Simulated paper texture using clear toner and glossmark on texture-less stock

#This application is related to co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/913,226, filed Oct. 27, 2010, entitled “SIMULATED PAPER TEXTURE USING CLEAR TONER ON UNIFORM SUBSTRATE”, and naming Mu Qiao, et al., as inventors, and is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety.

#This application is also related to co-pending, U.S. application Ser. No. 13/031,646, filed Feb. 22, 2011, entitled “SIMULATED PAPER TEXTURE USING GLOSSMARK ON TEXTURE-LESS STOCK”, by Mu Qiao, et al., as inventors and is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety.

#Cross reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,352,493, issued Apr. 1, 2008, entitled “ENHANCEMENT OF GLOSSMARK IMAGES AT LOW AND HIGH DENSITIES”, and naming Chu-Heng Liu, et al., as inventors, and is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety.

#FIG. 1 depicts a formation of a perceived texture image generated from a primary image description and a textured image description.

#FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a system for generating a perceived texture appearance on a uniform substrate.

#FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting an overview of the method embodiments according to the disclosure.

#The present application is directed toward a generation of perceived texture using multiple rendering processes on a generally uniform substrate corresponding to different coverage levels of an input image. In one exemplary embodiment, a first process includes applying a layer of clear toner over a portion of a printed image. A second rendering process includes using Glossmark™ technology, which is based on a differential gloss characteristic, for providing a second portion of the printed image. The technique disclosed herein creates a perceived textured appearance using the clear gloss layer and differential gloss characteristics for different portions of an image. The portions may be discerned relative to one another as each immitating the raised and recessed texture portions, respectively, when a viewer holds a substrate at an angle. The present disclosure is directed toward using different type toners to form a perceived textured substrate, which can be a uniform, substantially texture-less substrate having a textured appearance provided by printing. The disclosure is further directed toward a method for forming the perceived textured substrate and an apparatus adapted to produce the substrate. The substrate may be any two-dimensional material adapted to carry toner and/or liquid ink (hereinafter collectively referred to as “toner”) applied using electronic, digital, xerographic, or laser printing methods. The substrate may include, for example, cardstock, papers, and fabrics.

#Texture, as it is described herein, refers to a third dimension. The perceived textured substrate of the present application is substantially a two-dimensional material given a perceived third-dimensional appearance. In some embodiments, however, the material may be given an actual third dimension based on certain later discussed select pile heights. More specifically, the textured substrate includes a variable (or non-uniform) surface portion. A uniform surface, as described herein, includes a generally smooth substrate surface area. A textured surface alternately includes variable heights and/or impressions formed across the surface area. Variable patterns are formed by first portions that are generally raised relative to second (“recess”) portions. A perceived textured substrate may include a slight non-uniform surface to the touch based on an amount of toner being applied at variable pile heights. The pile heights may be used to selectively build raised toner portions relative to the substrate surface. However, the perceived textured substrate of the exemplary embodiment may include a generally uniform surface having an appearance of raised and recess portions. This non-uniform appearance may be rendered using an anisotropic (s.a., halftone rendering) technique that is disclosed herein.

#FIG. 1 depicts a creation of a perceived texture image 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Descriptions for a primary image 102 and an original texture 104 are concatenated to form a print instruction 106 for providing a print output of the perceived texture image 100. In the illustrated example, the primary image 102 includes a (pictorial image of a) house or first structure 108 in a foreground of the document and a (pictorial image of a) garage or second structure 110 behind the first structure 108. The image is not limited to photos or graphics. Rather, it can include text or other information that forms a shape on a page. The structures 108, 110 are used herein as examples only for describing the creation process. The images are not to be held limiting to any specific type of image or arrangement relative to one another. In contemplated embodiments, a first image can be a foreground body image and a second image can be a background proximate to and/or surrounding the foreground body image.