Multi-level protector coat bitmap generation for printing systems

A method comprising:

• receiving colorant bitmaps that define printable features for a medium;
• calculating a colorant coverage for the medium based on the colorant bitmaps;
• replicating the printable features from the colorant bitmaps having a colorant coverage higher than a threshold to a first protectant bitmap to generate first protectant features, wherein the first protectant bitmap specifies a first amount of the clear protectant to apply to the medium;
• replicating the printable features from the colorant bitmaps having a colorant coverage that is lower than the threshold to a second protectant bitmap to generate second protectant features, wherein the second protectant bitmap specifies a second amount of a clear protectant to apply to the medium that is different than the first amount;
• expanding boundaries of the first and second protectant features to generate expanded first and second protectant features;
• replicating the expanded first and second protectant features to a final protectant bitmap;
• determining an amount of the clear protectant to specify for the expanded first protectant features in the final protectant bitmap that is based on the first and second amounts specified in the first and second protectant bitmaps;
• directing print heads of a printing system to apply colorants to the medium to form the printable features on the medium based on the colorant bitmaps;
• and
• directing a print head of the printing system to apply the clear protectant to the medium to the printable features formed on the medium based on the final protectant bitmap.

A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor of a printing system, direct the processor to:

• receive colorant bitmaps that define printable features for a medium;
• calculate a colorant coverage for the medium based on the colorant bitmaps;
• replicate the printable features from the colorant bitmaps having a colorant coverage higher than a threshold to a first protectant bitmap to generate first protectant features, wherein the first protectant bitmap specifies a first amount of the clear protectant to apply to the medium;
• replicate the printable features from the colorant bitmaps having a colorant coverage that is lower than the threshold to a second protectant bitmap to generate second protectant features, wherein the second protectant bitmap specifies a second amount of a clear protectant to apply to the medium that is different than the first amount;
• expand boundaries of the first and second protectant features in the first and second protectant bitmaps where the clear protectant is applied to the medium to generate expanded first and second protectant features;
• replicate the expanded first and second protectant features to a final protectant bitmap;
• determine an amount of the clear protectant to specify in the final protectant bitmap for the expanded first protectant feature that is based on the first and second amounts specified in the first and second protectant bitmaps;
• direct print heads of the printing system to apply colorants to the medium to form the printable features on the medium based on the colorant bitmaps;
• and
• direct a print head of the printing system to apply the clear protectant to the printable features formed on the medium based on the final protectant bitmap.