Patent Document ID: 7768673
Application ID: 11224419
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A multi-bit halftone generator comprising: means adapted for receiving n-bit binary encoded image data, the encoded image data including a plurality of pixels having 2 n gray scale levels, wherein n is an integer greater than 3; means adapted for communicating data to an associated document processing device, which document processing device includes means for rendering a document having 2 m discrete gray scale levels, wherein m is greater than 1 and less than n wherein the document processing device has an ability to generate dots at 2 m gray scale levels; means adapted for receiving data representative of a two-dimensional threshold array having at least 2 (n−m+1) elements, which two-dimensional threshold array defines a build pattern for an associated dither operation; means adapted for selecting a foreground gray scale level and a background gray scale level unique thereto from the 2 m gray scale levels addressed by m higher order bits of n-bit binary encoded image data for each received pixel and applying it to a dither matrix associated therewith; dither means adapted for selectively populating each two-dimensional dither matrix for each received pixel in accordance with remaining (n−m+1) bits thereof in accordance with the threshold array; and means adapted for generating output image data corresponding to the encoded image data in accordance with each populated two-dimensional dither matrix wherein the output image is rendered with at least two distinct foreground and background gray scale level combinations of the 2 m gray scale levels, wherein the foreground of one combination is different from the foreground of a second combination.