Patent ID: 8240795

Claim:
A printing method for printing on a print medium by scanning a print head, provided with a first printing element group and a second printing element group, in a scan direction, each of the first and second printing element groups comprising a respective plurality of printing elements arranged in an array direction intersecting with the scan direction, the method comprising: a selecting step of selecting: (i) a first printing operation in which a first range of printing elements, which are part of the first printing element group, are selected for printing, and a second range of printing elements, which are part of the second printing element group and have an equal position to the first range of printing elements in the array direction, are selected for printing, or (ii) a second printing operation in which a position of printing elements of the first printing element group in the array direction, to which data corresponding to the printing elements of the first printing element group is supplied, and a position of printing elements of the second printing element group in the array direction, to which data corresponding to the printing elements of the second printing element group is supplied, are shifted; and a printing step of printing on the print medium in accordance with the selection in the selecting step.