Patent US5351138A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5351138A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image area discriminating device
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-04-23
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Granted: 1994-09-27
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Expires: 2011-04-23
Abstract
Abstract An image area dicriminating device for a digital copier, facsimile machine, scanner or similar imaging equipment. The device determines whether areas constituting an input image each has undergone dot processing or not automatically.
Inventors
- 👤 Tomio Sasaki
- 👤 Shinji Kobayashi
- 👤 Masahito Obata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:41
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/40075; H04N1/40062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: a) MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) correcting means for executing MTF correction with input image data; and b) record dot and non-record dot detecting means including: 1) means for receiving an MTF corrected image signal outputted by said MTF correcting means as input image data; 2) means for comparing (1) a bi-dimensional pattern of said input image data with (2) a predetermined detection pattern, so as to detect a record dot and a non-record dot; and 3) means for producing a result of comparison.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: a) MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) correcting means for executing MTF correction with input image data; and b) record dot and non-record dot detecting means including: 1) means for receiving an MTF corrected image signal outputted by said MTF correcting means as input image data; 2) means for comparing (1) a bi-dimensional pattern of said input image data with (2) a predetermined detection pattern, so as to detect a record dot and a non-record dot; and 3) means for producing a result of comparison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: destiny difference detecting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data of a pixel of interest included in said input image data and (2) density data of pixels which surround said pixel of interest, is greater than a predetermined value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: density detecting means for determining that, among pixels corresponding to a pixel of interest included in said input image data, (1) a pixel having a high density or (2) a pixel having a low density, is the pixel of interest; and density difference detecting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data output by said density detecting means and (2) density data of pixels which surround said pixel of interest, is greater than a predetermined value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the device further comprises density difference detecting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data of a pixel of interest included in said input image data and (2) density data of pixels which surround said pixel of interest, is greater than a plurality of predetermined values; and the device comprises a plurality of said record dot and non-record dot detecting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: averaging means for averaging said input image density data in a first bi-dimensional arrangement; selecting means for selecting a plurality of predetermined values in response to an output of said averaging means; and density difference detecting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data of a pixel of interest included in said input image data and (2) density data of pixels which surround said pixel of interest, is greater than a predetermined value; wherein said record dot and non-record dot detecting means includes means for comparing (1) a second bi-dimensional arrangement of an output of said density difference detecting means with (2) a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: a) said device comprises means for determining whether or not each area of said input image information has undergone dot processing; and b) said record dot and non-record dot detecting means includes: 1) means for determining the number of patterns in which said bi-dimensional pattern and said record dot and non-record dot detection pattern match; and 2) means for determining whether or not said number of patterns is greater than a predetermined number.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
156 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a) a plurality of density difference detecting means, each constituting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data of a pixel of interest included in said input image data and (2) density data of pixels surrounding said pixel of interest, is greater than a predetermined value; b) selecting means for selecting output signals of said plurality of density detecting means at predetermined timings, wherein said record dot and non-record dot detecting means includes: 1) means for comparing (1) a bi-dimensional pattern of said signals selected by said selecting means with (2) a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern; and 2) means for producing a result of comparison; and c) dot pattern identifying means, responsive to an output of said record dot and non-record dot detecting means, for determining whether or not said input image data is representative of a dot pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of density difference detecting means, each constituting means for determining whether or not a difference between (1) density data of a pixel of interest included in said input image data and (2) density data of pixels surrounding said pixel of interest, is greater than a reference value which varies with a position of said bi-dimensional pattern.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
206 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: image reading means for dividing a document image into a number of small pixel areas, for reading image density of each of said image areas, and for outputting an electric signal associated with said image density; first subscan magnification changing means for driving the document and said image reading means relative to each other for scanning said document, and for adjusting, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a scanning speed so as to change a magnification change ratio in a subscanning direction; converting means for converting an analog signal output by said image reading means to a digital signal; main-scan magnification changing means for changing, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a magnification change ratio by thinning or interpolating said digital signal output by said converting means in a main scanning direction; record dot and non-record dot detecting means for comparing a bi-dimensional pattern of said digital signal with a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern, and for outputting a result of comparison; and second subscan magnification changing means for thinning or interpolating image data output by said first subscan magnification changing means on the basis of a designated magnification change ratio.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
206 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: image reading means for dividing a document image into a number of small pixel areas, for reading image density of each of said image areas, and for outputting an electric signal associated with said image density; first subscan magnification changing means for driving the document and said image reading means relative to each other for scanning said document, and for adjusting, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a scanning speed so as to change a magnification change ratio in a subscanning direction; converting means for converting an analog signal output by said image reading means to a digital signal; main-scan magnification changing means for changing, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a magnification change ratio by thinning or interpolating said digital signal output by said converting means in a main scanning direction; record dot and non-record dot detecting means for comparing a bi-dimensional pattern of said digital signal with a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern, and for outputting a result of comparison; and second subscan magnification changing means for thinning or interpolating image data output by said first subscan magnification changing means on the basis of a designated magnification change ratio.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
179 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: image reading means for dividing a document image into a number of small pixel areas, for reading image density of each of said image areas, and for outputting an electric signal associated with said image density; subscan magnification changing means for driving the document and said image reading means relative to each other so as to scan said document, and for adjusting, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a scanning speed so as to change a magnification change ratio in a subscanning direction; converting means for converting an analog signal output by said image reading means to a digital signal; main-scan magnification changing means for changing, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a magnification change ratio by thinning or interpolating said digital signal output by said converting means in a main scanning direction; and record dot and non-record dot detecting means for comparing a bi-dimensional pattern of said digital signal with a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern, and for outputting a result of comparison.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
179 words
A device for discriminating an image area, comprising: image reading means for dividing a document image into a number of small pixel areas, for reading image density of each of said image areas, and for outputting an electric signal associated with said image density; subscan magnification changing means for driving the document and said image reading means relative to each other so as to scan said document, and for adjusting, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a scanning speed so as to change a magnification change ratio in a subscanning direction; converting means for converting an analog signal output by said image reading means to a digital signal; main-scan magnification changing means for changing, in response to a designated magnification change ratio, a magnification change ratio by thinning or interpolating said digital signal output by said converting means in a main scanning direction; and record dot and non-record dot detecting means for comparing a bi-dimensional pattern of said digital signal with a predetermined record dot and non-record dot detection pattern, and for outputting a result of comparison.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-26 | 1998-03-28 | 1998-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-26 | 2002-03-28 | 2002-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-26 | 2006-03-28 | 2006-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |