Method to produce a hardcopy output of an image formed at least in part by perforations
View Patent ↗A method to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium includes providing grayscale image data representing the image; determining a perforation density for representing the image; halftoning the grayscale image data based on the perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and producing the hardcopy output of the image by perforating the imaging medium in accordance with the perforation halftone data.
1. A method to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
providing grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein a maximum perforation density for said perforation density is selected based on a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perforation density is selected automatically.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perforation density is automatically set to a default maximum perforation density.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perforation density is manually selected.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a user manually selects a maximum perforation density for a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein a user manually selects a desired perforation density for at least a portion of said image that is less than a maximum perforation density associated with a particular media type of said imaging medium.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said grayscale image data is halftoned at a cell size that is substantially equal to a perforation hole diameter formed by a perforation device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perforation halftone data represents fill areas of said image that are to be perforated using a multidimensional perforation pattern corresponding to said grayscale image data.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perforating is performed by a perforator unit under the control of at least one of a controller of an imaging apparatus and a host.
10. An imaging system configured to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
a perforator unit for perforating said imaging medium; and
a device having a driver, and communicatively coupled to said perforator unit, said device executing program instructions to perform the acts of:
receiving grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein a maximum perforation density for said perforation density is selected based on a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
11. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said perforation density is selected automatically.
12. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said perforation density is automatically set to a default maximum perforation density.
13. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said perforation density is manually selected.
14. The imaging system of claim 13 , wherein a user manually selects a maximum perforation density for a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
15. The imaging system of claim 13 , wherein a user manually selects a desired perforation density for at least a portion of said image that is less than a maximum perforation density associated with a particular media type of said imaging medium.
16. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said grayscale image data is halftoned at a cell size that is substantially equal to a perforation hole diameter formed by a perforation device of said perforator unit.
17. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said perforation halftone data represents fill areas of said image that are to be perforated using a multidimensional perforation pattern corresponding to said grayscale image data.
18. The imaging system of claim 10 , wherein said perforating is performed by said perforator unit under the control of at least one of a controller of an imaging apparatus and a host.
19. A method to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
providing grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein said perforation density is manually selected and wherein a user manually selects a maximum perforation density for a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
20. A method to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
providing grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein said perforation density is manually selected and wherein a user manually selects a desired perforation density for at least a portion of said image that is less than a maximum perforation density associated with a particular media type of said imaging medium.
21. An imaging system configured to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
a perforator unit for perforating said imaging medium; and
a device having a driver, and communicatively coupled to said perforator unit, said device executing program instructions to perform the acts of:
receiving grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein said perforation density is manually selected and wherein a user manually selects a maximum perforation density for a particular media type of said imaging medium being used.
22. An imaging system configured to produce a hardcopy output of an image on an imaging medium, comprising:
a perforator unit for perforating said imaging medium; and
a device having a driver, and communicatively coupled to said perforator unit, said device executing program instructions to perform the acts of:
receiving grayscale image data representing said image;
determining a perforation density for representing said image;
halftoning said grayscale image data based on said perforation density to form perforation halftone data; and
producing said hardcopy output of said image by perforating said imaging medium in accordance with said perforation halftone data, wherein said perforation density is manually selected and wherein a user manually selects a desired perforation density for at least a portion of said image that is less than a maximum perforation density associated with a particular media type of said imaging medium.