Abstract: The present invention is an interface adapter circuit that allows multiple types of 256K by 16 bit dynamic random random access memories to be used by system manufacturers. The interface adapter circuit selects a type of outputs signal set to produce responsive to a mode selection signal. The circuit converts an input signal set including a column address probe and low and high by write signals into either a first output signal set, including one column address strobe and high and low byte write signals, or a second output signal set including a single write signal and high and low column address signals, responsive to the selection signal. The circuit includes a logic circuit for producing the signals and flip flops for holding the signal produced. The flip flops also synchronize other memory address, etc. signals with the signals produced by the adapter circuit.

Abstract: The limited ability of an internal memory in a CD player to store user-generated image parameter data is augmented by a storage medium, such as an electrically programmable read only memory module, configured to be removably interfaced with the CD player's microcontroller for storing image parameter data that has been programmed by the user. The module can be then removed from the playback device and inserted into that or another playback device for controlling its operation. The customized image parameter data may include one or more image display parameters including contrast, image magnification, color balance, saturation, border type and border location. It may also store information from which a photofinisher may produce hard copy prints of selected images or an entirely new album disc of user selections taken from multiple discs.

Abstract: Changes in successive images from a time-varying image sequence of a scene are characterized by velocity vector fields. As estimate of the velocity vector field is determined as a compromise in the attempt to satisfy the following two sets of constraints in addition to a regularization constraint: the optical flow constraints which relate to the values of the time-varying images function at corresponding points of the successive image of the sequence, and the directional smoothness constraints, which relate the values of the neighboring velocity vectors. To achieve such a compromise, a system of nonlinear equations of the unknown estimate of the velocity vector field is used. A stable iterative method is used to solve this system. The optical flow and smoothness constraints are selectively suppressed in the neighborhoods of the occlusion boundaries. The last is accomplished by attaching a weight to each constraint.

Abstract: An apparatus, implemented in a halftone printing system, permits a halftone dot to be represented by an envelope that is formed from a combination of straight lines that are drawn from tangent points, on the outer periphery of the dot, to a reference axis for the dot. The intersection points of the tangent lines on the reference axis define the size (density) of the dot. The apparatus addressably stores the intersect points as sets of values for each size dot to provide a unique representation set that can be accessed to reconstruct a selected dot size for printing a halftone image.

Abstract: A method is implemented in a halftone printing system that permits a halftone dot to be represented by an envelope that is formed from a combination of straight lines that are drawn from tangent points, on the outer periphery of the dot, through reference axis for the dot. The intersection points of the tangent lines on the reference axis define the size (density) of the dot. Storing the intersect points as sets of values for each size dot provides a unique representation set that is used to reconstruct a selected dot size for printing a halftone image.

Abstract: A hybrid multiple color print reproduction scheme for a digital color image photo-finishing system employing a digitally driven high spatial resolution color printer converts a stored digital positive (e.g. RGB-representative) color image into a second digital color (e.g. CYM-representative) image. This second digital image effectively corresponds to a mirror-reversed complement of the positive color image and is digitally adjusted such that its tone and color characteristics optimize reproduction of the positive image via a conventional chemical development process. The complement color image is output to a digital printer which prints an `internegative` image onto a transparency medium, rather than the customary print paper. This digitally produced `internegative` is used to replicate multiple copies of the original image using a conventional analog electro-optic system and an associated chemical-based print developing unit, thereby providing a substantial savings in reproduction time and costs.

Abstract: The K most frequently occurring symbols in an image represented by an alphabet of N symbols are mapped to a set of K codewords. The length of each codeword is an inverse function of the frequency of occurrence of the corresponding symbol in the image and the longest codeword is of length d bits. The remaining N-K symbols are mapped in order of their magnitude to a set of supplementary codewords of a uniform maximum length D bits. The d most significant bits of each supplementary codeword form a prefix which is uniform within each set and specifies whether the corresponding symbol is positive or negative. The remaining or least significant D-d bits of each supplementary codeword comprise a suffix and are mapped in order of bit position to progressively more narrow ranges of symbol values of the remaining N-K symbols.

Abstract: A teachable camera 8 which includes an alterable template matching neural network 40 positioned between a microprocessor 10 that performs camera picture taking algorithms and the units 24-32 such as the shutter which control the characteristics of the picture. The network 40 alters the output of the algorithms to match the picture characteristics desired by the photographer. The network 40 is altered by a rule based expert system executing in a personal computer 70 which determines how to alter the matching template of the network 40.

Abstract: The dynamic range of a digitized image database is extended to permit shifting of encoded pixel values without `clipping`, and to provide limited windows of values into which specular highlights and unusually low reflectances or areas of objects in shadow light may be encoded and stored. Digital codes into which an image scanner output has been mapped by a scene balance mechanism are converted into a set of reduced-range digital codes of the same resolution but having a smaller range of basic image content values than the dynamic range of the digitized image data base.

Abstract: A method of predictably producing accurate photoprocessing reference image tool photographs to be used for adjusting the parameters of photographic devices, in which a first-generation camera-original image of a scene containing preselected background and subject content is photographed onto a first photographic recording medium. A second first-generation camera-original image of charts containing photoprocessing parameter control information is photographed under the same conditions as the first exposure, onto a second photographic recording medium. The first image is photodigitized into a first digitized image which is stored in a primary digital image data metric in a digital image data base. One or more parameters of the first digitized image are selectively adjusted. Photoprocessing control element(s) (e.g.

Abstract: In a high speed character generator of the type employing reduced font characters, the improvement wherein font parameters are contained in a random access memory that is addressed by a master processor and supplies the font parameters directly to a bit map character generator, that is, the font parameters bypass the master processor.

Abstract: A photoprocessing, photofinishing apparatus enables an unskilled consumer to personally customize and obtain high quality prints of photographic images without the intervention of a skilled technician. It also provides for the storage and retrieval of high resolution digitized color still images for playback to a variety of reproduction devices. The apparatus comprises a high resolution film scanner which scans 35 mm film and outputs high resolution image signals. These signals are digitized and coupled to a host image data processing unit, which stores each image file in a multiresolution, hierarchical format that facilitates retrieval of images for reproduction by a variety of devices the resolution of which may vary from device to device, such as a low/moderate NTSC television monitor or a very high resolution color thermal printer. The host processor is coupled to an interactive display terminal, through which the customer may manipulate a low resolution version of a selected image file.

Abstract: A zoom lens magnification control mechanism for a photoprint digitizing scanner contains an adjustable focus, zoom lens. The photoprint image projection path is incident upon a high resolution CCD sensor, image output signals from which are digitized for storage on a compact disc. Control of the operation of the scanner includes the use of a display device to which output signals provided by the photosensor are coupled so as to display the projected image. Whenever a photoprint is presented to the scanner an indication of the size of the photoprint is provided, as by way of a code stored on a photoprint platen, in order to set the magnification setting of the zoom lens. The photofinisher observes the display of the image projected on the photosensor and adjusts, as necessary, the operation of the zoom lens so that the image displayed by the display device fits the display screen.

Abstract: A digital halftone image is produced by providing a binary bit image pattern having a minimum visual noise for each density level in the image, and the binary bit patterns being correlated in a manner that reduces visual noise resulting from transitions between patterns. The patterns are addressed by pixel density and x,y location to produce a halftone image. The patterns are generated by employing a stochastic minimization technique with a constraint to insure correlation between patterns.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for processing image data of dot-matrix/ink-jet printed text to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of such image data. In the method and apparatus, the image data is viewed for detecting if dot-matrix/ink-jet printed text is present. Any detected dot-matrix/ink-jet produced text is then pre-processed by determining the image characteristic thereof by forming a histogram of pixel density values in the image data. A 2-D spatial averaging operation as a second pre-processing step smooths the dots of the characters into strokes and reduces the dynamic range of the image data. The resultant spatially averaged image data is then contrast stretched in a third pre-processing step to darken dark regions of the image data and lighten light regions of the image data. Edge enhancement is then applied to the contrast stretched image data in a fourth pre-processing step to bring out higher frequency line details.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention performs the quantization, sampling, and final digital image signal reconstruction in a way that reduces quantization artifacts such as contouring while retaining desired spatial (temporal) frequency response and resolution. The technique of the present invention features a spatially varying quantization step, a low pass filtering step, a second spatially varying quantization step, and a comparison step to determine the reconstructed signal.

Abstract: A bar code scanner having a lens, a reflector, a sensor, and a detection unit. The lens is arranged to focus an image of a bar code to be scanned along an image path. The reflector is angled obliquely to the image path so as to reflect images at an angle to the image path. The reflector has reflector surface shaped so as to provide a plurality of reflected images of the scanned bar code, with one of the reflected image being an in-focus image and a remainder of the reflected images being out-of-focus images. The sensor is in the image path and simultaneously senses the plurality of reflected images and provides a sensor output signal corresponding to the sensed images. The detection unit is coupled to the sensor and decodes the sensor output signal and provides a bar code output signal that corresponds to the scanned bar code.

Abstract: An integrated circuit that uses the same coefficient registers, multipliers and adders to perform both matrix multiplication and convolution operations. The multipliers are arranged in columns and rows with the matrix multiplication adders located in the corresponding columns and with the adder for producing the convolution output located in one of the columns. A mode selection switch causes the multiplexers to change input data routing based on the mode selected. The circuit allows loading of all the coefficients or selection of hardwired coefficients. By rerouting the inputs of the multipliers using the multiplexers, the circuit can be easily configured for either mode of operation. The outputs corresponding to the columns are either output directly during matrix multiplication or provided to the convolution adder.

Abstract: The present invention involves taking a three color signal produced by an electronic color image sensor, such as the Kodak KAF-1400 sensor with a 3G CFA filter, and performing additive-type color correction processing in a linear domain suitable for performing additive-type color correction. The additive-type processing can be performed by a matrix multiplier using three 3 element correction equations. The linear color corrected signals are converted into a domain, such as the log domain, suitable for performing subtractive-type color correction. Subtractive-type color correction is performed using three 3 element correction equations, or three 9 element correction equations. The color corrected sigtnals are then converted to an appropriate format for input to a color printer. To reduce noise enhancement problems, the color correction is performed on lowpass color signals, and the color corrected lowpass signals are combined with the original high frequency color signals.

Abstract: An imagery data mechanism for controllably merging separate, digitally formatted and arbitrarily shaped images eliminates overlap-edge artifacts by gradually blending a paste image (40) along its border (44) with a base image (30), regardless of the shape of the paste image. The mechanism employs a `feathering` window (50) containing a plurality of neighboring pixel locations over which the pixel values of the paste image are controllably modified as to their transparency to achieve a tapered blending of the two images. Whether data value of any pixel within the display is to be modified from a given database value will depend upon whether or not that pixel location is both within the paste image and a prescribed distance to the border (44) of the paste image. If the pixel location is not part of the image, it is effectively masked, so that not only does feathering not take place, but neither the base image nor the paste image contributes to its data value.