Abstract: A system and method for tile type based color space transformation improves the performance and image quality of multifunction devices. The disclosed embodiments transform an input image on a tile by tile basis. If a tile is detected as neutral, simple 1D L* to CMYK Tone Reproduction Curves or Look-Up-Tables are used to convert the input pixels of the tile in L*a*b* to output pixels in CMYK. If a tile is detected as containing color content, then the input pixels are chrominance adjusted and subsequently converted to CMYK using regular tetrahedral interpolation.

Abstract: A system and method for tile type based color space transformation improves the performance and image quality of multifunction devices. The disclosed embodiments transform an input image on a tile by tile basis. If a tile is detected as neutral, simple 1D L* to CMYK Tone Reproduction Curves or Look-Up-Tables are used to convert the input pixels of the tile in L*a*b* to output pixels in CMYK. If a tile is detected as containing color content, then the input pixels are chrominance adjusted and subsequently converted to CMYK using regular tetrahedral interpolation.

Abstract: A method and system for an auto-color detection and color transformation is provided including with at least one image signal processor, splitting an input image into a plurality of strips on a page. Each strip is composed of a plurality of pixels. The presence of color data within a strip is determined. Based on a determination that no color data is present within the strip both a monochrome rendering and a simple color rendering of this neutral strip are generated. Based on a determination that color data is present within a strip, the entire page is declared a color page and either one of a simple color rendering (via 1D look up tables) or a complex color rendering (via tetrahedral interpolation) of the strip is generated. Thereafter, only color renderings of subsequent strips is performed for the corresponding page.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for reducing the bit depth of grayscale imagery using multi-bit halftoning. The halftoned image data may be lossy or losslessly compressed and stored in memory or transmitted over a communication channel. At the time of printing, the images are decompressed and reconstructed to a grayscale image data using Sigma filtering to preserve edges. Preferably, different Sigma filters may be applied based on contrast information within a local neighborhood region. Fuzzy edge detection may also be used to preserve edge features and prevent smearing.

Abstract: A method for producing an electronic annotated document including embedding annotation information into an electronic annotation object having image data including an annotation, and producing the electronic annotated document using pixel information from the electronic document and the electronic annotation object. The annotation embedded information may be used to select corresponding pixel information from one of the electronic annotated object and electronic document to be provided in the electronic annotated document. A system and tangible storage medium having machine-readable instructions for producing an electronic annotated document are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting thin lines in image data. The method is performed by a processor to process contone image data. The processing includes thresholding a window of pixels established in the contone domain to generate a binary window of image data, and then determining characteristics associated with on pixels or runs of the binary data. The characteristics (start and end locations, length of on runs) are then thresholded. The processing in the contone and binary domain are used to determine if a thin line exists in the window of image data. The disclosed method produces better quality output images and reduces the addition of false lines in an image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting thin lines in image data. The method is performed by a processor to process contone image data. The processing includes thresholding a window of pixels using a first set of thresholds established in the contone domain, and then counting and thresholding the binary pixels using a second set of thresholds. The processing in the contone and binary domain are used to determine if a thin line exists and if a pixel of interest in the window is an edge pixel that is part of a thin line. The disclosed method produces better quality output images and reduces the addition of false lines in an image.

Abstract: A method for producing an electronic annotated document including embedding annotation information into an electronic annotation object having image data including an annotation, and producing the electronic annotated document using pixel information from the electronic document and the electronic annotation object. The annotation embedded information may be used to select corresponding pixel information from one of the electronic annotated object and electronic document to be provided in the electronic annotated document. A system and tangible storage medium having machine-readable instructions for producing an electronic annotated document are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting thin lines in image data. The method is performed by a processor to process contone image data. The processing includes thresholding a window of pixels established in the contone domain to generate a binary window of image data, and then determining characteristics associated with on pixels or runs of the binary data. The characteristics (start and end locations, length of on runs) are then thresholded. The processing in the contone and binary domain are used to determine if a thin line exists in the window of image data. The disclosed method produces better quality output images and reduces the addition of false lines in an image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting thin lines in image data. The method is performed by a processor to process contone image data. The processing includes thresholding a window of pixels using a first set of thresholds established in the contone domain, and then counting and thresholding the binary pixels using a second set of thresholds. The processing in the contone and binary domain are used to determine if a thin line exists and if a pixel of interest in the window is an edge pixel that is part of a thin line. The disclosed method produces better quality output images and reduces the addition of false lines in an image.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for detecting thin lines in image data. The method is performed by a processor to process contone image data. The processing includes combining a first result of thin line detection using a first method and a second result of thin line detection using a second method to produce an improved thin line determination in the image data. The methods include processing and thresholding in the contone and binary domain to determine if a thin line exists in the window of image data. The thin line determination may also be merged with the image data as processed using other image segmentation techniques. The disclosed method produces better quality output images and reduces the addition of false lines in an image.

Abstract: A multifunction apparatus and method for enhancing store binary image data, is disclosed. The method includes retrieving the stored binary image data, converting the binary image data into higher-resolution image data, determining image enhancement processes, and applying the image enhancement processes to the higher-resolution image data to produce an enhanced image. The method further includes determining output format of the enhanced image and outputting the enhanced image.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for reducing the bit depth of grayscale imagery using multi-bit halftoning. The halftoned image data may be lossy or losslessly compressed and stored in memory or transmitted over a communication channel. At the time of printing, the images are decompressed and reconstructed to a grayscale image data using Sigma filtering to preserve edges. Preferably, different Sigma filters may be applied based on contrast information within a local neighborhood region. Fuzzy edge detection may also be used to preserve edge features and prevent smearing.

Abstract: The embodiments describe calculating and store scaling information based on processing input binary image data. By manipulating data that is received in binary format, the most cost effective method for scaling may be chosen. The input image data is scanned, a resolution (e.g., for display or output) is determined and a scaling method is determined. If the input binary image data needs to be scaled down to a smaller resolution, the binary image data is processed and scaled and then converted to grayscale image data. If the image data must be scaled to a larger resolution, the input binary image data is first converted to grayscale image data before processing using a segmentation tag-based scaling method. The scaled image data may then be output to an output device, such as a display, printer, or image output terminal.

Abstract: A multifunction apparatus and method for enhancing store binary image data, is disclosed. The method includes retrieving the stored binary image data, converting the binary image data into higher-resolution image data, determining image enhancement processes, and applying the image enhancement processes to the higher-resolution image data to produce an enhanced image. The method further includes determining output format of the enhanced image and outputting the enhanced image.

Abstract: A method is described to match an original binary image with the dynamic range of a desired target document. The original binary image is restored first to contone and a histogram of the contone image is processed to generate a TRC for the contone image with improved dynamic range. The histogram processing includes determining a histogram of the contone image, and generating the TRC based on matching the determined histogram with a target histogram profile. This helps in matching outputs from legacy devices to a desired quality.

Abstract: A method and system converts a binary image into an analog image by first tagging pixels that are part of edges in the digital image and using this tagging information to eliminate such tagged pixels from the digital filtering process. The elimination of such tagged pixels from the digital filtering process substantially eliminates artifacts near the edges, thereby reducing any distraction from the perceived quality of the output image.