Output Pure Color Tints or Black for Full-Color Input

• US 20080231902A1
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lin, Guo-Yau, Roome, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/129 Colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1852 involving combining data of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0094 Colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40012 Conversion of colour to monochrome
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/56 Processing of colour picture signals H04N1/52 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and device for printing a full color image containing at least one object onto a highlight color printer without mixing highlight color and black for any one object. Inputting a full color image containing at least one object to be printed onto a highlight color printer. The highlight color printer prints each object of the full color image as an object containing on highlight color or only black while maintaining luminance of the original full color image.

Claims

1. A method of mapping a full color image producible on a highlight color image output device without mixing highlight color and black for any single object, the method comprising:

inputting a full color image including at least one object to be printed on the image output device; and

printing the at least one object of the full color image as an object containing only highlight color or black while maintaining the luminance of the full color image.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inputting includes analyzing a number of objects in the full color image.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inputting includes converting the at least one object of the full color image into an intermediate color space image.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the intermediate color space image is in any one of the following:

Grayscale, HSV and mixed highlight color and black.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inputting includes transforming the intermediate color space image into a highlight color or black only image.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing is based on user input.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transforming is based on whether a majority of pixel luminance of the at least one object are close to neutral within a tolerance and wherein if the majority are close to neutral then the at least one object is rendered in black only.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein if the majority are not close to neutral then the transforming transforms the at least one object to an HSV object and converts the at least one transformed object based on hue difference and brightness value before printing.

9. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inputting transforms the mixed highlight color and black object to highlight color or black based on a mapping color.

10. A method of mapping a full color image producible on a highlight color image output device without mixing highlight color and non-highlight color for any single object, the method comprising:

inputting a full color image including at least one object to be printed on the image output device; and

printing the at least one object of the full color image as an object containing only highlight color or non-highlight color while maintaining the luminance of the full color image.

11. A system of mapping a full color image producible on a highlight color image output device without mixing highlight color and black for any single object, the method comprising:

a means for inputting a full color image including at least one object to be printed on the image output device; and

a means for printing the at least one object of the full color image as an object containing only highlight color or black while maintaining the luminance of the full color image.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for inputting includes a means for analyzing a number of objects in the full color document.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for inputting includes a means for converting the at least one object of the full color document into an intermediate color space image.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the intermediate color space image is in any one of the following:

Grayscale, HSV and mixed highlight color and black.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inputting means includes a transforming means for transforming the intermediate color space image into a highlight color or black only image.

16. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for printing is based on user input.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the means for transforming is based on whether a majority of pixel luminance of the at least one object are close to neutral within a tolerance and wherein if the majority are close to neutral then the at least one object is rendered in black only.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein if the majority are not close to neutral then the means for transforming transforms the at least one object to an HSV object and converts the at least one transformed object based on hue difference and brightness value.

19. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means for inputting transforms the mixed highlight color and black object to highlight color or black based on a mapping color.

20. A system of mapping a full color image producible on a highlight color image output device without mixing highlight color and non-highlight color for any single object, the method comprising:

a means for inputting a full color image including at least one object to be printed on the image output device; and

a means for printing the at least one object of the full color image as an object containing only highlight color or non-highlight color while maintaining the luminance of the full color image.