# US 2018/0321608 A1 · Image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0321608 A1 - Document ID: US20180321608A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/690,652 - Filed: 2017-08-30 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-08 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shinsaku Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321608A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/0121: {for developing} - G03G 15/0189: {primary transfer to an intermediate transfer belt (G03G15/0184 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/502: {relating to the structure of the control menu, e.g. pop-up menus, help screens} - G03G 15/6585: {by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices} - H04N 1/00811: {according to user specified instructions, e.g. user selection of reading mode} - H04N 1/407: Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level - H04N 1/4092: {Edge or detail enhancement} - H04N 1/54: Conversion of colour picture signals to a plurality of signals some of which represent particular mixed colours, e.g. for textile printing - H04N 1/62: Retouching, i.e. modification of isolated colours only or in isolated picture areas only - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A first image forming section forms a monochromatic image with a first color material. A second image forming section forms a monochromatic image with a second color material different from the first color material. A color material selection section selects either the first color material or the second color material as a color material for image formation by a user. An acquisition section reads a document to acquire image data indicating the document. A mode selection section selects, by a user, either a first mode in which a first image processing is executed as an image processing on the image data acquired by the acquisition section or a second mode in which a second image processing, different from the first image processing, for increasing visibility of a color formed on a sheet regardless of a color material selected by the color material selection section, is executed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a first image forming section configured to form a monochromatic image with a first color material; a second image forming section configured to form a monochromatic image with a second color material different from the first color material; a color material selection section configured to select either of the first color material or the second color material as a color material used in image formation by a user; an acquisition section configured to read a document to acquire image data indicative of the document; and a mode selection section configured to receive a selection, by a user, of either one of a first mode in which a first image processing is executed as an image processing on the image data acquired by the acquisition section or a second mode in which a second image processing, different from the first image processing, for increasing visibility of a color formed on a sheet regardless of the color material selected by the color material selection section is executed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode selection section displays a selection screen for a user to select either one of the first mode or the second mode, and when the second color material as a color material used in an image formation is selected by the color material selection section, the mode selection section displays a selection screen in which the second mode is shown by default. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the first image processing and the second image processing, parameters relating to the image processing are different, and a parameter relating to the second image processing is used to execute an image processing of emphasizing a color of the color material used in the image formation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the first image processing and the second image processing, parameters relating to the image processing are different, and a parameter relating to the second image processing is used to execute an image processing of emphasizing a color of the color material used in the image formation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image processing section configured to execute both the first image processing and the second image processing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second color material has lower color developing density than the first color material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the image processing section is configured to execute, during the second image processing, edge emphasis processing to emphasize a change point of an image and a density difference between a ground and a character part. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the image processing section is configured to cause an image containing only color which has been emphasized to be formed on the sheet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode selection section is configured to store the second image processing as a default mode. ### Claim 10 An image forming method comprising: controlling, by a controller, an image forming apparatus to form a monochromatic image with a first color material; controlling the image forming apparatus to form a monochromatic image with a second color material different from the first color material; setting either of the first color material or the second color material as a color material used in image formation in response to a selection of either of the first color material or the second color material by a user; reading a document to acquire image data indicative of the document; and receiving a selection, by the user, of either one of a first mode in which a first image processing is executed as an image processing on the acquired image data, or a second mode in which a second image processing, different from the first image processing, for increasing visibility of a color formed on a sheet regardless of the color material selected by the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, further comprising: displaying, at a display, a selection screen for a user to select either one of the first mode or the second mode, wherein when the second color material as a color material used in an image formation is selected, the display shows the second mode as a default mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, wherein in the first image processing and the second image processing, parameters relating to the image processing are different, and a parameter relating to the second image processing is used to execute image processing of emphasizing a color of the color material selected for the image formation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The image forming method according to claim 11, wherein in the first image processing and the second image processing, parameters relating to the image processing are different, and a parameter relating to the second image processing is used to execute image processing of emphasizing a color of the color material selected for the image formation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, further comprising: executing both the first image processing and the second image processing by a single image processing section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, wherein the second color material has lower color developing density than the first color material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, further comprising: executing, during the second image processing, edge emphasis processing to emphasize a change point of an image and a density difference between a ground and a character part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, wherein: the controller is configured to cause an image containing only color which has been emphasized to be formed on the sheet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The image forming method according to claim 10, wherein the second image processing comprises compensating for the lower density of the second color material.