JP2003168124A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a paint-out pattern such as half-tone dot meshing from being not reflected on an outputted image. <P>SOLUTION: When the paint-out pattern exists in a plotting instruction (S101), whether or not it is reflected on the outputted image is determined (S102). For example, when the ratio of white pixels in the pattern is equal to or more than a prescribed value, the pattern is determined not to be reflected. For the pattern determined not to be reflected, the pattern is changed so that it is reflected (S103). For example, the pattern is changed so that density values of pixels except the white pixels are increased. Thus, possibility that no pattern is reflected can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for forming an output image according to a drawing command, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus for changing an image forming process according to the content of a drawing command.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In image formation, there are cases where an instruction is made to fill a certain section of an image with a predetermined pattern. For example, there are patterns such as hatching used in application software such as word processors and spreadsheets. When printing such a pattern from application software, screen processing is executed. The screen process is a process of comparing the threshold matrix 10 shown in FIG. 3 with the pattern 12 of the drawing command to determine the output image 14. The threshold matrix 10 is, for example, an 8 × 8 matrix as shown, and a predetermined threshold is set for each element. The drawing command includes the density value of each pixel, and an example of the pattern is shown in FIG. This pattern 12 is a part of the output image, and a pixel area having the same size as the threshold matrix (8 × 8) is cut out. Then, the threshold matrix 10 and the corresponding elements (pixels) of the matrix of the drawing command pattern 12 are compared with each other, and for pixels having a threshold value or more, black or the density value of the pixel is output. In FIG. 3, the drawing command pattern 12 is 2 rows and 2 columns and 2 rows and 6 columns.
The density value is 50 only for the pixels in the columns, 6 rows and 2 columns, and 6 rows and 6 columns, and the other pixels are 0 (white). The values of the elements corresponding to the pixels of the threshold matrix 10 are 196 and 1 in order.
12, 104 and 60. Since none of the pixels exceed the threshold value, all pixels of the output image 14 are white, as shown in the figure.

[0003]

As described above, when the matrix processing is performed, there is a problem that the pattern on the output image may not be reflected and disappear depending on the shape and color of the pattern. It was

Further, there is a problem in that even if the image does not disappear as a result of the screen processing, it cannot be reproduced on the output image due to the problem of reproducibility of the image forming apparatus other than this processing.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the pattern of a drawing command from being lost due to its shape or color and not being reflected on the output screen. .

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention determines whether the pattern according to the pattern filling command in the drawing command is reflected in the image formation by the normal process. It has a pattern reflection prediction means for prediction judgment, and a pattern changing means for changing the pattern so that the pattern is reflected when it is judged in the prediction judgment that the pattern is not reflected. This allows the pattern to be formed even when the pattern is not reflected in the output image by the normal screen processing.

Further, in another image processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is determined whether the pattern related to the raster data command formed by repeating the pattern in the drawing command is reflected in the normal image forming process. It has a pattern reflection prediction means for prediction judgment, and a pattern changing means for changing the pattern so that the pattern is reflected when it is judged in the prediction judgment that the pattern is not reflected. This allows the pattern to be formed even when the pattern is not reflected in the output image by the normal screen processing.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
7 is a chart showing a flow of processing of a drawing command. When the command for drawing the image of the application software is sent to the image processing device, the processing of the drawing command is started in the image processing device (S100). It is determined whether the drawing command includes a pattern filling command (S101), and if it is not the pattern filling command, normal drawing processing is executed (S104).

When the pattern filling command is included, it is predicted whether the specified pattern is reflected in the output image for this command (S102). This prediction determination is performed when the ratio of white pixels in the pattern exceeds a predetermined value. That is, when the ratio of white pixels is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, it is predicted that this pattern will not be reflected.

When it is determined that this pattern is reflected, normal drawing processing is executed (S104). on the other hand,
If it is determined that the pattern is not reflected, the output image will
The pattern is changed so that this pattern is reflected (S103). The pattern changing method specifically increases the density values of pixels other than the white pixels in the pattern. Increasing the density value can reduce the likelihood that the pixel will be erased when compared to the thresholds of the screened threshold matrix. Screen processing and drawing are performed on the pattern for which the change processing has been performed in the same manner as usual (S104). After the drawing is executed, the process ends (S105).

Regarding the prediction judgment in step S102,
It is also possible to set the judgment criteria as follows. For example, if the ratio of white pixels in the pattern exceeds a predetermined value and the average of the density values of the pixels other than the white pixels is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the pattern may not be reflected. According to this criterion, when the pixels other than the white pixels are dark to some extent, it is possible to prevent the pixels from being output darker and being emphasized.

Further, when the pattern is composed of white pixels and pixels having isolated points, that is, white pixels around the pixels, and only one pixel having a density value, it can be determined that this pattern is not reflected. If the isolated point is determined to be white by comparison with the threshold matrix, the surrounding points are also white pixels, and thus there is a high possibility that the isolated point will not be reflected in the output. Increasing the density of isolated points reduces the possibility of being erased by screen processing.

If the pattern is composed of white pixels and isolated points and the density of the isolated points is less than a certain value, it can be determined that the pattern is not reflected. If the density of the isolated point is high, the problem of disappearing the isolated point as described above is unlikely to occur, and is considered to be reflected in the output image. Further, it is possible to prevent the isolated points from being excessively emphasized.

As the pattern change processing in step S103, in addition to the above-described one, a change for emphasizing the isolated point can be performed. Specifically, of the pixels around the isolated point, a predetermined number of pixels can be changed so that white has a predetermined density. In this case, it is particularly effective even in the case where the isolated point is not reflected due to the problem of reproducibility of the output device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the flow of processing relating to drawing of a raster output command. When the command for drawing the image of the application software is sent to the image processing device, the processing of the drawing command is started in the image processing device (S11).
0). First, it is determined whether the drawing command is a raster output command (S111). If it is not a raster output command, normal drawing processing is performed (S115). If it is a raster output command, it is further determined whether or not this raster data is a pattern repetition (S112). If the pattern is not repeated, normal drawing processing is performed (S115). On the other hand, if the pattern is repeated,
Whether or not the specified raster data is reflected in the output image is predicted and determined (S113). In this prediction determination, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, any of the above-mentioned several criteria can be adopted. When it is determined that this data is reflected in the output image, normal drawing processing is performed (S115). On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not reflected, the raster data is changed so that it is reflected in the output image (S114), and the drawing process is performed based on the changed data (S115). Also for the changing process, the same process as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can be adopted. After the drawing is executed, the processing of the drawing command is finished (S11).
6).

The image processing apparatus of this embodiment is specifically a computer that operates according to the program described to perform the above-described processing. Therefore, the computer is not limited to the one built in the printer device, but may be another computer connected via a network, for example.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a drawing process of an image processing apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart relating to drawing processing of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, particularly raster data.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram related to screen processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

S101 Step of determining pattern filling instruction,
S102 Prediction determination step, S103 Pattern change step, S104 Drawing command step.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Osamu Igarashi             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Chie Yamakawa             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Hidetoshi Murata             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Taro Seki             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Kazunori Ozeki             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Koichi Sato             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Koichiro Mino             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Yoshio Hasegawa             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office (72) Inventor Tatsuo Fukushima             Fujize, 3-7-1, Fuchu, Iwatsuki City, Saitama Prefecture             Rocks Co., Ltd. Iwatsuki Office F-term (reference) 2C087 BA02 BD24                 5B080 GA29

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image processing device for forming an output image according to a drawing command, wherein a pattern reflection prediction means for predicting whether or not a pattern according to a pattern filling command in the drawing command is reflected in image formation by normal processing. And an image processing device which changes the pattern so that the pattern is reflected when it is determined in the prediction determination that the pattern is not reflected. 2. An image processing apparatus for forming an output image according to a drawing command, wherein a pattern according to a command of raster data formed by repeating a pattern in the drawing command is reflected in image formation twisted in normal processing. Pattern reflection prediction means for predicting whether to be performed, and, if it is determined that the pattern is not reflected in the prediction determination, a pattern changing means for changing the pattern so that the pattern is reflected,
Image processing device. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern reflection prediction unit determines that the pattern is not reflected when the ratio of white pixels in the pattern is a predetermined value or more. Image processing device. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern reflection prediction unit has a ratio of white pixels in the pattern that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and the density value of pixels other than the white pixels. An image processing apparatus that determines that the pattern is not reflected when the average is less than or equal to a predetermined value. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern reflection prediction unit determines that the pattern is not reflected when the pattern is composed of only white pixels and isolated points. Image processing device. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern reflection predicting unit is configured such that the pattern includes only white pixels and isolated points, and an average of density values of pixels forming isolated points. Is less than or equal to a predetermined value,
An image processing apparatus that determines that the pattern is not reflected. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern changing unit increases the density value of pixels other than white pixels. 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pattern changing unit increases the density value of at least one pixel around an isolated point in the pattern.