Image Former Color Material Regulation for Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming technologies face challenges in ensuring appropriate color material adhesion to recording materials without causing the material to become unclear, especially when regulating color material total amounts for small areas.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus and method that acquire color information for each pixel and at least one reference pixel, determining whether to apply color material total amount regulation based on this information, and adjusting the adhesion of color material accordingly to prevent excessive adhesion and maintain image clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If color material total amount regulation is applied to each pixel, then color material adhesion is controlled, but the recording material becomes unclear in small regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different color material total amount regulation strategies to different regions based on their area characteristics. For small regions, the regulation is skipped to maintain clarity, while for large regions, regulation is applied to control color material adhesion. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between controlling color material quantity and maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image into multiple regions and classifies them by area size. By dividing the image into small and large regions, the system can apply appropriate regulation strategies to each segment, preventing excessive color material adhesion in large areas while preserving detail in small areas.
2Quantity of substance
If color material total amount regulation is applied to small regions, then color material adhesion is controlled, but the region becomes unclear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies small regions as having special quality requirements and excludes them from color material total amount regulation. This local quality differentiation ensures that small regions maintain their clarity while large regions receive regulation treatment to control color material adhesion.
3Manufacturing precision
If color material adhesion is increased, then image density is improved, but fixation failures and windings occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of color material total amount based on region area characteristics. By adjusting this parameter dynamically - applying regulation to large regions but skipping it for small regions - the system optimizes both image density and prevents fixation failures and windings caused by excessive color material adhesion.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a controller and an image former. The controller acquires color information indicating a value of color with respect to each pixel of a region of interest including a pixel of interest among a plurality of pixels constituting an image, and at least one reference pixel different from the pixel of interest among the plurality of pixels, and determines, on the basis of the color information, whether or not to apply color material total amount regulation for the color material made to adhere with respect to the pixel of interest. The image former forms the image on the recording material by causing the color material to adhere to the recording material on the basis of a result of determination by the controller.