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.

A printing apparatus performing printing by an inkjet scheme includes: an inkjet head; and a controller, configured to control the operation of a main scan driver and a sub scan driver to perform a main scanning operation multiple times on each position on a medium. In the main scanning operation, for at least part of ejection positions serving as ejection targets of ink droplets in the main scanning operation, the controller causes the inkjet head to eject an ink droplet in accordance with a mask for selecting part of the at least part of ejection positions.

A printing apparatus performing printing by an inkjet scheme includes: an inkjet head; and a controller, configured to control the operation of a main scan driver and a sub scan driver to perform a main scanning operation multiple times on each position on a medium. In the main scanning operation, for at least part of ejection positions serving as ejection targets of ink droplets in the main scanning operation, the controller causes the inkjet head to eject an ink droplet in accordance with a mask for selecting part of the at least part of ejection positions.

A temporary dot pattern at a dot pattern determining target gradation is determined by adding or removing dots as much as the number of dots corresponding to a gradation difference to or from a dot pattern at a gradation at which a dot pattern is already determined, and a dot pattern at a dot pattern determining target gradation is determined by performing a replacement process of replacing dots including some of dots at a dot pattern determined gradation among the dots in the temporary dot pattern with non-dot arrangements. A halftone mask may be constituted by a group of dot patterns at each gradation, or the halftone mask may be constituted by setting a dot pattern for each gradation as a threshold value.

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.

Provided are an image processing device, an image processing method, and an ink jet recording apparatus that can prevent the occurrence of density unevenness, such as banding, regardless of a duty, without causing deterioration of image quality. A jetting rate indicating an ink jetting rate of each of a plurality of nozzles which jet ink in a recording head including the nozzles is determined. A nozzle pattern indicating which of the plurality of nozzles of the recording head is used to record each pixel of an image on a recording medium is determined. The jetting rate of the nozzle which records each pixel is reflected in a gradation value of each pixel of the image on the basis of the determination result of the jetting rate and the determination result of the nozzle pattern to convert the gradation value of each pixel.

Provided are an image processing device, an image processing method, and an ink jet recording apparatus that can prevent the occurrence of density unevenness, such as banding, regardless of a duty, without causing deterioration of image quality. A jetting rate indicating an ink jetting rate of each of a plurality of nozzles which jet ink in a recording head including the nozzles is determined. A nozzle pattern indicating which of the plurality of nozzles of the recording head is used to record each pixel of an image on a recording medium is determined. The jetting rate of the nozzle which records each pixel is reflected in a gradation value of each pixel of the image on the basis of the determination result of the jetting rate and the determination result of the nozzle pattern to convert the gradation value of each pixel.

Provided is an ink image matter generating method for selecting a fluorescent ink by performing (a) a process of color-measuring a target color which is a target of color reproduction on a medium and the medium on which an inkjet color ink for color reproduction of the target color is printed; (b) a process of calculating a difference between a colorimetric value of the target color and a colorimetric value of the medium on which the color ink is printed; and (c) a process of selecting a fluorescent ink for reducing the difference between the colorimetric value of the target color and the colorimetric value of the medium on which the color ink is printed, from fluorescent inks that are set in advance, and jetting droplets of the selected fluorescent ink together with the color ink, or after the droplets of the color ink are jetted to cause the fluorescent ink to exist on a surface of an ink image matter, thereby making it possible to select and use an appropriate fluorescent ink with respect to a specific color of which the color reproducibility cannot be ensured using only a color ink in inkjet printing on a medium which is a printing substrate and to ensure high color reproducibility ensuring high color reproducibility for the specific color.

Provided is an ink image matter generating method for selecting a fluorescent ink by performing (a) a process of color-measuring a target color which is a target of color reproduction on a medium and the medium on which an inkjet color ink for color reproduction of the target color is printed; (b) a process of calculating a difference between a colorimetric value of the target color and a colorimetric value of the medium on which the color ink is printed; and (c) a process of selecting a fluorescent ink for reducing the difference between the colorimetric value of the target color and the colorimetric value of the medium on which the color ink is printed, from fluorescent inks that are set in advance, and jetting droplets of the selected fluorescent ink together with the color ink, or after the droplets of the color ink are jetted to cause the fluorescent ink to exist on a surface of an ink image matter, thereby making it possible to select and use an appropriate fluorescent ink with respect to a specific color of which the color reproducibility cannot be ensured using only a color ink in inkjet printing on a medium which is a printing substrate and to ensure high color reproducibility ensuring high color reproducibility for the specific color.