Image analysis – Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-15
2001-08-07
Couso, Jose L. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272251
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application relates to the digital image processing arts. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for directly processing compressed digital image data of a base image for purposes of automatically locating a paste location in the compressed data without decompressing or even partially decompressing the data. This allows a separate, secondary compressed digital image to be electronically pasted directly into the identified paste location without decompression of either image. The present invention is described with particular reference to digital image processing of documents or images which have been compressed according to the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) recommendation ISO DIS 10918-1 which has become an international standard for lossy compression of still images. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention has wider application and is not meant to be limited for use with any particular compression standard. The terms digital “image” or “document” as used herein may refer to a digital representation of text, a photograph or other picture, continuous tone (i.e., “contone”) data, halftone data, or any other digital image data.
A common problem encountered in assembling or reproducing a final, printed document is the need to include a photograph or other image at a select location on a page of text or other information. Using a manual approach, one might simply physically paste the actual photograph or other secondary image directly to the printed base document page using tape or glue. This combined page is then reproduced. Of course, such an approach is time consuming, and not practicable for large documents which must be fed into an automatic document feeder (ADF) for purposes of making multiple copies of same.
Another approach using digital image reproduction apparatus has been to scan the base document, scan the photograph or other secondary document which is to be inserted into the base document, decompress the scanned base document data (i.e., the base image data), display the base image data on a visual display, and allow a user to command the reproduction apparatus to paste the secondary image data electronically into the desired location of the decompressed base image data. For binary or so-called black-and-white digital image reproduction apparatus, this latter approach may be somewhat acceptable given that decompression of monochromatic data is not unduly time consuming or otherwise performance-intensive. For example, an ordinary page of decompressed black-and-white image data may require only approximately 1 megabyte (MB) of decompressed data which is not so large to inhibit display and processing the decompressed data as described to accomplish the pasting operation. Of course, a certain amount of user intervention is still required which can reduce document reproduction efficiency.
On the other hand, digital reproduction of color documents requires enormous amounts of data. For example, a typical color document may require approximately 30 MB-90 MB of decompressed digital image data or more for its reproduction. Obviously, it is not feasible and/or desirable to decompress this data as needed for display and other processing to effect the desired pasting operation. The decompression and other processing of such large amounts of data would slow the entire document reproduction process to an unacceptable level for practical application.
Accordingly, in light of these deficiencies and others associated with known digital image processing apparatus and methods, it has been deemed desirable to develop a method and apparatus which simplifies the insertion of a secondary digital image such as a digital image of a photograph or the like into digital image data derived from a base document without requiring the base document image data to be decompressed for purposes of locating the appropriate paste location or to perform the actual electronic pasting operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, new and improved digital image processing apparatus and methods are provided to facilitate insertion of secondary digital image data, such as a scanned photograph or the like, into a compressed base digital image such as text data or any other type of digital data.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method of electronically pasting a JPEG-compressed secondary digital image into a select background location of a JPEG-compressed base digital image includes segmenting the JPEG-compressed base digital image into information areas and background areas without decompressing the base digital image so that each background area is identified as a potential paste location for the JPEG-compressed secondary digital image. Without decompressing the JPEG-compressed base digital image, a select background area is identified in the JPEG-compressed base digital image data sufficiently large to receive the JPEG-compressed secondary digital image. The JPEG-compressed secondary image is pasted into the identified select background area of the JPEG-compressed base digital image without decompressing either the base or the secondary images.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a digital image processing method includes scanning a base printed document to generate a corresponding base digital image. The base document comprises information areas and background areas wherein at least one of the background areas is a paste location. A secondary printed document is also scanned to generate a secondary base digital image. A JPEG compression operation is performed on the base digital image and the secondary digital image to generate JPEG-compressed base and secondary digital images, respectively, each comprising a plurality of JPEG data blocks. The JPEG-compressed base digital image is segmented into information data blocks corresponding to the information areas of the base document and background data blocks corresponding to the background areas of the base document. The spatial paste-area requirements for pasting the secondary digital image into the base digital image are determined. Based upon the segmented JPEG-compressed base digital image, a background area in the base digital image is selected having a size sufficient to accommodate the secondary digital image. The JPEG-compressed secondary digital image is electronically pasted into the JPEG-compressed base digital image at a location corresponding to the selected background area in the base digital image.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, an image reproduction apparatus includes a scanner for deriving digital image data from first and second printed documents and a printer for receiving digital image data and printing a hardcopy output representation of the received digital image data. The apparatus further includes an image processing unit for receiving digital image data from the scanner, processing the digital image data, and transmitting the digital image data to the printer. The image processing unit is adapted to process JPEG-compressed data and includes means for deriving the spatial size of the second digital image, means for performing a JPEG compression operation on digital image data of first and second digital images scanned by the scanner to generate a plurality of JPEG data blocks for each of the first and second images wherein each of the data blocks has a size and an average luminance value, means for identifying each of the JPEG data blocks of said first image as an information block associated with an information area of said first digital image or a background block associated with a background area of said first digital image without decompressing said JPEG data blocks of said first digital image based upon the size and the average luminance of the data block, means for locating groups of adjacent background blocks of the first image, means for identifying one of the groups of adjacent background data blocks of the first ima
Bozdagi Gozde
de Queiroz Ricardo L.
Eschbach Reiner
Couso Jose L.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Xerox Corporation
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