Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method that includes a classifier that distinguishes objects based on their color shades. A moving window based operator looks at the color class of the adjacent objects and determines if an adjustment is necessary. If at least one of the objects is the type of interest and the color classes of the objects meet the criteria, then the boundary between the objects is subject to be adjusted. Two adjustment modes are discussed: “adjust-tagging” mode and “adjust-color” mode. In the adjust-tagging mode, a specific tag is sent down to the print engine to force the use of high addressability halftones for the boundary pixels in the darker object. In the adjust-color mode, a color lighter (usually white) than that of the lighter object is assigned to the boundary pixels in the lighter object. The width of the modified pixels along the boundary is configurable.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration associated with marking a substrate. The method includes providing an input image having a plurality of patches, each patch having a pattern using a first and second color; marking a substrate with a copy of the input image using a first and second color separation to correspond to the first and second colors, respectively; and measuring a color characteristic of markings of respective copied patches of the copied plurality of patches and generating corresponding colorimetric values. Misregistration of the first color separation markings relative to the second color separation markings is characterized based on the measured calorimetric values.

Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration of a printer device using color separations of a color space for marking substrate. The method includes providing an input image including a pattern of patches including at least one measurement patch, each measurement patch having at least a first and second color separation of the color space, and marking a substrate in accordance with the input image for generating an output image having a marked pattern of patches which corresponds to the pattern of patches. Spectral reflectance of at least one respective patch of the marked patch pattern of the output image is measured and respective spectral reflectance values corresponding to the measuring are generated. Misregistration is characterized between the at least first and second color separations of each measurement patch of the at least one measurement patch based on the spectral reflectance values.

Abstract: A system and method for characterizing color separation misregistration of a multi-color printing system utilizing a broadband multi-channel scanning module, such as an RGB scanner, are provided. The system and method include generating a spectral reflectance data structure corresponding to a broadband multi-channel scanning module. The spectral reflectance data structure includes at least one parameter. The at least one parameter may correspond to the broadband multi-channel scanning module and/or a printing module. The system and method further provide for calibrating a spectral-based analysis module by utilizing the spectral reflectance data structure. The system and method also include characterizing color separation misregistration utilizing the calibrated spectral-based analysis module by examining at least one plurality-separation patch.

Abstract: A method is employed that represents patterns using a super resolution encoding method that distributes the code value among adjacent pixels. One or more blocks are created, wherein each block is comprised of a plurality of bits, the height of the block is equal to the width of the block. One or more supercells are created by merging at least two adjacent blocks. One or more patterns are defined, wherein each pattern is defined by selecting one or more bits to be one of filled or unfilled within each supercell. Each of the one or more patterns is associated with an SRE code, the SRE code is related to the number and location of bits that are filled within the pattern. A pattern is defined with a plurality of patterns, each pattern is included in the one or more supercells.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration associated with marking a substrate. The method includes providing an input image having a plurality of patches, each patch having a pattern using a first and second color; marking a substrate with a copy of the input image using a first and second color separation to correspond to the first and second colors, respectively; and measuring a color characteristic of markings of respective copied patches of the copied plurality of patches and generating corresponding colorimetric values. Misregistration of the first color separation markings relative to the second color separation markings is characterized based on the measured calorimetric values.

Abstract: A system facilitates printing of microtext. A processing component allows a user to create one or more microtext characters, wherein the characters are output as a data packet. An SRE code store receives and associates one or more SRE codes with the data packet, each SRE code is representative of a bit pattern, wherein the bit pattern is a grid of bits that are filled to create a particular pattern. A font bank receives the one or more SRE codes from the SRE code store and defines such codes via a font. A raster image processor receives the font from the font bank, decodes the font and outputs instructions to print the microtext.

Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration of a printer device, the method including receiving from the printer device an output image having marked calibration patches having a variety of color separation configurations, each using a first and second color separation, and a marked measurement patch having a predetermined color separation configuration. Measured colorimetric values are received corresponding to the calibration patches and the marked measurement patch, and a characteristic of a curve associated with the measured colorimetric values corresponding to the calibration patches is determined. A calibration function is generated based on the determined characteristic of the curve, providing expected colorimetric values for the predetermined color separation configuration as related to a misregistration characteristic value.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided, which include a color image processor, an edge distinguisher, and an edge trapping mechanism. The color image processor processes color images, including a given color image. The given color image includes plural color separations each having a set of color values for respective image pixels. The edge distinguisher distinguishes some edges of the given color image as opposing edges. An edge is a transition in the color separation of the given color image from a non-white color intensity value, at one side of the edge, to a white intensity value, at the other side of the edge. A given edge is an opposing edge when a transition of the given edge goes, for a separation of the given color image, in one direction from a non-white color value to a white value, and goes, for another separation of the given color image, in the same direction from a white value to a non-white color value.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided, including a digital two-dimensional authentic image, an image processor, authentication message data, and a screen to be applied to at least a portion of the two-dimensional image. The authentication message data represent an authentication message, which may be a textual message, a symbol, or a pattern, and which may signify that the authentic image is authentic or original. The screen may apply two different halftoning operations. The two different halftoning operations include a first halftoning operation applying halftoning elements arranged in one way and a second halftoning operation applying halftoning elements arranged in second way. The first halftoning operation is applied in a limited area of the authentic image and in a form defined by the authentication message data, and the second halftoning operation is applied in an area surrounding the limited area.

Abstract: A system and method for characterizing color separation misregistration of a multi-color printing system utilizing a broadband multi-channel scanning module, such as an RGB scanner, are provided. The system and method include generating a spectral reflectance data structure corresponding to a broadband multi-channel scanning module. The spectral reflectance data structure includes at least one parameter. The at least one parameter may correspond to the broadband multi-channel scanning module and/or a printing module. The system and method further provide for calibrating a spectral-based analysis module by utilizing the spectral reflectance data structure. The system and method also include characterizing color separation misregistration utilizing the calibrated spectral-based analysis module by examining at least one plurality-separation patch.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method that includes a classifier that distinguishes objects based on their color shades. A moving window based operator looks at the color class of the adjacent objects and determines if an adjustment is necessary. If at least one of the objects is the type of interest and the color classes of the objects meet the criteria, then the boundary between the objects is subject to be adjusted. Two adjustment modes are discussed: “adjust-tagging” mode and “adjust-color” mode. In the adjust-tagging mode, a specific tag is sent down to the print engine to force the use of high addressability halftones for the boundary pixels in the darker object. In the adjust-color mode, a color lighter (usually white) than that of the lighter object is assigned to the boundary pixels in the lighter object. The width of the modified pixels along the boundary is configurable.

Abstract: A method is employed that represents patterns using a super resolution encoding method that distributes the code value among adjacent pixels. One or more blocks are created, wherein each block is comprised of a plurality of bits, the height of the block is equal to the width of the block. One or more supercells are created by merging at least two adjacent blocks. One or more patterns are defined, wherein each pattern is defined by selecting one or more bits to be one of filled or unfilled within each supercell. Each of the one or more patterns is associated with an SRE code, the SRE code is related to the number and location of bits that are filled within the pattern. A pattern is defined with a plurality of patterns, each pattern is included in the one or more supercells.

Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration of a printer device, the method including receiving from the printer device an output image having marked calibration patches having a variety of color separation configurations, each using a first and second color separation, and a marked measurement patch having a predetermined color separation configuration. Measured colorimetric values are received corresponding to the calibration patches and the marked measurement patch, and a characteristic of a curve associated with the measured colorimetric values corresponding to the calibration patches is determined. A calibration function is generated based on the determined characteristic of the curve, providing expected colorimetric values for the predetermined color separation configuration as related to a misregistration characteristic value.

Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration of a printer device using color separations of a color space for marking substrate. The method includes providing an input image including a pattern of patches including at least one measurement patch, each measurement patch having at least a first and second color separation of the color space, and marking a substrate in accordance with the input image for generating an output image having a marked pattern of patches which corresponds to the pattern of patches. Spectral reflectance of at least one respective patch of the marked patch pattern of the output image is measured and respective spectral reflectance values corresponding to the measuring are generated. Misregistration is characterized between the at least first and second color separations of each measurement patch of the at least one measurement patch based on the spectral reflectance values.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for characterizing color separation misregistration associated with marking a substrate. The method includes providing an input image having a plurality of patches, each patch having a pattern using a first and second color; marking a substrate with a copy of the input image using a first and second color separation to correspond to the first and second colors, respectively; and measuring a color characteristic of markings of respective copied patches of the copied plurality of patches and generating corresponding colorimetric values. Misregistration of the first color separation markings relative to the second color separation markings is characterized based on the measured calorimetric values.

Abstract: A method of improving edge rendering of objects includes dilation (or contraction) of an object's tag plane by one or more pixels into the surrounding region, with the adjacent tag region having a corresponding contraction (or dilation). The objects of interest (e.g., white text) are first identified; the corresponding object tag plane is then spread or choked, in a fashion analogous to trapping. In the case of negative text on a tint background, by expanding the tag plane for the negative text object, the text hint would be forced one pixel into the tint object plane everywhere along the perimeter of the negative text. This could then enable greatly improved negative text rendering.

Abstract: An embodiment described below provides a system that allows a user to provide an exact implementation or a close approximation to any desired Holladay dot to a printer with super-resolution encoding (SRE)/decoding (SRD) capabilities. In particular, the embodiment converts a desired Holladay dot to an SRE dot. The SRE dot or SRE look-up table may be uploaded to a printer that supports SRE/SRD.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment reproduces an image by receiving an input contone array of M contone data values. The contone data values may lie within a range from 1 to N. The embodiment includes comparing each contone data value to an array of M sets of pattern look-up tables to generate an array of M pattern values. M may be a number of one or more. Each pattern value in the array of M pattern values may be decoded to a corresponding K by L multi-pixel pattern of binary data. The binary data is rendered by a reprographic device.

Abstract: A system facilitates printing of microtext. A processing component allows a user to create one or more microtext characters, wherein the characters are output as a data packet. An SRE code store receives and associates one or more SRE codes with the data packet, each SRE code is representative of a bit pattern, wherein the bit pattern is a grid of bits that are filled to create a particular pattern. A font bank receives the one or more SRE codes from the SRE code store and defines such codes via a font. A raster image processor receives the font from the font bank, decodes the font and outputs instructions to print the microtext.