Patent ID: 7296865

Claim:
A liquid ejection method, comprising: outputting from a controller a liquid ejection data string and a first clock signal, the liquid ejection data string having liquid ejection data for ejecting a liquid from a nozzle, the liquid ejection data being associated with each of at least two nozzle groups having a plurality of the nozzles each provided with an element for ejecting the liquid, being of a number equivalent to a number of the nozzles of the nozzle groups, and being arranged in a predetermined order, and the liquid ejection data string having, in between each of the liquid ejection data associated with a predetermined nozzle group, one each of the liquid ejection data associated with another nozzle group arranged in a prearranged order; taking in a predetermined number of the liquid ejection data successively from the liquid ejection data string to a second shift register in synchronization with the first clock signal; latching in a latching circuit the liquid ejection data of a number equivalent to the number of the nozzle groups, including the liquid ejection data taken in to the second shift register, in synchronization with the first clock signal outputted after the predetermined number of the liquid ejection data has been taken in to the second shift register; after the liquid ejection data has been latched in the latching circuit, taking in the liquid ejection data that is latched in the latching circuit, by the number of the nozzles of the nozzle groups, to a first shift register corresponding to the respective nozzle groups for holding the liquid ejection data together in the predetermined order, in synchronization with a second clock signal generated based on the first clock signal; stopping output of the first clock signal after the final liquid ejection data of the liquid ejection data string is taken in to the first shift register and before the second clock signal is generated; and driving the element based on the liquid ejection data that has been taken in to the first shift register.