Image production system theme integration

• US 6,557,017 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Venable, Dennis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Rachna
• Application Number:
  US09/243,245
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 707/502, 345/619, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method and device for describing a complex color raster image as a collection of objects in a hierarchical and device independent format. The purpose of structured imaging (SI) is to expand the scope of a raster image to a collection of individually manipulable component objects. An SI is a hierarchical description of a single output image raster which may be used as one component of a page in a structured document. Objects contributing to the output raster may originate from text, graphics, other rasters or a combination thereof, and all maintain their heritage for selectability and modification. The SI describes not only the source data but also the image processing operations required for rendering the output raster. SI technology supports re-editability, customization and enhancement, automatic image assembly and high performance imaging. Thus, such a model has implications not only in an image editing and processing arena, but also in the filing and printing services used for image handling. Importantly, the present invention describes how Structured Image themes which encapsulates many aspects of a particular document production system to render images into a single entity. A Theme definition includes a signature definition, a set (organization of related themes, and a specific template, background image, or background color for each page. Definitions are, for the most part, loaded from text files at run-time.

Claims

1. A system for developing image themes with the use of an electronic structured image generator, comprising:

a) means for generating a representation of at least one raster image using at least one output structured image capable of being displayed and printed, said at least one output structured image being generated as a result of performing at least one image processing operation on at least one structured image object;

b) means for constructing and displaying at least one structured image, said structured image comprising a pasteboard having at least one adjustable image attribute, said at least one adjustable image attribute being dynamically configurable based upon a nature of said attribute, said pasteboard representing a frame onto which said at least one structured image object is rendered, and a structured image definition that describes a structured image formation process used to generate said at least one structured image, said structured image definition including at least one interconnected image processing operation performed on said at least one structured image object and merged to form said at least one output structured image;

c) means for controlling said generating means and for controlling said constructing and displaying means to form and modify said structured image definition including said at least one adjustable image attribute of said pasteboard, wherein said means for generating at least one output structured image in response to the structured image definition, including said at least one adjustable image attribute of said pasteboard, generated by said structured image constructing and displaying means is controlled by said means for controlling so as to generate said at least one output structured image; and

d) means for at least one of displaying and printing said at least one output structured image in response to at least one of computer program instructions and operator inputted commands.

2. A method of developing image themes with the use of an electronic structured image generator, as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for constructing and displaying further comprises:

a) means for providing a structured image syntax to a structured image renderer;

b) means for parsing said structured image syntax to construct a data structure representation of the structured image;

c) means for resolving unbound objects within said at least one output structured image;

d) means for optimizing processing of said at least one output structured image.

3. A process for developing an image representation based on themes with the use of an electronic structured image generator to electronically generate a representation of at least one image using structured images, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting at least one structured image object stored in a memory to be rendered onto a pasteboard, said pasteboard including at least one adjustable image attribute, said adjustable image attribute being dynamically configurable based upon a nature of said attribute, said at least one structured image object and said pasteboard defining at least one output structured image to be generated by a generation device;

b) selecting at least one image processing operation to be performed on said at least one structured image object to form at least a portion of a structured image definition used to generate said at least one output structured image;

c) generating the at least one output structured image in accordance with said at least one adjustable image attribute of said pasteboard; and

d) at least one of displaying and printing said at least one output structured image responsive to at least one of computer program instructions and operator inputted commands.

4. A process for developing output images based on image rendering themes with the use of an electronic structured image generator, wherein the at least one output structured image comprises at least one structured image object that is rendered onto a pasteboard having at least one adjustable image attribute, said at least one structured image object being contained within a structured image definition, said structured image definition including at least one interconnected image processing operation performed on said at least one structured image object that is merged onto said pasteboard to form said at least one output structured image, said process comprising the steps of:

a) defining said at least one adjustable image attribute of said pasteboard;

b) selecting said at least one structured image object stored in a memory to be rendered onto said pasteboard and a component of said at least one output structured image to be generated by a generating device;

c) selecting at least one image processing operation to be performed on said at least one structured image object to form at least a portion of said structured image definition used to generate said at least one output structured image;

d) dynamically configuring said adjustable image attribute based upon a nature of said attribute;

e) generating the at least one output structured image by performing the at least one image processing operation on the at least one structured image object according to said structured image definition including said at least one adjustable image attribute of said pasteboard; and

f) at least one of displaying and printing said at least one output structured image responsive to at least one of computer program instruction and operator inputted commands.