Methods and apparatus for multigeneration color image processing
First Claim
1. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
- (a) grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into sets of colors;
(b) determining the average color of each set of colors;
(c) selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; and
(d) remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set including the pixel.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image processing apparatus and method for performing the steps of grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in a memory into sets of colors, determining the average color of each set of colors, selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set, and remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set including that pixel. The method and apparatus are applicable to multigeneration color image reproduction devices such as color facsimile machines, color photocopiers, and the like.
59 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into sets of colors; (b) determining the average color of each set of colors; (c) selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; and (d) remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set including the pixel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into sets of colors; (b) determining the average color of each set of colors; (c) selecting a target color for each set of colors from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; (d) determining, for each set, a difference in color between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set; (e) remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory that has the average color of the set which includes the pixel to the target color selected for the set; and (f) remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory that has a color of the set which includes the pixel other than the average color of the set to a color determined in accordance with the color difference between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set, and in accordance with the color differences for other ones of the sets of colors. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping portions of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into boundary portions, located between different colored patches of the image, and non-boundary portions; (b) grouping colors of the image into sets of colors, the sets of colors including colors from the boundary portions and the non-boundary portions of the image; (c) determining the average color of each set of colors; (d) selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; (e) remapping the color of each non-boundary portion pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set which includes that non-boundary portion pixel; (f) remapping the color of each of certain ones of the boundary portion pixels of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set which includes that boundary portion pixel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An image processing apparatus, in a data processing system having a memory, comprising:
-
means for grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into sets of colors; means for determining the average color of each set of colors; means for selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; and means for remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected by the selecting means for the set including the pixel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. An image processing apparatus, in a data processing system having a memory, comprising:
-
means for grouping colors of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into sets of colors; means for determining the average color of each set of colors; means for selecting a target color for each set of colors from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; means for determining, for each set, a difference in color between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set; means for remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory that has the average color of the set which includes the pixel to the target color selected for the set; and means for remapping the color of each pixel of the image stored in the memory that has a color of the set which includes the pixel other than the average color of the set to a color determined in accordance with the color difference between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set, and in accordance with the color differences for other ones of the sets of colors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An image processing apparatus, in a data processing system having a memory, comprising:
-
means for grouping portions of a multi-pixel image stored in the memory and having a color composition into boundary portions, located between different colored patches of the image, and non-boundary portions; means for grouping colors of the image into sets of colors, the sets of colors including colors from the boundary portions and the non-boundary portions of the image; means for determining the average color of each set of colors; means for selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; first means for remapping the color of each non-boundary portion pixel of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set which includes the non-boundary portion pixel; and second means for remapping the color of each of certain ones of the boundary portion pixels of the image stored in the memory to the target color selected for the set which includes the boundary portion pixel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping colors of a multi-pixel image having a color composition into sets of colors; (b) determining the average color of each set of colors; (c) selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; and (d) remapping the color of each pixel of the image to the target color selected for the set including the pixel.
-
-
26. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping colors of a multi-pixel image having a color composition into sets of colors; (b) determining the average color of each set of colors; (c) selecting a target color for each set of colors from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; (d) determining, for each set, a difference in color between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set; (e) remapping the color of each pixel of the image that has the average color of the set which includes the pixel to the target color selected for the set; and (f) remapping the color of each pixel of the image that has a color of the set which includes the pixel other than the average color of the set to a color determined in accordance with the color difference between the average color of the set and the target color selected for the set, and in accordance with the color differences for other ones of the sets of colors.
-
-
27. An image processing method, the method performed by a data processing system having a memory, and comprising the steps of:
-
(a) grouping portions of a multi-pixel image having a color composition into boundary portions, located between different colored patches of the image, and non-boundary portions; (b) grouping colors of the image into sets of colors, the sets of colors including colors from the boundary portions and the non-boundary portions of the image; (c) determining the average color of each set of colors; (d) selecting a target color, for each set of colors, from a plurality of predetermined target colors, the selected target color being the predetermined target color that is closest to the average color of the set; (e) remapping the color of each non-boundary portion pixel of the image to the target color selected for the set which includes the non-boundary portion pixel; and (f) remapping the color of each of certain ones of the boundary portion pixels of the image to the target color selected for the set which includes that boundary portion pixel.
-
Specification