US4980758A
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Image processing technique for processing digital color image information
Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-12
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Granted: 1990-12-25
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Expires: 2008-10-12
Abstract
Abstract An image processing apparatus in which first color image signals of an original are separated into a plurality of color images and the optical information of the color image is converted to an electrical signal for each pixel of the image. The first color image signal is processed to generate a second color image signal which corresponds to each of the pixels, has a plurality of bits and carries density data and color data, the color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to, and image processing device for processing the second color image signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiko Matsunawa
- 👤 Hiroyuki Yamamoto
- 👤 Hiroshi Niki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/64; H04N1/56; H04N1/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An image processing apparatus in which first color image signals are generated by scanning an image of an original, separating the image into a plurality of color images and converting the optical information of the color images to first color image signals for each pixel of the image by scanning means, said apparatus comprising means for processing said first color image signals to generate a second color image signal which corresponds to each of the pixels, comprises a plurality of bits and carries density data and color data, said color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to, and image processing means for processing said second color image signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
An image processing apparatus in which first color image signals are generated by scanning an image of an original, separating the image into a plurality of color images and converting the optical information of the color images to first color image signals for each pixel of the image by scanning means, said apparatus comprising means for processing said first color image signals to generate a second color image signal which corresponds to each of the pixels, comprises a plurality of bits and carries density data and color data, said color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to, and image processing means for processing said second color image signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means comprises means for processing said color data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said color data processing means is means for removing color ghost.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said color ghost is removed in accordance with a color pattern method.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color data comprises a code designating white and at least one code designating other color than white.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second color image signal comprises density data comprising a plurality of bits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image processing means comprises means for processing said density data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said density data processing means comprises means for correcting MTF (Modulation Transfer Function).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said density data processing means comprises means for changing the gradient of an image to be reproduced.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said density data processing means comprises means for emphasizing at least a part of an image to be reproduced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for processing said second color image signal to generate third color image signal which reproduce a multilevel image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the multileveled image is an off image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined colors includes black.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined colors are three colors including black.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for converting said density data into on-off data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said converting means comprising a memory having a plurality of threshold values each of which corresponds to one of the predetermined colors and means for selecting one of the threshold values.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for converting said density data into multiple leveled data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said converting means comprising a memory having plural sets of threshold values each set of which corresponds to one of the predetermined colors and means for selecting one of said sets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image processing means comprises at least one of first image processing means for processing said color data and second image processing means for processing said density data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first image processing means comprises means for removing color ghost.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said second image processing means processes said second color image signal which has been processed by said color ghost removing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for selecting signals which have color data designating one color of said predetermined colors.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of processing image signals of separated color images of an original comprising a first step of processing said image signals to generate a color image signal which corresponds to each of pixels of an image of the original, comprises a plurality of bits and has color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to and density data and a second step of processing said color image signal.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of processing image signals of separated color images of an original comprising a first step of processing said image signals to generate a color image signal which corresponds to each of pixels of an image of the original, comprises a plurality of bits and has color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to and density data and a second step of processing said color image signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said second step comprises processing said color data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said second step comprises processing said density data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said second step comprises removing color ghost by processing said color data.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein said second step comprises processing said color image signal which has been processed in the step of removing color ghost.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
142 words
An image processing apparatus in which first color image signals are generated by scanning an image of an original, separating the image into a plurality of color images and converting the optical information of the color images to first color image signals for each pixel of the image by scanning means, said apparatus comprising means for processing said first color image signals to generate a second color image signal which corresponds to each of the pixels, comprises a plurality of bits and carries color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to and density data designating the density of the pixel and image processing means for processing said second color image signal, said image processing means comprising means for processing said density data to change the magnification of an image to be reproduced.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
142 words
An image processing apparatus in which first color image signals are generated by scanning an image of an original, separating the image into a plurality of color images and converting the optical information of the color images to first color image signals for each pixel of the image by scanning means, said apparatus comprising means for processing said first color image signals to generate a second color image signal which corresponds to each of the pixels, comprises a plurality of bits and carries color data designating which one of a plurality of predetermined colors the color of the pixel belongs to and density data designating the density of the pixel and image processing means for processing said second color image signal, said image processing means comprising means for processing said density data to change the magnification of an image to be reproduced.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said image processing means comprises a memory for storing said color data and density data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising means for generating a color image signal which comprises a plurality of bits, at least one of said bits representing color and at least another of said bits representing density, and means for correcting color ghost by processing said color representing bit.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
48 words
A color image processing apparatus comprising means for generating a color image signal which comprises a plurality of bits, at least one of said bits representing color and at least another of said bits representing density, and means for correcting color ghost by processing said color representing bit.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus comprising means for generating an image signal comprising a plurality of bits, at least one of said bits representing color and at least another of said bit representing density and means for processing said image signal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image processing apparatus comprising means for generating an image signal comprising a plurality of bits, at least one of said bits representing color and at least another of said bit representing density and means for processing said image signal.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 31, said processing means comprising at least one first means for processing said color representing bit and second means for processing said density representing bit.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
26 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the processing by said first processing means is followed by the processing by said second processing means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the processings by said first processing means and by said second processing means are conducted in parallel.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image reproduction apparatus comprising means for reading an image of an original to generate a first color image signals signal processing means for processing said first color image signal to generate a second color image signal which comprises a plurality of bits, at least one of said bit representing color and at least another oi said bits representing density, image processing means for processing second color image signal to generate a third image signal and means for reproducing an image based on said third image signal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image reproduction apparatus comprising means for reading an image of an original to generate a first color image signals signal processing means for processing said first color image signal to generate a second color image signal which comprises a plurality of bits, at least one of said bit representing color and at least another oi said bits representing density, image processing means for processing second color image signal to generate a third image signal and means for reproducing an image based on said third image signal.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image processing apparatus comprising means for generating an image signal which comprises a plurality oi bits, memory means ior storing said image signal, means for reading at least one high order bit of said image signal and processing said high order bit and means for reading at least one low order bit of said image signal and processing said low order bit.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image processing apparatus comprising means for generating an image signal which comprises a plurality oi bits, memory means ior storing said image signal, means for reading at least one high order bit of said image signal and processing said high order bit and means for reading at least one low order bit of said image signal and processing said low order bit.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image reproduction apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising control means for controlling said image reproducing means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image reproduction apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said control means controls said image reproducing means so that said image reproducing means reproduces an image with a plurality of colors, at one image reading by said image reading means.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
73 words
An image reproduction apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said control means controls said image reproducing means in such a manner that said control means transmits sets of said third image signals sequentially for each of the sets to said image reproducing means, said each set of said third image signal corresponding to one of plural colors and said image reproducing means reproduces plural color images sequentially for each of the plural colors.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising means for conducting color change by processing said color representing bit.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
21 words
An image reproduction apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said control means conducts color change by processing said third image signal.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image reproduction apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said image reproducing means comprises a plurality of developing units which contain toners different in color to each other, said control means controls said developing units so that said developing units operate in a first order, and output means comprising gate means for outputting said third image signal in a second order in color.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image reproducing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said gate means outputs said third image signal in said second order based on a signal from said control means so that said both orders are same with respect to color.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
44 words
An image reproducing apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said gate means outputs said third image signal in said second order based on a signal from said control means so that said second- order is different from said first order with respect to color.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the processing of said second color image signal by said second image processing means is a modification of density data in said second color image signal to zero.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-12-24 | 1994-06-25 | 1994-12-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-12-24 | 1998-06-25 | 1998-12-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-12-24 | 2002-06-25 | 2002-12-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |