Method and apparatus for dither array generation to reduce artifacts in halftoned image data utilizing ink reduction processing

Patent 5684932 Issued on November 4, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 4, 2014. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Shu, Joseph S.

Assignee

Seiko Epson Corporation

Application

No. 320534 filed on 10/11/1994

US Classes:

358/1.9, Attribute control358/3.09, Print element property varied to effect halftone pattern358/3.12Size of print element

Examiners

Primary: Bost, Dwayne D.
Assistant: Legree, Tracy M.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Janofsky; Eric B.

International Classes

G06K 015/00
H04N 001/40

Abstract

An image preprocessing method and apparatus processes image data line-by-line using an error diffusion or dithering process to generate a halftoned image in which the radius of a dot representing a pixel is /dpiࣘrࣘÝa;2/dpi The method and apparatus selectively performs the halftone process on every other pixel to reduce in consumption and computation time while maintaining a high resolution.

Other References

Society For Information Display, International Symposium Digest Of Technical Papers, vol. 25, SID, 1994 XP002015281, pp. 809-812, R. Ulichney: "Filter Design for Void-and-Cluster Dirther Arrays"
Proceedings; SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering; Human Vision, Visual Processing, and Digital Display IV; 1-4 Feb. 1993, San Jose, XP000472838, California, US; vol. 1913 pp. 332-343, R. Ulichney, "The void-and-cluster method for dither array generation"
Journal of Electronic Imaging, vol. 2, No. 3, Jul. 1993, Bellingham, WA, US, pp. 205-212, XP000394879, C.J. Rosenberg, "Measurement-based evaluation of a printer dot model for halftone algorithm tone correction"
Journal of Electronic Imaging, vol. 2, No. 3, Jul. 1993, Bellingham, WA, US, pp. 193-204, XP000394878, T.N. Pappas et al, "Measurement-of printer parameters for model-based halftoning"
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Society for Information Display Intern. Symposium Digest of Technical Papers vol. XXV, San Jose, CA, Jun. 14-16, (1994); The Blue-Noise Mask and Its Comparison with Error Diffusion in Color Halftoning, M. Yao et al., pp. 805-80