US5329599A — Enhanced fidelity reproduction of images by hiera…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 208 words

A method of enhancing the contour fidelity of reproduction of an image represented by a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of: storing a portion of pixels representing an image portion in a first storage; isolating a region of the pixels of said image portion to form a window including a central pixel and a formation of pixels surrounding said central pixel; comparing a group of pixels encompassing pixels surrounding said central pixel and within said window with a hierarchical set of standard pixel patterns, said hierarchical set comprising: a set of pixel patterns in which each next higher member in said hierarchial set is a composite of the previous member and an extension pattern of additional bits, said extension pattern comprising at least a pixel that is on and a pixel that is off, wherein a match of any pattern also matches all patterns lower in the hierarchy; and each of said pixel patterns including particular correctable pixel positions, said particular correctable pixel positions for each pattern being based upon the contour angle represented by that pattern; indentifying matching pixel patterns; and enhancing said central pixel if said central pixel is located at a particular correctable position in the highest priority pattern matched in said hierarchical set.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 208 words

A method of enhancing the contour fidelity of reproduction of an image represented by a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of: storing a portion of pixels representing an image portion in a first storage; isolating a region of the pixels of said image portion to form a window including a central pixel and a formation of pixels surrounding said central pixel; comparing a group of pixels encompassing pixels surrounding said central pixel and within said window with a hierarchical set of standard pixel patterns, said hierarchical set comprising: a set of pixel patterns in which each next higher member in said hierarchial set is a composite of the previous member and an extension pattern of additional bits, said extension pattern comprising at least a pixel that is on and a pixel that is off, wherein a match of any pattern also matches all patterns lower in the hierarchy; and each of said pixel patterns including particular correctable pixel positions, said particular correctable pixel positions for each pattern being based upon the contour angle represented by that pattern; indentifying matching pixel patterns; and enhancing said central pixel if said central pixel is located at a particular correctable position in the highest priority pattern matched in said hierarchical set.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 1 in which the comparing step comprises comparing said group of pixels with a set of templates representing contours at different angles, said templates being arranged in a hierarchical order.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 92 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of isolating said window comprises forming a matrix of M number of consecutive pixels in N number of consecutive lines to form a M×N window defining a region of the image, where M is at least one pixel greater that the maximum run length of the highest priority pattern in said hierarchical pattern set, and N is at least the maximum height of the highest priority pattern in said hierarchical pattern set, the window having a central pixel at the center of the matrix.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said window comprises said central pixel and a symmetrical formation of pixels surrounding said central pixel.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of enhancing said central pixel includes making multiple scan passes at a line containing said central pixel, scanning taking place in a fast scan direction and sequential scan passes taking place in a process direction, to provide an expanded segment pattern representing said central pixel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 5 wherein a first scan pass produces a plurality of segments representing a top portion of said central pixel, and a second pass produces a plurality of segments representing a bottom portion of said central pixel, each segment having a multi-bit value representing a gray level according to the enhancement pattern for said central pixel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying matching patterns includes the step of generating unique identifying signals in accordance with the particular match determined.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of identifying matching pixel patterns includes the step of producing a default identifying signal in response to finding no match in the hierarchical set.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 8 wherein the step of enhancing said central pixel includes reproducing the value of said central pixel with no enhancement in response to said default identifying signal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 1 including the step of forming a window for each image pixel, each image pixel being the central pixel for at least one window.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1 in which said hierarchical set of standard pixel patterns comprises: a first pattern comprising a first pixel that is on, and a second pixel that is off; and an nth pattern comprising a combination of an (n-1)th pattern plus an extension pattern comprising a pixel that is on and a pixel that is off.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 1 in which said hierarchical set of standard pixel patterns comprises: a first pattern comprising at least a first instance of said extension pattern of pixels; an nth pattern comprising a combination of an (n-1)th pattern and an nth instance of said extension pattern of pixels.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for enhancing the contour fidelity of reproduction of an image represented by a plurality of signals on a microaddressable display system, comprising the steps of: storing a portion of the signals representing an image portion; isolating a region of the signals of said image portion to form a window including a central signal and a formation of signals surrounding said central signal; comparing a group of signals encompassing said central signal and within said window with a set of standard signal patterns, each of said patterns having particular correctable signal locations, said correctable signal locations based upon the contour represented by the pattern; identifying matching signal patterns; and enhancing said central signal with enhancement data from a look-up table corresponding to the matching pattern in said set of patterns if said central signal is located in a correctable location in said matching pattern.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 145 words

A method for enhancing the contour fidelity of reproduction of an image represented by a plurality of signals on a microaddressable display system, comprising the steps of: storing a portion of the signals representing an image portion; isolating a region of the signals of said image portion to form a window including a central signal and a formation of signals surrounding said central signal; comparing a group of signals encompassing said central signal and within said window with a set of standard signal patterns, each of said patterns having particular correctable signal locations, said correctable signal locations based upon the contour represented by the pattern; identifying matching signal patterns; and enhancing said central signal with enhancement data from a look-up table corresponding to the matching pattern in said set of patterns if said central signal is located in a correctable location in said matching pattern.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 72 words

The method of claim 13 in which said set of standard signal patterns comprises a hierarchical set of templates representing contours at different angles in which each higher member template in the set is a composite of the previous member and an extension pattern of additional signals, wherein a match of any pattern also matches all patterns lower in the hierarchy, said templates being arranged in a hierarchical order according to angle.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 92 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the step of isolating said window comprises forming a matrix of M number of consecutive signals in N number of consecutive lines to form a M×N window defining a region of the image,, where M is at least one pixel greater that the maximum run length of the highest priority pattern in the hierarchical pattern set, and N is at least the maximum height of the highest priority pattern in the hierarchical pattern set, the window having the central signal at the center of the matrix.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the step of comparing includes the step of comparing signals in said window with signal patterns of a set of standard signal formats to determine equivalence to at least one of the patterns; and the step of identifying matching patterns includes the step of generating unique identifying signals in accordance with the particular equivalence determined.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the step of enhancing the central signal includes the step of producing a default identifying signal in response to finding no match in the set of standard signal pattern.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 13 including the step of forming a window for each image signal, each image signal being the central signal for at least one window.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 14 in which said set of standard signal patterns comprises: a first pattern comprising at least a first instance of an extension pattern of signals; an nth pattern comprising a combination of an (n-1)th pattern and an nth instance of said extension pattern of signals.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 13 wherein said enhancement data is based on differing scan spot width at differing levels of intensity.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 170 words

A microaddressable display system for enhancing the contour fidelity of reproductions of an image represented by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for receiving pixels of the image, said pixels representing at least portions of successive scan lines of the image; first memory means for storing a portion of said pixels; means for isolating a region of said pixels to form a composite pixel pattern; a source of hierarchical standard pixel patterns, said patterns arranged such that each next higher member in said hierarchical set is a composite of the previous member and an extension pattern of additional pixels, wherein a match of any pattern also matches all patterns lower in the hierarchy; means for comparing said composite pixel pattern with said hierarchical standard pixel patterns; logic means responsive to the comparison for producing signals representative of the comparison; and enhancing means responsive to said logic signals to produce enhanced values for each pixel of the image according to the highest priority pattern matched in said hierarchical standard pixel patterns.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 170 words

A microaddressable display system for enhancing the contour fidelity of reproductions of an image represented by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for receiving pixels of the image, said pixels representing at least portions of successive scan lines of the image; first memory means for storing a portion of said pixels; means for isolating a region of said pixels to form a composite pixel pattern; a source of hierarchical standard pixel patterns, said patterns arranged such that each next higher member in said hierarchical set is a composite of the previous member and an extension pattern of additional pixels, wherein a match of any pattern also matches all patterns lower in the hierarchy; means for comparing said composite pixel pattern with said hierarchical standard pixel patterns; logic means responsive to the comparison for producing signals representative of the comparison; and enhancing means responsive to said logic signals to produce enhanced values for each pixel of the image according to the highest priority pattern matched in said hierarchical standard pixel patterns.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 7 wherein the step of identifying matching patterns includes the step of producing a default identifying signal in response to finding a match in the hierarchical set when the central pixel is not in a particular correctable position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-07-11	1998-01-10	1998-07-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-07-11	2002-01-10	2002-07-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-07-11	2006-01-10	2006-07-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Enhanced fidelity reproduction of images by hierarchical template matching

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag