Patent ID: 7548346
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus for performing error diffusion processing on multivalued image data having plural density components and outputting a result of said error diffusion processing, comprising: analysis means for examining density values of a first density component and a second density component among said plural density components; and control means for exclusively or independently outputting the result of said error diffusion processing on said first density component and that of said error diffusion processing on said second density component, in accordance with a result of analysis by said analysis means, wherein if at least one of said first and second density components has an intermediate density value, said control means independently outputs the results of said error diffusion processing, while if said first and second density components do not have an intermediate density value, exclusively outputs the results of said error diffusion processing, wherein said analysis means includes: first comparison means for comparing a sum of the density values of said first and second density components among said plural density components with a predetermined threshold value; and second comparison means for comparing the density value of said first density component and the density value of said second density component with each other, wherein said control means performs printing by said error diffusion processing based on said first density component or said second density component, based on results of comparison by said first and second comparison means.