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US 2006/0232799 A1Published application
Image processing apparatus, printing apparatus and image processing method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsAKIHIKO NAKATANI, MAKOTO TORIGOE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an image processing for printing a monochrome image, color deviation can be suppressed to print a favorable monochrome image. Specifically, the printing of a monochrome image is performed by using black ink in all of a color reproduction region (color gamut) including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis. This avoids the use of C, M, and Y for the expression of the monochrome image to suppress the color deviation due to slight imbalance among amounts of three colors of inks.
Claims13
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- color conversion means for converting color signals representative of an image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the image,
- wherein said color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in all of a color gamut including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis.
A printing apparatus for printing an image based on signals corresponding to a color material used for printing the image, said apparatus comprising:
- color conversion means for converting color signals representative of an image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the image,
- wherein said color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in all of a color gamut including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis.
An image processing method comprising:
- a color conversion step of converting color signals representative of an image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the image,
- wherein said color conversion step converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in all of a color gamut including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis.
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- means capable of setting a plurality of printing modes including a monochrome mode for printing a predetermined monochrome image and a color mode for printing a color image;
- first color conversion means for converting color signals representative of the monochrome image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the monochrome image, when the monochrome mode is set as the printing mode;
- and
- second color conversion means for converting color signals representative of the color image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the color image, when the color mode is set as the printing mode,
- wherein said first color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in all of the color gamut including a gray axis and hues other than the gray axis,
- wherein said second color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in a part of the color gamut including the gray axis and hues other than the gray axis, and
- wherein the color gamut used for color conversion by said first color conversion means is smaller than that of a color gamut used for said second color conversion means.
4 more elements
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- color adjustment means for performing a color adjustment for a monochrome image;
- and
- color conversion means for converting color signals representative of the monochrome image, which is subjected to the color adjustment by said color adjustment means, into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the monochrome image,
- wherein said color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in whole density range, which is defined by the color signals, in a gray axis and respective hues other than the gray axis in a color gamut including the gray axis and the hues.
1 more element
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- means for a monochrome mode for printing a predetermined monochrome image;
- means for discarding a color component of color signals representative of an image to be printed when the monochrome mode is set;
- means for performing a color adjustment for color signals color component of which has been discarded;
- and
- color conversion means for converting color signals, which is subjected to the color adjustment, into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the monochrome image,
- wherein said color conversion means converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in whole density range, which is defined by the color signals, from a low density to a high density in a gray axis and respective hues other than the gray axis in a color gamut including the gray axis and the hues.
3 more elements
An image processing method comprising:
- a color adjustment step of performing a color adjustment for signals representative of a monochrome image;
- and
- a color conversion step of converting color signals representative of the monochrome image, which is subjected to the color adjustment, into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the monochrome image, by using a color conversion table,
- wherein said color conversion table is a table which converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in whole density range, which is defined by the color signals, in a gray axis and respective hues other than the gray axis in a color gamut including the gray axis and the hues.
1 more element
A program for causing a computer to execute a color conversion processing for converting color signals representative of an image into signals corresponding to color materials used for printing the image,
- wherein said color conversion processing converts the color signals into the signals corresponding to color materials so that the color material of an achromatic color is used in all of a color gamut including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.