Patent ID: 7359089

Claim:
An image processing method comprising: an input step of inputting an image processing apparatus control code; a translation step of translating the image processing apparatus control code into a drawing object; a judging step of judging whether rendering of the drawing object is to be performed in an RGB format or YMCK format; a first rendering step of rendering a drawing object in one image, which has been obtained by translation at said translation step, in the RGB format, thereby creating an RGB image; a second rendering step of rendering another drawing object in an image the same as said one image, which has been obtained by translation at said translation step, in the YMCK format, thereby creating a YMCK image; a color conversion step of color-converting the RGB image to a YMCK image; and an output step of outputting the YMCK image created by said second rendering step and the YMCK image obtained by the color conversion at said color conversion step, wherein said judging step includes: a grouping step of dividing a plurality of drawing objects into one or a plurality group areas; and an attribute deciding step of dividing the group area into a group in which rendering is performed in the RGB format or a group in which rendering is performed in the YMCK format, wherein said attribute deciding step includes: a discriminating step of discriminating extent of a color difference that is produced by subjecting the group area to YMCK rendering; if the color difference is outside an allowable range, a first attribute deciding step of adopting the group area as a group in which rendering is performed in the RGB format; and if the color difference is within the allowable range, a second attribute deciding step of adopting the group area as a group in which rendering is performed in the YMCK format, and wherein said attribute deciding step includes: a third attribute deciding step of adopting the group area as a group in which rendering is performed in the YMCK format if a drawing object to be rendered in the RGB format does not exist in the group area; a necessity determining step of determining whether it is necessary to render the group area based upon the RGB format if a drawing object to be rendered in the RGB format exists in the group area; a fourth attribute deciding step of adopting the group area as an area in which rendering is performed in the RGB format if it is determined at said necessity determining step that it is necessary to render the group area in the RGB format; and if it is determined at said necessity determining step that it is unnecessary to render the group area in the RGB format, a fifth attribute deciding step of adopting a drawing object that does not require rendering in the RGB mode in the group area as a new group area in which rendering is performed in the YMCK format, and adopting the remaining area as a group area in which rendering is performed in the RGB format.