Patent US6522425B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6522425B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of predicting and processing image fine structures
Assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1998-02-04
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Granted: 2003-02-18
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Expires: 2018-02-04
Abstract
Abstract By simulating the interference-generated image fine structures with a continuous-tone printer or a display, the image fine structures can be predicted as faithfully as can be achieved by high quality machines. This is done without sacrificing the advantages of the continuous-tone printer or display (i.e., convenience in handling and the low costs of materials and machine), while ensuring that moiré, line discontinuities, imperfections in straight lines and other image fine structures that may appear in a printed document are predicted on a hard or soft proof accurately and conveniently and within a short time. The intensity of moiré and other peculiar patterns that occur when simulating the image fine structures in a printed document can be freely adjusted in accordance with the type of the printing machine which is to be employed to produce the printed document. Pixel values of an original image are separated, processed, and subjected to weighted averaging with adjustable weights.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshifumi Yoshidome
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:44
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/56; H04N1/60; H04N1/603; H04N1/6052; G; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/20; H04N1/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
303 words
The method of predicting and processing image fine structures, comprising: separating pixel values of an original image into pixels for each of CMY or CMYK plates; converting the pixels separated in said separating step to pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image, by subjecting the values of the pixel to be converted and neighboring pixels to weighted averaging with adjustable weights dependent on the period of grid units that is determined by the screen ruling and screen angle for said printed halftone image, wherein said pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image is image data of a continuous tone image; wherein said weights dependent on the period of grid units are arranged in the respective elements of a weighting matrix of the same mask size as said neighboring pixels, wherein if the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are written as F(i, j, k, l), if E(k, l) is written for a coefficient matrix of the same size as said weighting matrix, said coefficient matrix having a coefficient of 1.0 at the center and a coefficient of 0 in the other positions and if the coefficient of said weight adjustment is written as α, then the weight to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix after weight adjustment are given by the following equation (1): F ′( i,j,k,l )=α{− E ( k,l )+ F ( i,j,k,l )}+ E ( k,l ) (1) where (i, j) represents the coordinates of the position at which said pixel to be converted is located in said original image, and (k,l) represents the coordinates in the weighting matrix of the same mask size as the pixel to be converted and said neighboring pixels.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
303 words
The method of predicting and processing image fine structures, comprising: separating pixel values of an original image into pixels for each of CMY or CMYK plates; converting the pixels separated in said separating step to pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image, by subjecting the values of the pixel to be converted and neighboring pixels to weighted averaging with adjustable weights dependent on the period of grid units that is determined by the screen ruling and screen angle for said printed halftone image, wherein said pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image is image data of a continuous tone image; wherein said weights dependent on the period of grid units are arranged in the respective elements of a weighting matrix of the same mask size as said neighboring pixels, wherein if the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are written as F(i, j, k, l), if E(k, l) is written for a coefficient matrix of the same size as said weighting matrix, said coefficient matrix having a coefficient of 1.0 at the center and a coefficient of 0 in the other positions and if the coefficient of said weight adjustment is written as α, then the weight to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix after weight adjustment are given by the following equation (1): F ′( i,j,k,l )=α{− E ( k,l )+ F ( i,j,k,l )}+ E ( k,l ) (1) where (i, j) represents the coordinates of the position at which said pixel to be converted is located in said original image, and (k,l) represents the coordinates in the weighting matrix of the same mask size as the pixel to be converted and said neighboring pixels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said coefficient of weight adjustment α is adjustable within a range of 0.6-1.8.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are directly selected from among the threshold values that are arranged in a halftoning threshold matrix and which are located in positions that correspond to those pixels of which the values are to be converted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 5 , wherein said direct selection from among the threshold values means the use of either any one of said threshold values or the average of said threshold values.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
102 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are the values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix which are directly selected from among the threshold values that are arranged in a halftoning threshold matrix and which are located in positions that correspond to those pixels of which the values are to be converted, said values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix having been processed with a decreasing filter the value of which decreases gradually from the central element of the weighting matrix towards peripheral elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are the values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix which are directly selected from among the threshold values that are arranged in a halftoning threshold matrix and which are located in positions that correspond to those pixels of which the values are to be converted, said values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix having been transformed by a function such as to provide a spatial distribution of increased gradient, and the transformed values having been subsequently processed with a decreasing filter the value of which decreases gradually from the central element towards peripheral elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method according to claim 5 , wherein the pixel values for predicting said image fine structures to which the pixel values of said original image have been converted are those having the resolution of a device for outputting the printed halftone image, said halftoning threshold matrix being one having a higher resolution than said output device and changed to the resolution of said output device as the processing with said decreasing filter is performed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said neighboring pixels delineate a rectangle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel values subjected to weighted averaging with said adjusted weights are obtained by internally or externally dividing not only the pixel values subjected to weighted averaging with the weights dependent on the period of said grid units but also the values of said pixels to be converted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said original image includes four edge portions, wherein pixels comprising said four edge portions are not subject to weighting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said neighboring pixels physically border said pixel to be converted.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said neighboring pixels physically border said pixel to be converted; wherein said pixel to be converted and neighboring pixels correspond to selected pixels of said original image, and said weighted averaging uses values of said neighboring pixels.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
307 words
The method of predicting and processing image fine structures, comprising: separating pixel values of an original image into pixels for each of CMY or CMYK plates; converting the pixels separated in said separating step to pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image, by subjecting the values of the pixel to be converted and neighboring pixels to weighted averaging with adjustable weights dependent on the period of grid units that is determined by the screen ruling and screen angle for said printed halftone image, wherein said pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image is image data of a continuous tone image; wherein said weights dependent on the period of grid units are arranged in the respective elements of a weighting matrix of the same mask size as said neighboring pixels; wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are the values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix which are directly selected from among the threshold values that are arranged in a halftoning threshold matrix and which are located in positions that correspond to those pixels of which the values are to be converted, said values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix having been processed with a decreasing filter the value of which decreases gradually from the central element of the weighting matrix towards peripheral elements; wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are either the values obtained by the processing with said decreasing filter or the respective values of the threshold matrix as changed to the resolution of said output device and which have been subjected to processing with a sharpness filter having characteristics substantially opposite to those of the processing with said decreasing filter.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
307 words
The method of predicting and processing image fine structures, comprising: separating pixel values of an original image into pixels for each of CMY or CMYK plates; converting the pixels separated in said separating step to pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image, by subjecting the values of the pixel to be converted and neighboring pixels to weighted averaging with adjustable weights dependent on the period of grid units that is determined by the screen ruling and screen angle for said printed halftone image, wherein said pixel values for predicting image fine structures which will appear in a printed halftone image is image data of a continuous tone image; wherein said weights dependent on the period of grid units are arranged in the respective elements of a weighting matrix of the same mask size as said neighboring pixels; wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are the values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix which are directly selected from among the threshold values that are arranged in a halftoning threshold matrix and which are located in positions that correspond to those pixels of which the values are to be converted, said values of the respective elements of the weighting matrix having been processed with a decreasing filter the value of which decreases gradually from the central element of the weighting matrix towards peripheral elements; wherein the weights to be arranged in the respective elements of said weighting matrix are either the values obtained by the processing with said decreasing filter or the respective values of the threshold matrix as changed to the resolution of said output device and which have been subjected to processing with a sharpness filter having characteristics substantially opposite to those of the processing with said decreasing filter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein the ratio of adjustment of the sharpness of said sharpness filter is adjustable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
110 words
The method according to claim 14 , wherein if the elements of said sharpness filter are written as U(k,l), if E(k,l) is written for a coefficient matrix of the same size as said sharpness filter, said coefficient matrix having a coefficient of 1.0 at the center and a coefficient of 0 in the other positions and if the ratio of said sharpness adjustment is written as β, then the elements of said sharpness filter after sharpness adjustment are given by the following equation (2): U ′( k,l )=β{− E ( k,l )+ U ( k,l )}+ E ( k,l ) (2) where (k,l) represents the coordinates in said sharpness filter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 13 , wherein said decreasing filter and said sharpness filter are combined into a single filter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 14 , wherein said weighting matrix after said weight adjustment and said sharpness filter after said sharpness adjustment are assembled into a single filter.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-17 | 2006-08-19 | 2007-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-17 | 2010-08-19 | 2011-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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