Abstract: Threshold matrixes for a C-separation and an M-separation of main colors are used to convert a continuous-tone image subjected to color separation into dot patterns for the C-separation and the M-separation. The dot patterns are binary images in which no screen ruling or screen angle is defined. Then, a color image is reproduced by overlaying the dot patterns for the C-separation and the M-separation. When the dot patterns for the C-separation and the M-separation are converted into patterns in the frequency domain, main frequency components obtained by the conversion have a substantially-constant predetermined pattern frequency for all angles, and the intensity distribution of the main frequency components is varied based on the C-separation and the M-separation.

Abstract: A telephone set and an information terminal are connected by a packet switched network. The information terminal has a control target list in which a predetermined telephone set information is stored, and a terminal controller. The terminal controller generates, based on an instruction from a user, a control command in which an instruction related to multimedia phone communication is recorded, and sends that command to the predetermined telephone set. The predetermined telephone set has a terminal list storing information about the information terminal, and a telephone controller. The telephone controller generates, based on the control command received from the information terminal, a call control command for performing multimedia phone communication with another telephone set on the packet switched network, and sends that command to the other telephone set.

Abstract: In a digital printing process employing a CTP device 14, hues can easily be changed in a process of generating printing plates without going back to a prior process. A plurality of gradation conversion curves whose gradation characteristics are different stepwise from each other, which are stored in a gradation conversion curve saving unit 22, are displayed on a display unit 36. The user selects a desired of the displayed gradation conversion curves with respect to at least one color element with a keyboard/mouse 34. The selected gradation conversion curve is set in an LUT converter 26. Input image data G can easily be converted into output image data Ga by converting the gradations of the input image data G according to the gradation conversion curve set in the LUT converter 26. The image data Ga is converted by a binarizing unit 30 into binary image data H, which is supplied to the CTP device 14. The CTP device 14 outputs printing plates each bearing a binary image represented by the binary image data H.

Abstract: By means of preventing counterfeits on the market from entering a distribution channel, the benefit of manufacturers, dealers, distributors, and consumers forming the distribution channel. First, a data server reads ID data of a non-contact tag 11 and of a reader 12, creates data files thereof, and stores the data files in a database. The reader 12 connected to the Internet reads its own ID data and sends it to an authentication server. The authentication server checks the received ID data of the reader 12 against the data file of the reader 12 stored in the database. If the two are identical, the reader is authenticated. The authenticated reader 12 reads the ID data of the non-contact tag 11 embedded in a product and sends it to the authentication server. The authentication server checks the received ID data of the non-contact tag 11 against the data file of the non-contact tag stored in the database.

Abstract: Tone jumps are eliminated in all areas ranging from a highlight area through an intermediate tone area to a shadow area for thereby achieving a smoother tone reproduction. Halftone dots are grown in a circular shape from a halftone percentage of 0% to a first highlight percentage. Halftone dots are grown while changing from the circular shape to a square shape from the first highlight percentage to a second highlight percentage greater than the first highlight percentage. Halftone dots are grown in a square shape from the second highlight percentage to a second shadow percentage. Halftone dots are grown while changing from the square shape to a circular shape from the second shadow percentage to a first shadow percentage greater than the second shadow percentage. Halftone dots are grown in a circular shape from the first shadow percentage to a percentage of 100%.

Abstract: A normalization threshold side size Nr which serves as an index indicative of how many times the pattern frequency r is repeated in one threshold matrix is defined as Nr=N×r/R where N represents a size of one side of the threshold matrix as the number of pixels, and the threshold array of the threshold matrix is determined such that the normalization threshold side size Nr is of an value greater than 65.

Abstract: A dot pattern with a plurality of pixels representing a two-dimensional image is formed on a printing plate material by applying laser beams, which are turned on and off for each pixel depending on dot pattern data, to the printing plate material in a main scanning direction, while the laser beams are moved in an auxiliary scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction. A threshold matrix having an array of thresholds is obtained for generating a dot where the degree of a variation of the dot periphery length in a main scanning direction is smaller, i.e., a dot where the dot periphery length in the main scanning direction has a smaller standard deviation.

Abstract: A threshold matrix for converting a continuous-tone image into a dot pattern representing a binary image is generated. When the continuous-tone image whose pixel values correspond to a dot percentage of 50% is converted into a dot pattern by the threshold matrix, a graph is obtained by conversion from the dot pattern into frequency-domain data. Then, the intensity of the dot pattern at angles corresponding to at least a main scanning direction is weakened, so that a periphery length of the dot pattern in the main scanning direction can be short.

Abstract: The number of pixels of a dot of a minimum size, a pattern frequency of an intermediate tone, the number of new dots of the minimum size at each dot percentage are determined. Then, thresholds in the threshold matrix are determined so that the optimum dot pattern at each dot percentage is obtained, and a threshold matrix is generated. A threshold matrix for C-separation is assigned to a separation for R that is complementary to C. A threshold matrix for M-separation is assigned to a separation for G that is complementary to M. A threshold matrix for Y-separation is assigned to a separation for B that is complementary to Y.

Abstract: A threshold arrangement capable of reducing a moiré pattern produced by an interference between the output resolution and halftone frequency of an image outputting apparatus is determined. Halftone dot image data is generated by a threshold arrangement determined up to a certain gradation, and low-frequency component data is extracted from the halftone dot image data by an FFT, a LPF, and an IFFT. The position of a threshold where the extracted low-frequency component data is smaller is determined as the position of the threshold for a next gradation. The process of determining the position of the threshold is a process in a real space, and can determine the position of the threshold for the next gradation accurately. The threshold arrangement thus determined minimizes a moiré pattern which is an unwanted low-frequency component in a gradation image that is generated using the threshold arrangement.

Abstract: Ultradispersed ones of primary particles of nanometer-sized carbon are obtained by applying a wet-type milling method and/or a wet dispersion method to an aggregate structure of the primary particles to overcome van der Waals forces, by which forces the primary particles are held together to form the aggregate structure, whereby the ultradispersed primary particles are obtained in a colloidal dispersion on a large-scale basis at low cost without using any additive. In a method of manufacturing the ultradispersed primary particles, the wet-type milling method is carried out in a ball mill, preferably in combination with a high-energy ultrasonic-wave process carried out in a dispersing medium such as pure water, whereby a colloidal solution or slurry with a low-concentration of the primary particles ultradispersed in the dispersing medium is obtained.

Abstract: Using a resolution supplied from an image output apparatus and ruling information supplied from a ruling information storage unit, a screen ruling of threshold data stored in a threshold data storage unit is determined, and threshold data which provides a screen ruling closest to a desired screen ruling supplied from a screen ruling input unit is selected and supplied to a binarization processor which is supplied with multivalued image data from an image processing apparatus. The binarization processor compares the selected threshold data and the multivalued image data to generate binary image data.

Abstract: Dot cells are made up of halftone threshold data of color images of C, M, Y, K. At least the dot cells of color images of C, M, K are set under the condition of a non-rational tangent. Halftone screen periods and screen angles of said three color images of C, M, K are set such that a period and an angle of a primary moiré pattern produced when two of the three color images of C, M, K are superposed are substantially equal to a halftone screen period and a screen angle of the remaining one of the three color images of C, M, K. A halftone image is generated using dot cells thus produced.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cladding material, which has high joining strength and excellent productivity, and a manufacturing method therefor; in order to attain this object, the present invention provides a cladding material comprising: a first material to be joined which is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; a second material to be joined which is made of a single metal or an alloy and which is join the first material to be joined; and an intermediate layer which is provided between the first and second materials to be joined.

Abstract: Dot cells are made up of halftone threshold data of color images of C, M, Y, K. At least the dot cells of color images of C, M, K are set under the condition of a non-rational tangent. Halftone screen periods and screen angles of said three color images of C, M, K are set such that a period and an angle of a primary moiré pattern produced when two of the three color images of C, M, K are superposed are substantially equal to a halftone screen period and a screen angle of the remaining one of the three color images of C, M, K. A halftone image is generated using dot cells thus produced.

Abstract: A threshold array having an array of thresholds for reproducing a gradation with a dot pattern as a clustered pattern of dots each made up of one or more blackening pixels is corrected. At least one non-contact point candidate position to be turned into a non-contact point is determined among contact points of the dots. Then, at least one contact point candidate position to be turned into a contact point is determined among non-contact points of the dots at the given gradation. Thereafter, the threshold array is corrected by switching around a threshold for the non-contact point candidate position and a threshold for the contact point candidate position, whereby the layout of contact points of the dots can be corrected.

Abstract: Halftone image data is generated according to a threshold array in which thresholds T up to a given gradation have been determined, and candidate pixels to be blackened are then determined. Then, a low-frequency component extractor extracts low-frequency component data from density image data which simulates the density of the halftone image data corresponding to an output image from an image output apparatus. A particular frequency component divider 70 divides the extracted low-frequency component data into particular frequency component data for intensifying the low-frequency components, and blackening candidate pixels for intensifying the particular frequency components are excluded, thus narrowing down candidate pixels. The positions of thus determined blackening candidate pixels are determined as the positions of thresholds for a next gradation.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cladding material, which has high joining strength and excellent productivity, and a manufacturing method therefor; in order to attain this object, the present invention provides a cladding material comprising: a first material to be joined which is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; a second material to be joined which is made of a single metal or an alloy and which is join the first material to be joined; and an intermediate layer which is provided between the first and second materials to be joined.

Abstract: A method for determining a heating line for bending a steel plate includes the steps of: placing a virtual pattern on a virtual plate; rolling the plate along a frame line from a reference position to contact the plate at two points on the plate; rolling the steel plate back to the reference position; obtaining straight lines connecting the contact points; determining a heating point relative to a reference point; repeating the same steps while contacting the contact points on a reference point side; drawing straight lines from a certain heating point on a certain line to heating points on other lines; examining the degree of parallelism between each straight line and a roller line; grouping the relevant heating points as the same group; and connecting the heating points of the same group by a straight line or a curve.

Abstract: In an image display apparatus, information on a direction in which an image is to be displayed on a display panel is recorded in a memory card, and a to-be-displayed image signal corresponding to the displaying-direction information read from the memory card is displayed on the display panel. The displaying-direction information relates to a direction in which the image is to be displayed on the display panel. More particularly, it is information indicative of a direction designated by the user of the apparatus pressing a rotate button on an operation panel and in which image information initially read from the memory card is displayed on the display panel. Pressing the rotate button a maximum of three times for one image will rotate the image clockwise, for example, whereby it is possible to designate a desired direction in which the image is to be displayed.