Patent US6514672B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0632405A2
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EP
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Ink-jet recording apparatus and method using asynchronous masks
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-06-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-06-29
Abstract
Abstract Random masks each having a given size and defining a random array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations are placed in association with record areas in mask registers. Using the placed masks, record data is thinned-out and supplied to a recording head. An image is then recorded. Thus, since thinning-out masks do not have periodicity, any inherent density nonuniformity loses periodicity. Consequently, high-definition images can be produced.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiichiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Takahashi
- 👤 Naoji C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Otsuka
- 👤 Kazuhiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nakata
- 👤 Atsushi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Arai
- 👤 Kentaro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yano
- 👤 Osamu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Iwasaki
- 👤 Daigoro Kanematsu
- 👤 Masao C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10; G06K15/102; G06K15/105; G06K15/107
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times; producing means for producing a plurality of random masks, each random mask having a predetermined size and defining a random array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; thinning out means for thinning out record data using said random masks produced by said producing means, said random masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and record controlling means for forming thinned out images by printing the record data thinned out by said thinning out means, during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scan controlling means controls the recording head to scan the same record area of the recording medium a plurality of times by changing divided areas of the recording head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing a plurality of random masks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: checking means for checking whether or not said random masks produced by said producing means are consistent with a predetermined mask; and prohibiting means for prohibiting certain random masks from being used as thinning out masks when the certain random masks are consistent with said predetermined mask.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
A recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times; selecting means for randomly selecting a plurality of masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; thinning out means for thinning out record data using said masks selected by said selecting means, said randomly-selected masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and record controlling means for forming thinned out images by recording the record data thinned out by said thinning out means, during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
188 words
A recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times; producing means for producing a plurality of random masks each having a predetermined size and defining a random array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; selecting means for randomly selecting a plurality of masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; synthesising means for synthesising said masks randomly selected by said selecting means with said random masks produced by said producing means so as to produce synthetic masks providing different thinning out ratios from said random masks; thinning out means for thinning out record data using said synthetic masks produced by said synthesising means, said synthetic masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and recording controlling means for forming thinned out images by recording the record data thinned out by said thinning out means, during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
A recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times; specifying means for specifying different kinds of masks, each of which defines an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations, for use as thinning out masks for respective record areas; thinning out means for thinning out record data using said different kinds of masks specified by said specifying means; and record controlling means for forming thinned out images by recording the record data thinned out by said thinning out means, during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said specifying means specifies certain ones of said masks for each record scan.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said specifying means specifies certain ones of said masks for respective divided areas of the recording head.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said specifying means varies periodicities in specifying said masks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said specifying means produces a plurality of complementary masks using a single mask.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
A recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times; creating means for creating masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; expanding means for expanding said masks created by said creating means; thinning out means for thinning out record data using said masks expanded by said expanding means, said masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and record controlling means for forming thinned out images by recording the record data thinned out by said thinning out means, during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said creating means creates said masks independently for each recording scan.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said expanding means determines a quantity of expansion for each recording scan.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising identifying means for identifying a type of print data, wherein said expanding means determines a quantity of expansion according to the type of print data identified by said identifying means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said expanding means determines a quantity of expansion according to a type of recording medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
173 words
An ink jet recording apparatus for recording using a recording head having a plurality of ink jet nozzles for discharging ink, said recording apparatus being operable in a normal recording mode and a thinning out recording mode, said apparatus comprising: scan controlling means for controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium once in the normal recording mode, while controlling said recording head to scan the same record area of the recording medium a plurality of times in the thinning out recording mode; record controlling means for controlling complete recording of an image by recording record data during one scan in the normal recording mode, and by recording thinned out images using said created thinning out masks during respective scans in the thinning out recording mode; and thinning out controlling means for selecting the thinning out recording mode and for setting masks resulting from thinning out based on pseudo-random numbers in said record controlling means when a recording medium used for recording is of a predetermined type.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising identifying means for identifying a type of recording medium to be recorded.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined type of recording medium comprises a type prone to beading.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined type of recording medium comprises media other than coated paper and plain paper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined type of recording medium comprises transparent film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said thinning out controlling means sets said masks for respective divided areas of the recording head.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said masks comprise a plurality of complementary masks produced from a single mask.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said record controlling means varies a quantity of discharged ink depending on an ambient temperature or humidity.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said record controlling means varies a quantity of discharged ink for each record area.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-25, wherein a quantity of discharged ink is varied for each ink jet nozzle of the recording head.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-26, further comprising said recording head, wherein said recording head discharges ink by way of heat.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-27, wherein said recording apparatus is incorporated in a copying machine.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-27, wherein said recording apparatus is incorporated in a facsimile machine.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1-27 wherein said recording apparatus is incorporated in a computer terminal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
108 words
A recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of: producing a plurality of random masks each having a predetermined size and defining a random array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; thinning out record data using the random masks produced in the producing step, the random masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times, forming thinned out images by recording thinned out record data during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
106 words
A recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of: randomly selecting a plurality of masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; thinning out record data using the masks selected in said selecting step, said random masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times, forming thinned out images for recording thinned out record data during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
152 words
A recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of: producing a plurality of random masks each having a predetermined size and defining a random array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; randomly selecting a plurality of pre-stored masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; synthesising the selected pre-stored masks with the produced random masks so as to produce synthetic masks providing different thinning out ratios from the random masks; thinning out record data using the synthetic masks, the synthetic masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times, forming thinned out images by recording thinned out record data during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
96 words
A recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of: specifying different kinds of masks, each of which defines an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations, as thinning out masks for respective record areas; thinning out record data using the specified different kinds of masks; and controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times, forming thinned out images by recording thinned out record data during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
101 words
A recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements, said method comprising the steps of: creating masks each having a predetermined size and defining an array of non-record pixel locations and record pixel locations; expanding the created masks; thinning out record data using the expanded masks, the masks being utilised as thinning out masks for each record area; and controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium a plurality of times, forming thinned out images by recording thinned out record data during respective scans, and thus completing an image.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A recording method according to any one of claims 31-35, wherein during image forming, the recording head discharges ink from a plurality of ink jet nozzles.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
A recording method according to any one of claims 31-36, wherein the recording head discharges the ink by way of heat.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
164 words
An ink jet recording method for recording using a recording head having a plurality of ink jet nozzles for discharging ink, said recording method being operable in a normal recording mode and a thinning out recording mode, said method comprising the steps of: controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of a recording medium once in the normal recording mode, while controlling the recording head to scan the same record area of the recording medium a plurality of times in the thinning out recording mode; and controlling complete recording of an image by recording record data during one scan in the normal recording mode, and by recording thinned out images using created thinning out masks during respective scans in the thinning out recording mode, wherein when a recording medium used for recording is of a predetermined type, the thinning out recording mode is selected and masks resulting from thinning out based on pseudo-random numbers are utilised as the thinning out masks.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet recording method according to claim 38, wherein during recording the recording head discharges ink by way of heat.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
60 words
A recording method in which random masks each having a given size and defining a random array of non record pixel locations and record pixel locations are placed in association with record areas in mask registers, the record data is thinned out by use of said masks, and thereafter the thinned data is supplied to a recording head for recording.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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