Patent ID: 8233195

Claim:
A method, comprising: scanning an image with a scanner to obtain a full color level of a color element of a pixel of the scanned image; decreasing the full color level of the color element by reducing a number of bits of the full color level of the color element to form a reduced color level image, wherein the number of bits reduced from the full color level is dependent on an image noise associated with the scanned image, and wherein decreasing the full color level causes the image noise to be substantially removed from the scanned image; composing a pattern comprising the number of bits reduced from the full color level of the color element, wherein the pattern has less color level of the color element than the full color level; and restoring the full color level of the color element of the pixel by combining the reduced color level image with the pattern, wherein the full color level of the color element is restored without reintroducing the image noise into the scanned image.