Patent US852237A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4496989A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4496989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for composing and recording a picture and a character by using picture signals and character signals for use in a picture reproducing machine
Assignee: Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1982-06-21
•
Granted: 1985-01-29
•
Expires: 2002-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for composing and recording a picture and a character by using picture signals and character signals, for use in a picture reproducing machine such as a layout color scanner and a color facsimile, wherein an original picture having a continuous gradation is scanned to obtain a picture signal representing one picture element area, wherein a recording signal representing one recording picture element area corresponding to the one picture element area is prepared from the picture signal, and wherein a halftone picture is reproduced directly depending on the recording signal, is disclosed. Each recording picture element area in which the character is recorded, is sub-divided into a plurality of character picture element areas, each corresponding to one character picture element represented by one character signal having two-value levels, and the picture signal and the character signal are selectively output or composed as the recording signal per one picture element, whereby reproducing a combination of the picture and the character on a photosensitive material.
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Hirosawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/387; H04N1/3871; H04N1/40; H04N1/405; H04N1/4055
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for the economical recording and reproducing of images including (1) picture areas of low spatial resolution having a wide gradation of intensity levels, and character or letter areas which are black or white but have higher spatial resolution requirements comprising the steps of: (1) recording the picture area elements of a first predetermined size with a substantially continuous gradation of intensity, in digital format; (2) recording the character or letter areas by subdividing the said predetermined picture element size to smaller areas of a second predetermined size, together with indications as to whether each of the smaller areas are black or white, in digital format; (3) including as part of the recorded digital format for the recorded information one bit which indicates whether the recorded information represents a picture area as noted in (1) hereinabove, or a character or letter area as noted in (2) hereinabove; and (4) decoding and generating a new physical representation of the combined picture and character or letter areas, with the picture areas being reproduced in multiple intensity gradations with relatively coarse spatial resolution, and the character or letter areas being reproduced in half-tone or black and white with relatively fine spatial definition or resolution.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for the economical recording and reproducing of images including (1) picture areas of low spatial resolution having a wide gradation of intensity levels, and character or letter areas which are black or white but have higher spatial resolution requirements comprising the steps of: (1) recording the picture area elements of a first predetermined size with a substantially continuous gradation of intensity, in digital format; (2) recording the character or letter areas by subdividing the said predetermined picture element size to smaller areas of a second predetermined size, together with indications as to whether each of the smaller areas are black or white, in digital format; (3) including as part of the recorded digital format for the recorded information one bit which indicates whether the recorded information represents a picture area as noted in (1) hereinabove, or a character or letter area as noted in (2) hereinabove; and (4) decoding and generating a new physical representation of the combined picture and character or letter areas, with the picture areas being reproduced in multiple intensity gradations with relatively coarse spatial resolution, and the character or letter areas being reproduced in half-tone or black and white with relatively fine spatial definition or resolution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 1 including the step of generating the characters or letters by typing the characters or letters on a keyboard.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 1 including the step of recording character or letter areas which are one-fourth said first predetermined size of the picture area elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the generation of the new physical representation of said picture and character or letter area includes (1) the application of signals to a recording medium in the form of a series of parallel dots from a set of aligned image generating elements, (2) the energization of a varying proportion of said image-generating elements to represent picture area intensity levels, and (3) the selective energization of spaced ones of said image-generating elements to give improved spatial representation of said character or letter areas.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
207 words
A system: for the economical recording and reproducing of images including (1) picture areas of low spatial resolution having a wide gradation of intensity levels, and character or letter areas which are black or white but have higher spatial resolution requirements comprising:. (1) means for recording the picture area elements of a first predetermined size with a substantially continuous gradation of intensity, in digital format; (2) means for recording the character or letter areas by subdividing the said predetermined picture element size to smaller areas of a second predetermined size, together with indications as to whether each of the smaller areas are black or white, in digital format; (3) means for including as part of the recorded digital format for the recorded information one bit which indicates whether the recorded information represents a picture area as noted in (1) hereinabove, or a character or letter area as noted in (2) hereinabove; and (4) means for recording and generating a new physical representation of the combined picture and character or letter areas, with the picture areas being reproduced in multiple intensity gradations with relatively coarse spatial resolution, and the character or letter areas being reproduced in half-tone or black and white with relatively fine spatial definition or resolution.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
207 words
A system: for the economical recording and reproducing of images including (1) picture areas of low spatial resolution having a wide gradation of intensity levels, and character or letter areas which are black or white but have higher spatial resolution requirements comprising:. (1) means for recording the picture area elements of a first predetermined size with a substantially continuous gradation of intensity, in digital format; (2) means for recording the character or letter areas by subdividing the said predetermined picture element size to smaller areas of a second predetermined size, together with indications as to whether each of the smaller areas are black or white, in digital format; (3) means for including as part of the recorded digital format for the recorded information one bit which indicates whether the recorded information represents a picture area as noted in (1) hereinabove, or a character or letter area as noted in (2) hereinabove; and (4) means for recording and generating a new physical representation of the combined picture and character or letter areas, with the picture areas being reproduced in multiple intensity gradations with relatively coarse spatial resolution, and the character or letter areas being reproduced in half-tone or black and white with relatively fine spatial definition or resolution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as defined in claim 5 including means for generating the characters or letters by typing the characters on a keyboard.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as defined in claim 5 including means for recording a digital representation of character or letter areas which are one-fourth said first predetermined size of the picture area elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A system as defined in claim 5 including means for recording the black or white nature of several small character or letter areas in a set of bits of digital information equal in length to the number of bits of information representing the darkness level of larger elemental picture areas each equal in extent to the several small character or letter areas represented by said set of bits of digital information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the means for generating a new physical representation of said picture and character or letter areas includes (1) means for applying signals to a recording medium in the form of a series of parallel dots from a set of aligned image generating elements, (2) means for energizing a varying proportion of said image generating elements to represent picture area intensity levels, and (3) means for energizing selected ones of said image generating elements to give improved spatial representation of said character or letter areas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as defined in claim 9 wherein said last mentioned energizing means includes means for selectively turning a first half and/or a second half of said image-generating elements on or off.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4135212A
Cited
US4149145A
Cited
US4334240A
Cited
US4320419A
Cited
US4350996A
Cited
US4413275A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-29 | 1988-07-30 | 1989-01-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-29 | 1992-07-30 | 1993-01-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-01-29 | 1996-07-30 | 1997-01-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |