Data generation system, communication terminal, image forming apparatus, data generation method, and non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11046091-B2
Application number	US-201916508949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A data generation system includes circuitry configured to generate data of sub-images constructing an image. Each of the sub-images includes at least one of image elements of the image. The image elements are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image. The circuitry is configured to, when, in an attempt to add another one of the image elements adjacent to the at least one of the image elements in one of the sub-images, the other one of the image elements does not fit within the one of the sub-images, generate data of the one of the sub-images without the other one of the image elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data generation system, comprising:
circuitry configured to
generate data of sub-images constructing an image, each of the sub-images including at least one of a plurality of image elements of the image, the image elements being aligned in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image, and
when, in an attempt to add, into one of the sub-images, another one of the image elements adjacent, in the first direction, to the at least one of the image elements, and said another one of the image elements does not fit, in the first direction, within the one of the sub-images because a total height would exceed a predetermined height, generate data of the one of the sub-images without said another one of the image elements.

2. The data generation system according to claim 1 , herein the circuitry s further configured to incorporate said another one of the image elements in another one of the sub-images adjacent, in the first direction, to the one of the sub-images and generate data of said another one of the sub-images.

3. The data generation system according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
divide the image into areas while keeping each of the image elements unseparated in the first direction;
arrange the areas into segments based on a length of each of the areas in the first direction and a length, in the first direction, of an image forming range by one movement of the image forming apparatus in the second direction, each of the segments including most continuous areas that fit within the image forming range; and
generate the data of the sub-images with image information of the segments.

4. The data generation system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the image includes character string lines,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to divide the image into the character string lines, and arrange the character string lines into the segments,
wherein each of the segments includes at least one of the character string lines fitting within the image forming range, and
wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate data of an image of the at least one of the character string lines with information of the at least one of the character string lines.

5. The data generation system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the image includes character string columns,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to divide the image into the character string columns, and arrange the character string columns into the segments,
wherein each of the segments includes at least one of the character string columns fitting within the image forming range, and
wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate data of an image of the at least one of the character string columns with information of the at least one of the character string columns.

6. The data generation system according to claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
calculate a first length that is a length of a first area of the areas in the first direction,
determine whether the first length calculated is equal to or less than the length of the image forming range in the first direction;
synthesize the first area and a second area continuous with the first area, in response to determination that the first length calculated is equal to or less than the length of the image forming range in the first direction;
calculate a second length that is a length of a synthesis area including the first area and the second area in the first direction; and
determine whether the second length calculated is equal to or less than the length of the image forming range in the first direction.

7. The data generation system according to claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to, in response to a length of the image in the second direction being greater than a length of the image forming range in the second direction, adjust the length of the image in the second direction to be equal to or less than the length of the image forming range in the second direction.

8. The data generation system according to claim 3 , wherein the image forming range used by the circuitry to arrange the areas into segments is defined by a length of a droplet discharger of the image forming apparatus in the first direction.

9. The data generation system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the image forming range used by the circuitry to arrange the areas into segments is defined by a length of a droplet discharger of the image forming apparatus in the first direction and a length of a blank area in the first direction, and
wherein the blank area does not form the image.

10. A communication terminal comprising the data generation system according to claim 1 to output data that an image forming apparatus uses to form an image.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising the data generation system according to claim 1 to acquire an image output from a communication terminal and form an image.

12. The data generation system of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine the total height by adding a height of the another one of the image elements and a height of the at least one of the image elements, and determine whether the determined total height exceeds the predetermined height.

13. A data generation method comprising:
dividing an image into areas while keeping each of image elements of the image unseparated in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image;
arranging the areas into segments based on a length of each of the areas in the direction perpendicular to the given direction and a length, in the direction perpendicular to the given direction, of an image forming range by one movement of the image forming apparatus in the given direction, each of the segments including most continuous areas that fit within the image forming range; and
generating, with image information of the segments, data of sub-images constructing the image.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program code that causes a computer to perform a data generation method, the data generation method comprising:
dividing an image into areas while keeping each of image elements of the image unseparated in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image;
arranging the areas into segments based on a length of each of the areas in the direction perpendicular to the given direction and a length, in the direction perpendicular to the given direction, of an image forming range by one movement of the image forming apparatus in the given direction, each of the segments including most continuous areas that fit within the image forming range; and
generating, with image information of the segments, data of sub-images constructing the image.

Assignees

• Shikama Takeshi
• Harada Yasunari
• Tanaka Hiroki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shikama Takeshi
• Harada Yasunari
• Tanaka Hiroki

Classifications

• H04N1/00816

  Determining the reading area, e.g. eliminating reading of margins · CPC title

• H04N1/00827

  Arrangements for reading an image from an unusual original, e.g. 3-dimensional objects · CPC title

• B41J2/47

  using the combination of scanning and modulation of light · CPC title

• H04N1/00809 Primary

  Orientation · CPC title

• B41J3/36 Primary

  for portability {, i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers (B41J3/4075 takes precedence)} · CPC title