Patent · US Expired

Encoded orphan pixels for discriminating halftone data from text and line art data

US5987221A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
7References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 24, 1997
Grant dateNov 16, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 24, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N1/40062
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Text and line art image data is distinguished from halftone image data for selectively enhanced rendering thereof. Specifically, a method of rendering a raster pixel image from a stored bitmap includes (i) determining whether an orphan pixel is detected within a bounded sampling window of the bitmap, and, (ii) processing at least one selected pixel of the bitmap within the sampling window relative to the determining of whether an orphan pixel is detected. In general, an orphan pixel is defined as an isolated white or black pixel in a halftone image. In one embodiment, an orphan pixel is recognized as having a predefined pixel value and as having no other pixels with that value adjacent thereto within the sampling window. In the event an orphan pixel is detected within the window, then the bitmap within the window is determined to be halftone image data and the selected pixel is processed accordingly. In the event an orphan pixel does not exist within the window, then the bitmap within the window is recognized as text or line art image data and processed respectively. In addition, a method of forming a dither matrix for a halftone image includes generating a pixel pattern such that …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.