Image forming apparatus and image forming method which enhance graininess and also reduce a total toner amount without deteriorating image quality in image formation using toner of high chroma

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a color converter for
• converting a cyan component, a magenta component and a yellow component of a first image signal comprising the cyan component, the magenta component, the yellow component and a first black component to equivalent neutral density,
• calculating a first gray component from an equivalent neutral density cyan component, an equivalent neutral density magenta component and an equivalent neutral density yellow component,
• subtracting the first gray component from each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component,
• subjecting each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component from which the first gray component is subtracted to an inverse conversion of a conversion to the equivalent neutral density, and
• outputting a second image signal comprising a cyan component, a magenta component and a yellow component which are obtained by carrying out the inverse conversion to the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component from which the first gray component is subtracted, the first black component and the first gray component;
• an image forming section for forming an image on a paper based on the second image signal by using a cyan toner, a magenta toner, a yellow toner, a black toner and a gray toner;
• a controller for controlling the color converter and the image forming section, an image processing that comprises the color converter and that processes an inputted image signal and outputs a processed image to the image forming section, wherein
• brightness of a cyan toner simple color image that has maximum chroma is between 53 and 70,
• brightness of a magenta toner simple color image that has maximum chroma is between 31 and 51,
• chroma of a gray toner simple color image is equal to 10 or less, and brightness of the gray toner simple color image is between 30 and 90, and
• wherein the color converter comprises one of (a) a three-dimensional LUT color converter and (b) a four-dimensional LUT color converter and an equivalent neutral density inverse convert, defined as follows:
• (a) a three-dimensional LUT color converter for
• converting the first image signal to the second image signal by using a three-dimensional LUT for performing a conversion processing same as a processing of converting the cyan component, the magenta component and the yellow component of the first image signal to the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component, calculating a first gray component from the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component which are converted, subtracting the first gray component from each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component and performing the inverse conversion of the conversion to the equivalent neutral density on each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component from which the first gray component is subtracted, and
• (b) a four-dimensional LUT color converter for
• converting the first image signal by using a four-dimensional LUT for performing a conversion processing same as a processing of converting the cyan component, the magenta component and the yellow component of the first image signal to the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component, calculating the first gray component from the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component, subtracting the first gray component from each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component, calculating a second gray component from the first black component, subtracting the second gray component from the first black component, and adding the first pray component and the second gray component;
• and
• an equivalent neutral density inverse converter for executing the inverse conversion of the conversion of the equivalent neutral density on each of the equivalent neutral density cyan component, the equivalent neutral density magenta component and the equivalent neutral density yellow component after the conversion processing is performed by the four-dimensional LUT color converted by using a LUT.