Image Merging Unit for Halftoning Conflict Resolution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face quality loss when synthesizing images due to color conversion or resolution differences, and stored form images in page description language (PDL) are not compatible with different print languages, limiting their usage.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that includes a storage unit for rendering images with multiple tones, a communication interface for receiving print data, a rendering unit to convert data into bitmap images, a mergence unit for merging images based on specific conditions, and a binary coding unit for halftoning to generate binary data, which is then printed using a print engine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a scanned image is synthesized with halftoned print data, then form images can be stored and reused, but quality is decreased due to color conversion or resolution difference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by converting the form image to the target print language and resolving halftoning conflicts before synthesis occurs. The rendering unit pre-processes the form image data to match the print engine's requirements, and the synthesis unit resolves conflicts between form image halftoning and print data halftoning in advance, preventing quality loss during actual printing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary synthesis unit that acts as a mediator between the form image storage and the print engine. This unit resolves halftoning conflicts by comparing the halftoning parameters of both the form image and the incoming print data, and generates corrected synthesis data that maintains image quality while enabling form reuse across different print languages.
2Manufacturing precision
If a form image as PDL itself is stored to reduce quality loss, then image quality is maintained, but the form image cannot be used in an image forming apparatus with different print languages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling form images to be used across different print languages (PCL, PostScript, etc.). The synthesis unit resolves halftoning conflicts between the stored form image and incoming print data in various print languages, allowing a single form image storage to serve multiple print language requirements without quality loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by dynamically adjusting halftoning parameters during synthesis. The synthesis unit compares halftoning parameters of the form image with the target print data, and modifies the synthesis parameters to resolve conflicts, thereby maintaining image quality while adapting to different print language requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If halftoning is performed separately on form images and print data, then processing is simplified, but conflict between halftoning causes quality loss
Solution Approach 1:
The synthesis unit serves as an intermediary that coordinates halftoning between form images and print data. It compares the halftoning parameters of both inputs and resolves conflicts by generating corrected synthesis data, maintaining image quality while keeping the overall process relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical separate halftoning process with a computational conflict resolution system. Instead of physically adjusting halftoning parameters through complex mechanical means, the synthesis unit uses algorithmic comparison and correction of halftoning data to resolve conflicts and maintain quality.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store a rendering image having a plurality of tones, a communication interface unit configured to receive print data, a rendering unit configured to render the received print data to a bitmap image, a mergence unit configured to merge the bitmap image and the rendering image into a single mergence image, a binary coding unit configured to perform halftoning for the generated mergence image to generate binary data, and a print engine unit configured to form an image on a paper by using the generated binary data.