Full-color desktop publishing system
A full-color desk top publishing (DTP) system is disclosed that includes a general purpose computer system, a full-color high resolution graphics system and peripheral devices such as a color laser copier including a scanner and a printer, a workscreen display and user inputs such as a digitizer and a keyboard. The DTP system can generate graphics images in bands across a page image with the images being stored in DRAM as compressed images using ADCT compression and the JPEG standard. Numerous image processing and creation steps are also disclosed.
1. A method of creating an image characterized in that the image is formed as a plurality of bands, the bands being formed independently of data included in the bands, with each of the bands representing an independently displayable portion of the image, in which multiple passes over the bands are used to manipulate the image, wherein each of the bands is stored as independent compressed pixel image data such that each of the bands is configured for independent manipulation through at least decompression of the band, and wherein said manipulation comprises at least compositing the decompressed pixel data of at least one decompressed band with one or more further bands of pixel data prior to recompressing the composited pixel data of the decompressed band.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein manipulation of the image comprises:
(a) rendering the decompressed pixel data of at least one of said bands; and
(b) editing the decompressed pixel data of at least one decompressed band by altering the value of one or more portions of the decompressed pixel data of the band prior to recompressing the altered pixel data of the decompressed band.
3. A method of creating an image formed as a plurality of bands, the bands being formed independently of data included in the bands, with each of the bands representing an independently displayable portion of the image, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) storing each of the bands as independently compressed pixel image data; and
(b) manipulating one or more bands of the image by effecting multiple passes over the bands, wherein each of the bands is configured for independent manipulation through at least decompression of the band, and wherein, said manipulation comprise at least compositing the decompressed pixel data of at least one decompressed band with one or more further bands of pixel data prior to recompressing the composited pixel data of the decompressed band.
4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein for each band a corresponding compressed band is formed at step (a).
5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein step (b) comprises the sub-steps of:
(b1) decompressing at least one compressed band of pixel image data;
(b2) editing the at least one decompressed band by altering the value of one or more portions of the decompressed pixel data of said at least one decompressed band;
(b3) compressing the at least one edited decompressed band; and
(b4) storing the at least one compressed edited band.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein steps (b1), (b3) and (b4) are each performed on one band at a time.
7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein step (b2) is performed on one band at a time.