Abstract: A platen cover for an imaging device such as a copier or scanner includes a substrate and at least of portion of the surface of the substrate is coated with a fluorescent coating. Preferably, the substrate has a dark or black color. The dark color of the substrate substantially reduces or eliminates show through of an image on the backside of an original document when the platen cover is not exposed to a light source for imaging. At the same time, when holes or uneven borders are present in the original document, the fluorescent coating fluoresces upon exposure to the light source at these regions of the original document, making these portions appear white in the replicated image and thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the unsightly appearance of these portions as black portions in the replicated image.

Abstract: A method of reproducing a document including halftoned regions therein scans the document to generate scanned image data comprising a digitized representation of said document. The scanned image data that corresponds to the halftoned regions is then rendered using a compact rendering process that includes positioning an observation window about a target pixel and a neighboring pixel; selecting a fill-order based upon a result of the analyzing step; and generating a high addressability pixel as a function of the selected fill-order.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of template fitting for fitting a plurality of templates in correspondence with a gray-scale image, including receiving gray-scale image information of an observed image; defining a window of the gray-scale image information so as to enable a loose-gray-scale fit between the defined window and the plurality of templates; extracting a plurality of pixels of the image information and using the window to which to fit at least one of the plurality of templates. Further, fitting one of the plurality of templates to the defined window within a threshold looseness interval associated with the template wherein a looseness interval between the window of image data and the template is less than the threshold looseness interval.

Abstract: A method for scanning a document includes: acquiring scanned image data from a first region of the document; determining an initial estimate of a document attribute using pixels in the first region; acquiring scanned image data from a second region of the document; processing pixels in the second region in accordance with the initial estimate; determining a second estimate of the document attribute using selected pixels in the second region; determining if the initial estimate is valid and if not, processing pixels within the image in accordance with the second estimate.

Abstract: A compact rendering processor for processing image data including a multi-bit halftone region generates high addressability pixels. The compact rendering processor includes a tagging sub-processor operating on the image data to identify a target pixel and a neighboring pixel to determine a fill-order. The compact rendering processor also includes a rendering sub-processor that converts the target pixel into a high addressability pixel based upon the fill-order. Optionally, a diffusion sub-processor can be included to diffuse an error resulting from the conversion of the target pixel into a high addressability pixel to other pixels within the image data.

Abstract: A platen cover for an imaging device such as a copier or scanner includes a substrate and at least of portion of the surface of the substrate is coated with a fluorescent coating. Preferably, the substrate has a dark or black color. The dark color of the substrate substantially reduces or eliminates show through of an image on the backside of an original document when the platen cover is not exposed to a light source for imaging. At the same time, when holes or uneven borders are present in the original document, the fluorescent coating fluoresces upon exposure to the light source at these regions of the original document, making these portions appear white in the replicated image and thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the unsightly appearance of these portions as black portions in the replicated image.

Abstract: A first aspect of the present invention is a process for masking a scanning artifact within image data representing a document. The process includes generating pixel classification tags for the image data; identifying a window within the image data associated with a scanning artifact using the pixel classification tags; analyzing the image data to derive a replacement video value; and replacing image data associated with a scanning artifact with the replacement video value.

Abstract: A method of processing a high addressability binary image comprises converting the high addressability binary image to gray-scale image data; manipulating the gray-scale image data; and rendering the manipulated gray-scale image to a high addressability format using a compact rendering process.

Abstract: A method and system implements a dynamic error diffusion process. A grey level value representing a pixel is received. An image segmentation circuit determines an image characteristic of the pixel being processed. A threshold circuit thresholds the grey level value (pixel) and generates an error value as a result of the threshold process. A portion of the error value is diffused to adjacent pixels on a next scanline. The distribution of this error value is dynamic in that different sets of weighting coefficients are used based the image characteristic of the processed pixel. One set of coefficients are utilized in processing a pixel having a first image characteristic, and a second set of coefficients are utilized in processing a pixel having a second image characteristic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for distinguishing noisy continuous tone document types from other document types such as halftone or text, in order to maintain reliable image segmentation. In both cases a Range of Video microclassifier is added to the other microclassifiers (Sij, estimated halftone frequency, etc.) to disqualify noisy continuous tone images from being incorrectly classified as other document types such as halftone or text document types.

Abstract: A method for scanning a document includes: acquiring scanned image data from a first region of the document; determining an initial estimate of a document attribute using pixels in the first region; acquiring scanned image data from a second region of the document; processing pixels in the second region in accordance with the initial estimate; determining a second estimate of the document attribute using selected pixels in the second region; determining if the initial estimate is valid and if not, processing pixels within the image in accordance with the second estimate.

Abstract: A method and system implements screening and a high addressability characteristic into an error diffusion process. A grey level value representing a pixel is received. The grey level value has a first resolution which corresponds to an original input resolution. The grey level value is then screened. A threshold circuit thresholds the grey level value and generates an error value as a result of the threshold. A portion of the error value is diffused to adjacent pixels on a next scanline. The screened grey level value can also be interpolated to generate subpixel grey level values which correspond to a second resolution. The second resolution is higher than the first resolution and corresponds to the high addressability characteristic. The threshold circuit would then threshold the grey level value and generate an error value having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution.

Abstract: A structure for implementing a plurality of two-dimensional digital filters, such as finite impulse response filters, in an efficient manner. The structure includes a plurality of first stage filters operating in a first dimension in combination with a single second stage filter, operating in a second dimension. The second stage filter being suitable for receiving output from one of the first stage filters. A controller, operating in conjunction with the first and second stage filters is utilized for controlling the operation of all filters, as well as the selection of the input source for the second stage filter.

Abstract: A system and method which enables the location and orientation of an image to be determined without introducing scanning artifacts into the rendered image. The system utilizes a separate set of sensors on a scanning bar that are sensitive to a wavelength of light outside the range of wavelengths of the typical sensors found on the scanning bar, such as red, green, or blue. Moreover, the system includes a light source which is capable of emitting the wavelength of light that is outside this range of wavelength of light. Thus, whenever the additional set of sensors detect light, the system would determine that the light was due to a scanning artifact, such as a hole, rip, or dog ear in the original document being scanned.

Abstract: A system and method which enables the location and orientation of an image to be determined without introducing scanning artifacts into the rendered image. The system utilizes a separate set of sensors on a scanning bar that are sensitive to a wavelength of light outside the range of wavelengths of the typical sensors found on the scanning bar, such as red, green, or blue. Moreover, the system includes a light source which is capable of emitting the wavelength of light that is outside this range of wavelength of light. Thus, whenever the additional set of sensors detect light, the system would determine that the light was due to a scanning artifact, such as a hole, rip, or dog ear in the original document being scanned.

Abstract: A system and method classify a pixel of image data as one of a plurality of image types. A first image characteristic value for the pixel, a second image characteristic value for the pixel, a third image characteristic value for the pixel, and a fourth image characteristic for the pixel is determined. Some of these determinations may be resolution dependent. The values from these determination are utilized in assigning an image type classification to the pixel. Moreover, if at least one of the image characteristic values is greater than a predetermined threshold value the pixel is classified as a halftone peak value.

Abstract: A system and method classify a pixel of image data as one of a plurality of image types. A first image characteristic value for the pixel, a second image characteristic value for the pixel ,a third image characteristic value for the pixel, and a fourth image characteristic for the pixel is determined. Some of these determinations may be resolution dependent. The values from these determination are utilized in assigning an image type classification to the pixel. Moreover, if at least one of the image characteristic values is greater than a predetermined threshold value the pixel is classified as a halftone peak value.

Abstract: A system and method provides the necessary image information to enable tonal correction for independent regions of a compound document. A scanner scans an image and generates image data. A histogram circuit, connected to the scanner, generates histogram data from the image data for a predetermined number of regions corresponding to the image. A windowing circuit, operatively connected to the scanner and in parallel with the histogram circuit, generates a window corresponding to an independent area of the image that requires image enhancement and an association circuit associates corresponding histogram data with the generated window. The associated histogram data and window are used by an image enhancement process to modify the image data to provide a more desirable reproduction of the scanned image.

Abstract: A method and system implements a dynamic error diffusion process. A grey level value representing a pixel is received. An image segmentation circuit determines an image characteristic of the pixel being processed. A threshold circuit thresholds the grey level value (pixel) and generates an error value as a result of the threshold process. A portion of the error value is diffused to adjacent pixels on a next scanline. The distribution of this error value is dynamic in that different sets of weighting coefficients are used based the image characteristic of the processed pixel. One set of coefficients are utilized in processing a pixel having a first image characteristic, and a second set of coefficients are utilized in processing a pixel having a second image characteristic.

Abstract: The invention provides a data packing device that packs selected bits of input data into an output data. The data packing device includes a data positioner, an output latch, and output selector and a controller. The data positioner positions the bits of the input data relative to bit positions of the output latch so that the selected bits from the input data may be packed. The output latch includes a first portion and a second portion which are packed alternately in a ping-pong manner. The controller is implemented using state machines where one state machine is allocated for packing a specific number of bits selected from the input data into the output data. Thus, the controller includes a number of state machines where each state machine corresponds to one selected number of bits of the input data that may be selected to be packed. For input data in bytes, the controller includes eight state machines.