Method and apparatus for electronically retouching

An apparatus for electronically retouching a pattern in connection with the reproduction of recording data relating thereto, comprising:

• a scanning member for scanning a pattern dot-by-dot and line-by-line to obtain an image signal having alternating conditions which respectively represent the black and white segments of the scanned image lines,
• coding means coupled to said scanning member operable to transform the alternating conditions of the image signal into recording data,
• a generator for producing a count pulse sequence,
• counting means controlled by said image signal and receiving said count pulse sequence, operable for counting the numbers of pulses occurring in the duration of each condition of said image signal;
• the counted numbers of pulses representing the respective condition-lengths,
• defining a minimum length for a condition as a preset number of pulses of said count pulse sequence,
• comparator means operable to compare each counted number of pulses with said preset number of pulses and generating a control signal, whenever a condition-length is less than the defined minimum length,
• and coding conversion means coupled to said coding means operable by the influence of said control signal for converting recording data, representing a condition having a lesser length than the defined minimum length, into recording data representing the alternate condition immediately preceding such condition of lesser length so as to obtain "retouched" segments of scanned image lines.

An apparatus for electronically retouching a pattern in connection with the production of recording data relating thereto, comprising:

• a scanning member for scanning a pattern dot-by-dot and line-by-line to obtain an image signal having alternating conditions which respectively represent the black and white segments of the scanned image lines,
• a first generator for producing a scanning pulse sequence,
• coding means for run-length-encoding said alternating conditions of said image signal into binary numbers, said coding means comprising a counter receiving said scanning pulse sequence for counting the number of pulses thereof in the duration of each condition;
• said counted numbers being said encoded binary numbers representing the recording data,
• a second generator for producing a count pulse sequence,
• counting means controlled by said image signal and receiving said count pulse sequence, operable for counting the number of pulses occurring in the duration of each condition of said image signal;
• the counted numbers of pulses representing the respective condition-lengths,
• defining a minimum length for a condition as a preset number of pulses of said count pulse sequence,
• comparator means operable to compare each counted number of pulses with said preset number of pulses and generating a control signal whenever a condition-length is lesser than the defined minimum length,
• and coding conversion means coupled to said coding means and influenced by said control signal, operable to convert the recording data so as to obtain a "retouched" segment of an image line;
• said coding conversion means comprising a counter for adding the binary number of a condition having a lesser length than the defined minimum length to the binary number of the alternate condition immediately preceding such condition of lesser length, whereby the sum represents the starting value for determining the binary number of immediately following condition by said counter of said coding means.

An apparatus for electronically retouching a pattern in connection with the production of recording data relating thereto, comprising:

• a scanning member for scanning a pattern dot-by-dot and line-by-line to obtain an image signal having alternating conditions which respectively represent the black and white segments of the scanned image lines,
• a first generator for producing a scanning pulse sequence,
• coding means for run-length-encoding said alternating conditions of said image signal into binary numbers, said coding means comprising a counter receiving said scanning pulse sequence for counting the number of pulses thereof in the duration of each condition;
• said counted numbers being said encoded binary numbers representing the recording data,
• a second generator for producing a count pulse sequence,
• counting means controlled by said image signal and receiving said count pulse sequence, operable for counting the number of pulses occurring in the duration of each condition of said image signal;
• the counted numbers of pulses representing the respective condition-lengths,
• defining a minimum length for a condition as a preset number of pulses of said count pulse sequence,
• comparator means operable to compare each counted number of pulses with said preset number of pulses and generating a control signal whenever a condition-length is lesser than the defined minimum length,
• a store for temporarily storing the total number of scanning pulses, counted for a condition, for the duration of the counting of the count pulses representing the next immediately following condition,
• a data carrier to which the stored total of scanning pulses are supplied, in the absence of said control signal, indicating that the total count of count pulses equals or is greater than that of the corresponding minimum length,
• and coding conversion means coupled to said coding means and influenced by said control signal, operable to convert the recording data so as to obtain a "retouched" segment of an image line;
• said coding conversion means comprising a counter for adding the binary number of a condition having a lesser length than the defined minimum length to the binary number of the alternate condition immediately preceding such condition of lesser length, the sum thereof representing the starting value for determining the binary number of the immediately following condition by said counter of said coding means, whereby the total scanning pulses of such three successive conditions supplied to the data carrier represents a "retouched" segment.