Halftone printing on an inkjet printer

1. A method for performing amplitude-modulated halftone printing, said method comprising depositing drops of ink in different multi-dot patterns of at least five adjacent pre-coalescence dots on a print medium so that the adjacent pre-coalescence dots of each pattern coalesce into different-size post-coalescence dots, said different patterns being characterized by respective different numbers of pre-coalescence dots.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein ink and media type are selected so that colorant migration will occur, facilitating coalescence.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the media is formed of non-porous material.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the media is formed of one of the following non-porous materials: polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein all dots of a multi-dot pattern are deposited in a single print pass.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said different multi-dot patterns include a five-dot pattern, a nine-dot pattern, and a thirteen-dot pattern.

7. An inkjet printer comprising:

one or more printheads with a plurality of nozzles that deposit ink drops on media; and

a controller that controls said printheads and said nozzles so that the inkjet printer prints on the media an amplitude modulated (AM) halftoning pattern where dot size is varied to create different tones and where different sized dots are formed on the media by depositing drops of ink in different multi-dot patterns of at least five adjacent pre-coalescence dots on the same media so that the adjacent pre-coalescence dots of a pattern coalesce into different-sized post-coalescence dots, said different patterns being characterized by respective different numbers of pre-coalescence dots.

8. An inkjet printer as in claim 7 wherein ink and media type are selected so that colorant migration will occur, facilitating coalescence.

9. An inkjet printer as in claim 7 wherein the media is formed of non-porous material.

10. An inkjet printer as in claim 7 wherein the media is formed of one of the following non-porous materials: polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene.

11. An inkjet printer as in claim 7 wherein, when depositing different patterns of adjacent drops that coalesce into the different sized dots, all drops for each dot are deposited in a single print pass in order to facilitate coalescence.

12. An inkjet printer as recited in claim 7 wherein said different multi-dot patterns include a five-dot pattern, a nine-dot pattern, and a thirteen-dot pattern.

13. An inkjet printer comprising:

means for deposit ink drops on media; and,

means for controlling deposition of the ink drops on the media so that the inkjet printer prints on the media an amplitude modulated (AM) halftoning pattern where dot size is varied to create different tones and where different sized dots are formed on the media by depositing drops of ink in different patterns of at least five adjacent pre-coalescence dots that coalesce into different-sized post-coalescence dots, said different patterns being characterized by respective different numbers of pre-coalescence dots.

14. An inkjet printer as in claim 13 wherein ink and media type are selected so that colorant migration will occur, facilitating coalescence.

15. An inkjet printer as in claim 13 wherein the media is formed of non-porous material.

16. An inkjet printer as in claim 13 wherein the media is formed of one of the following non-porous materials: polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene.

17. An inkjet printer as in claim 13 wherein when depositing different patterns of adjacent drops that coalesce into the different sized dots, all drops for each dot are deposited in a single print pass in order to facilitate coalescence.

18. An inkjet printer as recited in claim 13 wherein said different multi-dot patterns include a five-dot pattern, a nine-dot pattern, and a thirteen-dot pattern.