Controller, image forming apparatus, and computer program product for restricting total toner amount

摘要

According to an embodiment, provided is a controller that controls an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium based on image data in which densities of a plurality of colors are specified for each pixel. The controller includes: a setting unit that sets a common representative value to a density of a specific color indicating one of the colors in each of a plurality of pixels included in a specific area indicating a specific area represented in the image data; and a determining unit that determines a density of each of the colors so that a sum of densities of the respective colors other than the specific color in the pixels included in the specific area becomes equal to or lower than a value acquired by subtracting the representative value from a reference value indicating a total amount restriction target of a total amount of toners.

主权项

1. A controller that controls an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium based on image data in which densities of a plurality of colors are specified for each pixel, the controller comprising:
a setting unit that sets a common representative value to a density of a specific color indicating one of the colors in each of a plurality of pixels included in a specific area indicating a specific area represented in the image data; a first determining unit that determines a density of each of the colors so that a sum of densities of the respective colors other than the specific color in the pixels included in the specific area becomes equal to or lower than a value acquired by subtracting the representative value from a reference value indicating a total amount restriction target of a total amount of toners, wherein the specific color is colorless, and the image data includes image data of a color plate and image data of a clear toner plate that is colorless; a second determining unit that determines densities of the pixels, before set to the representative value, included in the specific area in the image data of the clear toner plate based on a gloss controlling value in a gloss controlling plate, the gloss controlling value specifying a gloss controlling value that
identifies a type of a surface effect being a visual or haptic effect given to the recording medium, andidentifies an area in the recording medium to which the surface effect is applied; a first storage unit that stores therein
an input density representing a density of each pixel included in the gloss controlling plate, anda type of a surface effect for applying a haptic effect to a surface of the recording medium on which the image is formed, in an associated manner; and a second storage unit that stores therein
the type of a surface effect, anda type of a pattern image including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix and each of which is set with a density, in an associated manner, wherein the second determining unit determines the densities of the pixels, before set to the representative value, included in the specific area in the image data of the clear toner plate by using the pattern image corresponding to the input density.