EP0160526A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image modification
Assignee: Crosfield Electronics Ltd
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Filing: 1985-04-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for modifying an image represented by digital data defining the content of one or more pluralities of cells constituting one or more colour separations is described. The digital data indicates for each cell whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent". The apparatus comprises scanning means (15,16) for electronically scanning along a plurality of scan lines with a mask of preselected dimensions; the respective plurality of digital data corresponding to a region including a boundary for one or more of the colour separations. Programmable logic determines at each position of the mask whether the portion of the colour separation within the mask includes at I least one cell the content of which indicates colour "pre-' sent"; and modifies the digital data at another, predetermined position within the mask to change the content of the respective cell or cells of the colour separation to represent colour "present" or colour "absent" when colour "present" is detected within the mask. The boundary is thus "gripped" either positively or negatively.
Inventors
- 👤 Samuel Edward Darby
- 👤 Brent Anthony Hayhoe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/58; H04N1/40; H04N1/40093
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of modifying a boundary of an image represented by digital data defining the content of one or more pluralities of cells constituting at least a portion of one or more colour separations, the digital data indicating for each cell whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent", the method comprising for one or more of the colour separations, electronically scanning the respective plurality of digital data corresponding to a region including a boundary with a mask of pre-selected dimensions; at each position of the mask determining whether the portion of the colour separation within the mask includes the boundary; and, if it does, modifying the digital data at another, predetermined position within the mask to change the content of the respective cell or cells of the digitally defined colour separation at that position to represent colour "present" or colour "absent".
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of modifying a boundary of an image represented by digital data defining the content of one or more pluralities of cells constituting at least a portion of one or more colour separations, the digital data indicating for each cell whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent", the method comprising for one or more of the colour separations, electronically scanning the respective plurality of digital data corresponding to a region including a boundary with a mask of pre-selected dimensions; at each position of the mask determining whether the portion of the colour separation within the mask includes the boundary; and, if it does, modifying the digital data at another, predetermined position within the mask to change the content of the respective cell or cells of the digitally defined colour separation at that position to represent colour "present" or colour "absent".
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the mask is moved one cell at a time across the digitally defined colour separation, the predetermined position within the mask being defined by a single cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the mask is scanned across the entire digitally defined colour separation, and at each scanning position the digital data within the mask is detected whereby the presence of a boundary within the mask is determined if a transition in the detected digital data is detected.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of generating a physical colour separation comprising causing relative movement between one or more exposing beams and a record medium whereby the record medium is scanned by the exposing beams and modulating the exposing beams in response to digital data defining for each of a plurality of cells whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent"; and during relative scanning movement modifying a boundary of the image, which has not yet been exposed, by carrying out a method according to any of claims 1 to 3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
151 words
Apparatus for modifying a boundary of an image represented by digital data defining the content of one or more pluralities of cells constituting at least a portion of one or more colour separations, the digital data indicating for each cell whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent", the apparatus comprising scanning means (15,16) for electronically scanning, along a plurality of scan lines with a mask of preselected dimensions, the respective plurality of digital data, corresponding to a region including a boundary for one or more of the colour separations; means (15) for determining at each position of the mask whether the portion of the colour separation within the mask includes the boundary; and means (15) for modifying the digital data at another, predetermined position within the mask to change the content of the respective cell or cells of the digitally defined colour separation to represent colour "present" or colour "absent".
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
151 words
Apparatus for modifying a boundary of an image represented by digital data defining the content of one or more pluralities of cells constituting at least a portion of one or more colour separations, the digital data indicating for each cell whether the respective colour is "present" or "absent", the apparatus comprising scanning means (15,16) for electronically scanning, along a plurality of scan lines with a mask of preselected dimensions, the respective plurality of digital data, corresponding to a region including a boundary for one or more of the colour separations; means (15) for determining at each position of the mask whether the portion of the colour separation within the mask includes the boundary; and means (15) for modifying the digital data at another, predetermined position within the mask to change the content of the respective cell or cells of the digitally defined colour separation to represent colour "present" or colour "absent".
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the shape of the mask is one of a continuous outline square, a solid square, a continuous outline circle, a solid circle, a continuous cross, a four point cross, and a five point square.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, comprising a first store (13) to which the digital, data is fed, the store having A x B cells where A is at least the number of cells in a single scan line and B is at least equal to the number of cells defining one dimension of the mask; a second store (17) having C x D cells where C defines a plurality of scan lines and D defines a plurality of scan lines at least equal to another dimension of the mask; and processing means (15,16) for scanning and modifying the data from the first store, transferring suitably modified data to the second store, and scanning and modifying the data from the second store (17) whereby a mask is scanned along a boundary of the image to grip the boundary.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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