Patent ID: 6478394
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B41J,G06K

Abstract:
A printing apparatus for printing an image by a printing head including a plurality of nozzles aligned in an auxiliary scanning direction, comprising:an auxiliary scanning means for relatively moving said printing head and a printing medium substantially in the auxiliary scanning direction a predetermined distance; a primary scanning means for relatively moving said printing head and the printing medium substantially in a direction different from the auxiliary scanning direction; and a printing control means for performing image printing by combining a plurality of thinned images printed based upon respective ones of plural kinds of thinning patterns including a first thinning pattern and a second thinning pattern, the respective patterns being substantially equal in length, in the auxiliary scanning direction, to the predetermined distance, wherein said printing control means performs image printing such that a plurality of first boundaries formed by bordering in the auxiliary scanning direction of a plurality of first thinned images printed by said primary scanning means during a plurality of primary scans based upon said first thinning pattern are located at different positions in the auxiliary scanning direction than a plurality of second boundaries formed by bordering in the auxiliary scanning direction of a plurality of second thinned images printed by said primary scanning means during a plurality of primary scans based upon said second thinning pattern.