US4058828A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Document copying apparatus
Assignee: XONICS TECHNOLOGY Inc 6862 HAYVENHURST AVENUE VAN NUYS CA 91405 A DE CORP
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Filing: 1976-11-11
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Granted: 1977-11-15
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Expires: 1996-11-11
Abstract
Abstract Copying apparatus includes a document reader for generating a series of electrical signals which are representative of imagewise information in an original document, a printer device, and electrical means for (1) transforming, (2) storing, (3) processing and (4) applying the signals to the printer for producing on print material an imagewise representation of the information contained in these signals. The copying apparatus includes means for generating electrical color signals, means for providing different electrical bandwidths for the several color signals, a color difference matrix for generating two mutually orthogonal chrominance signals, an electrical unsharp mask for suppressing noise in at least one of the signals and for enhancing the edge contrast of the final print, means to convert the signals to forms more efficient for applying corrective functions thereto, a buffer and data transmission link, table look-up means to enhance color reproduction and to correct for various characteristics which would result in inferior prints, and means to convert the signals to a form more efficient for controlling a color printer.
Inventors
- 👤 John H. Ladd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/64; H04N1/646; H04N1/40; H04N1/409; H04N1/4092; H04N1/50; H04N1/502; H04N1/56; H04N1/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for enhancing the color information in said generated signals by correcting for characteristics of the colorant set in the original document.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for enhancing the color information in said generated signals by correcting for characteristics of the colorant set in the original document.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
173 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for color saturation losses in the original document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
173 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for color saturation losses in the original document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
173 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for characteristics of hue in the original document.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
173 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for characteristics of hue in the original document.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1 ) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for characteristics of contrast in the original document.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1 ) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means including means for correcting for characteristics of contrast in the original document.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means comprising digital table look-up means for applying said compensating function to said generated signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium corresponding to the imagewise information contained in said applied electrical signals, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising programmed computation means for (1) receiving said generated signals, (2) applying a compensating function to said generated signals to modify the imagewise information contained therein and (3) applying the compensated signals to said image recording means; said computation means comprising digital table look-up means for applying said compensating function to said generated signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement as defined in claim 5 wherein said digital table look-up means comprises a read-only memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for processing a series of input electrical signals which are linear measures of a characteristic of imagewise information of successive discrete areas on an object to be imaged, said apparatus comprising: means for converting said input signals to forms which are more efficient for applying a corrective function thereto; and programmed computation means for applying a corrective function to said converted input signals to produce output signals in which the imagewise information is modified from that of said input signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for processing a series of input electrical signals which are linear measures of a characteristic of imagewise information of successive discrete areas on an object to be imaged, said apparatus comprising: means for converting said input signals to forms which are more efficient for applying a corrective function thereto; and programmed computation means for applying a corrective function to said converted input signals to produce output signals in which the imagewise information is modified from that of said input signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said converting means converts said input signals to forms which are substantially linear with respect to human visual color error tolerances.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said input electrical signals are analog and said computation means comprises digital table look-up means for applying said corrective function, and further comprising analog-to-digital conversion means responsive to said converted signals to produce digital signals corresponding thereto.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means for converting said generated signals to forms which are more efficient for applying a corrective function thereto; programmed computation means for applying a corrective function to said converted signals to produce output signals in which the imagewise information is modified from that of said generated signals; and means for converting said output signals to forms which are more efficient for forming an image on the receiver medium by said recording means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means for converting said generated signals to forms which are more efficient for applying a corrective function thereto; programmed computation means for applying a corrective function to said converted signals to produce output signals in which the imagewise information is modified from that of said generated signals; and means for converting said output signals to forms which are more efficient for forming an image on the receiver medium by said recording means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for converting said output signals converts said output signals to forms which are substantially linear with respect to control functions of said recording means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for converting said output signals comprises digital table look-up means for applying converting functions to said output signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement as defined in claim 12 wherein said digital table look-up means comprises at least one read-only memory.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for processing a series of input electrical signals which are linear measures of a characteristic of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an object to be imaged, said apparatus comprising: means for converting said input signals to forms which are substantially linear with respect to human visual color error tolerances, whereby said converted signals are more efficient than said input signals for application to a buffer memory; and a buffer memory adapted to receive said converted signals and to store said received signals for subsequent use.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for processing a series of input electrical signals which are linear measures of a characteristic of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an object to be imaged, said apparatus comprising: means for converting said input signals to forms which are substantially linear with respect to human visual color error tolerances, whereby said converted signals are more efficient than said input signals for application to a buffer memory; and a buffer memory adapted to receive said converted signals and to store said received signals for subsequent use.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a received medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising electronic unsharp masking means responsive to said generated signals for suppressing undesirable noise in said generated signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a received medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising electronic unsharp masking means responsive to said generated signals for suppressing undesirable noise in said generated signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a received medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising electronic unsharp masking means responsive to said generated signals for enhancing edge sharpness in the image formed by said recording means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a plurality of electrical signals which are serial measures of imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete image portions on a received medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising electronic unsharp masking means responsive to said generated signals for enhancing edge sharpness in the image formed by said recording means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a color document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a luminance electrical signal and second and third electrical signals which are respectively serial measures of the red and blue color components of the imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) color image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete color image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means to convert said second and third electrical signals to two essentially orthogonal chrominance signals; and means for applying said luminance and two chrominance signals to said recording means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
157 words
In a color document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating a luminance electrical signal and second and third electrical signals which are respectively serial measures of the red and blue color components of the imagewise information of successive discrete areas of an original document to be reproduced, (2) color image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete color image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means to convert said second and third electrical signals to two essentially orthogonal chrominance signals; and means for applying said luminance and two chrominance signals to said recording means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improvement as defined in claim 17 wherein said means for converting said pair of generated signals to chrominance signals comprises a color difference matrix.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
112 words
The improvement as defined in claim 17 wherein said reading means for generating said luminance signal comprises: means for generating a light beam containing the red, green and blue color components of said color document; a photosensor in the path of said light beam; and a filter between said light beam generating means and said photosensor, said filter having red, green and blue spectral transmittance characteristics selected so that, for a neutral gray area of the color document, the relative red, green and blue contributions to the luminance signal are in proportion to what the red, green and blue contributions would be if the color document were illuminated by CIE Source C.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a color document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating three serial electrical signals which are respectively representative of the different color inforamtion in successive discrete areas of the color document, (2) color image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete color image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means for converting said generated signals into one luminance signal and two essentially orthogonal chrominance signals; means for differentially narrowing the bandwidth of said two chrominance signals; and means for applying said luminance and two chrominance signals of narrowed bandwidth to said recording means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
156 words
In a color document copying apparatus of the type including (1) reading means for generating three serial electrical signals which are respectively representative of the different color inforamtion in successive discrete areas of the color document, (2) color image recording means responsive to applied electrical signals for forming discrete color image portions on a receiver medium, and (3) control means associated with said reading means and said recording means for controlling the format of the recording of said discrete image portions so that the relative position of each such image portion on the receiver medium corresponds to the relative position of its respective counterpart area of the original document; the improvement comprising: means for converting said generated signals into one luminance signal and two essentially orthogonal chrominance signals; means for differentially narrowing the bandwidth of said two chrominance signals; and means for applying said luminance and two chrominance signals of narrowed bandwidth to said recording means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-11-14 | 1981-05-16 | 1981-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-11-14 | 1985-05-16 | 1985-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-11-14 | 1989-05-16 | 1989-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |