Image processing apparatus and method thereof

A method of image processing, the method comprising:

• determining tone information from pixel values of pixels included in each predetermined region which is constructed by a plurality of pixels of multi-value image data, thereby converting tone information for each pixel into tone information for each predetermined region;
• storing the tone information for each predetermined region in a storage unit;
• generating attribute information representing an attribute of a pixel from the multi-value image data, and the attribute information representing that each pixel of the multi-value image data is any one of a white pixel, a gray pixel, and a black pixel;
• storing the generated attribute information, separately from the tone information, in the storage unit;
• and
• generating halftone image data corresponding to the multi-value image data based on the tone information for each predetermined region and the attribute information that have been stored in the storage unit.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform an image processing method, the method comprising:

• determining tone information from pixel values of pixels included in each predetermined region which is constructed by a plurality of pixels of multi-value image data, thereby converting tone information for each pixel into tone information for each predetermined region;
• storing the tone information for each predetermined region in a storage unit;
• generating attribute information representing an attribute of a pixel from the multi-value image data, and the attribute information representing that each pixel of the multi-value image data is any one of a white pixel, a gray pixel, and a black pixel;
• storing the generated attribute information, separately from the tone information, in the storage unit;
• and
• generating halftone image data corresponding to the multi-value image data based on the tone information for each predetermined region and the attribute information that have been stored in the storage unit.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to the one or more processors, the at least one memory having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to:
• receive multi-value image data from a host computer, the multi-value image data comprising a plurality of pixels forming one or more predetermined regions, each pixel of the plurality of pixels having a pixel value;
• determine tone information from pixel values of pixels included in each predetermined region to thereby convert tone information for each of the pixels into tone information for each predetermined region;
• store the tone information for each predetermined region in a storage unit;
• generate attribute information of a pixel from the multi-value image data, the attribute information identifying the pixel from the multi-value image data as being one of a white pixel, a gray pixel, or a black pixel;
• store the attribute information, separately from the tone information, in the storage unit;
• and
• generate halftone image data corresponding to the multi-value image based on the stored tone information and the stored attribute information.

A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving multi-value image data from a host computer, the multi-value image data comprising a plurality of pixels forming one or more predetermined regions, each pixel of the plurality of pixels having a pixel value;
• determining tone information from pixel values of pixels included in each predetermined region to thereby convert tone information for each of the pixels into tone information for each predetermined region;
• storing the tone information for each predetermined region in a storage unit;
• generating attribute information of a pixel from the multi-value image data, the attribute information identifying the pixel from the multi-value image data as being one of a white pixel, a gray pixel, or a black pixel;
• storing the attribute information, separately from the tone information, in the storage unit;
• and
• generating halftone image data corresponding to the multi-value image based on the stored tone information and the stored attribute information.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform an image processing method, the method comprising:

• receiving multi-value image data from a host computer, the multi-value image data comprising a plurality of pixels forming one or more predetermined regions, each pixel of the plurality of pixels having a pixel value;
• determining tone information from pixel values of pixels included in each predetermined region to thereby convert tone information for each of the pixels into tone information for each predetermined region;
• storing the tone information for each predetermined region in a storage unit;
• generating attribute information of a pixel from the multi-value image data, the attribute information identifying the pixel from the multi-value image data as being one of a white pixel, a gray pixel, or a black pixel;
• storing the attribute information, separately from the tone information, in the storage unit;
• and
• generating halftone image data corresponding to the multi-value image based on the stored tone information and the stored attribute information.