Image processing apparatus image processing method and program

• US 10,534,987 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2019
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kodama, Shigeo, Ishikawa, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anh-Vinh T
• Application Number:
  US16/290,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20190197373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1877 with provisions for treating some of the print data differently
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/405 Halftoning, i.e. converting the picture signal of a continuous-tone original into a corresponding signal showing only two levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4051 producing a dispersed dots halftone pattern, the dots having substantially the same size different sizes H04N1/4057
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4074 using histograms

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a target value calculation unit configured to calculate a target value to be output in a predetermined region in input image data based on pixel values of pixels included in the region, a distribution order determination unit configured to determine a distribution order of output values for distributing output values corresponding to the target value in the region based on a pixel value of each pixel included in the region and a threshold value in the threshold matrix corresponding to the pixel, and an output value determination unit configured to determine an output value of each pixel included in the region by allocating the target value to at least one pixel included in the region in the distribution order.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a holding unit configured to hold a threshold value matrix including a plurality of threshold values;

a target value acquiring unit configured to acquire, on a basis of pixel values of pixels included in a predetermined region of an input image and a threshold value group which, in the threshold value matrix, corresponds to the predetermined region, a target value for the predetermined region; and

an output value determination unit configured to determine output values of the pixels included in the predetermined region in accordance with the target value, the threshold value group and the pixel values.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the output value determination unit determines the output values of the pixels included in the predetermined region in a manner such that sum of the output values in the predetermined region becomes the target value of the predetermined region.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the output value determination unit determines a position at which a pixel, among the pixels included in the predetermined region, of which an output value is to be set to equal to or higher than 1 is provided on a basis of the pixel values and the threshold values.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the target value acquiring unit derives the target value by using a dither process with the threshold value group.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first evaluation value determination unit configured to determine evaluation values of the pixels included in the predetermined region on a basis of the pixel values of the pixels and the threshold values corresponding to the pixels;

a second evaluation determination unit configured to determine, with respect to a pixel of interest included in the predetermined region, an evaluation value of the pixel of interest on a basis of a pixel value of the pixel of interest and a threshold value corresponding to the pixel of interest; and

a comparison unit configured to perform, for each of the pixels included in the predetermined region, comparison of an evaluation value with the evaluation value of the pixel of interest,

wherein the output value determination unit determines an output value of the pixel of interest in accordance with a result of the comparison performed by the comparison unit.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the comparison unit calculates what number of a magnitude of the evaluation value of the pixel of interest is among the pixels included in the predetermined region by performing the comparison.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the output value determination unit determines to set the output value of the pixel of interest to 0 in a case where a place in an evaluation value order of the evaluation value of the pixel of interest is higher than the target value in the predetermined region.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the output values indicate whether dots are arranged or not.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the output value determination unit arranges, in the predetermined region, the dots for a number corresponding to the target value, and

wherein positions of the dots in the predetermined region are determined in accordance with the threshold value group and the pixel values.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

reading pixel values of pixels included in a predetermined region of an input image;

reading, from a threshold value matrix including a plurality of threshold values, a threshold value group corresponding to the predetermined region;

acquiring, on a basis of the pixel values of the pixels included in the predetermined region and the threshold value group corresponding to the predetermined region, a target value for the predetermined region; and

determining output values of the pixels included in the predetermined region in accordance with the target value, the threshold value group and the pixel values.

11. An image processing method comprising:

reading pixel values of pixels included in a predetermined region of an input image;

reading, from a threshold value matrix including a plurality of threshold values, a threshold value group corresponding to the predetermined region;

acquiring, on a basis of the pixel values of the pixels included in the predetermined region and the threshold value group corresponding to the predetermined region, a target value for the predetermined region; and

determining output values of the pixels included in the predetermined region in accordance with the target value, the threshold value group and the pixel values.