Image forming device and method for forming color image having brilliance

An image forming device for forming an image corresponding to print data, the device comprising:

• a control section configured to
• analyze the print data to determine a brilliant image and a non-brilliant image for forming the image, the brilliant image including a plurality of portions each having an image density designated by the print data, the non-brilliant image including a plurality of portions each having a saturation, the plurality of portions of the non-brilliant image corresponding respectively to the plurality of portions of the brilliant image, and
• determine the image density of each of the plurality of portions of the brilliant image, and
• responsive to the image density of said each portion being designated by the print data to be 100%:
• determine the saturation of one of the plurality of portions of the non-brilliant image corresponding to said each portion, and
• reduce the image density of said each portion
• to a first image density if the determined saturation is a first saturation, and
• to a second image density lower than the first image density if the determined saturation is a second saturation higher than the first saturation;
• a brilliant image forming section configured to print the brilliant image out using a brilliant developing agent on a medium;
• and
• a non-brilliant image forming section configured to print the non-brilliant image out using a non-brilliant developing agent on the medium, wherein
• the control section is further configured to
• control the non-brilliant image forming section and the brilliant image forming section, so that the printed brilliant image is superimposed on the printed non-brilliant image,
• the brilliant developing agent includes a plurality of dots in an arrangement pattern, and the image density of the brilliant image is changed by changing the arrangement pattern of the plurality of dots,
• the image forming device further includes a brilliant developing agent container configured to be replaceable in the brilliant image forming section and to store the brilliant developing agent to be used for forming the brilliant image, and
• the control section sets the second image density so that a difference in an index value representing a degree of brilliance between the non-brilliant image with the first saturation on which the brilliant image with the first image density has been superimposed and the non-brilliant image with the second saturation on which the brilliant image with the second image density has been superimposed is in a predetermined range and a ratio of a change in the saturation when a post-replacement use amount as an amount of use of the brilliant developing agent after a time point of replacement of the brilliant developing agent container in the brilliant image forming section has changed is in a predetermined range.

An image forming method for forming an image corresponding to print data, the method comprising:

• analyzing the print data to determine a brilliant image and a non-brilliant image for forming the image, the brilliant image including a plurality of portions each having an image density designated by the print data, the non-brilliant image including a plurality of portions each having a saturation, the plurality of portions of the non-brilliant image corresponding respectively to the plurality of portions of the brilliant image;
• and
• determining the image density of each of the plurality of portions of the brilliant image, and
• responsive to the image density of said each portion being designated by the print data to be 100%:
• determining the saturation of one of the plurality of portions of the non-brilliant image corresponding to said each portion;
• and
• reducing the image density of said each portion
• to a first image density if the determined saturation is a first saturation, and
• to a second image density lower than the first image density if the determined saturation is a second saturation higher than the first saturation;
• printing the non-brilliant image onto a medium using a non-brilliant developing agent;
• and
• printing the brilliant image with the reduced image density onto the medium using a brilliant developing agent, to be superimposed on the formed non-brilliant image, wherein
• the brilliant developing agent includes a plurality of dots in an arrangement pattern, and the image density of the brilliant image is changed by changing the arrangement pattern of the plurality of dots, and
• the image forming method further includes changing the arrangement pattern of the plurality of dots depending on a post-replacement use amount, which is an amount of use of the brilliant developing agent after a time point of replacement of a brilliant developing agent container.