Patent ID: 8287072

Claim:
A method for processing image data including pixels received from an image data source in preparation for multipass printing, comprising a processor for performing the following: a) multitoning the image data to produce a multitoned image having a multitone image resolution R Mx Ã—R My dot per inch and a number of multitone level values L M , the multitone image resolution being lower than a printing resolution R Px Ã—R Py dots per inch, and the number of multitone levels L M being higher than a number of printing levels L P ; b) using the multitone level of a pixel in the multitoned image to select a plane of a print mask; c) using the location of the pixel in the multitoned image to select a cell including a plurality of output pixels in the selected plane of the print mask, wherein the output pixels store values representing the number of drops to be printed at corresponding locations for a particular printing pass; d) copying the selected cell of output pixels to corresponding locations within a print buffer; and e) repeating steps b) through d) for a plurality of pixels in the multitoned image; wherein the size of each cell is nÃ—m, where nâ•R Px /R Mx and m=R Py /R My , wherein at least of n or m is greater than 1, and wherein the number of multitone level values L M =(nÃ—m)Ã—(L p âˆ’1)+1.