This Recommendation specifies the technical features of Mixed Raster Content (MRC) imaging format that enables efficient processing, interchange and archiving of raster-oriented pages containing a mixture of multi-level and bi-level images. This efficiency is realized through segmentation of the image into multiple layers (planes), as determined by image type, and applying image specific encoding, spatial and colour resolution processing.
A rasterized page may contain one or more image types, such as: multi-level continuous-tone or palletized colours (contone) usually associated with naturally occurring images; bi-level detail associated with text and line-art; multi-level colours associated with the text and line-art. This Recommendation makes provisions for processing, interchange, and archiving of these image types in multiple separate layers. Recombining the layers in a prescribed manner regenerates the original image.