Facsimile communication with selective call receivers

• US 5,539,529 A
• Filed: 04/04/1994
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Merchant, Zaffer S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US08/223,356
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/448, 358/462, 340/825.44, 455/38.1, 455/38.4, 345/141, 345/146, 379/56, 379/57
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/38 Circuits or arrangements for blanking or otherwise eliminating unwanted parts of pictures H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4115 involving the recognition of specific patterns, e.g. by symbol matching

Abstract

A selective call receiver (40) includes a receiver (66) for receiving information represented as a bitmap image. The selective call receiver 40 further includes a segmenter (206), coupled to the receiver (66), for segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region. A subtracter (208) of the selective call receiver (40), coupled to the segmenter (206), subtracts the non text region from the bitmap image and an identifier (210), coupled to the subtracter (208), identifies text lines within the text region of the bitmap image. The selective call receiver (40) also includes a formatter (212), coupled to the identifier (210), for formatting the text lines of the bitmap image; and a display (90), coupled to the formatter (212), for displaying the text lines being formatted.

Claims

1. In a selective call communication system, a method of facsimile communication, comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving information from a source document;

(b) encoding and compressing the information;

(c) transferring the information to a selective call terminal;

(d) receiving the information at the selective call terminal;

(e) processing the information in the selective call terminal; and

(f) transmitting the information as a bitmap image in a first format which is received by an at least one selective call receiver, in the at least one selective call receiver, a method comprising the steps of;

(g) segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region;

(h) subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image;

(i) identifying text lines within the text region of the bitmap image;

(j) reformatting the bitmap image to a second format by wrapping the text lines of the bitmap image having a number of black pixels greater than a threshold energy measure; and

(k) displaying the text lines being formatted.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the least one selective call receiver further comprising a step of processing the bitmap image.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said step of processing the bitmap image further comprising a step of identifying rectangular regions within the bitmap image.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said step of identifying rectangular regions further comprising the steps of:

establishing the threshold energy measure; and

counting black pixels of the text lines.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of reformatting further comprising the steps of:

designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

establishing a threshold energy measure;

counting black pixels in the text lines; and

comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the step of wrapping further comprising a step of terminating each text line with a white pixel.

7. In a selective call receiver, a method for facsimile communication comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information in a first format comprising a bitmap image;

(b) determining when the information being received comprises facsimile information;

(c) segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region in response to step (b);

(d) subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image;

(e) identifying text lines within the text region of the bitmap image;

(f) reformatting the bitmap image to a second format by wrapping the text lines of the bitmap image having a number of black pixels greater than a threshold energy measure; and

(g) displaying the text lines being formatted.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the selective call receiver further comprising a step of processing the bitmap image.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said step of processing further comprising a step of identifying rectangular regions within the bitmap image.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said step of identifying rectangular regions further comprising the steps of:

establishing the threshold energy measure; and

counting black pixels of the text lines.

11. The method according to claim 7 wherein said step of reformatting further comprising the steps of:

designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

establishing a threshold energy measure;

counting black pixels in the text lines; and

comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of wrapping further comprising a step of terminating each text line with a white pixel.

13. A selective call communication system, comprising:

a scanner for retrieving information from a source document;

the scanner further comprising;

an encoder for encoding and compressing the information; and

a modem, coupled to said encoder, for transferring the information to a selective call terminal;

the selective call terminal, comprising;

a receiver for receiving the information;

a processor, coupled to said receiver, for processing the information

a transmitter, coupled to the processor, for transmitting the information which is received as a bitmap image in a first format by an at least one selective call receiver, the at least one selective call receiver comprising;

a segmenter for segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region;

a subtracter, coupled to the segmenter, for subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image;

an identifier, coupled to the subtracter, for identifying text lines within the text region of the bitmap image;

a formatter, coupled to the identifier, for reformatting the text lines of the bitmap image to a second format, the formatter further comprises means for wrapping which reformats the text lines to the second format having a number of black pixels greater than a threshold energy measure; and

a display, coupled to the formatter, for displaying the text lines being formatted.

14. The selective call communication system according to claim 13 wherein the least one selective call receiver further comprising a selective call processor for processing the bitmap image.

15. The selective call communication system according to claim 14 wherein the selective call processor further comprising a rectangular identifier for identifying rectangular regions within the bitmap image.

16. The selective call communication system according to claim 15 wherein the rectangular identifier further comprising:

means for establishing a threshold energy measure; and

a counter, coupled to the means for establishing, for counting black pixels of the text lines.

17. The selective call communication system according to claim 13 wherein the formatter further comprising:

means for designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

means, coupled to the means for designating, for establishing a threshold energy measure;

a counter, coupled to the means for establishing, for counting black pixels in the text lines; and

a comparator, coupled to the counter, for comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure.

18. The selective call communication system according to claim 17 wherein the means for wrapping further comprising means for terminating each text line with a white pixel.

19. A selective call receiver, comprising:

a receiver for receiving information in a first format comprising a bitmap image;

a segmenter, coupled to the receiver, for segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region;

a subtracter, coupled to the segmenter, for subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image;

an identifier, coupled to the subtracter, for identifying text lines within the text region of the bitmap image;

a formatter, coupled to the identifier, for reformatting the text lines of the bitmap image to a second format, the formatter further comprises means for wrapping which reformats the text lines to the second format having a number of black pixels greater than a threshold energy measure; and

a display, coupled to the formatter, for displaying the text lines being formatted.

20. The selective call receiver according to claim 19 further comprising a processor for processing the bitmap image.

21. The selective call receiver according to claim 20 wherein the processor further comprising a rectangular identifier for identifying rectangular regions within the bitmap image.

22. The selective call receiver according to claim 21 wherein the rectangular identifier further comprising:

means for establishing a threshold energy measure; and

a counter, coupled to the means for establishing, for counting black pixels of the text lines.

23. The selective call receiver according to claim 19 wherein the reformatter further comprising:

means for designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

means, coupled to the means for designating, for establishing a threshold energy measure;

a counter, coupled to the means for establishing, for counting black pixels in the text lines; and

a comparator, coupled to the counter, for comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure.

24. The selective call receiver according to claim 23 wherein the means for wrapping further comprising means for terminating each text line with a white pixel.

25. In a selective call communication system, a method of facsimile communication, comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving information from a source document;

(b) encoding and compressing the information;

(c) transferring the information to a selective call terminal;

(d) receiving the information at the selective call terminal;

(e) processing the information in the selective call terminal; and

(f) transmitting the information as a bitmap image in a first format which is received by an at least one selective call receiver, in the at least one selective call receiver, a method comprising the steps of;

(g) processing the bitmap image, the step of processing further comprising;

(h) segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region;

(i) subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image; and

(j) identifying rectangular regions within the text region, the step of identifying rectangular regions further comprising the steps of;

(k) establishing a threshold energy measure;

(l) counting black pixels;

(m) reformatting the bitmap image Of the rectangular regions into a second format as text lines, the step reformatting further comprising the steps of;

(m1) designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

(m2) comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure; and

(m3) wrapping the text lines having a number of black pixels greater than the threshold energy measure; and

(n) displaying the text lines being formatted.

26. In a selective call receiver, a method for facsimile communication comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving information comprising a first format of a bitmap image;

(b) determining when the information being received comprises facsimile information;

(c) processing the bitmap image, the step of processing further comprising;

(d) segmenting the bitmap image into a text region and a non text region;

(e) subtracting the non text region from the bitmap image; and

(f) identifying rectangular regions within the text region, the step of identifying rectangular regions further comprising the steps of;

(g) establishing a threshold energy measure;

(h) counting black pixels;

(i) reformatting bitmap image of the rectangular regions into a second format as text lines, the step reformatting further comprising the steps of;

(i1) designating an input pointer and an output pointer;

(i2) comparing the black pixels with the threshold energy measure; and

(i3) wrapping the text lines having a number of black pixels greater than the threshold energy measure; and

(j) displaying the text lines being formatted.