Image processing device and image processing method

1. An image processing device comprising:

a pre-processing unit that calculates an average pixel value of an aggregated pixel formed of a plurality of adjacent pixels for input image data;

an adding unit that calculates a correction average pixel value by adding a correction error value to an average pixel value of a target aggregated pixel to be a processing object;

a quantization unit that carries out a quantization processing of the correction average pixel value at a quantization level of a prescribed number;

a post-processing unit that divides the aggregated pixel into a plurality of pixels and allocates a pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels; and

a surrounding error calculating unit that calculates a correction error value for processing a surrounding aggregated pixel in accordance with a quantization error generated in the quantization processing, wherein

by executing a level number reduction processing, when a processing tone number per one pixel in an image output device is k, the quantization unit executes the quantization processing at a quantization level of a number smaller than [n×(k−1)+1],

when the level number reduction processing divides levels from a minimum density level to a maximum density level evenly into a plurality of levels, levels from a next level of the minimum density level to a density level of a prescribed order are output as a common quantization level, and

when dividing the aggregated pixel into n pixels (n≧2) by the post-processing unit, a number m of the quantization level output from the quantization unit is expressed by the following equation: m=2+(k−1)×(n−1).

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein for a quantization error of a surrounding aggregated pixel of the target aggregated pixel, the surrounding error calculating unit calculates a correction error value by adding weight corresponding to a relative positional relationship between the surrounding aggregated pixel and the target aggregated pixel.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the post-processing unit retains a correspondence relationship between the quantization level and an output pixel value, and by referring to the correspondence relationship, the post-processing unit allocates the output pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels.

4. The image processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the post-processing unit retains a correspondence relationship between the quantization level and the output pixel value for each output bit number, and by referring to the correspondence relationship, the post-processing unit allocates the output pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels by an output bit number that complies with an image output device.

5. An image processing device comprising:

a pre-processing unit that calculates an average pixel value of an aggregated pixel formed of a plurality of adjacent pixels for input image data;

an adding unit that calculates a correction average pixel value by adding a correction error value to an average pixel value of a target aggregated pixel to be a processing object;

a quantization unit that carries out a quantization processing of the correction average pixel value at a quantization level of a prescribed number;

a post-processing unit that divides the aggregated pixel into a plurality of pixels and allocates a pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels; and

a surrounding error calculating unit that calculates a correction error value for processing a surrounding aggregated pixel in accordance with a quantization error generated in the quantization processing, wherein

by executing a level number reduction processing, when a processing tone number per one pixel in an image output device is k, for quantization levels of [n×(k−1)+1] ways, the post-processing unit allocates pixel values by a number of combinations smaller than [n×(k−1)+1],

for density levels from a next level of a minimum density level to a density level of a prescribed order, the level number reduction processing outputs a common pixel value for the quantization level output from the quantization unit, and

when dividing the aggregated pixel into n pixels (n≧2) by the post-processing unit, a number m of the quantization level output from the quantization unit is expressed by an equation m=n×(k−1)+1 and the post-processing unit outputs a common pixel value for quantization levels of orders from 1 to (k−1).

6. An image processing method comprising:

a pre-processing step of calculating an average pixel value of an aggregated pixel formed of a plurality of adjacent pixels for input image data;

an adding step of calculating a correction average pixel value by adding a correction error value to an average pixel value of a target aggregated pixel to be a processing object;

a quantizing step of carrying out a quantization processing of the correction average pixel value at a quantization level of a prescribed number;

a post-processing step of dividing the aggregated pixel into a plurality of pixels and allocating a pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels;

a surrounding error calculating step of calculating a correction error value for processing a surrounding target aggregated pixel in accordance with a quantization error generated in the quantization processing; and

an outputting step of outputting the divided pixels, wherein

at the quantizing step, by executing a level number reduction processing, when a processing tone number per one pixel in an image output device is k, the quantization processing is executed at a quantization level of a number smaller than [n×(k−1)+1],

when the level number reduction processing divides levels from a minimum density level to a maximum density level evenly into a plurality of levels, levels from a next level of the minimum density level to a density level of a prescribed order are output as a common quantization level, and

when dividing the aggregated pixel into n pixels (n≧2) at the post-processing step, a number m of the quantization level output at the quantizing step is expressed by the following equation: m=2+(k−1)×(n−1).

7. An image processing method comprising:

a pre-processing step of calculating an average pixel value of an aggregated pixel formed of a plurality of adjacent pixels for input image data;

an adding step of calculating a correction average pixel value by adding a correction error value to an average pixel value of a target aggregated pixel to be a processing object;

a quantizing step of carrying out a quantization processing of the correction average pixel value at a quantization level of a prescribed number;

a post-processing step of dividing the aggregated pixel into a plurality of pixels and allocating a pixel value corresponding to the quantization level to each of the divided pixels;

a surrounding error calculating step of calculating a correction error value for processing a surrounding target aggregated pixel in accordance with a quantization error generated in the quantization processing; and

an outputting step of outputting the divided pixels, wherein

at the post-processing step, by executing a level number reduction processing, when a processing tone number per one pixel in an image output device is k, for quantization levels of [n×(k−1)+1] ways, a pixel value is allocated by a number of combinations smaller than [n×(k−1)+1],

for levels from a next level of a minimum density level to a density level of a prescribed order, the level number reduction processing outputs a common pixel value for the quantization level output at the quantizing step, and

when dividing the aggregated pixel into n pixels (n≧2) at the post-processing step, a number m of the quantization level output at the quantizing step is calculated by the following equation:

m=n× ( k −1)+1; and

at the post-processing step, a common pixel value is output for quantization levels of orders from 1 to (k−1).

8. The image processing method according to claim 7 , wherein at the surrounding error calculating step, the correction error value is calculated by applying weight, which corresponds to a relative positional relationship between a surrounding aggregated pixel and the target aggregated pixel, to the quantization error of the surrounding aggregated pixel.

9. The image processing method according to claim 7 , wherein at the post-processing step, a correspondence relationship between the quantization level and an output pixel value is retained and by referring to the correspondence relationship, the output pixel value corresponding to the quantization level is allocated to each of the divided pixels.

10. The image processing method according to claim 9 , wherein at the post-processing step, the correspondence relationship between the quantization level and the output pixel value is retained for each output bit number and by referring to the correspondence relationship, the output pixel value corresponding to the quantization level is allocated to each of the divided pixels by an output bit number that complies with an image output device.