Printing black and white reproducible colored test documents

• US 6,169,607 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1996
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harrington, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancus, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US08/752,191
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 395/110, 395/150, 395/109, 395/114, 395/200, 395/115, 382/183, 382/190, 382/54, 382/258, 382/257, 382/259, 382/266, 358/226, 358/528, 358/451, 358/518, 358/523, 358/530, 358/1.15, 358/1.14, 358/1.9, 358/462
• US Class Current: 358/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0014 Transforming the printer input data into internal codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function

Abstract

A document containing colored text is reproduced in a way to preserve the color intent if the reproduced document is copied on a black-and-white device. For small text, the fact that it is colored, is conveyed by reproducing it bold, and for medium size text, by reproducing it outlined. For large text, both the fact that it is colored and the color used can be conveyed by filling the interior of the characters with patterns that correspond directly to the color.

Claims

1. A method for reproducing a color document containing color text in a format enabling improved black and white copying retaining color intent of the color document including:

receiving electronic documents having text representations therein designated to be printed in a color other than black;

determining a size for each item of text;

generating a new text representation for each item of text, said generation dependent on determined size of each item of text, said new text representation in format retaining color if printed on a color printer, and retaining color differentiation if printed on a black and white printer;

reproducing said text, which when copied on a black and white copier, retains color intent in terms of differentiation of areas of color,

wherein for items of text determined to be large, and to be printed on a lighter colored background in said electronic document, said generating step generates text with an interior having a black and white reproducible pattern representing said color other than black, a first outline surrounding said interior in said color other than black, a second outline in black and a third outline in white.

2. A method for reproducing a color document containing color text in a format enabling improved black and white copying retaining color intent of the color document including:

receiving electronic documents having text representations therein designated to be printed in a color other than black;

determining a size for each item of text;

generating a new text representation for each item of text, said generation dependent on determined size of each item of text, said new text representation in format retaining color if printed on a color printer, and retaining color differentiation if printed on a black and white printer;

reproducing said text, which when copied on a black and white copier, retains color intent in terms of differentiation of areas of color, and

wherein for items of text determined to be large and to be printed on a darker colored background in said electronic document, said generating step generates text with an interior having a black and white reproducible pattern representing said color other than black, a first outline surrounding said interior in said color other than black, a second outline in white and a third outline in black.

3. A method for reproducing a color document containing color text in a format enabling improved black and white copying retaining color intent of the color document including:

receiving electronic documents having text representations therein designated to be printed in a color other than black;

determining a size for each item of text;

calculating luminance of each item of text;

using calculated luminance to set an outline color for each item of text to black or white;

generating character outlines for each item of text, using said set outline color;

generating a new text representation for each item of text, said generation dependent on determined size of each item of text, said new text representation in format particular to each of a set of size ranges, and retaining color if printed on a color printer, and retaining color differentiation if printed on a black and white printer;

reproducing said text, which when copied on a black and white copier, retains color intent in terms of differentiation of areas of color.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein for items of text determined to be relatively small in size, said generating step generates bold text.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein for items of text to be determined to be midsized, said generating step generates text with a light interior and an outline in said color other than black.

6. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein for items of text to be determined to be large in size, said generating step generates text with an interior having a black and white reproducible pattern representing said color other than black, and an outline in said color other than black.

7. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein for items of text determined to be large and to be printed on a lighter colored background in said electronic document, said generating step generates text with an interior having a black and white reproducible pattern representing said color other than black, a first outline surrounding said interior in said color other than black, a second outline in black, and a third outline in white.

8. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein for items of text determined to be large, and to be printed on a darker colored background in said electronic document, said generating step generates text with an interior having a black and white reproducible pattern representing said color other than black, a first outline surrounding said interior in said color other than black, a second outline in white, and a third outline in black.