The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 24, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 15, 1994
Katsutoshi Ushida, Machida, JP;
Ikuo Sobue, Kawasaki, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, , JP;
Abstract
The invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus in which, when a binary image is converted to a higher density and interpolated, more effective conversion patterns are proposed and the interpolation upon conversion to higher density is performed by a simple logic operation without using a pattern memory. One original pixel is subdivided into 2.sup.n portions (where n is an integer) in a main scanning direction and/or 2.sup.m portions (where m is an integer) in a subordinate scanning direction, and a density value (or sub-pixel) of the subdivided pixel of a pixel of interest, which has been subdivided, is decided based upon the density value of the original pixel of interest and density values of pixels peripheral thereto. An angle of inclination of a slanted line which is the object of interpolation processing is detected, and the number of sub-pixels, which undergo a density conversion for interpolation processing, is changed in dependence upon the angle of inclination. Alternatively, the width of a slanted line which is the object of interpolation is detected, and the processing density conversion for interpolation is controlled in dependence upon the width of the slanted line. As a result, it is possible to obtain an image in which contour smoothing of the slanted lines of a character image is performed more effectively, with no missing black lines.