Method for black and white image reduction based upon averaging black/white pixel counts of neighboring blocks

• US 5,161,213 A
• Filed: 03/18/1991
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global 360, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wang Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Knowlton, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Lawrence E.
• Application Number:
  US07/671,639
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 382/47, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 395/132, 395/139, 395/128
• US Class Current: 345/428
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A data processing system provides a desk view which serves as a graphical user interface to the system. The desk view displays detailed miniaturized images of all documents possessed by the user. The compressed document images are user moveable and stackable in the desk view. The desk view also enables user selected operations including mailing, disposing, annotating, stapling, unstapling and printing of documents. User interaction with items of the desk view is communicated through an electronic stylus. Different actions with the stylus provide naturally expected effects. The stylus and desk view provide a simulation of a common office desk and user interaction therewith.

Claims

1. A method of making a reduced image of an original x by y black and white pixel image comprising steps of:

dividing the original image into blocks, each block corresponding to a pixel in the reduced image;

for each block of the image, counting the number of black pixels to get a black count and the number of white pixels to get a white count; and

for each block not on the border of the original image;

determining the average black count in the blocks adjacent said block;

comparing the black count of said block with said average black count;

if the black count of the block is greater than the average black count by a first predetermined amount, making the corresponding pixel of the reduced image black;

determining the average white count in the blocks adjacent said block;

comparing the white count of said block with said average white count;

if the white count of the block is greater than the average white count by a second predetermined amount, making the corresponding pixel of the reduced image white;

if neither said block white or black count is greater than the corresponding average by said first and second predetermined amounts, respectively, determining the corresponding reduced image pixel color based on the number of black and white pixels in said block; and

storing the color of that pixel as an element of the reduced image.

2. The method according to claim 1 and further including making all border pixels of the reduced image the same.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein if neither said white nor said black count is greater than the corresponding average by said predetermined amount, making said reduced image pixel black if said black count is equal or greater than a predetermined threshold and otherwise making said reduced image pixel white.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of making said border pixels of said reduced image black.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if neither said white nor said black count is greater than the corresponding average by said predetermined amount, making said reduced image pixel white if said white count is equal or greater than a predetermined threshold and otherwise making said reduced image pixel black.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of making said border pixels of said reduced image white.

7. A method of making a reduced image of an original x by y pixel black and white image comprising the steps of:

dividing the original image into blocks, each block corresponding to a pixel in the reduced image;

for each block of the image counting the number of black pixels to get a black count and number of white pixels to get a white count; and

for each block not on the original image'"'"'s periphery;

determining the average black count in the blocks adjacent said block;

comparing the black count of said block with said average black count;

if the black count of the block is greater than the average block count, making the corresponding pixel of the reduced image black;

determining the average white count in the blocks adjacent said block;

comparing the corresponding white count of said block with said average white count;

if the white count of the block is greater than the average white count, making the corresponding pixel of the reduced image white;

if either said white count or said black count is equal to the corresponding average, making said pixel of the reduced image the color corresponding to the larger average number of black or white pixels in the adjacent blocks; and

storing the color of that pixel as an element of the reduced image.

8. The method according to claim 7 comprising making all border pixels of the reduced image the same.