JP2013099944A - Image processing device and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form an image having rainbow-like luster in a designated area.SOLUTION: Image data and area data indicating an area where rainbow-like luster is generated are input (S201, S202), and an image based on the image data is formed on a recording medium using a color material (S206). Then, by use of an image quality adjustment material, an interference generation layer for generating interference of light is formed on the recording medium where the image is formed, on the basis of the area data (S207).

Description

  The present invention relates to image processing for forming an image having a rainbow-like glow.

  The progress of various types of printers (digital image output devices) such as ink jet, electrophotography, and sublimation type has been remarkable, and it has become an era when photo printing can be enjoyed easily. Now that photographic prints have become commonplace, in addition to improving the image quality of image output devices, a new way of enjoying photographic prints unique to digital is required. As a technique that meets such a requirement, a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording paper having a rainbow-like glow (hereinafter, rainbow-like glow) is known (Patent Document 1).

  The rainbow-like luster is an interference color whose color changes depending on the observation angle, and is also called pearl luster or play color, and has an excellent aesthetic appearance. In familiar examples, you can observe rainbow-like irradiance on the back of a compact disc (CD) or on the surface of a soap bubble. Because the rainbow-colored prints have a fantastic texture, you can enjoy new textures that are not found in conventional prints.

  The generation mechanism of the rainbow-like glow is generally called thin film interference. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams for explaining the generation mechanism of the rainbow-like iris due to thin film interference. Consider a case where light 12 is incident on a thin film 11 on a substrate 10 at an incident angle of 45 degrees as shown in FIG. The reflected light from the thin film 11 is composed of two light beams, a reflected light 13 from the surface of the thin film and a light 14 that passes through the thin film 11 and is reflected from the bottom surface of the thin film. Since there is a difference (optical path difference) in the path through which the two light beams pass, when the two light beams are combined, light intensity is strengthened and weakened (interference) due to the relationship between the wavelength and the optical path difference. As shown in FIG. 2, when the optical path difference is exactly the wavelength, the peak of the wave overlaps and the light intensity increases. On the other hand, when the optical path difference is a half wavelength, the peaks and valleys of the waves overlap and the light intensity decreases. Thus, since the reflection intensity varies depending on the wavelength, the reflected light from the thin film 11 is observed in color.

  The technique of Patent Document 1 forms a colloidal silica layer on the entire recording paper, and generates a rainbow-like glow by interference of reflected light from the surface and the bottom surface of the silica layer. The colloidal silica layer corresponds to the thin film 11 in FIG. 1, that is, the interference generation layer.

  In addition, a technique for reproducing a rainbow-like glow in an inkjet method is known (Patent Document 2). The technique of Patent Document 2 forms a regular periodic structure with ink on recording paper, and generates a rainbow-like iris by light interference.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a regular periodic structure is formed with ink on a recording sheet. As shown in FIG. 3, when the ink 21 is arranged on the recording paper 20 in a grid pattern at a constant interval, the light paths incident on the ink 21 are A ₀ A ₁ A ₂ , B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ , C It is represented by ₀ C ₁ C ₂ . As shown in FIG. 3, when the observation direction is not the regular reflection direction, the optical path lengths A ₀ A ₁ A ₂ , B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ , and C ₀ C ₁ C ₂ are different from each other. Although the optical path lengths are different from each other, since the inks 21 are regularly arranged, the optical path differences A ₀ A ₁ A ₂ -B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ and C ₀ C ₁ C ₂ -B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ Is constant. Since the reflection intensity from the ink 21 varies depending on the wavelength due to the relationship between the optical path difference and the wavelength, the reflected light is colored and observed.

  However, with the technique of Patent Document 1, the entire surface of the recording paper has an rainbow-like irradiance, and it is not possible to selectively generate an rainbow-like irradiance on an arbitrary part of the recording paper. For example, even if an attempt is made to print a photographic print with a rainbow-like decoration frame, it is not possible to selectively generate a rainbow-like glow. Alternatively, when printing is performed using a color material such as a pigment, the color material covers and interferes with the interference generation layer, and no rainbow-like glow occurs in the region where the color material is fixed.

  In addition, the change of the color depending on the observation angle in the rainbow-like glow can be realized by changing the thickness of the interference generation layer. However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the thickness of the interference generation layer is fixed and cannot be adjusted when the recording paper is manufactured.

  In other words, the technique of Patent Document 1 has limited generation of rainbow-like irradiance, and cannot generate rainbow-like irradiance according to the user's intention and preference.

Further, the technique of Patent Document 2 that generates a rainbow-like glow due to the regular periodic structure of the ink allows the ink to be printed on the surface of the final print even if the ink is periodically arranged when the recording paper is uneven. The regular periodic structure is not formed. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a regular periodic structure is formed with ink on a recording paper having irregularities. As shown in FIG. 4, the ink 21 is periodically arranged in the horizontal direction, but has no periodicity in the vertical direction due to the influence of irregularities on the surface of the recording paper. Accordingly, the arrangement of the inks 21 in the vertical direction has no periodicity and regularity, so the optical path difference is not constant (optical path difference A ₀ A ₁ A ₂ -B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ ≠ C ₀ C ₁ C ₂ -B ₀ B ₁ B ₂ ).

  As described above, the technique of Patent Document 2 can generate a rainbow-like glow only in the case of a recording paper with a flat surface that does not hinder the formation of a regular periodic structure of ink. Even in the case of inkjet paper such as glossy paper, which has a relatively smooth surface, there are irregular irregularities of the order of the wavelength of light on the surface. Therefore, the optical path difference becomes irregular and it is difficult to generate a rainbow-like glow.

JP 2005-138515 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-239661

  An object of the present invention is to form a rainbow-like glow in a specified area on a recording medium.

  The present invention has the following configuration as one means for achieving the above object.

  The image processing according to the present invention inputs region data indicating a region in which a rainbow-like irradiance is generated on a recording medium and color information of the rainbow-like irradiance, and on the recording medium based on the region data and the color information. The interference generating layer is formed by controlling the thickness of the interference generating layer that generates light interference using an image quality adjusting material.

  According to the present invention, a rainbow-like glow can be formed in a designated area on a recording medium.

The figure explaining the generation | occurrence | production mechanism of the rainbow-like glow by thin film interference. The figure explaining the generation | occurrence | production mechanism of the rainbow-like glow by thin film interference. The figure which shows a mode that the regular periodic structure was formed with the ink on the recording paper. The figure which shows a mode that it tried to form a regular periodic structure with the ink on the recording paper with an unevenness | corrugation. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment. The flowchart explaining the image process which forms the image which has a rainbow-like glow. The figure which shows an example of a chromaticity / thickness correspondence table. The figure which shows an example of a usage-amount-thickness correspondence table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording unit of an inkjet recording apparatus that can be applied to an image forming unit. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence example of recording elements involved in each position of an image formed in the multipass recording method. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence example of recording elements involved in each position of an image formed in 1-pass printing. The figure which shows the cross section for 1 line of recording. The figure explaining the generation | occurrence | production mechanism of a rainbow-like glow. The figure showing the relationship between the thickness (film thickness) of the interference generation layer by the optical interference simulation, and chromaticity. The figure showing the relationship (standard deviation) and the chromaticity of the thickness (film thickness) of the interference generation layer by optical interference simulation. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electrophotographic apparatus. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to a third embodiment. 10 is a flowchart for explaining image processing for forming an image having a rainbow-like glow according to the third embodiment.

  Hereinafter, image processing according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment, which includes an image processing unit 101 and an image forming unit 102. The image processing unit 101 may be configured as an arithmetic unit, the image forming unit 102 as a printer engine, and an image forming apparatus such as a printer. Alternatively, a computer apparatus (PC) that realizes the image processing unit 101 and an image forming apparatus including the image forming unit 102 may be connected to form the image processing apparatus of this embodiment.

  An image data input unit 106 of the image processing unit 101 inputs image data 103 to be printed. The area data input unit 107 inputs area data 104 indicating an area where a rainbow-like glow is generated. The chromaticity data input unit 108 inputs chromaticity data 105 indicating chromaticity as color information when the rainbow-like glow is observed at a predetermined angle.

  The image conversion unit 109 converts the image data into a data format suitable for the first image forming unit 116 of the image forming unit 102 and stores it in the memory 112. The area data is stored in the memory 110, and the chromaticity data is stored in the memory 111.

  The thickness calculation unit 113 calculates the thickness of the interference generation layer with reference to a chromaticity / thickness correspondence table 119 that holds the correspondence relationship between the chromaticity of the rainbow-like glow and the thickness of the interference generation layer, details of which will be described later. . Although the details will be described later, the usage amount calculation unit 114 refers to the usage amount / thickness correspondence table 115 that holds the correspondence between the usage amount of the image quality adjustment material and the thickness of the interference generation layer, and the amount of the image quality adjustment material to be used. Calculate

  The first image forming unit 116 of the image forming unit 102 forms an image according to the image data stored in the memory 112 by using, for example, an ink jet printer engine. The second image forming unit 117 forms an interference generating layer on the image formed by the first image forming unit 116 by using an image quality adjusting material.

[Image processing]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining image processing for forming an image having a rainbow-like glow, and is processing executed by the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.

  The region data input unit 107 and the chromaticity data input unit 108 input the region data 104 and the chromaticity data 105, respectively, and store the input data in the memories 110 and 111 (S201). Note that the area data 104 may be, for example, a binary image, and a binary image may be created by using drawing software or the like with an area having a value of ‘1’ as a rainbow-like glow generation area. In addition, since the chromaticity of the rainbow-like glow varies depending on the observation angle, it is desirable to set the observation angle and the XYZ chromaticity as a set to the chromaticity data 105.

  Next, the image data input unit 106 inputs, for example, image data 103 in RGB format (S202). The image conversion unit 109 converts the input image data 103 into a data format suitable for the first image forming unit 116 and stores it in the memory 112 (S203). Since the first image forming unit 116 is an ink jet printer, continuous tone printing cannot be performed. Therefore, the image conversion unit 109 performs various image processing including halftone processing on the image data 103 in addition to data format conversion.

  Next, the thickness calculation unit 113 calculates the thickness of the image quality adjusting material from the chromaticity data 105 with reference to the chromaticity / thickness correspondence table 119 (S204). Although the details will be described later, the usage amount calculation unit 114 refers to the usage amount / thickness correspondence table 115 and determines the usage amount of the image quality adjustment material from the calculated thickness of the image quality adjustment material (S205).

  Next, the first image forming unit 116 forms an image represented by the image data stored in the memory 112 (S206). Then, the second image forming unit 117 uses the region data 104 stored in the memory 110 and the calculated usage amount of the image quality adjusting material to determine the rainbow-like iris on the image formed by the first image forming unit 116. An image quality adjusting material is applied (superimposed) on the generation area (S207).

  Through the above processing, an image having a rainbow-like glow is formed on the recording medium.

[Thickness of image quality adjustment material]
The relationship of Equation (1) is established between the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material and the tristimulus values XYZ representing the chromaticity.
┌ ┐ ┌ ┐
│X│ │x (λ) │
│Y│ = ∫S (λ) × 1/4 ・ {1 + cos (4nd ・ cosθπ / λ)} ² × │y (λ) │dλ… (1)
│Z│ │z (λ) │
└ ┘ └ ┘
Where S (λ) is the spectral radiance of the illumination,
x (λ) y (λ) z (λ) is the CIE color matching function,
λ is wavelength,
XYZ is the tristimulus value of chromaticity,
n is the refractive index of the image quality adjustment material,
d is the thickness of the image quality adjustment material,
θ is the observation angle,
The integration range is the visible wavelength range.

In equation (1), the term 1/4 · {1 + cos (4nd · cosθπ / λ)} ² in the center of the right side represents the reflectance for each wavelength. The reason is reflected from the surface and bottom of the image quality adjustment material. The optical path difference between the two rays is 2nd · cos θ. Since the phase difference and the optical path difference have the relationship of Equation (2), the phase difference between the two rays is expressed by 2π · 2nd · cosθ / λ.
Phase difference = 2π / λ x optical path difference (2)

When the phase of one ray is 0, the amplitude of the ray is cos 0, that is, 1, and the amplitude of the other ray is represented by cos (4nd · cos θπ / λ). Taking the average value of the amplitude of the two rays, it is 1/2 · {1 + cos (4nd · cosθπ / λ)}. Considering that the reflection intensity is proportional to the square of the amplitude, the intensity of the reflected light is 1 / 4 · {1 + cos (4nd · cos θπ / λ)} ²

  If equation (1) is used, the tristimulus values XYZ can be obtained from the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material. Therefore, a chromaticity / thickness correspondence table 119 showing the relationship between the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material and the tristimulus values XYZ is created in advance using Equation (1). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the chromaticity / thickness correspondence table 119. That is, the calculation of the thickness of the image quality adjusting material by the thickness calculator 113 (S204) searches for the closest X'Y'Z 'in the chromaticity / thickness correspondence table 119 from the XYZ tristimulus values representing chromaticity, Get the corresponding thickness d. Note that the color difference is used for searching for X′Y′Z ′.

[Amount of image quality adjustment material used]
In order to obtain the usage amount of the image quality adjustment material corresponding to the thickness d calculated by the thickness calculation unit 113, the usage amount of the image quality adjustment material is changed, and the interference generation layer by the image quality adjustment material is formed on the recording medium and the color material. Form and measure the thickness d. Then, a usage / thickness correspondence table 115 showing the relationship between the usage and the thickness is created in advance. That is, in the calculation of the usage fee of the image quality adjusting material by the usage fee calculation unit (S205), the usage amount corresponding to the thickness d calculated by the thickness calculation unit 113 is acquired from the usage amount / thickness correspondence table 115. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the usage amount / thickness correspondence table 115.

[Inkjet recording apparatus]
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording unit of an ink jet recording apparatus applicable to the image forming unit 102.

  The recording head 501 is a multi-head composed of an ink tank that accommodates a plurality of color inks and a recording head that independently corresponds to each color. The carriage 502 is mounted with a recording head 501, and moves and scans in the X direction together with the recording head 501 during a recording operation. When the recording operation is not performed, the carriage 502 moves to the home position HP and stands by.

  The paper feed roller 503 supports the recording medium 506 together with the auxiliary roller 504, rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, and conveys the recording medium 506 in the Y direction as needed. The paper feed roller 505 supplies the recording medium 506 and plays a role of supporting the recording medium 506 in the same manner as the paper feed roller 503 and the auxiliary roller 504.

  When a recording operation command is issued, a sheet of recording medium 506 is fed (conveyed) to a position where recording by the recording head 501 is possible by the sheet feeding roller 505. Next, the carriage 502 moves from the home position HP to the recording position of the recording medium 506 in the X direction. The recording head 501 moved and scanned in the X direction ejects ink according to image data at a predetermined frequency by a plurality of recording elements. When recording for one scan by the recording head 501 is completed, the paper feed roller 503 performs sub-scanning for transporting the recording medium 506 by a predetermined amount in the Y direction. The above-described recording scan (main scan) and sub-scan are alternately repeated to sequentially form images on the recording medium 506.

  In recent years, many inkjet recording apparatuses perform multi-pass processing in which the recording head 501 is scanned a plurality of times to eject ink. In the multi-pass recording method, the recording head 501 is divided into several recording elements, and the recording medium 506 corresponding to one divided block is conveyed (paper feed). Then, the recording head 501 scans the same area of the recording medium 506 a plurality of times, and recording is performed with recording elements of different blocks each time scanning is performed.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence example of printing elements involved in each position of an image formed in the multi-pass printing method. When the recording head 501 has 16 recording elements, if the 16 recording elements are divided into 4 blocks, the same area is scanned four times to form an image.

  When the multi-pass processing is not performed, when the recording head 501 performs recording for one scan, the recording head 501 is fed by the width of the recording head 501 to record the next area (one-pass printing). That is, the recording head 501 does not scan the same area of the recording medium a plurality of times.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence example of printing elements involved in each position of an image formed in one-pass printing. When the recording head 501 has 16 recording elements, only one recording element is involved in one line of the formed image.

[Recording of image quality adjustment material]
In this embodiment, it is necessary to superimpose an image quality adjusting material with a uniform thickness on the recording medium and the color material. As a method for superimposing the image quality adjusting material with a uniform thickness, it is possible to record the image quality adjusting material with a reduced number of passes.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a cross section for one recording line, and the numbers in the figure correspond to the numbers of the recording elements that ejected ink. When the number of passes is large, the printing time for one line is increased, the previously recorded ink is dried, and the subsequent ink is superimposed on the dried ink. As a result, the surface of the dried ink becomes rough, and the interference generation layer cannot be formed with a uniform thickness.

  On the other hand, when printing with a small number of passes (low pass printing), such as 1-pass printing, ink is ejected in a short time, so the inks are combined on the recording medium or color material before the ink dries. To do. As a result, the surface of the dried ink becomes smooth, and the interference generation layer can be formed with a uniform thickness.

  The method for realizing the uniform thickness of the interference generation layer is not limited to the control of the number of passes. For example, the interference generation layer can be made uniform according to the characteristics of the image quality adjusting material itself, for example, the viscosity of the ink is lowered to make the ink spread easily. Various thicknesses may be realized. As a method for reducing the viscosity, it is conceivable to increase the amount of resin contained in the ink.

[Raining mechanism of rainbow-like glow]
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the generation mechanism of the rainbow-like glow, and schematically shows a cross section in a state where the image quality adjusting material 512 is applied (superimposed with a thickness d) on the image formed on the recording medium 506 having an uneven surface. It represents.

The light incident on the image is divided into two light beams, a reflected light 513 from the surface of the image quality adjusting material 512 and a reflected light 514 from the interface between the image quality adjusting material 512 and the color material 511. The optical path difference between the two rays is 2nd · cos θ, where n is the refractive index of the image quality adjusting material 512. Accordingly, the phase difference between the two light rays becomes 0 with respect to the wavelength λ satisfying the expression (3), and the light of the wavelength λ is strongly reflected.
λ = 2nd ・ cosθ / m (3)
Where m is an integer.

  Even if the image quality adjusting material 512 is directly printed on the recording medium 506 on which the color material 511 is not fixed, the reflected light from the surface of the image quality adjusting material 512 and the recording medium 506 and the image quality adjusting material 512 are The reflected light from the interface interferes to generate a rainbow-like glow.

[Conditions for generating a rainbow-like glow]
In order to satisfactorily generate a rainbow-like glow, reflected light from the interface between the image quality adjusting material and the color material and from the interface between the image quality adjusting material and the recording medium needs to pass through the image quality adjusting material. For this reason, it is desirable that the transmittance of the image quality adjusting material is high, and a transparent color material such as clear ink is suitable as the image quality adjusting material.

  In proportion to the thickness of the image quality adjusting material, the number of wavelengths of visible light satisfying Equation (3) increases, and a plurality of wavelengths are emphasized and reflected. Therefore, when the image quality adjusting material is too thick, light of various wavelengths is reflected, and as a result, a specific color is not observed.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the relationship between the thickness (film thickness) of an interference generation layer and chromaticity by optical interference simulation. A chromaticity of 0 indicates that the color of the reflected light is the same as the color of the illumination, and no rainbow-like glow is observed.

  In order to be able to recognize the difference between the color of the illumination and the color of the reflected light from the printed material, the color difference between the color of the illumination and the color of the reflected light needs to be 3 or more. When the color of illumination is used as a chromaticity standard, the chromaticity of reflected light needs to be 3 or more. In FIG. 14, when the film thickness is 3 μm or less, the chromaticity is 3 or more, and the reflected light from the printed matter is colored and observed. In other words, the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material needs to be 3 μm or less in order to generate a rainbow-like glow satisfactorily.

  Further, when the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material is non-uniform in a minute region on the order of microns, the wavelength of light emphasized differs depending on the region. The light that enters the eye is the sum of the light from fine regions, and as a result of mixing of light of a plurality of wavelengths, a specific color is not observed.

  Fig. 15 shows the relationship between the thickness (thickness) of the interference generation layer (standard deviation) and the chromaticity in the optical interference simulation. Variations in film thickness occur at the standard thicknesses of 0.1, 1, and 3 µm. This is the result of optical interference simulation. As shown in FIG. 15, when the variation in film thickness is 200 nm or less in standard deviation, the chromaticity is 3 or more, and the reflected light from the printed matter is colored and observed. In other words, in order to satisfactorily generate a rainbow-like glow, the variation in the thickness d of the image quality adjusting material needs to be 200 nm or less.

  Also, if the interface between the color material and the image quality adjusting material is rough, the incident light is irregularly reflected and no specular reflection occurs, so that a rainbow-like glow cannot be generated satisfactorily. In order to smooth the interface between the color material and the image quality adjusting material, the surface of the color material to be recorded in the first image forming unit 116 may be about the roughness of general glossy paper. As the method, for example, when the first image forming unit 116 is an ink jet recording apparatus, low-pass printing may be performed. Further, in order to smooth the interface between the recording medium and the image quality adjusting agent, a recording medium having high smoothness such as glossy paper may be employed.

  In this manner, separately from the image data, area data indicating an area where the rainbow-like iris is generated is prepared, and an interference generation layer made of an image quality adjusting material is formed on the recording medium and the color material in the designated area. Therefore, it is possible to generate a rainbow-like glow in the designated area regardless of the presence or absence of the color material on the recording medium.

  Even if the recording medium is uneven, an interference generating layer having a substantially uniform thickness is formed, so that a rainbow-like iris can be generated by the principle of thin film interference.

  Furthermore, by adjusting the thickness of the interference generating layer according to the amount of the image quality adjusting material used, it is possible to adjust the color change depending on the observation angle of the rainbow-like irradiance at the time of image formation.

  The image processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that in this embodiment, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment denote the same parts, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  In the first embodiment, an example in which the image forming unit 102 is an ink jet recording apparatus is described. In the second embodiment, an example in which the image forming unit 102 is an electrophotographic apparatus is described. A transparent toner is used as the image quality adjusting material.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an electrophotographic apparatus.

  The drum-type photoconductor 1211 is an image carrier and is driven to rotate at a predetermined peripheral speed in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. The peripheral surface of the photoreceptor 1211 is uniformly charged to a predetermined positive or negative potential by the charging unit 1212 during the rotation process, and is exposed (slit exposure, laser beam) by the light L generated by image exposure means (not shown) in the exposure unit 1213. Scanning exposure). As a result, electrostatic latent images corresponding to the exposure image are sequentially formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor 1211.

  The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner by the developing unit 1214. The toner images are sequentially transferred to the recording medium P by the transfer unit 1215. The recording medium P is conveyed from a paper supply unit (not shown) and is supplied between the photoconductor 1211 and the transfer unit 1215 in synchronization with the rotation of the photoconductor 1211. The recording medium P onto which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photoreceptor 1211 and is guided to the fixing unit 1218 where the toner image is fixed and discharged out of the apparatus.

  The peripheral surface of the photoconductor 1211 after the toner image has been transferred has the transfer residual toner removed by the cleaning unit 1216, discharged by the pre-exposure unit 1217, and repeatedly used for image formation.

  The above is the configuration of the electrophotographic apparatus for one color. The image forming unit 102 is continuously provided with image forming units such as a photoconductor 1211 and a transfer unit 1215 that form toner images of respective color components for the number of color components. Then, for example, after magenta M, cyan C, yellow Y, black K, and transparent T toner images are sequentially superimposed, the fixing unit 1218 fixes the toner image on the recording medium.

  It is necessary to form the image quality adjusting material (transparent toner) on the recording medium and the color material with a uniform thickness. As such a method, a method of making the thickness of the image quality adjusting material uniform by controlling the pressurization by the fixing unit 1218 after transferring the transparent toner can be considered.

  Hereinafter, image processing according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations substantially the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

  In the first and second embodiments, the first image forming unit 116 and the second image forming unit 117 are integrated, but in the third embodiment, they are not integrated. That is, the first image forming unit 116 and the second image forming unit 117 are different image forming apparatuses, and are combined by the transport unit 120 to constitute the image forming unit 102. For example, the first image forming unit 116 is an electrophotographic apparatus, and the second image forming unit 117 is an ink jet recording apparatus that discharges an image quality adjusting material.

  Alternatively, the first image forming unit 116 may be an ink jet recording apparatus, and the second image forming unit 117 may be an electrophotographic apparatus. Of course, two ink jet recording apparatuses may be prepared and the image quality adjusting material may be discharged on one side, or two electrophotographic recording apparatuses may be prepared and the image quality adjusting material may be mounted on one side.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart for explaining image processing for forming an image having a rainbow-like glow according to the third embodiment. This processing is executed by the image processing apparatus shown in FIG.

  The difference from the processing of the first embodiment is that the recording medium on which the image is formed in the first image forming unit 116 is transported to the second image forming unit 117 by the transport unit 120 in step S208.

[Modification]
In the above description, transparent ink or transparent toner is taken as an example of the image quality adjusting material. However, for example, the resin amount of color ink (toner) may be increased and used as the image quality adjusting material.

  The input image data 103 is not limited to the RGB format, but may be other formats such as XYZ, Lab, and CMYK. Similarly, the chromaticity of the rainbow-like glow is not limited to XYZ, and the chromaticity of the rainbow-like glow may be represented by chromaticities of other color systems (for example, sRGB, Lab, etc.).

  In addition, although the inkjet recording method and the electrophotographic method have been described as examples of the image forming unit 102, other recording devices may be used as long as the image forming device can control the thickness of the image quality adjusting material.

  Examples of usable color materials include both dyes and pigments. In the case of a dye color material, since the color material particles are small, the color material may penetrate into the recording medium. Even in this case, if the image quality adjusting material is formed on the recording medium, a rainbow-like iris is generated due to interference between the reflected light from the surface of the image quality adjusting material and the reflected light from the interface between the recording medium and the image quality adjusting material. The pigment color material includes pigment ink and toner, and the dye color material includes dye ink.

[Other embodiments]
Note that the present invention can be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), or a device (for example, a copier, a facsimile machine, a control device) composed of a single device. Etc.).

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing a computer program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus executes the computer program. But it is achieved. In this case, the software read from the storage medium itself realizes the functions of the above embodiments, and the computer program and the computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program constitute the present invention. .

  Further, the above functions are not only realized by the execution of the computer program. That is, according to the instruction of the computer program, the operating system (OS) and / or the first, second, third,... This includes the case where the above function is realized.

  The computer program may be written in a memory of a device such as a function expansion card or unit connected to the computer. That is, it includes the case where the CPU of the first, second, third,... Device performs part or all of the actual processing according to the instructions of the computer program, thereby realizing the above functions.

  When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores a computer program corresponding to or related to the flowchart described above.

Claims (7)

Input means for inputting area data indicating an area to generate a rainbow-like luster on a recording medium and the color information of the rainbow-like iridescence,
Forming means for forming the interference generation layer by controlling the thickness of the interference generation layer that generates light interference on the recording medium using an image quality adjusting material based on the area data and the color information ; An image processing apparatus. Holding means for holding a correspondence relationship between the color information and the amount of use of the image quality adjusting material;
It said forming means, based on the region data and the color information, the correspondence relation image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that to form the interference generating layer using. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the forming unit controls the thickness of the interference generation layer to 3 μm or less.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming unit controls variation in thickness of the interference generation layer to 200 nm or less. The image quality adjustment member is an image processing apparatus according claim 1, wherein any one of claims 4 to be transparent colorant. An image processing method of an image processing apparatus having an input unit and a forming unit,
It said input means inputs the the area data indicating an area to generate a rainbow-like luster on a recording medium and the color information of the rainbow-like iridescence,
Said forming means, based on the region data and the color information, by controlling the thickness of the interference generation layer that generates interference light onto said recording medium by using the image quality adjusting material, to form the interference generation layer An image processing method. Program for causing to function as each means of an image processing apparatus according to the image processing apparatus of claims 1 to any one of claims 5.

Images