Color encoder

Claim 1

A method of encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns on a multicolored document consisting of colors on a background color including the steps of: scanning a group at least two of contiguous regions to derive electrical output signals indicative of the color of each region scanned; deriving from the electrical output signals what color is present in each scanned region and producing a set of digitally encoded electrical output signals specifying the color which is present in each scanned region including the background color, said digitally encoded electrical output signals having different digital values representative of each of said colors including the background color; selecting from the set digitally encoded output signals produced during said deriving step the first set whose digital value is representative of a color other than the background color; and storing the selected digitally encoded output signal only one digitally encoded output signal from the set of digitally encoded output signals being stored for the group of contiguous regions being scanned.

Claim 2

A method of encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns on a multicolored document consisting of colors on a background color including the steps of: scanning a group at least two of contiguous regions to derive electrical output signals indicative of the color of each region scanned; deriving from the electrical output signals what color is present in each scanned region and producing a set of digitally encoded electrical output signals specifying the color which is present in each scanned region including the background color, said digitally encoded electrical output signals having different digital values representative of each of said colors including the background color; selecting from the set digitally encoded output signals produced during said deriving step the first set whose digital value is representative of a color other than the background color; and storing the selected digitally encoded output signal only one digitally encoded output signal from the set of digitally encoded output signals being stored for the group of contiguous regions being scanned.

Claim 5

A device for encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns of a multicolored document consisting of colors and a background color including: scanning means scanning a group at least two of regions and producing electrical output signals indicative of the color of each of the regions being scanned; color-decoding means connected to the output of the scanning means said decoder means determining from the electrical output signals of the scannIng means what color is present in each scanned region and producing a set of digitally encoded electrical output signals specifying the color which is present in each scanned region including the background color, said digitally encoded electrical output signals having a different digital value representative of each of said colors including the background color; means responsive to the digitally encoded electrical output signals produced by the color-decoding means for selecting the first digitally encoded output signal from said color-decoding means whose digital value is representative of a color other than the background color; and first storage means for recording the selected digitally encoded output signals, only one digitally encoded output signal from the set of digitally encoded output signals being stored for the group of regions being scanned.

Claim 6

A device for encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns of a multicolored document consisting of colors and a background color including: scanning means scanning a group at least two of regions and producing electrical output signals indicative of the color of each of the regions being scanned; color-decoding means connected to the output of the scanning means said decoder means determining from the electrical output signals of the scannIng means what color is present in each scanned region and producing a set of digitally encoded electrical output signals specifying the color which is present in each scanned region including the background color, said digitally encoded electrical output signals having a different digital value representative of each of said colors including the background color; means responsive to the digitally encoded electrical output signals produced by the color-decoding means for selecting the first digitally encoded output signal from said color-decoding means whose digital value is representative of a color other than the background color; and first storage means for recording the selected digitally encoded output signals, only one digitally encoded output signal from the set of digitally encoded output signals being stored for the group of regions being scanned.

Claim 7

A device for encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns of a multicolored document consisting of colors and a background color, comprising: scanning means scanning a group of regions of equal area and producing electrical output signals representative of the color values in each of said regions; a plurality of color-decoding means, connected to the output of the scanning means, each color-decoding means determining from the electrical output signals of the scanning means what color is present in the scanned region with which it is associated and producing a color-indicating output signal specifying the color which is present, whenever the color is other than background; first detection means responsive to the outputs of the color-decoding means for determining the first region containing a color other than the background color and for presenting at the detection means output a signal indicating the color present in that region, said first detection means comprising a plurality of gate means responsive to the output of the color-decoding means; one gate means being associated with each of the color-decoding means, except for the color-decoding means associated with the first region scanned; each gate means being responsive to each of the color-decoding means associated with preceding regions; and each gate means passing to the output of the first detection means the color-indicating signal from the color-decoding means with which it is associated whenever none of the color-decoding means associated with previous regions has produced an output indicating a color other than background; first storage means responsive to the signal at the output of the first detection means for recording the color of the region determined by the first detection means; a second detection means responsive to the outputs of the color-decoding means for producing an output when any region contains a color, not including background, other than the color of the region determined by the first detection means; and second storage means responsive to the second detection means for recording the output of the second detection means.

Claim 8

A device for encoding with a minimum of data the color patterns of a multicolored document consisting of colors and a background color, comprising: scanning means scanning a group of regions of equal area and producing electrical output signals representative of the color values in each of said regions; a plurality of color-decoding means, connected to the output of the scanning means, each color-decoding means determining from the electrical output signals of the scanning means what color is present in the scanned region with which it is associated and producing a color-indicating output signal specifying the color which is present, whenever the color is other than background; first detection means responsive to the outputs of the color-decoding means for determining the first region containing a color other than the background color and for presenting at the detection means output a signal indicating the color present in that region, said first detection means comprising a plurality of gate means responsive to the output of the color-decoding means; one gate means being associated with each of the color-decoding means, except for the color-decoding means associated with the first region scanned; each gate means being responsive to each of the color-decoding means associated with preceding regions; and each gate means passing to the output of the first detection means the color-indicating signal from the color-decoding means with which it is associated whenever none of the color-decoding means associated with previous regions has produced an output indicating a color other than background; first storage means responsive to the signal at the output of the first detection means for recording the color of the region determined by the first detection means; a second detection means responsive to the outputs of the color-decoding means for producing an output when any region contains a color, not including background, other than the color of the region determined by the first detection means; and second storage means responsive to the second detection means for recording the output of the second detection means.