Abstract: An image forming method is provided for use with an ink-jet printing device which forms a dot on a recording medium by ejecting a drop of recording liquid. In the image forming method, an image in which a ground tint is embedded in one of a foreground part and a background part of an original image is formed, the ground tint indicating that copying of the original image is inhibited. A recording liquid adhesion area of the dot per unit area in the foreground part is made different from a recording liquid adhesion area of the dot per unit area in the background part.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a color conversion processing unit which obtains CMY data from input color space coordinate data of image data, and an output data generating unit which generates output data by forming CMYK data by using a result output from a color conversion processing section. The color conversion processing section includes an optimum color reproduction data structure which gives the CMY data for obtaining a full color image optimally reproduced from the input color space coordinate data, and a color material using amount reducing data structure for outputting the input color space coordinate data by reducing the color material using amount with the use of a reference value in which the color material using amount is increased for a hue of an output image giving a high psychological effect and is decreased for a hue of the output image giving a low psychological effect.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, which performs an error diffusion on M-value image data with an error weight matrix into N-value image data, includes: a corrected-value calculating unit that calculates a corrected value by adding a first value and a second value to a pixel value corresponding to a processing-target color component of a pixel of interest, the first value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of the processing-target color component by the matrix, and the second value being obtained by multiplying an error for each quantized pixel of a different color component by the matrix; a quantizing unit that compares the corrected value with a quantization threshold, and outputs N-value image data; and an error diffusion unit that calculates an error at the pixel of interest by subtracting a quantization threshold from a value obtained by adding the first value to the pixel value.

Abstract: A color conversion apparatus, for converting input image data into output image data that is to be output from a recording apparatus using a color material of five colors or more, the color conversion apparatus, includes a color conversion table that is used in performing color conversion of the input image data directly into the output image data; and a color conversion unit that, by making use of the color conversion table, performs color conversion of the input image data directly into the output image data.

Abstract: An image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein color space transformation processes that differ between single face printing and double face printing are performed. In addition, an image processing method for an image forming apparatus which is capable of performing double face printing is provided, wherein input tone transformation processes and adhering recording liquid quantity limiting processes that differ between double face printing and single face printing are performed.

Abstract: An image forming method includes discharging a droplet of a recording fluid via nozzles of a recording head onto a print medium; performing a main scan in which the print medium is scanned in a main scan direction; performing a sub-scan in which the print medium is scanned in a sub-scan direction; determining an overlap region in an image region that is formed by a single main scan; and performing an overlap control by forming an image in the overlap region through a plurality of main scans while the print medium is moved in the sub-scan direction by a feed amount L, wherein L=(n?x)d?md, where n is a number of the nozzles in the recording head; x is a number of the nozzles in the overlap region; d is a nozzle pitch; and m is a feed correcting coefficient (0?m?1).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs a 1-pass recording by a single main scan with respect to a recording medium by a nozzle group including different overlapping nozzles that scan the same overlapping region on the recording medium to record dots. Alternatively, a multi-pass recording is performed by a plurality of main scans with respect to the overlapping region by the same nozzle group or by different nozzle groups. The recording in a central portion of the overlapping region is performed by placing emphasis on the succession or continuity of the dots, while the recording in boundary portions of the overlapping region is performed by placing emphasis on the scattering of the dots.

Abstract: A method of forming an image by an image forming apparatus provided with a print head having plural nozzles, wherein the print head has an overlapping area whose print area overlaps a print area of a physically adjacent print head, or has an overlapping area whose print area overlaps an adjacent scan line on a print sheet surface, includes an image forming step of forming an image by the print head, wherein the image forming step includes a control step of controlling in a variable manner an amount of ink sprayed from a proximity nozzle situated in close proximity of the overlapping area, the proximity nozzle being one of the nozzles situated in a non-overlapping area outside the overlapping area.

Abstract: In an ink-jet printing device which has an ink-jet recording head in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, and forms an image based on multi-level image data, a gamma correction parameter is selected according to discharging characteristics of the recording head to an input gradation level or according to lightness characteristics of a printed image to an input gradation level, and an image is formed based on the selected gamma correction parameter. For example, even when there is a variation in lightness characteristics of recording heads as in FIG. 9, an optimal gamma correction parameter is selected for each recording head and the image is formed. Thus, a constant image quality is obtained even if the recording heads are exchanged.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural heads that are arranged in a main scanning direction, the heads including plural nozzle arrays that are arranged in the main scanning direction and configured to discharge droplets of recording liquids in at least three different colors including a yellow recording liquid. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge the yellow recording liquid are separately arranged in at least two of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a first recording liquid of the recording liquids in a first color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a second recording liquid of the recording liquids in a second color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads.

Abstract: A disclosed image processing method is for generating and processing image data to be sent to an image forming apparatus including a recording head for ejecting droplets of a recording liquid, the image forming apparatus forming an image on paper based on input data. The image processing method includes: color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with a specified density or color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with characteristics regarding permeability of the paper to a coloring agent.

Abstract: An image processing method processes image data to be output to an image forming apparatus that is capable of making a two-way recording to form an image on a recording medium by recording in a forward path and a return path of a scan by an ink-jet recording head. The image processing method includes a halftone process that is based on an inclined line-group keytone and maintains keytone continuity, including a dither process in which the inclined line-group keytone appears at a stage where the recording in the forward path is made.

Abstract: An image processing method of processing image data includes a color space conversion step of converting an input color signal of image data into an output color signal having cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) values; a black generation/under color removal step of converting the CMY values into cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) values by adding a black (K) value and decreasing the CMY values so that portions of cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) recording liquids used to form the image data are replaced with a black (K) recording liquid; and a total amount control step of controlling amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) recording liquids calculated from the CMYK values so that a total amount of the CMYK recording liquids per unit area on a recording medium does not exceed a predetermined total amount limit.

Abstract: In an image processing method for carrying out a plurality of types of halftoning processing expressing in combination amplitude modulation having the number of tone levels smaller than that of an input image and area coverage modulation, selectively or in parallel, the plurality of types of halftoning processing comprises processing providing output image color and tone substantially identical mutually.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural heads that are arranged in a main scanning direction, the heads including plural nozzle arrays that are arranged in the main scanning direction and configured to discharge droplets of recording liquids in at least three different colors including a yellow recording liquid. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge the yellow recording liquid are separately arranged in at least two of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a first recording liquid of the recording liquids in a first color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a second recording liquid of the recording liquids in a second color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads.

Abstract: An image processing method is disclosed for performing an under color removal process and a black recording liquid incorporation process on an input three-color signal, and generating image data for an imaging apparatus that is configured to form a color image on a recording medium using recording liquids of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The method includes the steps of regulating a maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount such that glossiness of black realized in an image formed on a glossy recording medium is not degraded, setting the black to be realized by the black recording liquid until reaching the regulated maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount, and setting the black to be realized through addition of a composite of the cyan, magenta, and yellow recording liquids if the black to be realized requires an amount of the black recording liquid exceeding the regulated maximum black recording liquid incorporation amount.

Abstract: An image reproducing and forming apparatus comprises a recording head (14) configured to eject liquid droplets of at least one color and capable of bidirectional recording, and a controller (100) configured to control the amount of liquid adhering to a recording paper (3) so as to reduce color difference occurring in the bidirectional recording. The controller includes a gamma correction unit (133) configured to selectively perform a controlled gamma correction using a controlled gamma value adjusted so as to reduce the color difference or an ordinary gamma correction using an ordinary gamma value.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming method including forming an image including plural dots by using liquid drops of recording liquid, the image including a background portion and a character portion, detecting brightness characteristics of the character portion and background portion, and switching dot addition on or off, wherein a dot with a color identical to a color of the character portion is added to a contour portion of the character portion when the dot addition is switched on.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus is disclosed, including: a jaggy correction process part for recording a dot for the jaggy correction at a border portion of an image. A droplet amount of each of color inks forming the dot for the jaggy correction using the color inks is selectively determined to be less than a droplet amount of an ink forming a dot for the jaggy correction using the black color.

Abstract: An image forming method is disclosed in an inkjet recording apparatus, which uses L (L?1) kinds of ink, includes a recording head capable of ejecting “n” sizes of ink droplets M[n] (n?1), and records an image on a recording medium by separating a tone forming region on the recording medium when the sizes of the ink droplets are determined to be M[1], M[2], . . . in order from the smallest size. When beading is generated by ink droplets M[i] (i?1) or more, the method includes the steps of forming a halftone pattern by arraying dots of the ink droplets in a mesh type or a line type with a fixed pitch in the ink droplets M[j] (j?i), and not ejecting the ink droplets M[j] onto all pixel positions of the recording medium other than the positions of the halftone pattern.