Systems and methods for object-optimized control of laser power
First Claim
1. A method for printing at least one image, each image having a plurality of portions of image data, the plurality of portions of each image having a plurality of different types of image data, the method comprising:
- distinguishing, for each image, between the plurality of portions of image data that include different types of data within that image;
printing the portions of image data of that image that have of a first type of image data using a laser power drive signal at a first setpoint; and
printing the portions of image data of that image that have of a second type of image data using the laser power drive signal at a second setpoint, wherein the first setpoint is different from the second setpoint and the first setpoint and second setpoint are set based on the type of data being printed.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for altering a drive signal provided to an image forming element of a printer based on the type of object being printed, e.g., text and/or lineart, halftone, etc., to provide an optimal exposure level for producing the particular object. The apparatus provides an increased drive signal which, for example, provides an increased laser power during text and/or lineart production using a high setpoint and re-normalizes laser power by providing a decreased drive signal which, for example, provides a decreased laser power during halftone production using a low setpoint. This increased power offers improved appearance of text and/or lineart and the re-normalization offers more quantization levels for tone adjustment, better highlight production, and better overall control of tone during halftone production in a write black printer.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for printing at least one image, each image having a plurality of portions of image data, the plurality of portions of each image having a plurality of different types of image data, the method comprising:
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distinguishing, for each image, between the plurality of portions of image data that include different types of data within that image;
printing the portions of image data of that image that have of a first type of image data using a laser power drive signal at a first setpoint; and
printing the portions of image data of that image that have of a second type of image data using the laser power drive signal at a second setpoint, wherein the first setpoint is different from the second setpoint and the first setpoint and second setpoint are set based on the type of data being printed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for printing at least one image, each image having a plurality of portions of image data, the method comprising:
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determining, for each image and each portion of image data whether that portion of image data of that image corresponds to a type of object; and
altering a setpoint of a drive signal used to render that portion of image data of that image based on whether that portion of image data of that image corresponds to the type of object. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for printing based on object optimized print data of an output image, the method comprising:
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inputting document data defining a document, the document comprising at least one page;
converting the document data into a plurality of independent image objects, each independent image object having an object type indicated by at least a rendering tag, each page of the document comprising at least one of the plurality of independent image objects;
producing metabit data for each of the plurality of independent image objects based on the rendering tag indicating the type of object; and
modulating, based on the metabit data, a drive power supplied to an image forming element used to print at least one of the plurality of independent image objects. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A printer controller that adjusts a drive signal setpoint used to print a portion of image data of an image, that image having a plurality of portions of image data, the plurality of portions of that image having a plurality of different types of object, based on the type of object to which that portion of image data of that image corresponds, the printer controller comprising:
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an image output terminal that receives print data and metabit data of that image, the image output terminal including an image processing system that contains an object-optimized image formation modulation subsystem that is selectively controlled by the metabit data sent to the image output terminal;
wherein;
the metabit data of each portion of image data of that image controls the object-optimized image formation modulation subsystem to select between different drive signal setpoints depending on the type of object to which that portion of image data of that image corresponds; and
the drive signal setpoint affects the formation of the object corresponding to that portion of image data of that image. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for object-optimized printing based on characteristics of a bitmap region in which a portion of image data is located, the method comprising:
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distinguishing between at least two of a first image region that includes only a text or lineart object, a second image region that includes only a halftone object and a third image region that includes both halftone and text or lineart objects;
altering a setpoint of a drive signal that drives an image forming device during printing of the image region based on the objects included within the image region. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
driving the image forming device with a drive signal at a first setpoint during printing of the first image region;
driving the image forming device with a drive signal at a second setpoint during printing of an image region that includes only halftone objects; and
driving the image forming device with a drive signal at a third setpoint during printing of the third image region.
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20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first, second and third setpoints are different from each other.
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21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first setpoint is lower than the second setpoint and the third setpoint is between the first and second setpoints.
Specification