Patent ID: 7959259

Claim:
An inkjet printing apparatus which performs printing by discharging ink droplets having different sizes to a printing medium by using a printhead having a plurality of first printing elements which generate energy for discharging ink droplets and a plurality of second printing elements which generate energy for discharging ink droplets larger than those from said plurality of first printing elements, wherein said inkjet printing apparatus comprises: a time-divisional driving unit which divides said plurality of first printing elements and said plurality of second printing elements into multiple blocks so that said plurality of first printing elements belong to a block different from a block to which said plurality of second printing elements belong and drives the blocks individually in a time-divisional manner; a control unit which controls said time-divisional driving unit to drive the block consisting of said plurality of first printing elements first and then drive the block consisting of said plurality of second printing elements; and a scanning unit which causes said printhead to scan forward and backward, wherein, when said printhead moves in a forward scanning direction, said control unit controls said time-divisional driving unit to drive a block consisting of printing elements located on the downstream side in the forward scanning direction as the block consisting of said first printing elements before driving the block consisting of said second printing elements, and when said printhead moves in a backward scanning direction, said control unit controls said time- divisional driving unit to drive a block consisting of printing elements located on the downstream side in the backward scanning direction as the block consisting of said first printing elements before driving the block consisting of said second printing elements.