US RE35,657 E · Means for combining data of different frequencies for a raster output device

Abstract

A circuit for enabling the raster display of text or line art in one constant color against a background of another constant color or against a continuous-tone picture, or the display of a continuous-tone picture through an arbitrary shape. The circuit has four channels, one each for constant colors, continuous-tone images, image masks, and instructions. The constant colors are stored in the first channel in the form of two 8-bit colors, one for the text or line art and one for the background. Any color pair can be read from this memory, divided into two 8-bit colors, and presented at two inputs of a final multiplexer. The second channel stores continuous tone color pictures and presents this information at a third input of the multiplexer. The third channel receives masks or outlines in the form of bitmaps and the fourth channel receives instructions which may be run-length encoded. These two channels combine their data, which is then used to control the multiplexer.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A controller for generating a series of output pixels to be output to a raster output device from a plurality of continuous tone image pixels, binary image bits and two constant colors, comprising:

means for storing and outputting said two constant colors,
means for generating a continuous tone pulse for each continuous tone image pixel,
first memory means, responsive to said continuous tone pulse for storing and outputting said continuous tone image pixels,
means for generating a pixel clock pulse for each output pixel,
instruction memory means, responsive to said pixel clock pulse, for storing and outputting an instruction which selects two of the three outputs of said first memory means and said means for storing,
means for generating a binary clock pulse for each binary image bit, said means for generating a binary clock pulse having a different frequency from said means for generating a continuous tone pulse for each continuous tone image pixel,
second memory means, responsive to said binary clock pulse, for storing and outputting said binary image bits,
means responsive to said instruction and said binary image bits from said second memory means for determining one of the two outputs selected by said instruction, and
multiplexing means for receiving said two constant colors from said means for storing said two constant colors and said continuous tone image pixels from said first memory means and generating a series of output pixels therefrom in response to the output of said means for determining.

6 more elements

A method for generating output data for outputting an image on a raster output device, comprising the steps of:

storing sampled color data corresponding to continuous tone portions of the output image;
storing constant color data corresponding to constant color portions of the output image;
supplying fixed color data corresponding to fixed color portions of the output image;
storing mask data corresponding to foreground and background portions of the output image;
storing instruction data;
reading the stored instruction data;
selectively reading the stored mask data, the stored sampled color data and the stored constant color data based on the read instruction data;
selectively combining one of first read constant color data, second read constant color data, read sampled color data, and the supplied fixed color data as a background portion of the output image with another of the first read constant color data, the second read constant color data, the read sampled color data, and the supplied fixed color data as a foreground portion of the output image, based on the read instruction data and mask data, to form the output data;
and
outputting the output data to the raster output device to form the output image.

7 more elements

A method for forming an output image on a raster output device from an input image representation containing a plurality of different identified data types, each data type requiring at least one of a different color change resolution and a different spatial change resolution for optimal output representation, wherein image data of different data types can be overlapped, the method comprising:

separating image data of the input image representation according to the plurality of different data types into a plurality of separated signals, the plurality of separated signals allowably containing overlapping image data and allowably being of differing resolutions;
separately compressing at least two of the plurality of separated signals;
storing the at least two compressed signals and the uncompressed ones of the plurality of separated signals in a storage device;
reading the plurality of compressed signals and the uncompressed ones of the plurality of separated signals from the storage device;
and
forming the output image on the raster output device from the at least two compressed signals and the uncompressed ones of the plurality of separated signals read from the storage device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Means for combining data of different frequencies for a raster output device

Life of this patent

Means for combining data of different frequencies for a raster output device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41