Abstract: In one embodiment, a print system includes an anticipated ambient lighting selector to allow selection of an anticipated ambient lighting. A rendering module is configured to map a print job into raster data configured to reduce color cast in gray output when displayed under the anticipated ambient lighting.

Abstract: An image-quality-mode receiving unit receives a selection of an image quality mode for forming an image based on image data. A first gradation converting unit performs a gradation conversion of the image data by setting a gradation conversion parameter based on the image quality mode. A feature extracting unit performs a gradation conversion of a feature-extraction threshold based on the gradation conversion parameter, and extracts, based on the feature-extraction threshold after the gradation conversion, a feature amount from the image data after the gradation conversion. A second gradation converting unit performs a gradation conversion of the image data by setting a gradation conversion parameter based on a result of extracting the feature amount and the image quality mode.

Abstract: A linearization data structure is generated for a pen, in view of another pen, for conforming output intensities of the pen to output intensities of the other pen.

Abstract: A calibration target curve with less error is provided even when the number of points to be edited of the calibration target curve is small. An efficient and accurate method for editing or generating the calibration target curve is also provided. For this purpose, on the basis of specified input data values versus a plurality of predetermined output density values, there is generated a calibration target curve which shows the correspondence relation from the input data values to the output density values.

Abstract: A test pattern printed by a printer is assessed—without colorimetric equipment—to provide data used in recalibrating the printer. The assessment may be made by an unskilled operator, and can include discerning whether a particular pattern is visible in the printed test pattern, or whether a feature in the test pattern is relatively wider or narrower. From such assessment, needed changes to the printer's calibration data are inferred and implemented. A variety of other printer calibration techniques are disclosed. The technology is illustrated in the context of dye sublimation printers, and is particularly useful in optimizing printing of digitally-watermarked graphics.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processor for outputting image data to an image forming device forming an image with use of a recording material having a plurality of color components. The processor comprises a component determining a region having higher brightness than predetermined brightness and a region having lower brightness than the predetermined brightness in the image data based on the image data and a component adjusting saturation so as to reduce density values of color components other than a color component having a maximum density value among the plurality of color components of the recording material to increase saturation in a region having brightness determined to be high and reduce density values of color components other than a color component having a minimum density value among the plurality of color components of the recording material to decrease saturation in a region having brightness determined to be low.

Abstract: It used to be difficult to determine representative colors which allow color conversion with accuracy throughout color spaces without occurrences of local tone jump. An ink quantity lattice point smoothness evaluation function for evaluating the smoothness of the disposition of ink quantity lattice points whose components are the ink quantities of inks in various colors and a CMY lattice point smoothness evaluation function for evaluating the smoothness of the disposition of CMY lattice points defined by CMY color components are defined. The CMY lattice points and the ink quantity lattice points wherein the ink quantity lattice point smoothness evaluation function and the CMY lattice point smoothness evaluation function are separately minimized are taken as lattice points for correspondence definition data creation.

Abstract: An image processing system receives an input gradient number m, input image data I(x,y) whose input gradient number is m, and an output gradient number n and calculates output image data O(x,y) having an output gradient number of n on the basis of the following formula (1). O(x,y)=int[?+d(xd,yd)/(gmax+1)] ??(1) When ? is an integer, the output image data O(x,y) is calculated on the basis of a formula obtained by substituting the calculated ?? for ? in the above formula (1), whereas when ? is not an integer, the output image data O(x,y) is calculated on the basis of the above formula (1).

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a parameter calculation unit that obtains a plurality of values based on a plurality of different conversion parameters for a pixel in image data; a weighting unit that performs predetermined weighting on the plurality of values obtained by the parameter calculation unit; and a gradation correction unit that performs gradation correction of the image data based on a result of the weighting by the weighting unit.

Abstract: If an ink for a particular color (for example, red) having an excellent color developing characteristic is used in addition to inks for three primary colors of subtractive color mixture, the high color reproducibility is to be maintained for a long period. To accomplish this, at least one (for example, a yellow ink) of the inks of two colors between which the hue angle of red, included in the three primary colors, is sandwiched is applied to an area of a printing medium to which a red ink is applied so that the inks overlap each other. Thus, the yellow ink, having a high weatherability, is applied to an area on the printing medium to which only the red ink, having a low weatherability, is otherwise applied. It is therefore possible to improve the weatherability while maintaining the color developing characteristic at a high level.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel in which the capability to represent the gray scale can be improved, and method thereof. The apparatus includes an inverse gamma control block for performing an inverse gamma correction process on input data received from the outside by using two or more gamma values, and a select unit for outputting one of two or more output data on which the inverse gamma correction operation is performed, which is outputted from the inverse gamma control block. Therefore, the capability to represent the gray scale can be improved. Furthermore, an error diffusion pattern and pseudo noise can be reduced and the picture quality can be thus improved.

Abstract: A representative point for pixel value adjustment at which the same pixel value is to be set is selected from each of a correction image to be corrected and a reference image of a mosaic image. A tone curve that defines an output pixel value with respect to an input pixel value is generated by a line that passes through a pixel-value-conversion coordinate point defined by pixel values indicating the representative points selected from the correction image and the reference image, which are set as input and output values. This line is generated by a spline curve. The pixel value of the correction image is converted based on the generated tone curve.

Abstract: In tetrahedral interpolation suitable for data conversion implemented by digital computations, when the unit rectangular hexahedron is a regular hexahedron, no complicated multiplication is required, and the computation volume can be greatly reduced. However, when the unit rectangular hexahedron is not a regular hexahedron, since a complicated multiplication is required, the computation volume increases considerably. To avoid this, after the grid spacing is set (S1), X-u?, Y-v?, and Z-w? tables for obtaining the positions of an input value with respect to normalized grid points are prepared (S2-S4). Subsequently, image data is input (S5), and u?, v?, and w? corresponding to the input image data are obtained using the prepared tables (S6). The relationship among u?, v?, and w? is determined (S7), and data-converted image data is calculated using an equation corresponding to the determination result (S8).

Abstract: In the present invention, in a color copy machine, original modes of copy job units, and setting changes of sharpness adjustment, whose updates are permitted beforehand, are totaled, change of default is judged, when this accumulated result is larger than a threshold value, and the original mode whose accumulated result is larger than the threshold value, and the sharpness adjustment are set to change a default state of an image processing unit.

Abstract: A computer method for transforming a sensor color space of a digital image to standard color space. The color pixels in the sensor color space digital image are grouped and multiplied by multiple color conversion matrices without amplifying sensor noise. Different color conversion matrices are used for different parts of the image. The sum of the color error and amplified noise is minimized.

Abstract: An image output apparatus supplies output image data including color components of color materials to an image forming apparatus that prints an image represented by input image data using chromatic color material and/or achromatic color material. In a monochrome mode in which an amount of the chromatic color material is larger than an amount of the chromatic color material used in a neutral tone, the image output apparatus includes a gradation correction unit configured to correct gradation levels of the image data which includes the color components of the color materials and which has been converted using the color separation unit. The gradation correction unit processes the chromatic color material so that a value of the output image data corresponding to an intermediate value of intermediate image data obtained through the conversion using the color separation unit is equal to or smaller than a half of a maximum value of the output image data.

Abstract: There is provided a method of providing color matching between two output devices, which includes providing gradation matching between the two output devices, and providing color matching between the two output devices after providing the gradation matching.

Abstract: An image processing method for converting a first image, which is expressed in a colorimetric system made up of a plurality of color components and is constituted of a plurality of pixels each holding color information corresponding to a single color component, to a second image constituted with a plurality of pixels all holding color information corresponding to at least one common color component, includes: a color difference information generation step in which color difference information is generated by using color information in the first image; a color gradient analysis step in which a color gradient indicating an extent of color change is determined based upon the color difference information having been generated; and an image conversion step in which the first image is converted to the second image based upon the color gradient having been determined.

Abstract: Graininess and calorimetric values of color patches formed by an image generating system using dark and light colored recording agents are input to calculate equiluminance contours. Color density decomposition is then performed based on the calculated graininess and equiluminance contours.

Abstract: Using a drawing engine, a printer subjects image data to color matching processing into its own device color space. If the image data is a geometric object having a change in color, a gradation handler interpolates a changed value of color in the geometric object in the device color space based upon results of the color matching at a point of the geometric object.

Abstract: A separating unit determines, for an image data, whether there exists black data, and generates density data from the black data when the black data exists, and generates color data from data other than the black data. A multinarizing unit converts the color data into multinary data. A magnification varying unit varies the density data and the color data multinarized, using a cubic function convolution method. A binarizing unit binarizes the color data varied, based on a predetermined threshold. An image forming unit prints the color data binarized and the density data varied, onto a recording medium.

Abstract: The image data corresponding to an image is separated into areas corresponding to contents of the image. The image data in each of the area is subjected to an image processing specific to the content of the image. The image types are, for example, a character, a photograph, color, and presence of halftone. The image processing are, for example, gamma correction, color conversion, and gradation processing. The processed image data is then transferred to an external device via network.

Abstract: In a method and system for processing a photographic image having lightness values, L*, representing one of the colorimetric values of an original scene, the photographic image is transformed. The transformed image has a gamma as a function of CIE 1976 L*, which includes a dark region having a rising slope, a light region having a falling slope, and a plateau region having a slope constantly within 5 percent of a maximum value in said plateau region. The rising slope is at least twice as large as the absolute value of the falling slope. The plateau region is between 10 L* and 30 L* wide. Gamma is a derivative of visually perceived reproduced CIE 1976 L* versus scene CIE 1976 L*. Gamma has a maximum slope between 1.5 and 2.0.

Abstract: An attentional portion to be corrected in gradation of an image is specified, and a gradation corrective function with respect to a density of the specified attentional portion is generated. Preset gradation conversion characteristics are corrected with the gradation corrective function, and the gradation of the image is converted according to the corrected gradation conversion characteristics. The gradation conversion characteristics can be corrected in the vicinity of a desired density.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a photoelectric device provided with an empty transfer part. An A-D converter performing A-D conversion on an output signal for each pixel of the photoelectric device. A reference voltage varying part varies a reference voltage of the A-D converter. A detecting part detects a black correction reference data output from each pixel of the photoelectric device. A black shading correcting part subtracts the black correction reference data from digital image data obtained from the output signal for each pixel of the photoelectric device when an image is read by the A-D converter having the reference voltage set therein. And, a correcting part corrects the black correction reference data by a ratio of an output level of the empty transfer part obtained through the A-D converter when the black correction reference data is detected and an output level of the empty transfer part obtained through the A-D converter when the image is read.

Abstract: An image correction method of this invention includes a step of identifying a first pixel that satisfies one of predetermined conditions as to a pixel level, which are set for each color component, among pixels included in a specific image; a step of identifying a second pixel that satisfies the plural aforementioned predetermined conditions as to the pixel level, which are set for each color component, among pixels included in the specific image; a step of calculating an evaluation value relating to a duplication degree of the first pixel and the second pixel; and a correction step of correcting the specific image based on the evaluation value. As a result, it becomes possible to avoid a wrong correction for an object having the chromatic color, and an appropriate image correction is carried out.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which is capable of preventing images read from a double-sided original from suffering an in-surface color irregularity on each of images read from the respective opposite sides of a double-sided original and a color difference between the front and reverse. A CCD line sensor reads a front-side original image. An image processing ASIC calculates shading correction data for performing shading correction on original image data read from the original image by the CCD line sensor, based on read luminance values obtained by the CCD line sensor by reading a plurality of halftone gradation patches thereon on a correction chart. The shading correction data calculated by the image processing ASIC is corrected based on read luminance values associated, respectively, with at least two of the gradation patches.

Abstract: Even if the color of a print sheet to be actually used for printing is lighter than the color of a sheet according to a given standard printing profile, a printer outputs a proof on a dedicated sheet where the difference between the sheet colors has been corrected. Specifically, after input image data are converted to colorimetric data by a printing profile, the difference between the sheet colors is corrected by one-dimensional LUTs. Input/output gradients (straight lines) incorporated in the one-dimensional LUTs are represented by X?/X0, Y?/Y0, Z?/Z0 where X?, Y?, Z? indicate colorimetric values of the color of the print sheet to be actually used for printing and X0, Y0, Z0 indicate colorimetric values of the color of a standard print sheet used to generate the print profile. The difference between the sheet color according to the standard printing profile and the sheet color to be actually used for printing thus becomes corrected.

Abstract: The intensity of a light beam is controlled accurately depending on an image to be recorded on a photosensitive medium. An apparatus for recording an image by scanning a photosensitive medium with a light beam generated based on an image signal has a recording duty ratio detector for detecting a recording duty ratio of an image to be recorded on the photosensitive medium based on the image signal, and a light beam intensity correcting memory for modulating the intensity of the light beam based on the detected recording duty ratio. Since the intensity of the light beam is modulated based on the recording duty ratio of the image recorded on the photosensitive medium, the amount of light of the light beam can be adjusted depending on the image actually recorded on the photosensitive medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system of image data conversion, capable of setting conversion characteristics with more ease even for data having mixed image attributes, and of reducing the amount of data and the size of memory required. The conversion system includes processing elements in a processor array, each including at least an input data register, character registers, an attribute register, and a global processor, so that a calculator in each of the processing elements operates to select, and store in the character registers, the data set, xi, yi, and ai, corresponding to attribute data stored in the attribute register, to be conversion processed subsequently according to an expression stored in the global processor.

Abstract: Input pixels are input to a thinning processing circuit. When thinning is performed at the thinning processing circuit, minimum values are selected in order to reduce the pixel data, whereby loss of thin lines is prevented. The thinned image data are input to a binarization processing circuit. Although the image having been thinned through selection of minimum values becomes dark as a whole, collapse of characters can be suppressed, because the binarization processing circuit dynamically changes a binarization threshold by employing, as the binarization threshold, the average of maximum and minimum values in each local region. In a density flat portion, the local maximum value and the local minimum value assume the same value. Therefore, when the difference between the local maximum value and the local minimum value is not greater than a predetermined range, binarization is performed by use of a fixed threshold value.

Abstract: A correction circuit for correcting pixel signals, comprising: a first memory for storing signals obtained by executing decimation process; a calculating circuit for calculating a correction value based on an output from the first memory; a second memory for adjusting a timing of output of the correction; and an operating circuit for operating to correct the image signal, wherein the correction value has a value corresponding to a suppressing amount for which an influence on display gradation of the predetermined pixel by the plurality of peripheral pixels is suppressed, and wherein the suppressing is caused by a shielding member possessed by a display panel for displaying images by pixel signal.

Abstract: Print data received from a host computer is divided into five bands, and expansion time required for expanding the print data is estimated. If it is determined based on the estimated expansion time that a print overrun would occur, grayscale depth during the expansion of the print data is reduced by two bits at a time, in the priority sequence of yellow, cyan, then magenta, until it can be determined that a print overrun will not occur.

Abstract: An image processing method for subjecting captured-image data outputting from an image-capturing device to an optimization processing for appreciation to produce viewing image referred image data. The image processing method has the step of conducting a pre-processing before the optimization processing is carried out, wherein the pre-processing includes the transformation of the frequency characteristic of the captured-image data into the scene-referred frequency characteristic by removing the effect of a frequency characteristic specific to the image-capturing device from the frequency characteristic of the captured-image data.

Abstract: Four test patterns are concurrently displayed on a display of a computer. The test patterns include respective backgrounds and contrast areas. The test patterns, different from each other in pixel value, have identically shaped contrast areas. The contrast between the background and the contrast area remains unchanged from test pattern to test pattern. The contrast areas are adjusted in contrast with the pixel value of the background fixed until the test patterns look the same.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a determination part, an information obtaining part, a dynamic range setting part and a processing part. The determination part determines whether or not an image includes an area where destruction of gradation due to contrast correction tends to be conspicuous. The information obtaining part obtains information of the area when the determination part determines that the image includes such an area. The dynamic range setting part sets a dynamic range using the information obtained by the information obtaining part. The processing part performs the contrast correction on the image using the dynamic range set by the dynamic range setting part.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of quickly performing measurements required for obtaining a proper image density. The image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming apparatuses performs an image density adjustment control process by carrying out a maximum density control process at a reference image forming speed, and carrying out a density gradation control process at each of the plurality of image forming speeds. Image forming conditions for carrying out the density gradation control process at speeds other than the reference image forming speed are determined by performing operation on image forming conditions determined by the maximum density control process carried out at the reference image forming speed.

Abstract: In order to achieve to adjust saturation of an image without leading to a deterioration in image quality, there is provided an image processing device and method in which a conversion data has a conversion characteristic which suppresses a change in saturation in a visible image for pixels belonging to a predetermined color region, and in order to achieve that changes in image quality which accompany conversion of gradation of an image data can be accurately corrected, there is provided an image processing device and method in which one of reconverting the image data which is converted or controlling a conversion characteristic is performed, such that changes in a ratio of a difference, of each of color components, with respect to gray of each pixel of the image data, which changes accompany conversion of the gradation of the image data, are corrected.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for computing a complex gradient using multiple conics. In connection with a computer system having a graphics processing unit (GPU) in addition to the normal central processing unit (CPU), gradients can be computed in real time. The conics may be rendered and adjusted in a number of ways, providing a rich palette for creation of gradient graphics. The computational efficiency of the algorithms disclosed herein, when executed on typical GPU hardware, allows rendering frame rates high enough to provide animated gradient images.

Abstract: An image processing device (1) provides a client device (3) with a first test pattern image, acquires the results of evaluation concerning distinguishability of the image by human eyes, acquires color expression characteristics of the client device (3) according to the results, provides the client device (3) with a second test pattern image, acquires the results of evaluation concerning appearance of the second test pattern to human eyes, acquires the color balance characteristics of the client device (3), subjects the image data to be provided to color correction on the basis of the characteristics, and provides the client device (3) with the image data, thereby enhancing the color reproductivity of the image data on the client device (3) side.

Abstract: an image forming apparatus including: an outputting section to output a chart which has a gradation pattern in a low-density area, the gradation pattern including patches, each of the patches having a density; a reading section to read-in the density of each of the patches; a calculating section to calculate, based on the density, an adjusting value to conduct a gamma correction; and an output adjusting section to conduct an adjustment of an output in the low-density area based on the calculated adjusting value.

Abstract: Storage areas for storing four types of correction data tables for each color, which are configured by data to which gradation level data of a color is corrected, are provided as RAM1 to RAM4. A first selector selects three types of correction data tables, from which correction data for gradation level data of each of three primary colors of a color image is to be obtained, from among the correction data tables stored in the RAM1 to the RAM4. A second selector obtains correction data for gradation level data of each of the three primary colors from the correction data tables selected by the first selector. A CPU makes a RAM other than RAMs storing the correction data tables selected by the first selector among the RAM1 to the RAM4 store a correction data table, which is configured by data to which the correction data is changed.

Abstract: There has been a demand to accelerate image data conversion through the use of the error diffusion method. To convert image data, it is determined whether a specified block process condition is satisfied on the basis of a gradation value for each pixel in a target block. When the block process condition is true, a process is performed to diffuse a gradation error for the entire target block and convert image data for pixels in the target block at a time. Even when the block process condition is false, it is determined whether to form a dot in the target block. When it is determined that no dot should be formed, a process is performed to diffuse a gradation error for the entire target block to the unconverted pixels in another block and convert image data for pixels in the target block.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the reformatting of a digital “ready to print” data file into a continuous tone (32 or 24 bit) file whereby discrete values in the tone range are uniquely assigned to specific binary combinations. The purpose for this transform is to facilitate further manipulation of preprocessed data. One application of the present invention is to exist as a critical piece of proofing workflow for a technology that reduces continuous tone data into a binary form representing droplet selection prior to output.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image processing device, including: a gradation converter which converts a gradation value of a target pixel in multilevel image data so that the number of gradations decreases; a resolution which converts creating high-resolution image data having a resolution higher than the multilevel image data by outputting a pixel block capable of reproducing a gradation value which is same as the gradation value obtained by the gradation converter, the pixel block including a predetermined number of pixels; and an error diffusion section which executes a processing for diffusing an error value between the gradation values before a gradation conversion and after the gradation conversion by the gradation converter to peripheral pixels of the target pixel.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a conversion section that converts an input image signal to an out put image signal within a color gamut of an output device by a predetermined conversion function, a storage section that stores a target value for a predetermined color and a predetermined standard gradation characteristic, and a determination section that determines the conversion function such that a gradation characteristic of the output image signal accords with at least a portion of the standard gradation characteristic. The conversion function is determined on the basis of the input signal, the target value for the predetermined color and the predetermined standard gradation characteristic.

Abstract: A subject area extracting unit extracts a main-subject area from the color image data; a correction amount calculating unit calculates a gradation correction amount based on the information on the thus-extracted main-subject area; a control zone extracting unit extracts a predetermined control zone from a brightness zone to which the main-subject area does not belongs; a determining unit determines whether or not the gradation correction amount on the control zone should be controlled, according to a predetermined control requirement; and a control unit controls the gradation correction amount according to the determination result of the determination unit.

Abstract: A method of creating a gradation curve for gradation processing of a medical image represented by a digital signal representation to generate a gradation processed image wherein the shape of the gradation curve and signal range for which the gradation curve is defined are deduced from the digital signal representation and wherein the gradation processed image has a fixed density and fixed contrast value in a diagnostically most relevant area.

Abstract: An integrated processing box performs processing commonly to a plurality of input devices, a plurality of output devices, or a plurality of storage devices. For example, the integrated processing box performs noise reduction processing on data received from an input device or a storage device or data supplied to an output device or the storage device. The integrated processing box also performs processing, for example, temporal/spatial processing or grayscale processing, variably to each type of input device, each type of output device, or each type of storage device. Accordingly, if the input device is, for example, a video camera, the video camera is formed only by a CCD, a sample-and-hold circuit for sampling and holding the output from the CCD, an AGC circuit for adjusting the gain of the output from the sample-and-hold circuit, and an A/D conversion circuit for converting the analog output of the AGC circuit into a digital output.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation ?D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation ?D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.