Image Processing Apparatus Toner Saving for White Characters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing methods fail to effectively reduce color material consumption when dealing with 'white' characters on colored backgrounds, as width-reducing processes often increase the amount of color material used.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that identifies white characters and avoids width-reducing processing, instead employing toner saving techniques such as increasing the width of white characters or reducing contrast to minimize color material consumption without compromising image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If width-reducing processing is applied to save color material, then color material consumption is reduced, but white characters on colored backgrounds are adversely affected and color material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing methods to different types of characters based on their local characteristics. For white characters on colored backgrounds, it uses width-maintaining processing with background density reduction, while for other characters it applies width-reducing processing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by preventing harmful effects on white characters while still achieving color material savings elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters specifically for white characters by detecting their brightness characteristics. Instead of applying uniform width-reducing processing, it adjusts the density parameters of the background area surrounding white characters, reducing background density to achieve color material savings without compromising the visibility or quality of the white characters themselves.
2Loss of substance
If density is reduced to save toner, then printing cost is reduced, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective density reduction only to the background areas surrounding white characters, rather than uniformly reducing density across the entire image. This local application maintains overall image quality while achieving toner savings in specific regions where it does not compromise character readability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image into different regions: white character areas, colored character areas, and background areas. It then applies different processing strategies to each segment - maintaining white character density while reducing background density, and applying width-reducing processing to colored characters. This segmentation allows toner savings without compromising overall image quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention effectively suppresses an amount of consumption of a color material even with respect to an image including a white character by not performing width-reducing processing with respect to a white character or line (S402-YES) but performing width-reducing processing (S405) with respect to a character or line that is not a white character. Furthermore, the amount of consumption of a color material is further suppressed by performing width-increasing processing on a white character or line.