History Image Generation Using Pixel Attribute Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming devices face challenges in generating a high-quality history image with a small data amount, as the original bitmap image is not always accurate, and compression processes often degrade image quality, making it difficult to identify text and determine image regions, thereby increasing costs and processing time.
Innovation Solution
A history generating apparatus and method that includes an image generating section to create a bitmap image and initial attribute information, an image reading section to read the formed image, and a history generating section to separate and process image regions based on attribute information, allowing for efficient generation of a high-quality history image with reduced data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If compression process is performed on read images to reduce data amount, then data amount is reduced, but image quality decreases and text cannot be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image into text regions and non-text regions, then applies different compression settings to each region. Text regions use compression settings that preserve readability, while non-text regions can use higher compression ratios, thus reducing overall data amount while maintaining text identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different compression quality levels to different parts of the image based on their content. Text regions are processed with higher quality preservation to ensure readability, while image regions can be compressed more aggressively, achieving local optimization of both quality and compression efficiency.
2Productivity
If attribute determination process is performed on each image region to enable selective compression, then compression efficiency is improved, but process steps and time increase and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs attribute determination and region segmentation before the compression process. By pre-identifying text and non-text regions and creating a mask pattern, the system prepares the image data in advance, allowing the subsequent compression process to efficiently apply appropriate settings without repeated analysis during compression.
Data Source
AI summary
A history generating apparatus includes an image generating section, an image reading section and a history generating section. The image generating section generates a bitmap first image and generates initial attribute information indicating attributes of respective pixels of the first image. The image reading section reads an image based on the first image formed on paper so as to generate a bitmap second image. The history generating section separates the second image into image regions by attribute indicated by the initial attribute information, performs image processing on each of the image regions according to the attribute and combines the image regions so as to generate a history image.