Patents by Inventor Ayumi Sano
Ayumi Sano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8619323Abstract: When the number (M) of passes is smaller than a threshold value, a first processing mode is selected. In the first processing mode, multivalued image data is divided into pieces of multivalued data corresponding to passes and a common multivalued data for a plurality of passes, the pieces of multivalued data are individually binarized to generate pieces of binary data corresponding to the passes, and the common multivalued data is binarized to generate common binary data for these passes. On the other hand, when the number (M) of passes is equal to or larger than the threshold value, a second processing mode is selected. In the second processing mode, multivalued image data is binarized and the binary data is divided into pieces of binary data corresponding to passes with a mask.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Patent number: 8619319Abstract: Inputted image data is converted to M number of multi-value data having a lower resolution than the inputted image data, and after quantization processing has been performed for each of the M number of multi-value data, an image is printed by M number of relative movements (M-pass printing) that corresponds to the M number of quantized data. By doing so, when compared with the case in which a resolution reduction process is not performed, it is possible to suppress the number of pixels that become the object of quantization processing, and it becomes possible to output an image with no fluctuation in image density or density unevenness without a decrease in the processing speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2010Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Okinori Tsuchiya, Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Takashi Fujita, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8610955Abstract: In image processing, it is possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the ink used in printing. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating data for 2-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to the two passes is also generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data for each of the passes. Furthermore, when generating the quantized data, the division ratios used when generating the common data using the aforementioned multi-valued data division are set according to the colors of ink used in printing. By doing so, it becomes possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the colors used in printing.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumitaka Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Patent number: 8605330Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different sizes of dots, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these dot sizes. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of a dot size that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of a dot size that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a satisfactory image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire grayscale range.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8540345Abstract: When a gradation mask is used to distribute image data to be recorded by overlapping portions in an overlapping head, color unevenness is generated in an image recorded by the overlapping portions due to a displacement in impact positions caused by an assembly error. As a result, accurate colorimetric measurement of patches recorded by the overlapping portion cannot be performed. To solve such a problem, a distribution ratio by which the image data is distributed to the overlapping portions is set to be approximately constant when recording a test pattern for performing color correction, as compared to when normally recording the image.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2010Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yugo Mochizuki, Akitoshi Yamada, Fumitaka Goto, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Nakamura, Okinori Tsuchiya, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Ayumi Sano, Takashi Fujita, Hidetsugu Kagawa, Fumihiro Goto
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Patent number: 8529006Abstract: Provided are an image processor and an image processing method that are capable of suppressing both density unevenness due to printing position shifts among a group of dots printed by a plurality of relative movements (or a plurality of printing element groups) and graininess. In order to accomplish this, a dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which the density unevenness stands out is made higher than the dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which other defects stand out more than the density unevenness. By doing so, it is possible to suitably adjust the dot overlap rate according to the image characteristic, and output an image having no density unevenness or graininess.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Takashi Fujita, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8488198Abstract: When dividing multi-valued data and generating data for two-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data that are divided for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected onto the quantized data for each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, division ratios that are used when generating the common data by the multi-valued data division described above are set according to the image characteristics (whether or not the area is flesh color) of the multi-valued data. Thereby, it is possible to perform high-quality printing regardless of the image characteristics by taking a suitable balance between suppressing density unevenness and suppressing graininess.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Akihiko Nakatani, Fumitaka Goto
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Patent number: 8482800Abstract: In image processing it is possible to adequately reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating 2-pass multi-pass printing data, in addition to the divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is also generated. Moreover, the quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data of each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, the division ratio when generating common data in the division of multi-valued data is set according to the duty (gradation value) of the multi-valued data. By doing so it becomes possible to adequately reduce the density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumitaka Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Patent number: 8405876Abstract: When multi-pass printing is performed, the dot overlap rate (ratio of the number of dots that overlap and are to be printed in the same pixel area by the plurality of relative movements with respect to the total number of dots to be printed in a pixel area by the plurality of relative movements) in pixel areas having medium-density where density unevenness caused by density fluctuation easily stands out is made higher than the dot overlap rate in pixel areas having low-density and pixel areas having high-density. By doing so density unevenness caused by density fluctuation is suppressed. In addition, the dot overlap rate in pixel areas having low-density and pixel areas having high-density is low, so it is possible to reduce graininess in low-density areas and suppress a decrease in density in high-density areas.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2010Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiko Nakatani, Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Okinori Tsuchiya, Fumitaka Goto, Takashi Fujita, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20110235071Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different sizes of dots, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these dot sizes. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of a dot size that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of a dot size that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a satisfactory image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire grayscale range.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20110234661Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided which, when forming an image using a plurality of different inks, can produce a satisfactory image free from problematical levels of density unevenness, graininess and insufficient density with any of these inks. To this end, when printing on pixel areas of a print medium by a plurality of relative movements between the printing unit and the print medium, the dot overlap rate of an ink that tends to show density unevenness is set higher than that of an ink that tends to show other image impairments more conspicuously than the density unevenness. This results in a good image that eliminates such image impairments as density unevenness, graininess and density insufficiency in the entire color gamut.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumitaka Goto, Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Okinori Tsuchiya, Takashi Fujita, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8008562Abstract: An image processing apparatus that processes image data representing a musical score inputs image data of a musical score document to the image processing apparatus, detects a blank area in the musical score based on the input image data, and generates image data in which an assistance sign has been added in the blank area in correspondence with a sign in the musical score.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tohru Ikeda, Fumihiro Goto, Manabu Yamazoe, Maya Ishii, Ayumi Sano, Hidetsugu Kagawa
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Publication number: 20110149305Abstract: In image processing, it is possible to suppress density fluctuation and keep graininess low as well as obtain a good balance of the processing load. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating two-pass multi-pass printing data, divided multi-valued data that is common to the two passes is generated in addition to the divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data for each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, a process of generating common data by the aforementioned data division, or a process of performing quantization first without dividing the multi-valued data and then dividing the quantized 2-pass data is selectively performed according to the printing position on printing medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Rie Kajihara
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Publication number: 20110148964Abstract: When a gradation mask is used to distribute image data to be recorded by overlapping portions in an overlapping head, color unevenness is generated in an image recorded by the overlapping portions due to a displacement in impact positions caused by an assembly error. As a result, accurate colorimetric measurement of patches recorded by the overlapping portion cannot be performed. To solve such a problem, a distribution ratio by which the image data is distributed to the overlapping portions is set to be approximately constant when recording a test pattern for performing color correction, as compared to when normally recording the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yugo Mochizuki, Akitoshi Yamada, Fumitaka Goto, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Nakamura, Okinori Tsuchiya, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Ayumi Sano, Takashi Fujita, Hidetsugu Kagawa, Fumihiro Goto
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Publication number: 20110148969Abstract: In an overlapping head including a plurality of recording head chips overlapped to each other, a color shift can occur between a color recorded by an overlapping region and a color recorded by a non-overlapping region, which cannot be corrected by a density correction using head shading or the like. To correct such a color shift, a test pattern is recorded by the overlapping region and the non-overlapping region and colors of the recorded test pattern are measured. Color correction data to be used in correction of colors of an image to be recorded is generated based on a result of the measurement of the colors.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Nakamura, Akitoshi Yamada, Okinori Tsuchiya, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Ayumi Sano, Takashi Fujita, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Hidetsugu Kagawa, Yugo Mochizuki, Fumihiro Goto, Fumitaka Goto
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Publication number: 20110141524Abstract: When dividing multi-valued data and generating data for two-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data that are divided for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected onto the quantized data for each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, division ratios that are used when generating the common data by the multi-valued data division described above are set according to the image characteristics (whether or not the area is flesh color) of the multi-valued data. Thereby, it is possible to perform high-quality printing regardless of the image characteristics by taking a suitable balance between suppressing density unevenness and suppressing graininess.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Akihiko Nakatani, Fumitaka Goto
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Publication number: 20110141523Abstract: In image processing, it is possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the ink used in printing. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating data for 2-pass multi-pass printing, in addition to divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to the two passes is also generated. Moreover, quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data for each of the passes. Furthermore, when generating the quantized data, the division ratios used when generating the common data using the aforementioned multi-valued data division are set according to the colors of ink used in printing. By doing so, it becomes possible to suitably reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the colors used in printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumitaka Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Publication number: 20110141176Abstract: In image processing it is possible to adequately reduce density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data. More specifically, when dividing multi-valued data and generating 2-pass multi-pass printing data, in addition to the divided multi-valued data for each of the two passes, divided multi-valued data that is common to both of the two passes is also generated. Moreover, the quantized data of that common multi-valued data is reflected on the quantized data of each pass. Furthermore, when generating quantized data, the division ratio when generating common data in the division of multi-valued data is set according to the duty (gradation value) of the multi-valued data. By doing so it becomes possible to adequately reduce the density unevenness and graininess according to the duty of the image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumitaka Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Fumihiro Goto, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Publication number: 20110128561Abstract: When the number (M) of passes is smaller than a threshold value, a first processing mode is selected. In the first processing mode, multivalued image data is divided into pieces of multivalued data corresponding to passes and a common multivalued data for a plurality of passes, the pieces of multivalued data are individually binarized to generate pieces of binary data corresponding to the passes, and the common multivalued data is binarized to generate common binary data for these passes. On the other hand, when the number (M) of passes is equal to or larger than the threshold value, a second processing mode is selected. In the second processing mode, multivalued image data is binarized and the binary data is divided into pieces of binary data corresponding to passes with a mask.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Rie Kajihara, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa, Takashi Fujita, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
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Publication number: 20110122178Abstract: Provided are an image processor and an image processing method that are capable of suppressing both density unevenness due to printing position shifts among a group of dots printed by a plurality of relative movements (or a plurality of printing element groups) and graininess. In order to accomplish this, a dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which the density unevenness stands out is made higher than the dot overlap rate in the printing mode in which other defects stand out more than the density unevenness. By doing so, it is possible to suitably adjust the dot overlap rate according to the image characteristic, and output an image having no density unevenness or graininess.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumihiro Goto, Akitoshi Yamada, Akihiko Nakatani, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Okinori Tsuchiya, Takashi Fujita, Rie Kajihara, Ayumi Sano, Tomokazu Ishikawa