Edge Transparency for Tandem Printer Color Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser printers of the tandem type face image-quality deterioration due to color displacement, leading to increased operating load and toner consumption when printing multi-color images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that includes an acquisition unit, edge detecting unit, transparency setting unit, and image data generating unit to detect edges in an object image, set transparency degrees for edge regions, and generate image data for printing multiple color components without overlapping, thereby reducing image-quality deterioration and operating load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the background image is printed partly overlapped with the upper image to suppress blank regions, then image-quality deterioration is reduced, but the operating load increases and toner consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by setting different transparency degrees for different regions of the upper image. Specifically, edge regions of the upper image are set with higher transparency degrees than non-edge regions. This localized adjustment allows the background image to be printed with reduced overlap in areas where it is most needed (along edges), while maintaining full opacity in center regions, thereby reducing overall operating load and toner consumption while still suppressing blank region formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transparency parameter of the upper image region by region. Edge regions are assigned higher transparency degrees (e.g., 50-90%) compared to non-edge regions (e.g., 0-50%). This parameter variation enables selective transparency that reduces the area requiring background image overlap, thus lowering operating load and toner consumption while maintaining image quality.
2Reliability
If the background image is printed partly overlapped with the upper image to suppress blank regions, then image-quality deterioration is reduced, but toner consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces toner consumption by applying local quality through region-specific transparency settings. Edge regions of the upper image receive higher transparency degrees, meaning less background image material is deposited in these areas. Non-edge regions maintain lower transparency, ensuring adequate coverage. This localized approach minimizes total toner usage while still preventing blank regions from forming at critical edge locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying transparency degrees across different spatial regions. By setting edge regions to have higher transparency (reducing background image overlap) and non-edge regions to have lower transparency (maintaining coverage), the system optimizes toner consumption. This parameter differentiation ensures that toner is not unnecessarily consumed in areas where full overlap is not needed, while still maintaining image quality.
3Reliability
If transparency is set for the entire upper image region, then image-quality deterioration is suppressed, but operating load and toner consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent avoids the excessive toner consumption of uniform transparency by implementing local quality. Instead of applying the same transparency degree across the entire upper image, the system differentiates between edge regions and non-edge regions. Edge regions receive higher transparency (reducing background image material), while non-edge regions receive lower transparency (maintaining coverage). This localized differentiation significantly reduces total toner consumption while still suppressing image-quality deterioration at critical edge areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by implementing parameter changes that vary across spatial regions. The transparency degree is not fixed but changes based on the region's location and characteristics. Edge regions are assigned higher transparency parameters to reduce background image overlap, while non-edge regions maintain lower transparency parameters to ensure adequate coverage. This variable parameter approach dramatically reduces overall toner consumption compared to uniform transparency while maintaining image quality.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit; an edge detecting unit; a transparency setting unit; an image data generating unit; and an instruction unit. The acquisition unit acquires print data, the print data indicating an object image and a background image, a region of the object image being located at least partly inside a region of the background image. The edge detecting unit detects at least a part of an edge of the object image. The transparency setting unit sets an edge region that is located inside the region of the object image and that extends along the at least a part of the edge detected by the edge detecting unit, the transparency setting unit setting a transparency degree to the edge region of the object image. The image data generating unit generates image data based on the print data and on the transparency degree for the edge region of the object image. The instruction unit issues a printing instruction instructing that a plurality of color component images are printed in a plurality of different colors one on another based on the image data.