System and method for generating and utilizing histogram data from a scanned image

A system for generating image background and black threshold grey values associated with an image, comprising:

• a histogram buffer;
• a peak and valley detection circuit, operatively connected to said histogram buffer, to determine a first grey value having a peak frequency associated with a background, a second grey value having a peak frequency associated with a black threshold, and a third grey value having a minimum frequency associated with a histogram of the image;
• a quarter peak detection circuit, operatively connected to said histogram buffer, to determine a fourth grey value having a frequency equal to one quarter of the peak frequency associated with the first grey value and a fifth grey value having a frequency equal to one quarter of the peak frequency associated with the second grey value;
• a sigma peak detection circuit, operatively connected to said histogram buffer, to determine a sixth grey value having a frequency equal to five-eighths of the peak frequency associated with the first grey value and a seventh grey value having a frequency equal to five-eighths of the peak frequency associated with the second grey level;
• a neighboring bin detection and control circuit, operatively connected to said histogram buffer, to determine a valley or peak relationship between a grey value being presently analyzed and neighboring grey values;
• and
• parameter generation means, in response to said neighboring bin detection and control circuit, for generating an image background grey value and a black threshold grey value based on said first through seventh grey values.