Adaptive Image Reproduction Patents (Class 358/3.24)
  • Patent number: 8587831
    Abstract: It is difficult to appropriate estimate the colorimetric values of an arbitrary patch at a desired temperature with respect to an arbitrary medium in consideration of the influence of a fluorescent whitening agent contained in the medium. Target patch colorimetric values obtained when patches of a plurality of colors formed on a medium using color samples are measured at a target temperature designated in step S101. This estimation is implemented when both media-dependent variation correction processing (S102) that estimates patch colorimetric values based on the temperature characteristics of the medium, and toner-dependent variation correction processing (S103) that estimates patch colorimetric values based on the temperature characteristics of the color samples are executed. By correcting image data whose image is to be formed based on the target patch colorimetric values (S104), an arbitrary color patch on an arbitrary medium can be coped with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Muto, Kazushige Hatori, Kenji Baba
  • Patent number: 8587835
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an input unit configured to read a document and input image data, a division unit configured to divide the image data into a margin area and a print information area, an acquisition unit configured to count a number of pixels having a gradation value greater than a first threshold value in each divided area, and acquire the number of counted pixels per unit area, and a determination unit configured to determine that the document is white paper if a difference of two acquired pixel numbers per unit area is smaller than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Sato
  • Publication number: 20130293930
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image of a document is read as document image data, and an image processing method of image data to be overwritten on the document is switched based on the read document image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Go Araki, Yuuji Takayama, Tomoyuki Saiki, Hikaru Uchidate
  • Publication number: 20130293929
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof according to this invention, in a case that a received print job designates image formation on a surface of a sheet on which an image has been formed, whether image formation on the sheet based on the print job is possible is determined based on at least image information of the sheet acquired by reading the image of the sheet. If it is determined that image formation on the sheet based on the print job is impossible, the image formation on the sheet is stopped. If it is determined that the image formation on the sheet based on the print job is possible, an image is formed on the sheet in accordance with the image information of the print job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Naoya Kakutani, Hiroki Takeishi
  • Patent number: 8576453
    Abstract: A method of controlling an image forming apparatus supporting a black optimization printing option in a host apparatus includes executing a printer driver of the image forming apparatus, setting the black optimization printing option in a user interface of the executed printer driver, generating a second color matching table by using an existing first color matching table and color properties corresponding to red, blue, and green values of a document to be printed based on the set black optimization printing option, selecting a first printing method to print the document by using the first color matching table or a second printing method to print the document by using the second color matching table, based on the red, green, and blue values of the document, and transmitting the document and print data of the document to which a color matching table corresponding to the selected printing method is applied to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-ju Kim
  • Patent number: 8576452
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a dividing unit configured to divide image data into pieces of print scan image data for the plurality of print scans, a quantization unit configured to quantize the pieces of print scan image data, and a generation unit configured to generate pieces of print data for the plurality of print scans on the basis of the quantized pieces of print scan image data. In a case where a density represented by the pieces of print scan image data is a low density, the quantization unit quantizes the pieces of print scan image data so that they are mutually exclusive in the plurality of print scans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hansaki, Takatoshi Ota, Hiroaki Sugiura, Koji Ito
  • Patent number: 8570602
    Abstract: A digital halftoning method and a method for constructing a class tiling map are disclosed. The present invention utilizes to arrange class matrixes in a staggering form such that adjacent class matrixes exist a staggering shift. Also, the class tiling map is constructed in this way. Then, a dot diffusion procedure is performed to an original image with the class tiling map so as to generate a halftone image corresponding to the original image. The present invention is capable of solving the problem of a periodic appearance caused by traditional dot diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jing-ming Guo, Yun-fu Liu
  • Publication number: 20130271795
    Abstract: A detector and a printer using the same are provided. The printer includes a body and the detector. The body has a base and a shaft located above the base. The detector includes multiple inducted modules, a carriage, an inducing unit, and a light receiving unit. The inducted modules are disposed on the base of the body aligning to an axial direction of the shaft. The carriage is disposed on the shaft. The inducing unit and the light receiving unit are disposed on the carriage. During a printing process, the carriage moves back and forth along the axial direction, and the inducing unit induces the corresponding inducted modules to emit lights. The light receiving unit receives light emitted from one of the inducted modules and penetrated a paper undergoing the printing process for detecting a paper barcode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicants: Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventor: Ting-Shi Tsai
  • Patent number: 8559083
    Abstract: A first screen group and a second screen group are stored in an image forming apparatus. In the first screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on a first rule. In the second screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on an independent second rule different from the first rule. A screen selector relocates a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion and the second portion are joined by a second region that is not a toner adhesion control target, when the first portion and the second portion are adjacent as a result of the selection of the screen in each unit region of the input image. The first portion includes the screen included in the first screen group, and the second portion includes the screen included in the second screen group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kato, Naotoshi Kawai, Tomoyuki Imura, Eri Kusano
  • Patent number: 8553288
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of performing accurate gradation correction in a range of density where measurement by a toner density detection unit is- impossible. A printer unit forms a gradation pattern on an image bearing member. A density detection sensor detects density of the gradation pattern. A first correction value for correcting gradation of the image data is calculated based on density of the gradation pattern, detected by the density detection sensor, and a second correction value for correcting gradation of the image data is calculated based on the estimated condition of toner with which a toner image is formed on the image bearing member. An output gamma correction unit corrects density in a low density range of the toner image based on the first correction value, and corrects density in a high density range of the toner image based on the second correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Nakase
  • Patent number: 8547599
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a color image forming apparatus which includes image forming units forming images, each for each color component, and superimposes the images of the color components on one another to form a color image. The image forming apparatus includes a scan line changing unit shifting the position of each pixel in a sub scanning direction for each color component of halftone image data to be processed so as to cancel a shift amount of a scan line on an image carrier in each of the image forming units in the sub scanning direction; an interpolation inhibited area determining unit determining an interpolation inhibited area in the image data; and an interpolation unit applying an interpolation process for smoothing a pixel-level shift caused by shifting of image data by the scan line changing unit to the image data excluding the interpolation inhibited area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoko Ido
  • Publication number: 20130250365
    Abstract: A print control device includes a generating unit configured to generate image data, based on gloss control plane data for specifying a type of a surface effect to be given to a recording medium and specifying a region to which the surface effect is to be given in the recording medium; and an output unit configured to output the image data. The generating unit includes a tone correcting unit configured to perform a tone correction on a region in which the surface effect is designated in the gloss control plane data, the tone correction varying with each type of surface effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Makoto YOSHIDA, Hiroaki Suzuki, Hiroo Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8542420
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image reading apparatus including: a monochrome CCD sensor including a first photo-diode array; plural color CCD sensors each including a second photodiode array; an AD converter configured to apply analog-to-digital conversion to each of analog outputs from the second photodiode array and the first photodiode array; a delay processing unit configured to delay at least one of color image data of plural colors from the AD converter and interpolate, with delayed any one or more of the color image data, a blank of image data that is to be read on a line in a sub-scanning direction; and an inter-line correction unit configured to correct, by the intervals and a set reduction magnification, a positional deviation in the sub-scanning direction between the monochrome image data and the color image data, respective timings of which are aligned on the line by the delay processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Ogawa, Yoshio Yoshimura, Tadashi Mokudai
  • Patent number: 8542410
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for estimating exposure modulation in an image printing system is disclosed. The method includes determining a banding profile for an image printing system by a processor; determining an adjusted exposure modulation profile based on the banding profile using a least squares estimation by the processor; and printing an output based on the adjusted exposure profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Palghat Ramesh, Peter Paul
  • Patent number: 8542400
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing unit and a print controlling unit. The printing unit is configured to print a primary image and a secondary image on a recording medium and that is capable of switching between a multicolor printing mode and a monochrome printing mode. The print controlling unit includes a determining unit and a color restricting unit. The determining unit determines whether the secondary image has an attribute indicating the monochrome printing mode. The color restricting unit controls the printing unit to print the primary image and the secondary image in the monochrome printing mode if the determining unit determines that the secondary image has the attribute indicating the monochrome printing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogy Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kadota
  • Publication number: 20130242350
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a controller that controls an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium based on image data in which densities of a plurality of colors are specified for each pixel. The controller includes: a setting unit that sets a common representative value to a density of a specific color indicating one of the colors in each of a plurality of pixels included in a specific area indicating a specific area represented in the image data; and a determining unit that determines a density of each of the colors so that a sum of densities of the respective colors other than the specific color in the pixels included in the specific area becomes equal to or lower than a value acquired by subtracting the representative value from a reference value indicating a total amount restriction target of a total amount of toners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Makoto YOSHIDA, Hiroaki Suzuki, Hiroo Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8537426
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader that reads each of the plurality of documents and obtains image data corresponding thereto; a code detection/analysis portion that detects, from the image data, identification codes included in the documents and including output processing information which is information relating to an output processing method for the image data; a image group extraction portion that extracts an image data group made up of image data including the output processing information that is identical with each another; and a representative image determination portion that determines, within the image data group, at least one piece of representative image data; and a code deletion portion that deletes identification codes other than those for the representative image data within the image data group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaaki Saka
  • Patent number: 8537425
    Abstract: Methods disclosed permit the identification of frame buffer pixels for trapping. In some embodiments, flags associated with pixels in the frame buffer may be used to provide an indication of pixels for trapping. A first bit in a flag associated with a pixel may be set when the pixel is painted. In some embodiments, the method discloses a process for setting the value of a second bit in the flag to determine if the pixel associated with the flag lies on an object boundary. The pixel is identified as a candidate for trapping based on the value of the at least one flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart Guarnieri, Markus Maresch
  • Patent number: 8537386
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for conveying information associated with a rendered job is disclosed herein. In general, data can be automatically generated, in response to a request by a user to render a job via a rendering device, wherein the data includes information indicative of the job. Thereafter, the data can be rendered for the user in a displayable format in association with the rendering of the job via the rendering device in order to convey to the user sufficient information indicative of how the job was processed and rendered via the rendering device in the event that the user encounters unexpected processing and rendering of the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Marc Vinicio Rocas
  • Patent number: 8531683
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide an image forming device which can minimize density unevenness due to interpolation processing. For solving the above problem, an image forming device according to the present invention is an image forming device including printing unit for printing an image by scanning a photosensitive body comprising correcting unit for correcting a position in which the image is printed, wherein the correcting unit outputs one of a data of a line of interest, a data of a line adjacent to the line of interest, and a data of an intermediate value between the line of interest and the line adjacent to the line of interest in accordance with a pixel shift amount and a main scan pixel position, and the printing unit scans the photosensitive body based upon the outputted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8531730
    Abstract: A problem to be solved by the present invention is to reduce workload of setting colors that are most suitable for printing image data. In order to solve the problem, a printing device according to the present invention is a printing device that can be loaded with M color materials, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires image data; an analysis unit that analyzes the image data acquired by the acquisition unit; and a determination unit that determines, based on the analysis result by the analysis unit, N priority colors from colors of the M color materials where N is a number less than M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 8526058
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a forming section; a correction section configured to measure at least one of a position and a density of a formed image and perform a correction function for adjusting an image forming condition based on the measurement; a determination section configured to determine whether a color condition is satisfied; and a control section configured to selectively perform a first mode or a second mode if there is a print request while a correction execution condition satisfied, wherein in the first mode, the correction section is caused to perform the correction function, before a printing process begins in response to the print request, and wherein in the second mode, the correction section is caused to perform the correction function at least before the printing process to the color page data, on condition that the determination section determines that the color condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130222859
    Abstract: According to the invention it is possible to determine in advance whether it is possible to correctly generate a conversion table for calibration or color profile correction even with respect to an unknown print medium, and to avoid the preparation of unsuitable parameters and the performance of unsuitable image processing based thereon. In order to achieve this the color of a subject print medium is measured and from the color measurement result it is determined, based on color measurement data from a test pattern printed on the print medium, whether it is possible to obtain parameters suited to the print medium. As a result it has become possible to avoid the preparation of unsuitable parameters to be associated with the print medium, and it has become possible to output images with a comparatively stable reproduction of color even where performing printing on a variety of print mediums.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Patent number: 8520262
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving color data for an object to be printed and performing post color processing for each pixel in the object if the object is a graphics/text object, while no processing is performed if the object is an image object. Post color processing is performed by determining if a pixel is black or gray and converting the pixel to K only black color if the pixel is black or gray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventors: Hong Li, Randell Rivadeneira, Vladimir V. Shestak
  • Patent number: 8514453
    Abstract: A method for processing a high dynamic range (HDR) image for printing. Tone mapping is first applied to the input image to map the colors, to find an optimized range of brightness values, and to scale the color to place colors inside the optimized range (in-range colors) into a device color space (e.g. sRGB), but without clipping colors outside of the optimized range (out-of-range colors). The scaled colors are then converted to the color space of the output device (e.g. CMYK) using WCS (Windows Color System) color transform, where the in-range colors are processed using a optimized transform and the out-of-range are processed using a sequential transform. A mapping from the original color space to the converted color space for all colors in the image is stored in a lookup table (LUT), and the input image is converted to the output image using the LUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Waleed H. Mebane
  • Patent number: 8508809
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus that optically reads a document includes: multiple line sensors provided approximately parallel to each other and each having light-receiving elements arranged in line form, each line sensor capturing respective line-shaped regions spanning in the main scanning direction of the document in respective color components; a movement unit that causes the positional relationship between the document and the multiple line sensors to move relative to the sub scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a color skew adjustment unit that adjusts positional skew in the sub scanning direction in scan data of each of the color components captured by the multiple line sensors in synchronization with the movement caused by the movement unit, in accordance with an offset amount based on the distance between each of the multiple line sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tee Boon Hock
  • Patent number: 8493628
    Abstract: Systems and methods of reproducing images onto surfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an image file that digitally produces a planar surface normal to a surface of a master model. The planar surfaces are referenced to a coordinate system of the master model through a series of points. A tracker surfacing system, comprising a tracking instrument, generates and emits a signal as the tracking instrument crosses the planar surface. An output device is actuated by the tracking device as it crosses the planar surface, reproducing the series of points as an image onto a surface, including a flat, curved or compound surface. Both the spatial position and orientation of the output device are detected and adjustments are made so that the image is precisely applied to intended locations on the surface being imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Victor Blakemore Slaughter, Todd Raftery
  • Patent number: 8493615
    Abstract: An image-processing device includes: a first detection unit that, based on a predetermined color component, detects a first pixel value that satisfies a predetermined first base color condition from among the pixel values of pixels included in image data which is to be processed; a pixel determination unit that determines pixels with the first pixel value detected by the first detection unit; a second detection unit that, based on color components other than the predetermined color component, detects a second pixel value that satisfies a predetermined second base color condition from among the pixel values of the pixels determined by the pixel determination unit; and a base color determination unit that determines pixel portions with both the second pixel value detected by the second detection unit and the first pixel value as a base color of an image represented by the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8493613
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a positioning unit that acquires a misalignment amount of a pixel in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, the pixel as a reference pixel for zooming image data, and decides a position of a pixel as a correction target, based on the misalignment amount; a correcting unit that corrects the pixel; a zooming unit that controls the positioning unit and the correcting unit so as to repeatedly perform the positioning process and the correction process on a pixel line; a pattern recognition unit that performs pattern matching on a predetermined pattern and a predetermined pixel line; and a pixel position changing unit that shifts the decided pixel position in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the zooming unit performs the zooming process on the pixel line of the sub-scanning direction including the pixel that is located at shifted pixel position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Kaima
  • Patent number: 8493632
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a gain setting section that sets a gain of a signal from image sensor, a reference data reading section that reads white and black reference data, an image reading section, a correction data generation section that generates correction data by synthesizing a substring extracted from white reference data with a substring extracted from black reference data, and a correction section that performs shading correction of image data using the correction data, wherein in a case where the black reference data is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the gain setting section performs resetting to lower the set gain, the reference data reading section rereads the black reference data by the reset gain, and the correction data generation section generates correction data by synthesizing the substring of the white reference data with the substring of the black reference data that has been reread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya Akahane
  • Patent number: 8488201
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for which a first mode using toners of plural colors including a black toner and a second mode using only the black toner can be set, includes a first printing cumulatively counting part that cumulatively counts a first number of pages for which image forming has been executed by using the toners of plural colors; a first printing determining part that determines whether the first number of pages counted by the first printing cumulatively counting part has exceeded a threshold; and a correction control part that controls not to execute a correcting process for image forming that uses the toners of plural colors but to execute a correcting process for image forming that uses only the black toner, when the second mode has been set in a case where the first printing determining part has determined that the first number of pages has exceeded the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Tomohiro Ohshima
  • Patent number: 8488203
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a skew correcting unit that performs skew correction by dividing an input image that has undergone a halftone process into image data in a predetermined skew correction area in a main scanning direction and by shifting the image data in the skew correction area in a sub-scanning direction; an edge detecting unit that detects whether a pixel at a division position is an edge pixel based on concentrations of a set of pixels including the pixel at the division position; a correction area determining unit that, if detected that the pixel at the division position is the edge pixel, determines a correction area that is an area of pixels including the edge pixel to be subjected to concentration correction within the skew correction area; and an edge correcting unit that corrects concentrations of the pixels within the correction area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Higashiyama, Yoshiaki Kawai, Shingo Nishizaki, Tomohide Kondoh, Masashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8488200
    Abstract: Systems and methods of reproducing images onto surfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an image file that digitally produces a planar surface normal to a surface of a master model. The planar surfaces are referenced to a coordinate system of the master model through a series of points. A tracker surfacing system, comprising a tracking instrument, generates and emits a signal as the tracking instrument crosses the planar surface. An output device is actuated by the tracking device as it crosses the planar surface, reproducing the series of points as an image onto a surface, including a flat, curved or compound surface. Both the spatial position and orientation of the output device are detected and adjustments are made so that the image is precisely applied to intended locations on the surface being imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Polus, V. Blake Slaughter, Jeffrey D. Brehm
  • Patent number: 8477372
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining a printer metric in terms of image quality (IQ) over a large complex set of conditions based upon measurements taken over a small simple set of conditions while compensating for printer drift. The present system and method effectively utilizes a predictive model that predicts noise measurements of multi-separations from those of single-separation colors and/or a subset of the multi-separations. Because a model is used to comprehend the metric over the entire gamut, the number of patches is reduced. This reduction enables the method to be used within a machine to dynamically characterize the device's image quality metric. Various embodiments have been disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Wencheng Wu, Edul N. Dalal
  • Patent number: 8478033
    Abstract: An image inspection apparatus determines whether a test image is a copy of an original image. The image inspection apparatus includes an image group generation unit that determines one or more types of image transform, and transforms the original image according to the determined types of image transform to generate an original image group; a spatial color difference computing unit that transforms a color space of the generated original image group, and calculates first spatial color differences between the original image and images in the original image group to provide color difference data; an image inspection unit that receives the test image and the original image group to calculate second spatial color differences between the test image and the images in the original image group, and compares the second spatial color differences to the color difference data; and an inspection result output unit that outputs the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jin Seo Kim, Maeng Sub Cho, Bon Ki Koo
  • Publication number: 20130155469
    Abstract: A method of printing on a sheet of recording medium included in a randomly oriented stack of recording media provided to a printing apparatus, the method comprising: a) using a scanning element disposed in a printing path of the printing apparatus to scan a first side of the sheet of recording medium to provide scan data; b) analyzing the scan data to determine whether the first side has previously been marked on; and c) making a predetermined indicator on the first side of the sheet of recording medium if it is determined that the first side has previously been marked on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: John Randall Fredlund, Chen Quan
  • Patent number: 8467105
    Abstract: Devices and methods herein receive a command into a computerized device to perform a printing draft operation of a printable item using a reduced amount of marking material (a reduced amount of ink, toner, etc.). The methods herein evaluate at least two different regions of the printable item to determine spatial frequencies of the different regions, and calculate at least two marking material reduction values for the different regions of the printable item based on the spatial frequencies of the different regions. Then, the methods herein apply the marking material reduction values to the printable item to produce a file containing reduced marking material printing commands for a printing device to print the printable item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Elton T. Ray
  • Patent number: 8467093
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores image formation information in which print setting information is associated with an index useful in deciding to suppress consumption of a recording material; and an execution unit that executes a process of displaying one or more pieces of the image formation information stored in the storage unit on a display unit in association with print data to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Komatsu, Kouji Yorimoto, Kiyoshi Une, Takumi Nishikata
  • Patent number: 8467096
    Abstract: A printer is provided that includes a printing unit, a detector that outputs a detection signal corresponding to one of a remaining amount of coloring agent and a consumed amount of coloring agent, and a controller configured to perform a switching process. In the switching process, when determining, based on the detection signal, that a usable amount of coloring agent is more than a first reference value, the controller controls the printing unit to perform a normal printing operation to print an original image based on image data. Meanwhile, in the switching process, when determining, based on the detection signal, that the usable amount of coloring agent is equal to or less than the first reference value, the controller controls the printing unit to perform a show-through cancellation printing operation to print an image that is formed by removing an image recognized as a show-through image from the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Morisaki
  • Publication number: 20130148169
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines, with respect to intermediate data including a start edge and an end edge indicating a shape of an object and which do not intersect and where an edge direction of the start edge and an edge direction of the end edge are aligned, whether an edge read from the intermediate data is the start edge or the end edge based on an edge direction of the edge, determines an X coordinate of an edge to be determined for each scan line as a minimum value of a corresponding scan line, and determines, an X coordinate of an edge to be determined for each scan line, as a maximum value of a corresponding scan line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 8446638
    Abstract: In summary, the present invention provides a method, apparatus and program product for calculating an estimate of the amount of toner coverage required for printing print data defined in a compressed data stream. The estimate is obtained with reduced processing by obtaining coverage data from a partially decompressed formed of the data stream and using this to obtain the coverage estimate, thus removing the need to do a full de-compression of the data stream. For example the coverage data is a count of toned pixels for at least one intensity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Larry M. Ernst, Nenad Rijavec
  • Patent number: 8446637
    Abstract: In summary, the present invention provides a method, apparatus and program product for calculating an estimate of the amount of toner coverage required for printing print data defined in a compressed data stream. The estimate is obtained with reduced processing by obtaining coverage data from a partially decompressed formed of the data stream and using this to obtain the coverage estimate, thus removing the need to do a full de-compression of the data stream. For example the coverage data is a count of toned pixels for at least one intensity level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Production Print Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Larry M. Ernst, Nenad Rijavec
  • Patent number: 8446639
    Abstract: Characteristic data representing the metallic luster characteristic of each of a plurality of kinds of printing materials to be used by a printing apparatus is acquired. On the basis of a stimulus value represented by the acquired characteristic data corresponding to each of the plurality of kinds of printing materials, an overlay order is determined to form an image on the printing medium by overlaying a printing material having a smaller stimulus value on a printing material having a large stimulus value. The print data is generated in accordance with the determined overlay order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Jinno
  • Publication number: 20130120801
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a conversion unit and a determination unit to convert image data into color material data including color material data indicating a color material amount of a chromatic color material and color material data indicating a color material amount of an achromatic color material. The conversion unit converts image data of a region of interest in an image into the color material data of the chromatic color material. The determination unit determines the color material data of the achromatic color material corresponding to the image data so that a color indicated by coloring information corresponding to the image data of the region of interest in the image approaches an achromatic color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Shibasaki, Hiromitsu Nishikawa, Takayuki Jinno, Takashi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 8441701
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit, a determination unit, a setting unit, and a processing unit to perform an image edge intensifying processing. The obtaining unit obtains image data by reading a document. The determination unit determines an image edge direction. The setting unit sets an edge intensifying processing intensity based on the image data and a processing intensity determined corresponding to a difference between resolution in a main scanning direction and resolution in a sub-scanning direction. The processing unit performs the image edge intensifying processing according to the set intensity. In response to the resolution of the image data being higher in the sub-scanning direction than in the main scanning direction, the setting unit sets a higher intensity of the edge intensifying processing in response to the edge direction being along the sub-scanning direction than in response to the edge direction being along the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Tetsuya Suwa, Fumihiro Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Masao Kato, Kentaro Yano
  • Patent number: 8441690
    Abstract: A multi-value code image generation part generates a multi-value code image by assigning first code information, which is obtained by encoding a dot pattern in a specific area, to each growth core. A multi-value code image affine transformation part performs affine transformation on the multi-value code image. A multi-value code image assignment part assigns second code information to each of the growth cores before the affine transformation according to the first code information of at least one growth core after the affine transformation, which growth core neighbors close to the growth core before the affine transformation. A dot pattern development part develops the dot pattern for the specific area at each of the growth cores before the affine transformation according to the second code information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Namikata
  • Patent number: 8437045
    Abstract: Provided are bitmap based trapping methods, apparatus and systems. According to one exemplary method, black trapping color image data is performed by estimating the continuous tone values associated with non-black pixels near a qualified black pixel and subsequently, the estimated continuous tone values are halftoned at the qualified black pixel locations and ORed with the original bitmap data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Meng Yao, John A. Handwork, Xing Li
  • Patent number: 8437040
    Abstract: A method for controlling a tone reproduction curve of an image printing system includes generating an actual printed image tone reproduction curve using printed image data from a printed image sensor; determining a set of adjusted contone values by comparing the actual printed image tone reproduction curve with a target printed image tone reproduction curve, where the adjusted contone values being representative of the print contone values at which target color density data of the printed image is achieved in the image printing system; and determining adjusted image transfer surface reflectance data to update a target image transfer surface tone reproduction curve, where the adjusted image transfer surface reflectance data being obtained by interpolating the target image transfer surface tone reproduction curve at the adjusted contone values; and controlling subsequent toner image data to achieve the updated target image transfer surface tone reproduction curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Taylor, Brian Robert Conrow, Shawn Patrick Updegraff
  • Patent number: 8432582
    Abstract: Compensation for rendering device non-uniformities is provided for halftoned images. A spatially dependent tone reproduction curve (TRC) provides compensation values. Pixel location information is used to access TRC values. For example, the values are modification values. The modification values are added to the pixel values to generate combined values. Quantization is applied to the combined values to prepare compensated image data for rendering. For example, Rank Ordered Error Diffusion is applied to the combined values. The combined values may include diffused error from previously processed pixels. Gray values may be estimated for the respective pixels. The estimated gray values may be used to access compensation information from a TRC that is both spatially and gray value dependent. Mathematical basis decomposition is used to reduce TRC memory requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Yeqing Zhang, Robert Paul Loce, Beilei Xu
  • Patent number: 8427699
    Abstract: An image formation controller judges whether or not a tint block has been detected by a tint block processor upon judging that an automatic color determination mode is set in a multi functional peripheral. The image formation controller causes an image forming section to perform a monochromatic image forming operation if the tint block is a chromatic tint block when the tint block was detected by the tint block processor. On the other hand, the image formation controller causes the image forming section to perform an image forming operation corresponding to a determination result by an ACS processor when no tint block was detected and when the tint block was determined to be a monochromatic tint block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Tanaka