Image processing device, printing device, image processing method, and image processing program

• US 8,705,128 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kakutani, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US13/428,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20120243013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/2.1, 358/2.99, 358/3.02, 358/3.03, 358/3.06, 358/3.13, 358/3.15, 358/3.27, 358/252, 358/266, 382/252, 382/266
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2132 Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection G06K15/102; colour conversion H04N1/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4051 producing a dispersed dots halftone pattern, the dots having substantially the same size different sizes H04N1/4057
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/409 Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression

Abstract

Provided is an image processing device for comparing a determination value adjusted by comparing the gradation values of pixels included in inputted image data and threshold values of a dither mask prepared in advance, and a corrected gradation value obtained by correcting the gradation value of the pixel by the diffusion error from an adjacent processed pixel; adjusting a determination value; generating dot data which indicate the presence or absence of the dot formation by applying error diffusion; and reducing the width of the adjustment of the determination value used in determining the dot formation so that the width of the adjustment is smaller in comparison with non-edge pixels in the case that a pixel is determined to be an edge pixel for which the difference in gradation value in relation to an adjacent pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An image processing device for processing image data which indicate an image by a gradation value for each pixel, the image processing device comprising:

an image data input unit configured to input the image data;

a dot data generator configured to perform processing for generating dot data which indicate the presence or absence of dot formation from the image data; and

a dot data output unit configured to output generated dot data,

the dot data generator including

an edge determination unit configured to determine whether a pixel included in the image data is an edge pixel for which the difference in gradation value in relation to an adjacent pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and

a determination value adjustment unit configured to compare a gradation value of the pixel included in the image data to a threshold value of a dither mask prepared in advance, and adjust, using a first value range, a determination value, in the case that the pixel is determined to be the edge pixel by the edge determination unit, the first value range being smaller than a second value range used for adjusting a determination value for a non-edge pixel,

the dot data generator performing an error diffusion process of the image data by using the adjusted determination value, and generating the dot data.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the dot data generator further includes

a generator configured to perform processing for generating dot data which indicate the presence or absence of the dot formation by applying error diffusion for comparing the adjusted determination value with a corrected gradation value obtained by correcting the gradation value of the pixel by the diffusion error from an adjacent processed pixel, and diffuse the error with respect to the gradation value that occurs according to the presence or absence of the dot formation when the presence or absence of formation of a dot is determined by the comparison.

3. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein

the determination value adjustment unit adjusts the determination value by a predetermined width so that the determination value that is applied in the case that the gradation value of the pixel exceeds the threshold value does not exceed the determination value that is applied in the case that the gradation value of the pixel is equal to or less than the threshold value.

4. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein

the determination value adjustment unit increases the width of the adjustment of the determination value through a plurality of levels as the distance from the edge pixel increases when the determination value is applied to a pixel other than the edge pixel.

5. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein

the determination value adjustment unit determines that either a pixel on a higher-gradation side or a pixel on a low-gradation side is the edge pixel among pixels in which the difference in gradation value with respect to an adjacent pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

6. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein

the width of the adjustment of the determination value for the edge pixel is zero.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the dither mask has a blue noise characteristic.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein

the determination value is an error diffusion threshold value.

9. An image processing method for processing image data which indicate an image by a gradation value for each pixel, the image processing method comprising:

inputting the image data;

generating dot data which indicate the presence or absence of dot formation from the image data; and

outputting generated dot data,

the generating of the dot data including

determining whether a pixel included in the image data is an edge pixel for which the difference in gradation value in relation to an adjacent pixel is equal to or greater than a predetermined value,

comparing a gradation value of the pixel included in the image data to a threshold value of a dither mask prepared in advance, and adjusting, using a first value range, a determination value, in the case that the pixel is determined to be the edge pixel by the edge determination unit, the first value range being smaller than a second value range used for adjusting a determination value for a non-edge pixel, and

performing an error diffusion processing of the image data by using the adjusted determination value and generating the dot data.

10. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein

the determination value is an error diffusion threshold value.