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Hierarchical error diffusion

Published: 21 November 2019 Publication History

Abstract

This paper develops a distinctive class of color error diffusion algorithm, called hierarchical error diffusion (HED). It aims to achieve perceptually pleasing color halftone through neither conventional joint quantization nor interchannel error diffusion. Instead, it explicitly controls three critical factors sequentially to yield high-quality color halftone: dot-overlapping control, dot-positioning control, and dot-coloring control. A specific implementation of HED is presented with the objective of minimum brightness variation rendering (MBVR). First, an optimal color transform is derived for dot-overlapping control to achieve minimum brightness variation color density (MBVCD). Then, the embedded monochrome error diffusion is employed in dot-positioning control. By sequentially thresholding the elements in partial density sum vector, better dot-positioning is encouraged for more visible color dots. The "blue noise" characteristics of dot-positioning from the monochrome error diffusion are inherited by the color halftone. The simple density priority strategy is applied in dot-coloring control. The pixel color error is diffused channel-independently with a single error filter in halftone dot color space. A comparison with the state-of-the-art color error diffusion algorithms demonstrates excellent halftone quality of HED, while without the typical artifacts of vector error diffusion. Evidence also shows that HEDis closer to achieveMBVRthan the minimum brightness variation quantization (MBVQ) color diffusion algorithm proposed in [32].

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Cited By

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  • (2017)Direct Pattern Control Halftoning of Neugebauer PrimariesIEEE Transactions on Image Processing10.1109/TIP.2017.271393926:9(4404-4413)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2017
  • (2010)Hierarchical colorant-based direct binary search halftoningIEEE Transactions on Image Processing10.1109/TIP.2010.204569019:7(1824-1836)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2010

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  1. Hierarchical error diffusion
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      cover image IEEE Transactions on Image Processing
      IEEE Transactions on Image Processing  Volume 18, Issue 7
      July 2009
      292 pages

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      IEEE Press

      Publication History

      Published: 21 November 2019
      Revised: 10 March 2009
      Received: 10 September 2008

      Author Tags

      1. Color reproduction
      2. color reproduction
      3. digital printing
      4. error diffusion
      5. halftoning

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      • (2017)Direct Pattern Control Halftoning of Neugebauer PrimariesIEEE Transactions on Image Processing10.1109/TIP.2017.271393926:9(4404-4413)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2017
      • (2010)Hierarchical colorant-based direct binary search halftoningIEEE Transactions on Image Processing10.1109/TIP.2010.204569019:7(1824-1836)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2010

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