Method of decoding data encoded in a monochrome medium
First Claim
1. A method of decoding, from a rasterized image formed on a monochrome medium, a plurality of data values encoded within each pixel, the method comprising, for said each pixel, the steps of:
- (a) scanning said each pixel to obtain a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth;
(b) decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field and a second data field;
(c) decoding said first data field in order to obtain a first data value; and
(d) decoding said second data field in order to obtain a second data value.
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Abstract
A method for decoding data that has been encoded in a monochrome medium utilizing the capability of the medium for grayscale resolution. A document is processed to provide an image in electronic format, in which each pixel has an assigned data value with a given bit depth. A mapping operation is performed for generating a monochrome data word (120), preferably having a reduced bit depth. The monochrome data word (120) can be used to encode multiple data fields (114, 116, 118). A printer (92) then produces a preserved document record (90) in which the appropriate monochrome data word (120) determines the grayscale value for each pixel. To decode the stored data, a scanner (86) is employed to obtain the grayscale value from the preserved document record (90). For each pixel, the grayscale value is then decomposed into multiple data fields (114, 116, 118), which can then be decoded to provide the information that was originally encoded.
32 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of decoding, from a rasterized image formed on a monochrome medium, a plurality of data values encoded within each pixel, the method comprising, for said each pixel, the steps of:
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(a) scanning said each pixel to obtain a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth;
(b) decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field and a second data field;
(c) decoding said first data field in order to obtain a first data value; and
(d) decoding said second data field in order to obtain a second data value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of decoding, from an image formed on a monochrome medium, a tristimulus color image value associated with each pixel, wherein each tristimulus color image value comprises a first data value, a second data value, and a third data value, the method comprising, for each pixel:
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(a) scanning the pixel to obtain a grayscale value having a predetermined bit depth;
(b) storing said grayscale value in a data word, said data word having sufficient bit depth for storing said grayscale value, said data word comprising a first field, a second field, and a third field; and
(c) decoding said first data value from said first field, said second data value from said second field, and said third data value from said third field of said data word in order to form said tristimulus color image value for the pixel. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of decoding, from an image formed on a monochrome medium, a CMYK color image value associated with each pixel, wherein each CMYK color image value comprises a cyan data value, a magenta data value, a yellow data value, and a black data value, the method comprising, for each pixel:
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(a) scanning the pixel to obtain a grayscale value having a predetermined bit depth;
(b) storing said grayscale value in a data word, said data word having sufficient bit depth for storing said grayscale value, said data word comprising a first field, a second field, a third field, and a fourth field; and
(c) decoding said cyan data value from said first field, said magenta data value from said second field, said yellow data value from said third field, and said black data value from said fourth field of said data word in order to form said CMYK color image value for the pixel.
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48. A method of preserving data about a document that has been received in electronic form, the method comprising:
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(a) encoding data about the document in a monochrome medium by;
(a1) converting the document to a rasterized image in which each pixel is assigned a raster value;
(a2) for each pixel;
(a2a) assigning a data word having a first bit depth, said data word comprising a first data field and a second data field;
(a2b) encoding a first component of said raster value into said first data field;
(a2c) encoding a second data value into said second data field;
(a2d) generating a grayscale data value comprising said first data field and said second data field; and
,(a2e) forming, onto the monochrome medium, a grayscale pixel conditioned by said grayscale data value;
(b) responding to a request for said first component of said raster value for each said grayscale pixel, by;
(b1) scanning said grayscale pixel to obtain a monochrome density value having a second bit depth;
(b2) decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain said first data field; and
(b3) decoding said first data field to obtain said first component of said raster value. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A method of preserving data about a document that has been received in electronic form, the method comprising:
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(a) encoding data about the document in a monochrome medium by;
(a1) converting the document to a rasterized image in which each pixel is assigned a raster value;
(a2) for each pixel;
(a2a) assigning a data word having a first bit depth, said data word comprising a first data field and a second data field;
(a2b) encoding a first component of said raster value into said first data field;
(a2c) encoding a second data value into said second data field;
(a2d) generating a grayscale data value comprising said first data field and said second data field; and
,(a2e) forming, onto the monochrome medium, a grayscale pixel conditioned by said grayscale data value;
(b) responding to a request for said second data value for each said grayscale pixel, by;
(b1) scanning said grayscale pixel to obtain a monochrome density value having a second bit depth;
(b2) decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain said second data field;
(b3) decoding said second data field to obtain said second data value. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. An apparatus for decoding, from a rasterized image formed on a monochrome medium, a plurality of data values encoded within each pixel, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a scanner for scanning said each pixel in order to obtain a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth; and
(b) a computer for obtaining said monochrome density value from said scanner, for decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field and a second data field, for decoding said first data field in order to obtain a first data value and for decoding said second data field in order to obtain a second data value. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. An apparatus for decoding, from a rasterized image formed on a monochrome medium, a plurality of data values encoded within each pixel, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) scanning means for obtaining, from said each pixel, a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth; and
(b) computing means for obtaining said monochrome density value from said scanning means, for decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field and a second data field, for decoding said first data field in order to obtain a first data value and for decoding said second data field in order to obtain a second data value.
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55. An apparatus for decoding, from an image formed on a monochrome medium, a tristimulus color image value associated with each pixel, comprising a first data value, a second data value, and a third data value, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) a scanner for scanning said each pixel in order to obtain a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth; and
(b) a computer for obtaining said monochrome density value from said scanner, for decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field, a second data field, and a third data field and for decoding said first data field in order to obtain said first data value, decoding said second data field in order to obtain said second data value, and decoding said third data field in order to obtain said third data value.
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56. An apparatus for decoding, from an image formed on a monochrome medium, a tristimulus color image value associated with each pixel, comprising a first data value, a second data value, and a third data value, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) scanning means for obtaining, from said each pixel, a monochrome density value having a predetermined bit depth; and
(b) computing means for obtaining said monochrome density value from said scanning means, for decomposing said monochrome density value to obtain a first data field, a second data field, and a third data field and for decoding said first data field in order to obtain said first data value, decoding said second data field in order to obtain said second data value, and decoding said third data field in order to obtain said third data value.
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Specification