METHOD OF ENCODING AN IMAGE AT FULL RESOLUTION FOR STORING IN A REDUCED IMAGE BUFFER

A method of encoding an image at full resolution for storing in a reduced image buffer for subsequent decoding and printing by a marking device, the method including the steps of dividing the image into a plurality of blocks wherein each block is comprised of a plurality of pixels. The step of identifying a number of color regions present in each of the plurality of blocks. The step of selecting a predefined encoding process from a plurality of predefined encoding processes for each of the plurality of blocks according to the number of color regions present in each of the plurality of block. And, the step of storing the encoded plurality of blocks in the reduced image buffer for subsequent decoding and printing by the marking device.