Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12585906-B2
Application number	US-202418590883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2024
Priority date	Mar 13, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A black-generation-and-UCR processing unit generates image data of a black ink color from image data of chromatic ink colors of the image and adjusts values of the image data of the chromatic ink colors correspondingly to generation of the image data of the black ink color. An image outputting unit causes a printing device to perform printing based on the image data. A print condition adjustment unit derives an ink coverage of the image on a print sheet, determines a black generation ratio corresponding to the ink coverage, and causes the black-generation-and-UCR processing unit to perform generation of the image data of the black ink color with the determined black generation ratio. The ink coverage indicates a ratio of ink usage amounts of the chromatic ink colors and the black ink color to a predetermined maximum value, for a pixel for which ink is ejected in the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an inkjet printing device configured to eject ink to a print sheet and thereby print an image; a black-generation-and-UCR processing unit configured to generate image data of a black ink color from image data of chromatic ink colors of the image and adjust values of the image data of the chromatic ink colors correspondingly to generation of the image data of the black ink color; an image outputting unit configured to cause the printing device to perform printing based on the image data of the black ink color generated and the image data of the chromatic ink colors adjusted by the black-generation-and-UCR processing unit; and a print condition adjustment unit configured to (a) derive an ink coverage of the image on the print sheet, (b) determine a black generation ratio corresponding to the ink coverage, and (c) cause the black-generation-and-UCR processing unit to perform generation of the image data of the black ink color with the determined black generation ratio; wherein the ink coverage indicates a ratio of ink usage amounts of the chromatic ink colors and the black ink color to a predetermined maximum value, for a pixel for which ink is ejected in the image.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the higher the ink coverage, the higher black generation ratio the print condition adjustment unit sets.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the ink coverage is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the print condition adjustment unit increases the black generation ratio, and if the ink coverage is less than the predetermined threshold value, the print condition adjustment unit does not increase the black generation ratio.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an image processing unit configured to be enabled to perform a predetermined image process for the image;
wherein the print condition adjustment unit determines a zooming ratio and a print timing adjustment amount that correspond to the ink coverage, causes the image processing unit to perform zooming of the image with the determined zooming ratio, and causes the image outputting unit to control the printing device so as to shift print timing by the determined print timing adjustment amount.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein for duplex printing to first and second surfaces of the print sheet, the print condition adjustment unit sets the zooming ratio of the second surface such that the zooming ratio of the second surface is larger than the zooming ratio of the first surface.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Nakatsuji Hiroomi
• Nakano Jun
• Usui Masato
• Kawashima Naoko

Classifications

• G06K15/1822

  Analysing the received data before processing · CPC title

• B41J2/2132

  Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding (methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection G06K15/102; colour conversion H04N1/40) · CPC title

• G06K2215/101

  involving the use of ink jets · CPC title

• G06K15/1878 Primary

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