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:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 16, 1997
Akio Iino, Kawasaki, JP;
Hisashi Matsumoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image processing method and apparatus employing a cyclic error diffusion method for binarizing a basic image represented by multivalued data, in order to form a high quality image represented in pseudo tones with reduced noise caused by the binarization. When each pixel is sequentially binarized by applying the error diffusion method to the basic image, errors generated at one edge of the basic image are incorporated into the edge of the other side, and error diffusion is performed while incorporating the errors. Furthermore, a supplemental image, which is a part of the basic image, is added to the upper edge of the basic image to form a combined image, and the error diffusion processing is performed by utilizing the combined image. Upon completing the binarization processing, binary data in the lower edge portion of the supplemental image is compared with binary data in the corresponding lower edge portion of the basic image, and pixel values in the area are corrected based on the comparison result.