US5469266A — Color image processing apparatus which uses diffe…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 123 words

A color image processing apparatus for forming a color image comprising at least three color components, said image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data for each of the color components; and image forming means for frame sequentially forming an image of each of the color components in accordance with the inputted image data; wherein at least one of a first and a last image formed of one of a first of said at least three color components has a first screen angle, wherein two images respectively formed of at least a second and third of said at least three color components have a common second screen angle, and wherein the first screen angle is different from the second screen angle.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 123 words

A color image processing apparatus for forming a color image comprising at least three color components, said image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data for each of the color components; and image forming means for frame sequentially forming an image of each of the color components in accordance with the inputted image data; wherein at least one of a first and a last image formed of one of a first of said at least three color components has a first screen angle, wherein two images respectively formed of at least a second and third of said at least three color components have a common second screen angle, and wherein the first screen angle is different from the second screen angle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 92 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means inputs image data for each of the color components and transmits inputted image data in a raster successive manner, and wherein said image forming means comprises: a pattern signal generator for generating a predetermined pattern signal; a PWM signal generator for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal in accordance with the pattern signal and the image data for each of the color components; and an image forming unit for forming an image in accordance with said PWM signal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 64 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a plurality of pattern signals having different phases and wherein said pattern signal generator shifts a phase of each of the pattern signals by a predetermined quantity for each of a plurality of lines so that an image is formed at a screen angle corresponding to the predetermined quantity.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pattern signal generator generates the predetermined pattern signal one period of which corresponds to a plurality of pixels.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 67 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image forming means forms the image for each of the color components at different screen angles from each other by shifting a position of dots for each of a plurality of lines by a shifting quantity, a unit of which is smaller than one pixel, the shifting quantity being different for each of the color components.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a triangular wave signal as the predetermined pattern signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said pattern signal generator comprises: a reference pattern signal generating unit for generating a reference pattern signal; a delay circuit for outputting a plurality of pattern signals having different phases by delaying the reference pattern signal; and a selector for selecting one pattern signal from said plurality of pattern signals having different phases so as to supply the one pattern signal to said PWM signal generator.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 65 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus forms one dot corresponding to more than one pixel in a single main-scanning line of the input image data, and wherein said apparatus shifts a line directional position of dots line by line, a quantity by which the line directional position of dots is shifted being settable smaller than one pixel of the inputted image data.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 91 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said input means inputs the image data for each of the color components which is transmitted in a raster successive manner, and wherein said image forming means comprises: a pattern signal generator for generating a predetermined pattern signal; a PWM signal generator for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal in accordance with the pattern signal and the image data for each of the color components; and an image forming unit for forming an image in accordance with the PWM signal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 58 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a plurality of predetermined pattern signals having respectively different phases and wherein said image forming means shifts the line directional position of dots by shifting a phase of at least one of said plurality of pattern signals generated by said pattern signal generator.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

A color image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a pattern signal one period of which corresponds to a plurality of pixels.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 74 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus forms a color image composed of at least four color components, and wherein said image forming means makes the first screen angle for a color component whose image is formed first, a third screen angle for a color component whose image is formed last, and the second screen angle for others of said at least four color components, each to be different from one another.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 90 words

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pattern signal generator shifts positions of dots on a line by changing a phase of the predetermined pattern signal in accordance with a line to be recorded, and wherein said pattern signal generator generates the predetermined pattern signal of which a period corresponds to more than one pixel in a single main-scanning line of the inputted image data, and wherein a shifting quantity of the positions of the pattern signal generator is settable smaller than one pixel of the inputted image data.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said apparatus forms one dot corresponding to the inputted image data for a plurality of pixels.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said apparatus forms an image in response to the PWM signal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said pattern signal generator changes the phase of the predetermined pattern signal in accordance with a color component and a line to be recorded.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 64 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a plurality of predetermined pattern signals having respectively different phases and wherein said pattern signal generator shifts a phase of each of the predetermined pattern signals by a predetermined quantity for each of a plurality of lines so that an image is formed at a screen angle corresponding to the predetermined quantity.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a predetermined pattern signal one period of which corresponds to a plurality of pixels.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 158 words

A color image processing apparatus for transmitting image data to an image forming apparatus which frame-sequentially forms an image of the each of plural color components, comprising: processing means for processing the image data so as to shift a position of dots to be formed line by line for each of plural scanning lines; and transmitting means for transmitting the processed image data to the image forming apparatus in a raster successive order; wherein said transmitting means transmits the image data comprising at least three color components, and wherein said processing means processes image data for at least one of a first and a last one of the color components to be transmitted so as to form an image having a first screen angle, and processes image data for at least two of remaining ones of the color components so as to form images having a common second screen angle which is different from the first screen angle.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 158 words

A color image processing apparatus for transmitting image data to an image forming apparatus which frame-sequentially forms an image of the each of plural color components, comprising: processing means for processing the image data so as to shift a position of dots to be formed line by line for each of plural scanning lines; and transmitting means for transmitting the processed image data to the image forming apparatus in a raster successive order; wherein said transmitting means transmits the image data comprising at least three color components, and wherein said processing means processes image data for at least one of a first and a last one of the color components to be transmitted so as to form an image having a first screen angle, and processes image data for at least two of remaining ones of the color components so as to form images having a common second screen angle which is different from the first screen angle.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 78 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: a pattern signal generator for generating a predetermined pattern signal, a phase of which is shifted by a predetermined quantity for each scanning line so that an image is formed at a screen angle corresponding to the shifted quantity; and a PWM signal generator for generating a pulse width modulated (PWM) image data in accordance with the pattern signal and a pixel density level of each of the color components.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said pattern signal generator generates the predetermined pattern signal of which one period corresponds to a plurality of pixels.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said pattern signal generator generates a triangular wave signal as the predetermined pattern signal.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 73 words

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said pattern signal generator comprises: a reference pattern signal generating unit for generating a reference pattern signal; a delay circuit for delaying the reference pattern signal and outputting a plurality of pattern signals having different phases; and a selector for selecting one pattern signal from said plurality of pattern signals having different phases so as to supply the one pattern signal to said PWM signal generator.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 72 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus forms a color image composed of at least four color components, and wherein said apparatus makes the first screen angle for a color component whose image is formed first, a third screen angle for a color component whose image is formed last, and the second screen angle for others of the at least four color components, each to be different from one another.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 56 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said apparatus forms one dot corresponding to more than one pixel in a single main-scanning line of the input image data, and wherein said apparatus shifts a line directional position of dots line by line, a shifting quantity being settable smaller than one pixel of the inputted image data.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 90 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said pattern signal generator shifts positions of dots on a line by changing a phase of the predetermined pattern signal in accordance with a line to be recorded, and wherein said pattern signal generator generates the predetermined pattern signal of which a period corresponds to more than one pixel in a single main-scanning line of the input digital image data, and wherein a shifting quantity of the positions in the pattern generator is settable smaller than one pixel of the inputted digital signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-11-20	1999-05-22	1999-11-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-11-20	2003-05-22	2003-11-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-11-20	2007-05-22	2007-11-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Color image processing apparatus which uses different screen angles for different color components

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