Patent Document ID: 8681378
Application ID: 13428462
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing apparatus for processing image data having a plurality of pixels and expressing an image using a gradation value for each pixel, the image processing apparatus comprising: an input unit configured to input the image data; a region-dividing processor configured to divide the image into at least a first region and a second region on the basis of the inputted image data; a comparator configured to compare gradation values of pixels in the first region and threshold values corresponding to the pixels of the first region of a dither mask having a plurality of threshold values; a first dot-decision processor configured to decide whether or not dots are formed in pixels of the first region among first boundary pixels, which are pixels in the first region near the boundary between the first region and the second region, using information on pixels included in the first region and not using information on pixels included in the second region; a second dot-decision processor configured to decide whether or not dots are formed in some of the pixels in the second region, using information on pixels included in the first region and information on pixels included in the second region; and a dot data generator configured to generate dot data for the image data using formation or non-formation of dots as decided by the first and second dot-decision processors.