Apparatus for generating two color printing data, a method for generating two color printing data and recording media
First Claim
1. A method for generating two-color print data, comprising the steps of:
- (a) reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first, second and third primary colors, each primary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and
(b) generating two-color print data by converting the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color according to the following rules;
(1) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color,(2) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert that pixel to the background color, and(3) for each pixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to the secondary color.
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Abstract
A two-color print generating apparatus generates two-color print data based on color-converted image data in which the color of each pixel of full-color bit depth in an image is converted to a print color comprising a background color, a main color, or a secondary color. A color-reduced image data generator converts full-color image data to image data reduced to a specific number of colors. A color conversion unit generates color-converted image data in which the specified colors of the reduced-color image data are converted to colors that can be printed by the printer. A print data conversion unit converts the color converted color-converted image data to two-color print data. A color conversion selection unit sets the color conversion method and sets specific color conversion parameters based on the selected color conversion method. The processing of the invention can also be embodied as a method and/or specified as program instructions.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for generating two-color print data, comprising the steps of:
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(a) reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first, second and third primary colors, each primary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and (b) generating two-color print data by converting the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color according to the following rules; (1) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color, (2) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert that pixel to the background color, and (3) for each pixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to the secondary color. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for generating two-color print data, comprising the steps of:
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(a) reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of a predetermined number of colors, wherein the predetermined number of colors is eight or less; and (b) generating two-color print data by converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color, wherein the converting is performed according to one of the following; (1) uniformly converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based on predefined conditions, or (2) converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based on a changeable conversion table linking each color to the main color, secondary color, or background color. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A two-color print data generating apparatus, comprising:
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a reduced-color image data generating unit configured to reduce full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first, second and third primary colors, each primary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and a print data generating unit configured to generate two-color print data by converting the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color according to the following rules; (1) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color, (2) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert that pixel to the background color, and (3) for each pixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to the secondary color. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A two-color print data generating apparatus, comprising:
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a reduced-color image data generating unit configured to reduce full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of a predetermined number of colors, wherein the predetermined number of colors is eight or less; and a print data generating unit configured to generate two-color print data by converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color, wherein the converting is performed according to one of the following; (1) uniformly converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based on predefined conditions, or (2) converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based on a changeable conversion table linking each color to the main color, secondary color, or background color. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A computer-readable medium containing a program of instructions for directing a machine to perform a method of generating two-color print data, the program of instructions comprising:
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(a) instructions for reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first, second and third primary colors, each primary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and (b) instructions for generating two-color print data by converting the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color according to the following rules; (1) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color, (2) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert that pixel to the background color, and (3) for each pixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to the secondary color. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification