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Method and apparatus for encoding color information on a monochrome document ...

 K. Venkatesh Prasad et al
A method and apparatus for encoding color information in monochrome (black and white) documents. The present invention includes a method and apparatus to produce color documents that interprets color information stored on a document containing an image in monochrome and generates an ...
Inventors: K. Venkatesh Prasad, David G. Stork
Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ricoh Corporation
Primary Examiner: Brian P. Werner

U.S. Classification
382/232; 382/164; 358/467; 358/462; 283/72

International Classification
G06K 1900

View patent at USPTO

Citations

Patent NumberTitleIssue date
3306974(unknown)Feb 1967
3655908(unknown)Apr 1972
4689696Hybrid image recording and reproduction systemAug 25, 1987
4876571Copying machine having a bar code readerOct 24, 1989
5227893Pseudo-bar code control of image transmissionJul 13, 1993
5337362Method and apparatus for placing data onto plain paperAug 9, 1994
5361143Facsimile apparatusNov 1, 1994
5452002Color data image encoding method and apparatus with spectral zonal filterSep 19, 1995
5506697Apparatus for processing human-readable and machine-readable documentsApr 9, 1996
5557430Image processing apparatus generating patterns for colors based on a set relation between colors and patterns and synthesizing patterns with extracted monochromatic informationSep 17, 1996

Referenced by

Patent NumberTitleIssue date
6137836Communication of pictorial data by encoded primitive component picturesOct 24, 2000
6545771Facsimile apparatus and information printing method of facsimile apparatusApr 8, 2003
6753858Image display apparatus, image displaying method and recording mediumJun 22, 2004
6760123Method and system for mapping color to texture in a copierJul 6, 2004
6873435Print having encoded metadata coupled theretoMar 29, 2005
6980309Image processing apparatus and image processing methodDec 27, 2005
7003166Method of encoding data in a monochrome mediaFeb 21, 2006
7095889Method of and apparatus for image processingAug 22, 2006
7177476Method of decoding data encoded in a monochrome mediumFeb 13, 2007

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating a first document from a second document that is colored, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of colored objects in the second document;
generating a vector for each of said plurality of colored objects, wherein each vector comprises:
coordinates of a bounding box in the document image space that at least approximates shape of an object, and
an object type indicator;
encoding the color content and the vectors of the plurality of colored objects to produce encoded color content information;
creating the first document having objects of the second document in monochrome and having the encoded color content information for each object printed in monochrome on the first document.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the step of encoding comprises the steps of:

creating a set of vectors describing the color content of the second document; and
encoding the set of vectors to produce the encoded color content information.

3. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of placing the encoded color content information in a side channel of the first document.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the encoded color content information comprises machine readable information.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the encoded color content information comprises information identifying a color palette upon which the encoded color content information is based.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the step of generating encoded color information comprises encoding an object type, object location and color for each of said one or more objects.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein the encoded color information comprises machine readable information.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the machine readable information comprises digital paper.

9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the object type indicator indicates whether or not the object has distinct border pixels.

10. A method for generating a black and white document reproducible in color, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying one or more objects that contain color in the color document;
generating a vector for each of said one or more objects, wherein each vector comprises
coordinates of a bounding box in the document image space that at least approximates shape of an object, and
an object type indicator;
generating encoded color information containing location and color of said one or more objects in the color document, wherein the step of generating the encoded color comprises encoding, as part of the encoded color information, the vectors for said one of more objects;
printing the black and white document with the encoded color information to enable creation of a color version of the color document.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the step of printing comprises the step of printing the encoded color information in a side channel of the black and white document.

12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said one or more objects comprises at least one line.

13. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said one or more objects comprises at least one character.

14. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said one or more objects comprises at least one partial image.

15. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the encoded color information comprises at least one color procedure to recreate a color version of a shape in the black and white document.

16. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said one or more objects comprise objects of a plurality of object types.

17. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the step of generating encoded color information comprises encoding an object type, object location and color for each of said one or more objects.

18. The method defined in claim 17 wherein the encoded color information comprises machine readable information.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the machine readable information comprises digital paper.

20. The method defined in claim 10 wherein the object type indicator indicates whether or not the object has distinct border pixels.

21. A method for generating a black and white document reproducible in color, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one bounding box to approximate each of one or more shapes containing color in the document;
generating a vector for each of said one or more shapes, wherein each vector comprises
coordinates of a bounding box in the document image space that at least approximates a shape, and
a shape type indicator;
generating encoded color information containing location, bounding box and assigned color of said one or more shapes, wherein the step of generating encoded color information comprises encoding, as part of the encoded color information, the vectors for said one or more shapes;
printing the black and white document with the encoded color information to enable creation of a color version of the color document.

22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the object type indicator indicates whether or not the object has distinct border pixels.

23. An apparatus for generating a black and white document reproducible in color, said apparatus comprising:

means for identifying one or more objects that contain color in the color document;
means for generating a vector for each of said one or more objects, wherein each vector comprises:
coordinates of a bounding box in the document image space that at least approximates shape of an object, and
object type indicator;
means for generating encoded color information containing location and color of said one or more objects in the color document, said means for generating encoded color information comprising means for encoding, as part of the encoded color information, the vectors for said one of more objects;
means for printing the black and white document with the encoded color information to enable creation of a color version of the color document.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein means for printing comprises means for printing the encoded color information in a side channel of the black and white document.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the encoded color information comprises at least one color procedure to recreate a color version of a shape in the black and white document.

26. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein said one or more objects comprise objects of a plurality of object types.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the means for generating encoded color information comprises means for encoding an object type, object location and color for each of said one or more objects.

28. The apparatus defined in claim 27 wherein the encoded color information comprises machine readable information.

29. The apparatus defined in claim 28 wherein the machine readable information comprises digital paper.

30. The apparatus defined in claim 23 wherein the object type indicator indicates whether or not the object has distinct border pixels.

Drawings