US6429950B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for applying object characterization pixel tags to image data in a digital imaging device
Assignee: Xerox Corp
•
Filing: 1998-12-31
•
Granted: 2002-08-06
•
Expires: 2018-12-31
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus uses simple interpretive programming language commands to generate and register object characterization information in the form of tags appended to a plurality of pixel display values stored in the frame buffer of a digital imaging device. The page description language commands are used to generate and register the tag information on a per-pixel level in the frame buffer based on the object type of imaging data derived from the page description language data received into the imaging device. The pixel data image tagging is useful to differentiate between bit maps, text, line art, and fill art in gray scale, RGB, CMYK, and other color space frame buffers to enable per-pixel segmentation tags. In one aspect of the invention, an auxiliary color transfer function is provided together with an auxiliary frame buffer channel that are respectively adapted to generate and store tag bits or image object tags without effecting the standard RGB, CMYK or other color transformation functions and/or digital frame buffer image color storage planes. Preferably, PostScript programming language commands are used to set the yellow color transfer function to render image data with predetermined LSB bit patterns.
Inventors
- 👤 Fritz F. Ebner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/387; H04N1/3872; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/18; G06K15/1848; G06K15/1849; G06K15/1852; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of labeling image object data in a digital imaging device on a per-pixel basis by a print engine of the imaging device, the method comprising the steps of receiving first page description language data into the digital imaging device; executing the first page description language data in the digital imaging device to set a first transfer function procedure of a transform matrix to thereafter generate a first predetermined tag value in pixels of image objects when the image objects are rendered to a frame buffer by the transform matrix; receiving, into the imaging device, first image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the first image object data being of a first image object type; executing a first paint operator associated with the first image object data; and, rendering the first image object data using the transform matrix to generate a first set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said first image object data, each of the first set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said first predetermined tag value to relate the first image object data to the first image object type.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of labeling image object data in a digital imaging device on a per-pixel basis by a print engine of the imaging device, the method comprising the steps of receiving first page description language data into the digital imaging device; executing the first page description language data in the digital imaging device to set a first transfer function procedure of a transform matrix to thereafter generate a first predetermined tag value in pixels of image objects when the image objects are rendered to a frame buffer by the transform matrix; receiving, into the imaging device, first image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the first image object data being of a first image object type; executing a first paint operator associated with the first image object data; and, rendering the first image object data using the transform matrix to generate a first set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said first image object data, each of the first set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said first predetermined tag value to relate the first image object data to the first image object type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: receiving, into the digital imaging device, second image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the second image object data being of said first image object type; executing a second paint operator associated with the second image object data; and, rendering the second image object data using the transform matrix to generate a second set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said second image object data, each of the second set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said first predetermined tag value to relate the second image object data to said first image object type.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
188 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of: receiving second page description language data into the digital imaging device; executing the second page description language data in the digital imaging device to set said first transfer function procedure of the transform matrix to thereafter generate a second predetermined tag value in pixels of image objects when the image objects are rendered to the frame buffer by the transform matrix; receiving, into the imaging device, third image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the third image object data being of a second image object type; executing a third paint operator associated with the third image object data; and, rendering the third image object data using the transform matrix to generate a third set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said third image object data, each of the third set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said second predetermined tag value to relate the third image object data to the second image object type.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
128 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of: receiving, into the digital imaging device, fourth image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the fourth image object data being of said second image object type; executing a fourth paint operator associated with the fourth image object data; and, rendering the fourth image object data using the transform matrix to generate a fourth set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said fourth image object data, each of the fourth set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said second predetermined tag value to relate the fourth image object data to said second image object type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 4 wherein: the step of executing the first page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 254 and cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; and, the step of executing the second page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 01 or cvr 255.0 div }{} setcolortransfer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 2 further comprising the steps of: receiving second page description language data into the digital imaging device, executing the second page description language data in the digital imaging device to set said first transfer function procedure of the transform matrix to thereafter generate a second predetermined tag value in pixels of image objects when the image objects are rendered to the frame buffer by the transform matrix; receiving, into the imaging device, second image object data to be rendered to the frame buffer, the second image object data being of a second image object type; executing a second paint operator associated with the second image object data; and, rendering the second image object data using the transform matrix to generate a second set of pixel display values in the frame buffer of the imaging device representative of said second image object data, each of the second set of pixel display values containing at least one first identifier bit corresponding to said second predetermined tag value to relate the second image object data to the second image object type.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
133 words
The method of labeling image object data according to claim 6 wherein: the step of executing the first page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 0 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; the step of executing the second page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}({255.0 mul cvi 252 and 1 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; the step of executing the third page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 2 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; and, the step of executing the fourth page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 3 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a digital imaging apparatus receiving page description language commands and page description language image object data describing a first image, a method of associating a tag value with corresponding portions of a digital representation of the first image comprising the step of: in a transform matrix of the imaging device, generating a plurality of groups of digital pixel display values in a frame buffer of the imaging device for use by a print engine of the imaging device to generate a display of the first image, each of the plurality of groups of pixel display values generated by the transform matrix including tag information labeling each group of pixel display values as a one of a plurality of image object classifications.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a digital imaging apparatus receiving page description language commands and page description language image object data describing a first image, a method of associating a tag value with corresponding portions of a digital representation of the first image comprising the step of: in a transform matrix of the imaging device, generating a plurality of groups of digital pixel display values in a frame buffer of the imaging device for use by a print engine of the imaging device to generate a display of the first image, each of the plurality of groups of pixel display values generated by the transform matrix including tag information labeling each group of pixel display values as a one of a plurality of image object classifications.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of providing an auxiliary transfer function procedure in said transform matrix, the auxiliary transfer function being adapted to exclusively generate tag bits into an auxiliary tag bit plane of the frame buffer when the page description language image object data is rendered by the transform matrix to the frame buffer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of generating the plurality of groups digitized pixel display values includes generating, in said auxiliary transfer function procedure, tag information data labeling each said group of pixel display values as a one of said plurality of image object classification.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of providing the auxiliary transfer function procedure includes providing the auxiliary transfer function procedure in addition to a cyan color transfer function in the transform matrix, a magenta color transfer function in the transform matrix, a yellow color transfer function in the transform matrix, and a black color transfer function in the transform matrix.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of providing tagged image data in a frame buffer of a digital imaging device, the method comprising the steps of: executing a first page description language command in the digital imaging device to set a first color transfer function of a color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render image data into the frame buffer with a first predetermined tag value associated therewith; and, executing a first paint operator using the color transform matrix to render first image data as a first group of pixel display values in the frame buffer, each of the first group of pixel display values having said first predetermined tag value associated therewith.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of providing tagged image data in a frame buffer of a digital imaging device, the method comprising the steps of: executing a first page description language command in the digital imaging device to set a first color transfer function of a color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render image data into the frame buffer with a first predetermined tag value associated therewith; and, executing a first paint operator using the color transform matrix to render first image data as a first group of pixel display values in the frame buffer, each of the first group of pixel display values having said first predetermined tag value associated therewith.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
112 words
The method of providing tagged image data according to claim 12 wherein: the step of executing the first page description language command includes setting the first color transfer function of the color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render said image data into the frame buffer with a first predetermined bit pattern associated therewith; and, the step of executing the first paint operator includes using the color transform matrix to render the first image data as a first group of pixel display values in the frame buffer, each of the first group of pixel display values having said first predetermined bit pattern associated therewith.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method of providing tagged image data according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of: executing a second page description language command in the digital imaging device to set said first color transfer function of the color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render said image data into the frame buffer with a second predetermined tag value associated therewith; and, executing a second paint operator using the color transform matrix to render the second image data as a second group of pixel display values in the frame buffer, each of the second group of pixel display values having said second predetermined tag value associated therewith.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of providing tagged image object data according to claim 14 wherein: the step of executing the first page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 254 and cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer, and, the step of executing the second page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 01 or cvr 255.0 div)}{}setcolortransfer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
210 words
The method of tagging image data according to claim 14 further comprising the steps of: executing a third page description language command in the digital imaging device to set said first color transfer function of the color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render said image data into the frame buffer with a third predetermined tag value associated therewith; executing a third paint operator using the color transform matrix to render the third image data as a third group of pixel display values in the frame buffer each of the third group of pixel display values having said third predetermined tag value associated therewith; and, executing a fourth page description language command in the digital imaging device to set said first color transfer function of the color transform matrix so that the color transform matrix reacts to subsequent paint operators to render said image data into the frame buffer with a fourth predetermined tag value associated therewith; executing a fourth paint operator using the color transform matrix to render the fourth image data as a fourth group of pixel display values in the frame buffer each of the fourth group of pixel display values having said fourth predetermined tag value associated therewith.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
134 words
The method of providing tagged image object data according to claim 16 wherein: the step of executing the first page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 0 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; the step of executing the second page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 1 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; the step of executing the third page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 2 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer; and, the step of executing the fourth page description language data includes executing a PostScript page description language line of code: {}{}{255.0 mul cvi 252 and 3 or cvr 255.0 div}{}setcolortransfer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-05 | 2006-02-04 | 2006-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-05 | 2010-02-04 | 2010-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-05 | 2014-02-04 | 2014-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |