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:
Jul. 12, 2005
Filed:
Aug. 28, 2001
Kei Tanaka, Osaka, JP;
Shinji Hayashi, Osaka, JP;
Kenji Katsuhara, Osaka, JP;
Eri Iwata, Osaka, JP;
Kyocera Mita Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image processing apparatus for quantizing image data indicative of a density gradation level of a constituent pixel of an image into a discrete value on the basis of quantization levels of a number smaller than the maximum density gradation level and not smaller than two. The apparatus comprises: an N-level/M-level quantization circuit for quantizing image data of an object pixel on an N-level basis or on an M-level basis; an error diffusion circuit for distributing an error generated through the N-level quantization or the M-level quantization to peripheral pixels around the object pixel; an N-level quantization threshold setting circuit for setting an N-level quantization threshold in a periodically variable manner; and a process setting circuit for causing the N-level/M-level quantization circuit to perform the M-level quantization for pixels adjacent to a pixel corresponding to either or both of a peak point and a saddle point in the periodic variation of the N-level quantization threshold and causing the N-level/M-level quantization circuit to perform the N-level quantization for pixels corresponding to the peak point and the saddle point.