Patent ID: 7130083

Claim:
An image recording apparatus for performing recording using a dot pattern corresponding to each gradation value, based on image data representing each pixel by one of N gradation values, said apparatus comprising: selection means for selecting one dot pattern based on gradation-value information of the pixel of the image data and position information of the pixel, from a dot-pattern-table storage unit for storing X (N>X, X is a natural number) dot pattern tables, each having a plurality of different dot patterns, corresponding to respective ones of X gradation values; and dot-pattern generation means for generating dot patterns corresponding to (N−X) predetermined gradation values, wherein, when a dot-pattern table corresponding to the gradation-value information is stored in the dot-pattern-table storage unit, the dot pattern selected by said selection means is recorded by a recording head, and wherein, when a dot-pattern table corresponding to the gradation-value information is not stored in the dot-pattern-table storage unit, dot patterns corresponding to the predetermined gradation values generated by said dot-pattern generation means are recorded by the recording head.