Patent ID: 7585038
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An inkjet printing method using a printing head having a plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink for printing an image by ejecting ink based on printing data which instructs ejection or non-ejection of ink, the plurality of nozzles being aligned next to each other along a predetermined direction, the printing head being driven based on the printing data to eject ink, wherein the printing data corresponding to an abnormal nozzle malfunctioning in ink-ejection is added to the printing data corresponding to a neighboring nozzle of the abnormal nozzle, when an N-th nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is an abnormal nozzle, a neighboring printing area neighboring a printing area to be printed by the N-th abnormal nozzle is printed by using an (N−M)-th neighboring nozzle and an (N+M)-th neighboring nozzle (where N and M are positive integers) arranged in the neighborhood of the N-th abnormal nozzle based on the printing data corresponding to the N-th abnormal nozzle, and when the printing data corresponding to the N-th abnormal nozzle is added to that corresponding to the (N−M)-th neighboring nozzle and the (N+M)-th neighboring nozzle, a driving frequency for ejecting ink from the (N−M)-th neighboring nozzle and the (N+M)-th neighboring nozzle is increased by 2 times, the driving frequency being a frequency for driving the printing head to eject ink in performing the printing and being defined by a number of times the plurality of nozzles in the printing head are drivable during a predetermined period, timings of ink ejection performed based on original printing data corresponding to the (N−M)-th neighboring nozzle and the (N+M)-th neighboring nozzle being shifted from timings of ink ejection performed based on the printing data added to the printing data corresponding to the (N-M)-th neighboring nozzle and the (N+M)-th neighboring nozzle.