EP0194689A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for input picture enhancement by removal of undesired dots and voids
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
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Filing: 1986-03-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for removing undesirable dots and voids which are smaller than the user defined smallest data item of a bit-map image (60) of a picture being scanned by a picture coding system. The bit-map (60) is delayed as it is being generated to form a series of tessellations or windows (62, 63, 64) of data of selected sizes. The windows are propagated through a series of neighborhood-logic elements which with the output data level of the outer ring of neighborhood-logic elements which define the window being examined to determine if those data levels are all of the same sense. If they are all of the same sense, then all of the neighborhood-logic elements which define the interior of the window (62, 63, 64) are set or cleared so that the output data levels of al of the neighborhood-logic elements which define the window are of the same sense.
Inventors
- 👤 Perry E. Wingfield
- 👤 Bruce E. Petrick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/409; G; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for removing representations of undesired drawing artifacts in the form of dots and voids which are smaller than the smallest designated information element size in a drawing from serial digitized data of a raster-scanned image of the drawing prior to storage of a bit-map of that image with each bit representing the data value of a single pixel position of the drawing, characterized by the steps of: a) defining a window (62,63,64) of data from the serial digitized data with the window having representative dimensions which are no larger than the smallest designated information element size and no smaller than three pixels by three pixels; b) comparing the data values of each of the bits which represent the outermost ring of pixels of the window defined in step a); and c) changing the data value of all of the bits which represent the interior pixels of the window of step a) to the data value of the outermost ring of pixels when each of the pixels in the ring have the same data value as each other.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
179 words
A method for removing representations of undesired drawing artifacts in the form of dots and voids which are smaller than the smallest designated information element size in a drawing from serial digitized data of a raster-scanned image of the drawing prior to storage of a bit-map of that image with each bit representing the data value of a single pixel position of the drawing, characterized by the steps of: a) defining a window (62,63,64) of data from the serial digitized data with the window having representative dimensions which are no larger than the smallest designated information element size and no smaller than three pixels by three pixels; b) comparing the data values of each of the bits which represent the outermost ring of pixels of the window defined in step a); and c) changing the data value of all of the bits which represent the interior pixels of the window of step a) to the data value of the outermost ring of pixels when each of the pixels in the ring have the same data value as each other.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
53 words
A method as in claim l,further characterized by the steps of: d) repeating steps a) through c) M-times for progressively larger windows (62,63,64), where M is zero or any positive integer; and e) repeating steps a) through d) with overlapping windows to cover the entire drawing as the serial digitized data is received.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1, further characterized by the step of: f) repeating steps a) through c) with overlapping windows to cover the entire drawing as the serial digitized data is received.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for removing representations of undesired drawing artifacts in the form of dots and voids which are smaller than the smallest designated information element size in a drawing from serial digitized data of a raster-scanned image of the drawing prior to storage of a bit-map of that image with each bit representing the data value of a single pixel position of the drawing, characterized by: means (76) for defining a window (62,63,64) of data from the serial digitized data with the window having representative dimensions which are no larger than the smallest designated information element size and no smaller than three pixels by three pixels; and means (78) for comparing the data values of each of the bits which represent the outermost ring of pixels of the window defined by the window means for changing the data value of all of the bits which represent the interior pixels of the window defined by the window-means when the data value of each pixel of the outermost ring of pixels have the same data value as each other.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for removing representations of undesired drawing artifacts in the form of dots and voids which are smaller than the smallest designated information element size in a drawing from serial digitized data of a raster-scanned image of the drawing prior to storage of a bit-map of that image with each bit representing the data value of a single pixel position of the drawing, characterized by: means (76) for defining a window (62,63,64) of data from the serial digitized data with the window having representative dimensions which are no larger than the smallest designated information element size and no smaller than three pixels by three pixels; and means (78) for comparing the data values of each of the bits which represent the outermost ring of pixels of the window defined by the window means for changing the data value of all of the bits which represent the interior pixels of the window defined by the window-means when the data value of each pixel of the outermost ring of pixels have the same data value as each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, characterized in that the window defining means (76) includes memory means for storing the data value of K adjacent pixels in L adjacent rasters where K and L are positive integer values of three or greater, and where the K-pixel by L-pixel window is no larger than the size of the smallest designated information element size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
199 words
Apparatus as in claim 5, characterized in that the comparing means includes: first gating means (80) having 2K+2(L-2) input terminals coupled one to one to the output signal terminals of the 2K+2(L-2) outer ring of memory means of the K-pixel by L-pixel window defined by the memory means and having an output terminal connected to the (K-2) times (L-2) memory means interior to the outer ring of memory means for setting the data value stored in each of interior memory means to a first data value when the data value stored in all of the ring memory means is also of the first data value; and second gating means (82) having 2K+2(L-2) input terminals coupled one to one to the output signal terminals of the 2K+2(L-2) outer ring of memory means of the K-pixel by L-pixel window defined by the memory means and having an output terminal connected to the (K-2) times (L-2) memory means interior to the outer ring of memory means for resetting the data value stored in each of interior memory means to a second data value when the data value stored in all of the ring memory means is also of the second data value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the memory means (76) includes: (L-l) cascaded raster memory units, each raster memory unit including: K cascaded flip-flops; and an (N-K) resister, following the Kth flip-flop, N being a positive integer equal to the number of pixels in a single raster of the drawing; and a short cascaded raster memory following the (L-l)st cascade raster memory unit, said short cascaded raster memory unit including K cascaded flip-flops.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the comparing means (78) includes a PAL.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, characterized in that said window defining means includes P cascaded window defining means with each subsequent means defining a progressively larger window, said P being any positive integer; and said comparing means including P comparing means, one each for the P window means, with only the comparing means which corresponds to a window defining means for windows that are the same size or smaller than the size of the smallest designated information element being enabled.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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