Methods and systems for image scaling

1. A method for scaling an input image, the method comprising steps of:

selecting, by a computer processor implementing a computer program, one pixel from the input image;

selecting, by the computer processor, a pixel neighborhood comprising a plurality of pixels from the input image, said plurality of pixels neighboring the one pixel from the input image, and the one pixel;

comparing, by the computer processor, the pixel neighborhood to a predetermined pattern in order to determine whether the predetermined pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer processor, pixel data for pixels from a scaled image by applying a predetermined scaling algorithm if the predetermined pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood, the pixel data for pixels from the scaled image being obtained from input image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood;

selecting, by the computer processor, one pixel from the scaled image;

selecting, by the computer processor, another pixel neighborhood comprising a plurality of pixels from the scaled image neighboring the one pixel from the scaled image and the one pixel from the scaled image;

comparing, by the computer processor, the another pixel neighborhood to another predetermined pattern in order to determine whether the another predetermined pattern is present in the another pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer processor, pixel data for a processed scaled image by applying a toner scatter compensation algorithm if the another predetermined pattern is present in the another pixel neighborhood, the pixel data for the processed scaled image being obtained from scaled image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood,

wherein applying the predetermined scaling algorithm comprises steps of:

providing, by the computer processor, pixel data from at least two pixels in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer processor, from at least one look-up table, pixel data for at least one pixel in the scaled image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined pattern comprises at least two rows of pixels and wherein the predetermined scaling algorithm comprises the at least one look-up table.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the toner scatter compensation algorithm comprises steps of:

providing, by the computer processor, pixel data from at least two pixels in the another pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer processor, pixel data for at least one pixel in the processed scaled image from a look-up table for toner scatter compensation.

4. A system for scaling an input image, the system comprising:

a computing component capable of comparing a pixel neighborhood from the input image to a pattern to determine if the pattern is present in said pixel neighborhood, said pixel neighborhood comprising a plurality of pixels from the input image neighboring one selected pixel from the input image; and

at least one computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, said computer readable code being capable of causing said computing component to:

obtain, if the pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood, from input image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood, pixel data for pixels in a scaled image by applying a predetermined scaling algorithm,

wherein said computing component is capable of comparing another pixel neighborhood from the scaled image to another pattern to determine if said another pattern is present in said another pixel neighborhood, said another pixel neighborhood comprising another plurality of pixels from the scaled image neighboring the one selected pixel from the input image and the one selected pixel; and

wherein said computer readable code is also capable of causing said computing component to:

compare the another pixel neighborhood to another predetermined pattern in order to determine whether the another predetermined pattern is present in the another pixel neighborhood; and

obtain, if the another pattern is present in the another pixel neighborhood, from scaled image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood, pixel data for a processed scaled image by applying a toner scatter compensation algorithm.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer readable code, in applying said predetermined scaling algorithm, is capable of causing said computing component to:

provide pixel data from at least two pixels in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtain, from at least one look-up table, pixel data for at least one pixel in the scaled image from said at least two pixels in the pixel neighborhood.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the computing component is configured for pattern matching.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least one computer usable medium has a data structure embodied therein, said data structure comprising said at least one look-up table.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer readable code is also capable of causing said computing component to:

select a predetermined pattern.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said computer readable code is further capable of causing said computing component to:

compare the pixel neighborhood to the predetermined pattern in order to determine whether the predetermined pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer readable code is also capable of causing said computing component to:

select the another predetermined pattern.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer readable code, in causing said computing component to apply said toner scatter compensation algorithm, is capable of causing said computing component to:

provide pixel data from at least two pixels in the scaled image; and

obtain, from a look-up table for toner scatter compensation, pixel data for at least one pixel in the processed scaled image.

12. The system of claim 4 wherein said computer readable code is also capable of causing said computing component to:

obtain, before obtaining the pixel data for pixels in the scaled image and if the pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood, from the input image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood, pixel data for a processed image by applying the toner scatter compensation algorithm;

wherein the processed image is the input image for obtaining the pixel data for pixels in the scaled image.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said computer readable code, in causing said computing component to apply said toner scatter compensation algorithm, is capable of causing said computing component to:

provide pixel data from at least two pixels in the input image; and

obtain, from a look-up table for toner scatter compensation, pixel data for at least one pixel in the processed scaled image.

14. A method for processing an input image, the method comprising steps of:

selecting, by a computer program executed by a computer processor, one pixel from the input image;

selecting, by the computer program, a pixel neighborhood comprising a plurality of pixels from the input image neighboring the one pixel from the input image and the one pixel;

comparing, by the computer program, the pixel neighborhood to a predetermined pattern in order to determine whether the predetermined pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer program, pixel data for a processed image by applying a toner scatter compensation algorithm if the predetermined pattern is present in the pixel neighborhood, the pixel data being obtained from image data for at least some pixels from the pixel neighborhood.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein applying the toner scatter compensation algorithm comprises steps of:

providing, by the computer program, pixel data from at least two pixels in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer program, pixel data for at least one pixel in the processed image from a look-up table for toner scatter compensation.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising steps of:

obtaining, by the computer program, from processed image data for at least some pixels from another pixel neighborhood, pixel data for pixels from a scaled image, by applying a predetermined scaling algorithm.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein applying the predetermined scaling algorithm comprises steps of:

providing, by the computer program, pixel data from at least two pixels in the pixel neighborhood; and

obtaining, by the computer program, pixel data for at least one pixel in the scaled image from at least one look-up table.