Patent ID: 7246869

Claim:
A print control method of generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print, the print unit forming dots by ejecting an ink on a printing medium, the print control method comprising: a dot data generation step of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel according to a pixel value of given image data, wherein the dot data generation step includes the step of generating the dot data, such that the state of dot formation with respect to at least part of the pixel values in a pixel belonging to an end area located on an end of the printing medium is different from the state of dot formation in a pixel belonging to a middle area located in a middle of the printing medium, so as to reduce adhesion of the ink to the print unit, and wherein the printing unit comprises a print head having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of ejection drive elements for ejecting an ink from the plurality of nozzles, and is capable of selectively forming one of N types of dots having different sizes at one pixel area with each nozzle, the N being an integer of at least 2, and the dot data generation step includes the step of making a value of the specific dot recording rate with respect to at least part of the pixel values in the pixel belonging to the end area lower than a value of the specific dot recording rate in the pixel belonging to the middle area, the specific dot being at least one relatively small-size dot among the N types of dots.