Patent ID: 7277203

Claim:
A method to initialize one or more error buffers associated with an array of pixels for a monochrome digital image reproduction system, comprising: generating a set of multiple random seed values from a random number generator independently of any image information associated with the array of pixels for initializing the error buffers and for use as initial error values when starting an error diffusion operation including generating random seed values associated with a first set of the array of pixels to be printed for a digital image; adjusting each of the random seed values from the random number generator prior to starting the error diffusion operation such that the adjusted random seed values associated with the array of pixels are relatively large, likely to cause a dot to be printed and increase the likelihood that dots will be printed sooner when a transition occurs between a zero image region and a nonzero image region; and initializing the error buffers associated with the array of pixels with the set of adjusted random seed values that were generated independently of any image information associated with the array of pixels and adjusted prior to starting the error diffusion operation for reducing startup transients during the error diffusion operation including initializing a first set of the error buffers associated with the first set of the array of pixels to be printed for the digital image with adjusted random seed values that were generated independently of any image information and adjusted prior to the starting of the error diffusion operation.