US6824240B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image processing apparatus and method and recording medium
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 2002-09-24
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Granted: 2004-11-30
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Expires: 2022-09-24
Abstract
Abstract An input pixel value of input image data is converted to a pixel value within a predetermined range, and a pixel value of pixel of interest of the converted image is quantized for pseudo halftone representation, and a predetermined dot pattern is embedded to the quantized image data. In this manner, the predetermined dot pattern can be added to the input image data such that the predetermined dot pattern is inconspicuous or the degradation of the original image can be reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Minoru Kusakabe
- 👤 Nobutaka Miyake
- 👤 Kiyoshi Umeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/0028; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0051
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting an input pixel value of a pixel around a pixel having a maximum value or a minimum value of input image information to a predetermined pixel value, wherein the maximum value and the minimum value are respectively the maximum and minimum values of a range of the input pixel value; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot position arrangement control means for controlling a dot position arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting an input pixel value of a pixel around a pixel having a maximum value or a minimum value of input image information to a predetermined pixel value, wherein the maximum value and the minimum value are respectively the maximum and minimum values of a range of the input pixel value; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot position arrangement control means for controlling a dot position arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image information is color image information, and wherein said pixel value conversion means converts each input pixel value of each color component to a pixel value within a predetermined range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said pixel value conversion means changes pixel value conversion processing in correspondence with dot position arrangement control by said dot position arrangement control means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting the minimum value and the maximum value of the input pixel value of input image information to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and linearly converts other pixel values of the input image information along a straight line defined by the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
130 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting the minimum value and the maximum value of the input pixel value of input image information to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and linearly converts other pixel values of the input image information along a straight line defined by the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a combination of the first and second predetermined values converted by said pixel value conversion means is a combination of colors representing achromatic colors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for segmenting an input range of the input pixel values of image information into a plurality of ranges, and converts the input pixel values in correspondence with a predetermined conversion coefficient by each input range; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for segmenting an input range of the input pixel values of image information into a plurality of ranges, and converts the input pixel values in correspondence with a predetermined conversion coefficient by each input range; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image information to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and nonlinearly converts other input pixel values along a curve defined between the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: pixel value conversion means for converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image information to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and nonlinearly converts other input pixel values along a curve defined between the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; quantization means for quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of the image information converted by said pixel value conversion means; and dot arrangement control means for controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image information quantized by said quantization means so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting an input pixel value of a pixel around a pixel having a maximum value or a minimum value of input image data to a predetermined a pixel value, wherein the maximum value and the minimum value are respectively the maximum and minimum values of a range of the input pixel value; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting an input pixel value of a pixel around a pixel having a maximum value or a minimum value of input image data to a predetermined a pixel value, wherein the maximum value and the minimum value are respectively the maximum and minimum values of a range of the input pixel value; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
An image processing method according to claim 8 , wherein the image data is color image data, and wherein in said pixel value conversion step, each pixel value of each color component is converted to a pixel value within a predetermined range.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
An image processing method according to claim 8 , wherein in said pixel value conversion step, pixel value conversion processing is changed in correspondence with the dot arrangement control performed in said dot arrangement control step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for performing the image processing method according to claim 8 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
A program for performing the image processing method according to claim 8 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
126 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image data to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and linearly converting other pixel values along a straight line defined by the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
126 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image data to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and linearly converting other pixel values along a straight line defined by the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a combination of the first and second predetermined values converted in said pixel value conversion step is a combination of colors representing achromatic colors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
106 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of segmenting a range of input pixel values of image data into a plurality of ranges, and converting the input pixel value in correspondence with a predetermined conversion coefficient by each range; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
106 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of segmenting a range of input pixel values of image data into a plurality of ranges, and converting the input pixel value in correspondence with a predetermined conversion coefficient by each range; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image data to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and nonlinearly converting other pixel values along a curve defined between the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image processing method comprising: a pixel value conversion step, of converting the minimum value and the maximum value of an input pixel value of image data to a first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, respectively, and nonlinearly converting other pixel values along a curve defined between the first and second predetermined values and the maximum and minimum values; a quantization step, of quantizing the pixel value of a pixel of interest of image data converted in said pixel value conversion step; and a dot arrangement control step, of controlling a dot arrangement for forming an image corresponding to the image data quantized in said quantization step so as to form a predetermined dot pattern in the image represented by the image data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5751929A
Cited
US6009213A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-11-30 | 2008-05-31 | 2008-11-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-11-30 | 2012-05-31 | 2012-11-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-11-30 | 2016-05-31 | 2016-11-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |