A printing method includes an analysis step, which analyses the shape of the three-dimensional surface and position of the printing part of the object to be printed with the three-dimensional surface and converts into two-dimensional data, a placement step, in which at least one part of the object is placed in the placement recess of jig with the three-dimensional surface facing upwards, a primer layer formation step, which forms a primer layer on the printing part based on the two-dimensional data, a white color coating step, which performs UV irradiation after coating white UV curable ink on the surface of the primer layer based on the two-dimensional data, and a color printing step, which performs UV irradiation by coating UV curable ink other than white color on the surface of the printing part on which the white UV curable ink has been coated based on the two-dimensional data.

Systems, articles and methods to provide lens shading color correction using block matching are disclosed. Example processor systems disclosed herein are to process at least one cluster of blocks of an image to determine at least one modification parameter, modify the first shade correction data based on the at least one modification parameter to determine second shade correction data, and correct a lens shade effect associated with the image based on the second shade correction data.

A laser marking system comprises at least one controller to control an array of optical devices, between a laser source and a scan head. The array applies a selected pattern of portions of the received spatial profile of the laser beam to the substrate to achieve a second intensity different from the first intensity of laser beam at a rate of power deposition relative to a rate of thermal diffusion in the substrate for a predetermined time interval to thermally heat locations of the substrate with the selected pattern of the portions. The second intensity effectuates carbonization of materials of the substrate to create a mark without ablation.

A laser marking system comprises at least one controller to control an array of optical devices, between a laser source and a scan head. The array applies a selected pattern of portions of the received spatial profile of the laser beam to the substrate to achieve a second intensity different from the first intensity of laser beam at a rate of power deposition relative to a rate of thermal diffusion in the substrate for a predetermined time interval to thermally heat locations of the substrate with the selected pattern of the portions. The second intensity effectuates carbonization of materials of the substrate to create a mark without ablation.

A data generation system includes circuitry configured to generate data of sub-images constructing an image. Each of the sub-images includes at least one of image elements of the image. The image elements are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image. The circuitry is configured to, when, in an attempt to add another one of the image elements adjacent to the at least one of the image elements in one of the sub-images, the other one of the image elements does not fit within the one of the sub-images, generate data of the one of the sub-images without the other one of the image elements.

A data generation system includes circuitry configured to generate data of sub-images constructing an image. Each of the sub-images includes at least one of image elements of the image. The image elements are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image. The circuitry is configured to, when, in an attempt to add another one of the image elements adjacent to the at least one of the image elements in one of the sub-images, the other one of the image elements does not fit within the one of the sub-images, generate data of the one of the sub-images without the other one of the image elements.

A printing method includes an analysis step, which analyses the shape of the three-dimensional surface and position of the printing part of the object to be printed with the three-dimensional surface and converts into two-dimensional data, a placement step, in which at least one part of the object is placed in the placement recess of jig with the three-dimensional surface facing upwards, a primer layer formation step, which forms a primer layer on the printing part based on the two-dimensional data, a white color coating step, which performs UV irradiation after coating white UV curable ink on the surface of the primer layer based on the two-dimensional data, and a color printing step, which performs UV irradiation by coating UV curable ink other than white color on the surface of the printing part on which the white UV curable ink has been coated based on the two-dimensional data.

A printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints an image based on image data, and an inspection pattern including a first patch, and a second patch different in color or having the same color and different in density than the first patch, each of the first and second patches being printed so as to extend in the first direction on the printing medium, and the first patch and the second patch being arranged in the second direction. A scanning unit includes a plurality of detection elements arranged in the second direction, and scans the inspection pattern, and a correcting unit corrects the image data based on a scanning result. The scanning unit scans the first patch using a first detection element and scans the second patch by using a second detection element which is farther away from a lens than the first detection element.

A printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints an image based on image data, and an inspection pattern including a first patch, and a second patch different in color or having the same color and different in density than the first patch, each of the first and second patches being printed so as to extend in the first direction on the printing medium, and the first patch and the second patch being arranged in the second direction. A scanning unit includes a plurality of detection elements arranged in the second direction, and scans the inspection pattern, and a correcting unit corrects the image data based on a scanning result. The scanning unit scans the first patch using a first detection element and scans the second patch by using a second detection element which is farther away from a lens than the first detection element.

An image forming apparatus, including: an image signal generating portion configured to generate an image signal based on image data; a light source configured to emit a light beam based on the image signal; and a deflection device configured to deflect the light beam in a main scanning direction, wherein the image signal generating portion includes: a mode setting portion configured to set a plurality of modes including a mode in which a value of a pixel of the image data is not converted and a mode in which the value of the pixel in one or more lines is converted, to a plurality of areas into which a scanning area is divided in the main scanning direction, respectively; and a pixel value conversion portion configured to convert the value of the pixel in each mode in accordance with a position of the pixel in the main scanning direction.