METHOD, APPARATUS, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FOR ALTERING A DIGITAL IMAGE FOR A PRINTING JOB

1 . A method for altering a digital image for a printing job, comprising:

receiving, by processing circuitry, a requested printing job including the digital image;

performing, by the processing circuitry, a segmentation on the digital image;

extracting, by the processing circuitry, values of properties for a segment of the segmented digital image;

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the extracted values of the properties for the segment, whether the segment of the digital image should be altered; and

altering, by the processing circuitry, the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, a resulting altered digital image being transmitted to a printer for printing.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the altering is based on alteration instructions generated, by the processing circuitry, for the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, the generated alteration instructions being based on a subset of the properties for the segment.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising

estimating, by the processing circuitry, ink demand for the digital image based on the generated alteration instructions for the segment, and

performing, by the processing circuitry, the altering of the segment when the estimated ink demand for the digital image satisfies a target ink demand.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising

adjusting, by the processing circuitry, the generated alteration instructions when the estimated ink demand for the digital image does not satisfy the target ink demand, and

iteratively preforming, by the processing circuitry, the determining, the estimating, and the altering until the estimated ink demand for the digital image satisfies the target ink demand.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the properties for the segment of the segmented digital image include one or more of color, area, homogeneity, and center of mass.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the segment of the digital image should be altered includes

applying, by the processing circuitry, a machine learning model to the extracted values of the segment of the segmented digital image, the machine learning model being trained to generate a probability that the segment should be altered.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the segment of the digital image should be altered is based on one or more of printer properties, printing paper color, and printing paper gloss.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the altering of the segment of the digital image includes

removing, by the processing circuitry, an inner area of the segment while maintaining an edge of the segment.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the altering the segment of the digital image includes

inverting, by the processing circuitry, colors of the segment relative to a printing paper color.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for altering a digital image for a printing job, comprising:

receiving a requested printing job including the digital image;

performing a segmentation on the digital image;

extracting values of properties for a segment of the segmented digital image;

determining, based on the extracted values of the properties for the segment, whether the segment of the digital image should be altered; and

altering the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, a resulting altered digital image being transmitted to a printer for printing.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the altering is based on alteration instructions generated for the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, the generated alteration instructions being based on a subset of the properties for the segment.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11 , further comprising

estimating ink demand for the digital image based on the generated alteration instructions for the segment, and

performing the altering of the segment when the estimated ink demand for the digital image satisfies a target ink demand.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12 , further comprising

adjusting the generated alteration instructions when the estimated ink demand for the digital image does not satisfy the target ink demand, and

iteratively preforming the determining, the estimating, and the altering until the estimated ink demand for the digital image satisfies the target ink demand.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the properties for the segment of the segmented digital image include one or more of color, area, homogeneity, and center of mass.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the determining whether the segment of the digital image should be altered includes

applying a machine learning model to the extracted values of the segment of the segmented digital image, the machine learning model being trained to generate a probability that the segment should be altered.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the determining whether the segment of the digital image should be altered is based on one or more of printer properties, printing paper color, and printing paper gloss.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , wherein the altering of the segment of the digital image includes

removing an inner area of the segment while maintaining an edge of the segment.

18 . An apparatus for altering a digital image for a printing job, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

receive a requested printing job including the digital image,

perform a segmentation on the digital image,

extract values of properties for a segment of the segmented digital image,

determine, based on the extracted values of the properties for the segment, whether the segment of the digital image should be altered, and

alter the segment of the digital image when it is determined the segment of the digital image should be altered, a resulting altered digital image being transmitted to a printer for printing.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether the segment of the digital image should be altered by

applying a machine learning model to the extracted values of the segment of the segmented digital image, the machine learning model being trained to generate a probability that the segment should be altered.

20 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to alter the segment of the digital image by

removing an inner area of the segment while maintaining an edge of the segment.