Method and apparatus for forming images, and method for producing printed products
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with light caused to be emitted from a light source, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- a digital half-toning unit configured to convert a uniform-pixel-value region formed with pixels having a same pixel value of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage;
a modulated-signal generating unit configured to generate a modulated signal by modulating the image data, in which each gray level is expressed as an area percentage, with a clock signal;
a light-source driving unit configured to drive the light source according to the modulated signal; and
an edge control unit configured to narrow a to-be-illuminated region, the to-be-illuminated region being to be illuminated by light to be emitted from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the plurality of lines constituting the parallel-line pattern while increasing intensity of the light to be emitted from the light source.
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with light to be emitted from a light source includes: a digital half-toning unit configured to convert a uniform-pixel-value region of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; a modulated-signal generating unit configured to generate a modulated signal by modulating the converted image data with a clock signal; a light-source driving unit configured to drive the light source according to the modulated signal; and an edge control unit configured to narrow a to-be-illuminated region, which is to be illuminated by the light from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the lines constituting the parallel-line pattern, while increasing intensity of the light.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with light caused to be emitted from a light source, the image forming apparatus comprising:
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a digital half-toning unit configured to convert a uniform-pixel-value region formed with pixels having a same pixel value of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; a modulated-signal generating unit configured to generate a modulated signal by modulating the image data, in which each gray level is expressed as an area percentage, with a clock signal; a light-source driving unit configured to drive the light source according to the modulated signal; and an edge control unit configured to narrow a to-be-illuminated region, the to-be-illuminated region being to be illuminated by light to be emitted from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the plurality of lines constituting the parallel-line pattern while increasing intensity of the light to be emitted from the light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An image forming method for forming an image in accordance with light emitted from a light source, the image forming method comprising:
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performing digital half-toning by converting a uniform-pixel-value region of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; performing edge control by narrowing a to-be-illuminated region, the to-be-illuminated region being to be illuminated by light to be emitted from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the plurality of lines constituting the parallel-line pattern while increasing intensity of the light to be emitted from the light source; generating a modulated signal by modulating the image data, in which each gray level is expressed as an area percentage, with a clock signal; and driving the light source according to the modulated signal.
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12. A method for producing a printed product, the method comprising:
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performing digital half-toning by converting a uniform-pixel-value region of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; performing edge control by narrowing a to-be-illuminated region, the to-be-illuminated region being to be illuminated by light to be emitted from a light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the plurality of lines constituting the parallel-line pattern while increasing intensity of the light to be emitted from the light source; generating a modulated signal by modulating the image data, in which each gray level is expressed as an area percentage and of which number of gray levels is reduced, with a clock signal; forming an electrostatic latent image on a latent-image carrier with light from the light source by driving the light source according to the modulated signal; causing toner to stick to the electrostatic latent image formed on the latent-image carrier; and transferring the toner onto a medium, thereby producing a printed product.
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Specification