Importance

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Abstract

A printing method capable of printing a high-quality image at a high speed and low cost and a corresponding printing apparatus are disclosed. In this printing apparatus, a shading-corrected mask pattern for multipass printing control in consideration of the characteristics of each printing element of a printhead is generated. The size of the mask pattern in the conveyance direction of the printing medium is set to be an integer multiple of the conveyance amount of the printing medium per scanning of the printhead. Image data masked using the mask pattern is transferred to the printhead and printed. Alternatively, the conveyance-direction size of the mask pattern for masking print data in accordance with each pass printing of multipass printing is set to be equivalent to the number of nozzles of an ink-jet printhead having a plurality of nozzles arrayed in the conveyance direction of the printing medium, and the mask pattern is dividedly used for each pass printing. Any error of the position of a dot printed on the printing medium by an ink droplet discharged from each nozzle is detected in units of nozzles. Printing may be performed using a mask pattern generated such that a printing element with a small error is frequently used in accordance with the detection result, or performed such that the positions of print data are exchanged.

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First Claim