Patent ID: 7068395

Claim:
An image processing apparatus, comprising: input means for inputting multivalued image information; conversion means for converting the input multivalued image information into first data representing a number of print dots for each pixel of the image; generation means for generating second data representing the total number of print dots in each region made up of a plurality of pixels, based on the first data; a memory for storing the second data generated by said generation means; and print dot layout determination means for inputting from said memory a plurality of the second data comprising the second data of a region of interest and the second data of at least one region around the region of interest, and determining a print dot layout in the region of interest in accordance with the plurality of the second data; wherein said print dot layout determination means con- centrates dots of the print dot layout in the region of interst at the center of the region in a case where the total numbers of print dots in the regions around the region of interest are small and the total number of dots in the region of interest is small, distributes dots of the print dot layout to the right and left sides in the region of interest in a case where the total numbers of print dots in the regions around the region of interest are large and the total number of dots in the region of interest is small, and shifts dots of the print dot layout in the region of interest to a region around the region of interest, which has more large number of dots than the other region around the region of interest in a case where a difference between the total numbers of print dots in the regions around the region of interest is large.