Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for halftoning. In an embodiment, a halftone system is configured to store a threshold array comprising an array of threshold elements. The halftone system is further configured to receive a source image comprising an array of pixels with pixel values, and perform a multi-level halftoning process on the source image by partitioning the source image into a sequence of image segments, partitioning the threshold array into a plurality of threshold segments, identifying image segment groups each comprising a set of the image segments that are noncontiguous in the sequence and correspond with a mutual threshold segment of the threshold array, and schedule processing of the image segments in an image segment group as a batch based on the mutual threshold segment.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing head including a first nozzle configured to discharge a first ink and a second nozzle configured to discharge a second ink having a higher brightness than the first ink, and a control unit configured to control the printing head to print, on a printing medium, a test pattern for inspecting a state of ink discharge by the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The test pattern includes a first pattern element formed by a plurality of dots of the first ink and a second pattern element formed by a plurality of dots of the second ink. The control unit causes the printing head to print the test pattern where a number of the dots of the second ink forming the second pattern element is greater than a number of the dots of the first ink forming the first pattern element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for calibrated testing of a printing of an article. The apparatus includes a data providing device adapted to provide printing data for the article from product data of the article and a camera device adapted to capture an image of an article printed by a printing process and to provide it as image data. The apparatus also includes a database device adapted to provide calibration data for the camera device and a computer device adapted to perform a quality check of the printing process based on a comparison of the printing data with the image data taking into account the calibration data.

Abstract: An image scanner includes a conveyance path and a conveyor that conveys a medium through the conveyance path. The medium bears a detection mark that is spaced from a leading edge of the medium in a medium conveyance direction. A background member is disposed opposite the conveyance path. A luminance sensor is disposed opposite the background member via the conveyance path. The luminance sensor detects a luminance value of each of the background member and the medium. A controller controls the luminance sensor to detect the luminance value at a plurality of times while the conveyor conveys the medium so as to obtain a plurality of detected luminance values. The controller determines a ground color luminance value of a ground color area on the medium based on a determination range including a first peak luminance value among the plurality of detected luminance values.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for resilience testing. A system includes at least one hardware processor coupled to a memory and configured to decode a workflow to obtain a workload specification and a failure experiment specification. A first set of containers is configured to execute one or more workloads on a testing node. The one or more workloads are defined by the workload specification. A second set of containers is configured to execute one or more failure experiments on the testing node. The one or more failure experiments are based on the failure experiment specification. Execution of the one or more failure experiments triggers an error condition on the testing node. A notification is generated based on at least one metric associated with execution of the one or more workloads and the one or more failure experiments.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for resilience testing. A system includes at least one hardware processor coupled to a memory and configured to decode a workflow to obtain a workload specification and a network experiment specification. A first set of containers is configured to execute one or more workloads on a testing node. The one or more workloads are defined by the workload specification. A second set of containers is configured to execute one or more network experiments on the testing node. The one or more network experiments are based on the network experiment specification. Execution of the one or more network experiments triggers an error condition on the testing node. A notification is generated based on at least one metric associated with execution of the one or more workloads and the one or more network experiments.

Abstract: The disclosed technique is an image processing apparatus that corrects gradation values of monochrome data converted from color data, including correction unit configured to, in the case where there are three or more gradation values after conversion and there are a plurality of gradation value differences between adjacent gradation values arranged in order of magnitude, if there is a gradation value difference smaller than a prescribed threshold value among the plurality of gradation value differences, correct the gradation value difference smaller than the threshold value to increase in the range of the threshold value or smaller by reducing other gradation value differences adjacent to the gradation value difference smaller than the threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus generates image data for an image forming apparatus having a recording head with recording elements in a first direction that forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the elements toward the medium fed in a second direction perpendicular to the first. The apparatus has an acquiring unit that acquires multi-valued input image data having a uniform tone, a conversion unit that converts the input image data into halftone image data indicating a dot pattern, by using a dither matrix, and a correction processing unit that executes a density unevenness correction process in accordance with properties of each of the elements. The properties of the elements are obtained by reading a chart image formed based on the halftone image data. The dither matrix is a dispersive dither matrix with a size of Sx rows corresponding to the second direction, Sx, a natural number.

Abstract: An apparatus that enables an operator to easily perform an image diagnosis by ascertaining an analysis image that does not include an unnecessary image and that reduces a user's superfluous indication. A forming unit forms an image on a sheet. An image reading unit reads image data from an original. An output processing unit outputs a second analysis image that is obtained by adding a predetermined image pattern to a first analysis image for an image diagnosis to a sheet with the forming unit. A read processing unit reads the sheet on which the second analysis image is output with the image reading unit and generates first image data. An analysis unit analyzes the first image data. An erasing unit generates second image data that is displayed for the image diagnosis by erasing the predetermined image pattern from the first image data.

Abstract: In an image reading device, a region securing portion secures six page regions in a storage region of a volatile memory. A first conveyance control portion permits a document sheet conveyance device to convey first three document sheets among a plurality of document sheets in response to securing of the six page regions. A data recording portion stores line image data with specified resolution in the six page regions for each page of the plurality of document sheets. An image processing portion moves the plural pieces of the line image data in sequence from the page regions to a work region, and transfers post-processing data to another device. A second conveyance control portion permits the document sheet conveyance device to convey a fourth document sheet and onward among the plurality of document sheets one at a time in sequence following conveyance of the first three document sheets.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus receives designation of a target color to be removed, obtains the hue and chroma of the designated color, determines the target color based on the obtained hue and chroma, and replaces the signal value of a pixel contained in image data and having a signal value corresponding to a color falling within a predetermined range containing the designated color with a signal value indicating white, thereby performing color removal.

Abstract: A display device correction method includes: obtaining, in advance, first correction data for correcting a luminance signal; performing a first transform including applying an error diffusion method to the first correction data to transform the first correction data into second correction data; performing a second transform including thinning, via a predetermined thinning method, the second correction data by removing at least one but not all of the correction data components to transform the second correction data into third correction data; performing a third transform including interpolation, via a predetermined interpolation method, using pixel data components included in the third correction data, to transform the third correction data into fourth correction data; and correcting the luminance signal using the fourth correction data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus receiving a pixel value of a multivalue image includes: an input noise generating section that generates a noise; a green noise generating section that generates a green noise from an output value of a binarized processed pixel; an adder section that adds an error integrated value, the green noise and the noise, to the pixel value of the target pixel; the threshold value processing section that binarizes the pixel value of the target pixel after adding the error integrated value, the green noise and the noise; a subtractor section that calculates an error value by calculating a difference between an output value of the binarized target pixel and the pixel value of the target pixel including the error integrated value and the noise; and an error integrating section that outputs the error integrated value by using the error value of the binarized processed pixel.

Abstract: A display device includes a conversion section which generate a data conversion signal including a first number of bits from an input signal, an error dispersion section which generates a display control signal including a second number of bits that is smaller than the first number of bits from the data conversion signal and which spatially disperses errors that occur at the time of generating the display control signal, and a display panel section which displays an image on the basis of the display control signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image based on image data generated by executing an image process includes a first determination unit configured to determine whether a predetermined process causing a delay in the image process being executed has occurred, a second determination unit configured to determine whether a condition for an adjustment unit to perform an adjustment for maintaining the image formation has been satisfied based on condition information indicating the condition, and an instructing unit configured, in a case where the first determination unit determines that the predetermined process causing a delay in the image process being executed has occurred and the second determination unit determines that the condition has been satisfied, to instruct the adjustment unit to perform the adjustment.

Abstract: A depth processing method, an electronic device and a medium are provided. The depth processing method includes: obtaining a color image and a depth map corresponding to the color image; extracting a plurality of regions from at least one of the depth map and the color image; obtaining region information of the regions, and classifying the regions into at least one of a region-of-interest and a non-region-of-interest according to the region information, wherein the region information comprises area information and edge information; and adjusting a plurality of depth values in the depth map according to the region information.

Abstract: A method for image processing a digital color image uses a single array of threshold values in a halftoning process if a total density value, which is found adding up the color density value for each of the process colors of a pixel, is lower than a predetermined density threshold. However, when the total density value exceeds the density threshold, the individual color density values are split in a basic part and an excess part, the basic parts adding up to the predetermined density threshold. In the halftoning process the basic parts still use the single array of threshold values, but the excess parts use uncorrelated arrays of threshold values that are associated with each individual process color. This provides for a balance between graininess at low color density and registration independent color rendering at high color density.

Abstract: A reading unit reads a first side of a printed material having first image data printed on the first side and second image data printed on a second side, the second side being a back side of the first side, in order to obtain image data. A density determination unit determines whether a density of the second image data exceeds a predetermined density. A comparison unit compares a density of the image data obtained by the reading unit and a density of the first image data, and produces a comparison result. A determination unit, in a case when a density difference between the density of the image data and the density of the first image data exceeds a threshold as the comparison result of the comparison unit, determines that the printed material includes a defect portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an input part for receiving image data; an image processor for image-processing the input image data; an output part for outputting data processed at the image processor; and a controller for controlling the image processor to process the image using one of a plurality of image processing modes having a toner consumption lower than a toner density to use when the toner density to use for outputting the input image data exceeds a preset reference density. The plurality of the image processing modes includes a boundary image processing mode which outputs only boundaries of objects in the image data. Thus, the toner used for the image forming can be saved.

Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically detecting and switching profiling configuration in digital rendering. A set of color patches utilized for profiling can be rendered via a calibration engine and the color patches can be measured via inline/offline spectrophotometer. A high-accuracy MFD model can be built based on measurement from the color patches. A set of measurement values for a set of CMYK color probes can be obtained directly from the measurement and/or by processing through a MFD model. A classifier can be configured to determine a toner set based on the predicted and/or measured Lab values. The profiling procedure then automatically sets up a parameter set for the corresponding toner set to build a color look-up table via an inversion and optimization function. A destination ICC profile can be built based on the color LUTs. The system can handle multiple toner sets and produce optimized color outcome for each toner set.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus 1 generates halftone image data regarding black, cyan, magenta, and yellow from a multi-tone color image. Magenta is a target color component that has a lower ink density than that of the other color components. In generating halftone image data regarding magenta, the sum of the sizes of black, cyan, and magenta dots formed at a target pixel position is made smaller than or equal to a threshold dot size. If the hue of the pixel of interest is within a hue range in which magenta coloration is strong, it is determined that the threshold dot size is a corrected threshold dot size larger than the reference threshold dot size. It is thus possible to suppress overlapping of dots of a plurality of color components and to thereby improve color reproduction of the target color component while suppressing poor color reproduction and cockling.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section for forming a test image including a plurality of patterns in which at least one pattern is more easily affected by a variation factor for density than another pattern, an accepting section for accepting an amount of adjustment for density, and an adjusting section for adjusting density of an image to be formed by the image forming section based on the amount of adjustment for density accepted by the accepting section.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a density correction unit that corrects density based on a density detection value of the density correction pattern; a first density correction pattern generating unit that generates a first density correction pattern having low resolution; and a second density correction pattern generating unit that generates a second density correction pattern having high resolution. When a first density detection value of the first density correction pattern is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the density correction unit corrects the density by determining a density correction reflection rate, based on the first density detection value. When the first density detection value is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value, the density correction unit corrects the density by determining the density correction reflection rate, based on a second density detection value of the second density correction pattern.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit and a converting unit. The storage unit stores a dither matrix including a plurality of sub-matrices. Each sub-matrix has a group of dot regions and each dot region has a threshold value. The dot regions are arranged in N rows and N columns in which N is an integer greater than or equal to 4 and the dot regions define a first diagonal line and a second diagonal line. Each sub-matrix has a plurality of first orthogonal lines extending in a direction parallel to the first diagonal line and a plurality of second orthogonal lines extending in a direction parallel to the second diagonal line. N dot regions whose threshold value is smaller than a prescribed value are contained in the group of dot regions. Only one of N dot regions is contained in each row and each column. At most one of N dot regions is contained in each first orthogonal line and each second orthogonal line.

Abstract: An output density range is divided such that, after gradation targets have been applied, adjusted density ranges for output are uniform across all objects. Furthermore, through reverse calculation using the gradation targets that are set in one-to-one correspondence with the objects, adjusted density ranges of the respective objects are set independently.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanism that more appropriately evaluates an image defect caused by a specific process in an image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus of this invention performs colorimetry of a patch image at a spatial resolution corresponding to the spatial frequency of color unevenness caused by a specific process included in an image forming process. A statistic value based on the n-th (n is an integer of 2 or more) order central moment of a specific color component of a colorimetric value obtained by performing colorimetry at the spatial resolution is compared with a reference value, thereby detecting that the color unevenness caused by the specific process has occurred in the patch image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a multi-level unit that applies a multi-level process on binary halftone dot image data indicating a binary halftone dot image, to form multi-level image data; an acquiring unit that acquires a number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data; a tone correcting unit that determines a tone correction amount corresponding to the number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data acquired by the acquiring unit, and that applies tone correction on the multi-level image data produced by the multi-level unit, by using the determined tone correction amount; and a re-binarizing unit that binarizes the multi-level image data in which the tone is corrected by the tone correcting unit, without changing a halftone dot shape of the binary halftone dot image data, to produce re-binarized halftone dot image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image by irradiating light from a light source to an image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes: an image processing unit that processes image data at resolution N; and a control unit that generates modulation data to drive the light source at resolution m×N (m is a positive integer equal to or larger than 2), which is higher than the resolution N, based on the processed image data. Processing at the image processing unit is pseudo-halftone processing to perform line thinning or thickening on a part of the image data. The control unit converts the image data at the resolution N that has been subjected to the pseudo-halftone processing into data at the resolution m×N, and adjusts an amount of light for a part of the image data based on the resolution m×N.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method comprising receiving a continuous tone (contone) image, wherein each pixel of a plurality of pixels of the contone image comprises pixel data associated with a plurality of color planes; forming a pixel group that includes a target pixel and one or more pixels that are neighboring to the target pixel; for each pixel in the pixel group and for each of one or more color planes of the plurality of color planes, comparing pixel data of the corresponding pixel for the corresponding color plane with one or more threshold levels to generate threshold pixel data; generating one or more color plane pixel windows for the pixel group corresponding to the one or more color planes; and generating a pixel window for the pixel group.

Abstract: A signal value representing at least one of a plurality of types of optical characteristics are calculated for each pixel from the read signal obtained and output by reading light reflected by a document placed on a document table and a document table cover while the document is covered with the cover. It is determined, based on the signal value calculated, whether or not a target pixel is a pixel in a document region. A document region is detected from the determination result.

Abstract: A method of producing a bit-map including rendering a bit-map of a first image using a first stochastic half-tone screen set, rendering a bit-map of a second image using a second stochastic half-tone screen set, wherein the first half-tone screen set and the second half-tone screen set have respectively associated stochastic half-tone screens, and wherein each half-tone screen of the second half-tone screen set is less than 100 percent correlated with, and not an inverse of, the associated half-tone screen of the first half-tone screen set; and merging the bit-map of the first image with the bit-map of the second image.

Abstract: A contone source image is processed to create halftone outputs by identifying intensity thresholds based on the coordinates of the pixels of the source image. The halftone output corresponding to a particular pixel of the contone image in a particular color plane is determined by comparing the intensity of the pixel and any previously accumulated output error to the intensity threshold corresponding to the pixel.

Abstract: An image data acquiring unit 32 acquires image data of a chart sheet and a reference chart and image data of the white sheet from the external imaging device. A shading correcting unit 34 generates shading correction data on the basis of a white sheet, and performs shading correction for the image data of the chart sheet and the reference chart using the shading correction data. A projective transforming unit performs a projective transformation for the image data of the chart sheet and the reference chart. A color value identifying unit identifies color values of patches in a test chart printed on the chart sheet and color values of patches in the reference chart after the shading correction and the projective transformation. A correction data generating unit generates image correction data on the basis of the identified color values of patches in the test chart and the reference chart.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source device, a reader, a plurality of strip-shaped density reference members, and a shading corrector. The plurality of strip-shaped density reference members that extend along main scanning direction. The plurality of strip-shaped density reference members are separately disposed in at least three positions including an upstream end portion, a center portion, and a downstream end portion in the moving direction of the sub scanning direction within a readable area of the reader. The shading corrector is configured to calculate shading correction data using density distribution data obtained by reading the plurality of strip-shaped density reference members with the reader and correct image data of the printed document on a pixel to pixel basis, based on the shading correction data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus extracts a line segment included in an image, and includes a density gradient direction determining section that determines a direction, in which density changes, of each processing unit composed of a predetermined number of pixels of an image, and an line segment extracting section that regards a couple of processing units whose density gradient direction are opposite each other as a processing unit pair and extracts a processing unit group including a plurality of processing unit pairs allocated in a row in a direction perpendicular to the density gradient directions as a line segment.

Abstract: A signal value representing at least one of a plurality of types of optical characteristics are calculated for each pixel from the read signal obtained and output by reading light reflected by a document placed on a document table and a document table cover while the document is covered with the cover. It is determined, based on the signal value calculated, whether or not a target pixel is a pixel in a document region. A document region is detected from the determination result.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a halftone processing unit configured to apply halftone processing based on a dither matrix to image data, a correction unit configured, with respect to the processed image data, to shift a pixel of the image data in a sub-scanning direction at a correction position in a main scanning direction which is determined based on correction information for correcting a distortion due to a curve of a scanning line for forming an image according to the image data, and a resolution conversion unit configured to apply resolution conversion processing for lowering a resolution of image data to the corrected image data, wherein the dither matrix results in that the image data to which the resolution conversion processing has been applied includes matched portions of halftone dot patterns appearing in regions preceding and following the correction position in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: Image forming devices, hard imaging methods, and methods of determining a transfer function are described.

Abstract: A method of characterizing an imaging system is described includes printing a color chart having a plurality of predetermined color patches; measuring the color patches to obtain colorimetric data; initializing a Neugebauer model with the Neugebauer solids of said colorimetric data; optimizing the global parameters of the Neugebauer model; optimizing the parameters associated with Demichel terms based on the Neugebauer primary associated with the Demichel term; optimizing parameters that vary with device coordinates; and creating a characterization file for the imaging system.

Abstract: A printing system includes a first unit that obtains a rendering command specifying a combination of at least a thickness and a color of a line; a second unit that converts the rendering command into a converted rendering command by converting the combination specified in the rendering command so that an average darkness of a result of printing the line matches a desired average darkness of a result of printing the line using a target printer; a third unit that generates image data including the rendered line based on the converted rendering command; and a printing unit that executes printing based on the image data.

Abstract: A print control terminal including a user interface to receive a setting of a print command and print options of a document, a screen selection unit to select a halftone screen to be applied to the document, a transparency multiple number selection unit to select a transparency multiple number to correspond to the selected halftone screen, a print data generation unit to generate print data of the document according to the selected transparency multiple number, and a communication interface to transmit the generated print data and the print options to the image forming apparatus. A transparency multiple number is changed according to the characteristics of a halftone screen to improve quality of an output image.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus (100) creates a toner pattern on intermediate transfer belt (11) as a preprocessing of gradation correction, and calculates a cycle at which density unevenness is largest. Then, a toner image for gradation correction is formed so as to cancel cyclic unevenness at a cycle at which the largest density unevenness occurs. As a result of this, it becomes possible to suppress the deterioration of density detection accuracy and perform a highly accurate gradation correction even if density unevenness of any cycle occurs.

Abstract: Image boundary detection devices and methods include processes. Processes include setting an image recording mode to a second recording mode. First and second recording modes utilize first and second density values, respectively. Second density values are less than corresponding first density values. Processes include reducing first density values to second density values when the second recording mode is set. Processes include setting an image boundary determination threshold to one of a first and second threshold value when a respective one of the first and second recording mode is set. The second threshold value is less than the first threshold value. Processes include calculating density gradient values based on one of the first and second density value when the respective one of the first and second recording mode is set. Processes include determining whether pixels are image boundaries using density gradient values and the image boundary determination threshold.

Abstract: A connection unit receives image data to be printed and image information on a type of the image data from an external device. A pseudo-halftone processing unit converts the image data into pseudo-halftone image data. When the image information received from the external device indicates that the type of the image data is a point-of-purchase advertising image, the pseudo-halftone processing unit performs a pseudo-halftone processing on the image data at a quantization level of three or more bits on a pixel and takes a growth order causing all pixels in a low-density area to grow averagely.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a latent image generating unit and a background image generating unit. The latent image generating unit generates a latent image using both of a first color component to be printed with a first color material and second color components to be printed with second color materials having an optical property different from an optical property of the first color material, or generates the latent image using only the second color components. The background image generating unit generates a background image, which serves as the background of the latent image, using only the second color components when the latent image generating unit uses both of the first color component and the second color components, or generates the background image using both of the first color component and the second color components when the latent image generating unit uses only the second color components.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus which can suppress degradation of an image quality in a recording material save mode processing and obtain an effect of consumption amount reduction of recording material desired by a user at low costs. A recording material consumption amount at the time of applying first color conversion processing unit is predicted corresponding to inputted image data. The setting of a second color conversion processing is changed from a prediction value and a target value of the recording material consumption amount.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided with a CPU. The CPU generates dot data where dots are regularly distributed and arranged in a case where gradation values which are represented by image data are a predetermined value or less by using a dither mask where thresholds are set for each printing pixel and comparing the gradation values of each of the pixels which configure the original image and the thresholds for each of the printing pixels which are set in the dither mask, and generates the dot data such that the degree of regularity of the dots which are distributed and arranged is reduced as the gradation values are increased in a case where the gradation values which are represented by the image data exceed the predetermined value through execution of a dot data generating module.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that performs gradation correction, including a pattern forming unit that forms, on an image carrier, rows of area coverage modulation patterns having patterns of different gradation values in steps by area coverage modulation method; a toner adhering amount detecting unit that measures toner adhering amount of each pattern of the rows of area coverage modulation patterns formed by the pattern forming unit, the gradation correction being performed based on a detection result of the toner adhering amount detecting unit; and a pattern type selecting unit that selects a single pattern type formed on the image carrier from a plurality of pattern types, when carrying out gradation correction control by forming the rows of the area coverage modulation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether printing is designated to be performed using a transparent recording agent with respect to an area to be printed with a color recording agent having a density lower than a threshold among areas included in input image data, and a printing unit configured to perform printing by transferring the color recording agent and the transparent recording agent to a sheet and fixing the color recording agent and the transparent recording agent to the sheet by a single fixing process to form an image of the area if the determination unit determines that the printing is designated to be performed using the transparent recording agent with respect to the area to be printed with the color recording agent having the density lower than the threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof which execute auto color registration in consideration of mechanical change factors of both photoconductors and drive rollers. The control method of an image forming apparatus includes photoconductors, an intermediate transfer belt to which developers attached to the photoconductors are transferred, and drive rollers to drive the intermediate transfer belt, test patterns are printed on the intermediate transfer belt by adjusting a printing time interval of the test patterns according to a spatial period of the photoconductors and a spatial period of the drive rollers, if conditions to execute auto color registration (ACR) are satisfied, and ACR is executed according to a signal reflected by the test patterns.