Patent ID: 7585036

Claim:
A printing method comprising: generating a drive signal that drives a piezo element by selecting, based on print data, either a first original drive signal having a unit signal that defines the start to the end of an operation of causing said piezo element to eject ink by changing a voltage of said piezo element using a first reference voltage as a reference, said first original drive signal being generated by a first original drive signal generating section, or a second original drive signal having a unit signal that defines the start to the end of an operation of causing said piezo element to eject ink by changing the voltage of said piezo element using a second reference voltage as a reference, said second original drive signal being generated simultaneously with said first original drive signal and being generated by a second original drive signal generating section that is different from said first original drive signal generating section; ejecting ink using said piezo element by applying the generated drive signal to said piezo element to charge and discharge said piezo element; and charging said piezo element so that the voltage of said piezo element attains either said first reference voltage or said second reference voltage during a predetermined period during which neither said first original drive signal nor said second original drive signal is selected.