Image formation using dots of different spatial density determined based on comparison of pixel value to threshold value matrix and error added by error diffusion

• US 7,474,443 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Mizutani, Toshiyuki, Hiramoto, Kenichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; Scott A
• Application Number:
  US11/267,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/3.02, 358/3.03, 358/3.06, 358/3.09, 358/3.1, 358/3.12, 358/3.13, 347/15
• US Class Current: 358/3.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40087 Multi-toning, i.e. converting a continuous-tone signal for reproduction with more than two discrete brightnesses or optical densities, e.g. dots of grey and black inks on white paper
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4053 with threshold modulated relative to input image data or vice versa

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, for forming an image with plural types of dots having different densities per unit area in a same hue, including: a section to compare between a pixel value of a target pixel and a value of a prescribed threshold value matrix, and to determine, based on the comparison, whether to form a first type of dot at a position corresponding to the target pixel; a section for calculating a corrected threshold value matrix from the prescribed threshold value matrix; a section for calculating a second determining condition by reflecting the corrected threshold value matrix; and a section for determining whether to form the second type of dot, based on a target pixel value added an error with an error diffusion process and the second determining condition, at the position where the first type of dot has been determined not to be formed.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, for forming an image with using two or more types of dots having different densities per unit area in a same hue, comprising:

a first dot formation determining section, for making comparison between a pixel value of a target pixel in the input image data and a first threshold value allocated at a position corresponding to the target pixel in a prescribed threshold value matrix, and for determining, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not a first type of dot, out of two or more types of dots having the different densities per unit area, should be formed at a position corresponding to the target pixel in an image to be formed;

a first calculating section for calculating a corrected threshold value matrix by correcting the prescribed threshold value matrix;

a second calculating section for calculating a second determining condition by reflecting the corrected threshold value matrix, to determine whether or not a second type of dot out of the two or more types of dots should be formed; and

a second dot formation determining section for determining whether or not the second type of dot should be formed, based on a value obtained by assigning an error to the pixel value of the target pixel with an error diffusion process and the second determining condition, at the position where the first dot formation section has determined not to form the first type of dot.

2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second calculating section adds a value of the corrected threshold value matrix onto a threshold value of the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second calculating section uses a value of the corrected threshold value matrix as a threshold value of the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second calculating section adds a value of the corrected threshold value matrix onto the pixel value of the target pixel, to calculate the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first calculating section subtracts a certain value from a value of the prescribed threshold value matrix so that an average value of values of the threshold value matrix becomes zero.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first calculating section varies amplitude of the prescribed threshold value matrix according to the pixel value of the target pixel.

7. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first calculating section varies amplitude of the prescribed threshold value matrix according to a ratio of dots determined to be formed by the first dot formation determining section.

8. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second type of dot has a lower density per unit area than a density per unit area of the first type of dot.

9. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prescribed threshold value matrix is a dot dispersion type threshold value matrix.

10. The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prescribed threshold value matrix is a dot fattening type threshold value matrix.

11. An image forming method, for forming an image using two or more types of dots having different densities per unit area in a same hue, comprising:

a first dot formation determining step, for making comparison between a pixel value of a target pixel in the input image data and a first threshold value allocated at a position corresponding to the target pixel in a prescribed threshold value matrix, and for determining, based on a result of this comparison, whether or not a first type of dot out of two or more types of dots respectively having different densities per unit area, should be formed at a position corresponding to the target pixel in an image to be formed;

a first calculating step for calculating a corrected threshold value matrix by correcting the prescribed threshold value matrix;

a second calculating step for calculating a second determining condition by reflecting the corrected threshold value matrix, to determine whether or not a second type of dot out of the two or more types of dots should be formed; and

a second dot formation determining step for determining whether or not the second type of dot should be formed, based on a value obtained by adding an allocated error to the pixel value of the target pixel with an error diffusion process and the second determining condition, at the position where the first dot formation section has determined not to form the first type of dot.

12. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the second calculating step adds a value of the corrected threshold value matrix onto a threshold value of the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

13. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the second calculating step uses a value of the corrected threshold value matrix as a threshold value of the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

14. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the second calculating step adds a value of the corrected threshold value matrix onto the pixel value of the target pixel, to calculate the second determining condition to determine whether or not the second type of dot should be formed.

15. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the first calculating step subtracts a certain value from a value of the prescribed threshold value matrix so that an average value of values of the threshold value matrix becomes zero.

16. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the first calculating step varies amplitude of the prescribed threshold value matrix according to the pixel value of the target pixel.

17. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the first calculating step varies amplitude, of the prescribed threshold value matrix according to a ratio of dots determined to be formed by the first dot formation determining section.

18. The image forming method of claim 11, wherein the second type of dot has a lower density per unit area than a density per unit area of the first type of dot.

19. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a program for enabling a computer to realize following functions for forming an image with using two or more types of dots having different densities per unit area in a same hue, the functions comprising:

a first dot formation determining function, for making comparison between a pixel value of a target pixel in the input image data and a first threshold value allocated at a position corresponding to the target pixel in a prescribed threshold value matrix, and for determining, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not a first type of dot, out of two or more types of dots having the different densities per unit area, should be formed at a position corresponding to the target pixel in an image to be formed;

a first calculating function for calculating a corrected threshold value matrix by correcting the prescribed threshold value matrix;

a second calculating function for calculating a second determining condition by reflecting the corrected threshold value matrix, to determine whether or not a second type of dot out of the two or more types of dots should be formed; and

a second dot formation determining function for determining whether or not the second type of dot should be formed, based on a value obtained by adding an allocated error to the pixel value of the target pixel with an error diffusion process and the second determining condition, at the position where the first dot formation section has determined not to form the first type of dot.