Image processing apparatus capable of setting characteristic information for converting target image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017289408-A1
Application number	US-201715472689-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a controller configured to perform: setting characteristic information including first characteristic information and second characteristic information; and converting a target image data using the characteristic information. The first and second characteristic information correlate input values with output values in a specific color space. The input values includes a specific input value within a specific range. The specific input value is correlated with a first specific output value by the first characteristic information, and is correlated with a second specific output value by the second characteristic information. The first specific output value indicates that a colorant consumption quantity for the specific input value is changed from an original colorant consumption quantity by a first colorant quantity. The second specific output value indicates that the colorant consumption quantity is changed from the original colorant consumption quantity by a second colorant quantity different from the first colorant quantity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image processing apparatus comprising a controller configured to perform:
acquiring target image data representing a target image to be printed by a printer using a plurality of types of colorant, the target image data including a plurality of pixels, the plurality of types of colorant including a first colorant and a second colorant; acquiring a plurality of color component values in a specific color space of each of the plurality of pixels from the target image data, the specific color space being represented by a plurality of color components corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of types of colorant, the plurality of color components including a first color component corresponding to the first colorant and a second color component corresponding to the second colorant, the plurality of color component values including a first color component value for the first color component and a second color component value for the second color component; specifying a distribution of color values of the plurality of pixels in the target image data by analyzing the target image data; setting a specific range with respect to the plurality of color component values on the basis of the distribution of color values; specifying a plurality of index values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of types of colorant, each of the plurality of index values being related to a quantity of corresponding type of colorant, the plurality of index values including a first index value and a second index value, the first index value being related to a quantity of the first colorant, the second index value being related to a quantity of the second colorant; setting characteristic information including first characteristic information and second characteristic information which correlate input values in the specific color space with output values in the specific color space on a one-to-one basis, the input values including a specific input value within the specific range, the specific input value being correlated with a first specific output value by the first characteristic information, the specific input value being correlated with a second specific output value by the second characteristic information, the first specific output value indicating that a colorant consumption quantity for the specific input value is changed from an original colorant consumption quantity for the specific input value by a first colorant quantity, the original colorant consumption quantity being a colorant consumption quantity when assuming that each of the output values is in coincidence with corresponding input value, the second specific output value indicating that the colorant consumption quantity for the specific input value is changed from the original colorant consumption quantity for the specific input value by a second colorant quantity different from the first colorant quantity, at least one of the first characteristic information and the second characteristic information being set on the basis of the specific range in the setting the characteristic information; and converting the target image data using the characteristic information for generating print data, the print data being supplied to the printer, the converting the target image data including changing the plurality of color component values of each of the plurality of pixels in the target image, the changing the plurality of color component values including:
changing the first color component value of each of the plurality of pixels as the input value to a first output color component value as the output value according to the first characteristic information; and
changing, when the second index value indicates that the quantity of the second colorant differs from the quantity of the first colorant, the second color component value of each of the plurality of pixels as the input value to a second output color component value as the output value according to the second characteristic information.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of index values includes a plurality of consumption quantity index values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of types of colorant, each of the plurality of consumption quantity index values being related to an estimated total consumption quantity of corresponding type of colorant, the estimated total consumption quantity being a total consumption quantity when assuming that the generating the print data is performed without performing the changing the plurality of color component values, the total consumption quantity being a total quantity consumed for printing the target image, the plurality of consumption quantity index values including a first consumption quantity index value and a second consumption quantity index value, the first consumption quantity index value being related to an estimated total consumption quantity of the first colorant, the second consumption quantity index value being related to an estimated total consumption quantity of the second colorant, and
wherein the second consumption quantity index value indicates that the estimated total consumption quantity of the second colorant is smaller than that of the first colorant.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of index values includes a plurality of residual quantity index values corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of types of colorant, each of the plurality of residual quantity index values being related to a residual quantity of corresponding type of colorant in the printer, the plurality of residual quantity index values including a first residual quantity index value and a second residual quantity index value, the first residual quantity index value being related to a residual quantity of the first colorant, the second residual quantity index value being related to a residual quantity of the second colorant, and
wherein the second residual quantity index value indicate that the residual quantity of the second colorant is larger than that of the first colorant.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the specifying the distribution of color values specifies number of pixels in each of a plurality of partial ranges as the distribution of color values, the plurality of partial ranges being obtained by dividing an entire range of values which the color values are able to have, the plurality of partial ranges including a first partial range and a second partial range, and
wherein the setting the characteristic information sets the first characteristic information such that a first rate differs from a second rate, the first rate being a rate of a first output value relative to a first input value correlated therewith by the first characteristic information, the first input value being within a first range with respect to the plurality of color component values, the first range corresponding to the first partial range, the second rate being a rate of a second output value relative to a second input value correlated therewith by the first characteristic information, the second input value being within a second range with respect to the plurality of color component values, the second range corresponding to the second partial range.

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the setting the specific range sets the specific range to a particular range with respect to the plurality of color component values, the particular range corresponding to a partial range whose number of pixels is largest among the plurality of partial ranges.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the setting the specific range sets the specific range to a particular range

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Morikawa Shota
• Shimahashi Takuya
• Yoshida Akidi
• Miyaki Kazuyuki

Classifications

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/6058 Primary

  Reduction of colour to a range of reproducible colours, e.g. to ink- reproducible colour gamut · CPC title

• H04N1/6019 Primary

  using look-up tables (H04N1/6025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/6008

  with primary colour signals, e.g. RGB or CMY(K) · CPC title

• H04N1/2346

  according to a detected condition or state of the reproducing device, e.g. temperature or ink quantity · CPC title