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US6285463B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for image compensation of blooming artifacts

Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1998-12-22
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Granted: 2001-09-04
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Expires: 2018-12-22
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention is a method and apparatus to minimize and prevent blooming problems in color image systems. Particular applicability is found where an image on image system is employed. The invention is inserted into the colorant driving signal path of the system. The invention places an averaging circuit in the path of one or more colorant driving signal streams. The averaging circuit produces an average value signal representative of a small area of its respective colorant. A modulator or other signal varying device responsive to the average value signal is placed in the path of yet another but separate colorant driving signal stream. In this manner the separate colorant driving signal is modulated or varied in response to the average neighboring value of a different color thus minimizing and preventing image blooming.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ying-wei Lin
  • 👤 Katherine Loj

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 11:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/58; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0082; G06K2215/0094

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
A blooming compensator for a color imaging system comprising: at least two video inputs, receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal; a pixel averaging circuit receiving the first colorant driving signal, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; a memory device storing a look up table and receiving for each pixel, both the correction signal and the second colorant driving signal, and in response to same, generating a code signal; signal pulse forming electronics responsive to the code signal to produce a suitable signal pulse to an output writer in the color imaging system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
A blooming compensator for a color imaging system comprising: at least two video inputs, receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal; a pixel averaging circuit receiving the first colorant driving signal, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; a memory device storing a look up table and receiving for each pixel, both the correction signal and the second colorant driving signal, and in response to same, generating a code signal; signal pulse forming electronics responsive to the code signal to produce a suitable signal pulse to an output writer in the color imaging system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The blooming compensator of claim 1 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a pulse width modulator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 1 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a pulse width position modulator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The blooming compensator of claim 1 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a line screen generator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The blooming compensator of claim 1 , wherein the pixel averaging circuit employs a m×n matrix cell for averaging pixels over a corresponding area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The blooming compensator of claim 1 , wherein the pixel averaging circuit employs a three by three matrix cell for averaging pixels over a corresponding area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
The blooming compensator of claim 1 , wherein the writer is a raster output scanner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 102 words
A blooming compensator for an image on image printer comprising: at least two video inputs, receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal; a pixel averaging circuit receiving the first colorant driving signal, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; a memory device storing a look up table and receiving for each pixel, the correction signal, and in response to same, generating a code signal; signal pulse forming electronics responsive to the code signal and to the second colorant driving signal to produce a suitable signal pulse to a ROS in the image on image printer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 102 words
A blooming compensator for an image on image printer comprising: at least two video inputs, receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal; a pixel averaging circuit receiving the first colorant driving signal, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; a memory device storing a look up table and receiving for each pixel, the correction signal, and in response to same, generating a code signal; signal pulse forming electronics responsive to the code signal and to the second colorant driving signal to produce a suitable signal pulse to a ROS in the image on image printer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the suitable signal pulse is modulated in pulse width by the signal pulse forming electronics.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the suitable signal pulse is modulated in amplitude by the signal pulse forming electronics.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 32 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the suitable signal pulse is modulated in both pulse width and amplitude by the signal pulse forming electronics.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 53 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a pulse width modulator responding to the second colorant driving signal by modulating the suitable signal pulse in width and responding to the code signal by varying the suitable signal pulse in amplitude.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 54 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a pulse width position modulator responding to the second colorant driving signal by modulating the suitable signal pulse in width and responding to the code signal by varying the suitable signal pulse in amplitude.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the signal pulse forming electronics is a line screen generator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 32 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the pixel averaging circuit employs a three by three matrix cell for averaging pixels over a corresponding area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 32 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the pixel averaging circuit employs a two by two matrix cell for averaging pixels over a corresponding area.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
The blooming compensator for an image on image printer of claim 8 , wherein the writer is a raster output scanner.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 61 words
A method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device comprising: receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal for a reproduction device; averaging at least the first colorant driving signal over a small area, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; modulating at least a second colorant signal responsive to the correction signal.
Claim 21
Independent Claim 61 words
A method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device comprising: receiving a first colorant driving signal and at least a second colorant driving signal for a reproduction device; averaging at least the first colorant driving signal over a small area, and generating a correction signal responsive thereto; modulating at least a second colorant signal responsive to the correction signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the small area is greater than one pixel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the small area is a three by three matrix of pixels.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the averaging is accomplished with dedicated hardware.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the averaging is accomplished with software.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the modulating affects the amplitude of the second colorant signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method for compensating an image color in a reproduction device of claim 18 , wherein the modulating affects the pulse width of the second colorant signal.

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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) 2004-09-03 2005-03-05 2005-09-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-09-03 2009-03-05 2009-09-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-09-03 2013-03-05 2013-09-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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