Abstract: When image data having a halftone is binary-coded, each of pixel data is first read out as gradation data having multiple values, a judgement is made whether or this pixel data corresponds to a value within a predetermined range, and if this pixel data is present within this range, a halftone processing operation is carried out by way of the error diffusion method. On the other hand, if another judgement is made that the pixel data is out of this predetermined range, this pixel is simply binary-coded. Thus, a portion where characters have been written is not processed by the halftone processing operation by way of the error diffusion method, whereby a clear image may be reproduced.

Abstract: A stand alone add on system and apparatus for storing and retrieving duplicate facsimile information capable of working in conjunction with a simple facsimile machine. The duplicate facsimile information can be stored in memory, displayed on a screen or be reproduced in multiple fashion.

Abstract: A method of equalizing the shape and size of halftone dots in a supertile having digital cells, corresponding ideal cells and pixels to faithfully reproduce an image having predetermined gray levels. Various techniques include: (1) adding offset vectors to the coordinates of pixels in digital cells; (2) determining twice as many smaller digital cells as original digital cells; and (3) determining a model digital cell and ranking pixels in remaining digital cells to mimic the ranking of pixels in the model cell.

Abstract: Cabinet structure 10/12 for universally receiving television sets 20/66 of varying sizes and including, in one embodiment, spaced apart towers 14 and 16 and in a second embodiment, towers 52 and 54, there being adjustable means spanning the area between the spaced apart towers and including a face plate 72, a shelf 74 and a trim strip 76, each having relatively shiftable portions whereby the overall length thereof may be regulated by shifting the portions so that they correspond essentially to the width of the area and of the television set received therein whereby the set is closely enclosed by the cabinet components.

Abstract: An appratus for inspecting lightness on the surface of an object having at least first and second surface portions different in lightness, wherein an image of the first and second surface portions of the object are taken under appropriate illumination, the taken image is memorized, first and second reference lightness of the first and second surface portions are defined respectively, whether or not each pixel of the taken image belongs to either one of pixel regions defining the first and second surface portions are determined in accordance with values defining preliminarily memorized pixel regions respectively, lightness difference between each pixel of the taken image corresponding to the first surface portion and the first reference lightness is calculated, lightness difference between each pixel of the taken image corresponding to the second surface portion and said second reference lightness are calculated, and quality in lightness on the surface of the object are determined on a basis of the respective

Abstract: An image area discriminating system for an image processing apparatus which discriminates between a character area and a halftone area on an original document containing the character and halftone areas, selects parameters for each discriminated area, and adjusts and generates image data. The image area discriminating system comprises: a block color discriminating unit for grouping pixels into blocks and determining block colors on the basis of the formed pixel blocks; a determining unit for detecting the run lengths of block colors other than white, for comparing the detected run lengths with a predetermined threshold value, and for determining whether the document area is the character area or the halftone area; and an area signal output unit for outputting a signal to select an image area signal on the basis of an output signal outputted from the determining unit.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus has a first coder for coding image data by a one-dimensional coding method or a two-dimensional coding method, and a second coder for performing coding by a second coding method different from these coding methods. When the amount of code of one line coded by the first coder exceeds a predetermined amount, coding by the first coder is suspended and the image data are coded upon making a changeover to coding by the second coder. In addition, a code resulting from coding by the one- or two-dimensional coding method and a code resulting from coding by the second coding method can be received and decoded.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for producing halftone images with digital halftone cell dimension and orientation to match a desired ideal halftone cell in an ideal halftone grid by choosing a reference ideal halftone cell size having a predetermined number of pixels and comparing the number of pixels in the newly selected halftone cells to the reference, thereby making the number of pixels in all ideal cells to be equal. Methods are provided for controlling the assignment of pixels on the boundary line between ideal halftone cells while avoiding pixel clustering.

Abstract: A document scanner provides compensation for sensitivity nonuniformity that may exist between the individual sensor cells of the sensor array that is used to sense light reflected from a document being scanned. Compensated is provided for both dark (i.e. unilluminated) sensitivity variation and light (i.e. illuminated) sensitivity variation that may exist in the individual sensor cells of the sensor array.

Abstract: A method for converting binary image data originally generated at a lower resolution into representative binary image data of a higher resolution, wherein the conversion ratio, or magnification factor, is an integer value. Also included are methods for smoothing the interpolated output image and thereby reducing objectionable visual characteristics observable in digitally encoded data using conventional magnification techniques.

Abstract: An image reading system including a charge storing type image sensor drives a manuscript or an image sensor in accordance with a driving pulse from a driving unit. A speed of the driving pulse from the driving unit is determined by a speed setting unit, depending on a change of a period of the apparatus scan. The driving pulse is stopped for a certain period of time, so that the difference in a speed of the driving pulse between the different apparatus scan periods is decreased.

Abstract: A scheme for the color display of images on a device with a moderate sized color table first builds halftoned binary images for each of the three color components at a multiple of the display resolution. By summing bit values it then determines average values for display resolution pixels. The average values are then mapped to a color table. An example of the scheme uses the YES color model as the color coordinates. The colors are separated into luminance and chrominance components, allowing more weight to be given to the luminance from which the eye extracts most of the information. An example of the scheme yields 275 real colors for a 17.times.9 .times.9 grid of coordinate values, which is close to the size of a 256 entry color table. The scheme provides both anti-aliasing of solid areas, such as lines and text, and color halftoning to give the appearance of colors between those available from the color table.

Abstract: A document scanner is disclosed wherein means are provided to dynamically compensate for any changes in document illumination intensity that may occur as a document is scanned. The compensation method and apparatus operates to measure the intensity of light that is reflected from a target area that borders an edge of the document being scanned. The target area is a narrow, elongated, area that extends in the scan direction. The target area is of a color to approximate the document's background area, i.e. the document's nonimage area. Since the target area is of a continuous and uniform color tone, any variation in the quantity of light that is reflected from the target area is caused by a variation in the intensity of illumination thereof by the scanning light source. The method and apparatus of the invention controls the scanning light source so as to maintain the light reflected from the target area at a substantially constant magnitude.

Abstract: A signal coder is disclosed with improved compression of pictorial data that has been decomposed into plural subbands through a two-dimensional quadrature-mirror decomposition (102). In each of the higher frequency bands, the decomposed samples are quantized and then partitioned (106, 110, 114), in two dimensions, into blocks. The blocks in each band are scanned (107, 111, 115) in a way that exploits the characteristics of the band so as to increase the average length of the runs of zero and nonzero quantized samples. The bands containing horizontal, vertical and diagonal edge information are scanned with a horizontal, vertical, and diagonal zig-zag pattern, respectively. These scanned bands are entropy coded (108, 112, 116) using run-length coding to code the runs of either zero band or nonzero quantized samples.

Abstract: A document scanner that is able to reliably discriminate and scan the information side of each simplex document of a stack of documents, i.e. The side containing information, even when some of the documents are upside-down.

Abstract: An original device includes an image reader having a guide surface for guiding an image surface of an original for reading an image on the original being guided by the guide surface. A first feeder feeds the original while pressing the original against the guide surface of the image reader. A driver drives the first feeder, and a second feeder is provided downstream of the first feeder in an original feeding direction for feeding the original fed by the first feeder. Control circuitry is provided for controlling the driver such that the first feeder is stopped before a trailing edge of the original fed by the second feeder has passed through an area between the first feeder and the image reader. By thus stopping the first feeder, undue wear on the first feeder and the guide surface is prevented.

Abstract: An electronic printing system with a touchscreen for programming print jobs using job tickets displayed on the screen, the job tickets having various job programming choices together with scaled representations of the print image superimposed on the print media selected, and a control for comparing the size of the print image as originally oriented with the maximum image size and displaying a fault message on the screen in the event that the print image size exceeds the system maximum image size even though the print image as displayed fits into the print media.

Abstract: A signal processor and method for maximizing the detection range of imaging infrared seekers against ship targets. The invention comprises a bank of two-dimensional spatial filters, having rectangular kernels matched to targets of various aspect ratios and sizes, implemented in a separable form that appears well suited to processing in real-time image data acquired sequentially by column.

Abstract: A method is described for encoding a first image to produce a second, lower resolution image. For each superpixel group in the first image, a prediction class is formed, based on the values of the pixels in two adjacent superpixels. This prediction class is used to access a table, to obtain a prediction for the corresponding pixel in the second image. If the prediction matches the actual pixel pattern of the superpixel, the corresponding pixel in the second image is set to the predicted colour. If the prediction does not match, then the corresponding pixel in the second image is set to the inverse of the predicted colour, and the actual pixel pattern is stored in a supplementary file. If no prediction is provided, the actual pixel pattern is stored, and the pixel in the second image is set to the colour of the majority of the pixels in the superpixel.

Abstract: An image reader using CCD line sensors which effects color correction of three color difference signals resulting from reading of a color original by the CCD line sensors. This image reader employs a plurality of color correction characteristics for enlarging the color difference signals in regions where the color difference signals are large, and limiting enlargement ratios of the color difference signals in regions where the color difference signals are small. A color correction characteristic is selected manually or in accordance with the luminance level of each pixel. Noises appearing in shadow portions are reduced by the color correction based on the limited enlargement ratios of the color difference signals effected in the regions where the color difference signals are small.