Patent US20040004644A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US20040004644A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Color image processing apparatus, color image forming method, and recording medium
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2003-05-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2023-05-29
Abstract
Abstract A color image processing apparatus realizes color reproduction in a color image output apparatus by controlling the total amount of coloring material used while making full use of the color reproduction range of the color image output apparatus. To this end, a signal C′M′Y′K′, obtained after a γ conversion (gamma conversion), is converted into an amount of ink drops V (CMYK) at a conversion unit. Then, at a total ink drop quantity control unit, a total ink quantity of the amount of ink drops converted at the conversion unit and a limit value (maximum total ink drop quantity) stored in a maximum total ink quantity memory unit are compared, and the total ink quantity is controlled to be lower than the limit value. Then, the controlled amount of ink drops is converted into a recording control signal C″M″Y″K″ at a control signal conversion unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Manabu Komatsu
- 👤 Hisao Shirasawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:36
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6016; H04N1/6022; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; H04N1/40; H04N1/405; H04N1/4055; H04N1/4057; H04N1/407; H04N1/603; H04N1/6033; H04N1/605
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
1 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, comprising: a converter that is adapted to convert the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; and a total quantity control unit that is adapted to control the amount of coloring material of each color component based on a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components and a prescribed limit value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
1 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, comprising: a converter that is adapted to convert the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; and a total quantity control unit that is adapted to control the amount of coloring material of each color component based on a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components and a prescribed limit value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
2 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein: the coloring materials include a black coloring material, and the total quantity control unit is adapted to control the amount of each of the coloring materials other than the black coloring material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
3 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein: the coloring materials include cyan, magenta and yellow and the total quantity control unit is adapted to control the amount of each of the coloring materials without changing the original ratio of the amounts of coloring materials of cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
118 words
4 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image in an ink-jet printer, comprising: a first converter that is adapted to convert the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of ink drops that is to be used after a halftone process; a total quantity control unit that is adapted to control the amount of ink drops of each color component based on a total amount of ink drops of all the color components and a prescribed ink drop limit value corresponding to an image forming condition; and a second converter that is adapted to convert the controlled amount of ink drops into recording control information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
118 words
4 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image in an ink-jet printer, comprising: a first converter that is adapted to convert the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of ink drops that is to be used after a halftone process; a total quantity control unit that is adapted to control the amount of ink drops of each color component based on a total amount of ink drops of all the color components and a prescribed ink drop limit value corresponding to an image forming condition; and a second converter that is adapted to convert the controlled amount of ink drops into recording control information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
5 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein: the first converter and the second converter realize a conversion by referring to a pre-established table providing a relationship between the recording control information and the amount of ink drops.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
6 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein: the image forming condition includes at least one of a material of a recording medium, a printing method, a resolution, a halftone processing method, and a color reproducing method.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
7 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein: the ink drops include black ink drops, and the total quantity control unit is adapted to control the amount of the ink drops of each color component other than the black ink drops.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
8 . The color image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein: the ink drops include cyan, magenta, and yellow, and the total quantity control unit is adapted to control the amount of each of the ink drops without changing the original ratio of the amounts of ink drops of cyan, magenta, and yellow.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
9 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, comprising: converting means for converting the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; and total quantity controlling means for controlling the amount of coloring material of each color component based on a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components and a prescribed threshold level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
80 words
9 . A color image processing apparatus for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, comprising: converting means for converting the recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; and total quantity controlling means for controlling the amount of coloring material of each color component based on a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components and a prescribed threshold level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
85 words
10 . A color image forming method for reproducing a color image on a recording medium to record the color image, said method comprising the steps of: converting recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; calculating a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components; and reducing the amount of coloring material of each color component when the total amount of coloring material exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
10 . A color image forming method for reproducing a color image on a recording medium to record the color image, said method comprising the steps of: converting recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; calculating a total amount of coloring materials of all the color components; and reducing the amount of coloring material of each color component when the total amount of coloring material exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
11 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, said program containing instructions for a computer to perform procedures of: converting recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; calculating a total amount of coloring material of all the color components; and reducing the amount of coloring material of each color component when the total amount of coloring material exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
88 words
11 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for processing recording control information to reproduce a color image, said program containing instructions for a computer to perform procedures of: converting recording control information for each of color components into an amount of coloring material that is to be used after a halftone process; calculating a total amount of coloring material of all the color components; and reducing the amount of coloring material of each color component when the total amount of coloring material exceeds a predetermined value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5299025A
Cited
US5696842A
Cited
US5689590A
Cited
US5576845A
Cited
US5519515A
Cited
US5610732A
Cited
US6016359A
Cited
US5678135A
Cited
US5831751A
Cited
US6005970A
Cited
US6057932A
Cited
US6226011B1
Cited
US6137595A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.