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US5557712A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Color map tables smoothing in a color computer graphics system avoiding objectionable color shifts

Assignee: Apple Inc
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Filing: 1994-02-16
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Granted: 1996-09-17
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Expires: 2014-02-16
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Abstract

Abstract A method of smoothing a color lookup table minimizes inappropriate shifts away from gray, at the same time reducing the effect of measurement errors and enabling interpolation between the lookup table data points to be performed efficiently. More particularly, data in a preliminary lookup table, comprising a three-dimensional data array in which a location of each data point is designated by a unique tuple, is smoothed so as to satisfy predetermined constraints. A resulting three-dimensional lookup table relates source device colors and destination device colors in a computer graphics system in which a color image source device and a color image destination device have non-coincident color gamuts. The method is performed by, beginning at a data point representing white and concluding at a data point representing black, comparing a data point representing an adjacent shade of gray to neighboring data points and, if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of the data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the data point by more than the predetermined amount. Related data points whose tuples differ from a tuple of the data point in only one dimension are then compared to neighboring data points. The foregoing steps are repeated until the entire lookup table has been smoothed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Randall G. Guay

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 16:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/6058; H04N1/6016; H04N1/6019

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 304 words
A computer-implemented method of smoothing data in a preliminary look-up table comprising a three-dimensional data array in which a location of each data point is designated by a unique set of coordinates, a resulting three-dimensional look-up table relating source device colors and destination device colors in a computer graphics system having a color image source device and a color image destination device having non-coincident color gamuts, the method comprising the steps of, beginning at a data point representing one of black and white and concluding at a data point representing the other of black and white: a) comparing a data point representing a next closest shade of gray to neighboring data points; b) if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of the data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the data point by more than the predetermined amount; c) comparing related data points, having at least one coordinate the same as a coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; d) if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of a respective related data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the respective related data point by more than the predetermined amount; and e) repeating steps a) through d).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 304 words
A computer-implemented method of smoothing data in a preliminary look-up table comprising a three-dimensional data array in which a location of each data point is designated by a unique set of coordinates, a resulting three-dimensional look-up table relating source device colors and destination device colors in a computer graphics system having a color image source device and a color image destination device having non-coincident color gamuts, the method comprising the steps of, beginning at a data point representing one of black and white and concluding at a data point representing the other of black and white: a) comparing a data point representing a next closest shade of gray to neighboring data points; b) if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of the data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the data point by more than the predetermined amount; c) comparing related data points, having at least one coordinate the same as a coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; d) if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of a respective related data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the respective related data point by more than the predetermined amount; and e) repeating steps a) through d).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1, comprising beginning at a data point representing white.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 96 words
The method of claim 2, wherein step c) comprises: c-1) comparing related data points whose first coordinate is the same as a first coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; c-2) comparing related data points whose second coordinate is the same as a second coordinate of the data point, and not previously compared in step d), to neighboring data points; and c-3) comparing related data points whose third coordinate is the same as a third coordinate of the data point, and not previously compared in step d) or step e), to neighboring data points.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 300 words
An apparatus for smoothing data in a preliminary look-up table comprising a three-dimensional data array in which a location of each data point is designated by a unique set of coordinates, a resulting three-dimensional look-up table relating source device colors and destination device colors in a computer graphics system having a color image source device and a color image destination device having non-coincident color gamuts, comprising: a) means for, beginning at a data point representing one of black and white and concluding at a data point representing the other of black and white, comparing a data point representing a next closest shade of gray to neighboring data points; b) means for, if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of the data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the data point by more than the predetermined amount; c) means for comparing related data points, having at least one coordinate the same as a coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; and d) means for, if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of a respective related data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the respective related data point by more than the predetermined amount.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 300 words
An apparatus for smoothing data in a preliminary look-up table comprising a three-dimensional data array in which a location of each data point is designated by a unique set of coordinates, a resulting three-dimensional look-up table relating source device colors and destination device colors in a computer graphics system having a color image source device and a color image destination device having non-coincident color gamuts, comprising: a) means for, beginning at a data point representing one of black and white and concluding at a data point representing the other of black and white, comparing a data point representing a next closest shade of gray to neighboring data points; b) means for, if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of the data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the data point by more than the predetermined amount; c) means for comparing related data points, having at least one coordinate the same as a coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; and d) means for, if a color component of one or more of the neighboring data points differs in value from the same color component of a respective related data point by more than a predetermined amount, adjusting the value of the color component of the one or more neighboring data points such that the color component of the one or more neighboring data points does not differ in value from the color component of the respective related data point by more than the predetermined amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein means a) begins at a data point representing white.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 102 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein means c) comprises: c-1) means for comparing related data points whose first coordinate is the same as a first coordinate of the data point, to neighboring data points; c-2) means for comparing related data points whose second coordinate is the same as a second coordinate of the data point, and not previously compared in step d), to neighboring data points; and c-3) means for comparing related data points whose third coordinate is the same as a third coordinate of the data point, and not previously compared in step d) or step e), to neighboring data points.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US4941038A Cited
EP0410719A2 Cited
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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) 1999-09-17 2000-03-18 2000-09-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-09-17 2004-03-18 2004-09-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-09-17 2008-03-18 2008-09-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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