An electronic document-imaging arrangement wherein imaging means generates imaging-bits representing a given document and transfers these bits on a "per-document basis" to various successive electronic processing stages and, finally, to a data base storage unit (DBS); this arrangement also including a tag stage for creating tag bits unique for each such imaged document; these tag bits to be transferred with the imaging bits for each document to each such processing stage that handles the imaging bits, on a per document basis, and finally to DBS interface means for final matching and removal of the tag bits.

In a laser printer having a plurality of lasers, each of which effectuates the deposition of toner onto lines of a page to be printed, a method of printing several lines substantially simultaneously comprises storing within a single print data buffer, print data compressed using a predetermined compression methodology. The method also includes decompressing a predetermined segment of said compressed print data by one of a plurality of data de-compressors, each of which is operatively coupled to a laser that effectuates the deposition of toner onto a single line of a media.

An apparatus and method for extracting a desired portion of an image represented by compressed data. The compressed data is expanded in an expanding circuit and outputted therefrom in accordance with clock pulses. Such clock pulses, or data transfers or addresses associated therewith, are counted so as to determine the position of the data. The determined position of the data is compared to the desired portion so as to determine whether the data is within the desired portion. If the data is determined to be within the desired portion, such data is stored in an image memory. As a result, such extraction may be performed without utilizing an additional memory for temporarily storing the expanded data.

The present invention provides a very flexible, digital system for capturing and storing panoramic images using progressive scan (that is, non interlaced) technology. The system includes a digital image input device and an associated control computer. Since the image capture device is digital it can be easily and flexibly controlled by software in the control computer. The image input device has six lenses positioned on the six faces of a cube. While the image input system can have other lens configurations, the use of six lenses in a cubic configuration is optimal for a system that is used to capture a spherical panorama. The six lenses simultaneously focuses different images on six CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices). The image input device also includes an embedded controller, and data compression circuitry. The embedded controller controls the exposure time of the CCDs (i.e. the effective aperture and effective shutter speed) and reads image data from the CCDs. The image data read from the CCDs is compressed, multiplexed, and sent to the control computer. The control computer stores the images in frames, each of which have one image from each of the six lenses. Each frame includes six images that were simultaneously recorded and any associated information, such as audio tracks, textual information, or environmental information such as GPS (Global Position System) data or artificial horizon data. The control computer includes a user interface which allows a user to specify control information such as frame rate, compression ratio, gain, etc. The control computer sends control information to the embedded controller which in turn controls the CCDs and the compression circuitry. The images can be sent from the control computer to a real time viewer so that a user can determine if the correct images are being captured. The images stored at the control computer are later seamed into panoramas and made into panoramic movies.

A method for reducing the volume of ink applied to high-density print regions by depleting certain pixels in these regions avoids problems associated with excessive ink, improves economy, and yet retains print quality. Pixels located along the edges of high-density regions are identified and not depleted, thus preserving the sharp image demarcations characteristic of high quality printing. An upper bound for the percentage of depleted pixels may be chosen. A two-dimensional depletion table having certain entries designated as potential depletion candidates is tiled across a pixel image to be depleted. The designated entries are spaced apart within the table. If a pixel in the image is a candidate to be depleted according to the depletion table and if it is not an edge pixel, then it is depleted.