US6097503A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bi-level to contone data conversion
Assignee: Adobe Inc
•
Filing: 1998-01-23
•
Granted: 2000-08-01
•
Expires: 2018-01-23
Abstract
Abstract A look-up table of ink density values corresponding to a predetermined number of printed bit patterns is used to convert a high resolution bi-level data file into a lower resolution contone data file. A method to convert bi-level data to contone data includes reading a specified number of words from the bi-level data and retrieving, for each word, an ink density value from the look-up table using the word as an index into the table.
Inventors
- 👤 John P. Felleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:03
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/40075
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for converting bi-level data to contone data for use in creating a printed sheet, comprising: receiving bi-level data; reading a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits; obtaining, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value; and generating a contone data value for the specified number of words from the specified corresponding predetermined ink density values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method for converting bi-level data to contone data for use in creating a printed sheet, comprising: receiving bi-level data; reading a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits; obtaining, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value; and generating a contone data value for the specified number of words from the specified corresponding predetermined ink density values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a corresponding predetermined ink density value comprises obtaining the value from a table using the corresponding word of bi-level data as an index into the table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the table includes a predetermined number of unique bit patterns and a same number of ink density values, each ink density value associated with one of the unique bit patterns and representing a measured ink density of a printed version of the one of the unique bit patterns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3, wherein each one of the predetermined number of unique bit patterns is associated with exactly one of the ink density values.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the measured ink density is generated by a densitometer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined number of unique bit patterns is 2 n , where n is the number of bits in a word of bi-level data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
9 words
The method of claim 6, wherein n is 8.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined ink density value is a measured ink density of a printed version of the corresponding word of bi-level data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the specified number of words is one.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the generated contone data value is an average of the ink density values for the specified number of words.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a memory device the contone data value and retrieving the contone data value when printing a sheet corresponding to the bi-level data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the memory device is a non-volatile memory device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the memory device is a magnetic disk.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for creating a printed sheet from bi-level data, comprising: means for receiving bi-level data representing a signature; a signature generator for creating a signature from the bi-level data; a converter configured to read a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits, obtain, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value, and generate a contone data value from the ink density values obtained for the specified number of words; and a press configured to use the contone data value to set ink key values.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
95 words
A system for creating a printed sheet from bi-level data, comprising: means for receiving bi-level data representing a signature; a signature generator for creating a signature from the bi-level data; a converter configured to read a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits, obtain, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value, and generate a contone data value from the ink density values obtained for the specified number of words; and a press configured to use the contone data value to set ink key values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the corresponding predetermined ink density value is obtained from a table using the corresponding word as an index into the table.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 15, wherein the table includes a predetermined number of unique bit patterns and a same number of ink density values, each ink density value associated with one of the unique bit patterns and representing a measured ink density of a printed version of the one of the unique bit patterns.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 16, wherein each one of the predetermined number of unique bit patterns is associated with exactly one of the ink density values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 16, wherein the measured ink density is generated by a densitometer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of unique bit patterns is 2 n , where n is the number of bits in a word of bi-level data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
9 words
The system of claim 19, wherein n is 8.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined ink density value is a measured ink density of a printed version of the corresponding word of bi-level data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the specified number of words is one.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the generated contone data value is an average of the ink density values obtained for the specified number of words.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 14, further comprising a memory device for storing the contone data value and retrieving the contone data value when printing a sheet corresponding to the bi-level data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 24, wherein the memory device is a non-volatile memory device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 24, wherein the memory device is a magnetic disk.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer program on a computer-readable medium for converting bi-level data to contone data for use in creating a printed sheet, the program comprising instructions to: receive bi-level data; read a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits; obtain, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value; and generate a contone data value for the specified number of words from the specified corresponding predetermined ink density values.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer program on a computer-readable medium for converting bi-level data to contone data for use in creating a printed sheet, the program comprising instructions to: receive bi-level data; read a specified number of words from the bi-level data, each word having a predetermined number of bits; obtain, for each word, a corresponding predetermined ink density value; and generate a contone data value for the specified number of words from the specified corresponding predetermined ink density values.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program of claim 27, wherein the corresponding predetermined ink density value is obtained from a table using the corresponding word of bi-level data as an index into the table.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer program of claim 28, wherein the table includes a predetermined number of unique bit patterns and a same number of ink density values, each ink density value associated with one of the unique bit patterns and representing a measured ink density of a printed version of the unique bit patterns.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program of claim 29, wherein each one of the predetermined number of unique bit patterns is associated with exactly one of the ink density values.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer program of claim 27, wherein the predetermined ink density value is a measured ink density of a printed version of the corresponding word of bi-level data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer program of claim 27, wherein the specified number of words is one.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0207548A1
Cited
EP0301786A1
Cited
US4959790A
Cited
WO1992012594A2
Cited
US5387985A
Cited
US5687300A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-01 | 2004-01-31 | 2004-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-01 | 2008-01-31 | 2008-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-01 | 2012-01-31 | 2012-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |