Method and apparatus for elimination of color from multi-color image documents

Abstract

A method and different arrangements for the elimination of color from a multi-color image document is provided. All color information for every picture element of the image of the document is provided concurrently, for every picture element PEL the image signal of all provided colors are analyzed and for every picture element that image signal of that color is selected which has the minimum contrast relative to the background of the image document. <IMAGE>

I claim:  
     
       1. Apparatus for elimination of color from a multi-color image of a document having an image and a background comprising: 
       a) means for providing concurrently signals for all color information of each picture element of the image of said document;  
       b) means for determining a maximum signal value for all color information signals for analyzing said color information signal of all input colors of each picture element simultaneously and for outputting only said signal having the determined maximum value;  
       c) means for converting said signal having a maximum value to a value representative of either a black or white picture element with the color dropped out of said image;  
       d) means for assembling a data base of the values representing all picture elements of an image with the color dropped out of said image, for character recognition, and  
       e) a weighting adder to which said color information signals are input, said adder combining and weighting said color information signals for providing a weighted color grey value for archiving said image.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for determining includes analog circuitry having diode logic. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for determining includes an analog/digital converter for each color information signal input and an integrated circuit means for maximum finding by X-oring said color information signal values. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for determining comprises a transputer and wherein said color information signal values are supplied to said transputer through analog to digital converters. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a separate data storage means for storing data sets for each color. 
     
     
       6. A method of eliminating color from multi-color image documents having an image and a background, in processing of said document for optical character recognition, comprising the steps of: 
       a) providing concurrently all color information signals for each picture element of said image of said document, said providing performed simultaneously;  
       b) analyzing said color information signals of all colors for each picture element;  
       c) selecting a color information signal for each picture element which has the minimum contrast relative to said background of said document;  
       d) outputting only said selected color information signal for each picture element having said minimum contrast;  
       e) converting said selected color information signal to a value representative of the picture element with the color dropped out of the image;  
       f) assembling a data base of the values representing the picture elements with the color dropped out forming a data base representative of a black and white image,  
       wherein said simultaneously providing is performed by projecting an image of a picture element onto an inclined one line CCD color image sensor providing an approximately simultaneous output of the primary color component signals, wherein said inclined sensor is inclined by approximately 45 degrees.  
     
     
       7. A method of eliminating color from multi-color image documents having an image and a background, in processing of said document for optical character recognition, comprising the steps of: 
       a) providing concurrently all color information signals for each picture element of said image of said document;  
       b) analyzing said color information signals of all colors for each picture element;  
       c) selecting a color information signal for each picture element which has the minimum contrast relative to said background of said document;  
       d) outputting only said selected color information signal for each picture element having said minimum contrast;  
       e) converting said selected color information signal to a value representative of the picture element with the color dropped out of the image;  
       f) assembling a data base of the values representing the picture elements with the color dropped out forming a data base representative of a black and white image, and  
       g) weighting and combining said color image signals into one output, providing a weighted color grey signal for archiving purposes.  
     
     
       8. A method of eliminating color from multi-color image documents having an image and a background, in processing of said document for optical character recognition, comprising the steps of: 
       a) providing concurrently all color information signals for each picture element of said image of said document, said providing concurrently all color information performed in a time multiplexed manner;  
       b) analyzing said color information signals of all colors for each picture element;  
       c) selecting a color information signal for each picture element which has the minimum contrast relative to said background of said document;  
       d) outputting only said selected color information signal for each picture element having said minimum contrast;  
       e) converting said selected color information signal to a value representative of the picture element with the color dropped out of the image;  
       f) assembling a data base of the values representing the picture elements with the color dropped out forming a data base representative of a black and white image;  
       said time-multiplex manner comprising scanning each picture element of an image for each primary color component and delaying results of each primary color component scan until all color scan results of each pel are available; and  
       g) weighting and combining said color image signals into one output, providing a weighted color grey signal for archiving purposes.  
     
     
       9. Apparatus for elimination of representations of color from a scanned data collection electronically representing a multi- color document, said document having an image and a background comprising:    
       
         a) means for providing concurrently signals for all color information of each picture element of the image of said document;  
       
       
         b) means for determining a maximum signal value for all color information signals for analyzing said color information signals of all input colors of each picture element simultaneously and for outputting only said color information signal having said determined maximum value;  
       
       
         c) means for converting said signal having said maximum value to a digital value representative of either a black or white picture element with the color dropped out of the image, and  
       
       
         d) means for assembling a data base of said digital values representing all picture elements of said document image with the color dropped out of the image, for character recognition,  
       
       
         thereby converting said scanned data collection to a data base of digital values representing said document image in a black and white form with all color representation eliminated. 
       
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said means for determining includes analog circuitry having diode logic. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said means for determining includes an analog/digital converter for each color information signal input and an integrated circuit means for maximum finding by x- oring said color information signal values.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said means for determining comprises a transputer and wherein said color information signal values are supplied to said transputer through analog to digital converters. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising a separate data storage means for storing data sets for each color.