Print data generation apparatus performing color replacement on image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925794-B2
Application number	US-201715474393-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

In a print data generation apparatus, a print data generation apparatus generates print data. The print data includes post-replacement data obtained by the color replacement on pre-replacement data. The post-replacement data includes a plurality of post-replacement pixel values. Each post-replacement pixel value includes a plurality of post-replacement color components. In a case where a first residual amount of a first colorant is smaller than a second residual amount of a second colorant and a first consumption amount concerning the first colorant is larger than a second consumption amount concerning the second colorant, the color replacement on the pre-replacement data is performed so that a second post-replacement component corresponding to the second colorant is set to a first pre-replacement component value corresponding to the first colorant and the first post-replacement component corresponding to the first colorant is set to a pre-replacement component value other than the first pre-replacement component value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A print data generation apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions therein, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the print data generation apparatus to perform:
acquiring target image data representing a target image which is a target for a printing operation in which a printer uses a plurality of types of colorant representing respectively a plurality of colors having a first color and a second color, the plurality of types of colorant having a first colorant representing the first color and a second colorant representing the second color, the target image including a plurality of pixels and including a first image including an allowable image which is a target for color replacement, the allowable image having a first-color region and a second-color region, consumption amounts of at least one type of colorant in the first-color region being different from consumption amounts of at least one type of colorant in the second-color region;
acquiring first information concerning a plurality of residual amounts respectively corresponding to the plurality of types of colorant, the plurality of residual amounts including a first residual amount of the first colorant and a second residual amount of the second colorant;
acquiring second information concerning a first consumption amount and a second consumption amount, the first consumption amount being an estimated amount of the first colorant to be consumed in a case where the entire first image is printed by the printer on a basis of pre-replacement data obtained from the target image data without performing color replacement, the second consumption amount being an estimated amount of the second colorant to be consumed in the case where the entire first image is printed by the printer on the basis of the pre-replacement data without performing the color replacement, the pre-replacement data representing the first image, the pre-replacement data including a plurality of pre-replacement pixel values respectively corresponding to pixels in the first image, each pre-replacement pixel value including a plurality of pre-replacement components respectively corresponding to the plurality of types of colorant, the plurality of pre-replacement components being respectively set to a plurality of pre-replacement component values, the plurality of pre-replacement component value including a first pre-replacement component value corresponding to the first colorant and a second pre-replacement component value corresponding to the second colorant; and
generating print data representing the entire target image by using the target image data, the print data being for the printer to print the target image with the plurality of types of colorant, the print data including post-replacement data representing the first image, the post-replacement data being obtained by the color replacement on the pre-replacement data, the post-replacement data including a plurality of post-replacement pixel values respectively corresponding to the pixels in the first image, each post-replacement pixel value including a plurality of post-replacement color components respectively corresponding to the plurality of types of colorant, the plurality of post-replacement components including a first post-replacement component corresponding to the first colorant and a second post-replacement component corresponding to the second colorant,
wherein in a case where the first residual amount is smaller than the second residual amount and the first consumption amount is larger than the second consumption amount, the color replacement on the pre-replacement data is performed so that in the allowable image, the second post-replacement component of a pixel is set to the first pre-replacement component value of the pixel and the first post-replacement component of the pixel is set to a pre-replacement component value other than the first pre-replacement component value of the pixel.

2. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of colorant has at least three types of colorant,
wherein the second information concerns a plurality of consumption amounts of respective ones of the plurality of types of colorant, each of the plurality of consumption amounts being an estimated consumption amount of a corresponding type of colorant in the case where the entire first image is printed by the printer on the basis of pre-replacement data without performing color replacement, the plurality of consumption amounts including the first consumption amount and the second consumption amount,
wherein the first residual amount is a smallest residual amount among the plurality of residual amounts,
wherein the second consumption amount is a smallest consumption amount among the plurality of consumption amounts.

3. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of colorant includes at least three types of colorant,
wherein the plurality of post-replacement components has values which are obtained by replacing the plurality of pre-replacement component values so that a first color order matches a second color order, the first color order being an order of the colors corresponding to an ascending order of a plurality of consumption amounts to be consumed in a case where the entire first image is printed by the printer on the basis of the values of the plurality of post-replacement components, the second color order being an order of the colors corresponding to an ascending order of the plurality of residual amounts.

4. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of types of colorant includes a black colorant representing black and a plurality of non-black types of colorant representing colors other than black,
wherein the plurality of pre-replacement components includes a pre-replacement black component corresponding to the black colorant and a plurality of non-black components respectively corresponding to the plurality of non-black types of colorant,
wherein the plurality of post-replacement components includes a post-replacement black component corresponding to the black colorant and a plurality of post-replacement non-black components respectively corresponding to the plurality of non-black types of colorant,
wherein the plurality of post-replacement non-black components has values which are obtained by replacing values of the plurality of pre-replacement non-black components so that a value of one pre-replacement non-black component corresponding to one color is replaced to a value of one post-replacement non-black component corresponding to a color different from the one color.

5. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of types of colorant includes at least three types of colorant,
wherein the plurality of residual amounts further includes a black residual amount of the black colorant,
wherein in a case where the black residual amount is a smallest amount among the plurality of residual amounts, at least one value of the plurality of non-black post-replacement components represents color which is represented by a pre-replacement component value corresponding to black.

6. The print data generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the target image includes a second image in which pixel values are not target for the color replacement,
wherein the second image includes a photo region in which a photo image is arranged,
wherein the print data further includes non-replaced data representing the second image, the non-replaced data being obtained on a basis of a part of the plurality of pre-replacement pixel values in the second image without performing the

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04N1/6008 Primary

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

• B41J2/2103 Primary

  Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations · CPC title

• H04N1/60

  Colour correction or control {(H04N1/54 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G03G15/556

  for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement · CPC title