Ink Consumption Estimation via Run-Length Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing devices face high calculation costs and processing time when estimating ink consumption, making it difficult to perform this task simultaneously with other operations without hindering device performance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves compressing image data after RIP processing to obtain the number of occurrences for each gradation value, allowing for the estimation of ink consumption without bitmap expansion or pixel counting, enabling faster ink consumption estimation and simultaneous processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If bitmap expansion and histogram generation are performed on image data to estimate ink consumption, then ink consumption estimation accuracy is improved, but processing time and calculation cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing bitmap expansion and histogram generation during the RIP processing stage before the actual printing occurs. The image data is processed in advance to extract gradation value information, which is then stored and used during ink consumption estimation. This allows the heavy computational work to be done beforehand rather than at the time of estimation, reducing the processing time impact on the main printing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary information (gradation value counts) from the complete image data during RIP processing. Instead of processing the entire bitmap data at estimation time, the system extracts and stores the histogram information during the initial RIP stage. This extraction approach separates the heavy computational task from the critical estimation path, reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive ink consumption estimation processing is executed, then estimation accuracy is improved, but device performance is hindered when running simultaneously with other operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ink consumption estimation process into two distinct phases: (1) RIP processing phase where bitmap expansion and histogram generation occur, and (2) estimation phase where only lightweight table lookup and calculation are performed. By segmenting the workload, the system can perform comprehensive estimation during the RIP phase without blocking the printing operation, thus maintaining device performance while achieving accurate estimation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs all heavy computational operations (bitmap expansion, pixel counting, histogram generation) as preliminary actions during RIP processing. The actual ink consumption estimation then relies on pre-computed data structures, reducing the computational burden during the critical estimation moment and allowing simultaneous operations without significant performance degradation.
3Measurement precision
If ink consumption estimation is performed using conventional methods, then prediction accuracy is improved, but calculation cost becomes extremely high requiring significant processing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs all computationally intensive operations (bitmap expansion, histogram generation) as preliminary actions during the RIP processing stage. The actual estimation phase only requires lightweight table lookup and multiplication operations using pre-computed histogram data. This preliminary action approach dramatically reduces the calculation cost during estimation while maintaining high prediction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and stores only the essential histogram information (gradation value counts) during RIP processing, discarding the unnecessary complete bitmap data. The estimation process then works with this condensed information, reducing the processing resources required while maintaining the accuracy that would otherwise require exhaustive pixel-by-pixel analysis.
Data Source
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AI summary
An image data processing method for estimating an ink consumption amount includes: an image data compression step (S120) of compressing image data after RIP processing by run-length encoding; and an ink consumption amount estimation step (S130) of calculating a predicted ink consumption amount when printing based on image data is performed by an inkjet printing device based on information on the number of occurrences for each gradation value obtained when run-length encoding is applied to image data and information on an ink consumption amount for each gradation value held in an ink consumption amount table prepared in advance.