Provided are an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a dither mask set, and an image recording apparatus capable of suppressing occurrence of banding and color unevenness without productivity decrease. Halftone processing is performed with respect to image data of a first color, in a range of a part of a recording duty, using a dither mask that realizes a first nozzle jetting rate in which a nozzle jetting rate of an end part nozzle is suppressed to be smaller than a nozzle jetting rate of a central nozzle. Further, halftone processing is performed with respect to image data of a second color different from the first color, using a dither mask that realizes a second nozzle jetting rate having smaller difference between the nozzle jetting rate of the end part nozzle and the nozzle jetting rate of the central nozzle than that in the first nozzle jetting rate.

The present invention provides an image data conversion device that can convert color image data to black-and-white image data suitable for a background image. One example embodiment of the present invention is an image data conversion device that represents color image data in gray scale to convert the color image data to black-and-white image data and that includes determination means for determining whether or not the black-and-white image data is data used for a background image; and image data conversion means for converting the color image data to black-and-white image data using brightness values ranging from a background image minimum brightness value to a maximum brightness value when the black-and-white image data is data used for a background image.

The present invention provides an image data conversion device that can convert color image data to black-and-white image data suitable for a background image. One example embodiment of the present invention is an image data conversion device that represents color image data in gray scale to convert the color image data to black-and-white image data and that includes determination means for determining whether or not the black-and-white image data is data used for a background image; and image data conversion means for converting the color image data to black-and-white image data using brightness values ranging from a background image minimum brightness value to a maximum brightness value when the black-and-white image data is data used for a background image.

An oval printing machine includes a guide, defining a closed path (P); one or more supports, movable on the guide, the one or more supports being adapted to support items to be printed; one or more operating stations positioned along the path (P) for processing the items to be printed; at least one digital printing station positioned along the path (P), for printing the items supported by the one or more supports. The digital printing station includes a structure substantially integral with the guide, and a first printing element associated with the structure and movable relative to the structure. The printing element is movable in a first direction (D1) that is transversal to a second direction (D2) in which the guide extends at the digital printing station.

A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a printer to print image data to a medium. The printer includes a first pass channel including a first set of pel forming elements to print a first component of the image data and a second pass channel including a second set of pel forming elements to print a second component of the image data, wherein the first component of the image data and the second component of the image data occupy a same region on the print medium. The printing system also includes a print controller to perform uniformity compensation based on a combined compensation of the first pass channel and the second pass channel.

A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a printer to print image data to a medium. The printer includes a first pass channel including a first set of pel forming elements to print a first component of the image data and a second pass channel including a second set of pel forming elements to print a second component of the image data, wherein the first component of the image data and the second component of the image data occupy a same region on the print medium. The printing system also includes a print controller to perform uniformity compensation based on a combined compensation of the first pass channel and the second pass channel.

Thermal transfer image data is used to transfer part of a transfer material layer in a transfer ribbon to an image-receiving layer in an intermediate transfer ribbon to form a plurality of image cells on the intermediate transfer ribbon. A method for providing thermal transfer image data includes converting a multitone input image into a multitone image having fewer different tone values than the input image, based on a predetermined threshold; and dithering respective tone values of the image.

Thermal transfer image data is used to transfer part of a transfer material layer in a transfer ribbon to an image-receiving layer in an intermediate transfer ribbon to form a plurality of image cells on the intermediate transfer ribbon. A method for providing thermal transfer image data includes converting a multitone input image into a multitone image having fewer different tone values than the input image, based on a predetermined threshold; and dithering respective tone values of the image.

A printing apparatus includes a printer with printing elements that print dots and a controller that acquires input image data. The controller acquires a pre-correction printing density that is based on test pattern data, which includes a uniform array of pixels, and printing characteristics of printing positions of the dots printed by the plurality of printing elements. The controller calculates a target density by averaging the pre-correction printing density and offsets the target density so that the target density is equal to or greater than the pre-correction printing density. The controller calculates a correction gain of the plurality of printing elements on the basis of the ratio of the target density to the pre-correction printing density and controls the printer on the basis of the correction gain and the input image data.

A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a printer to print image data to a medium. The printer includes a first pass channel including a first set of pel forming elements to print a first component of the image data and a second pass channel including a second set of pel forming elements to print a second component of the image data, wherein the first component of the image data and the second component of the image data occupy a same region on the print medium. The printing system also includes a print controller to perform uniformity compensation based on a combined compensation of the first pass channel and the second pass channel.