Patent ID: 6888893

Claim:
A computer-implemented process for generating a bi-level video, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions: inputting digitized video comprising a sequence of video image frames; converting the input video image frames into bi-level image frames, wherein the digitized video is characterized by pixels defined in terms either a color level or a gray scale level, and wherein said conversion comprises, ascertaining whether the input video image frames comprises pixels defined in terms of a color level, and converting each input video image frame so as to define each pixel thereof in terms of one of a plurality of gray scale levels so as to produce a gray scale image frame whenever the pixels are defined in terms of color levels, wherein the particular gray scale level selected to define a pixel is based on the color level of that pixel, such that for each bi-level image frame, this converting comprises, computing a threshold gray scale level, assigning a first of two bi-level image frame colors to those pixels that exhibit a gray scale level exceeding said threshold by a prescribed upper-limit amount, assigning the second of said two colors to those pixel exhibiting a gray scale level that is less than said threshold by a prescribed lower-limit, and associating an indicator with those pixels that exhibit a gray scale level which does not exceed said threshold by the upper-limit amount and which are not less than said threshold by the lower-limit amount, wherein one of the two bi-level image frame colors is assigned to the pixels having said indicator associated therewith based on a predicted value established for the pixel as part of the performance of the process action for encoding the bi-level image frames; and encoding the bi-level image frames.