Image processing apparatus, method, and computer readable storage medium for toner reduction based on image data type and area size

• US 8,422,070 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Yasuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Fan
• Application Number:
  US12/181,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,722 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0849 Detection or control means for the developer concentration
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5029 by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/556 for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement

Abstract

The image processing apparatus is provided with: a reception unit that receives image information; an acquisition unit that acquires target information on a targeted level of an image forming material used at image formation based on the image information received by the reception unit; and a determination unit that determines a content of processing for reducing the image forming material for each portion of the image information received by the reception unit in accordance with the target information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit that receives image information;

an acquisition unit that acquires target information on a targeted level of an image forming material used at image formation based on the image information received by the reception unit and processing information for determining any one of uniform reduction processing for reducing a predetermined proportion of the image forming material uniformly and tone-emphasized reduction processing for reducing the image forming material by an amount determined by tone characteristics of an output device so that an image density is reduced by a predetermined proportion for each portion of the image information; and

a determination unit that determines a content of processing for reducing the image forming material by determining the predetermined proportion used in the processing that is determined for the portion of the image information among the uniform reduction processing and the tone-emphasized reduction processing determined by the processing information acquired by the acquisition unit, wherein

the determination unit performs reduction amount calculation processing for calculating a reduction amount of the image forming material in a case where the determined content of the processing is executed, if the reduction amount does not satisfy the target information, the determination unit changes the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material by changing the predetermined proportion and performs the reduction amount calculation processing, and if the reduction amount satisfies the target information, then determination unit finally determines the changed content of the processing as the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material,

the portion of the image information is an object constituting the image information,

the determination unit determines a specific object on the basis of a characteristic of the specific object, and determines a content of the processing for reducing the image forming material so that a better reduction effect of the image forming material is obtained for the specific object than for an object other than the specific object,

the acquisition unit further acquires guideline information to be a guideline for reducing the image forming material,

the determination unit determines the specific object on the basis of the guideline information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the reduction amount calculation process applies a minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material in the case that the area of the object is smaller than a threshold size, and

the reduction amount calculation process (1) applies the next unselected minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material that is within a predetermined selection limit or (2) executes exception processing for changing the guideline for reducing the image forming material that is not within the predetermined selection limit in the case that the area of the object is larger than the threshold size.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the specific object on the basis of designation of a type of the specific object.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the specific object on the basis of an area occupied by the specific object in the image information.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the specific object on the basis of a position of the specific object in the image information.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines execution of an exception processing which is set in advance as a processing that has a better reduction effect of the image forming material, if the determination unit is unable to determine a content of processing satisfying a given standard.

6. An image processing method comprising:

receiving image information;

acquiring target information on a targeted level of an image forming material used at image formation based on the received image information and processing information for determining any one of uniform reduction processing for reducing a predetermined proportion of the image forming material uniformly and tone-emphasized reduction processing for reducing the image forming material by an amount determined by tone characteristics of an output device so that an image density is reduced by a predetermined proportion for each portion of the image information, wherein the portion of the image information is an object constituting the image information;

determining a content of processing for reducing the image forming material by determining the predetermined proportion used in the processing that is determined for the portion of the image information among the uniform reduction processing and the tone-emphasized reduction processing determined by the processing information acquired by the acquisition unit;

performing reduction amount calculation processing for calculating a reduction amount of the image forming material in a case where the determined content of the processing is executed, wherein if the reduction amount does not satisfy the target information, the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material is changed by changing the predetermined proportion and the reduction amount calculation processing is performed, and wherein if the reduction amount satisfies the target information, then the changed content of the processing as the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material is finally determined;

determining a specific object on the basis of a characteristic of the specific object;

determining a content of the processing for reducing the image forming material so that a better reduction effect of the image forming material is obtained for the specific object than for an object other than the specific object; and

acquiring guideline information to be a guideline for reducing the image forming material, wherein

determining the specific object includes determining the specific object on the basis of the guideline information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the reduction amount calculation processing includes applying a minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material in the case that the area of the object is smaller than a threshold size, and

the reduction amount calculation processing includes (1) applying the next unselected minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material that is within a predetermined selection limit or (2) executing exception processing for changing the guideline for reducing the image forming material that is not within the predetermined selection limit in the case that the area of the object is larger than the threshold size.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for toner reduction, the process comprising:

receiving image information;

acquiring target information on a targeted level of an image forming material used at image formation based on the received image information and processing information for determining any one of uniform reduction processing for reducing a predetermined proportion of the image forming material uniformly and tone-emphasized reduction processing for reducing the image forming material by an amount determined by tone characteristics of an output device so that an image density is reduced by a predetermined proportion for each portion of the image information, wherein the portion of the image information is an object constituting the image information;

determining a content of processing for reducing the image forming material by determining the predetermined proportion used in the processing that is determined for the portion of the image information among the uniform reduction processing and the tone-emphasized reduction processing determined by the processing information acquired by the acquisition unit;

performing reduction amount calculation processing for calculating a reduction amount of the image forming material in a case where the determined content of the processing is executed, wherein if the reduction amount does not satisfy the target information, the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material is changed by changing the predetermined proportion and the reduction amount calculation processing is performed, and wherein if the reduction amount satisfies the target information, then the changed content of the processing as the content of the processing for reducing the image forming material is finally determined;

determining a specific object on the basis of a characteristic of the specific object;

determining a content of the processing for reducing the image forming material so that a better reduction effect of the image forming material is obtained for the specific object than for an object other than the specific object; and

acquiring guideline information to be a guideline for reducing the image forming material, wherein

determining the specific object includes determining the specific object on the basis of the guideline information acquired by the acquisition unit,

the reduction amount calculation processing includes applying a minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material in the case that the area of the object is smaller than a threshold size, and

the reduction amount calculation processing includes (1) applying the next unselected minimum reduction rate for reducing the image forming material that is within a predetermined selection limit or (2) executing exception processing for changing the guideline for reducing the image forming material that is not within the predetermined selection limit in the case that the area of the object is larger than the threshold size.