Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus

Claim 2

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus, in which the exposure is determined based on either one of an exposure condition and an exposure operational formula defined for each of a plurality of previously classified patterns comprising steps of: dividing a color original image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose; evaluating a plurality of feature values of said color original image from the resulting photometric data; evaluating a weight for each pattern from a coincidence factor for each of said plurality of the patterns; and applying said weight to each of the exposures evaluated from said one of a plurality of said exposure conditions and said exposure operational formula by the use of said feature values to determine a specific exposure.

Claim 3

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus as set forth in Claim (1) wherein a coincidence factor with a judging condition for each of said feature values is evaluated, the judging condition judging the magnitude of the feature values, and said coincidence factor for each of said plurality of patterns is determined by the use of a plurality of said coincidence factors for each feature value.

Claim 4

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus as set forth in Claim (2) wherein said coincidence factor with the pattern is determined by a product of the same and said coincidence factor with the judging condition.

Claim 5

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (2) wherein said coincidence factor with the judging condition is determined according to a difference between a predetermined value and said feature value so that when the difference equals 0 the coincidence factor is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 6

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (3) wherein said coincidence factor with the judging condition is determined according to a difference between a predetermined value and said feature value so that when the difference equals 0 the coincidence factor is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 7

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (2) wherein said coincidence factor with the judging condition is determined based on how frequently the magnitude of said feature value emerges and the coincidence factor for the most frequently emerging value is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 8

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (3) wherein said coincidence factor with the judging condition is determined based on how frequently the magnitude of said feature value emerges, and the coincidence factor of the most frequently emerging value is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 9

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus wherein the exposure is determined based on either one of an exposure condition and an exposure operational formula set to each of a plurality of previously classified patterns comprising steps of: dividing a color original image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose: evaluating a plurality of feature values of said color original image from the resulting data; for each of said feature values, evaluating a coincidence factor from a plurality of judging conditions, the judging conditions each defining the coincidence so that the more the feature value satisfies the condition on the judged value the greater it becomes while the less it satisfies the condition on the judged value the smaller it becomes; synthesizing a plurality of the coincidence factors with the judging condition to determine a coincidence factor for each of said plural patterns; evaluating a weight for each pattern from said coincidence factors for the patterns; and determining a specific exposure by a weighted mean resulting from applying said weight to each of the exposures determined according to said exposure condition and exposure operational formula.

Claim 10

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus wherein the exposure is determined based on either one of an exposure condition and an exposure operational formula set to each of a plurality of previously classified patterns comprising steps of: dividing a color original image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose: evaluating a plurality of feature values of said color original image from the resulting data; for each of said feature values, evaluating a coincidence factor from a plurality of judging conditions, the judging conditions each defining the coincidence so that the more the feature value satisfies the condition on the judged value the greater it becomes while the less it satisfies the condition on the judged value the smaller it becomes; synthesizing a plurality of the coincidence factors with the judging condition to determine a coincidence factor for each of said plural patterns; evaluating a weight for each pattern from said coincidence factors for the patterns; and determining a specific exposure by a weighted mean resulting from applying said weight to each of the exposures determined according to said exposure condition and exposure operational formula.

Claim 11

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (8) wherein said coincidence factor with the judging condition is evaluated according to a difference between a predetermined value and said feature value so that when the difference equals 0 the coincidence factor is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 12

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (8) wherein said judging condition compares said feature value with the judging value, and when the feature value equals the judging value, the coincidence factor is set to between 0 and 1.0.

Claim 13

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (8) wherein said exposure operational formula is a functional expression of said features.

Claim 14

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (9) wherein said exposure operational formula is a functional expression of said feature values.

Claim 15

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus wherein the exposure is controlled based on either one of an exposure condition and an exposure operational formula defined for each of a plurality of divided regions on a preset coordinate comprising steps of: dividing a color original image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose; evaluating a plurality of feature values of said color original image from the resulting photometric data, said plurality of feature values including the resulting photometric data; judging to which of said divided regions the resulting photometric data belongs to classify said plurality of feature values; for each of said feature values, evaluating a coincidence factor from a plurality of judging conditions, the judging conditions each defining the coincidence factor so that the more the feature value satisfies the judging condition the greater it becomes while the less the feature value satisfies the judging condition the smaller it becomes; synthesizing a plurality of the coincidence factors with the judging condition for either one of a plurality of said exposure conditions and exposure operational formulae to determine a coincidence factor; evaluating a weight for either the exposure condition or exposure operational formula from said coincidence factor; and determining a specific exposure by a weighted mean resulting from applying said weight to each of the exposures evaluated from either said exposure condition or exposure operational formula.

Claim 16

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus wherein the exposure is controlled based on either one of an exposure condition and an exposure operational formula defined for each of a plurality of divided regions on a preset coordinate comprising steps of: dividing a color original image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose; evaluating a plurality of feature values of said color original image from the resulting photometric data, said plurality of feature values including the resulting photometric data; judging to which of said divided regions the resulting photometric data belongs to classify said plurality of feature values; for each of said feature values, evaluating a coincidence factor from a plurality of judging conditions, the judging conditions each defining the coincidence factor so that the more the feature value satisfies the judging condition the greater it becomes while the less the feature value satisfies the judging condition the smaller it becomes; synthesizing a plurality of the coincidence factors with the judging condition for either one of a plurality of said exposure conditions and exposure operational formulae to determine a coincidence factor; evaluating a weight for either the exposure condition or exposure operational formula from said coincidence factor; and determining a specific exposure by a weighted mean resulting from applying said weight to each of the exposures evaluated from either said exposure condition or exposure operational formula.

Claim 17

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (13) wherein a weight changed according to the magnitude of the color difference or color ratio or a weight changed according to the amount of the photometric data belonging to said region is defined for each of the divided regions while the feature value for said region is evaluated from the photometric data for each of the divided regions to control the exposure.

Claim 18

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (13) wherein said exposure operational formula is expressed in the form of a functional expression of said feature values.

Claim 19

Method of determining an exposure asset forth in Claim (14) wherein said exposure operational formula is expressed in the form of a functional expression of said feature values.

Claim 20

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus comprising steps of: dividing a color film image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose; for the resulting image data, evaluating a certainty factor by a membership function of the image data relative to the displacement of said film image in an aperture portion of a film carrier; evaluating a weight by synthesizing said certainty factor; and applying the weight to the image data of the photometric point to determine a specific exposure.

Claim 21

Method of determining an exposure for use in an image forming apparatus comprising steps of: dividing a color film image into a multiplicity of portions for the photometric purpose; for the resulting image data, evaluating a certainty factor by a membership function of the image data relative to the displacement of said film image in an aperture portion of a film carrier; evaluating a weight by synthesizing said certainty factor; and applying the weight to the image data of the photometric point to determine a specific exposure.

Claim 22

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (17) wherein said image data is on the feature values used for determining the exposure for the color film image.

Claim 23

Method of determining an exposure as set forth in Claim (17) wherein said image data is on the density at the divided point on the film image.