Fast generation of dither matrix

Abstract

The invention provides a dither matrix generating method. This method generates a dither matrix for determining a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on a print medium in response to input image data. The method comprising: determining a targeted threshold value from among a plurality of threshold values, the targeted threshold value having a highest tendency for dot formation to be On among threshold values for which storage elements are to be determined; determining a storage element for the targeted threshold value from among a plurality of candidate storage elements based on a matrix evaluation value, the matrix evaluation value representing a correlation with a prescribed objective state, the matrix evaluation value being calculated respectively on a presupposition of hypothetical dot On/Off states, the hypothetical dot On/Off states resulting from the targeted threshold value being stored in each of the plurality of candidate storage elements that are candidates for storing the targeted threshold value; and repeating the determining the targeted threshold value and the determining the storage element for at least part of the plurality of threshold values. The determining the storage element includes: extracting an element block that constitutes a group of the storage elements, the element block making up a part of the dither matrix; and selecting the candidate storage elements in succession from among the plurality of storage elements that make up the extracted element block.