Method and apparatus for halftone rendering of a gray scale image using a blue noise mask

摘要

A method and system for rendering a halftone image of a gray scale image (500) by utilizing a pixel-by-pixel comparison (402) of the gray scale image against a blue noise mask (502) is disclosed in which the gray scale image is scanned on a pixel-by-pixel basis and compared on a pixel-by-pixel basis to an array of corresponding data points contained in a blue noise mask stored in a PROM (406) or computer memory in order to produce the desired halftoned image. Both digital and optically implemented halftone methods are disclosed. Application specific modifications of the blue noise mask as well as its use for producing halftoned color images are also disclosed.