Abstract: An image forming device is provided which embeds a decodable two-dimensional code when embedding (printing) a two-dimensional code in an original document. The image forming device represents additional information by associating virtual points with dots in one-to-one correspondence and arranges dots in positions deviated from virtual points associated with the dots. The image forming device includes a determining unit for determining intervals between the virtual points and virtual points adjacent to the virtual points and determining sizes of the dots, and an arranging unit for arranging dots having the determined sizes to respective virtual points having the determined intervals. The determining unit may determine dots to have sizes other than sizes proportional to the determined intervals.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an image to optimize print time of the image by a print apparatus based on the size of the image to be printed and the print pass thresholds of the print apparatus. A dimension of the image corresponding to the dimension along the sub-scanning axis of the image as it will be printed by the print apparatus is obtained, along with the corresponding number of print passes required to print the image. An analysis is performed to determine whether the size of the image could be reduced to require one less print pass by the print apparatus in printing the reduced image based on the proximity of the determined dimension to the range of dimensions that will result in one less print pass by the print apparatus.

Abstract: A method of reducing the amount of black in an image is disclosed. The method is using a computer to reduce the amount of or eliminate the black in an original digital image. The major procedure is to increase the pixels of the original digital image (by four or nine times) and then change the color information of the pixels.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the darkness level of image data to assist in output matching between dissimilar rendering devices. Image source information from a source file can be interpreted by a rendering decomposer in order to generate halftone source image data. The decomposition of the image can be repeated in response to a request by an operator for an additional darkening level via a user input file. The additional layers can be shifted in an opposing direction and then a clockwise direction from the original position until the additional darkening level is attained. The required darkening level can be stored in a storage unit or memory so that the required darkening level can be later triggered by a source document name to employ the same darkening approach. The darkening level can be selected from an array of darkening levels to assist in output matching without major modifications to the utilized rendering device(s).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for screening color separations of a lenticular image with a lenticular frequency of the lenticular lenses needed for viewing the lenticular image. An amplitude-modulated halftone image is calculated for each of the color separations at a screen angle and at a screen frequency, the tangent of the screen angle being a rational number. For a specific color separation, a screen angle relating to the direction perpendicular to the image strips of the lenticular image is defined, a pair of whole numbers whose ratio is equal to the tangent of the screen angle is determined, and the screen frequency of the color separation is calculated as the product of the lenticular frequency and the square root of the sum of the squares of the two whole numbers.

Abstract: A display control apparatus which improves the visibility of a display unit (for example, wristwatch) having a normal display section and a normal non-display section provided outside the normal display section along its at least one side. When it is not sensed that the display unit is inclined at a predetermined angle to a horizontal surface, time information is displayed in a normal size on the normal display section. When it is sensed that the display unit is inclined at the predetermined angle to the horizontal surface, the time information is displayed in an enlarged size on a whole of the normal display and non-display sections for a predetermined time.

Abstract: For (CMYK) (x,y) data, a target-pixel checking unit calculates a target-pixel integrated value a(x,y) from CMYK binary data of a target pixel and a surrounding-pixel checking unit calculates a maximum surrounding pixel integrated value n(x,y) from respective CMYK binary data of surrounding pixels that are adjacent to the target pixel. Based on the target-pixel integrated value and the maximum surrounding pixel integrated value, a comparison determining unit estimates a higher toner pile height. The comparison determining unit adds transparent image data W(x,y) to the input data CMYK(x,y) and outputs output image data CMYKW(x,y) such that the toner pile heights become even.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for generating a basic template utilized to form a screening mask. The method includes adjusting lines per inch or minimum pattern (such as cluster size or density) of a testing template, printing the adjusted testing template by an outputting device, determining if the gray level of the printing result matches a specific gray level, and continuously adjusting the setting of the lines per inch or the minimum pattern when it does not match the specific gray level, otherwise selecting the adjusted testing template as a basic template. The basic template is optimized according to the printing ability of the outputting device, so the printing performance of the outputting device when using the screening mask formed from the basic template can also be optimized, and the minimum color points can be printed faithfully thereby avoiding dropping of the carbon powder.

Abstract: A method of matching color elements for objects within a print job prior to printing, includes for each page in the print job, identifying all objects and their associated object properties within the page; for each object, identifying, according to predetermined object property criteria, if the object is a candidate for a color matching task; for each of the identified candidates, filtering the object properties using a predetermined visual relevance metric, such that objects having less than the predetermined visual relevance metric are removed from consideration; defining each candidate object satisfying the predetermined visual relevance metric as a color matching object with respect to at least a second color matching object thus defining a color matching object group; for each such color matching object group, either alerting a user to a problem or resolving the problem by assigning common rendering across the color matching object group.

Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent a problem that an image on a document sheet is erased due to misdetection of a line-shaped noise. A copy machine 1 compares RGB values of a target pixel with averaged RGB values (Step S103). If only one of the RGB values has a difference that is greater than a prescribed value Ref2 (Step S103: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to a line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in a line-shaped noise address storing area 49b. If two of the RGB values have differences (Step S103: NO, Step S104: YES) and a difference between these two of the RGB values is no greater than a prescribed value Ref3 (Step S105: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to the line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in the line-shaped noise address storing area 49b.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the size of an object included in a printing target to be printed according to a reduction ratio, the method including: calculating at least one of a width and height of the object; and when the calculated width or height of the object is 0, the object width or the object height is changed to a predetermined value, and the changed value is set. By doing so, when the printing target to be printed according to the reduction ratio is printed, a phenomenon in which the object does not appear on a print medium is prevented.

Abstract: A method is employed that represents patterns using a super resolution encoding method that distributes the code value among adjacent pixels. One or more blocks are created, wherein each block is comprised of a plurality of bits, the height of the block is equal to the width of the block. One or more supercells are created by merging at least two adjacent blocks. One or more patterns are defined, wherein each pattern is defined by selecting one or more bits to be one of filled or unfilled within each supercell. Each of the one or more patterns is associated with an SRE code, the SRE code is related to the number and location of bits that are filled within the pattern. A pattern is defined with a plurality of patterns, each pattern is included in the one or more supercells.

Abstract: A tint block image generation program generates tint block image data which forms a tint block image including a latent image portion, which is reproduced during copying, and a background portion, of which output density drops during copying, on a print medium. The program causing a computer to execute: a latent image portion generation step of generating data of a plurality of first dots on the latent image portion; and a background portion generation step of generating data of a plurality of second dots having a second screen ruling, and data of a plurality of third dots which are dispersed among the second dots, and of which size is smaller than that of the second dots, in the background portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and an image processing program for dealing with inverted characters (outlined characters) constituted by white pixels on a black ground in a tree structure same as that of normal characters constituted by black pixels on a white ground. In the present invention, black pixel blocks and white pixel blocks are sampled recursively from a binary image, tree structure data indicating a positional relation between the sampled black pixel blocks and white pixel blocks is created, an inverted image is created by white-black-inverting the insides of black pixel blocks that can include inverted characters, of black pixel blocks included in the tree structure data, white pixel blocks and black pixel blacks are sampled from the created inverted image, and data regarding the sampled white pixel blocks and black pixel blocs is added to corresponding nodes of the tree structure data.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus that can be connected to an image-forming apparatus, a method, and a program used for the information processing apparatus are disclosed. The information processing apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling print-setting information set for document data to be printed, a recognition unit for recognizing information about a first function specified by the print-setting information by translating the print-setting information controlled by the control unit, an obtaining unit for obtaining information about a second function of the image-forming apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus, a determination unit for determining whether or not the image-forming apparatus can perform the first function recognized by the recognition unit based on the second-function information obtained by the obtaining unit, and a modification unit for modifying the print-setting information controlled by the control unit based on the determination result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a determining section for determining if a value indicative of a size of the background portion in the background pattern is smaller than a predetermined threshold value; and a background pattern correcting section which corrects the background portion and the latent image portion, when the determining section determines that the value is smaller than the threshold value, so that the value indicative of the size of the background portion becomes equal to or larger than the threshold value, and which forms a background pattern having a corrected background portion in which a copy prohibiting pattern is embedded, wherein the image forming section forms on a sheet the background pattern when the determining section determines that the value is smaller than the threshold value, and forms on the sheet the background pattern when the value is equal to or larger than the threshold value.

Abstract: An array-type image forming apparatus and a method for compensating an image using the same include an image density determination unit to determine the image density of each line on a page, a storage unit stores one or more threshold values and a control unit compensates the image density by comparing the determined image density of each line and the threshold value. When the image density reaches the threshold value, the control unit modifies the amount of heat supplied to a print head, thus modifying the amount of ink applied to subsequent lines on the page, in order to provide compensation for the image density.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided which embeds a decodable two-dimensional code when embedding (printing) a two-dimensional code in an original document. The image forming device represents additional information by associating virtual points with dots in one-to-one correspondence and arranges dots in positions deviated from virtual points associated with the dots. The image forming device includes a determining unit for determining intervals between the virtual points and virtual points adjacent to the virtual points and determining sizes of the dots, and an arranging unit for arranging dots having the determined sizes to respective virtual points having the determined intervals. The determining unit may determine dots to have sizes other than sizes proportional to the determined intervals.

Abstract: Outline font data showing the original outside shape having a single closed curve made up of a parenthesized outside shape portion of the parenthesized image and a connecting line portion to connect both open ends is stored. The height and line width are determined. Based on the above data, a first-size solidly shaded image is formed having the determined height and is entirely filled inside the original outside shape thereof with effective pixels of logic “1.” A second-size solidly shaded image is formed of a second size which is smaller by the line width than the first-size solidly shaded image, along the parenthesized outside shape portion. Non-equivalence operation is performed with corresponding pixels by displacing the first-size solidly shaded image and the second-size solidly shaded image by the line width along the parenthesized outside shape portion.

Abstract: The appearance of a color print viewed under UV illumination is predicted using a target comprising color patches each printed using a known coverage of printer colorant(s). In one case, the target is illuminated using a UV light source and an electronic image of the target is captured using a digital camera or the like. In another case, a spectrophotometer is used both with and without a UV cutoff filter to measure the target. The captured image data or the spectrophotometric measurements are used to derive a UV printer characterization model that relates any arbitrary combination of printer colorants to a predicted UV color appearance value. Metameric colorant mixture pairs for visible light and UV light viewing can be determined using the UV model together with a conventional visible light printer characterization model. A visual matching task is used to determine a correction factor for the UV printer characterization model.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provides enhancement of image quality. The image forming apparatus includes a window generating unit to generate a main window of a predetermined size using a Lines Per Inch (LPI) and an angle of a dithering mask, and to generate a plurality of subwindows within the generated main window, a determining unit to determine the presence of an edge area by applying the plurality of generated subwindows to a binary image and according to pixel values of the binary image that correspond to the subwindows, and a control unit to determine a dot size of a central reference pixel at the center of the main window, according to the presence and absence of the edge area. Because image quality is enhanced adaptively according to edge and smooth areas, print quality improves.

Abstract: A computer readable recording medium bearing a printer driver program for controlling a print device, which is installed in a print job data processing apparatus constituting a printing system together with the printing device, the printer driver program comprising computer executable instructions of; receiving a print job data from an application program which has a print command; analyzing the received print job data from the application program to identify respective objects included in the page description language data; calculating a position where each object is arranged on a printable area designated depending on output paper size; and modifying the object to allow the object to be accommodated within the printable area, thereby accomplishing a correct print operation such that a print region designated by a user is accommodated to a predetermined output paper size without depending on a function of an application.

Abstract: Aspects of color of a halftoned image are controlled or adjusted. A method for adjustment can include determining a color description of a color of an area or window associated with a target halftoned pixel, determining a desired adjustment to the color associated with the target pixel, determining a color change value based on the desired adjustment and the color description associated with the target pixel, combining the color change value with at least one value of the target halftoned pixel, thereby generating at least one combined target pixel value and quantizing the at least one combined target pixel value. For instance error diffusion and/or rank-ordered error diffusion is used to perform the quantization. Color adjustments can be based on user preference and/or calibration compensations between original and target devices.

Abstract: An image display medium displays an image including a first region having a first composite image. The first composite image includes a first display image and a first latent image. The first display image includes at least one of a first halftone dot image and a first line image having a first linearity. The first halftone dot image and the first line image have such densities as are not reproduced by copying. The first latent image includes at least one of a second halftone dot image and a second line image having a second linearity. The second halftone dot image and the second line image have such densities as are not reproduced by copying. The first and second linearities produce different moiré patterns when the first display and the first latent images are enlarged by a first common optical system.

Abstract: An image processing method in which a RIP process is performed on original image data to obtain raster data with a first resolution, and a smoothing process is performed through oversampling the obtained raster data to generate output image data with a second resolution which is smaller than the first resolution. The method is performed for recording an image on a recording medium by an inkjet recording device that performs the recording by discharging an ink drop on the recording medium from an inkjet head based on the output image data. Here, the first resolution in the RIP process for performing the smoothing process on the raster data is determined according to information that indicates the number of gradations corresponding to the number of ink drops selected in advance and the second resolution.

Abstract: A printed sheet handling system and method for use with lazy-portrait narrow-end to narrow-end (LPEE) formatted pages web printed pages to produce document sets includes: a printer to print LPEE formatted paired document pages printed in 1 to N order and face up on a first half of the web and printed in N to 1 order and face down on a second half of the continuous web; a slitter that divides the LPEE formatted printed web into two streams of sheets, with one in 1 to N order and the other in N to 1 order; collecting both streams into separate stacks; flipping the N to 1 stack of sheets; and then withdrawing sheets from the tops of both stacks for cutting into pages, collating, and assembly into correctly aligned and page number-sequenced document sets.

Abstract: An automated rule-based system for facilitating delivery of a fax document from a source to a destination over a network where an initial delivery attempt has been unsuccessful. Actions to be taken are based upon a time-variable set of input conditions which may be determined from one or more of the destination, the source, a database of past delivery attempts, and a human analyst. The actions may include one or more of resubmitting the fax document to the network for a next delivery attempt, cancelling the document, sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information, and identifying the destination as a technical problem. The input conditions may include an identification of non-business days and non-business hours.

Abstract: An image processing method for deciding the quantization data on each image plane of the image data composed of at least first and second image planes includes performing a quantization process for the sum total value of pixel values existing at the same position on the first and second image planes, using a first threshold, to decide a quantized value, and performing an arithmetical operation on the decided quantized value, the pixel value of any one of the first and second image planes and a second threshold, to generate the quantization data on each of the first and second image planes.

Abstract: A system for determining layout of print data printed by a printer onto a recording medium, in which the recording medium is processed by a target device different from the printer. Printing capabilities of the printer and processing capabilities of the target device are both determined. Then, layout of the print data is determined based on compatible capabilities between the printing capabilities of the printer and the processing capabilities of the target device. The layout preferably is determined through communication with the printer and the target device so as to negotiate the layout.

Abstract: Provided is a printer controller for a pagewidth printer having a printhead configured to print ink supplied from an ink cartridge with print quality information. The controller includes a processor having an address, data and control bus, an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the bus and configured to receive a page having a bi-level black layer and a continuous tone (“contone”) layer, to decompress the respective layers in parallel, to halftone the contone layer data to bi-level data, and to composite the bi-level black layer over the bi-level data to form an image. The controller also includes a replaceable ink cartridge comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) containing the print quality information and which is configured to be interfaced with the processor.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of generating a dither matrix that stores each of a plurality of threshold values in each of elements for determining a status of dot formation of each print pixel of a print image to be produced on a printing medium by carrying out halftone processing on image data.

Abstract: A raster image processing system and method accepts a digital page description as a series of page elements (text, graphics, images, etc.) and creates output video-ready (“flattened”) raster without allocating large amounts of raster memory (arrays of pixels) and without creating a display list of all page elements. This technique improves performance (greater speed with fewer resources consumed) in the typical output process: rendering, image processing, compression, and transmission. The method records each page element in memory in a manner that largely retains the inherent compression of the element description, and fully retains the positional relationships with its neighboring elements. Where an incoming page element overlaps an existing one, the intersections are calculated on the fly, and elements underneath are immediately split, merged, shrunken, or deleted. Each incoming page element is immediately processed and recorded as described above, and then discarded.

Abstract: An image processing method generates a halftone-dot image by forming a halftone dot, which is represented by a set of one or plural output dots and corresponds to an intensity of an input image signal, while making a part of the dots constituting the halftone dot to be an actual non-output dot so as to reduce an amount of a coloring material of the halftone-dot portion. When the intensity of the image signal exceeds a predetermined value and is in a predetermined range, while maintaining contour dots, which are output dots contribute to formation of a contour of the halftone dot, to be the output dot, the image processing method makes a part of dots inside the contour dots to be the actual non-output dot.

Abstract: Outline font data showing the original outside shape having a single closed curve made up of a parenthesized outside shape portion of the parenthesized image and a connecting line portion to connect both open ends is stored. The height and line width are determined. Based on the above data, a first-size solidly shaded image is formed having the determined height and is entirely filled inside the original outside shape thereof with effective pixels of logic “1.” A second-size solidly shaded image is formed of a second size which is smaller by the line width than the first-size solidly shaded image, along the parenthesized outside shape portion. Non-equivalence operation is performed with corresponding pixels by displacing the first-size solidly shaded image and the second-size solidly shaded image by the line width along the parenthesized outside shape portion.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first unit for converting primary color data into color data for outputting a dark color material only in a first mode, and a second unit for converting the primary color data into color data for outputting both the dark color material and a light color material in a second mode.

Abstract: Data-processing systems and methods include a rendering device which renders documents based upon the timing and duration of a laser beam associated with particular pixel data. Additionally, a controlling mechanism for controlling and adjusting the particular pixel data can be provided, wherein the controlling mechanism is subject to pixel clock signal in order to optimize a performance of the rendering device under varying rendering parameters and thereby enhance the quality of data rendered via the rendering device. Such a controlling mechanism can be implemented as a programmable phase locked loop circuit to which a pixel clock signal and a frequency are applied in order to provide at least one output signal for controlling the laser beam.

Abstract: An image processing method for an image recording apparatus which records an image by means of dots on a recording medium, the image processing method includes the steps of: setting the recording medium; and forming the dots on the recording medium, wherein: dot size information relating to the dots that have at least one dot size and are recordable by the image recording apparatus, and recording resolution information are obtained; when image information for a text character or line is transformed into bitmap data which the image recording apparatus can record the image in accordance with, then dot sizes and recording positions of the dots are determined in accordance with the dot size information and the recording resolution information, in such a manner that a recording width of the text character or line approaches a recording width determined in accordance with the image information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing image data representing a color separation or mono-color image includes processing the color separation image data or mono-color image data in accordance with first and second or more halftone screen processings at different screen angles and obtaining results of the processings and combining the results of the processings to generate composite image data of the first and second or more halftone screen processings. The resulting print of the composite image data forms relatively pleasing rosettes or diamond structures in the particular color.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an internal display device that displays image information; an output terminal connectable with at least one external display device or more; and a display adjustment section that changes resolutions of the internal display device and the external display device to a display resolution based on comparison between the resolutions of the internal display device and the external display device and further adjust, when an aspect ratio of the internal display device differs from an aspect ratio of the external display device, display timing of the internal display device whose resolution has been changed and display timing of the external display device whose resolution has been changed, based on information about differences among the aspect ratios.

Abstract: A three-dimensional halftone screen is provided that is suited for multilevel printing. The three-dimensional halftone screen includes a plurality of planes each corresponding to one or more input intensity levels of an input RIPped pixel. Within the planes are screen dots, each associated with one or more output exposure intensity values representing an intensity of an exposure dot corresponding to the input RIPped pixel.

Abstract: A method for compressing/restoring image data free from degradation of image quality caused by compression/decompression, a method for compressing image data at high compression ratio, and its restoring method are disclosed. In the image data compressing method, image elements contained in a digital image read from a sheet of paper are extracted, each of the extracted image elements is subjected to data compression by a compression method of corresponding to the type of the image element, and the compressed image element data are stored.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of recording image information and additional information added separately from the image information to a photographic printing medium is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes: image information acquisition means for acquiring the image information, additional information acquisition means for acquiring the additional information, and recording means for recording the image information acquired by the image information acquisition means and the additional information acquired by the additional information acquisition means to the photographic printing medium, wherein the recording means can record the additional information by laminating a first transparent material that absorbs light of a specific wavelength and a second transparent material that does not absorb the light on a recording surface of the photographic printing medium.

Abstract: An image processing device to generate coded image data, which represents an image to be printed in a printing apparatus, is provided. The image processing device includes a data generator to downscale tone values of pixels included in the image, the tone values of pixels being included in a predetermined scale range, and assign a plurality of types of codes having different lengths to the downscaled tone values to generate image data, and a data transmitter configured to transmit the coded image data to the printing apparatus. The data generator downscales the tone values of pixels by classifying each tone value of pixels into one of segments, which are unevenly delimited by predetermined thresholds within the predetermined scale range and include a larger segment and a smaller segment, and assigning a code with a shorter bit length to the tone value classified into the larger segment.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: a data conversion unit that converts first image data into second image data; and an image output unit that outputs an image obtained by reproducing the second image data. The data conversion unit includes: a determination unit which divides the first image data into a dot block each includes plural pieces of dot data, and determines whether or not an array of dot data included in each dot block corresponds to a specific array; and a replacement unit which replaces the data out of the second image data, which is located in a portion corresponding to the dot block, with first replacement data including image forming dot data with which an image is formed. The specific array includes a first array in which the dot data to be thinned out is configured as the image forming dot data, and the dot data not to be thinned out is configured as non-image forming dot data with which an image is not formed.

Abstract: To generate a threshold matrix which is compared with an original image in creating a halftone dot image for each color component, in a matrix area for one color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a predetermined density and in a matrix area for another color component, dot centers are arranged almost uniformly in a random fashion at a density about 0.7 times the predetermined density. Then, threshold values are set so that dots should grow around the dot centers in accordance with an increase in gray level of the original image, to generate the threshold matrix for each color component. In creating the halftone dot images by using these threshold matrixes, characteristics of spatial frequency of the halftone dot images of these color components can be represented in a frequency space as areas (75K, 75C) in a shape of concentric rings.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, has: a conversion unit that converts input image information including a first color component and a second color component into output image information in which, with regard to each of the color components, the number of gray levels per pixel is smaller than the number of gray levels per pixel in the input image information and a gray level of the input image information is expressed by a gray level value of each pixel and a dot density and in which the size of a dot is different between the first color component and the second color component; and an output unit that outputs the output image information obtained by the conversion unit.

Abstract: A printing method for performing a halftone process on image data representing input tone values of pixels constituting an original image to determine dot formation on each print pixel of a print image to be formed on a print medium, generating dot data representing the determined dot formation, and forming a dot on each of the print pixels for generating the print image according to the dot data. The step of generating the print image includes mutually combining dots formed on print pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel groups in a common print area, the plurality of pixel groups having a physical difference at dot formation, the dot formation being performed with respect to each of the pixel groups. A plurality of pixel groups having a physical commonality for the dot formation among the plurality of pixel groups constitute a pixel group family.

Abstract: A technique for profiling a color printing device employs a modified Neugebauer color mixing model. The modeling technique makes use of a variable dot gain value and “n factor.” The variable dot gain adjustment value may vary according to the particular tristimulus channel under evaluation. In addition, the variable dot gain value may vary according to the particular Neugebauer primary over which a halftone dot is printed. Accordingly, the technique may rely on an array of different dot gain values and n factors that correspond to different combinations of color channels and overprint conditions. As a further feature, the techniques may rely on a dot gain formula that relates halftone dot variation, i.e., fringe thickness, to the size of the halftone dot. This relationship tends to produce a dot gain model that more closely resembles the actual dot gain behavior on a printing press.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a halftoned image is disclosed. The method and system comprise scaling the halftoned image by performing pel repetition utilizing an error diffusion algorithm such that artifacts are minimized. According a system and method in accordance with the present invention performs pel repetition using error diffusion technology, so that any resulting “artifacts” are realized as high-frequency image addition, making them much less visible. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides adjustability in the computational complexity of the scaling, so that quality can be traded off continuously against the amount of processing power required.

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.