JP2005074972A - Recorder and recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To further extend the service life of a recording head by keeping the operating frequencies of a plurality of recording elements equal as far as possible, even in the case of recording the same image data so much. <P>SOLUTION: For the recorder enabling an image to be formed by using a plurality of recording element groups which record the same color material, at least either one of a dot arrangement pattern or a mask pattern is made exchangeable among two or more recording element groups. Thereby, as the combination of the recording element with the recording dot on a recording medium is not be uniquely decided even in the case of continuously recording two or more pages of the same image, the operating frequency is made able to be distributed among two or more recording elements. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a recording method.

  With the recent spread of information processing equipment such as personal computers, recording devices as image forming terminals have been rapidly developed and spread. Among various recording apparatuses, an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium such as paper, cloth, a plastic sheet, and an OHP sheet by ejecting ink from an ejection port is a low-noise non-impact recording method. It has excellent features such as high-density and high-speed recording operations, easy compatibility with color recording, and low cost, and is now the mainstream of personal-use recording devices. ing.

  Advances in ink-jet recording technology have promoted higher image quality, higher speed, and lower cost of recording, and can be integrated into personal computers and digital cameras (which function alone as well as other devices such as mobile phones) In addition to the widespread use of the recording apparatus, it has been a great contribution to the effect of spreading the recording apparatus to personal users. However, with such widespread use, personal users are demanding further improvements in image quality. Especially in recent years, printing systems and silver halide photography that can easily print photos at home are used. There is a demand for quality images that match.

  Compared with so-called general silver salt photographs, the inkjet recording apparatus has been regarded as a problem for a long time because of its unique graininess. Therefore, various measures for reducing the graininess have been proposed in recent years, and many recording apparatuses incorporating such measures have been provided. For example, there is an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink system in which light cyan or light magenta having a lower density is added in addition to normal cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. With such an ink system, graininess can be reduced by using light cyan or light magenta in a low density region. Further, in a high density region, it is possible to realize wider color reproduction and smooth gradation by recording with normal cyan and magenta.

  On the other hand, there is also a method for reducing the graininess by designing the size of the dots that land on the recording medium to be smaller. For this purpose, there is also a technique for reducing the amount of ink droplets ejected from each recording element arranged in the recording head. It is being advanced. In this case, not only a small amount of ink droplets but also a larger number of recording elements having a higher arrangement density makes it possible to simultaneously obtain a high-resolution image without impairing the recording speed.

  When many recording elements are to be configured with a higher arrangement density, the conventional arrangement in which a plurality of recording elements that discharge the same ink color are arranged in a row limits the pitch at which the recording elements can be arranged. Therefore, there is a limit to the resolution for recording. Therefore, in recent years, there has been provided a recording head having a configuration in which, for example, recording elements arranged in one row at a predetermined pitch are arranged in two rows while being shifted from each other by a half pitch.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an arrangement of recording elements (hereinafter also referred to as nozzles) in the recording head having the above-described configuration. In the figure, one recording head 101 is configured by integrally arranging recording element groups capable of ejecting inks of seven colors of color 1 to color 7 as shown in the figure. Each color printing element group is composed of two printing element rows of an even number row (hereinafter referred to as an even row) and an odd number row (hereinafter referred to as an odd row). In each printing element row, a plurality of printing elements are 42 μm in the X direction. Arranged at intervals. The even row and odd row are arranged in parallel with each other and shifted in the Y direction, but are also shifted by 21 μm in the X direction. When ink is ejected from each recording element while the recording head 101 having such a configuration is scanned in the Y direction, an image is formed at a recording density of 21 μm pitch, that is, 1200 dpi (dot / inch; reference value) in the X direction. The

  As described above, in recent inkjet recording apparatuses, it is possible to record an image with a resolution higher than the array resolution of the recording elements by recording an image using a plurality of recording element arrays that discharge the same ink color. It is said.

  By the way, in the case of performing a so-called binarization process in which multi-value gradation data indicating the density of an image to be recorded is converted into binary data indicating whether an ink droplet is to be recorded on a recording medium, as in recent years. If the recording resolution of the recording apparatus and the types of ink colors tend to increase, the burden may be too large to perform binarization processing of all colors by the same means and the same process. Therefore, for example, after performing a quantization process that reduces to several gradation levels by a printer driver installed in a host device connected to the recording apparatus, a final process is performed inside the recording apparatus. Many recording apparatuses that perform binarization processing with a two-stage configuration are provided. In this case, since one pixel output from the host device is expressed by gradation using a plurality of levels of density, it can be said to be a suitable method for applications in which gradation is important, such as photographic image quality.

  Several proposals and implementations have already been made for a method of converting multi-level density data in several stages into binary data (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-260260, a method of expressing gradation by recording / non-recording four dots in a 2 × 2 area for one input pixel having five gradation values is disclosed. Further, according to the same document, a plurality of patterns are prepared for the same gradation value for dot arrangement in a 2 × 2 area, and these plurality of dot arrangement patterns are sequentially or randomly assigned. A method of arranging is also disclosed. By doing so, since the dot arrangement pattern for each gradation is not fixed, it is possible to reduce the so-called “break-off phenomenon” that appears at the edge of the pseudo contour or image when pseudo halftone processing is performed. It is also described that there is an effect on the use averaging of a plurality of recording elements arranged in the recording head. That is, even when the recording head having the configuration described in FIG. 1 is used, the recording frequency by the odd column and the recording frequency by the even column can be equalized to some extent. Hereinafter, a method of expressing gradation by determining whether or not a plurality of dots are recorded in a predetermined area as described in the same document is referred to as dot arrangement patterning processing.

  In the dot arrangement patterning process as described above, a plurality of dot arrangement patterns are generally stored in a memory in the recording apparatus, and the recording medium is determined by the dot arrangement determined by the dot arrangement patterning process. The final dot array to be recorded is determined.

If the binary information obtained by the dot arrangement patterning process is directly input to the drive circuit of the recording head, a desired image can be recorded. However, in an ink jet recording apparatus, a recording method called multi-pass recording is usually employed.
The multipass recording method will be briefly described below.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a recording head and a recording pattern for explaining the multipass recording method. P0001 indicates a recording head, and here, for the sake of simplicity, 16 recording elements are shown in a state in which an even column and an odd column are arranged in one column. Each recording element is divided into first to fourth groups as shown in the figure, and each group includes four recording elements. P0002 indicates a mask pattern, and an area in which each recording element performs recording is shown in black. The four patterns recorded by each recording element group are complementary to each other. When these patterns are overlapped, recording of a region corresponding to a 4 × 4 area is completed.

  Each pattern indicated by P0003 to P0006 shows a state in which an image is completed by overlapping recording scans. At the end of each recording scan, the recording medium is conveyed by the width of the group in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Therefore, the same area of the recording medium (area corresponding to the width of each recording element group) is configured such that an image is completed only after four recording scans. As described above, each identical region of the recording medium is formed by a plurality of groups by scanning a plurality of times (here, four times), and this has an effect of reducing variations peculiar to nozzles, variations in conveyance accuracy of the recording medium, and the like. There is.

  Here, for the sake of simplicity, the regular mask pattern as indicated by P0002 has been described. However, it is preferable to apply a mask having randomness as disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example. Good. If the arrangement has randomness, the input image data is evenly distributed to each group in a more preferable state, so that it is possible to further reduce variations peculiar to nozzles and variations in conveyance accuracy of the recording medium. It is obtained effectively.

  In the multipass printing as described above, the mask pattern indicated by P0002 and the mask pattern having the randomness described above are generally stored in a memory in the printing apparatus. When recording, an AND process is performed between the mask pattern and the image signal input to each recording element, that is, the binary signal obtained by the dot arrangement patterning process, so that each recording scan is performed. The position where each recording element actually discharges is determined.

  By the way, in a recording apparatus to which the recording head having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is applied, the even-line recording element group and the odd-line recording element group generally have different ink ejection timings. Electrical control and image data handling are performed independently. Therefore, even in the above-described dot arrangement pattern and mask pattern, the even column and odd column are often stored in different memory areas.

JP-A-9-46522 JP-A-6-336016

  In general, it is preferable to keep the frequency of use of the plurality of recording elements arranged on the recording head as equal as possible. This is because, in each recording element, the reliability of ejection is lost as the use frequency increases. On the other hand, in the recording head, even when non-ejection occurs in one recording element, the image quality is affected, so that the life is shortened. This is because it is often considered. Therefore, in order to extend the life of the recording head as much as possible in the recording apparatus, a contrivance is generally made to prevent variation in the usage frequency of the plurality of recording elements.

  Performing the dot arrangement patterning process described in Patent Document 1 described above and the multipass recording described in Patent Document 2 also have an effect of distributing the use frequency to the recording elements arranged in the recording head. However, in the case where a large number of similar image data is continuously recorded as in New Year's card printing, which has been in increasing demand in recent years, it is also true that the greater the number of images, the more uneven the usage frequency is. .

  For example, even if the dot arrangement patterning process described in Patent Document 1 is applied, the same dot arrangement pattern is applied every time at the same location of a plurality of recording media as long as the images to be recorded are the same data. In addition, when multi-pass printing using a random mask described in Patent Document 2 is performed, as long as there is one combination of image data and mask pattern, dots arranged on the printing medium and the dots are recorded. The combination of recording elements is determined in one way. Therefore, even if the difference in use frequency among a plurality of recording elements is not large on a single recording medium, when the same image data is recorded, the difference increases as the number of recording elements increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to keep the frequency of use of a plurality of recording elements as equal as possible even when a large amount of the same image data is recorded. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus and a recording method that further extend the life of the recording head.

  Therefore, in the present invention, in a recording apparatus that forms an image using a plurality of recording element groups that record the same color material, a dot arrangement pattern for generating recording data of the plurality of recording element groups or the plurality of recording elements The apparatus further comprises means for exchanging at least one of the mask patterns for generating recording data of the element group among the plurality of recording element groups.

  The present invention also includes a first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material and a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material. While the second recording element group arranged is scanned a plurality of times relatively with respect to the predetermined area of the recording medium, the predetermined area of the recording medium is moved from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area. A recording apparatus for recording an image with a color material added thereto, wherein multi-value data corresponding to each pixel in the predetermined area is adapted to a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to a gradation level of the multi-value data. Conversion means for converting into binary data, creation means for creating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans based on the binary data and the mask pattern obtained by the conversion means, and the creation Created by means Drive means for applying the color material of the predetermined color from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area based on the recorded data, and the first recording in the dot arrangement pattern Means for exchanging a pattern corresponding to the element group and a pattern corresponding to the second recording element group at a predetermined timing.

  The present invention also includes a first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material and a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material. While the second recording element group arranged is scanned a plurality of times relatively with respect to the predetermined area of the recording medium, the predetermined area of the recording medium is moved from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area. A recording method in which an image is recorded by adding a color material, and multi-value data corresponding to each pixel in the predetermined area is adapted to a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to a gradation level of the multi-value data A conversion step of converting into binary data, a creation step of creating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans based on the binary data and the mask pattern obtained in the conversion step, and the creation Work in process Applying the color material of the predetermined color from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area based on the recorded data, and the first recording element in the dot arrangement pattern And a step of replacing the dot arrangement given to the group and the dot arrangement given to the second recording element group at a predetermined timing.

  The present invention also includes a first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material and a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material. An image is formed by applying the color material of the predetermined color from the first and second recording element groups to the recording medium while scanning the second recording element group that is arranged relative to the recording medium. In the recording method for recording image data, when assigning the dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of each pixel, the step of performing the assignment by using different dot arrangement patterns for the first and second recording element groups, respectively. And dividing the dots of the dot arrangement pattern assigned to each pixel into dots to be recorded in each of a plurality of scans using a mask pattern, the first and second recording element groups, Corresponding to the step of performing the division by using different mask patterns, the mask pattern used in each of the first and second recording element groups, and the first and second recording element groups, respectively. And a changing step of changing at least one of the dot arrangement patterns at a predetermined timing.

  According to the present invention, even when the same image data is continuously recorded on a plurality of pages, the combination of each recording element and the recording dot on the recording medium is not uniquely determined. The frequency can be dispersed, resulting in the effect of further extending the life of the recording head.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the following, a case where seven colors of cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black and red are used as inks to be used will be described. However, inks applicable in the present invention are limited to this combination. is not.

[System Overview]
First, an outline of a recording system applied in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of image data conversion processing in the recording system applied in this embodiment. The ink jet recording apparatus applied in this embodiment includes light cyan (LC) and light magenta (LM) in addition to inks that are basic colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). Recording is performed with red (R), which is a special color, and a recording head for ejecting these seven colors of ink is prepared. As shown in FIG. 11, each process shown here is assumed to be configured by a recording device and a personal computer (PC) as a host device.

  There are an application and a printer driver as programs that operate in the operation system of the host device, and the application J0001 executes processing for creating image data to be recorded by the recording device. At the time of actual recording, image data created by the application is passed to the printer driver.

  Assume that the printer driver in this embodiment includes a pre-stage process J0002, a post-stage process J0003, a γ correction J0004, a halftoning J0005, and a print data creation J0006.

  Here, each process will be briefly described. The pre-stage process J0002 performs color gamut mapping. Then, data conversion is performed to map the color gamut reproduced by the image data R, G, B of the sRGB standard into the color gamut reproduced by the recording apparatus. Specifically, 256-gradation data in which R, G, and B are each expressed in 8 bits is converted into 8-bit data of R, G, and B having different contents by using a three-dimensional LUT. The post-process J0003 is based on the data R, G, and B on which the color gamut is mapped, and the color separation data Y, M, C, K, LC, and LM corresponding to the combination of inks that reproduce the color represented by the data. And R are obtained. Here, similarly to the pre-processing, it is assumed that interpolation calculation is performed in combination with a three-dimensional LUT. The γ correction J0004 performs density value (tone value) conversion for each color data of the color separation data obtained by the post-processing J0003. Specifically, by using a one-dimensional LUT corresponding to the gradation characteristics of each color ink of the recording apparatus, conversion is performed so that the color separation data is linearly associated with the gradation characteristics of the recording apparatus. Halftoning J0005 performs quantization that converts 8-bit color separation data Y, M, C, K, LC, LM, and R into 4-bit data. In the present embodiment, 256-bit 8-bit data is converted into 9-gradation 4-bit data using a multilevel error diffusion method. This 4-bit data is multi-value data (tone value information) to be converted into a dot arrangement pattern in the printing apparatus. At the end of the process performed by the printer driver, print data is created by adding print control information to print image information containing the 4-bit multi-value data (gradation value information) by print data creation process J0006.

  The printing apparatus performs a dot arrangement patterning process J0007 and a mask data conversion process J0008 on the input print data. In the dot arrangement patterning process J0007, for each pixel corresponding to an actual print image, dot arrangement is performed according to a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to 4-bit multi-value data (tone value information) that is print image information. In this way, by assigning a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of each pixel represented by 4-bit data, dot on / off is defined in each of a plurality of areas in the pixel, Discharge data “1” or “0” is arranged in each area within one pixel. The 1-bit ejection data (binary data) obtained in this way is subjected to a mask process by a mask data conversion process J0008. That is, the ejection data (binary data) for each scan for completing the recording of the scanning area of the predetermined width by the recording head by a plurality of scans is generated by processing using a mask corresponding to each scanning. The ejection data Y, M, C, K, R, G, and B for each scan is sent to the head drive circuit J0009 at an appropriate timing, whereby the recording head J0010 is driven and each ink is ejected according to the ejection data. Is done.

  Note that the above-described dot arrangement patterning process and mask data conversion process in the printing apparatus are executed under the control of the CPU constituting the control unit of the printing apparatus using a dedicated hardware circuit for them. Note that these processes may be performed by the CPU according to a program, and the above processes may be executed by, for example, a printer driver in a PC, and the form of these processes is not limited in applying the present invention.

[Dot arrangement patterning process]
Here, the dot arrangement patterning process will be described in detail. In the halftoning J0005 described above, the number of levels is reduced from 256-level multi-value information (8-bit data) to 9-level tone value information (4-bit data). However, information that can be actually recorded by the ink jet recording apparatus of the present embodiment is binary information indicating whether or not to record ink. Therefore, in this dot arrangement patterning process J0007, it plays the role of reducing the multi-value level of 0 to 8 to the binary level that determines the presence or absence of dots. Specifically, with respect to the 4-bit data that is the output value from the halftoning J0005, the dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation levels 0 to 8 indicated by the 4-bit data (for example, the dot arrangement pattern shown in FIG. 12). Is assigned. That is, a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the level of the pixel is assigned to one pixel expressed by a multi-value level. In this way, multi-value data (here, 4-bit data) corresponding to each pixel is converted into binary data by adapting a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of the multi-value data. .

  FIG. 12 shows an example of a dot arrangement pattern (here, a pattern composed of 2 vertical areas × 4 horizontal areas) to be converted for each of the gradation levels 0 to 8. Each level value shown on the left of the figure corresponds to level 0 to level 8 which are output values from the halftone processing unit. In the present embodiment, a plurality of types of dot arrangement patterns (4n) to (4n + 3) having different dot arrangements are provided for the same gradation level excluding gradation level 0 and gradation level 8. A dot arrangement pattern is sequentially assigned to multi-value data having the same gradation level. The area composed of 2 vertical areas x 4 horizontal areas shown on the right side of the figure corresponds to an area of one pixel (pixel) output by halftone processing, and is 600 ppi (pixels / inch; both in vertical and horizontal directions). Value) corresponding to the pixel density. Each area in one pixel corresponds to a minimum unit in which dot recording / non-recording is defined, and corresponds to a recording density of 1200 dpi (dot / inch; reference value) in the vertical direction and 2400 dpi in the horizontal direction. It is.

  In the present embodiment, the upper four areas of the dot arrangement pattern composed of 2 vertical areas × 4 horizontal areas are recorded by the even nozzle, and the lower 4 areas are recorded by the odd nozzle. That is, the upper area of the dot arrangement pattern shows the dot arrangement given to the even nozzle, and the lower area shows the dot arrangement given to the odd nozzle. Therefore, for convenience, the upper area of the dot arrangement pattern is referred to as an even nozzle dot arrangement pattern, and the lower upper area is referred to as an odd nozzle dot arrangement pattern.

  In the present embodiment, dot arrangement (even nozzle arrangement pattern) given to the first nozzle group composed of even nozzles and dot arrangement (odd) given to the second nozzle group composed of odd nozzles. The nozzle dot arrangement pattern) is switched at a predetermined timing. The reason for this configuration is as follows.

  For example, when the four types of dot arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 12 are used in order of (4n) to (4n + 3) for gradation level 1, since the dot arrangement is not fixed, the pseudo contour and the deviation in nozzle usage frequency are reduced. Is done. However, as described above, when a plurality of the same images are recorded, the same dot arrangement pattern is applied every time at the same location (same pixel) of a plurality of recording media, and thus the deviation in the usage frequency of the nozzles cannot be ignored. May become larger. For example, assuming that the input level of the pixels continuous in the scanning direction in a predetermined area on the recording medium is 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, the four types of dot arrangement patterns shown in FIG. Since (4n) to (4n + 3) are sequentially assigned in this order from the top pixel, the dot arrangement in the predetermined area is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 13, all the dots in the predetermined area are recorded by the eve nozzle, and the nozzle usage frequency is uneven. The deviation in nozzle usage frequency as shown in FIG. 13 is small and can be ignored. However, when the same images as hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of images are recorded, the deviation in nozzle usage frequency cannot be ignored. .

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the dot arrangement given to the first nozzle group composed of even nozzles and the dot arrangement given to the second nozzle group composed of odd nozzles are exchanged at a predetermined timing. Specifically, when the exchange operation is performed for the dot arrangement pattern (4n) corresponding to level 1 shown in FIG. 12, the dot arrangement given to the even nozzles in the dot arrangement pattern (that is, in the upper four areas). The corresponding pattern) and the dot arrangement given to the odd nozzle (that is, the pattern corresponding to the lower four areas) are interchanged. Here, the dot arrangement includes not only “1” data in which dots are printed but also “0” data in which dots are not printed. Replacement is performed. As a result, the dot arrangement pattern after replacement is the dot arrangement indicated by the level 1 dot arrangement pattern (4n + 2), and is a pattern recorded by the odd nozzle. The same applies to the other dot arrangement patterns. When the above replacement operation is performed for the dot arrangement pattern (4n + 1), the dot arrangement indicated by the dot arrangement pattern (4n + 3) is obtained. The dot arrangement pattern (4n + 2) becomes the dot arrangement pattern (4n), and the dot arrangement pattern (4n + 3) becomes the dot arrangement pattern (4n + 1).

  Then, using such a dot arrangement pattern after replacement, the input level of the image as described above, that is, the pixels continuous in the scanning direction in a predetermined area on the recording medium is 1, 1, 0, 0, When images of 1, 1, 0, 0 are recorded, the result is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 14, in contrast to FIG. 13, all dots in a predetermined area are recorded by odd nozzles.

  As is clear from the above, the dot arrangement given to the first nozzle group composed of even nozzles and the dot arrangement given to the second nozzle group composed of odd nozzles are interchanged at a predetermined timing. A case where the even nozzle is frequently used as shown in FIG. 13 and a case where the odd nozzle is frequently used as shown in FIG. 14 can be mixed. Therefore, even if a large number of the same images are recorded, it is possible to suppress a deviation in the usage frequency of the even nozzle and the odd nozzle. In particular, by generating FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 almost equally, the usage frequency of the even nozzle and odd nozzle can be made substantially uniform as a whole.

  According to the embodiment described above, even when a large number of the same images are recorded, the use frequency is uneven in the even nozzle group (first nozzle group) and the odd nozzle group (second nozzle group). Can be substantially eliminated, and the life of the recording head can be extended.

[Mask data conversion processing]
Next, the mask data conversion process J0008 will be briefly described. In the mask data conversion process J0008, a mask is formed using a plurality of mask patterns (for example, mask patterns indicated by P0002 in FIG. 2) complementary to each other with respect to the dot arrangement determined by the dot arrangement patterning process J0007. Call. Specifically, AND processing is performed between the mask pattern data and the binary data obtained by the dot arrangement patterning process described above, and print data to be actually ejected in each print scan is obtained. That is, binary data corresponding to the same area on the recording medium (for example, an area corresponding to the 4 × 4 area in FIG. 2) is divided into a plurality of scans by the mask pattern, and the recording data in each scan is It is created. The recording data created in this way is recorded on the recording medium by a plurality of continuous recording scans, and a sub-scan of an amount smaller than the recording width of the recording head is performed between each recording scan. Thereby, in the same area of the recording medium, images are sequentially formed by different recording elements in a plurality of recording scans.

  In the present embodiment, the first nozzle group (first recording element group) composed of even nozzles and the second nozzle group (second recording element group) composed of odd nozzles are used. The mask patterns used in each printing element group are managed independently so that the mask patterns to be switched can be switched at a predetermined timing. Specifically, taking FIG. 2 as an example, the mask pattern (referred to as mask pattern X) consisting of the portion located on the right side of the even nozzle in the mask pattern P0002 of FIG. 2 corresponds to the mask pattern corresponding to the even nozzle. Further, in the mask pattern P0002 of FIG. 2, a mask pattern (referred to as a mask pattern Y) consisting of a portion located on the right side of the odd nozzle corresponds to a mask pattern corresponding to the odd nozzle. These mask pattern X and these mask patterns Y and Y are managed separately.

  In this embodiment, as will be described later, a mask pattern used in a first nozzle group (first recording element group) composed of even nozzles and a second nozzle group composed of odd nozzles. The mask pattern used in the (second recording element group) is switched at a predetermined timing. For example, at a certain timing, the first nozzle group (first recording element group) uses the mask pattern X and the second nozzle group (second recording element group) uses the mask pattern Y. Then, when another timing is reached (for example, when the page is changed), the first nozzle group uses the mask pattern Y and the second nozzle group uses the mask pattern X. The mask pattern is switched between the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group. As described above, even if the mask patterns are exchanged between the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group, the mask patterns formed in the respective groups maintain a complementary relationship as in FIG. I can do it.

[Configuration of recording device mechanism]
Next, a schematic configuration of the mechanism part of the ink jet recording apparatus will be described. The main body of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a paper feed unit, a paper transport unit, a carriage unit, a paper discharge unit, a cleaning unit, and an exterior unit that protects them and has design properties from the role of each mechanism. The outline of these will be described below.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the internal mechanism of the recording apparatus main body. FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the upper right part, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the recording apparatus main body. is there.

  When paper feeding is performed in the recording apparatus, first, only a predetermined number of recording media are sent to a nip portion including a paper feed roller M2080 and a separation roller M2041 in a paper feed unit including a paper feed tray M2060. The sent recording medium is separated at the nip portion, and only the uppermost recording medium is conveyed to the sheet conveying portion. The recording medium sent to the paper transport unit is guided by the pinch roller holder M3000 and the paper guide flapper M3030, and is sent to the roller pair of the transport roller M3060 and the pinch roller M3070. A roller pair composed of a conveyance roller M3060 and a pinch roller M3070 is rotated by driving of the LF motor E0002, and the recording medium is conveyed on the platen M3040 by this rotation.

  The carriage unit has a carriage M4000 for mounting the recording head H1001, and the carriage M4000 is supported by a guide shaft M4020 and a guide rail M1011. The guide shaft M4020 is attached to the chassis M1010 and guides and supports the carriage M4000 to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction. The carriage M4000 is driven via a timing belt M4041 by a carriage motor attached to the chassis M1010. Further, a flexible cable (not shown) for transmitting a drive signal from the electric board E0014 to the recording head H1001 is connected to the carriage M4000. When an image is formed on a recording medium in such a configuration, a pair of rollers including a conveyance roller M3060 and a pinch roller M3070 conveys and positions the recording medium in the conveyance direction (column direction). Further, with respect to the scanning direction (raster direction), the carriage M4000 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by the carriage motor, and the recording head H1001 (FIG. 6) is arranged at a target image forming position. The positioned recording head H1001 ejects ink to the recording medium in accordance with a signal from the electric substrate E0014. Although a detailed configuration of the recording head H1001 will be described later, in the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, a recording medium is scanned by the carriage M4000 while recording is performed by the recording head H1001, and a recording medium is conveyed by the conveying roller M3060. An image is formed on a recording medium by alternately repeating sub-scanning.

  The recording medium on which the image has been finally formed is sandwiched between nips of the first paper discharge roller M3110 and the spur M3120 at the paper discharge unit, conveyed, and discharged to the paper discharge tray M3160.

  In the cleaning unit, for the purpose of cleaning the recording head H1001 before and after image recording, if the pump M5000 is operated with the cap M5010 in close contact with the ink discharge port of the recording head H1001, it is unnecessary from the recording head H1001. Ink or the like is sucked. Further, by sucking the ink remaining in the cap M5010 with the cap M5010 opened, consideration is given to preventing the remaining ink from sticking and the subsequent adverse effects.

[Head cartridge]
Next, the configuration of the head cartridge H1000 applicable in the present embodiment will be described. The head cartridge H1000 has a recording head H1001, means for mounting the ink tank H1900, and means for supplying ink from the ink tank H1900 to the recording head, and is detachably mounted on the carriage M4000. .

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing how the ink tank H1900 is mounted on the head cartridge H1000 applicable in the above embodiment. Since the recording apparatus forms an image with seven colors of ink of cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, yellow, black and red, the ink tank H1900 is also prepared for seven colors independently. As shown in the figure, each is detachable from the head cartridge H1000. The ink tank H1900 can be attached and detached while the head cartridge H1000 is mounted on the carriage M4000.

  FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the head cartridge H1000. In the figure, a head cartridge H1000 includes a first recording element substrate H4700 and a second recording element substrate H4701, a first plate H1200, a second plate H1400, an electric wiring substrate H1300, a tank holder H1500, and a flow path forming member H1600. , Filter H1700, seal rubber H1800, and the like.

  The first recording element substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701 are Si substrates, and a plurality of recording elements (nozzles) for ejecting ink are formed on one side thereof by a photolithography technique. Electric wiring such as Al for supplying electric power to each recording element is formed by a film forming technique, and a plurality of ink flow paths corresponding to individual recording elements are also formed by a photolithography technique. Further, an ink supply port for supplying ink to the plurality of ink flow paths is formed to open on the back surface.

  FIG. 8 is an enlarged front view for explaining the configuration of the first recording element substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701. H4000 to H4600 are recording element groups corresponding to different ink colors. The first recording element substrate H4700 has a recording element group H4000 supplied with light magenta, a recording element group H4100 supplied with red ink, There are configured nozzle groups for four colors, a printing element group H4200 supplied with black ink and a printing element group H4300 supplied with light cyan ink. In addition, the second recording element substrate H4701 has a recording element group H4400 supplied with cyan ink, a recording element group H4500 supplied with magenta ink, and a recording element group H4600 supplied with yellow ink. A recording element group is formed.

In each recording element group, as shown in FIG. 1, two recording element arrays arranged at 384 pitches of about 42 μm in the recording medium conveyance direction are arranged in parallel with a deviation of 21 μm from each other. The recording elements can record an image of 1200 dpi (dot / inch; reference value). In the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, recording at 2400 dpi is possible in the horizontal direction. An electrothermal transducer is disposed inside each recording element, and by applying the electrothermal transducer to the electrothermal transducer at a predetermined timing, an ink droplet of about 2 picoliters is ejected from the ejection port of each recording element. It has become. The opening area at each discharge port is set to approximately 100 square μm ² . In addition, the first recording element substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701 are bonded and fixed to the first plate H1200, and here, the first recording element substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701 are attached. An ink supply port H1201 for supplying ink is formed.

  Further, a second plate H1400 having an opening is bonded and fixed to the first plate H1200. The second plate H1400 is composed of an electric wiring substrate H1300, a first recording element substrate H4700, and a second recording element substrate H4700. The electric wiring substrate H1300 is held so as to be electrically connected to the recording element substrate H4701.

  The electrical wiring substrate H1300 applies an electrical signal for ejecting ink from each recording element formed on the first recording element substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701. The first recording element Electrical wiring corresponding to the substrate H4700 and the second recording element substrate H4701 and an external signal input terminal H1301 for receiving an electrical signal from the recording apparatus main body located at the end of the electrical wiring. The external signal input terminal H1301 is positioned and fixed on the back side of the tank holder H1500.

  On the other hand, in a tank holder H1500 that holds the ink tank H1900, a flow path forming member H1600 is fixed by, for example, ultrasonic welding to form an ink flow path H1501 that communicates from the ink tank H1900 to the first plate H1200.

  A filter H1700 is provided at the ink tank side end of the ink flow path H1501 that engages with the ink tank H1900, and can prevent dust from entering from the outside. Further, a seal rubber H1800 is attached to the engaging portion with the ink tank H1900 so that ink can be prevented from evaporating from the engaging portion.

  Further, as described above, the tank holder portion composed of the tank holder H1500, the flow path forming member H1600, the filter H1700 and the seal rubber H1800, the first recording element substrate H4700, the second recording element substrate H4701, and the first plate. The head cartridge H1000 is configured by bonding the recording head unit H1001 including the H1200, the electric wiring substrate H1300, and the second plate H1400 by bonding or the like.

[Data control configuration]
FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration for controlling recording data of a recording apparatus applicable in the present embodiment. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 21 denotes a recording apparatus, and 22 denotes an EEPROM in which information on the recording apparatus such as the number of sheets to be used by the service person in the service mode is stored. Reference numeral 23 denotes a ROM, which is a control program 24 executed by the printing apparatus, a dot arrangement pattern 25 used in dot arrangement patterning processing for converting multi-value input resolution to output resolution, a mask pattern 26 used in multi-pass printing, and the like. Is stored. The dot arrangement pattern 25 and the mask pattern 26 are stored independently for each color of the recording head and for each recording element.

  Reference numeral 27 denotes a RAM for processing image data by the printing apparatus, a data buffering work buffer 28, a print buffer 29 for storing print data, and a mask buffer for developing a mask pattern for a print element group in an even row. 30, a mask buffer 31 that develops a mask pattern for the printing element group in the odd row, a dot arrangement buffer 32 that develops a dot arrangement pattern for the printing element group in the even row, and a dot arrangement pattern for the recording element group in the odd row. Each area includes a dot array buffer 33 to be developed.

  Reference numeral 34 denotes a print buffer management module that manages each buffer used during recording, and reference numeral 35 denotes a recording sequencer module of the engine unit that performs a recording operation.

[Recording device sequence]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of control when recording is performed in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the dot arrangement pattern of the even row and the dot arrangement pattern of the odd row are exchanged for each page depending on the number of sheets of the recording medium to be passed. At the same time, the mask pattern of the even column and the mask pattern of the odd column are exchanged.

  In step S1, the recording sequencer module 35 determines from the information managed by the print buffer management module 36 that the dot arrangement pattern given to the even row recording elements and the dot arrangement pattern given to the odd row recording elements, The address information storing the mask pattern applied to the recording elements of the even column and the mask pattern applied to the recording elements of the odd column is acquired.

  Next, in step S2, it is determined whether the current recording mode is a switching mode in which the dot arrangement pattern and the mask pattern are exchanged according to the number of sheets to be passed. Here, if the mode is the switching mode, the process proceeds to step 3; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 5. For example, when a large number of the same images are printed as in New Year's card printing, the switching mode is selected, and when a document for one page is recorded, the normal mode that is not the switching mode may be selected. . This selection may be specified by the user himself or may be automatically switched to the switching mode depending on the designated continuous recording number.

  In the subsequent step S3, the number of sheets of the service count stored in the EEPROM 22 is confirmed, and it is determined whether or not the dot arrangement pattern and the mask pattern are exchanged between the even and odd columns in the next recording medium. . Here, the presence or absence of replacement is determined depending on whether the next recording medium is an odd-numbered sheet or an even-numbered sheet. If the next recording medium is an odd-numbered sheet, the process proceeds to step S4, and the next recording is performed. If the medium is an even number, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S4, the even row and odd row dot arrangement patterns and mask pattern addresses obtained in step S1 are exchanged.
In the subsequent step S5, the obtained address is set in the register.

Further, in step S6, printing on the printing medium is performed while ejecting ink from each printing element in accordance with the dot arrangement pattern, mask pattern, and input image data set in the register.
Thus, a series of processing ends.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the dot arrangement pattern and the odd-numbered recording elements and the odd-numbered recording elements are recorded on the next recording medium depending on whether the recording is odd-numbered or even-numbered. Replace the mask pattern. As a result, even when a large number of the same image data is recorded as in the New Year's card, the number of ink ejections can be made equal in all the recording elements, and the life of the recording head can be further extended.

  In the above-described embodiment, the dot array pattern and the mask pattern are exchanged between the even-row recording element and the odd-row recording element. However, the present invention is not limited to this. . Even if only the dot arrangement pattern is exchanged or only the mask pattern is exchanged, the effect of the present invention can be obtained.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the odd-numbered and even-numbered sheets are configured to exchange addresses between the even-numbered recording elements and the odd-numbered recording elements, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may be replaced every two pages or more, or the dot arrangement pattern and the mask pattern may be switched at different timings.

  In the above embodiment, when the same page is recorded, a plurality of types of dot arrangement patterns as shown in FIG. 12 are used for the same gradation level. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when recording the same page, only one type of dot arrangement pattern may be used for the same gradation level, and a different dot arrangement pattern may be switched at a predetermined timing. More specifically, for level 1, the dot arrangement pattern (4n) in FIG. 12 is used at first, and after the recording of a predetermined page, the dot arrangement pattern is exchanged between the odd and even rows. This time, the dot arrangement pattern (4n + 2) in FIG. 12 is used.

  In this embodiment, a recording head composed of an even row and an odd row as described in FIG. 1 is applied, and the configuration of electrical control is handled independently by each printing element row. It can be said that it is a method using the fact that both can be exchanged easily. Therefore, if the recording head has the above configuration, it is one of the effects of the present embodiment that smoothing of the usage frequency of the recording element can be realized without adding a large-scale configuration. However, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration. For example, even a recording head composed of one recording element array may be configured to perform recording by dividing control into an even array and an odd array as in the present embodiment, and may be further divided into four or more. The present invention is effective even when the recording element array is divided and controlled.

  In the above description, an ink jet recording apparatus configured to eject ink from a recording element by thermal energy has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration may be employed in which ink is ejected from each recording element using another means, and an image is formed by applying a coloring material to a recording medium by a plurality of recording elements, without being limited to an ink jet recording apparatus. The present invention is effective for any recording apparatus.

  The present invention can be used in a recording apparatus that forms an image by recording a color material on a recording medium using a plurality of recording elements.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement configuration of recording elements of a recording head applicable in the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the multipass recording method. 1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus applicable to the present invention. 2 is a perspective view for explaining an internal mechanism of a recording apparatus applicable to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a recording apparatus applicable to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which an ink tank is attached to a head cartridge applicable in the present invention. It is an exploded perspective view of a head cartridge applicable to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view for explaining the configuration of a recording element substrate of a recording head applicable to the present invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the structure which controls the recording data of the recording device which can be applied by this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the flow of control at the time of recording by embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the flow of the image data conversion process in the recording system applied by embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation levels 0-8 in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a dot arrangement pattern is assigned to continuous pixels in a predetermined area of a recording medium. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another state in which a dot arrangement pattern is assigned to continuous pixels in a predetermined area of a recording medium.

Explanation of symbols

21 Recording device 22 EEPROM
23 ROM
24 control program 25 dot arrangement pattern 26 mask pattern 27 RAM
28 Work buffer 29 Print buffer 30, 31 Mask buffer 32, 33 Dot arrangement pattern buffer 34 Print buffer management module 35 Recording sequencer module 101 Recording head P0001 Recording head P0002 Mask pattern P0003, P0004, P0005, P0006 Recording image M1010 Chassis M1011 Guide rail M2041 Separation roller M2060 Paper feed tray M2080 Paper feed roller M3000 Pinch roller holder M3030 Paper guide flapper M3040 Platen M3060 Transport roller M3070 Pinch roller M3110 Paper discharge roller M3120 Spur M4000 Carriage M4020 Guide shaft M4041 Timing belt M5000 Pump belt E0002 LF motor E0014 Electric board H1000 Head cartridge H1001 Recording head H1200 First plate H1201 Ink supply path H1300 Electric wiring board H1301 External signal input terminal H1400 Second plate H1500 Tank holder H1501 Ink flow path H1600 Flow path forming member H1700 Filter H1800 Seal rubber H1900 Ink tank H4000 to H4600 Recording element group H4700 First recording element substrate H4701 Second recording element substrate

Claims (9)

  In a recording apparatus that forms an image using a plurality of recording element groups that record the same color material, a dot arrangement pattern for generating recording data of the plurality of recording element groups or recording data of the plurality of recording element groups is used. A recording apparatus comprising: means for replacing at least one of mask patterns for generation between the plurality of recording element groups.   The plurality of recording element groups are arranged in one row at a predetermined pitch, and the two rows of recording element groups are arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the arrangement direction of the recording element group by a distance that is half the predetermined pitch. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:   The recording data according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recording data relating to the plurality of recording element groups is processed in different buffer areas for each of the recording element groups in dot arrangement patterning processing and multipass recording. apparatus.   The recording apparatus has a plurality of recording modes with different recording methods, and at least one of the dot arrangement pattern and the mask pattern is arranged between the plurality of recording element groups only in a part of the plurality of recording modes. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a replacement process is performed.   The dot arrangement pattern or the mask pattern is exchanged between the plurality of recording element groups at a predetermined page interval when the same image data is continuously recorded on a plurality of pages. The recording apparatus according to any one of 1 to 4.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording element performs recording by discharging ink. A first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material is arranged and a second recording element in which a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material are arranged The predetermined color material is applied from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area of the recording medium while the recording element group is scanned a plurality of times relative to the predetermined area of the recording medium. A recording device for recording an image,
Conversion means for converting multi-value data corresponding to each pixel in the predetermined region into binary data by adapting a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of the multi-value data;
Creating means for creating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans based on the binary data and the mask pattern obtained by the converting means;
Drive means for applying the color material of the predetermined color to the predetermined area from the first and second recording element groups based on the recording data generated by the generation means;
Means for replacing a pattern corresponding to the first recording element group and a pattern corresponding to the second recording element group in the dot arrangement pattern at a predetermined timing;
A recording apparatus comprising: A first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material is arranged and a second recording element in which a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material are arranged The predetermined color material is applied from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area of the recording medium while the recording element group is scanned a plurality of times relative to the predetermined area of the recording medium. A recording method for recording an image,
A conversion step of converting multi-value data corresponding to each pixel in the predetermined region into binary data by adapting a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of the multi-value data;
A creation step for creating print data corresponding to each of the plurality of scans based on the binary data and the mask pattern obtained in the conversion step;
Applying the color material of the predetermined color from the first and second recording element groups to the predetermined area based on the recording data created in the creating step;
Replacing the dot arrangement given to the first recording element group and the dot arrangement given to the second recording element group in the dot arrangement pattern at a predetermined timing;
A recording method characterized by comprising: A first recording element group in which a plurality of recording elements for applying a predetermined color material is arranged and a second recording element in which a plurality of recording elements for applying the predetermined color material are arranged In a recording method of recording an image by applying the color material of the predetermined color from the first and second recording element groups to the recording medium while scanning the recording element group relative to the recording medium ,
When assigning a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to the gradation level of each pixel, using the different dot arrangement pattern for each of the first and second recording element groups;
When the dots of the dot arrangement pattern assigned to each pixel are divided into dots to be recorded in each of a plurality of scans using a mask pattern, different mask patterns are used for the first and second recording element groups. Performing the division by
A changing step of changing at least one of the mask pattern used in each of the first and second recording element groups and a dot arrangement pattern corresponding to each of the first and second recording element groups at a predetermined timing;
A recording method characterized by comprising:

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