Method for processing an image

• US 7,270,391 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAMSON D
• Application Number:
  US11/248,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 347/15, 358/1.2, 358/2.99, 358/3.13, 382/166
• US Class Current: 347/15
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2132 Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection G06K15/102; colour conversion H04N1/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4051 producing a dispersed dots halftone pattern, the dots having substantially the same size different sizes H04N1/4057

Abstract

A method for processing image data includes the step of dithering a contone layer of the image data. A black bi-level layer of the image data is composited over the contone layer. An infrared tag is rendered to an infrared layer of the image data.

Claims

1. A method for processing image data, the method comprising the steps of:

dithering a contone layer of the image data;

compositing a black bi-level layer of the image data over the contone layer; and

rendering an infrared tag to an infrared layer of the image data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes the step of generating print data representing a dithered, composited and rendered image.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, prior to the step of dithering, the method includes the step of expanding compressed image data suitable for dithering.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, prior to the step of expanding the compressed image data, the method includes the step of storing the compressed image data.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, prior to the step of storing, the method includes the step of compressing a page image data to form the compressed image data.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, prior to the step of compressing, the method includes the step of rasterizing input data to form the page image data.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein, prior to the step of rasterizing, the method includes the step of inputting the input data for rasterizing.