the first generation unit generates the correction data so that a total value of the numbers of ink discharge times for the target divided region that is indicated by the correction data becomes smaller than a total value of the numbers of ink discharge times for the target divided region that is indicated by the image data, and (ii) in a case in which the difference is smaller than the first threshold value, the first generation unit generates the correction data so that a total value of the numbers of ink discharge times for the target divided region that is indicated by the correction data becomes equal to a total value of the numbers of ink discharge times for the target divided region that is indicated by the image data.