Patents by Inventor Koji Aoyama

Koji Aoyama has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120275655
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a flatness detector, a difference calculation section, a noise level detector, and a motion detector. The flatness detector detects a flat region where pixel values of pixels on a first image are flat, based on variances of the pixel values of the pixels constituting the first image inputted. The difference calculation section calculates a difference between the pixel values of the pixels corresponding to the first image and a second image which continues before or after the first image. The noise level detector detects a noise level indicating a statistic noise amount of noise generated in each pixel constituting the first image based on the variances of the difference. The motion detector detects at least one of a still region indicating a region where an object on the first image is still and a motion region indicating a region where the object is moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Uchida, Koji Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20120230604
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus, including a noise detection section, a scaling section, an adjustment signal production section, and a correction section. The noise detection section is adapted to detect block noise based on an input image signal in a compression coded form and output noise information indicative of the detected block noise. The scaling section is adapted to carry out a scaling process for carrying out enlargement or reduction of an image indicated by the input image signal for the input image signal and output scaling information indicative of an enlargement ratio or a reduction ratio. The adjustment signal production section is adapted to output an adjustment signal indicative a degree of correction based on the noise information and the scaling information. The correction section is adapted to correct the image signal for which the scaling process is carried out based on the adjustment signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yamajo, Koji Aoyama, Tetsuji Inada, Tomonori Tsutsumi, Yosuke Yamamoto, Kazuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8253763
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, a storage medium, and a program for performing high-quality enlargement processing. Of input image data, a data buffer 32 holds data of target-pixel neighborhood data necessary for the enlargement processing. A data-position swapping unit 33 swaps the data positions of the target-pixel neighborhood data, as needed. A pixel priority determining unit 34 determines background color or foreground color with respect to each pixel of the target-pixel neighborhood data whose data positions were sapped. A data-selection-flag determining unit 36 determines a data selection flag of the target-pixel neighborhood data, the data selection flag being supplied from the pixel priority determining unit 34.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8238684
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for performing a filtering process on an input image using a plurality of filters to generate an output image includes the following elements. A region variance value calculating unit calculates a region variance value for a region around a predetermined pixel used as a pixel of interest on the input image. A filter processing unit applies a filtering process to a pixel value of the pixel of interest using the filters. A reflection amount determining unit determines a reflection amount based on the region variance value. A combining unit calculates a pixel value of a pixel of the output image corresponding to the pixel of interest on the basis of respective filter output values obtained by filtering processes applied by a plurality of filter processing units, respective reflection amounts determined with respect to the filter output values, and the pixel value of the pixel of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yamajo, Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8224124
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a rescaling unit configured to obtain an image subjected to scaling, and subject the image to rescaling with the scaling rate of the image; a block border information detecting unit configured to detect a block size and block border position from the image after rescaling; and a detected information correcting unit configured to correct the block size and the block border position detected by the block border information detecting unit based on the scaling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8209716
    Abstract: A setting information database associates setting information used to output a video signal or an audio signal with a corresponding viewing condition. A setting information registration unit registers setting information and a corresponding viewing condition which have been received by a setting information reception unit so as to store them in the setting information database. An adequacy determination unit determines the adequacy of recommended setting information to be stored in the setting information database. A condition extraction unit extracts pieces of setting information stored in the setting information database on the basis of a viewing condition supplied from an extraction condition reception unit. A recommendable setting derivation unit derives recommendable setting information from the extracted pieces of setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Xavier Michel, Kazuhiko Ueda, Masuyoshi Kurokawa, Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8007362
    Abstract: A terminal apparatus executes different kinds of network games provided by a server group. The user of the terminal apparatus can register other users who become acquainted with the user through network games in a friend list provided for each user. While the terminal device runs different game programs for different kinds of games, the terminal apparatus runs a common friend list program regardless of the game types. When the display of a game image is set to a window mode, the friend list program displays a friend list in a friend list window that is set separate from a game window. When the display of a game image is set to a full-screen mode, the friend list program displays a friend list synthesized with the game image in the form of a semi-transparent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Mitsuteru Fukushima
  • Patent number: 7936942
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a ridge strength detecting unit for detecting a ridge strength that is the strength of a ridge included in an image. When a pixel value is changed in the form of a pulse in accordance with a positional change in a region that includes a plurality of pixels, the ridge strength is represented by a gradient and height of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Xavier Michel
  • Patent number: 7934996
    Abstract: An online video game controlling server includes an online game information storage database for storing game information on an online video game that includes player information on player characters and area information on a game area of the online video game, and a control section for controlling the progress of the video game on the basis of the game information. A shared area and an unshared area are provided in the game area of the online video game. When one player character moves to the unshared area, the control section creates instance information including area specifying information, character identification information and instance creating necessary object information. In addition, the control section server breaks communication between the one player character and the other belonging player character to update the instance information whenever the progress state of the instance creating necessary object changes due to the action of the one player character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Tomoaki Murata
  • Patent number: 7817872
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an edge-direction detector that detects an edge direction in an original image; a confidence detector that detects a confidence of the edge direction; a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity; a texture-contrast-weight setter that sets a texture-contrast weight; an edge-contrast-weight setter that sets an edge-contrast weight; a texture-weight setter that sets a texture weight; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight; a texture filter that performs texture filtering to generate a texture-filter image; an edge filter that performs edge filtering to generate an edge-filter image; a texture combiner that combines the original image and the texture-filter image to generate a texture-combination image; and an edge combiner that combines the texture-combination image and the edge-filter image to generate an edge-combination image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Xavier Michel, Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 7817875
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity of a pixel in a first image; a flat-intensity detector that detects a flat intensity of the pixel; an edge-intensity detector that detects an edge intensity of the pixel; a flat-weight setter that sets a flat weight for the pixel; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight for the pixel; an attenuator that attenuates components in a predetermined frequency band of the first image to form a second image; a first combiner that combines the first and second images to form a third image using weights based on the flat weight; an edge enhancer that enhances edges in the third image to form a fourth image; and a second combiner that combines the first and fourth images using weights based on the edge weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Xavier Michel, Koji Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20100231798
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a level difference calculation means for calculating the difference of pixel values between each pixel and a neighborhood pixel as a level difference; a classification means for classifying respective pixels into classes in each range of the level difference; a boundary proportion calculation means for calculating proportion of the number of pixels at a block boundary as a boundary proportion according to the respective classes; and a block noise intensity determination means for determining a level difference of the class in which the boundary proportion is higher than a given threshold as well as the maximum value as block noise intensity in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: Koji AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 7783129
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, an image processing system and an image processing method can correct the distortion of an image at a low cost and can generate a high quality image in real time. An image processing apparatus is provided which is an image processing apparatus for correcting an original image having distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Atsushi Nose, Kimitaka Wada
  • Publication number: 20090324092
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a rescaling unit configured to obtain an image subjected to scaling, and subject the image to rescaling with the scaling rate of the image; a block border information detecting unit configured to detect a block size and block border position from the image after rescaling; and a detected information correcting unit configured to correct the block size and the block border position detected by the block border information detecting unit based on the scaling rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Koji AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 7630584
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an zoom position acquiring section for acquiring a zoom position representing a lens position condition of the optical zoom mechanism on taking the inputted image, a zooming-direction decoding section for decompressing correction parameter associated with the zoom position, which is acquired by the zoom position acquiring section, according to a zoom compression parameter, into which a correction parameter for distortion correction corresponding to each lens position condition is compressed by utilizing zoom partitioning points at which lens position conditions of the optical zoom mechanism are sequentially partitioned into plural levels that are set between a wide-end and a tele-end and that include both ends, and an image correction section for correcting distortion of the inputted image according to the correction parameter decompressed by the zooming-direction decoding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nose, Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Kimitaka Wada
  • Publication number: 20090245675
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: a block level information obtaining unit to detect a block level from the difference in pixel values between each pixel of an image and nearby pixels and to obtain distribution information wherein the block levels are accumulated for each position in a predetermined direction; a short cycle measuring unit to measure short cycle information which is the distribution information for each phase in a plurality of predetermined short cycles corresponding to a plurality of block sizes from the distribution information; and a determining unit to determine the block size corresponding to the short cycle information wherein the phase distribution takes a maximum value, of the short cycle information of the plurality of predetermined short cycles corresponding to the plurality of block sizes, as the block size in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Koji AOYAMA, Hideki Watanabe, Hiroaki Yamajo
  • Publication number: 20090247108
    Abstract: Provided is a signal processing device performing filter processing operations on an input signal using a plurality of filters to generate an output signal, including a filter processing unit configured to perform a filter processing operation on the input signal using a filter and a generating unit configured to generate the output signal by adding a correction value determined on the basis of each sign and each absolute value of each difference between each of filtered output signals obtained by the filter processing operations performed using a plurality of the above mentioned filter processing units and the input signal, to the input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yamajo, Koji Aoyama
  • Patent number: 7596286
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an zoom position acquiring section for acquiring a zoom position representing a lens position condition of the optical zoom mechanism on taking the inputted image, a zooming-direction decoding section for decompressing correction parameter associated with the zoom position, which is acquired by the zoom position acquiring section, according to a zoom compression parameter, into which a correction parameter for distortion correction corresponding to each lens position condition is compressed by utilizing zoom partitioning points at which lens position conditions of the optical zoom mechanism are sequentially partitioned into plural levels that are set between a wide-end and a tele-end and that include both ends, and an image correction section for correcting distortion of the inputted image according to the correction parameter decompressed by the zooming-direction decoding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nose, Koji Aoyama, Tohru Kurata, Kimitaka Wada
  • Publication number: 20090232407
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a step calculator configured to calculate, as a step, a difference in pixel values of pixels in a neighborhood with respect to each pixel in an image; a classifier configured to classify the pixels into classes for areas of the steps; a boundary ratio calculator configured to calculate, as a boundary ratio, a ratio of the number of pixels at a block boundary for each of the classes; and a block noise strength determinator configured to determine, as a block noise strength of the image, the step that is larger than a predetermined threshold and that is at a class having a largest value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Koji Aoyama, Hideki Watanabe, Hiroaki Yamajo, Masuyoshi Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20090220168
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for performing a filtering process on an input image using a plurality of filters to generate an output image includes the following elements. A region variance value calculating unit calculates a region variance value for a region around a predetermined pixel used as a pixel of interest on the input image. A filter processing unit applies a filtering process to a pixel value of the pixel of interest using the filters. A reflection amount determining unit determines a reflection amount based on the region variance value. A combining unit calculates a pixel value of a pixel of the output image corresponding to the pixel of interest on the basis of respective filter output values obtained by filtering processes applied by a plurality of filter processing units, respective reflection amounts determined with respect to the filter output values, and the pixel value of the pixel of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroaki YAMAJO, Koji Aoyama