Reduction of intercolor bleeding in liquid ink printing

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for processing color image data for printing on an inkjet printer to reduce intercolor bleeding in an image recorded on a receiving medium. The method receives a target pixel comprising multiple separation pixels, wherein each separation is associated with a separate color plane and has at least three states, a first state corresponding to depositing no ink drops, a second state corresponding to depositing one ink drop, and a third state corresponding to depositing more than one ink drop. The method further includes determining if the target pixel is within a black border region near a black/color interface or within a color border region near a black/color interface. If the target pixel is within a black border region, the method replaces the target pixel with a black border output pixel derived from a black pixel modification pattern identifying an arrangement of separation pixels to deposit approximately one drop for each pixel location in the black pixel modification pattern. Similarly, if the target pixel is within a color border region near a black/color interface, the method replaces the target pixel with a color border pixel derived from a color pixel modification pattern identifying an arrangement of separation pixels for each non-black color plane that deposits approximately one drop for each pixel location.