Provided is a printing method for performing printing using a serial printer. In printing of a print image including a line image, the printing method includes a raster line forming step of forming each of raster lines configuring the image, by a plurality of pass operations. In the formation of each of the raster lines, when printing of a region corresponding to edge pixels of the line image by a first pass operation, which is one of the plurality of pass operations, is first printing, and printing of the region corresponding to the edge pixels by a second pass operation that is different from the first pass operation, of the plurality of pass operations, is second printing, a brightness of the printing by the second printing is higher than a brightness of the printing by the first printing.

An image processing method is an image processing method of a recording device. The image processing method includes inputting the image data having a resolution in a sub scanning direction of X×N dpi, performing data processing on the image data for each N-unit region, performing resolution reduction processing of reducing, to 1/N, a resolution in the sub scanning direction, and generating a recording data based on the reduced image data. In the data processing step, when the N-unit region is formed of a pixel having a black gradation value and a pixel having a gradation value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value when expressed by RGB, and the pixel having the black gradation value is consecutive from another N-unit region adjacent to the N-unit region, a black dot is generated in a pixel after the resolution reduction processing.

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for estimating ink use by a printer is provided. The method involves receiving, by a computer, a request for a comingled print job comprising a plurality of print jobs to be carried out by the printer. The method also involves traversing, by the computer, pages of the comingled print job and identifying, for each page of the comingled print job, a print job of the plurality of print jobs to which the page belongs. The method also involves for each of the plurality of print jobs, calculating, by the computer, an estimated total amount of ink required for printing the print job. The method also involves communicating, by the computer, to a client terminal, the estimated total amounts of ink required for printing the plurality of print jobs.

A quantized value for a pixel of interest in an input image is derived by using a predetermined threshold value matrix. Then, based on a pixel value group in a predetermined reference area including the pixel of interest in the input image and a threshold value group corresponding thereto, directionality of correction is determined. Further, based on the pixel value group and the threshold value group, whether or not the pixel of interest satisfies a predetermined condition for changing the quantized value is determined. Then, based on both the determination results, the quantized value is corrected.

A printer includes a printing device including a print head, a first moving device, and a second moving device, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate first partial-dot-data by executing a first generating process with respect to first partial-image data and generate second partial-dot-data by executing a second generating process with respect to second partial-image-data. In the second generating process, the controller determines a degree of reduction in density by the second generating process to a first degree of reduction in a first case where a particular condition including a code condition that is satisfied when the second partial-image includes at least a portion of a code image is satisfied, and determine the degree of reduction in density by the second generating process to a second degree different from the first degree of reduction when the second partial-image does not include the code image.

An image processing method is an image processing method of a recording device. The image processing method includes inputting the image data having a resolution in a sub scanning direction of X×N dpi, performing data processing on the image data for each N-unit region, performing resolution reduction processing of reducing, to 1/N, a resolution in the sub scanning direction, and generating a recording data based on the reduced image data. In the data processing step, when the N-unit region is formed of a pixel having a black gradation value and a pixel having a gradation value that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value when expressed by RGB, and the pixel having the black gradation value is consecutive from another N-unit region adjacent to the N-unit region, a black dot is generated in a pixel after the resolution reduction processing.

A method of single-pass printing uses a printing system having first and second aligned printheads supplied with a same ink. The method includes the steps of: receiving first and second halftone images at the first and second printheads, respectively; printing the first halftone image from the first printhead; and printing the second halftone image from the second printhead. The first halftone image is based on a first dither pattern and the second halftone image is based on a second dither pattern, the first dither pattern being different than the second dither pattern.

A quantized value for a pixel of interest in an input image is derived by using a predetermined threshold value matrix. Then, based on a pixel value group in a predetermined reference area including the pixel of interest in the input image and a threshold value group corresponding thereto, directionality of correction is determined. Further, based on the pixel value group and the threshold value group, whether or not the pixel of interest satisfies a predetermined condition for changing the quantized value is determined. Then, based on both the determination results, the quantized value is corrected.

A method of processing a contone image for single-pass printing uses a printing system having first and second aligned printheads supplied with a same ink. The method includes the steps of: providing the contone image at a first resolution in a printing direction; dithering the contone image using a combined dither pattern to provide a full halftone image at the first resolution; dividing the full halftone image into first and second halftone images at a second resolution in the printing direction, the second resolution being less than the first resolution; and sending the first and second halftone images to respective first and second printheads for printing. The combined dither pattern is a combination of a first dither pattern for the first printhead and a second dither pattern for the second printhead, the first dither pattern being different than the second dither pattern.

Example implementations provide a controller for controlling printing of a printer, the controller comprising: an input interface for accessing an image to be printed; an image processor to identify at least one selected feature within the image; and circuitry: a. to control printing of said at least one selected feature using a respective print operation; and b. to control printing of said image, other said at least one selected feature, using a further respective print operation; c. said respective print operation being different to said further respective print operation.