MRC

LEADTOOLS MRC (Mixed Raster Content) Module enhances LEADTOOLS file input/output functionality by adding support for raster color documents containing mixed image and text components.

Because standard compression schemes are geared towards an image being entirely text or color, the MRC model offers the advantage of using optimal compression for images that have both text and color in the same image. This results in both high compression factors and high detail retention.

The MRC SDK module breaks an image into three different layers: foreground, background, and mask. Each layer is compressed separately using the best type of compression for that data type and is later uncompressed and recombined to restore the original image.

A foreground layer contains color data for the text and line art, and may also contain photographic or continuous tone color data. The background layer generally contains low-resolution color image data, such as a background image, a wash or other pattern that would have text overlaid on it. The mask layer or the selector layer controls the process of image regeneration contains binary image data that is high spatial resolution, such as text and line art. This layer is used for drawing the corresponding foreground and background layers.

The segmentation can be performed automatically with the option to optimize it manually or it can be done only manually. Compression can be specified for each area type. The compression for 1-bit black and white areas can be CCITT G3 1D, CCITT G4 2D, CCITT G4 or JBIG. The compression for color areas is JPEG.

The PDF Plug-in supports PDF compression through the PDF Compressor. Through MRC segmentation, this compressor can be used to break down a page/image into smaller segments, saving each segment using compression appropriate for that segment. Thus, one page of a PDF file may have an image that is compressed using JPEG compression, some text that is compressed using JBIG2 compression, and another area that is compressed using CCITT compression. This whole process works to provide a PDF file with better compression and better quality than just a standard Raster PDF file.