Image color correction method and image forming apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTomohisa Itagaki
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Abstract
An image color correction method and an image forming apparatus are provided, which are capable of correcting an image color with much higher accuracy. A first light (red light) is irradiated on patch image (for example, an image of cyan color) formed on a sheet by the image forming apparatus, and a second light (red light) is irradiated on the vicinity of the patch image on the sheet, respectively by the image forming apparatus. The light amount of the second light is adjusted so that the brightness of the second light coincides with the brightness of the patch image irradiated by the first light. Based on the light amount adjusted for correcting the color of the image outputted by the image forming apparatus, the image forming condition of the image forming apparatus is set.
Claims19
An image color correction method, comprising the steps of:
- forming a predetermined image in a first area on a sheet by using an image forming apparatus to apply colorant material to the sheet;
- irradiating a first light from a light irradiating apparatus onto the first area of the sheet, in which the predetermined image is formed on the sheet, and irradiating a second light from the light irradiating apparatus onto a second area on the sheet in a vicinity of but not on the predetermined image;
- adjusting a light amount of the second light to an adjusted light amount, by comparing a characteristic of light reflected from the first area with a characteristic of light reflected from the second area while the first and second areas are illuminated at a level below a predetermined illumination level and adjusting the light amount of the second light until a result of the comparing meets a predetermined criterion;
- and
- setting an image forming condition of the image forming apparatus based on the adjusted light amount obtained in said adjusting step.
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- image forming means for forming an image on a sheet by applying colorant material to the sheet;
- light irradiating means, said light irradiating means irradiating a first light onto a first area of the sheet, in which a predetermined image has been formed on the sheet by said image forming means, and irradiating a second light onto a second area of the sheet in a vicinity of but not on the predetermined image;
- adjusting means for adjusting a light amount of the second light to an adjusted light amount, by comparing a characteristic of light reflected from the first area with a characteristic of light reflected from the second area below a predetermined illumination level and adjusting the light amount of the second light until a result of the comparing meets a predetermined criterion;
- and
- setting means for setting an image forming condition of said image forming means based on the adjusted light amount obtained by said adjusting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.