Image processing apparatus capable of high-quality image formation

• US 6,456,392 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Asano, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US09/225,523
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.9, 358/1.18, 358/451, 358/457, 358/218, 358/459, 358/452, 358/454, 358/458, 347/254, 347/131, 347/253, 347/251, 347/240
• US Class Current: 358/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4057 the pattern being a mixture of differently sized sub-patterns, e.g. spots having only a few different diameters multi-toning H04N1/40087

Abstract

The process described below is performed to output high-quality images without changing the resolution of the printer used.

A binarizing step using such a frequency modulation (FM) technique as error diffusion is performed. at a resolution higher than that which, can be output from the printer. A screen or grid corresponding to the resolution of the printer is superimposed on the binarized data. A size of a dot to be printed by the printer is obtained from the number of dots (or data indicative of a “1”) contained in one square of the screen. Then the diameter of the dot is modulated while an image data is output depending on the resolution of the printer.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a first processing unit applying a tone process on input image data; and

a second processing unit determining a size of a dot to be printed from data of a plurality of pixels contained in the image data having been subjected to said tone process, wherein the dot replaces the plurality of pixels in output image data of the second processing unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second processing unit superimposes a grid depending on a resolution of a printer onto the image data having been subjected to said tone process to determine the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in one square of the grid.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tone process is performed through frequency modulation.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tone process is performed through error diffusion.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a resolution converting unit converting a resolution of an image prior to the process performed by said first processing unit.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said resolution converting unit converts image data so that the image data has a resolution higher than a resolution of a printer.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second processing unit determines the dot size depending on a relationship between the data of said plurality of pixels and a resolution of a printer.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second processing unit determines the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in a predetermined region depending on a resolution of a printer.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a relationship between the number of dots and the dot size depends on one of various types of relationships.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a previously prepared table is used to determine the dot size.

11. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

applying a tone process on input image data; and

determining a size of a dot to be printed from data of a plurality of pixels contained in the image data having been subjected to said tone process, wherein the dot replaces the plurality of pixels in output image data.

12. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said step of determining includes superimposing a grid depending on a resolution of a printer onto the image data having been subjected to said tone process to determine the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in one square of the grid.

13. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said tone process is performed through frequency modulation.

14. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said tone process is performed through error diffusion.

15. An image processing method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of converting a resolution of an image prior to said tone process.

16. An image processing method according to claim 15, wherein said step of converting includes converting image data so that the image data has a resolution higher than a resolution of a printer.

17. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said step of determining includes determining the dot size depending on a relationship between the data of said plurality of pixels and a resolution of a printer.

18. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said step of determining includes determining the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in a predetermined region corresponding to a resolution of a printer.

19. An image processing method according to claim 18, wherein a relationship between the number of dots and the dot size depends on one of various types of relationships.

20. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein a previously prepared table is used to determine the dot size.

21. A method for processing an image, comprising the steps of:

dividing the image including an array of pixels into a plurality of subarrays;

for at least one subarray;

determining the density of pixels of a color within the subarray; and

replacing the subarray with a replacement pixel of the color, the replacement pixel having a size determined by the density of pixels of the color within the subarray.

22. A method for processing an image according to claim 21, wherein said step of replacing includes determining the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in the subarray corresponding to a resolution of a printer.

23. A method for processing an image according to claim 21, further comprising the step of printing the image with the replacement pixel replacing the subarray within the image.

24. A method for processing an image according to claim 21, further comprising the step of generating an ink jet droplet corresponding to the replacement pixel.

25. A method for processing an image according to claim 21, further comprising the step of printing the replacement pixel using a laser printer wherein the size of the replacement pixel is generated by filing a portion of the pixel with the color in correspondence with the size of the replacement pixel.

26. A printer comprising:

a processor for processing an image received for printing, wherein the processor divides the image including an array of pixels into a plurality of subarrays and, for at least one subarray;

determines the density of pixels of a color within the subarray; and

replaces the subarray with a replacement pixel of the color, the replacement pixel having a size determined by the density of pixels of the color within the subarray; and

a print head for receiving the image processed by the processor and printing the image processed by the processor onto a medium.

27. A printer according to claim 26, wherein said processor determines the dot size depending on a number of dots contained in the subarray corresponding to a resolution of the printer.

28. A printer according to claim 26, wherein the print head prints the replacement pixel by generating an ink jet droplet corresponding to the replacement pixel.

29. A printer according to claim 26, wherein the print head prints the replacement pixel using a laser printer wherein the size of the replacement pixel is generated by filing a portion of the pixel with the color in correspondence with the size of the replacement pixel.

30. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a binarizing unit for binarizing image data and thereby generating binarized image data having a first resolution; and

a multi-toning unit for generating multi-tone image data having a second resolution from the binarized image data, the second resolution being lower than the first resolution.

31. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the binarization of the image data is performed through a frequency modulation.

32. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the binarization of the image data is performed through an error diffusion.

33. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30, further comprising:

a resolution converting unit for converting a resolution of the image data, wherein the binarizing unit binarizing the image data that have processed by the resolution converting unit.

34. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the image data processed by the resolution converting unit have the first resolution.

35. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the first resolution is higher than a resolution of an output unit.

36. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the second resolution matches a resolution of an output unit.

37. An image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the multi-toning unit determines a tone level of each pixel of the multi-tone image data by referring a plurality of pixels of the binarized image data.