Patent Publication Number: US-6669316-B2

Title: Document reproduction

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates in general to reproducing a document and, more particularly, to reproducing a document from a set of vector commands generated from a captured image of the document. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Document reproduction is commonplace. In one conventional document reproduction system, a document is scanned to generate a raster image of the document. The raster image is sent to an output system to generate a hardcopy duplicate of the document. Some document reproduction systems additionally allow the document to be saved in raster format for later viewing, printing, or manipulation. 
     Generating a hardcopy document from a raster image of the document is resource intensive and time consuming. Additionally, saving raster images requires relatively large amounts of storage space. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to principles of the present invention, a document is reproduced by capturing an image of the document, generating a set of vector commands, and creating a duplicate document from the vector commands. The image is captured by scanning or other suitable means. The set of vector commands is generated by identifying vectors within the raster image and for each vector identified within the raster image, generating at least one vector command for replicating the identified vector. The duplicate document is created by executing the set of vector commands on an output device. 
     According to further principles of the present invention, the set of vector commands is stored to a file. The file is delivered to an output device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a document reproduction system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of the present invention method for reproducing a document. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Illustrated in FIG. 1 is one embodiment of a document reproduction system  2  of the present invention. Document reproduction system  2  includes scanner  4 , vectorizing means  6 , output device  8 , communication means  10 , and optionally storage system  12 . 
     Scanner  4  is any device or system configured to capture a raster image of a document. Examples of scanner  4  include a fixed charge couple device (CCD) and a sweeping CCD. 
     Vectorizing means  6  is any device or system configured to generate a set of vector commands from a raster image. Vector commands are commands useable by an output device to output vectors in hardcopy form. In one embodiment, vectorizing means  6  includes means for identifying vectors within the raster image and means for generating at least one vector command for replicating each vector identified within the raster image. Furthermore, in one embodiment, vectorizing means  6  includes executable code  14  and processing system  16 . 
     Executable code  14  is any code capable of being executed by processing system  16  for generating a set of vector commands from a raster image. Examples of executable code include firmware and software code. 
     Processing system  16  is any device or system configured to process executable code  14 . 
     Output device  8  is any device or system generating a reproduction hardcopy output from a set of vector commands. Examples of output device  8  include a printer, a plotter, facsimile machine, a copier, and a multifunction device. In one embodiment, output device  8  includes a graphics engine  18  configured to execute a set of vector commands to generate a reproduction of the document on the output device. 
     Communication means  10  is any device, system, or combination of hardware and executable code for communicating a set of vector commands from vectorizing means  6  to graphics engine  18 . In one embodiment, communication means  10  is a system bus. In an alternative embodiment, communication means  10  includes a local communication system. In a further embodiment, communication means  10  includes a network, such as a local network, a wide area network, or the Internet. 
     Storage system  12  is any device or system configured to store data, vector commands as a file or executable code  14 . Storage system  12  may also be a program storage system tangibly embodying a program, applet, or instructions executable by processing system  16  for performing the method steps of the present invention executable by processing system  16 . Storage system  12  may be any type of storage media such as magnetic, optical, or electronic storage media. Storage system  12  is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a single device. Alternatively, storage system  12  may include a plurality of devices. Furthermore, each device of storage system  12  may be embodied in a different media type. For example, one device of storage system  12  may be a magnetic storage media while another device of storage system  12  is an electronic storage media. 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart representing steps of one embodiment of the present invention. Although the steps represented in FIG. 2 are presented in a specific order, the present invention encompasses variations in the order of steps. Furthermore, additional steps may be executed between the steps illustrated in FIG. 2 without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     A raster image of the document is captured  20 . In one embodiment, capturing  20  the raster image of the document includes scanning the document. 
     A set of vector commands is generated  22  from the raster image In one embodiment, generating  22  the set of vector commands includes: identifying vectors within the raster image and for each vector identified within the raster image, generating at least one vector command for replicating the identified vector. 
     Optionally, the set of vector commands is saved  24  to a file on storage system  12 . The file is delivered  26  to an output device  8 . A duplicate document is created  28  from the set of vector commands. In one embodiment, the duplicate document is created  28  by executing the set of vector commands on output device  8 . 
     The foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.