Image Forming Apparatus Special Color Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses are limited to printing colors represented by the CMYK combination, unable to produce colors that cannot be achieved with these four colors, such as gold, silver, or fluorescent tones.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that includes an additional special color toner, such as gloss or fluorescent toner, and a conversion process to integrate this special color into the image formation using a Multi-Functional Peripheral (MFP) with a user interface for specifying conversion conditions, allowing the apparatus to form images with five colors (CMYK and a special color S).
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only four printing colors (CMYK) are used, then the device complexity is kept simple, but the color gamut is limited and cannot represent colors like gold, silver, or fluorescent tones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the color printing function by separating the special color S from the standard CMYK colors. The image forming apparatus includes dedicated developing units for each color, with the special color S handled separately from CMYK. This segmentation allows the system to expand color gamut while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the image forming apparatus to print both standard CMYK colors and special color S using a unified control system. The controller can selectively apply special color S based on pixel data analysis, making the device versatile enough to handle both conventional and extended color printing requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If component data conversion from CMYK to multi-color (CMYKS) is performed, then colors like gold, silver, and fluorescent tones can be printed, but the image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining conversion rules and conditions for determining when to apply special color S. The controller analyzes pixel data in advance and determines color conversion needs before actual printing, which streamlines the processing workflow and reduces real-time computational complexity despite the enhanced color capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion process that translates standard CMYK component data into multi-color (CMYKS) data. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator between the input image data and the printing system, managing the complexity of color space transformation while enabling extended color representation.
3Ease of operation
If a user interface for specifying conversion conditions is added, then flexible color conversion is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by providing a user interface that allows operators to independently specify conversion conditions for special color S application. Users can directly control color conversion parameters without requiring complex external configuration, enabling flexible operation while keeping the interface intuitive and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments provide an image forming apparatus, including: an image forming part to form an image made of plural pixels by using plural printing colors and a special color different from the plural printing colors; an input part of image data of the image; an image processing part to output component data of the plural printing colors from the image data for each of the pixels; a user interface to specify a condition for converting the component data of the plural printing colors into component data of a multi color in which the special color is added to the plural printing colors; and a conversion part to convert the component data of the plural printing colors from the image processing part into the component data of the multi color to the image forming part based on the condition of the user interface.