Character processing method and apparatus with brightness correction based output size

• US 5,485,278 A
• Filed: 11/22/1994
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakajima, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRAHM, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US08/347,184
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 358/296, 358/451, 358/518, 358/523, 358/528, 395/102, 395/110, 395/131, 395/132, 395/150, 395/151, 345/20, 345/22, 345/24, 345/127, 345/153, 382/41, 382/47, 382/276, 382/298
• US Class Current: 358/296
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0037 depending on an output condition, e.g. size, resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/004 Generic data transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0094 Colour printing

Abstract

An image processing method and apparatus are used for generating image data including characters or symbols in a color on the basis of a designated size. The brightness at which the image data is generated is changed in accordance with the designated size of a character or symbol. Thus, when printing a character or symbol on a printer, the difference in visual impression which is felt when the character or symbol has been printed in a different size, is reduced.

Claims

1. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting individual command data for each character of an image, including character color information and character size information, the command data representing character image information;

analyzing for said each character the command data input in said inputting step;

deriving for said each character an adjustment value for adjusting the character color information based on the character size information and character color information as analyzed in said analyzing step;

modifying for said each character the character color information using the adjustment value derived in said deriving step;

storing for said each character the character color information modified in said modifying step; and

outputting for said each character the character image information represented by the command data in accordance with the modified character color information stored in said storing step.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image information comprises character data.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image information comprises symbol data.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the command data includes the size information is designated respectively for each unit of image data.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein, in said deriving step, the adjustment value is derived on the basis of both of the color information and the size information.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein, in said deriving step, the adjustment value is derived on the basis of predetermined table information.

7. An image data processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting individual command data for each character of an image, including character brightness information and character size information, the command data representing character image information;

analyzing for said each character the command data input in said inputting step;

deriving for said each character an adjustment value for adjusting the character brightness information based on the character size information and character brightness information as analyzed in said analyzing step;

modifying for said each character the character brightness information using the adjustment value derived in said deriving step;

storing for said each character the character brightness information modified in said modifying step; and

outputting for said each character the character image information represented by the command data in accordance with the modified character brightness information stored in said storing step.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the image information comprises character data.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the image information comprises symbol data.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein the size information is designated respectively for each unit of image information.

11. A method claim according to claim 7, wherein, in said deriving step, the adjustment value is derived on the basis of both of the brightness information and the size information.

12. A method claim according to claim 7, wherein, in said deriving step, the adjustment value is derived on the basis of predetermined table information.

13. An image data processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting individual command data for each character of an image, including character color information and character size information, the command data representing character image information;

analyzing means for analyzing for said each character the command data input by said input means;

deriving means for deriving for said each character an adjustment value for adjusting the character color information based on the character size information and character color information analyzed by said analyzing means;

modifying means for modifying for said each character the character color information using the adjustment value derived by said deriving means;

memory means for storing for said each character the character color information modified by said modifying means; and

output means for outputting for said each character the character image information represented by the command data in accordance with the modified character color information stored in said memory means.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said deriving means derives the adjustment value on the basis of both of the color information and the size information.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said deriving means derives the adjustment value on the basis of predetermined table information.

16. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the image information comprises character data.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the image information comprises symbol data.

18. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the command data includes the size data respectively for each unit of image data.

19. An image data processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting individual command data for each character of an image, including character brightness information and character size information, the command data representing character image information;

analyzing means for analyzing for said each character the command data input by said input means;

deriving means for deriving for said each character an adjustment value for adjusting the character brightness information based on the character size information and character brightness information analyzed by said analyzing means;

modifying means for modifying for said each character the character brightness information using the adjustment value derived by said deriving means;

memory means for storing for said each character the character brightness information modified by said modifying means; and

output means for outputting for said each character the character image information represented by the command data in accordance with the modified character brightness information stored in said memory means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the image information comprises character data.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the image information comprises symbol data.

22. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the command data includes the size information for each unit of image information.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said deriving means derives the adjustment value on the basis of both of the brightness information and the size information.

24. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said deriving means derives the adjustment value on the basis of predetermined table information.