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Method and apparatus for assembling a composite image from a plurality of data types

  • US 5,303,342 A
  • Filed: 12/22/1992
  • Issued: 04/12/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for combining in real time a plurality of image data files of differing sizes, resolutions, and formats and for real time converting of said data into halftone pixel data for output on either single or multiple beam recording devices comprising:

  • receiving said plurality of image data files from a source;

    reformatting each of said image data files as they are received into one of several possible formats, each format being determined by the original format of said image data file in conjunction with an image data conversion means, said reformatting being performed in real time while said data is being received at the maximum data rate of said source and which may include separating said image data file into multiple image data files according to color separation;

    storing said reformatted data files, said storing being performed in real time while said data is being received at the maximum data rate of the source;

    preparing a data map file to specify which portions of said plurality of different image files are to be retrieved from storage when the conversion from image data to halftone pixel data takes place, based on position coordinates for each image determined by an operator, in which said map file is optimized to permit maximum data retrieval rate from said storage;

    retrieving and transferring said reformatted image data files according to said map file in which portions of variable size from each file are retrieved and placed in at least one data buffer of image data conversion means via high speed interface in response to a ready signal from said image data conversion means, said retrieval and transfer of data occurring iteratively until all image files have been converted;

    converting in parallel said plurality of data types each of which may contain certain of said plurality of image data file portions into one output stream of high resolution halftone pixels via image data conversion means, said converting occurring in real time while said retrieval and transferring of reformatted image data files is being performed and in response to a ready signal transmitted from an output recording device; and

    ,transmitting said high resolution halftone pixels also in response to said ready signal transmitted from said output recording device.

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