Patent ID: 8649059

Claim:
A mutual optimization system for class matrix and diffusion weighting used in a halftone image processing technique, comprising: a storage unit for storing a hexagonal class matrix, a plurality of diffusion weightings, a control parameter, a system temperature, and an initial value of a weighting adjustment parameter; a diffusion weighting optimization module coupled to the storage unit, wherein the diffusion weighting optimization module sets a plurality of substitute weighting candidates for each of the diffusion weightings according to the weighting adjustment parameter, calculates a dot diffusion process cost required by each of the substitute weighting candidates, and replaces each of the diffusion weightings recorded in the storage unit with one of the corresponding substitute weighting candidates which is requiring the lowest dot diffusion process cost, the diffusion weighting optimization module lowers the weighting adjustment parameter according to a decreasing ratio, and repeats above processes until the updated weighting adjustment parameter is smaller than a first threshold value; a class matrix optimization module coupled to the storage unit and the diffusion weighting optimization module, wherein after the diffusion weighting optimization module terminates optimization, the class matrix optimization module defines a plurality of substitute matrix candidates corresponding to eahc of a plurality of elements in the hexagonal matrix, and in accordance with the system temperature, the control parameter, and a plurality of difference values between the dot diffusion process cost required by each of the substitute matrix candidates and the dot diffusion process cost required by the hexagonal class matrix, the class matrix optimization module calculates an acceptance probability of each of the substitute matrix candidates, and in accordance with a comparison result between a uniform random number and the acceptance probability of each of the substitute matrix candidates, the class matrix optimization module determines whether to replace the hexagonal class matrix in the storage unit with one of the substitute matrix candidates; and a judging module coupled to the storage unit, the diffusion weighting optimization module, and the class matrix optimization module, wherein the judging module determines whether a magnitude of image quality improvement corresponding to a dot diffusion process on a plurality of training images stored in the storage unit using the hexagonal class matrix and the diffusion weightings currently recorded in the storage unit is smaller than a second threshold value; when the magnitude of image quality improvement is not smaller than the second threshold value, the judging module resets the weighting adjustment parameter to the initial value, lowers the system temperature, and controls the diffusion weighting optimization module and the class matrix optimization module to repeatedly execute the above processes.