Patent ID: 6378982
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B41J,G06K

Abstract:
A printing apparatus using a print head to perform printing, comprising:main scan means for scanning the print head relative to a recording medium in a main scan direction; sub-scan means for scanning the recording medium relative to the print head in a sub-scan direction different from the main scan direction; and control means for controlling main-scanning of the print head a plurality of times over the same print line on the recording medium with at least one sub-scan operation interposed between the main scan operations to print the line, the print head having a plurality of staggered columns of print elements; wherein the control means controls the amount of sub-scanning by said sub-scan means to position print elements of different columns on the same print line and also controls the use of print elements of different columns to complete the printing of the same print line by masking data for print elements in each main scan.