Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100142806 | 3 + 1 LAYER MIXED RASTER CONTENT (MRC) IMAGES HAVING A TEXT LAYER AND PROCESSING THEREOF - A method, system and data structure for providing a 3+1 layer MRC image, including a text layer. The text layer includes pixel data corresponding to text in an image and may be assigned a predetermined value for a particular color. According to one or more embodiments, the 3+1 layer MRC image may be subject to clean-up processing to alter one or more of the layers, other than the text layer, based on the text layer pixel data. This clean-up processing reduces redundant information stored in the 3+1 layer MRC image and provides opportunities for file size reduction (i.e., data compression). | 06-10-2010 |
20100142820 | 3 + 1 LAYER MIXED RASTER CONTENT (MRC) IMAGES HAVING A BLACK TEXT LAYER - A method, system and data structure for providing a 3+1 layer MRC image, including a black text layer. The black text layer includes pixel data corresponding to black text in an image and may be assigned a predetermined value for the color of black. According to one or more embodiments, using thresholding processing along with various morphological operations, the black text layer may be generated. | 06-10-2010 |
20110069885 | 3+N LAYER MIXED RATER CONTENT (MRC) IMAGES AND PROCESSING THEREOF - A method for processing image data includes using advantages of both a three-layer MRC model and an N-layer MRC model to create a new 3+N layer MRC model and to generate a 3+N layer MRC image. The method includes providing input image data; segmenting the input image data to generate: (i) a background layer representing the background and the pictorial attributes of the image data, (ii) one or more binary foreground layers, (iii) a selector layer, and (iv) a contone foreground layer representing the foreground attributes of the image data on the background layer; and integrating the background layer, the selector layer, the contone foreground layer, and the one or more binary foreground layers into a data structure having machine-readable information for storage in a memory device. Each binary foreground layer includes one or more pixel clusters representing text pixels of a particular color in the input image data. | 03-24-2011 |
20140016140 | DOT GROWTH SYSTEM AND METHOD - The present disclosure relates to a method and system for processing isolated dots of an image to be printed by a printer. The method includes detecting whether pixels corresponding to an isolated dot in the image are in an on state. A first sum of pixels that are in an on state in a first pixel ring surrounding the pixels corresponding to the isolated dot when the pixels in the isolated dot are detected to be in the on state is determined. The first sum of pixels in the first pixel ring that are in the on state is compared with a first threshold sum. A first number of pixels in at least a second pixel ring either comprising of or surrounding the pixels corresponding to the isolated dot are turned on when the first sum of pixels in the on state is less than the first threshold sum. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016144 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ISOLATED DOT DETECTION AND GROWTH IN A DOCUMENT IMAGE - A method for detecting and growing isolated dots in a document image having a plurality of pixels is provided. The method includes isolating the pixels of the image to form a plurality of windows, each window having a target pixel; detecting an isolated dot in the received image; identifying a dot growth factor to grow the detected isolated dot in the received image; using the dot growth factor to identify tiered pixel patterns from a plurality of predefined, tiered pixel patterns, wherein each of the tiered pixel patterns having a predetermined dot growth factor; comparing the pixels within each window to the pixel patterns within the identified tier to identify a match between the pixels within the window and at least one of the pixel patterns; and changing a pixel value of the target pixel, when a match is identified, to grow the isolated dot by the dot growth factor. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016145 | DOT GROWTH SYSTEM AND METHOD - The present disclosure relates to a method and system for processing isolated dots of an image to be printed by a printer. The method includes generating a random number, determining whether a target pixel is to be turned on and enabled for printing, determining a sum of pixels surrounding the target pixel in a plurality of pixels in a scanline of the image, the target pixel corresponding to an isolated dot in an input image, that are in an on state, the on state defined by a higher binary logic level relative to a binary logic level corresponding to a turned off pixel, determining a numerical value stored in a lookup table using the determined sum of pixels that are in the turned on state surrounding the target pixel as an index to the lookup table, and comparing the generated random number to the determined numerical value. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016146 | ISOLATED HOLE DETECTION AND GROWTH - The present disclosure relates to a method and system for processing isolated holes in an image to be printed or displayed. The method includes generating a random number lying in a finite range of numbers, determining whether a target pixel is to be turned off and enabled for printing as a hole, determining a sum of pixels surrounding a target pixel in a plurality of pixels in a scanline of the image, the target pixel corresponding to an isolated hole in an input image, that are in an on state, the on state defined by a higher binary logic level relative to a binary logic level corresponding to a turned off pixel, determining a numerical value stored in a lookup table in a memory unit coupled to the processor using the determined number of pixels that are in the turned on state surrounding the target pixel. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016157 | ISOLATED HOLE DETECTION AND GROWTH - The present disclosure relates to a method and system for processing isolated holes in an image to be printed or displayed. The method includes detecting whether pixels corresponding to an isolated hole in the image are in an off state, determining a sum of pixels that are in an on state in a first pixel ring surrounding the pixels corresponding to the isolated hole when the one or more pixels in the isolated hole are detected to be in the off state, comparing the sum of pixels in the pixel ring that are in the on state with a threshold sum, turning off a number of pixels in at least another pixel ring either comprising of or surrounding the pixels when the first sum of pixels in the on state is greater than the threshold sum, and outputting the isolated hole including the turned off first number of pixels. | 01-16-2014 |
20140016819 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ISOLATED HOLE DETECTION AND GROWTH IN A DOCUMENT IMAGE - A method for detecting and growing isolated holes in a document image having a plurality of pixels is provided. The method includes isolating the pixels of the image to form a plurality of windows, each window having a target pixel; identifying a hole growth factor to grow an isolated hole in the received image; using the hole growth factor to identify tiered pixel patterns from a plurality of predefined, tiered pixel patterns, wherein each of the tiered pixel patterns having a predetermined hole growth factor; comparing the pixels within each window to the pixel patterns within the identified tier to identify a match between the pixels within the window and at least one of the pixel patterns; and changing a pixel value of the target pixel, when a match is identified, to grow the isolated hole by the hole growth factor. | 01-16-2014 |
20140140614 | COLOR PIXEL COUNTING FOR TIERED BILLING IN OUTPUT JOBS - A processor-implemented method for processing image data of a document using an apparatus or medium. The processor determines a billable color pixel count in an image by determining a first count of color pixels in the image data in device independent space (e.g., fuzzy and true color counts using a neutral page determination) and a second count of color pixels in device dependent space (e.g., binary CMYK based count). The first and second counts are transformed and a minimum of the transformation is used as the billable count. Based on the disclosed implementation, billing accuracy for outputting color documents is improved and flexibility in tier-based billing is preserved. | 05-22-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100098351 | SEGMENTATION FOR THREE-LAYER MIXED RASTER CONTENT IMAGES - A method for improving image quality of edge pixels, when separating an image signal into a set of image planes is provided. The method includes searching for a minimum value and a maximum value within at least one predefined neighborhood pixel window centered on a current pixel in the image signal; and conditionally switching the edge pixels to either the minimum value or the maximum value in the foreground and background planes respectively, or to a value of a specified characteristic of the current pixel, based on predetermined criteria. One such predetermined criteria for this conditional switching of the edge pixels comprises comparing the minimum or maximum luminance values in the predefined neighborhood window of the current pixel and their corresponding chrominance values to some predetermined thresholds which are characteristic of the image for the foreground and background planes, respectively. | 04-22-2010 |
20110026814 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT STORAGE OF MRC IMAGES FOR EASY CLASSIFICATION AND RETRIEVAL - A method and system for processing image data provides associated background metadata in a searchable format and reduces file size. MRC techniques are used to process input image data. It is known that the image data may be segmented to generate a background layer representing background attributes of the input image data. A background color value of the background layer is detected, and background metadata representing the color value is generated. The background metadata is associated with the image data (e.g., as a separate file, in the image header, etc.), thereby making the background metadata searchable and reducing the file size of the image data to be stored. | 02-03-2011 |
20110085735 | EDGE DETECTION FOR MIXED RASTER CONTENT (MRC) IMAGES FOR IMPROVED COMPRESSION AND IMAGE QUALITY - A method for detecting edge pixels in an image plane based on intensity and neutrality of a current pixel is provided. The method includes detecting the edge pixels in the image plane based on predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria determining whether: (a) a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the specified characteristic is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and (b) (i) a difference between a current value and the minimum value of the specified characteristic, or (ii) a difference between a current value and the maximum value of the specified characteristic is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The predetermined thresholds are determined based on intensity and neutrality of the current pixel. | 04-14-2011 |
20110158529 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLEANUP OF MRC IMAGES FOR IMPROVED COMPRESSION AND IMAGE QUALITY - A method, system, and product for separating an image into a set of layers (background, foreground, and selector) and processing those layers to produce an output image of reduced size with improved compression and greater image quality. Each pixel of image data is processed based on signals produced from the set of layers and their attributes. The method includes determining values for signals being processed based on a look-up table or template, as well as changing values based on each pixel and its neighboring pixels. | 06-30-2011 |
20120039534 | COMPRESSION SCHEME SELECTION BASED ON IMAGE DATA TYPE AND USER SELECTIONS - Disclosed is a processor-implemented method for processing image data comprising a plurality of pixels and system for performing the method. The method includes the following acts: determining at least one type of data represented by the plurality of pixels, determining, for each type of data, a number of pixels from the image data representing that type of data in the image data, and determining a compression scheme for compressing the image data based on a relative or absolute amount of each type of data in accordance with a predetermined scheme. The type of data may be determined by received input (e.g., user selected type and compression quality) or by analyzing its pixels and comparing it to thresholds. Basing the compression technique on the data type allows for better selection of a compression technique (e.g., MRC or JPEG), and thus greater image quality, compression ratios, and file size. | 02-16-2012 |
20130066756 | METHOD FOR IMAGE CLASSIFICATION FOR COPY PATH BILLING - Disclosed is a processor-implemented method for processing image data representing a document using an image processing apparatus. The processor receives image data, determines the classifications and counts of pixels in the image data (e.g., in device independent space that are degrees of neutral or non-neutral), classifies the image data into a category based on the determination of classifications and counts of pixels, and determines a billing structure for the image data based on the classification of image data. The classification can be performed on the image data prior to conversion into device dependent space. For example, by counting true color, neutral, non-neutral, and fuzzy color pixels and comparing them to thresholds, the image data can be classified as neutral or very colorful. By classifying images earlier in the image path, errors in billing are reduced. | 03-14-2013 |
20130166477 | BILLING METHOD FOR COPY PATH IMAGES - Disclosed is a processor-implemented method for processing image data of a document using an apparatus. The processor determines pixel classifications and counts for each classification, classifies the image, selects a billing tier for which to bill the image, determines counts of pixels for marking to output the image (e.g., in device dependent space), and then can adjust from the selected billing tier to a different billing tier based on the image classification (e.g., and/or using determined counts of pixels for each classification and determined counts of pixels for marking). Counts of pixels can be adjusted using an offset, or calculated using a combination of the determined counts (e.g., combining counts from both independent and dependent spaces). By adjusting the tier at which to bill data, more accurate billing can be implemented for documents with contone or grayscale image data, for example, with greater customer satisfaction. | 06-27-2013 |
20140016151 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING MODIFICATION OF TEXT COLORS IN DIGITAL IMAGES - A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided for facilitating modification of text colors in a digital image. In an embodiment, the GUI includes a first user interface adapted to display a selectable first set of text colors to appear in a modified digital image. In another embodiment, the GUI includes a second user interface adapted to display a selectable first set of text colors to appear in a modified digital image. In yet another embodiment, the GUI includes various options to facilitate securing of confidential data in the digital image. | 01-16-2014 |
20140198325 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING COLOR CHARACTERSTICS OF AN IMAGE - Disclosed embodiments relate to a method implementable on a computing device for determining color characteristics of an image. The method includes identifying one or more regions in the image based on a luminance value associated with pixels in the image. Each region comprises a set of pixels having a predefined range of luminance values. The set of pixels associated with the one or more regions are categorized into one or more predefined color categories corresponding to each of the one or more regions, based on a chroma value associated with each pixel in the set of pixels. The color characteristics of the image are determined based on a count of the categorized pixels in each of the one or more predefined color categories. | 07-17-2014 |
20140207636 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MODIFYING COLOR CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IMAGE - Disclosed embodiments relate to a method implementable on a computing device for modifying color characteristics of an image. The method includes identifying one or more regions in the image based on a luminance value associated with one or more pixels in the image. Each region comprises a first set of pixels having a predefined range of luminance values. The first set of pixels is categorized in a first set of predefined color categories corresponding to the each region based, at least in part, on a chroma value associated with each pixel in the first set of pixels. Each predefined color category in the first set of predefined color categories comprises a second set of pixels. The color characteristics of the second set of pixels are modified based on a region and a predefined color category associated with the second set of pixels. | 07-24-2014 |
20140250375 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SUMMARIZING DOCUMENTS - A method and system for creating a summary report for an electronic document is disclosed. An input for specifying one or more sections of an electronic document is received through a graphical user interface (GUI). Further, an input for specifying a type of the summary report for the specified one or more sections is received from the GUI. Thereafter, the summary report is created based on the specified one or more sections and the specified type of the summary report. | 09-04-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090195800 | ESTIMATING AN AMOUNT OF COLOR CONTENT IN A DOCUMENT - What is provided herein is a novel system and method for estimating the amount of color in a document to be printed, with the capability to handle composite black, in those environments without access to all the original four color planes simultaneously. In one embodiment, input CMYK values are pre-adjusted via a look-up table to take into account the neutral balance characteristics. The planes are then scaled and quantized so that all four planes become available simultaneously. The difference among the quantized CMYK color values is compared against a threshold that is input level dependent. A pixel is classified into one of several color categories such as, for example, true neutral, fuzzy neutral, true color or fuzzy color. A color billing strategy can then be automatically determined based on the amount of color content. The method advantageously provides flexibility to support multi-tier billing in systems with various marking technologies. | 08-06-2009 |
20090214113 | Removing Ringing and Blocking Artifacts from JPEG Compressed Document Images - A method of removing ringing and blocking artifacts from a decompressed digital image. In one method, a background value of the digital image a background region and foreground regions is determined, and a threshold value is computed. A mapping of the digital image is then generated by thresholding the digital image based on the threshold value to produce a thresholded image, and enlarging the foreground regions of the thresholded image to form a map image. The mapping includes the background pixels of the map image. The background region of the decompressed digital image is then cleansed based on the mapping. In an alternate method, ringing artifacts are removed from a decompressed digital image based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the image. In yet another alternate embodiment, ringing artifacts are from a decompressed digital color image that includes a chrominance channel and a luminance channel. An alternate embodiment removes ringing and blocking artifacts. | 08-27-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090195799 | ESTIMATING AN AMOUNT OF COLOR IN A DOCUMENT - What is provided are a novel system, method, and computer program product for estimating the amount of color in a document to be printed, with the capability to handle composite black. A color billing strategy can be dynamically determined based on the amount of color in the document. In one embodiment, a contone CMYK image is examined and the level of color is estimated based on information extracted from the four planes simultaneously. More specifically, it examines the pixel values from all the four planes to calculate the number of white, black, color, and gray or neutral pixel counts. Input CMYK values can be pre-adjusted via a look-up table to take into account neutral balance characteristics. The difference among the adjusted color values is compared against a threshold that is input level dependent. Color is further subdivided into fuzzy colors to handle highlights and neutral areas. | 08-06-2009 |
20090195801 | ESTIMATING AN AMOUNT OF COLOR CONTENT IN A DOCUMENT - What is provided herein is a novel system and method for estimating the amount of color in a document. In one embodiment, a binary CMYK input image is received. Each of the CMYK plane is received at an offset from the previous plane, i.e., the 4 planes are not received simultaneously. Each plane is divided into M×N tiles. Pixel values of all four planes are examined separately and the number of on-pixels is counted for each plane. The number of on-pixel counts for each tile are aggregated for each plane. Total on-pixel counts are used to estimate the total number of white, black, color, and gray pixel counts. The total counts for all planes are used to estimate the amount of color. A document is determined to be color if the amount of color exceeds a predetermined threshold. A color billing strategy is determined based on the estimated color amount. | 08-06-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100156664 | Apparatus and Methods for Multi-Channel Electric Metering - In one aspect, the invention comprises a device for measuring electricity usage, comprising: means for remote disconnection via power line communication; means for detection of electricity theft; means for tamper detection; and means for reverse voltage detection. In another aspect, the invention comprises an apparatus for multi-channel metering of electricity, comprising: (a) a meter head operable to measure electricity usage for a plurality of electricity consumer lines; (b) a transponder operable to transmit data received from the meter head via power line communication to a remotely located computer, and to transmit data received via power line communication from the remotely located computer to the meter head; and (c) a load control module operable to actuate connection and disconnection of each of a plurality of relays, each relay of the plurality of relays corresponding to one of the plurality of electricity consumer lines. | 06-24-2010 |
20100213766 | Systems and Methods for Electricity Metering - In one aspect, the invention comprises a system comprising: a master data clock source; one or more transponders; and a plurality of remote power line transceivers; wherein all of said plurality of transceivers are connected to a common alternating current power distribution grid; and wherein each of said plurality of transceivers has a location is operable to monitor a voltage waveform of a power line prevailing at said location. In another aspect, the invention comprises a system comprising: transponders and remote power line transceivers each connected to a common alternating current power distribution grid each operable to monitor the voltage waveform of the power line prevailing at its own location, and generate selectable frequencies from said local power line waveform of a frequency of p/q times the frequency of said power line where p and q are positive integers greater than or equal to 1. | 08-26-2010 |
20120019297 | Systems And Methods For Electricity Metering - In one aspect, the invention comprises a system comprising: a master data clock source; one or more transponders; and a plurality of remote power line transceivers; wherein all of said plurality of transceivers are connected to a common alternating current power distribution grid; and wherein each of said plurality of transceivers has a location is operable to monitor a voltage waveform of a power line prevailing at said location. In another aspect, the invention comprises a system comprising: transponders and remote power line transceivers each connected to a common alternating current power distribution grid each operable to monitor the voltage waveform of the power line prevailing at its own location, and generate selectable frequencies from said local power line waveform of a frequency of p/q times the frequency of said power line where p and q are positive integers greater than or equal to 1. | 01-26-2012 |
20120022814 | Apparatus and methods for multi-channel metering - In one aspect, the invention comprises a device for measuring electricity usage, comprising: means for remote disconnection via power line communication; means for detection of electricity theft; means for tamper detection; and means for reverse voltage detection. In another aspect, the invention comprises an apparatus for multi-channel metering of electricity, comprising: (a) a meter head operable to measure electricity usage for a plurality of electricity consumer lines; (b) a transponder operable to transmit data received from the meter head via power line communication to a remotely located computer, and to transmit data received via power line communication from the remotely located computer to the meter head; and (c) a load control module operable to actuate connection and disconnection of each of a plurality of relays, each relay of the plurality of relays corresponding to one of the plurality of electricity consumer lines. | 01-26-2012 |