JP2007301742A - Ink-jet recording device, data processing method, program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To record a high-definition color image without causing a drop in throughput while using a recording head provided with a plurality of recording nozzle arrays of the same color. <P>SOLUTION: An ink-jet recording device has the recording head provided with the recording nozzle arrays corresponding to colors to be recorded. The device is composed so as to have a plurality of the recording nozzle arrays of the same color with respect to a specific color. Regarding recording data of the color recorded with the recording nozzle arrays of the same color, the device generates high-resolution recording data whose resolution is higher than that of recording data recorded with a single recording nozzle array not the recording nozzle array of the same color. The device records the high-resolution recording data while distributing them to a plurality of the recording nozzle arrays of the same color by one-time recording scanning of the recording head. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, a data processing method, a program, and a storage medium that enable high-quality color recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays for a specific color ink.

  Conventionally, in an ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head provided with a plurality of nozzle rows for ejecting ink of the same color, the recording positions of the even nozzle rows and the odd nozzle rows are the same in one recording scan. Control to become. In this case, the ink heating timing for the even-numbered nozzle rows and odd-numbered nozzle rows of the recording head is shifted and controlled.

  It is known to employ a multi-pass printing method and increase the number of printing passes (printing scans) in order to achieve high resolution by shifting the heating timing of the printheads in the main scanning direction for each print scan of the printhead. Yes.

Also, when printing at a speed faster than the ejection frequency to achieve high speed, the heating timing of the even nozzle row and the odd nozzle row is shifted so that the print positions by the nozzles of the even nozzle row and the odd nozzle row are inclined. As a result, it was possible to increase the apparent output resolution.
JP 2001-096770 A JP 2001-096771 A JP 2002-137421 A

  The conventional examples described above have the following problems to be solved. That is, in order to record data with an increased resolution in the recording scanning direction, the number of recording passes is increased, and the heating timing for each recording scan is shifted to achieve high resolution. However, when trying to increase the resolution by this method, there is a problem that the throughput decreases as the number of recording passes by the recording head increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and realizes high resolution without reducing the throughput. Therefore, in the present invention, for a specific color, an ink jet that enables color recording by using a recording head having a plurality of nozzle rows and ejecting the same color ink from two nozzle rows in one recording scan. The present invention relates to a recording apparatus. As for the color recording data using the symmetric nozzle row, data having many gradations and high resolution is generated, and another row data is recorded by shifting the heating timing in one recording scan by the recording head. Therefore, it is an object to improve the image quality and prevent a decrease in throughput.

According to an embodiment of the present invention,
In an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording using a recording head that includes at least a plurality of recording nozzle arrays corresponding to the first color and a single recording nozzle array corresponding to the second color.
As the first color recording data to be recorded by the plurality of recording nozzle arrays, high resolution recording data having a higher resolution than the second color recording data to be recorded by the single recording nozzle array is generated,
There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the high resolution recording data is distributed and recorded to the plurality of recording nozzle rows corresponding to the first color by one recording scan of the recording head.

According to another embodiment of the invention,
Data processing for processing print data for printing using a print head having at least a plurality of print nozzle rows corresponding to the first color and a single print nozzle row corresponding to the second color In the method
Generating, as the first color recording data to be recorded by the plurality of recording nozzle rows, high resolution recording data having a higher resolution than the second color recording data to be recorded by the single recording nozzle row; ,
A step of distributing the high-resolution recording data to be recorded in one recording scan of the recording head to the plurality of recording nozzle arrays corresponding to the first color. I will provide a.

  According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a program in which the procedure of the data processing method is described as code executable by a computer.

  According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium storing the program is provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to use a recording head having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays of the same color and record a high-quality color image without causing a decrease in throughput.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording head of an ink jet recording apparatus that records a color image that can be used in an embodiment of the present invention. The nozzles that eject ink have recording nozzle rows that are divided into an even nozzle row E and an odd nozzle row O for each color recording head. The positions of the nozzles of the even nozzle row E and the odd nozzle row O are arranged in a staggered manner as shown in the figure. The even nozzle row E and the odd nozzle row O are combined to form a recording nozzle row for one color. That is, in FIG. 1, cyan C ink is recorded by the recording head C1 and the recording head C2, and therefore cyan C is recorded by the two recording nozzle arrays NZC1 and NZC2. Similarly, the ink of magenta M is recorded by the recording head M1 and recording head M2, and therefore magenta M is also recorded by the two recording nozzle rows NZM1 and NZM2. Further, a yellow Y recording nozzle row YNZ is provided in the middle. For yellow Y, only one recording nozzle row is provided. As described above, the print head shown in FIG. 1 is arranged with the print nozzle rows NZM1 and NZM2 of magenta M centered on the print nozzle row NZY of yellow Y. Similarly, the cyan C recording nozzle rows NZC1 and NZC2 are arranged as targets with the yellow Y recording nozzle row NZY as the center. For that reason, the arrangement of recording nozzle arrays as shown in FIG. 1 is called a symmetrical nozzle array structure, and has two identical color recording nozzle arrays for two colors, that is, cyan and magenta, For yellow, it has one single recording nozzle row.

  In addition, a recording head having a recording nozzle array including each even nozzle array E and odd nozzle array O is provided with a diode sensor DS for detecting the recording head temperature in order to detect the temperature of the recording head. Normally, a black BK recording head is used in addition to the recording head shown in FIG. 1, but it is omitted in the description of the embodiment of the present invention because it is not particularly necessary.

  FIG. 2 shows an ink jet recording system using the ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is constructed by a personal computer (PC) 20 serving as a host and an ink jet recording apparatus 22.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 22 includes a control unit 23 and a mechanism unit 24 including a recording head and a recording paper feeding mechanism. As the mechanism unit 24, a conventionally known serial type printer mechanism can be used. Since the description of the mechanism portion 24 is not necessarily required for the description of the embodiment of the present invention, this description is omitted.

  Next, the control unit 23 is provided with a CPU 201 that controls the entire inkjet recording apparatus 22 and a ROM 202 that stores a control program 203. Further, the ROM 202 stores a dot arrangement index pattern 204 used when converting input image data having a certain resolution into output data resolution, a mask pattern 205 for multi-pass control, and the like. The index pattern 204 and the mask pattern 205 are stored independently for each color recording nozzle row of the recording head.

  Reference numeral 207 denotes a reception buffer that receives the input recording data transferred from the PC 20, and a part of the RAM 206 is allocated thereto. The RAM 207 includes a data expansion work buffer 208 and a recording buffer 209 for storing recording data. Further, cyan recording nozzle arrays NZC1 and NZC2 constituting the recording nozzle array of the recording head, mask pattern development mask buffer 210 and mask pattern development mask buffer 211 of the magenta recording nozzle arrays NZM1 and NZM2, are also included. Furthermore, an index pattern development index buffer 212 and an index pattern development index buffer 213 for the yellow recording nozzle row NZY are also set.

  Reference numeral 214 denotes a recording buffer management module that manages each buffer used in connection with recording, and reference numeral 215 denotes a recording sequencer module of the recording engine unit of the inkjet recording apparatus 22 that performs the operation.

  Further, the PC 20 that is the host of the inkjet recording apparatus 22 is provided with a printer driver 21 for the inkjet recording apparatus 22 that generates recording data. Reference numeral 222 denotes an interface cable for connecting the inkjet recording apparatus 22 and the PC 20, for example. The inkjet recording device 22 and the PC 20 do not necessarily have to be connected by a wired interface cable 222, and can be connected wirelessly.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing recording data used in the inkjet recording apparatus 22 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, it is shown that input recording data having an input resolution of 600 dpi becomes an index pattern having a 4-bit, 6-value output resolution of 2400 dpi (4 × 2). FIG. 4 shows that input recording data having an input resolution of 600 dpi becomes an index pattern of 4 bits, 16 values of output resolution 4800 dpi (8 × 2).

  When the ejection frequency of the recording head is equivalent to 1200 dpi, recording data is recorded by thinning out one column during one recording scan of the recording head. Therefore, in order to record the 2400 dpi (4 × 2) index pattern shown in FIG. 3, at least two recording scans are required. That is, column 0 and column 2 are recorded during the first recording scan of the recording head, and column 1 and column 3 are recorded while the recording start position is shifted by 2400 dpi during the second recording scan. Therefore, a heating window as shown in the figure is prepared for the first recording scan and the second recording scan.

  Further, in order to record the 4800 dpi (8 × 2) index pattern shown in FIG. 4, at least four recording scans are required. That is, columns 0 and 4 are recorded during the first recording scan of the recording head, and columns 2 and 5 are recorded while the recording start position is shifted by 4800 dpi during the second recording scan. Further, during the third recording scan, the recording start position is further shifted by an amount corresponding to 4800 dpi, and the columns 3 and 6 are recorded. Similarly, at the time of the fourth recording scan, the recording start position is further shifted by 4800 dpi, and the columns 4 and 7 are recorded. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a heating window as illustrated for the first and second recording scans.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, color data without a plurality of recording nozzle arrays for one color is developed into a 4 × 2 index pattern of 600 dpi, 4 bits, and 6 values. In the case of the recording head shown in FIG. 1, yellow Y is the target color. In this case, the same index pattern as in FIG. 3 is used, and the same heating window is prepared. On the other hand, for color data having a plurality of recording nozzle rows for one color, the output resolution is high in the main scanning direction of the recording nozzle row, and there are many gradations, 600 dpi, 4 bits, 16-value 8 × 2 index. Expand into patterns. In the case of the recording head shown in FIG. 1, cyan C and magenta M are the target colors.

  Then, by performing recording control as described below, recording that requires recording scanning by at least four recording heads is performed at least twice by the recording head in the ink jet recording apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention. Recording can be performed by scanning.

That is, in the embodiment of the present application, the heating window shown in FIG. 5 is prepared. For a color having a plurality of print nozzle rows for one color, row 0 and row 4 are printed by one of the plurality of print nozzle rows during the first print scan of the print head. The other print nozzle row prints rows 1 and 5 with the print start position shifted by 4800 dpi in the same print scan. In the second recording scan, the recording start position is further shifted by 4800 dpi in one of the plurality of recording nozzle arrays, and the arrays 2 and 6 are recorded. The other print nozzle row prints row 3 and row 7 with the print start position shifted by 4800 dpi. Thus, by arranging data and preparing a heating window, it is possible to record all of cyan C and magenta M in two recording scans.
On the other hand, for a color that does not have a plurality of recording nozzle arrays for one color, the recording data is developed into a 4 × 2 index pattern of 600 dpi, 4 bits, and 6 values, and the array 0 is displayed during the first recording scan of the recording head. And record column 2. Then, during the second recording scan, the recording start position is shifted by 2400 dpi, and columns 1 and 3 are recorded. Thus, recording can be completed by two recording scans of the recording head. This is the same as the description of FIG.

  Accordingly, all the recordings of cyan C, magenta M, and yellow Y can be completed by two recording scans. 3 to 5, the horizontal direction of the scanning direction of the recording nozzle row of the recording head is the main scanning direction. Incidentally, the sub-scanning direction is usually the direction in which the recording paper is fed, and is the direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the system constituted by the ink jet recording apparatus 22 and the PC 20 in the embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the flow of processing will be described with reference to FIG.

  After the start of processing, first, a recording command is issued in the application of the PC 20 in step S1. Then, in the PC 20, the printer driver 21 generates recording data. At this time, the printer driver 21 applies a 4-bit, 16-value index code with a resolution of 600 dpi to the recording data for recording heads C1, C2 and M1, M2 having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays for one color. Recording data consisting of For the print data for the print head Y that has only one print nozzle row for one color, print data composed of a 4-bit, 6-value index code with a resolution of 600 dpi is generated.

  In step S3, the two types of recording data are transmitted from the PC 20 to the inkjet recording device 22. In step S4, the inkjet recording device 22 receives the two types of recording data. In step S5, the inkjet recording apparatus 22 develops the received recording data in the work buffer 208 and the print buffer 209. In the print buffer 209, the print data is rearranged in the order of heating the ink.

  Next, the setting before recording is executed in steps S6 to S8. First, in step S6, the start position and end position of a heating window that generates a heating trigger for recording are set.

  For the cyan and magenta recording heads C1, C2, M1, and M2, it is necessary to record the recording data of the columns shifted by 4800 dpi in one recording scan, so that the positions shifted by 4800 dpi are set. . That is, the heating window shown in FIG. 3 is generated for yellow Y signal recording, and the heating window shown in FIG. 5 is generated for magenta M and cyan C signal recording.

  In step S7, a recording mode of 600 dpi, 4 bits, 16 values is designated for the recording heads C1, C2, M1, and M2 for cyan and magenta recording, and an index code of 600 dpi, 8 × 2. Expand to. On the other hand, in step S8, for the data of the recording head Y for yellow recording, a 600 dpi, 4 bit, 6 value recording mode is designated and developed into an index code of 600 dpi, 4 × 2.

  Next, in steps S9 and S10, column thinning is set, and which column of recording data is recorded is set. Here, the following column data is specified. That is, for the cyan and magenta print heads in step S9, during the first print scan, prints in rows 0 and 4 are set for one print nozzle row and rows 1 and 5 are set for the other print nozzle. . Then, during the second recording scan of the recording head, the recording of the columns 2 and 6 is set for one recording nozzle row, and the recordings of the rows 3 and 7 are set for the other recording nozzle row. In step S10, for the yellow recording head, column 0 and column 2 are designated at the first recording scan, and column 1 and column 3 recording is set at the second recording scan.

  In step S11, recording is performed. In this way, for a color having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays of the same color in the recording head, recording is performed without reducing the throughput even when high resolution data having a larger number of gradations is given than a color having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays. It becomes possible.

  The description of the embodiment in the present application is merely an example, and it is not always necessary to have one yellow Y recording nozzle row. In addition, various combinations are possible when considering black BK. Further, the resolution of the output data and the number of printing scans are merely examples, and the invention of the present application can be implemented in various forms.

  The object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a system or apparatus with a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments. That is, it goes without saying that this can also be achieved by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile semiconductor memory card, ROM, or the like can be used. . Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by executing the program code read by the computer.

  However, when the OS (operating system) operating on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Needless to say, is also included.

  Furthermore, the program code read from the storage medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. Needless to say.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording head that can be used in an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the inkjet recording system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the index pattern which converts the input recording data which has a resolution of 600 dpi into output recording data. It is a figure which shows the index pattern which converts the input recording data which has the resolution of 600 dpi into the high resolution output recording data. It is a figure which shows the index pattern which converts the input recording data which has the resolution of 600 dpi which can be used with the inkjet recording device in embodiment of this invention into the output recording data of high resolution. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (7)

In an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording using a recording head that includes at least a plurality of recording nozzle arrays corresponding to the first color and a single recording nozzle array corresponding to the second color.
As the first color recording data to be recorded by the plurality of recording nozzle arrays, high resolution recording data having a higher resolution than the second color recording data to be recorded by the single recording nozzle array is generated,
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the high resolution recording data is distributed and recorded to the plurality of recording nozzle arrays corresponding to the first color by one recording scan of the recording head.   In one recording scan of the recording head, recording data at a certain column position of the high resolution recording data is recorded in one of the plurality of recording nozzle columns, and at the other column position of the high resolution recording data. An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein recording data is recorded by the other of the plurality of recording nozzle arrays.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first color recorded by the plurality of recording nozzle arrays includes cyan and magenta.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second color recorded by the single recording nozzle row includes yellow. Data processing for processing print data for printing using a print head having at least a plurality of print nozzle rows corresponding to the first color and a single print nozzle row corresponding to the second color In the method
Generating, as the first color recording data to be recorded by the plurality of recording nozzle rows, high resolution recording data having a higher resolution than the second color recording data to be recorded by the single recording nozzle row; ,
A step of distributing the high-resolution recording data to be recorded in one recording scan of the recording head to the plurality of recording nozzle arrays corresponding to the first color. .   A program in which the procedure of the data processing method according to claim 5 is described as code executable by a computer.   A computer-readable storage medium in which the program according to claim 6 is stored.

Images