The present invention is useful for assembling a book. The inventive method includes the steps of specifying pagination information including an indication of whether a page is to be selectively included in the book, determining whether the page is to be assembled into the book based on the pagination information, and generating page description language instructions for production of the book in accordance with the pagination information.

Imposition process and apparatus for variable imaging system

The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for reproducing master and variable information, including variable graphics information, on a display device, such as a computer network or a demand printer. Variable graphics information is stored in a database. A user is prompted to specify graph parameters (i.e. graph type, size, labels, etc.) or default values are used. Template page files containing fixed information and placeholders for variable information are generated. Image boxes are used as placeholders for variable graphics information and an executable graph file is placed in the image boxes. A text box containing the specified graph parameters and variable graphics information from the database is layered over the image box and “tagged” to specify that it contains variable graphics information. During interpretation of the page file, an interpreter (RIP) determines if a text box is “tagged” and, if so, executes the graph file to generate a graph using the specified graph parameters and variable graphics information from the database.

Method of reproducing variable graphics in a variable imaging system

A computer calculates an edginess, which is an image variation from a differential value of data for adjacent picture elements, and determines object picture elements by selecting only images with a large variation. As optimum parameters for contrast correction and lightness compensation are calculated from image data for object picture elements, image processing indicators based on object picture elements are determined, and optimum imago processing can be performed automatically. After summing a luminance Distribution for each area of the image, which is a feature amount, while uniformly selecting picture elements, a reevaluation is performed by a weighting determined for each area, and a luminance distribution, strongly influenced by the luminance distribution of the photographed object is thus obtained with uniform sampling. After determining the intensity of this luminance distribution, the image data is converted, and image processing can therefore be performed with optimum intensity while reducing the processing amount.

Image Processing Apparatus, an Image Processing Method, A Medium on Which an Image Processing Control Program is Recorded, an Image Evaluation Device, an Image Evaluation Method and a Medium on Which an Image Evaluation Program is Recorded

An image processing apparatus comprises a memory for storing image data to be formed into an image, a memory holding unit for holding the content of the memory, and a control unit for stopping the memory holding operation by memory holding unit during a stand-by period of the image forming operation.

Image processing apparatus

A technique, specifically apparatus and an accompanying method, for accurately thresholding an image based on local image properties, specifically luminance variations, and particularly such a technique that uses multi-windowing for providing enhanced immunity to image noise and lessened boundary artifacts. Specifically, a localized intensity gradient, G(i,j), is determined for a pre-defined window (300) centered about each image pixel (i, j ) . Localized minimum and maximum pixel intensity measures, Lmin and Lmax, respectively, are also determined for another, though larger, window (330) centered about pixel (i,j). Also, a localized area gradient measure, GS(i,j), is determined as a sum of individual intensity gradients for a matrix of pixel positions (370) centered about pixel position (i,j). Each image pixel (i,j) is then classified as being an object pixel, i.e., black, or a background pixel, i.e., white, based upon its area gradient, GS (i,j), and associated Lmin and Lmax measures.

A multi-windowing technique for threshholding an image using local image properties

A data storage system for an electronic color printer which stores data according to the type of information the data represents. When the data represents area fill and image information, the data is stored in the page buffer according to mode A of the invention wherein a plurality of pixels are all defined to have the same color with varying luminance levels. This color is defined in the memory in a uniform color space format. When the data to be stored is representing text or line graphics information, the data is stored in the page buffer according to mode B of the invention. In mode B, two-bit binary values in the page buffer are assigned to each pixel of a multiple-pixel cell. These two-bit values point to additional bytes in the memory block of the page buffer which in turn point to discrete colors in spectrums of 256 colors. Additional data indicates whether the output device is to reproduce the colors by halftoned or non-halftoned techniques. Thus, each pixel within the pixel cell can be printed in a color selected by the color portion of the page buffer. According to mode C of the invention, three separate color maps are defined in binary form by the bit patterns stored in the page buffer memory. Also in mode C, the method used to produce blacks in the output page is specified. By standardizing on the memory allocated to the page and utilizing this memory in different ways according to the nature of the inputted information, the printed page can be accurately stored with a minimum of memory space and without a reduction in perceived printing quality.

Page buffer system for an electronic gray-scale color printer

A system for performing edge enhancement of mixed low resolution image files employs a binarization and sorting unit to sort data that is indicative of binary data from the mixed low resolution image input file. The sorted binary data is then supplied to a binary data edge enhancement processor for edge enhancement processing. The output from the binary data edge enhancement processor unit is supplied to a data merger unit along with the original image data. The data merger unit determines whether the original image data was part of a gray-scale image. If the data merger determines the original data is part of a gray-scale image, the original data is supplied as the output of the processing system. If the data merger determines that the original data is binary image data, the output from the binary edge enhancement processor unit is supplied as the output of the processing system.

Resolution enhancement system for combined binary and gray scale halftone images

An LED Printhead having a row of LED's includes a binary architectured driver that drives each LED on for a series of sub-intervals related to a series of binary weighted recording clocking pulses to record a grey level pixel in accordance with an appropriate series of data bits latched in the driver. The series of data bits are formatted for presentation to the driver by a retransmit line buffer which transmits n times the data of one line of grey level pixels represented by n bits each to a process correction look-up table. Another look-up table provides a signal to the process look-up table as to the intensity characteristics of the particular LED which is to print the pixel. The corrected grey level data is then input to a multiplexer which selects one of the n bits for printing in accordance with count signals related to the binary weight of the recording clock pulses.

Multiple address grey level LED printing with binary architectured printhead

A data storage system for an electronic color printer which stores data according to what information the data represents. When the data represents area fill (26) and image (24) information, the data is stored in the page buffer (14) according to mode 1 of the invention wherein a plurality of pixels (62) are all defined to have the same color. This color is defined in the memory (54) in a uniform color space format. When the data to be stored is representing text (22) or line graphics (28) information, the data is stored in the page buffer (14) according to mode 2 of the invention. In mode 2, two-bit binary values in the page buffer (14) are assigned to each pixel of a multi-pixel cell (80). These two-bit values point to additional bytes (C1, C2, C3) in the memory block (64) of the page buffer (14) which in turn point to discrete colors in a spectrum (94) of 256 colors. Thus, each pixel within the pixel cell (80) can be printed in a color selected by the color portion of the page buffer (14). According to mode 3 of the invention, three separate color maps (140, 146, 152) are defined in binary form by the bit patterns stored in the page buffer memory (134). By standardizing on the memory (14) allocated to the page (18) and utilizing this memory in different ways according to the nature of the inputted information, the printed page (18) can be accurately stored with a minimum of memory space without a reduction in perceived printing quality.

Page buffer for an electronic gray-scale color printer

A binary architectured LED printhead (25, 125) is driven in accordance with a multiple addressable, i.e., multiple sublines of recording, scheme to record grey level pixels. Respective sublines are recorded using a series of pulses that form a set of binary-weighted exposure strobe durations. Exposure durations for recording successive strobed sublines with a particular LED (20, 120) are ordered so that larger duration strobe pulses are followed by shorter duration strobe pulses. A plurality of strobe enable lines are provided to which respective recording elements are connected. A pulse from this set is generated during a subline exposure period on each enable line with each enable line having a pulse generated thereon that is of a different duration than that generated on the other enabling lines during the subline recording period and wherein during a subline exposure period the respective pulses on the enabling lines are substantially nonconcurrent. In one embodiment a series of data bits are formatted for presentation to the printhead (125) by a retransmit line buffer (206, 208) which transmits n times the data of one line of grey level pixels represented by n bits each to a process correction look-up table (220, 222). Another look-up table (216, 218) provides a signal to the process look-up table as to the intensity characteristics of the particular LED which is to print the pixel. The corrected grey level data is then input to a multiplexer (228, 230) which selects one of the n bits for printing in accordance with count signals related to the binary weight of the recording clock pulses.

Hurjay Yeh

Papers

Page buffer system for an electronic gray-scale color printer

Resolution enhancement system for combined binary and gray scale halftone images

Multiple address grey level LED printing with binary architectured printhead

Page buffer for an electronic gray-scale color printer

Apparatus and method for grey level printing using a binary architectured printhead