Image processing device, image processing method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11770491-B2
Application number	US-202217735388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2022
Priority date	Nov 7, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A quantized value for a pixel of interest in an input image is derived by using a predetermined threshold value matrix. Then, based on a pixel value group in a predetermined reference area including the pixel of interest in the input image and a threshold value group corresponding thereto, directionality of correction is determined. Further, based on the pixel value group and the threshold value group, whether or not the pixel of interest satisfies a predetermined condition for changing the quantized value is determined. Then, based on both the determination results, the quantized value is corrected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image processing device that generates a halftone image by performing quantization processing for an input image, the device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, including instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the image processing device to:
derive a quantized value corresponding to a pixel of interest in the input image by using a threshold value matrix;
perform a first determination relating to correction for the quantized value based on a pixel value group in a reference area including the pixel of interest in the input image and a threshold value group corresponding to the pixel value group in the threshold value matrix;
perform a second determination relating to whether or not the pixel of interest satisfies a predetermined condition for changing the quantized value based on the pixel value group and the threshold value group; and
correct the quantized value based on determination results of the first determination and determination results of the second determination.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first determination performs determination relating to an increase/decrease direction of the correction for making a number of dots in a reference area a target number.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first determination:
calculates an average value of a pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area;
finds a first total value indicating a target number based on results of comparison between the calculated average value and a threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area;
finds a second total value indicating a number of dots in the reference area based on results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and the threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area; and
performs the determination relating to the correction based on a difference between the first total value and the second total value.

4. The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the first determination:
determines that it is possible to correct the quantized value so that in which dots is increased in number within the reference area in a case where a value obtained by subtracting the second total value from the first total value is a positive value; and
determines that it is possible to correct the quantized value so that in which dots is decreased in number within the reference area in a case where the value obtained by subtracting the second total value from the first total value is a negative value.

5. The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the second determination:
refers to an absolute value N of the difference;
determines that the pixel of interest is a pixel that can be changed to a pixel whose dot is not printed, whose threshold value is larger than or equal to an Nth largest threshold value among threshold values with which, results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and the threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area are a value indicating that the dot is printed; and
determines that the pixel of interest is a pixel that can be changed to a pixel whose dot is printed, whose threshold value is smaller than or equal to an Nth smallest threshold value among threshold values with which, results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and the threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area are a value indicating that the dot is not printed.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where the reference area is an image area including a light thin line, the first determination:
finds a first total value indicating a target number based on results of comparison between the pixel value of the pixel of interest and each pixel included in the reference area;
finds a second total value indicating a number of dots in the reference area based on results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and the threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area; and
performs the determination relating to the correction based on a difference between the first total value and the second total value.

7. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the case where the reference area is an image area including a light thin line is a case where a white pixel is adjacent to the pixel of interest, a case where the white pixel is detected from within the reference area, or a case where the first total value is 0.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where the reference area is an image area including an outlined dark thin line, the first determination:
finds a first total value indicating a target number based on results of comparison between a pixel value of the pixel of interest and each pixel included in the reference area;
finds a second total value indicating a number of dots in the reference area based on results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and a threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area; and
performs a determination relating to the correction based on a difference between the first total value and the second total value.

9. The image processing device according to claim 8 , wherein the case where the reference area is an image area including an outlined dark thin line is a case where a white pixel is adjacent to the pixel of interest, a case where a black pixel is detected from within the reference area, or a case where the first total value is equal to a number of pixels in the reference area.

10. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the second determination:
determines that a pixel of interest is a pixel that can be changed to a pixel whose dot is not printed in a case where among threshold values with which, results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and a threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area are a value indicating that a dot is printed, the threshold value of the pixel of interest is the largest threshold value, and
determines that the pixel of interest is a pixel that can be changed to a pixel whose dot is printed in a case where among threshold values with which, results of comparison between the pixel value of each pixel included in the reference area and the threshold value corresponding to each pixel included in the reference area are a value indicating that the dot is not printed, the threshold value of the pixel of interest is the smallest value.

11. The image processing device according to claim 10 , wherein the second determination:
limits, in a case of determining whether not it is possible to change a pixel of interest to a pixel whose dot is not printed, the target pixels of interest to those whose pixel value is smaller than a predetermined value; and
limits, in a case of determining whether or not it is possible to change a pixel of interest to a pixel whose dot is not printed, the target pixels of interest to those whose pixel value is larger than a predetermined value.

12. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second determination determines that the pixel of interest is a pixel that can be changed to a pixel whose dot is printed in a case where among threshold values with which, results of comparison

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Otani Ryosuke
• Ishikawa Hisashi

Classifications

• H04N1/4051 Primary

  producing a dispersed dots halftone pattern, the dots having substantially the same size (different sizes H04N1/4057) · CPC title

• G06K15/1877

  with provisions for treating some of the print data differently · CPC title

• H04N1/4055

  producing a clustered dots or a size modulated halftone pattern · CPC title

• H04N1/405

  Halftoning, i.e. converting the picture signal of a continuous-tone original into a corresponding signal showing only two levels · CPC title

• B41J2/52

  Arrangement for printing a discrete number of tones, not covered by group B41J2/205, e.g. applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking process (B41J2/525 takes precedence) · CPC title