Patent US6504949B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6504949B2
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US
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Image processing apparatus and method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1998-08-10
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Granted: 2003-01-07
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Expires: 2018-08-10
Abstract
Abstract By smoothing a full-color image, staircasing of characters even in a gradation image is removed. An area to be smoothed is detected from image data having a plurality of color components, and image data included in the detected area is smoothed in units of color components. Image data which places an importance on resolution is smoothed by increasing the resolution to reproduce smooth characters and figures. Image data which places an importance on gradation characteristic is output without increasing the resolution, thus attaining high-gradation recording. A character or figure is detected from bitmap image data input from external equipment, and is smoothed. In correspondence with the density of the smoothed image data, the pulse width is switched, thereby changing the resolution of image data.
Inventors
- 👤 Yushi Matsukubo
- 👤 Hiroyuki Tsuji
- 👤 Yukihiko Shimizu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/18; G06K15/1848; G06K15/1852; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
An image processing apparatus characterized by comprising: input means for inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; detection means for detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and smoothing means for interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected by said detection means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image processing apparatus characterized by comprising: input means for inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; detection means for detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and smoothing means for interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected by said detection means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that said smoothing means further comprises resolution conversion means for generating image data having a resolution twice a resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components from the multi-valued image data in the area detected by said detection means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 , characterized in that said resolution conversion means generates image data having a resolution corresponding to a natural number multiple of the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components from the multi-valued image data in the area detected by said detection means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , characterized in that said resolution conversion means generates image data having a resolution corresponding to the natural number multiple of the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components by interpolating the resolution of the multi-valued image data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 , characterized in that said resolution conversion means generates image data having a resolution twice the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components by interpolating the resolution of the multi-valued image data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components is full-color image data which is color-separated into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black components.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components is input from external equipment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized by further comprising means for determining a thickness of character and line image portions in an original image, means for determining an edge of a character or line image in the original image, and means for determining saturation of the line image in the original image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image processing method characterized by comprising: the input step of inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; the detection step of detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and the smoothing step of interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected in the detection step.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image processing method characterized by comprising: the input step of inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; the detection step of detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and the smoothing step of interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected in the detection step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the smoothing step further comprises the resolution conversion step of generating image data having a resolution twice a resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components from the multi-valued image data in the area detected in the detection step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 10 , characterized in that the resolution conversion step includes the step of generating image data having a resolution corresponding to a natural number multiple of the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components from the multi-valued image data in the area detected in the detection step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method according to claim 11 , characterized in that the resolution conversion step includes the step of generating image data having a resolution corresponding to the natural number multiple of the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components by interpolating the resolution of the multi-valued image data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 10 , characterized in that the resolution conversion step includes the step of generating image data having a resolution twice the resolution of the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components by interpolating the resolution of the multi-valued image data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components is full-color image data which is color-separated into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black components.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components is input from external equipment.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 9 , characterized by further comprising the step of determining a thickness of character and line image portions in an original image, the step of determining an edge of a character or line image in the original image, and the step of determining saturation of the line image in the original image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
A computer-readable memory which stores a program code of image processing, characterized by comprising: a code of the input step of inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; a code of the detection step of detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and a code of the smoothing step of interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected in the detection step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
103 words
A computer-readable memory which stores a program code of image processing, characterized by comprising: a code of the input step of inputting multi-valued image data having a plurality of color components; a code of the detection step of detecting a character image portion and a line image portion based on the multi-valued image data having the plurality of color components; and a code of the smoothing step of interpolating the density of the multi-valued image data in units of color components to enhance a resolution of the multi-valued image data, the multi-valued image data included in an area detected in the detection step.
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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) | 2006-01-06 | 2006-07-08 | 2007-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-01-06 | 2010-07-08 | 2011-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-01-06 | 2014-07-08 | 2015-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |