Visual Noise in Flat Tint Areas of Printed Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital printing technologies face challenges in producing smooth flat tints due to visual discontinuities, which are unappealing and difficult to achieve, especially in inkjet printing.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of visual noise in flat tint areas of printed images, facilitated by exploiting features of compressed file formats like Indigo Compressed Format, through a system comprising a raster image processor and print engine controller, which adds noise in the compression domain before printing to obscure these discontinuities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If digital printing technologies are used to produce printed images, then printing efficiency and productivity are improved, but visual discontinuities appear in flat tint areas making them unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dithering patterns to flat tint areas during the image processing stage (before printing) to pre-mask the visual discontinuities that will occur during printing. This preliminary action prevents the appearance of banding and ensures smooth flat tints in the final printed output while maintaining digital printing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the image data by introducing controlled noise patterns (dithering) that change the local pixel values in flat tint areas. This parameter change in the image data compensates for the visual discontinuities introduced by the printing process, achieving smooth appearance without sacrificing printing productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If visual noise is added to mask discontinuities, then the appearance of printed images is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dithering patterns selectively only to flat tint areas of the image, rather than processing the entire image. This local application approach maintains appearance quality in critical areas while minimizing unnecessary processing time and computational resources in areas where dithering is not needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a simplified dithering approach that uses predetermined patterns and algorithms optimized for speed. Rather than using complex iterative optimization methods, the patent employs efficient computational techniques that provide sufficient visual improvement without excessive processing time
Data Source
AI summary
In an example, an apparatus is described that includes a color conversion module an a visual noise module. The color conversion module converts page description language describing an image into rasterized image data. The visual noise module then recalculates pixel values in an area of flat tint detected in the rasterized image data to introduce visual noise in the area of flat tint.