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US5513280A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Discrimination of an edge portion of an image from a screen dot portion in an image processing system

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-05-22
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Granted: 1996-04-30
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Expires: 2015-05-22
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Abstract

Abstract There is provided an image processing apparatus comprising an image signal generator having a first processing unit for processing the image signal in a first mode and generating a first processed signal, a discriminator for discriminating characteristics of the image signal, the discriminator having a selector for selecting the first processed signal according to a discrimination result; and a pulse width modulated signal generator for processing the first processed signal from the selector by using a pattern signal and for generating a pulse width modulated signal.

Inventors

  • 👤 Naoto Kawamura

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 00:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/405; H04N1/4055; H04N1/4056; H04N1/409; H04N1/4092

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 73 words
An image processing apparatus, comprising: a) image signal generating means for generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discrimination means for discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signals using a plurality of pixels; c) emphasizing means for emphasizing the digital image signal of the edge portion discriminated by said discriminating means to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulated signal generating means for modulating the output signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 73 words
An image processing apparatus, comprising: a) image signal generating means for generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discrimination means for discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signals using a plurality of pixels; c) emphasizing means for emphasizing the digital image signal of the edge portion discriminated by said discriminating means to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulated signal generating means for modulating the output signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pulse-width-modulated signal generating means includes means for converting the digital image signal to an analog image signal, means for generating a pattern signal, and means for comparing the analog image signal with the pattern signal to obtain the pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pattern signal is a triangular wave signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated by said discrimination means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 78 words
Am image processing apparatus comprising: a) image signal generating means for generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating means for discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signal using a plurality of pixels; c) smoothing means for smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated by said discriminating means to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulated signal generating means for modulating the output signal to generate a pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 78 words
Am image processing apparatus comprising: a) image signal generating means for generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating means for discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signal using a plurality of pixels; c) smoothing means for smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated by said discriminating means to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulated signal generating means for modulating the output signal to generate a pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising image forming means for forming an image on the basis of the pulse-width-modulated signal generated by said pulse-width-modulated signal generating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 60 words
An image processing method, comprising the steps of: a) generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signals using a plurality of pixels; c) emphasizing the digital image signal of the edge portion discriminated in said discriminating step to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulating the output signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 60 words
An image processing method, comprising the steps of: a) generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signals using a plurality of pixels; c) emphasizing the digital image signal of the edge portion discriminated in said discriminating step to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width-modulating the output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein pulse-width modulating the output signal includes converting the digital image signal to an analog image signal, generating a pattern signal, and comparing the analog image signal with the pattern signal to obtain a pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein the pattern signal is a triangular wave signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method according to claim 7, including the step of: smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated in said discriminating step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 66 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signal using a plurality of pixels; c) smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated in said discriminating step to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width modulating the output signal to generate a pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 66 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: a) generating a digital image signal having multi-bits for each pixel; b) discriminating an edge portion of the digital image signal using a plurality of pixels; c) smoothing the digital image signal of a non-edge portion discriminated in said discriminating step to generate an output signal; and d) pulse-width modulating the output signal to generate a pulse-width-modulated signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method according to claim 11, including the step of: forming an image on the basis of the pulse-width-modulated signal generated in said pulse-width-modulating step.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-04-30 1999-10-30 2000-04-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-04-30 2003-10-30 2004-04-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-04-30 2007-10-30 2008-04-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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