Image processing device setting binary value without using dither matrix when prescribed condition is satisfied

1. An image processing device comprising:

a controller configured to perform:

receiving image data representing an image, the image having a plurality of pixels, the image data having a plurality of pixel values corresponding to the plurality of pixels;

specifying an edge pixel based on the image data, the edge pixel representing an edge;

setting a target pixel and a reference pixel from among the plurality of pixels, the reference pixel being located out of the edge, the target pixel being located between the edge pixel and the reference pixel;

determining whether a determination condition is satisfied for the target pixel, the determination condition indicating that a pixel value of the edge pixel, a pixel value of the target pixel, and a pixel value of the reference pixel monotonically increase in said order;

setting a binary value of the target pixel to a first value without using a dither matrix when the determination condition is satisfied for the target pixel; and

setting the binary value of the target pixel to one of the first value and a second value different from the first value by using the dither matrix when the determination condition is not satisfied for the target pixel.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixel values is defined between a maximum tone value and a minimum tone value,

wherein the target pixel is located in a prescribed regional range from the edge pixel,

wherein the determination condition includes a first condition and a second condition, the first condition being that the pixel value of the target pixel is less than or equal to a first threshold value, a first difference between the maximum tone value and the first threshold value being less than a second difference between the first threshold value and the minimum tone value, the second condition being that a pixel value of the reference pixel is less than or equal to a second threshold value, a third difference between a maximum tone value and the second threshold value being larger than a fourth difference between the second threshold value and the minimum tone value.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the reference pixel is bordering the target pixel.

4. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the prescribed regional range encompasses a pixel separate from the edge pixel.

5. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

extracting an object from the image; and

identifying a type of the extracted object,

wherein the determination condition further includes an object type condition that the type of the object represented by the target pixel is a specific type.

6. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform selecting a dither matrix from among a plurality of matrices different from one another,

wherein the determination condition further includes a dither matrix condition that a selected dither matrix is a specific dither matrix.

7. The image processing device according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

extracting an object from the image; and

identifying a type of the extracted object,

wherein the controller selects the dither matrix from among the plurality of matrices based on the type of the extracted object.

8. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform receiving a user's instruction permitting to set the binary value of the target pixel without using the dither matrix,

wherein the determination condition further includes an instruction condition that the user's instruction which is permitted to set the binary value of the target pixel without using dither matrix is received.

9. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the first value represents color lighter than color represented by the second value.

10. The image processing device according to claim 9 , wherein the determination condition further includes a pixel value condition that the pixel value of the target pixel is less than a third threshold value, the third threshold value being greater than the minimum tone value and less than the first threshold value,

wherein the controller is further configured to set the binary value of the target pixel to the second value without using the dither matrix when the first condition and the second condition are satisfied and the pixel value condition is not satisfied for the target pixel.

11. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixel values has a plurality of color elements including black element representing a black material,

wherein the controller is configured to perform setting a binary value of the target pixel corresponding to the black element without using the dither matrix when the determination condition is satisfied for the target pixel.

12. The image processing device according to claim 2 , wherein when the controller specifies the edge pixel, the controller is configured to perform:

setting a determination pixel and neighboring pixels between which the determination pixel is located;

calculating a difference in pixel values of neighboring pixels; and

specifying the determination pixel as the edge pixel when an absolute value of the difference is greater than an edge threshold value.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a set of program instructions installed on and executed by a computer, the program instructions comprising:

receiving image data representing an image, the image having a plurality of pixels, the image data having a plurality of pixel values corresponding to the plurality of pixels;

specifying an edge pixel based on the image data, the edge pixel representing an edge;

setting a target pixel and a reference pixel from among the plurality of pixels, the reference pixel being located out of the edge, the target pixel being located between the edge pixel and the reference pixel;

determining whether a determination condition is satisfied for the target pixel, the determination condition indicating that a pixel value of the edge pixel, a pixel value of the target pixel, and a pixel value of the reference pixel monotonically increase in said order;

setting a binary value of the target pixel to a first value without using a dither matrix when the determination condition is satisfied for the target pixel; and

setting the binary value of the target pixel to one of the first value and a second value different from the first value by using the dither matrix when the determination condition is not satisfied for the target pixel.