Patent ID: 6585353
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A printing signal processing apparatus for providing printing signals to a printing apparatus for forming an image on a printing medium, wherein the printing apparatus alternately repeats (i) a primary scanning operation for relatively moving a carriage provided with printing heads corresponding to a plurality of colors over the printing medium in a primary scanning direction and driving the printing heads based on binary printing signals obtained from multi-valued printing signals to form an image on a scanning print area corresponding to an array width of printing elements of the printing heads and (ii) a sub-scanning operation for moving the printing medium relative to the printing heads by an amount corresponding to the array width of the printing elements in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the primary scanning direction to sequentially form an image on a plurality of adjacent scanning print areas in the sub-scanning direction, said printing signal processing apparatus comprising:means for calculating a total value of multi-valued printing signal values for all colors corresponding to a pixel in at least one of upper and lower adjacent boundary areas in upper and lower adjacent scanning print areas; and means for correcting the printing signals for carrying out correction of decreasing multi-valued printing signal values for all colors corresponding to a pixel in which the calculated total value exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value corresponding to the pixel depends on the position of the pixel.