Method and apparatus for improving full color images using process black and printer black

Claim 1

A method for improving color output images printed on a selected printer, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel; (5) determining a printer producible black component value of the neutral value component producible by the selected printer; (6) determining boosted original color component values based on the printer producible black component value; (7) determining non-black output color component values based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (8) repeating steps 2-7 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (9) outputting the converted image.

Claim 2

A method for improving color output images printed on a selected printer, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel; (5) determining a printer producible black component value of the neutral value component producible by the selected printer; (6) determining boosted original color component values based on the printer producible black component value; (7) determining non-black output color component values based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (8) repeating steps 2-7 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (9) outputting the converted image.

Claim 7

A method for converting a 3-color output-color input image to a 4-color output image comprising: (1) inputting the 3-color output-color image, the output color image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a first output color component, a second output color component and a third output color component; (2) converting the output-color image to an original color image; (3) selecting one of the pixels; (4) determining first, second and third original color values of the selected pixel for first, second and third original color components; (5) determining a neutral intensity value based on the determined original color values; (6) determining an output black-color intensity value component of the determined neutral color intensity value, wherein the output black color intensity value component comprises a printer-black color component and a process-black color component, the printer-black color component value determined based on printer-producible black component values; (7) determining first, second and third output color intensity values for the selected pixel based on the determined original color values and the determined output black color intensity value; (8) converting the selected pixel having the first, second and third input color components to a selected output pixel having the first, second and third output-color components; (9) combining the first, second and third output color components with the determined output black color value to form a 4-color output image pixel; (10) repeating steps 3-9 for each remaining original pixel, thereby creating a 4-color output image; and (11) outputting the 4 -color image.

Claim 8

A method for converting a 3-color output-color input image to a 4-color output image comprising: (1) inputting the 3-color output-color image, the output color image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a first output color component, a second output color component and a third output color component; (2) converting the output-color image to an original color image; (3) selecting one of the pixels; (4) determining first, second and third original color values of the selected pixel for first, second and third original color components; (5) determining a neutral intensity value based on the determined original color values; (6) determining an output black-color intensity value component of the determined neutral color intensity value, wherein the output black color intensity value component comprises a printer-black color component and a process-black color component, the printer-black color component value determined based on printer-producible black component values; (7) determining first, second and third output color intensity values for the selected pixel based on the determined original color values and the determined output black color intensity value; (8) converting the selected pixel having the first, second and third input color components to a selected output pixel having the first, second and third output-color components; (9) combining the first, second and third output color components with the determined output black color value to form a 4-color output image pixel; (10) repeating steps 3-9 for each remaining original pixel, thereby creating a 4-color output image; and (11) outputting the 4 -color image.

Claim 10

An apparatus for converting a 3 color original image to a 4 color output image, comprising: a first memory for storing at least one pixel of the 3 color original image, the image comprising a plurality of pixels and having 3 color components, each pixel having a first original color component value, a second original value and a third original color component value; a neutral component determining means for determining at least one of a neutral component value, a black component value and a printer-producible black component value for each of the plurality of pixels; a boosted color component determining means for determining a boosted first original color component value, a boosted second original color component value and a boosted third original color component value for each of the plurality of pixels; an output color component determining means for determining a first output color component value, a second output color component value and a third output color component for each of the plurality of pixels; and a second memory for storing for at least one pixel at least the printer-producible black component value and the first, second and third output color component values of each of the plurality of pixels.

Claim 11

An apparatus for converting a 3 color original image to a 4 color output image, comprising: a first memory for storing at least one pixel of the 3 color original image, the image comprising a plurality of pixels and having 3 color components, each pixel having a first original color component value, a second original value and a third original color component value; a neutral component determining means for determining at least one of a neutral component value, a black component value and a printer-producible black component value for each of the plurality of pixels; a boosted color component determining means for determining a boosted first original color component value, a boosted second original color component value and a boosted third original color component value for each of the plurality of pixels; an output color component determining means for determining a first output color component value, a second output color component value and a third output color component for each of the plurality of pixels; and a second memory for storing for at least one pixel at least the printer-producible black component value and the first, second and third output color component values of each of the plurality of pixels.

Claim 16

A method for improving color output images, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel; (5) determining a printer black component value of the neutral value component; (6) determining boosted original color component values by scaling the original color component values by a function of the printer black component value; (7) generating a converted pixel comprising non-black output color components based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (8) repeating steps 2-7 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (9) outputting the converted image.

Claim 17

A method for improving color output images, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel; (5) determining a printer black component value of the neutral value component; (6) determining boosted original color component values by scaling the original color component values by a function of the printer black component value; (7) generating a converted pixel comprising non-black output color components based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (8) repeating steps 2-7 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (9) outputting the converted image.

Claim 18

A method for improving color output images, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a largest one of the original color component values for each pixel; (5) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel based on the determined largest original color component value; (6) determining a printer black component value of the neutral value component; (7) determining boosted original color component values based on the printer black component value; (8) generating a converted pixel comprising non-black output color components based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (9) repeating steps 2-8 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (10) outputting the converted image.

Claim 19

A method for improving color output images, comprising: (1) inputting an original full color image comprising original color components, the image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having original color component values; (2) selecting one of the plurality of pixels; (3) determining original color component values for the original color components of the selected pixel; (4) determining a largest one of the original color component values for each pixel; (5) determining a neutral component value of the selected pixel based on the determined largest original color component value; (6) determining a printer black component value of the neutral value component; (7) determining boosted original color component values based on the printer black component value; (8) generating a converted pixel comprising non-black output color components based on the boosted non-black original color component values of the selected pixel; (9) repeating steps 2-8 for remaining ones of the plurality of pixels to create a converted image; and (10) outputting the converted image.