Gradation reproduction

• US 6,404,508 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1998
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ota, Ken, Takemoto, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): ROGERS, SCOTT A
• Application Number:
  US09/037,989
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/533, 358/534, 358/535, 358/536, 358/454, 358/456, 358/457, 358/458, 358/459, 358/298
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4058 with details for producing a halftone screen at an oblique angle H04N1/4056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/52 Circuits or arrangements for halftone screening

Abstract

In order to reproduce a gradation image of a plurality of colors with dither method, a plurality of patterns including first and second patterns are provided which makes dot in the reproduced image grow as lines and as lumps as gradation level increases with increase in gradation level. One of the patterns for a color of the received image data is selected, and received multi-level image data are screened with the selected pattern to generate bi-level image data for reproducing the image. In a different way, a plurality of patterns including first and second patterns are provided which make dots to be reproduced grow discretely along lines at low gradation levels as the gradation level increases. Screen angles of the first and second patterns are different by 90° from each other. One of the patterns is selected based on a color of received image data, and the received image data are screened with the selected patterns to generate bi-level image data. Thus, color shift or color nonuniformity in the reproduced image is suppressed, and image quality of full-color or multi-color reproduction image is improved.

Claims

1. A method for reproducing a gradation image of a plurality of colors comprising the steps of:

receiving multi-level image data which represents gradation levels of an image to be reproduced;

selecting one of a plurality of patterns for a color of the received image data; and

screening the received image data with the selected pattern to generate bi-level image data for reproducing the image with dots, wherein the patterns include a first pattern making the dots in the reproduced image grow as lines as gradation level increases, and a second pattern making the dots in the reproduced image grow as lumps as gradation level increases.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dots are reproduced on a recording medium in said reproducing step and the first pattern makes the dots grow as lines extending in a direction to carry the recording medium as gradation level increases.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a screen angle of the first pattern is the same as that of the second pattern.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the patterns further include a third pattern, and a screen angle of the third pattern is different by a first angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees from that of the first and second patterns.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the patterns further include a fourth pattern, and a screen angle of the fourth pattern is different from that of the first and second patterns and from that of the third pattern by second and third angles equal to or larger than 20 degrees.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a difference of the screen angle of the first and second patterns from that of the third pattern is about 30 degrees, and a difference of the screen angle of the third pattern from that of the fourth pattern is about 30 degrees.

7. An image reproduction apparatus comprising:

an input section receiving multi-level image data which represents gradation levels of an image to be reproduced;

a storage device storing patterns including a first pattern making dots in a reproduced image grow as lines as gradation level increases, and a second pattern making the dots in a reproduced image grow as lumps as gradation level increases;

a data processor selecting one of the patterns for a color of the received image data and screening the image data received by said input section with the selected pattern to generate bi-level image data; and

an image forming section which reproduces the image with dots according to the bi-level image data obtained by said data processor.

8. The image reproduction apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the dots are reproduced on a recording medium and the first pattern makes the dots grow as lines extending in a direction to carry the recording medium as gradation level increases.

9. The image reproduction apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a screen angle of the first pattern is the same as that of the second pattern.

10. The image reproduction apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the patterns further include a third pattern, and a screen angle of the third pattern is different by a first angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees from that of the first and second patterns.

11. The image reproduction apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the patterns further include a fourth pattern, and a screen angle of the fourth pattern is different from that of the first and second patterns and from that of the third pattern by second and third angles equal to or larger than 20 degrees.

12. The image reproduction apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a difference of the screen angle of the first and second patterns from that of the third pattern is about 30 degrees, and a difference of the screen angle of the third pattern from that of the fourth pattern is about 30 degrees.

13. A storage device for storing data for access by an application program being executed by an image reproduction apparatus which reproduces a gradation image of a plurality of colors according to image data on the plurality of colors which represent gradation levels of the image reproduction apparatus, comprising data of a plurality of patterns for reproduction colors used to screen image data for conversion to bi-level dot data;

wherein the patterns include a first pattern making dots to be reproduced grow as lines as gradation level increases, and a second pattern making dots to be reproduced grow as lumps as gradation level increases.

14. The storage device according to claim 13, wherein a screen angle of the first pattern is the same as that of the second pattern.

15. The storage device according to claim 14, wherein the patterns further include a third pattern, and a screen angle of the third pattern is different by an angle equal to or larger than 20 degrees from that of the first and second patterns.

16. The storage device according to claim 15, wherein the patterns further include a fourth pattern, and a screen angle of the fourth pattern is different from that of the first and second patterns and from that of the third pattern by second and third angles equal to or larger than 20 degrees.

17. The storage device according to claim 16, wherein a difference of the screen angle of the first and second patterns from that of the third pattern is about 30 degrees, and a difference of the screen angle of the third pattern from that of the fourth pattern is about 30 degrees.

18. A method for reproducing a gradation image, comprising the steps of:

receiving multi-level image data which represents gradation levels of an image to be reproduced; and

screening the received image data with a gradation pattern to generate bi-level image data for reproducing the image with dots, wherein;

the gradation pattern makes dots to be reproduced appear discretely along lines at low gradation levels as the gradation level increases,

the gradation pattern makes the discretely grown dots grow at intermediate gradation levels to form lines as the gradation level increases, and

the gradation pattern makes dots appear in a direction crossing the lines at high gradation levels as the gradation level increases.

19. An image reproduction apparatus comprising:

an input section receiving multi-level image data which represents gradation levels of an image to be reproduced;

a storage device storing a pattern making dots to be reproduced appear discretely along lines at low gradation levels as the gradation level increases;

a data processor screening the image data received by said input section with the pattern to generate bi-level image data; and

an image forming section which reproduces the image with dots according to the bi-level image data obtained by said data processor, wherein;

the gradation pattern makes the discretely grown dots grow at intermediate gradation levels to form lines as the gradation level increases, and

the gradation pattern makes dots appear in a direction crossing the lines at high gradation levels as the gradation level increases.

20. A storage device for storing data for access by an application program being executed by an image reproduction apparatus which reproduces a gradation image according to image data which represent gradation levels of the image, comprising:

data of a pattern used to screen image data for conversion to bi-level image data, wherein;

the pattern makes dots to be reproduced grow discretely along lines at low gradation levels as the gradation level increases,

the gradation pattern makes the discretely grown dots grow as lines at intermediate gradation levels as the gradation level increases, and

the gradation pattern makes dots appear in a direction crossing the lines at high gradation levels as the gradation level increases.