Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11915070-B2
Application number	US-202217665215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2022
Priority date	Feb 9, 2021
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An object of the present disclosure is to implement, at a low cost, highly accurate color calibration in a printing apparatus that performs printing using fluorescent ink. One embodiment of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that includes: a processing unit configured to perform processing relating to color calibration in a printing apparatus that prints an image on a printing medium using fluorescent printing material; and an execution unit configured to perform calibration processing of the printing apparatus based on a measured value that is obtained by measuring a patch chart for obtaining information on an amount of application of the fluorescent printing material in the printing apparatus, wherein a patch included in the patch chart is printed with the fluorescent printing material and subtractive color mixture printing material and at least one dot of the subtractive color mixture printing material covers a dot of the fluorescent printing material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
a print control unit configured to control a printing apparatus to print a patch image for estimating a discharge amount of fluorescent ink on a printing medium using the fluorescent ink and subtractive mixed color ink;
a measurement control unit configured to control a measuring apparatus to measure the patch image;
an estimation unit configured to estimate the discharge amount of the fluorescent ink based on a measurement value obtained by measuring the patch image; and
a correction unit configured to correct, based on the estimated discharge amount, a density output by the printing apparatus with respect to an input color value,
wherein the print control unit controls the printing apparatus so that a dot of the fluorescent ink in the patch image is covered by at least one dot of the subtractive mixed color ink whose reflectance in an activation wavelength of the fluorescent ink is higher than reflectance in a light-emitting wavelength of the fluorescent ink.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the measuring apparatus includes one or a plurality of light sources and a light-receiving element.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the one light source or each of the plurality of light sources has a bandwidth of predetermined wavelengths.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the measuring apparatus, light of a light source whose spectral distribution exists in a wavelength area including activation wavelengths of the fluorescent ink is cast to the patch image.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the patch image includes a plurality of patches, and
the plurality of patches includes patches to which a predetermined amount of the subtractive color mixture ink is discharged and for which a discharging amount of the fluorescent ink is changed at an interval of a predetermined value.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the subtractive color mixture ink is, in a case where a wavelength at a point at which spectral reflectance of the fluorescent ink and spectral reflectance of paper white intersect is defined as a reference wavelength, ink whose reflectance on a side of wavelengths longer than the reference wavelength is relatively lower than reflectance on a side of shorter wavelengths.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
coverage on a paper surface of the subtractive color mixture ink is higher than or equal to a predetermined value.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
in the plurality of patches:
a first patch group for which the subtractive color mixture ink is not discharged after the fluorescent ink; and
a second patch group for which the subtractive color mixture ink is discharged after the fluorescent ink are included.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
in each of the first patch group and the second patch group:
one patch that is printed only with the subtractive color mixture ink; and
a plurality of patches that is printed with the subtractive color mixture ink and the fluorescent ink and for which the amount of discharge of the fluorescent ink is changed at an interval of a predetermined value are included.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a determination unit configured to determine to use which of a measured value of the first patch group and a measured value of the second patch group based on a kind of the printing medium.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a measuring unit configured to measure surface roughness of the printing medium; and
a determination unit configured to determine to use which of a measured value of the first patch group and a measured value of the second patch group based on the surface roughness.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the determination unit determines to use a measured value of the first patch group in a case where the surface roughness is larger than a predetermined threshold value and use a measured value of the second patch group in a case where the surface roughness is smaller than or equal to the predetermined threshold value.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a determination unit configured to determine to print which of a first patch group for which the subtractive color mixture ink is not discharged after the fluorescent ink and a second patch group for which the subtractive color mixture ink is discharged after the fluorescent ink based on a kind of the printing medium.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent ink is fluorescent pink ink and the subtractive color mixture ink is green ink.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the patch image includes a first patch printed with the fluorescent ink and the subtractive color mixture ink and a second patch printed only with the subtractive color mixture ink.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the print control unit controls a discharging order of ink including the fluorescent ink and the subtractive color mixture ink based on a kind of the printing medium.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the discharging order is a first discharging order in a case where the printing medium is a first printing medium, and the discharging order is a second discharging order in a case where the printing medium is a second printing medium whose degree of gloss is different from a degree of gloss of the first printing medium.

18. An image processing method that is performed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:
a step of controlling a printing apparatus to print a patch image for estimating a discharge amount of fluorescent ink on a printing medium using the fluorescent ink and subtractive mixed color ink;
a step of controlling a measuring apparatus to measure the patch image;
a step of estimating the discharge amount of the fluorescent ink based on a measurement value obtained by measuring the patch image; and
a step of correcting, based on the estimated discharge amount, a density output by the printing apparatus with respect to an input color value,
wherein the printing apparatus is controlled so that a dot of the fluorescent ink in the patch image is covered by at least one dot of the subtractive mixed color ink whose reflectance in an activation wavelength of the fluorescent ink is higher than reflectance in a light-emitting wavelength of the fluorescent ink.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform an image processing method that is performed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:
a step of controlling a printing apparatus to print a patch image for estimating a discharge amount of fluorescent ink on a printing medium using the fluorescent ink and subtractive mixed color ink;
a step of controlling a measuring apparatus to measure the patch image;
a step of estimating the discharge amount of the fluorescent ink based on a measurement value obtained by measuring the patch image; and
a step of correcting, based on the estimated discharge amount, a density output by the printing apparatus with re

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Abe Seiji
• Baba Naoko
• Murasawa Kouta
• Yamaguchi Hiromitsu
• Kuriyama Keiji
• Igarashi Yuki
• Mori Hiroshi

Classifications

• B41J2/2114

  Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids (B41J2/211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06K15/027 Primary

  Test patterns and calibration (arrangements for controlling or analysing printing mechanisms of typewriters or selective printing units B41J29/393 takes precedence; colour correction using test pattern analysis in general H04N1/6033) · CPC title

• G06K15/1878

  Adjusting colours (image colour correction or control for documents in general H04N1/60) · CPC title

• C09D11/38

  characterised by non-macromolecular additives other than solvents, pigments or dyes · CPC title

• B41J2/01 Primary

  Ink jet · CPC title