Facsimile noise deletion and coding system

Claim 3

A facsimile noise reducing system operative to convert a first sequence of binary symbols representing indicia on a document into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbols, according to predetermined patterns, are converted to the opposite binary symbol type, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of reflectivity characteristics of a document scanned by facsimile processes; means for converting first and second binary symbol types to opposite types in said first symbol sequence in predetermined binary symbol patterns representing isolated document reflectivity characteristics adjacent to document areas of an opPosite reflectivity characteristic; said converted first symbol sequence having predetermined symbol combinations as impossible combinations; and means for forming said converted first symbol sequence into said second symbol sequence.

Claim 4

A facsimile noise reducing system operative to convert a first sequence of binary symbols representing indicia on a document into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbols, according to predetermined patterns, are converted to the opposite binary symbol type, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of reflectivity characteristics of a document scanned by facsimile processes; means for converting first and second binary symbol types to opposite types in said first symbol sequence in predetermined binary symbol patterns representing isolated document reflectivity characteristics adjacent to document areas of an opPosite reflectivity characteristic; said converted first symbol sequence having predetermined symbol combinations as impossible combinations; and means for forming said converted first symbol sequence into said second symbol sequence.

Claim 5

A facsimile noise reducing system for coding a first sequence of binary signals representing document indicia into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbol information is deleted, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of document indicia; means for converting one or more binary symbols in said received first sequence to contrasting document characteristic representing binary symbols in cases where said one or more binary symbols represent identical document reflectivity characteristics in one or more elemental areas adjacent to other elemental areas of opposite reflectivity characteristics in a predetermined pattern around said one or more elemental areas; means for grouping said first sequence of symbols with said converted symbols into sequential groups; means for transforming each said group of symbols into a further group of generally lesser numbers of symbols in which all possible combinations of binary symbols in each of said first groups is uniquely represented by a corresponding combination of symbols in a further group of fewer numbers of symbols; and means for combining said further groups of fewer numbers of symbols into said second sequence of symbols.

Claim 6

A facsimile noise reducing system for coding a first sequence of binary signals representing document indicia into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbol information is deleted, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of document indicia; means for converting one or more binary symbols in said received first sequence to contrasting document characteristic representing binary symbols in cases where said one or more binary symbols represent identical document reflectivity characteristics in one or more elemental areas adjacent to other elemental areas of opposite reflectivity characteristics in a predetermined pattern around said one or more elemental areas; means for grouping said first sequence of symbols with said converted symbols into sequential groups; means for transforming each said group of symbols into a further group of generally lesser numbers of symbols in which all possible combinations of binary symbols in each of said first groups is uniquely represented by a corresponding combination of symbols in a further group of fewer numbers of symbols; and means for combining said further groups of fewer numbers of symbols into said second sequence of symbols.

Claim 7

The system of claim 3 wherein one or more bits of a first type are converted when two or more bits of the second type occur on either side in said first sequence and one or more bits of said second type are converted when one or more bits of the first type occur on either side in said first sequence.

Claim 8

A facsimile noise reducing system for coding a first sequence of binary signals representing document indicia into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbol information is deleted, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of document indicia; means for converting one or more binary symbols in said first sequence to contrasting document characteristic representing binary symbols in cases where said one or more binary symbols represent document reflectivity characteristics in one or more elemental areas adjacent to other elemental areas of opposite reflectivity characteristics in a predetermined pattern around said one or more elemental areas; means for grouping said first sequence of symbols with said converted symbols into first sequential groups each having a predetermined number of symbols; means for translating said first groups of symbols into second groups of symbols having fewer number of symbols in each group and where each combination of symbols possible in said second group defines all possible combinations of symbols for each of said first groups except predetermined isolated terminal symbols in said first group; said isolated terminal symbols being indication of a similar isolated terminal symbol in an adjacent group in accordance with the symbol converting scheme; and means for combining said second groups of symbols to form said second sequence of symbols.

Claim 9

A facsimile noise reducing system for coding a first sequence of binary signals representing document indicia into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbol information is deleted, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of document indicia; means for converting one or more binary symbols in said first sequence to contrasting document characteristic representing binary symbols in cases where said one or more binary symbols represent document reflectivity characteristics in one or more elemental areas adjacent to other elemental areas of opposite reflectivity characteristics in a predetermined pattern around said one or more elemental areas; means for grouping said first sequence of symbols with said converted symbols into first sequential groups each having a predetermined number of symbols; means for translating said first groups of symbols into second groups of symbols having fewer number of symbols in each group and where each combination of symbols possible in said second group defines all possible combinations of symbols for each of said first groups except predetermined isolated terminal symbols in said first group; said isolated terminal symbols being indication of a similar isolated terminal symbol in an adjacent group in accordance with the symbol converting scheme; and means for combining said second groups of symbols to form said second sequence of symbols.

Claim 10

A facsimile noise reducing system operative to convert a first sequence of binary symbols representing indicia on a document into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbols, according to predetermined patterns, are converted to the opposite binary symbol type, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of reflectivity characteristics of a document scanned by facsimile processes; means for detecting isolated first and second binary symbol types representing isolated minimal document reflectivity characteristics adjacent to document areas of an opposite reflectivity characteristic; means for converting detected, isolated first and second binary symbol types to opposite types in said first symbol sequence to provide a converted first symbol sequence having predetermined symbol combinations occurring in said unconverted first sequence deleted from said converted first symbol sequence; and means for translating said converted first symbol sequence into said second symbol sequence having fewer numbers of symbols and providing a unique correspondence between symbol combinations in said second symbol sequence and symbol combinations in said converted first symbol sequence.

Claim 11

A facsimile noise reducing system operative to convert a first sequence of binary symbols representing indicia on a document into a second sequence of binary signals in which isolated binary symbols, according to predetermined patterns, are converted to the opposite binary symbol type, said system comprising: means for receiving said first sequence of binary symbols representative of reflectivity characteristics of a document scanned by facsimile processes; means for detecting isolated first and second binary symbol types representing isolated minimal document reflectivity characteristics adjacent to document areas of an opposite reflectivity characteristic; means for converting detected, isolated first and second binary symbol types to opposite types in said first symbol sequence to provide a converted first symbol sequence having predetermined symbol combinations occurring in said unconverted first sequence deleted from said converted first symbol sequence; and means for translating said converted first symbol sequence into said second symbol sequence having fewer numbers of symbols and providing a unique correspondence between symbol combinations in said second symbol sequence and symbol combinations in said converted first symbol sequence.

Claim 12

The system of claim 6 in which said detecting means detects different predetermined symbol patterns for converting first and second symbol types in said first symbol sequence.

Claim 13

The system of claim 6 wherein the document elemental area represented by a single binary symbol is at a greater resolution than necessary for intelligible facsimile reproduction.

Claim 16

The system of claim 9 wherein said means for detecting said isolated first symbols and said means for detecting said isolated second symbols are adapted to detect different symbol patterns.

Claim 19

The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more identical binary symbols separating said first and second transitions represent reflectivity characteristics of nonlinearly arranged elemental areas of said document.

Claim 20

A facsimile system which describes graphic information contained in successive elemental areas of a document by a binary data stream consisting of a sequence of pulses, successive pulses representing the brightness value of adjacent elemental areas of the document in both a horizontal and vertical direction, a plurality of successive pulses of a first type constituting a minimum normal elemental area of graphic information of the first brightness value on the document, the system including a circuit having, in combination: meaNs for accepting successive groups of pulses representing brightness values of adjacent elemental areas in both a vertical and horizontal direction, the number of pulses in an accepted group exceeding by at least one pulse the number of pulses required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of graphic information; first means for transforming accepted groups which include fewer than the number of successive pulses of the first type required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of graphic information into groups which do not include pulses representative of less than the normal elemental area; second means for transforming accepted groups which include fewer than the number of successive pulses of the second type required to represent the minimal normal elemental area of graphic information into groups which do not include pulses representative of less than the normal elemental area; means for providing successive output pulse groups representative of the accepted successive groups and including the first and second transformed groups in place of those groups which include pulses representing less than the minimum normal elemental area; first means for producing a first output signal when fewer than the number of successive pulses, in both horizontal and vertical directions, of the first type required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of the first brightness value occur in the accepted group; second means for producing a second output signal when fewer than the number of successive pulses of the second type required to represent the minimal normal elemental area of the second brightness value occur in the accepted group; first circuit means operative in response to the first output signal for ensuring that at least the intermediate pulses within the accepted group are of the first type; and second circuit means of in response to the second output signal for ensuring that at least the intermediate pulses within the accepted group are of the second type.

Claim 21

A facsimile system which describes graphic information contained in successive elemental areas of a document by a binary data stream consisting of a sequence of pulses, successive pulses representing the brightness value of adjacent elemental areas of the document in both a horizontal and vertical direction, a plurality of successive pulses of a first type constituting a minimum normal elemental area of graphic information of the first brightness value on the document, the system including a circuit having, in combination: meaNs for accepting successive groups of pulses representing brightness values of adjacent elemental areas in both a vertical and horizontal direction, the number of pulses in an accepted group exceeding by at least one pulse the number of pulses required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of graphic information; first means for transforming accepted groups which include fewer than the number of successive pulses of the first type required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of graphic information into groups which do not include pulses representative of less than the normal elemental area; second means for transforming accepted groups which include fewer than the number of successive pulses of the second type required to represent the minimal normal elemental area of graphic information into groups which do not include pulses representative of less than the normal elemental area; means for providing successive output pulse groups representative of the accepted successive groups and including the first and second transformed groups in place of those groups which include pulses representing less than the minimum normal elemental area; first means for producing a first output signal when fewer than the number of successive pulses, in both horizontal and vertical directions, of the first type required to represent the minimum normal elemental area of the first brightness value occur in the accepted group; second means for producing a second output signal when fewer than the number of successive pulses of the second type required to represent the minimal normal elemental area of the second brightness value occur in the accepted group; first circuit means operative in response to the first output signal for ensuring that at least the intermediate pulses within the accepted group are of the first type; and second circuit means of in response to the second output signal for ensuring that at least the intermediate pulses within the accepted group are of the second type.

Claim 22

A facsimile system as set forth in claim 13 in which the binary data stream includes pulses representative of brightness values along one horizontal area on the document interleaved with pulses representative or brightness values along a vertically adjacent horizontal area on the document, said first circuit means comparing said interleaved pulses to determine vertical and horizontal adjacency.