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US5805169A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image processing method and apparatus for deciding whether to overwrite a color based on a comparison of stored color priorities

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1996-01-23
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Granted: 1998-09-08
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Expires: 2016-01-23
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Abstract

Abstract According to the invention, when an image is drawn, a check is made to see if the image is overwritten onto an image which has already been inputted and displayed, thereby switching. For this purpose, a color of the image to be drawn and a color of the image which has already been inputted are compared and the image of the color of a higher priority is displayed. According to the invention, there is no need to reset a display priority of the image by a manual operation of the operator in consideration of the priority of the image. When the image is inputted, the priority of the image can be simultaneously decided. As targets to which the invention is applied, there are an image inputted by a hand-writing, an image inputted by a scanner, a character pattern which is generated from a character generator, and the like.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takashi Harada
  • 👤 Katsuhiko Sakaguchi
  • 👤 Shigeki Mori
  • 👤 Kazuhiro Matsubayashi
  • 👤 Tsunekazu Arai

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 22:58
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/10; G06T15/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim 149 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: storing means for storing an image; indicating means for indicating a position in said storing means; reading means for reading a color of the image stored in said storing means at the position indicated by said indicating means; setting means for setting a color to perform data drawing; memory means for storing, for each of a plurality of colors, a priority set for the color; comparing means for comparing the priority stored in said memory means that is set for the color read out by said reading means with the priority stored in said memory means that is set for the color set by said setting means; and deciding means for, in response to a comparison made by said comparing means, deciding whether or not the color set by said setting means is to be overwritten at the position indicated by said indicating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 149 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: storing means for storing an image; indicating means for indicating a position in said storing means; reading means for reading a color of the image stored in said storing means at the position indicated by said indicating means; setting means for setting a color to perform data drawing; memory means for storing, for each of a plurality of colors, a priority set for the color; comparing means for comparing the priority stored in said memory means that is set for the color read out by said reading means with the priority stored in said memory means that is set for the color set by said setting means; and deciding means for, in response to a comparison made by said comparing means, deciding whether or not the color set by said setting means is to be overwritten at the position indicated by said indicating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory means stores a table in which a plurality of color information and the priority of each color are made correspond.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further having image input means for inputting the image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image input means is a pen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image input means is a mouse.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image input means is a keyboard.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means is a pen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means is a mouse.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means is a keyboard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image is a character pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further having a printer to output the image displayed on said display means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further having an ink jet printer to output the image displayed on said display means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 97 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: setting a color for performing data drawing; indicating a position in a storage device storing an image; reading a color of the image stored in the storage device at the indicated position; comparing a stored priority that is set for the color read in said reading step with a stored priority set for the color set in said setting step; and deciding, in response to a comparison made in said comparing step, a color to be outputted to a display means at the position indicated in said indicating step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 97 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: setting a color for performing data drawing; indicating a position in a storage device storing an image; reading a color of the image stored in the storage device at the indicated position; comparing a stored priority that is set for the color read in said reading step with a stored priority set for the color set in said setting step; and deciding, in response to a comparison made in said comparing step, a color to be outputted to a display means at the position indicated in said indicating step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said comparing step is performed in accordance with a table in which a plurality of color information and the priority of each color are made to correspond and which has been previously stored.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein an image to be displayed on said display means is inputted from a pen.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein an image to be displayed on said display means is inputted from a mouse.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein an image to be displayed on said display means is inputted from a keyboard.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said indication is inputted from a pen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said indication is inputted from a mouse.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said indication is inputted from a keyboard.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein an image to be displayed on said display means is a character pattern.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of outputting an image displayed on said display means using a printer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of outputting an image displayed on said display means using an ink jet printer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 110 words
A machine-readable memory medium containing program codes for causing a processing unit to control an apparatus to perform the steps of: setting a color for performing data drawing; indicating a position in a storage device storing an image; reading a color of the image stored in the storage device at the indicated position; comparing a stored priority that is set for the color read in said reading step with a stored priority set for the color set in said setting step; and deciding, in response to a comparison made in said comparing step, a color to be outputted to a display means at the position indicated in said indicating step.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 110 words
A machine-readable memory medium containing program codes for causing a processing unit to control an apparatus to perform the steps of: setting a color for performing data drawing; indicating a position in a storage device storing an image; reading a color of the image stored in the storage device at the indicated position; comparing a stored priority that is set for the color read in said reading step with a stored priority set for the color set in said setting step; and deciding, in response to a comparison made in said comparing step, a color to be outputted to a display means at the position indicated in said indicating step.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 39 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein the comparison is performed in accordance with a table in which a plurality of color information and the priority of each color are made to correspond and which has been previously stored.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 21 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein an image to be displayed on the display means is inputted from a pen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 21 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein an image to be displayed on the display means is inputted from a mouse.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 21 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein an image to be displayed on the display means is inputted from a keyboard.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 14 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein the indication is inputted from a pen.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 14 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein the indication is inputted from a mouse.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 14 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein the indication is inputted from a keyboard.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 20 words
A medium according to claim 24, wherein an image to be displayed on the display means is a character pattern.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 29 words
A medium according to claim 24, further comprising codes for controlling the apparatus to perform the step of outputting an image displayed on the display means using a printer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 31 words
A medium according to claim 24, further comprising codes for controlling the apparatus to perform the step of outputting an image displayed on the display means using an ink jet printer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4484187A Cited
WO1988001778A1 Cited
JPH01115634A Cited
US5581670A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-09-07 2002-03-09 2002-09-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-09-07 2006-03-09 2006-09-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-09-07 2010-03-09 2010-09-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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