US5699167A — Image forming apparatus which outputs a color ima…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: image input means for inputting color image information; color discrimination means for discriminating a color of an image inputted by said image input means at each pixel; image processing means for generating a first color component and a second color component on the basis of the color discrimination result by said color discrimination means; comparing means for comparing values of the first and second color components generated by said image processing means; selecting means for selecting either the first color component or the second color component on the basis of the comparison result by said comparing means; diffusion means for diffusing a color component which is not selected by said selecting means to neighboring pixels; and image output means for outputting a plurality of color information independently, wherein said selecting means selects the color component having the larger value out of the first and second color components on the basis of the comparison result.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 159 words

An image forming apparatus comprising: image input means for inputting color image information; color discrimination means for discriminating a color of an image inputted by said image input means at each pixel; image processing means for generating a first color component and a second color component on the basis of the color discrimination result by said color discrimination means; comparing means for comparing values of the first and second color components generated by said image processing means; selecting means for selecting either the first color component or the second color component on the basis of the comparison result by said comparing means; diffusion means for diffusing a color component which is not selected by said selecting means to neighboring pixels; and image output means for outputting a plurality of color information independently, wherein said selecting means selects the color component having the larger value out of the first and second color components on the basis of the comparison result.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 93 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storing means for storing the color information outputted from said image output means, wherein said selecting means judges whether or not pixels neighboring to the pixel of interest in a predetermined area are filled with one color component on the basis of the stored color information and, in a case where the predetermined area is filled with said one color, said selecting means selects a color component data other than said one color component regardless of the comparison result by said comparing means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising random number generating means for generating random numbers, wherein the size of said predetermined area can be changed depending on the random numbers generated by the random number generating means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means generates a color component by adding a predetermined value to color component data corresponding to the color discriminated by said color discrimination means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means multiplies a value of a color component which is not selected by said selecting means out of the first and second color components, by a predetermined coefficient which is less than one.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image processing means performs said multiplication before the diffusion by said diffusion means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means generates a color component by adding a value, which is obtained by multiplying one of the first and second color components by a predetermined coefficient which is less than one, to the other color component.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects a color component having a smaller value out of the first and second color components in a case where the difference between the first and second components is smaller than a predetermined value.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 227 words

An image forming apparatus which outputs a color image by separating color image information into at least two color components comprising: color separating means for separating a pixel of interest of a color image information to be outputted into two color components, a first color component and a second color component; color data generating means for generating a first color data by adding a first diffusion data to the first color component and a second color data by adding a second diffusion data to the second color component; comparing means for comparing the first color data and the second color data; selecting means for selecting one of the first and second color data on the basis of the comparison result by said comparing means; diffusion means for assigning color data which is not selected by said selecting means to pixels neighboring a pixel of interest in regular order, and for regarding the obtained data as the first diffusion data or the second diffusion data; first image forming means for forming an image by selecting a predetermined color out of at least one color in accordance with the first color data selected by said selecting means; and second image forming means for forming an image by selecting a predetermined color out of at least one color in accordance with the second color data selected by said selecting means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 227 words

An image forming apparatus which outputs a color image by separating color image information into at least two color components comprising: color separating means for separating a pixel of interest of a color image information to be outputted into two color components, a first color component and a second color component; color data generating means for generating a first color data by adding a first diffusion data to the first color component and a second color data by adding a second diffusion data to the second color component; comparing means for comparing the first color data and the second color data; selecting means for selecting one of the first and second color data on the basis of the comparison result by said comparing means; diffusion means for assigning color data which is not selected by said selecting means to pixels neighboring a pixel of interest in regular order, and for regarding the obtained data as the first diffusion data or the second diffusion data; first image forming means for forming an image by selecting a predetermined color out of at least one color in accordance with the first color data selected by said selecting means; and second image forming means for forming an image by selecting a predetermined color out of at least one color in accordance with the second color data selected by said selecting means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 39 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said selecting means selects a color data having a larger value out of the first and second color data on the basis of the comparison result by said comparing means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 43 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said selecting means selects a color data having a smaller value out of the first and second color data when a difference between the first and second data is smaller than a predetermined value.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said selecting means selects a predetermined color data out of the first and second color data when a difference between the first and second data is smaller than a predetermined value.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 54 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising random number generating means for generating random numbers, wherein said selecting means selects a color data depending upon the random numbers generated by said random number generating means when a difference between the first and second color data is smaller than a predetermined value.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 43 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a process of generating the diffusion data by said diffusion means includes an operation of multiplying color data which is not selected by said selecting means by a coefficient which is less than one.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 47 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first image forming means forms an image after performing a first operation on the first color data, and wherein said second image forming means forms an image after performing a second operation on the second color data.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 55 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first operation includes a process at which the first color data is multiplied by a coefficient that is less than one, and wherein the second operation includes a process in which the second color data is multiplied by a coefficient that is less than one.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in a case where a value of the first or second diffusion data associated with said pixel of interest is larger than a predetermined value, said selecting means selects color data corresponding to the diffusion data which surpasses the predetermined value, regardless of the comparison result by said comparing means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 42 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said comparing means calculates a ratio of the first color data to the second color data associated with pixel of interest, and wherein said selecting means selects color data depending on the ratio.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 197 words

The image forming apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising: means for obtaining a first sum of the first color data selected in a predetermined area adjacent to said pixel of interest; means for obtaining a second sum of the second color data selected in a predetermined area adjacent to said pixel of interest; means for obtaining a third sum of the first color data of said pixel of interest and the first sum; means for obtaining a fourth sum of the second color data of said pixel of interest and the second sum; means for calculating a first ratio of the third sum to the second sum; means for calculating a second ratio of the first sum to the fourth sum; means for calculating a third ratio of the first color data to the second color data associated with said pixel of interest; and means for calculating an average of the first ratio and the second ratio, wherein said selecting means selects the first color data in a case where the third ratio is smaller than the average and selects the second color data in a case where the third ratio is larger than the average.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-12-15	2001-06-16	2001-12-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-12-15	2005-06-16	2005-12-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-12-15	2009-06-16	2009-12-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image forming apparatus which outputs a color image by separating color image information into at least two color components

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