Method and system operative to process monochrome image data

• US 8,571,307 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Jingquan, Hussey, Robert M., Hnatow, Justin, Deloge, Stephen Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat, Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/947,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20120121209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/167, 382/168, 382/237, 382/270, 382/274, 382/254, 358/1.2, 358/3.13, 358/472, 358/457, 345/596, 345/597, 345/598, 345/599, 345/600, 348/453
• US Class Current: 382/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30176 Document
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/405 Halftoning, i.e. converting the picture signal of a continuous-tone original into a corresponding signal showing only two levels

Abstract

A method and system operative to process monochrome image data are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method can comprise the steps of receiving monochrome image data, segmenting the input pixel values into pixel value ranges, assigning pixel positions in the lowest pixel value range an output pixel value of a first binary value, assigning pixel positions in the highest pixel value range an output pixel value of a second binary value, wherein the first and second binary values are different, and assigning pixel positions in intermediate pixel value ranges output pixel values that correspond to a spatial binary pattern. The resulting binary image data can be written to a file for subsequent storage, transmission, processing, or retrieval and rendering. In further embodiments, a system can be made operative to accomplish the same.

Claims

1. A method for representing a monochrome image as binary data, comprising:

receiving a frame of monochrome image data, said frame of monochrome image data comprising a plurality of input pixel values corresponding to a plurality of pixel positions in an image, wherein said input pixel values are represented as N-bit values, and wherein N>

1;

defining a plurality of pixel value ranges, said pixel value ranges comprising a low range, a high range, and at least one intermediate range;

assigning each of said input pixel values to one of said pixel value ranges;

assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said low range an output pixel value that is a first binary value;

assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said high range an output pixel value that is a second binary value, wherein said second binary value is different than said first binary value; and

assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said at least one intermediate range output pixel values representative of a spatial binary pattern, wherein said spatial binary pattern assigned to each of said at least one intermediate ranges is different.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first binary value is 0 and said second binary value is 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first binary value is 1 and said second binary value is 0.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising writing said output pixel values to a file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said file comprises said output pixel values and a header comprising information on said spatial binary pattern.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said file is in an industry standard file format.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said file is in a custom file format.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising reading the data stored in said file and rendering an image using said data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning colors to said pixel value ranges.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising writing said output pixel values to a file, wherein said file comprises said output pixel values and a header comprising information on said spatial binary pattern and said colors.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said at least one intermediate range output pixel values representative of a spatial binary pattern is performed by a computer in response to a trigger actuation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said at least one intermediate range output pixel values representative of a spatial binary pattern is automatically performed by a computer in response to receiving said frame of image data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein pixel positions of the plurality of pixel positions correspond to pixel positions of an image sensor array.

14. A system for converting a monochrome image to binary data, comprising:

one or more computers operative to;

receive a frame of monochrome image data, said frame of monochrome image data comprising a plurality of input pixel values corresponding to a plurality of pixel positions in an image, wherein said input pixel values are represented as N-bit values, and wherein N>

1;

define a plurality of pixel value ranges, said pixel value ranges comprising a low range, a high range, and at least one intermediate range;

assign each of said input pixel values to one of said pixel value ranges;

assign pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said low range an output pixel value that is a first binary value;

assign pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said high range an output pixel value that is a second binary value, wherein said second binary value is different than said first binary value; and

assign pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said at least one intermediate range output pixel values representative of a spatial binary pattern, wherein said spatial binary pattern assigned to each of said at least one intermediate ranges is different.

15. A computer program product for processing image data, said computer program product including:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

first program code for receiving a frame of monochrome image data, said frame of monochrome image data comprising a plurality of input pixel values corresponding to a plurality of pixel positions in an image, wherein said input pixel values are represented as N-bit values, and wherein N>

1;

second program code for defining a plurality of pixel value ranges, said pixel value ranges comprising a low range, a high range, and at least one intermediate range;

third program code for assigning each of said input pixel values to one of said pixel value ranges; and

fourth program code for assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said low range an output pixel value that is a first binary value, assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said high range an output pixel value that is a second binary value, wherein said second binary value is different than said first binary value, and assigning pixel positions having input pixel values assigned to said at least one intermediate range output pixel values representative of a spatial binary pattern, wherein said spatial binary pattern assigned to each of said at least one intermediate ranges is different;

wherein said first, second, third and fourth program code is recorded on said computer readable medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising fifth program code for writing said output pixel values to a file, wherein said fifth program code is recorded on said computer readable medium.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said file comprises said output pixel values and a header comprising information on said spatial binary pattern.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said file is in an industry standard file format.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said file is in a custom file format.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising sixth program code for processing said file to render an image, wherein said sixth program code is recorded on said computer readable medium.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising fifth program code for assigning colors to said pixel value ranges, wherein said fifth program code is recorded on said computer readable medium.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising sixth program code for writing said output pixel values to a file, wherein said file comprises said output pixel values and a header comprising information on said spatial binary pattern and said colors, and wherein said sixth program code is recorded on said computer readable medium.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said first through fourth program code is executed by a computer in response to a trigger actuation.

24. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said first through fourth program code is executed by a computer in response to receiving said frame of image data.