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US4803496A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for recording a color image

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1986-06-30
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Granted: 1989-02-07
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Expires: 2006-06-30
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Abstract

Abstract A method of recording a full color image, for use in a printer such as a thermal printer, by means of a plurality of color inks of such as yellow, cyan, and magenta, and a black ink which is to be printed in an area in which the color inks are superimposed. For black area compensation the black ink is printed in an area smaller than an area in which the color inks are superimposed and which is obtained through the Neugebauer equation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Haruko Kawakami
  • 👤 Hidekazu Sekizawa
  • 👤 Naofumi Yamamoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 10:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6016; H04N1/6022; H04N1/52

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 84 words
In a method for recording a full color image with the use of three reference color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and a black ink, the black ink being last printed so as to be superimposed on an area in which all the reference color inks are superimposed, an area ratio BK of the black ink occupied relative to a pixel area in a unit pixel is set smaller than area ratios occupied by the respective reference inks superimposed within the unit pixel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 84 words
In a method for recording a full color image with the use of three reference color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and a black ink, the black ink being last printed so as to be superimposed on an area in which all the reference color inks are superimposed, an area ratio BK of the black ink occupied relative to a pixel area in a unit pixel is set smaller than area ratios occupied by the respective reference inks superimposed within the unit pixel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 157 words
A thermal color printing method for recording a full color image by using three reference color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and a black ink, said method comprising the steps of: producing an electrical signal which defines respective amounts for the three reference color inks employed to print a unit pixel of the full color image; detecting an overlapping area in which the three reference color links printed are superimposed with each other within the unit pixel; and printing a black ink on the three reference color inks in the unit pixel such that it is positioned substantially in said overlapping area and has a specific area which is set smaller than said overlapping area; wherein an area ratio of the black ink to be printed in the unit pixel is set smaller than area ratios occupied by said reference color inks superimposed with each other in said overlapping area, to thereby define said specific area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 157 words
A thermal color printing method for recording a full color image by using three reference color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and a black ink, said method comprising the steps of: producing an electrical signal which defines respective amounts for the three reference color inks employed to print a unit pixel of the full color image; detecting an overlapping area in which the three reference color links printed are superimposed with each other within the unit pixel; and printing a black ink on the three reference color inks in the unit pixel such that it is positioned substantially in said overlapping area and has a specific area which is set smaller than said overlapping area; wherein an area ratio of the black ink to be printed in the unit pixel is set smaller than area ratios occupied by said reference color inks superimposed with each other in said overlapping area, to thereby define said specific area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the area ratio BK of the black ink is set to a value which is proportional to the n-th (n≦1) power of a product of the area ratios of all the reference color inks superimposed within the unit pixel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the area ratio BK of the black ink is determined by an equation given by BK=(2/π)·sin.sup.-1 (BK).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference color inks are yellow, magenta, and cyan.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4683492A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-02-07 1992-08-08 1993-02-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-02-07 1996-08-08 1997-02-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-02-07 2000-08-08 2001-02-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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