Patent ID: 7324230
Filing Date: 2008-01-29
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a storage section which stores image data for each page; an identification information generating section which identifies whether the image data is color image data or monochromatic image data to generate identification information; a color image data processing section which receives the image data stored in the storage section, performs a specific color image processing for the input image data every page in spite of the input image data being the color image data or the monochromatic image data, performs a first smoothing operation on the color image data and outputs a first processed image data, wherein in said first smoothing operation, the color image data is converted into converted color image data for one page, corresponding to recording agents of four colors, magenta, cyan, yellow and black, edge portions of a formed image are smoothed in accordance with the converted color image data, and a pixel growth system is controlled based on pulse width of a pulse modulation; a monochromatic image data processing section which receives the image data stored in the storage section in parallel with the image being input to the color image data section, performs a specific monochromatic image processing for the input image data every page in spite of the input image data being the color image data or the monochromatic image data, performs a second smoothing operation on the monochromatic image data and outputs a second processed image data every page in parallel with an output of the first processed image data from the color image data processing section, wherein in said second smoothing operation, a near pattern of the monochromatic image data is grasped by a profile tracing and extraction and a smoothing signal is generated by simple computation of profile information; a selector section which selects and outputs the first processed image data in case that the image data stored in the storage section is identified as the color image data by the identification information generated by the identification information generating section, and selects and outputs the second processed image data in case that the image data stored in the storage section is identified as the monochromatic image data by the identification information generated by the identification information generating section; and an engine section which forms the image in accordance with the first processed image data or second processed image data selected and outputted by the selector section.