IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reproducibility of an output image while placing a limit on the quantity of toner or ink to be attached to a printed matter per unit area.

SOLUTION: A signal adjustment unit (200) for supplying an image signal to a printer (105) for forming an image on a recording medium by using a recording agent includes: a number of limit color storage section (203) for storing a limit value of a total sum of signal levels of the image signal outputted to the printer; an entry means for entering a CMYK signal; a number of color discrimination section (200-1) for comparing the total sum of the signal levels of the received CMYK signals with the limit value; a UCR (204) for carrying out under color reduction processing to replace a prescribed amount of CMY signals with K signals when the total sum exceeds the limit value; a number of color discrimination section (200-2) for comparing the total sum of the signal levels of the received CMYK signals after the under color reduction processing with the limit value; and an adjustment section (205) for reducing the CMY signals after the under color reduction processing at the same rate so that the total sum after the under color reduction processing is the limit value or below when the total sum after the under color reduction processing exceeds the limit value.

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