Patent ID: 7538909

Claim:
A method, in printing an image comprising a plurality of image values each assuming one of a number of possible intensity values per pixel, of compensating for one or more defective printer nozzles in a plurality of printer nozzles, said method comprising the steps of: biasing, for each first image value to be printed at a first pixel position associated with a first nozzle, at least one second image value to be printed at a second pixel position associated with another nozzle, said second pixel position being different from said first pixel position and said biasing being dependent upon said first image value and a printing desirability factor for said first nozzle; halftoning said at least one biased second image value by error diffusion or dithering to form at least one corresponding nozzle firing value assuming one of a reduced number of possible intensity values per pixel; and printing the image using said at least one nozzle firing value, thereby reducing print artefacts otherwise caused by the one or more defective nozzles.