Patent ID: 7199888

Claim:
A method for improving black pixel print quality in an ink color printer having at least one color ink and black ink, comprising: selecting a fast print mode, wherein fast print mode is accomplished by increasing droplet spacing to reduce the number of rows and columns that must be marked thereby increasing print speed and printing no more than two droplets at a single location; determining a location on a substrate where a black pixel is to be printed; printing a single droplet of color ink at the location, printing a single droplet of black ink on top of the color droplet at the same location, wherein the droplet of color ink and the droplet of black ink are of substantially the same size, forming a single black pixel having increased density of substantially the same size as each of the black arid color droplets at the location when the two droplets solidify; wherein the color printer includes cyan, magenta and yellow and wherein the step of printing a droplet of color ink comprises printing a droplet of one of cyan ink, magenta ink and yellow ink; determining a plurality of locations on a substrate where a black pixel is to be printed; printing a droplet of color ink at each of the locations, wherein cyan, magenta and yellow droplets are equally distributed among the plurality of locations; and printing a droplet of black ink on top of each droplet of color ink at each black pixel location, wherein the droplet of color ink and the droplet of black ink are of substantially the same size.