Patent ID: 7245397
Filing Date: 2007-07-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for forming an image, comprising: an n-level quantizer effecting an n-level quantization for a halftone color image decomposed into a plurality of pixels, on a per pixel basis, the n-level quantizer comparing, for respective separate color-components contained in each pixel, a tone level of the each pixel and at least one threshold value, and quantizing the tone level of the each pixel to produce a discrete value having a plurality of levels (n), with each other, the produced discrete value being indicative of a corresponding one of a plurality of separate states (n) to the each pixel; and a printer forming ink dots using a plurality of different colored inks corresponding to the respective separate color-components, according to the corresponding discrete values produced by the n-level quantization on a per pixel basis, wherein each pixel becomes a subject pixel for which the n-level quantization is to be effected, wherein at least one of the plurality of pixels located in the vicinity of the subject pixel becomes at least one neighboring pixel, and wherein the n-level quantizer, for effecting the n-level quantization for each subject pixel, with the at least one neighboring pixel containing a first one of the separate color-components, and with the subject pixel containing a second one of the separate color-components different in color from the first color-component, compensates a relationship between the tone level of the second color-component of the subject pixel and the at least one threshold value, such that, as the tone level of the first color-component contained in the at least one neighboring pixel increases, at least one of a probability of occurrence of an ink dot formed at the subject pixel using a corresponding one of the plurality of different colored inks to the second color-component contained in the subject pixel, and a volume of the corresponding ink to the second color-component contained in the subject pixel used for forming an ink dot at the subject pixel, decreases.