Image processing apparatus for reducing visible roughness in contours

• US 5,091,973 A
• Filed: 08/27/1990
• Issued: 02/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US07/572,387
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 382/10, 382/22, 382/41, 382/54
• US Class Current: 382/269
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/006 Anti-aliasing raster data
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0071 Post-treatment of the composed image, e.g. compression, rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/28 for enhancement of character form, e.g. smoothing

Abstract

An image processing apparatus performs processing to input an original image pattern composed of dots, detect contour dots from the inputted original image pattern, and identify a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected. Editing is performed with regard to the location of a dot row at which the identified pattern is a pattern to undergo editing, whereby the inputted original image pattern is converted into an image pattern represented by intermediate brightness. The image pattern so edited is outputted as by a printer.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said detecting means further comprises subdividing means for subdividing rows of the contour dots in accordance with a predetermined method.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said subdividing means subdivides the dot rows at every predetermined step portion and converts each dot row into a pattern in a dot row where the contour dots extend in a main scanning direction or in an auxiliary scanning direction.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined step is one dot.

4. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said identifying means further comprises matching means for matching a dot row at an arbitrary position of the contour dots and a predetermined pattern, wherein a dot row which is made to coincide with said predetermined pattern by said matching means is subjected to editing performed by said editing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising memory means for storing said predetermined pattern.

6. An image processing comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said identifying means further comprises counting means for counting a number of the contour dots extending continuously in one direction which is a main scanning direction or an auxiliary scanning direction, wherein if a predetermined step portion is found to exist while said counting means is counting in said one direction, the object of editing performed by said editing means is decided in dependence upon the number of dots in each dot row subdivided at said predetermined step portion.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said number of dots used in deciding the object of editing is at least two.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined step portion is one dot.

9. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said editing means further comprises converting means for converting a dot row formed by the contour dots into another dot row.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said converting means further comprises adding means for adding a dot to a dot row formed by the contour dots.

11. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

decision means for deciding, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means, editing contents of the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, in accordance with the editing contents decided by said editing means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said detecting means further comprises subdividing means for subdividing rows of the contour dots in accordance with a predetermined method.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said subdividing means subdivides the dot rows at every predetermined step portion and converts each dot row into a pattern in a dot row wherein the contour dots extend in a main scanning direction or in an auxiliary scanning direction.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined step is one dot.

14. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

decision means for deciding, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means, editing contents of the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, in accordance with the editing contents, decided by said editing means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said identifying means further comprises matching means for matching a dot row at an arbitrary comprises matching means for matching a dot row at an arbitrary position of the contour dots and a predetermined pattern, wherein a dot row which is made to coincide with said predetermined pattern by said matching means is subjected to editing performed by said editing means.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising memory means for storing said predetermined pattern.

16. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying mans for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

decision means for deciding, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means, editing contents of the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, in accordance with the editing contents decided by said editing means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said identifying means further comprises counting means for counting a number of the contour dots extending continuously in one direction which is a main scanning direction or an auxiliary scanning direction, wherein if a predetermined step portion is found to exist while said counting means is counting in said one direction, the object of editing performed by said editing means is decided in dependence upon the number of dots in each row subdivided at said predetermined step portion.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said number of dots used in deciding the object of editing is at least two.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined step portion is one dot.

19. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

decision means for deciding, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means, editing contents of the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, in accordance with the editing contents decided by said editing means;

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means; and

memory means for storing said editing contents of plural types,

wherein said decision means further comprises selecting means for selecting editing contents, which correspond to a pattern identified by said identifying means, from the editing contents of plural types stored in said memory means.

20. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting an original image pattern composed of dots;

detecting means for detecting contour dots from the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

identifying means for identifying a pattern of dot rows formed by the contour dots detected by said detecting means;

decision means for deciding, based on the pattern identified by said identifying means, editing contents of the original image pattern inputted by said input means;

editing means for editing the original image pattern, which is inputted by said input means, in accordance with the editing contents decided by said editing means; and

output means for outputting results of editing performed by said editing means,

wherein said editing means further comprises converting means for converting a dot row formed by the contour dots into another dot row.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said converting means further comprises:

adding means for adding a dot to a dot row formed by the contour dots; and

deleting means for deleting a dot from a dot row formed by the contour dots.