Printed tiny text

Abstract

To provide image processing methods, systems and devices for rendering specialty imaging effects such as printed microtext.SOLUTION: A method for defining characters comprises: selectively removing pixels from at least one character; and rendering the character with a user space equivalent to a device space. Multiple abutting non-line pixels can be removed among the pixels from the character(s). Furthermore, the character(s) including the multiple abutting non-line pixels as expected for the character(s) can be created prior to selectively removing the pixels from the character(s). This approach can avoid partially marked pixels by setting the user space equal to the device space and then selectively removing pixels when printing microtext.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Embodiments relate to image processing methods, systems and devices.Embodiments also relate to printing devices and techniques.Embodiments further relate to methods, devices and systems for rendering special imaging effects such as printed microtext. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional printing processes that require security measures, special imaging may be used to provide security measures and assist in preventing counterfeiting of printed matter. To provide such security measures, a pattern color space with special imaging characteristics may be used. In addition, conventional printing processes have utilized pattern color spaces in part for variable data such as printing logos, serial numbers, sheet positions, or other types of unique identification information on printed matter.

[0003] In security applications, it is desirable to add information to a document that prevents or discourages alteration and counterfeiting. These security elements may detract from the overall aesthetics of the document. Information regarding special imaging, including infrared and ultraviolet marking text, can be found at this webpage: https: / / www.xerox.com / en-us / digital-printing / secure-printing, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] Traditionally, special imaging has been used in printed matter to provide fraud protection and anti-counterfeiting measures. Some examples are in prescriptions, contracts, documents, coupons, and tickets. Typically, several special imaging techniques may be used at various locations in a document. However, special imaging text techniques occupy space within the document.

[0005] One special imaging approach to address the problem of real estate or space in media such as documents involves special imaging microtext, a well-known security printing product.

[0006] 1 illustrates a group of images 10, 20, 30, and 40 depicting various magnifications of microtext 14 with and without a magnifying glass 12, according to one embodiment. Thus, FIG. 1 depicts an example of a special imaging effect that is difficult to read. Microtext 14 is shown in a pictorial view 10 rendered on a document, but is only viewable under magnification, such as the magnifying glass 12 shown in images 10, 20, and 30.

[0007] It should be noted that a loupe is a miniature magnifying device that can be used to view small details in greater detail. A loupe generally has a higher magnification than a magnifying glass and is designed to be held or worn close to the eye. A microscope can also be used instead of such a loupe. Any device that allows magnification, such as a loupe, a microscope, etc., can be used to examine the microtext 14. In image 40, for example, a miniature magnifying device 16 is shown that can be used to view the details of the microtext 14. Image 30 shows the details of the microtext 14 relative to the tip of the fine pointing device 15.

[0008] Microtext such as Microtext 14 is generally unreadable without enlargement, and when copied, it is enlarged enough to degrade and become unreadable. The current smallest size is micro_f6, which prints at 0.72 points or 6 / 72 inches on a 600 dpi device. This was considered the smallest size obtainable by the Xerox Specialty Imaging team. In a PDL (Page Description Language) such as PDF or PostScript, when viewed in scalable user space, a small character, e.g. an "8", looks fine on screen when zoomed. When converting to device space, each pixel that is partially marked in user space is marked in device space, so there is little or no white space inside the "8" in device space. When printed, dot gain tends to result in even less white space.

[0009] Microtext generally performs well across many product lines, except for some low-resolution devices. One problem with printing small text is dot gain, which is the difference between the requested dot size and the printed dot size.

[0010] 2 shows an exemplary zoomed image 50 demonstrating dot gain, as shown in sub-images 52 and 54. Note that sub-image 52, shown on the left side of image 50, is sharper than sub-image 54, shown on the right side of image 50. FIG 3 shows another example demonstrating dot gain, as shown in image group 60, including image 62 and image 64.

[0011] Dot gain is a phenomenon in printing where dots of ink or toner on a printed surface appear larger compared to the original image or design. This occurs because the ink or toner spreads slightly as it is transferred onto a print substrate, such as paper or a security document. Dot gain can be problematic in a variety of printing applications, including printing with microtext, as it can impair legibility, security features, aesthetics, and overall document quality.

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates an image 70 depicting an example of color microtext. Image 70 shown in FIG. 4 shows 100,000 locations of Pi (π) values ​​in color microtext. FIG. 5 shows image 72 depicting an enlarged view of the color microtext shown in image 70 of FIG. 4. Image 72 in FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion or section of image 70 shown in FIG. 4. Both FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 demonstrate how small text composed of multiple primary or spot colors begins to expand and become unreadable (e.g., red and green). These figures also demonstrate dot gain issues that begin to make, for example, black "6" and "9" difficult to read. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The following summary is provided to facilitate understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiments and is not intended to be a complete description. A complete understanding of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be obtained by taking a look at the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract together.

[0014] It is therefore an aspect of the embodiments to provide improved image processing methods, systems and devices.

[0015] Another aspect of the embodiments is to provide methods, systems and devices for producing improved special imaging effects.

[0016] A further aspect of the present embodiments is to provide a method, system, and device for generating and rendering small text on a recording medium.

[0017] The above-mentioned aspects, as well as other objects and advantages, may be accomplished as described herein. In one embodiment, a method for defining a character may include selectively removing pixels from at least one character and rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space.

[0018] In one embodiment, selectively removing pixels from the at least one character may further include removing a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels among the pixels from the at least one character.

[0019] In one embodiment, prior to selectively removing pixels from the at least one character, the at least one character may be created to include a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels, as expected for the at least one character.

[0020] In one embodiment, rendering at least one character using a user space equivalent to the device space may further include writing at least one of a pixel rectangle to a vector or a bitmap.

[0021] An embodiment may further include constraining the position of the pixel onto a pixel boundary.

[0022] An embodiment may also include forcing pixel scaling to a single size per dpi.

[0023] An embodiment may further include constraining pixel rotation to at least 0°, 90°, 180°, and −90°.

[0024] In one embodiment, at least one character may include text.

[0025] In one embodiment, the text may include microtext.

[0026] In one embodiment, a system for defining a character may include a memory, a storage medium for storing data, and a processor in communication with the storage medium and the memory, the processor capable of executing machine-readable instructions configured to selectively remove pixels from at least one character and render the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space.

[0027] In one embodiment, the instructions configured to selectively remove pixels from the at least one character may be further configured to remove a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels among the pixels from the at least one character.

[0028] In one embodiment, the instructions may be further configured to create the at least one character including a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels as expected for the at least one character prior to selectively removing pixels from the at least one character.

[0029] In one embodiment, the instructions may be further configured for rendering at least one character using a user space equivalent to the device space, further including writing at least one of a pixel rectangle to a vector or a bitmap.

[0030] In one embodiment, the instructions may be further configured to force the position of the pixel onto a pixel boundary.

[0031] In one embodiment, the instructions may be further configured to force pixel scaling to a single size per dpi.

[0032] In one embodiment, the instructions may be further configured for constraining the rotation of the pixel to at least 0°, 90°, 180°, and −90°.

[0033] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium can store a program for causing a processor to execute a method for rendering a character, the method including selectively removing pixels from at least one character and rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] The accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, and which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [Figure 1] 1 shows a group of images depicting various magnifications of a loupe in relation to microtext. [Diagram 2] 1 shows an exemplary zoomed image demonstrating dot gain. [Diagram 3] 13 shows another example image demonstrating dot gain. [Figure 4] 1 shows an image depicting an example of color microtext. [Diagram 5] 5 shows an image depicting an enlarged view of the color microtext shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a character after transformation from vector user space to device space, according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates a character with pixels removed, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 illustrates an image of a finer text raster (pre-dot gain) according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 shows an image depicting finer printed text (with dot gain) according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 2 shows a high level operational flow diagram depicting the logical operational steps of a method for pre-trapping text according to one embodiment. [Figure 11]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system suitable for implementing one or more of the disclosed embodiments. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital front-end controller useful for implementing one or more of the disclosed embodiments.

[0035] It is important to note that while the drawings and figures presented herein are shown in black and white, they may have originally been created and displayed in color. As a result, those skilled in the art will understand that even though the images and figures may not display color, they may in fact depict features in color. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] The specific values ​​and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples may be varied and are cited merely to illustrate one or more embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

[0037] The subject matter will now be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and which show, by way of illustration, certain exemplary embodiments. However, the subject matter may be embodied in a variety of different forms, and therefore, it is intended that the subject matter covered or claimed be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments described herein. The exemplary embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only. Similarly, a fairly broad scope is intended for the subject matter claimed or referred to. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as a method, device, component, or system. Thus, the embodiments may take the form of, for example, hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof (other than software itself). Thus, the following detailed description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense.

[0038] Throughout this specification and claims, terms may have subtle meanings that are suggested or implied in the context beyond the explicitly stated meaning. Similarly, as used herein, phrases such as "in one embodiment" or "in an exemplary embodiment" and variations thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and as used herein, phrases such as "in another embodiment" or "in another exemplary embodiment" and variations thereof may, but do not necessarily, refer to different embodiments. For example, the claimed subject matter is intended to include combinations of the exemplary embodiments in whole or in part.

[0039] Generally, terms may be understood at least in part from their use in context. For example, terms such as "and", "or", or "and / or" as used herein may include various meanings that may depend at least in part on the context in which such terms are used. Typically, "or", when used to relate a list such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C as used herein in an inclusive sense, as well as A, B, or C as used herein in an exclusive sense. In addition, as used herein, the term "one or more" may be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in a singular sense, or may be used to describe a combination of features, structures, or characteristics in a plural sense, depending at least in part on the context. Similarly, terms such as "a", "an", or "the" may also be understood to convey a singular use or to convey a plural use, depending at least in part on the context. In addition, the term "based on" is not necessarily intended to convey an exclusive set of factors, but may instead be understood as allowing for the presence of additional factors not necessarily explicitly listed, also depending at least in part on the context. Additionally, as used herein, the term "at least one" may refer to "one or more." For example, "at least one widget" may refer to "one or more widgets."

[0040] The term "data" as used herein refers to a physical signal that indicates or contains information. An "image" as a physical light pattern or a collection of data representing physical light may include characters, words, and text, as well as other features such as graphics.

[0041] Broadly speaking, a "digital image" may be an image represented by a collection of digital data. An image may be divided into "sections," each of which is an image in itself. A section of an image may be of any size up to and including the entire image. As used herein, the terms "image object" or "object" are generally considered equivalent in the art to the term "section," and are intended to be used interchangeably herein.

[0042] In a digital image, which is composed of data representing physical light, each element of data may be referred to as a "pixel," a term commonly used in the art to refer to a photographic element. Each pixel has a location and a value. Each pixel value is a bit in the image's "binary format," a grayscale value in the image's "grayscale format," or a set of color space coordinates in the image's "color coordinate format," each of which is a two-dimensional array that defines an image. An operation may perform "image processing" when it operates on an item of data that relates to a portion of an image.

[0043] Term L * a * As used herein, Lab (also called Lab or LAB) refers to the CIELAB color space (Lab), a color space defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). * a * Related to b). * a * b, which represents the color as three values: L * is the perceived lightness, a * and b *are the four inherent colors of human vision: red, green, blue, and yellow. CIELAB is intended as a perceptually uniform space, where a given numerical change corresponds to a change in color that is perceived as similar. The LAB space is not truly perceptually uniform, but is nevertheless useful in industry for detecting small differences in color.

[0044] As utilized herein, the term CMYK refers to the CMYI color model, with CYMK referring to the four ink plates used: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black). The CMYK model works by partially or fully masking a color on a lighter, usually white, background. The inks reduce light that would otherwise be reflected. Such a model is considered subtractive because the inks "subtract" red, green, and blue from white light. White light minus red leaves cyan, white light minus green leaves magenta, and white light minus blue leaves yellow. An example of an additive color model is the RGB color model, in which the red, green, and blue primary colors of light are added together to reproduce a wide range of colors. "RGB" refers to the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. RGB (i.e., the RGB color model) can be used to sense, represent, and display images in electronic systems such as televisions and computers.

[0045] As used herein, the term "watermark" may refer to a transparent piece of text, image, logo, or other marking that may be applied to a medium (e.g., a document, paper, photograph, image, etc.) to make the medium (to which the watermark is applied by security printing) more difficult to copy or counterfeit, or to use without authorization. A "watermark" may be special-purpose text or a picture that may be printed over one or more pages. For example, words such as Copy, Draft, or Confidential may be added as a watermark instead of being stamped on a document before distribution.

[0046] The following methods can be implemented to address the problems outlined in the Background section of this disclosure. 1. Characters that do not contain multiple adjacent non-line pixels (e.g. 0 and 4) are created predictably. 2. Remove non-line pixels from characters that contain multiple adjacent non-line pixels (e.g., 3 and 5). 3.Pickle the border to the desired position. 4. Scale to a single size per dpi (dots per pixel). 5. Rotate to 0 / 90 / 180 / -90.

[0047] FIG. 6 shows character 82A after conversion from vector user space to device space, according to one embodiment. That is, character 82A is shown on the left side of FIG. 6, and converted character 82A is shown on the right side of FIG. 6 as character 82B. Thus, FIG. 6 shows character 82A after conversion from user space to device space. When zoomed in, jagged edges may be present. As the character gets smaller, it deteriorates and becomes unreadable. On the right side, character 82B is shown with text designed with device space in mind, which means that when zoomed in, it has large jagged edges, but an improved small size over character 82A shown on the left side of FIG. 6.

[0048] Figure 7 shows characters 92, 94, and 96 that have had pixels removed, according to one embodiment. Character 92 is the number 3, and character 96 is the number 5. Character 94 is the number 4. Thus, Figure 7 shows the numbers 3 and 5 that have had pixels removed. Number 4 has multiple adjacent pixels that are part of the same line and have not been removed.

[0049] FIG. 8 shows an image 100 of a finer text raster (pre-dot gain) according to one embodiment. It should be noted that in the context of text rasterization, "pre-dot gain" relates to a phenomenon related to the printing process, especially in offset printing. Offset printing is a widely used method for reproducing text and images on paper, and involves transferring ink from a printing plate to a rubber blanket and then onto the paper. Pre-dot gain occurs when dots of ink on a printed page are larger or darker than intended. This can result in a loss of detail and clarity in the printed text or image. Pre-dot gain typically occurs because the paper absorbs some of the ink, causing the dots to spread or "grow" in size as they come into contact with the paper.

[0050] 9 shows an image 102 depicting finer printed text (with dot gain), according to one embodiment. Note that dot gain can occur when the dots that make up the image or text on the printing plate become larger or spread out during the printing process, leading to a loss of detail and potential changes in color density.

[0051] 10 shows a high level operational flow chart depicting logical operational steps of a method 130 for generating characters to be printed as small text, according to one embodiment. As shown in block 132, a first step or operation may be performed to create expected characters that do not include adjacent non-line pixels (e.g., 0 and 4). Thereafter, as shown in block 134, a second step or operation may be performed to remove non-line pixels from characters that include multiple adjacent non-line pixels (e.g., 3 and 5). Note that the term "non-line pixels" as used herein may relate to pixels that are adjacent and not part of the same vertical line, as shown in the left-most pixel of "E" shown below, and thus this is where the pixels are removed.

[0052] [Table 1]

[0053] That is, the bold pixels shown above are adjacent and are not part of the same vertical line as the leftmost pixel in the "E."

[0054] Next, a third step or operation can be performed to force the position on a pixel boundary, as shown in block 136. Then, a fourth step or operation can be performed to scale to a single size per dpi, as shown in block 138. Thereafter, a fifth step or operation can be performed to force the rotation to 0 / 90 / 180 / -90 degrees, as shown in block 140.

[0055] It should be appreciated that this approach solves a problem presented by the current pixel range used in microtext products. For example, current microtext products range in size from 6 to 9 pixels tall, including one space pixel to place a line of text. Below this size is below the minimum pixels to create an "E" or a "3", as done, for example, line-space-line-space-line for 5 pixels + space pixel. However, the disclosed embodiment can go up to 5 pixels with one space pixel.

[0056] FIG. 11 illustrates a block diagram of a printing system 200 suitable for implementing one or more of the disclosed embodiments. FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a digital front end 300 useful for implementing one or more of the disclosed embodiments. The printing system 200 and / or the digital front end 300 can be used to render (e.g., print) a recording medium (e.g., a document or substrate) having pre-trapped text as described herein. In some embodiments, the digital front end 300 illustrated in FIG. 12 can be used to implement the digital front end 220 illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0057] It should be noted that the term "characters," as used herein, may relate to microtext characters, which may refer to the individual letters, numbers, symbols, or other graphical elements that make up small text (e.g., microtext). These characters may be designed to be significantly smaller in size compared to standard text, and are often unreadable to the naked eye without the use of magnification.

[0058] 11, a printing system (or image rendering system) 200 suitable for implementing various aspects of the exemplary embodiments described herein is shown. The printing system 200 may perform rendering operations such as scanning a document via a scanner and printing the document via a printer, where the document includes the disclosed two-layer correlation mark with a variable data hiding layer. The printing system 200 may be used, for example, to implement the method 130 described herein with respect to FIG. 10.

[0059] It should be noted that the term "scanner" as used herein may refer to an image scanner, which is a device or system that may optically scan an image, printed text, handwriting, or object and convert it into a digital image. One example of a scanner is a flatbed scanner, where a document to be imaged (e.g., a form) may be placed on a glass window for scanning. A scanner may be incorporated into a multi-function device (MFD) in some cases, which may also have printing and photocopying capabilities. A scanner may be incorporated into a printing system, such as the printing system 200 shown in FIG. 11. For example, a scanner 229 is shown in FIG. 11 as part of the printing system 200. As an alternative to or in addition to the scanner 229 included as part of the printing system 200, a scanner 261 and / or a scanner 262 may communicate with the printing system 200 via a network 260.

[0060] The terms "printer," "printing device," and "printing system," as used herein, may be utilized interchangeably to refer to the same rendering device or system and may encompass any apparatus and / or system, including digital copiers, electrophotographic and photocopy printing systems, bookbinding machines, facsimile machines, multifunction machines, inkjet machines, continuous-fed, sheet-fed printing devices, and the like, which may include a print controller and print engine and perform print output functions for any purpose.

[0061] A "printing device" or "printing system" is an electronic device that can receive commands and / or data and, in response, print characters and / or images onto a substrate. Printing devices can include, but are not limited to, network printers, production printers, copiers, and other devices that use ink or toner, as well as scanners. Printing devices can also perform a combination of functions, such as printing and scanning, in which case such devices can be considered multifunction devices.

[0062] Printing system 200 can include a user interface 210, a digital front-end (DFE) 220, and one or more print engines, such as print engine 230. Print engine 230 can access print media 235 of various sizes and possibly costs for a print job. In some embodiments, printing system 200 can include a color printer having multiple color marking materials.

[0063] A "print job" or "document" is typically a set of related sheets, typically an original set of print job sheets from a particular user or one or more collated sets of copies reproduced from page images of an electronic document, or other related set of sheets. Typically, digital data may be sent to the printing system 200 for submission of a print job (or customer job).

[0064] A sorter 240 may operate after a job is printed by print engine 230 to manage the arrangement of the hardcopy output, including cutting functions. A user may access and operate printing system 200 using user interface 210 or through a data processing system, such as workstation 250. Workstation 250 may be in bidirectional communication with printing system 200 via communications network 260.

[0065] User profiles, print work products, media libraries, and various print job parameters may be stored in a database or memory 270 accessible by workstation 250 or printing system 200 over network 260, or such data may be accessed directly via printing system 200. As is known in the art, one or more color sensors (not shown) may be embedded in the printer paper path in some embodiments.

[0066] With reference to FIG. 12, an exemplary DFE (digital front end) 300 is shown in more detail. The DFE 300 may include one or more processors, such as processor 306, capable of executing machine-executable program instructions. The processor 306 may function as a DFE processor. The DFE shown in FIG. 12 may be utilized as or in conjunction with the digital front end 220 of the printing system 200 shown in FIG. 11. It should be noted that the term "processor" as used herein may relate to a component of an electronic device that executes programming instructions. The term "processor" may refer to either a single processor or multiple processors that together perform various steps of a process. Unless the context clearly indicates whether a single processor or multiple processors are required, the term "processor" may include both single and multiple embodiments.

[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, the processor 306 may communicate over a bus 302 (e.g., a backplane interface bus, a crossover bar, or a data network). The digital front end 300 may also include a main memory 304 used to store machine-readable instructions. The main memory 304 may also store data. The main memory 304 may alternatively include random access memory (RAM) to support reprogramming and flexible data storage. A buffer 366 may be used to temporarily store data for access by the processor 306.

[0068] The program memory 364 may include, for example, executable programs that may implement the embodiments described herein. The program memory 364 may store at least a subset of the data contained in the buffer. The digital front end 300 may include a display interface 308 that may transfer data from the communication bus 302 (or from a frame buffer, not shown) to a display 310. The digital front end 300 may also include a secondary memory 312 that may include, for example, a hard disk drive 314 and / or a removable storage drive 316, which may read from and write to removable storage device 318, such as a floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, etc., that may store computer software and / or data.

[0069] The secondary memory 312 may alternatively include other similar mechanisms for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system. Such mechanisms may include, for example, a removable storage unit 322 adapted to exchange data over an interface 320. Examples of such mechanisms include program cartridges and cartridge interfaces (such as those found in video game devices), removable memory chips (such as EPROMs or PROMs) and associated sockets, and other removable units and interfaces that allow software and data to be transferred.

[0070] The digital front-end (DFE) controller 300 may include a communications interface 324 that can function as an input and output interface to allow software and data to be transferred between the digital front-end controller 300 and external devices. Examples of communications interfaces include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc.

[0071] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) and one or more modules may be stored in main memory 304 and / or secondary memory 312. Computer programs or modules may also be received via communications interface 324. Such computer programs or modules, when executed, may enable the computer system to perform the features and capabilities provided herein. The software and data transferred via the communications interface may be in the form of signals, which may be, for example, electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals capable of being received by the communications interface.

[0072] These signals may be provided to the communications interface over a communications path (i.e., channel) that carries the signals and may be implemented using wire, cable, fiber optics, telephone line, cellular link, RF, or other communications channels.

[0073] Part of the data stored in secondary memory 312 for access during DFE operations may be a set of conversion tables that may convert the incoming color signals into physical machine signals.

[0074] This color signal is expressed as a color metric value, usually L * a * b * The conversion tables may be expressed as either three components such as RGB, XYZ, or physical exposure signals for the four toners cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. These tables may be created and downloaded outside the DFE, but may also be optionally created within the DFE in a so-called characterization step. Part of the data stored in the secondary memory 312 may also be the conversion tables mentioned above.

[0075] Certain aspects of a data processing system are presented herein with reference to various systems and methods that are described in the following detailed description and may be illustrated in the accompanying drawings by various blocks, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (which may be collectively referred to as "elements"). These elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer software, or any combination thereof. Whether such elements are implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0076] As an example, the elements, or any portion of the elements, or any combination of the elements, may be implemented with a "processing system" including one or more processors. Examples of processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform various functions described throughout this disclosure. One or more processors in a processing system may execute software. Software shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or the like. A mobile "app" is one example of such software.

[0077] Thus, in one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes computer storage media. A storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer.

[0078] The disclosed exemplary embodiments are described at least in part herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams and / or schematic illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products and data structures according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the diagrams, and combinations of blocks, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided, for example, to a processor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine, such that the instructions, executing via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in the blocks.

[0079] For clarity, some embodiments may be implemented in the context of, for example, a special purpose computer or a general purpose computer or other programmable data processing device or system. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, a data processing device or system may be implemented as a combination of a special purpose computer and a general purpose computer. A computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions for causing a processor to perform aspects of the embodiments.

[0080] The aforementioned computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions (e.g., steps / operations) stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture that includes instruction means that implement the functions / acts specified in the various blocks, flow diagrams, and other architectures illustrated and described herein. Examples of such instructions include the operations set forth in the various blocks of method 130 shown in FIG.

[0081] The computer program instructions may also be loaded into a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a sequence of operational steps to be executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executing on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions / operations specified in the blocks.

[0082] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments (e.g., preferred or alternative embodiments). In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams illustrated and described herein may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which may include one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s).

[0083] In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may be executed out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially simultaneously or the blocks may be executed in the reverse order depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or acts, or may perform a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0084] The functionality described herein may be implemented entirely and non-abstractly as physical hardware, entirely as physical non-abstract software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or as a combination of non-abstract software and hardware implementations, which may be referred to herein as "circuits," "modules," "engines," "components," "blocks," "databases," "agents," or "systems." Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium(s) having computer-readable and / or executable program code embodied therein.

[0085] The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the systems and methods may be implemented. Although not required, the disclosed embodiments are described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a single computer. In many cases, the "modules" (also referred to as "engines") may constitute software applications, but may also be implemented as both software and hardware (i.e., a combination of software and hardware).

[0086] Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, software applications, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular data types and instructions. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the disclosed methods and systems may be practiced with other computer system configurations, such as, for example, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, data networks, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics devices, networked PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, servers, etc.

[0087] It should be noted that the term "module" as used herein may refer to a collection of routines and data structures that perform a particular task or implement a particular data type. A module may consist of two parts: an interface, which lists the constants, data types, variables, and routines that can be accessed by other modules or routines, and an implementation, which may typically be private (e.g., accessible only to that module) and contains the source code that actually implements the routines within the module. The term module may also simply refer to an application, such as a computer program designed to help perform a particular task, such as word processing, accounting, inventory control, etc.

[0088] In some exemplary embodiments, the term "module" may also refer to a modular hardware component, or a component that is a combination of hardware and software. It should be understood that the implementation and processing of such modules according to the techniques described herein may result in improved processing speed and energy savings and efficiency in a data processing system, such as, for example, the printing system 200 shown in FIG. 11 and / or the DFE controller 300 shown in FIG. 12. A "module" may perform various steps, operations, or instructions discussed herein, such as the steps and operations discussed herein with respect to FIG. 10 and elsewhere herein.

[0089] For example, the method 100 shown in FIG. 10 may be partially implemented in a computer program product including modules that may be executed by, for example, the DFE controller 220 (or the DFE 300 of FIG. 12). The computer program product may include a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a control program may be recorded (stored), such as a disk, a hard drive, etc. It should be noted that as used herein, the term "recording medium" may relate to such a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.

[0090] Common forms of non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic storage medium, a CD-ROM, a DVD, or any other optical medium, a RAM, a PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, or other memory chip or cartridge, or any other tangible medium from which a computer can read and use. The computer program product may be integral to the DFE controller 220 (e.g., an internal hard drive in RAM), or may be separate (e.g., an external hard drive operatively connected to a printer), or may be separate and accessed over a digital data network such as a local area network (LAN) or the Internet (e.g., as a redundant array of inexpensive or independent disks (RAID) or other network server storage device that may be indirectly accessed by the DFE controller 220 over a digital network such as the network 260 shown in FIG. 11).

[0091] It should be understood that the particular order or hierarchy of steps, operations, or instructions in the disclosed processes or methods is an example of an example approach. For example, the various steps, operations, or instructions discussed herein may be performed in a different order. Similarly, the various steps and operations of the disclosed examples discussed herein may be modified and processed in a different order. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the particular order or hierarchy of such steps, operations, or instructions in the processes or methods discussed and illustrated herein may be rearranged. For example, the appended claims present elements of the various steps, operations, or instructions in a sample order, and are not intended to be limited to the particular order or hierarchy presented.

[0092] The inventors have realized non-abstract technical solutions to technical problems to improve computer technology by improving the efficiency in such computer technology. The disclosed embodiments provide technical improvements to computer technology such as data processing systems, and further provide non-abstract improvements to computer technology through technical solutions to technical problems identified in the "Background" section of this disclosure. Such improvements may result from the implementation of the embodiments. The claimed solutions may have their roots in computer technology to overcome problems that arise specifically in the fields of computers, computer networks, and printing and scanning. The claimed solutions may also involve non-abstract devices such as security devices that include non-abstract features such as a print medium (e.g., paper) on which a security device (e.g., a watermark) may be rendered.

[0093] It will be understood that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. It will also be understood that various alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements thereon that are presently unforeseen or unanticipated may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art and are intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method for defining a character, comprising: Selectively removing pixels from at least one character; Rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space; A method comprising:

2. Selectively removing the pixels from the at least one character includes: The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels among said pixels from said at least one character.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating the at least one character including the plurality of adjacent non-line pixels as expected for the at least one character prior to selectively removing the pixels from the at least one character.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space further comprises writing at least one of pixel rectangles versus vectors or bitmaps.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising constraining the position of the pixel onto a pixel boundary.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forcing the scaling of the pixels to a single size per dpi.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising constraining the pixel rotation to at least 0°, 90°, 180°, and −90°.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one character comprises text.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the text comprises microtext.

10. 1. A system for defining a character, comprising: Memory, A storage medium for storing data; a processor in communication with the storage medium and the memory, the processor executing machine-readable instructions, the instructions comprising: Selectively removing pixels from at least one character; The system is configured to render the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space.

11. The instructions configured to selectively remove the pixels from the at least one character include: The system of claim 10 , further configured to remove a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels among said pixels from said at least one character.

12. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured for creating the at least one character including the plurality of adjacent non-line pixels as expected for the at least one character prior to selectively removing the pixels from the at least one character.

13. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured for rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space, further comprising writing at least one of a pixel rectangle to a vector or a bitmap.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further configured for constraining the position of the pixel onto a pixel boundary.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further configured to force the scaling of the pixels to a single size per dpi.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further configured to constrain the rotation of the pixel to at least 0°, 90°, 180°, and −90°.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one character comprises text.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the text comprises microtext.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a processor to execute a method for rendering a character, the method comprising: Selectively removing pixels from at least one character; and rendering the at least one character using a user space equivalent to a device space.

20. Selectively removing the pixels from the at least one character includes:

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising removing a plurality of adjacent non-line pixels among the pixels from the at least one character.

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