Patent ID: 6411401
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of selecting a resolution and a gray level range for delivering halftone value data to a laser output device in a digital imaging apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:interrogating a first group of n pixel data values to determine a first group of n resolution object tags associated with the first group of n pixel data values; based on said first group of n resolution object tags, mapping the first group of n pixel data values to a first one of a plurality of m resolution settings in the imaging apparatus, the mapping further including, mapping the first group of n pixel data values to a HIGH resolution setting, of said m resolution settings, when any one of the first group of n pixel data values is associated with a first object tag indicative of text type image data, mapping the first group of n pixel data values to a MEDIUM resolution setting of said m resolution setting, when none of the first group of n pixel data values is associated with a second object tag indicative of graphics type image data, and, mapping the first group of n pixel data values to a LOW resolution setting of said m resolution settings, when all of the first group of n pixel data values are associated with a third object tag indicative of pictorial type image data; in a first gray scale halftone generator, generating n halftone values, each of the n halftone values being associated with a single pixel data value among said first group of n pixel data values; in a second gray scale halftone generator, generating n/2 halftone values, each of the n/2 halftone values being associated with n/2 pixel data values among said first group of n pixel data values; in a third gray scale halftone generator, generating a single halftone value, the single halftone value being associated with an average pixel data value among said first group of n pixel data values; based on said first one of said plurality of m resolution settings, selecting as a selected halftone value set, a one of said n halftone values, said n/2 halftone values, and said single halftone value; and, delivering the selected halftone value set to an output signal line for use by a laser output device associated with the digital imaging device.