Mask based toner reduction

摘要

Systems and methods for reducing toner usage. A print job is received into a print engine. The print engine comprises a processor, and the print job comprises an image. A halftone screen is applied to the pixels of continuous image data for the image. The processor produces a threshold array of pixel values based on the halftone screen. The processor generates a mask based on the halftone screen for each color plane of the image. The processor applies the mask to the threshold array, creating a modified threshold array. The modified threshold array corresponds to relatively reduced toner usage for rendering the image.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
receiving a print job into a print engine comprising a processor, said processor being specialized for processing image data, said print job comprising an image; producing, with said processor, an array of pixel values for each color plane of said image by applying a halftone screen associated with said print engine, said halftone screen including separate halftone frequencies and different threshold values for each color plane of said image, said halftone frequencies and said threshold values having been established during calibration of said print engine, said array of pixel values comprising a threshold array; generating, with said processor, a mask for each said color plane of said image to be applied to said halftone screen, said generating said mask comprising:
grouping said pixel values for said threshold array into a selected number of clusters,arranging said clusters into a cluster array using one pixel value from each cluster, andidentifying pixel values to remove from said threshold array, said identifying said pixel values comprising locating each said pixel value in said cluster array and selecting a pixel value from each cluster to be removed, said mask being controlled to avoid removing two consecutive pixels from said image; and applying, using said processor, said mask to said threshold array, creating a modified threshold array, said modified threshold array corresponding to reduced toner usage for a rendered image.