Patents Represented by Attorney Canon U.S.A. Inc., I.P. Division
  • Patent number: 8314851
    Abstract: When calculating the amount of color blur suppression based on gradient values at edge portions of image data, the degree of color blur suppression has been different between a non-addition readout method and an addition readout method even with an identical subject. To solve this problem, there is provided an image processing apparatus that calculates a suppression coefficient so as to suppress color blur when a gradient value exceeds a threshold value, and sets up the threshold value so that the gradient value range required for color blur suppression when an image sensor is driven by the addition readout method to generate image data is wider than the gradient value range required when the image sensor is driven by the non-addition readout method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Sakaida
  • Patent number: 8280163
    Abstract: When determining an area in which color blur occurs from an image, there may be an area where color blur suppression is performed in an area even though color blur does not occur, and the area becomes more noticeable or less noticeable depending on a degree of gamma correction processing. To solve this problem, an image processing apparatus obtains a color blur suppression coefficient based on a gradient value obtained from the image, performs color blur suppression on the image data using the color blur suppression coefficient, and changes the color blur suppression coefficient corresponding to the gradient value according to brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Nobuoka
  • Patent number: 8270481
    Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an image coding apparatus configured to encode moving image data including: a coding unit configured to encode each picture in the moving image data in a unit of a first block; a luminance change detection unit configured to divide the moving image data into a plurality of second blocks and to detect a luminance change block in which a luminance change occurred from the plurality of the second blocks in one picture; and a code amount adjustment unit configured to increase an amount of code allocated to the first block if the first block corresponds to the luminance change block detected by the luminance change detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Oishi
  • Patent number: 8213415
    Abstract: A method and system for establishing communication between communication apparatuses, including a first communication apparatus receiving, from another communication apparatus, first information used for communication by a first communication unit via a second communication unit, detecting a transfer of second information, and depending on the detection result, determining whether to use the first information for the communication by the first communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Hiroki
  • Patent number: 8189066
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an evaluation value calculation unit configured to acquire an evaluation value from image data, a reduction coefficient calculation unit configured to calculate a reduction coefficient based on the evaluation value, a reduction unit configured to subject the image data to image processing to reduce color bleeding in a target area in the image data based on the reduction coefficient, and a size change unit configured to change the size of the image data. The reduction coefficient calculation unit calculates the reduction coefficient to reduce the color bleeding in a target area in the image data when the evaluation value exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Oota
  • Patent number: 8176427
    Abstract: A method for a user to easily securely configure a device is provided. The method includes displaying a user interface including a plurality of symbols available for user selection, accepting user inputs including an indication of any symbols selected by the user, converting the symbols selected by the user into numeric data, and assigning the numeric data to configuration parameters for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sebastien A. Jean, Swee Huat Sng
  • Patent number: 8164808
    Abstract: An image reading device for reading front and back sides of an original using different reading units has a simple configuration and is capable of matching the input-output characteristic of the front side and the input-output characteristic of the back side and reducing a difference between color on the front side and color on the back side. Based on image data of a color chart read by a front-side reading unit and image data of the color chart read by a back-side reading unit, the image reading device calculates and sets adjustment values for the front and back sides for individual hues of color patches of the color chart and performs adjustment for the front and back sides in accordance with adjustment values corresponding to hue of an original image when the original is read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8164646
    Abstract: This invention is directed to reduce a deterioration in image quality after thinning operation when pixels are read out upon thinning. An image sensor is designed such that different gains are applied on a pixel basis. After periodical gains are applied to the respective pixels, the pixels of the same colors are added and averaged to obtain a low-pass filter effect before thinning processing for the pixels in the sensor, thereby preventing the occurrence of aliasing (moiré) due to thinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8160310
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines, when white balance correction is executed on an image signal of a face area detected by face detection unit, based on a first white balance correction value obtained by detecting white pixels, whether the corrected image signal of the face area is present in a second color signal area around a first color signal area indicating a flesh color. When the corrected image signal of the face area is determined to be present in the second color signal area, the image processing apparatus calculates a second white balance correction value for correcting the image signal based on a relationship between the corrected image signal of the face area and the first color signal area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Takayama
  • Patent number: 8154618
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a representative value of a luminance level in a main object area and a plurality of representative values of luminance levels in peripheral areas of the main object area in an image obtained by an imaging unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a plurality of relative values between the respective plurality of representative values of luminance levels in the peripheral areas and the representative value of a luminance level in the main object area, which are acquired by the acquiring unit, a setting unit configured to set intensity of knee processing based on the plurality of relative values calculated by the calculation unit, and a knee processing unit configured to execute the knee processing on an image acquired by the imaging unit according to the intensity set by the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Makino
  • Patent number: 8135291
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detachable consumable part having a storage unit configured to store information. The image forming apparatus includes a counting unit configured to count the number of times of access to the storage unit, a measurement unit configured to measure a used amount of the consumable part, and an access control unit configured to control an access frequency to the storage unit based on the counted number of times of access and the used amount of the consumable part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Chihara
  • Patent number: 8130416
    Abstract: An image processing method is applied for recording an image on a recording medium using a plurality of color materials including a chromatic material and an achromatic material. A total amount of recording of the chromatic material is smaller than a total amount of recording of the achromatic material, and a plurality of monochrome modes including a first monochrome mode and a second monochrome mode are provided, the total amount of recording of the chromatic material being different for each of the monochrome modes. The image processing method includes adjusting the amount of recording of the achromatic material so that a recording density of an image recorded in the first monochrome mode and a recording density of an image recorded in the second monochrome mode become equivalent to each other with respect to the same luminance signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Kentaro Yano
  • Patent number: 8125689
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes at least one input device for inputting a plurality of pieces of content data; a recognition unit configured to recognize a mark included in the pieces of content data, and an association processing unit configured to perform association processing by mutually establishing a link between at least two pieces of content data based on the mark recognized by the recognition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Morita, Satoshi Ookuma
  • Patent number: 8123398
    Abstract: A fluid-processing device is provided for bringing two kinds of fluids into contact to mix or react with each other. The device comprises a first supply path connected to a first feed inlet for feeding a first fluid for supplying the first fluid, and plural second supply paths connected to a second feed inlet for feeding a second fluid for supplying the second fluid; the second supply paths being arranged along supply direction of the first fluid, the second supply paths being surrounded by the first fluid, the second fluid discharged from fluid outlets of the second supply paths being brought into contact with the first fluid in the first supply path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Teshima, Takeo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8115861
    Abstract: An image pickup system causes a first illumination unit to emit light toward a subject at a first angle without causing a second illumination unit for emitting light toward the subject at a second angle different from the first angle, and causes an image pickup unit to capture the image of the subject so as to obtain a first captured image. The image pickup system causes the second illumination unit to emit light without causing the first illumination unit to emit light, and causes the image pickup unit to capture the image of the subject so as to obtain a second captured image. The image pickup system associates the first captured image with the second captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masami Sugimori
  • Patent number: 8116561
    Abstract: A color processing apparatus includes an input conversion unit configured to convert input data expressed in an input device-dependent color space into data expressed in a device-independent color space, a determination unit configured to determine an attribute of the input data and transmit a result of the determination to a color gamut mapping unit and an output conversion unit. The color gamut mapping unit is configured to perform color gamut mapping on data expressed in the device-independent color space to data corresponding to color gamut information of an output device based on a result of the determination. The output conversion unit is configured to convert the data which is subjected to the color gamut mapping into output data which is expressed in an output device-dependent color space based on a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yosuke Hayase
  • Patent number: 8115827
    Abstract: A color processing apparatus for evaluating the gradation characteristic of a color conversion table that is used to convert signal values in input color space into signal values in output color space and has a plurality of grid points includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire signal values in the output color space corresponding to four adjacent grid points in the input color space through the color conversion table, a calculation unit configured to calculate a property of a tetrahedron formed by the signal values in the output color space, and an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a gradation characteristic of the color conversion table based on the property of the tetrahedron. The property of the tetrahedron may be the volume of the tetrahedron or the surface area of the tetrahedron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8113614
    Abstract: A recording apparatus for discharging ink from a recording head arraying a plurality of nozzles to execute recording of an image includes a drive unit configured to form a group with a defined number of nozzles so as to include an adjacent nozzle in a different block and to execute time-division driving of the block according to a driving order corresponding to a recording mode, and a recording control unit configured to execute scan recording to a recording medium in a first recording mode or a second recording mode. Each pass of scan recording in the second recording mode is executed using nozzles smaller in number than a number of nozzles used to execute each pass of scan recording in the first recording mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Nitta, Hiroaki Shirakawa, Yasunori Fujimoto, Taku Yokozawa
  • Patent number: 8116560
    Abstract: A method for generating a color processing parameter used in color processing performed on an image captured by an imaging unit includes inputting data of an image captured by the imaging unit, inputting target data corresponding to the data, generating a pair of data and target data based on the data and the target data, and generating a color processing parameter for converting the data to the target data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Matsuura
  • Patent number: 8111427
    Abstract: In an image forming system, an information processing apparatus (host computer) outputs print data to a printer connected to the apparatus through an interface. The apparatus includes an interface identifying module for identifying the type of the interface, a query module for determining, based on the identified interface type, a quantization method for quantizing print data and/or a compression method, and an image processing module for performing quantization and/or compression on the print data by the determined quantization method and/or compression method. The apparatus outputs, to the printer, the print data processed by the image processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Konji, Kenichiro Uotani