Printing Apparatus Metallic Color Image Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing metallic printing methods using metal inks struggle to achieve a balance between metal luster and color tone, often resulting in unnatural or overly prominent images due to the floating impression of metallic prints on the medium.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus and method that alternately disposes metallic and color images on a medium, with the color image positioned in the outline area of the printing image, creating a blurred boundary to prevent the entire image from floating, thereby achieving a satisfactory metal luster and color tone while maintaining image integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If metal ink is used to achieve metallic printing, then metal luster is improved, but the image appears to float on the medium and looks unnatural

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal lusterVSAvoidfloating impression

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The printing image is segmented into two distinct types: metallic images formed with metal ink and color images formed with color ink. These segmented images are then alternately disposed in a checkerboard pattern, allowing the metal luster to be achieved in specific areas while color images in other areas prevent the overall floating impression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the printing image are assigned different qualities: some regions contain metallic images with high reflectivity for luster, while other regions contain color images that provide grounding. This local differentiation allows the image to have both metallic appearance and natural grounding simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the amount of metal particles is increased to enhance metal luster, then luster is improved, but the color tone becomes unbalanced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemetal lusterVSAvoidcolor tone balance

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The printing image is divided into metallic image regions and color image regions. By segmenting the image this way, the metal particle concentration can be optimized in metallic regions for luster, while color regions maintain appropriate color tone, achieving balance across the entire image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions have different compositions: metallic regions use metal ink with appropriate metal particle concentration for luster, while color regions use color ink for proper color tone. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between luster enhancement and color balance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-generated harmful factors

If color image line width is increased to broaden the blurred boundary, then the floating impression is suppressed, but the image size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloating impressionVSAvoidimage size

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The printing image is segmented into metallic and color image regions in a checkerboard pattern. The color images, which create the blurred boundary effect, are strategically positioned in specific regions. This segmentation allows the boundary-blurring function to be achieved without requiring the entire image to be enlarged, as only specific color image regions need appropriate line widths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9139016B2Printing apparatus, printing method, and printing program

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A printing apparatus includes an image disposition processing unit that disposes a metallic image and a color image as a printing image. The image disposition processing unit disposes a color image in an outline area of the printing image.