Tint block image generation program and tint block image generation device

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a tint block image generation program for causing a computer to execute a tint block image generation step of generating tint block image data which forms, on a print medium, a tint block image including a latent image portion and a background portion, having different output densities to be reproduced by copying, wherein the tint block image generation step comprises:

a first screen processing step of generating latent image portion image data by an area modulation screen having a first screen ruling, for pixels of the latent image portion; and

a second screen processing step of generating background portion image data by an area modulation screen or a density modulation screen having a second screen ruling which is higher than the first screen ruling, for pixels of the background portion, and wherein

in the first screen processing step, the latent image portion image data is generated to form a halftone dot at a center of gravity position of an image of the latent image portion in a cell corresponding to a halftone dot formation area in the area modulation screen, when the image of the latent image portion and the image of the background portion exist in the cell.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 1 , wherein the halftone dot formed in the first screen processing step has a size corresponding to grayscale values of the latent image portion in the cell as the upper limit.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 1 , wherein the first screen processing step further comprises:

a center of gravity position generation step of determining a center of gravity position of the image in the latent image portion in the cell;

an average input grayscale value generation step of determining an average input grayscale value by dividing the total of grayscale values of the image in the latent portion in the cell by a number of pixels in the cell;

an ideal output dot count generation step of determining, as an ideal output dot count, a number of dots generated when an image in which all the pixels have the average input grayscale value is screen-processed using the area modulation screen; and

a halftone dot generation step of generating a halftone dot having a size of which upper limit is the ideal output dot count at the center of gravity position.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 1 , wherein

the area modulation screen having the first screen ruling is a dot clustered dither matrix, and the latent image portion image data is image data for forming a halftone dot having a size corresponding to the input grayscale values of the latent image portion, and

the area modulation screen having the second screen ruling is a dot dispersed dither matrix, and the background portion image data is image data for forming a halftone dot which has a density corresponding to the input grayscale values of the background portion and is smaller than the halftone dot of the latent image portion image data.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 1 , wherein

the tint block image is combined with a camouflage pattern in the latent image portion and background portion of the tint block image,

the tint block image generation program further comprises a step of generating a corrected camouflage pattern grayscale value by correcting the grayscale value of the camouflage pattern according to the input grayscale values of the latent image portion and background portion,

in the first screen processing step, the latent image portion image data is generated referring to the dither matrix of the area modulation screen having the first screen ruling, for the corrected camouflage pattern grayscale value, and

in the second screen processing step, the background portion image data is generated referring to the dither matrix of the area modulation screen having the second screen ruling, for the corrected camouflage pattern grayscale value.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 5 , wherein

the latent image portion and background portion are assigned with the same input grayscale values, and

the area modulation screen having the first screen ruling and the area modulation screen having the second screen ruling have the same output density characteristics in a possible range of input grayscale values.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 1 , wherein the first screen processing step further comprises:

a center of gravity position generation step of determining a center of gravity position of the image in the latent image portion in the cell; and

a halftone dot generation step of generating a halftone dot having a size corresponding to a grayscale value which is determined by correcting a grayscale value of a pixel of the latent image portion in the cell based on a ratio of a size of the latent image portion in the cell and a size of the cell, at the center of gravity position.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores an image generation program for causing a computer to execute an image generation step of generating image data for forming, on a print medium, an image including a first image portion and a second image portion, wherein the image generation step comprises:

a first screen processing step of generating image data by an area modulation screen having a first screen ruling, for pixels of the first image portion; and

a second screen processing step of generating image data by an area modulation screen or a density modulation screen having a second screen ruling which is higher than the first screen ruling, for pixels of the second image portion, wherein

in the first screen processing step, a halftone dot is generated at a center of gravity position of an image of the first image portion in a cell corresponding to a halftone dot formation area in the area modulation screen processing, when the image of the first image portion and the image of the second image portion exist in the cell.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores the tint block image generation program according to claim 8 , wherein the first screen processing step further comprises:

a center of gravity position generation step of determining a center of gravity position of the image in the first image portion in the cell; and

a halftone dot generation step of generating a halftone dot having a size corresponding to a grayscale value which is determined by correcting a grayscale value of a pixel of the first image portion in the cell based on a ratio of a size of the first image portion in the cell and a size of the cell, at the center of gravity position.

10. The tint block image generation device according to claim 9 , wherein the first screen processing unit determines a center of gravity position of the image in the first image portion in the cell, and generates a halftone dot having a size corresponding to a grayscale value which is determined by correcting a grayscale value of a pixel of the first image portion in the cell based on a ratio of a size of the first image portion in the cell and a size of the cell, at the center of gravity position.

11. A tint block image generation device that generates, on a print medium, a tint block image including a latent image portion and a background portion having different output densities to be reproduced by copying, comprising:

a first screen processing unit which generates latent image portion image data by an area modulation screen having a first screen ruling, for pixels of the latent image portion; and

a second screen processing unit which generates background portion image data by an area modulation screen or a density modulation screen having a second screen ruling which is higher than the first screen ruling, for pixels of the background portion, wherein

the first screen processing unit generates the latent image portion image data for forming a halftone dot at a center of gravity position of an image of the latent image portion in a cell corresponding to a halftone dot formation area in the area modulation screen, when the image of the latent image portion and the image of the background portion exist in the cell.

12. The tint block image generation device according to claim 11 , wherein the first screen processing unit determines a center of gravity position of the image in the latent image portion in the cell, and generates a halftone dot having a size corresponding to a grayscale value which is determined by correcting a grayscale value of a pixel of the latent image portion in the cell based on a ratio of a size of the latent image portion in the cell and a size of the cell, at the center of gravity position.

13. An image generation device that generates, on a print medium, an image including a first image portion and a second image portion, comprising:

a first screen processing unit which generates image data by an area modulation screen having a first screen ruling, for pixels of the first image portion; and

a second screen processing unit which generates image data by an area modulation screen or a density modulation screen having a second screen ruling which is higher than the first screen ruling for pixels of the second image portion, wherein

the first screen processing unit generates a halftone dot at a center of gravity position of an image of the first image portion in a cell corresponding to a halftone dot formation area in the area modulation screen processing, when the image of the first image portion and the image of the second image portion exist in the cell.