Patents by Inventor Koji Minami
Koji Minami 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).
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Publication number: 20110050700Abstract: A first intermediate image generating means (1) generates an intermediate image (D1) by extracting a component of an input image (DIN) in a particular frequency band; a second intermediate image generating means (2) generates an intermediate image (D2) having a frequency component higher than intermediate image (D1); an intermediate image processing means (3M) generates an intermediate image (D3M) by suppressing low-level noise included in intermediate image (D1); an intermediate image processing means (3H) generates an intermediate image (D3H) by suppressing low-level noise included in intermediate image (D2); and an adding means (4) adds the input image (DIN) and intermediate image (D3M) and intermediate image (D3H) together to obtain a final output image (DOUT). Even if the input image includes a fold-over component on the high-frequency side or does not include an adequate high-frequency component, an enhanced image can be obtained without enhancing noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami
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Publication number: 20110050701Abstract: An intermediate image generating means (1) generates a horizontal intermediate image (D1h) and a vertical intermediate image (D1v) by extracting components of an input image (DIN) in a particular frequency band; an intermediate image processing means (2) generates a horizontal image (D2Bh) and a vertical image (D2Bv) by performing non-linear processing (2A) and high-frequency component generation (2B); an intermediate image (D2) is obtained by combining these horizontal and vertical images by performing weighted addition for each pixel and is added (3) to the input image (DIN) to obtain an enhanced output image (DOUT). Even if the input image includes a fold-over component on the high-frequency side or does not include an adequate high-frequency component, adequate image enhancement processing can be carried out.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Yoshitaka Toyoda, Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami, Hiroaki Sugiura
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Publication number: 20100310166Abstract: A first intermediate image generating means (1) generates an intermediate image (D1) by extracting a component of an input image DIN in a particular frequency band; a second intermediate image generating means (2) generates an intermediate image D2 having a frequency component higher than the intermediate image (D1); a first intermediate image processing means (3M) generates an intermediate image (D3M) by amplifying the pixel values in the intermediate image (D1); a second intermediate image processing means (3H) generates an intermediate image (D3H) by amplifying the pixel values in the intermediate image (D2); and an adding means (4) adds the input image (DIN) and the intermediate image (D3M) and the intermediate image (D3H) together to obtain an output image (DOUT). A first amplification factor (D3MA) and a second amplification factor (D3HA) are determined according to pixel values in the input image (DIN).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Inventors: Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami, Yoshitaka Toyoda, Hiroaki Sugiura
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Patent number: 7667721Abstract: A gray-scale conversion means (10) converts the gray scale of an input video signal (100) as necessary, and outputs the video signal with the converted gray scale. A statistical processing means (13) detects a statistical property of each field or frame of the input video signal; a scene change detection means (16) detects scene changes in the input video signal. A conversion characteristic determination means (22) determines the gray-scale conversion characteristic according to outputs of the statistical processing means (13) and the scene change detection means (16). The gray-scale correction increases contrast regardless of image content, and enables faster response to changes in image content.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2005Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai, Masako Asamura
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Patent number: 7515211Abstract: A video signal processing circuit that uses a prescribed clock signal to process a digitized composite video signal. A clock generating means (2) generates the prescribed clock signal; a burst phase detecting means (3) detects color subcarrier phase information (p) in each line of the composite video signal; a phase difference calculation means (4) finds the phase difference between phase information (p) from the burst phase detecting means and a prescribed reference phase; a sampling phase conversion means (8) corrects the sampling phase of the composite video signal according to phase corrections (?b, ?t) obtained from the phase difference calculation means (4); a Y/C separation means (9) separates the luminance and chrominance signals from the composite video signal output from the sampling phase conversion means (8). Excellent two- or three-dimensional Y/C separation can be obtained regardless of the television broadcast system, even from a non-standard signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masako Asamura, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Masaki Yamakawa
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Patent number: 7501465Abstract: A resin composition includes an alicyclic structure-containing polymer; a hindered amine compound; and a releasing agent, wherein the releasing agent and the alicyclic structure-containing polymer satisfy the following relationship: 10?|s1?s2|?0.8 [(MPa)0.5], wherein s1 represents a solubility parameter of the releasing agent, and s2 represents a solubility parameter of the alicyclic structure-containing polymer. The resin composition can be used as optical materials, such as a lens, a diffraction grating, and a prism, especially in the field of using blue laser, and has excellent releasability, transparence and colorless property as well as excellent resistance to laser.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2005Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Zeon CorporationInventors: Taichi Sawaguchi, Koji Minami
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Patent number: 7468848Abstract: A fixing method for a resin lens in which a resin lens element is fixed to a resin lens frame, includes forming the resin lens element and the resin lens frame using amorphous polyolefin as a resin material therefor; forming an abutting surface in each of the resin lens element and the resin lens frame so as to mutually abut against each other; abutting the resin lens element and the resin lens frame mutually against each other at the abutting surfaces thereof; and laser welding the abutting surfaces to each other by irradiating a laser beam thereon.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2007Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignees: Hoya Corporation, Zeon CorporationInventors: Kunihiko Shimizu, Makoto Iikawa, Kazunori Komori, Koji Minami
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Publication number: 20080231753Abstract: A noise reducer for a signal determines a direction of correlation for each picture element (pixel) by calculating sums of absolute differences between a block centered on the pixel and neighboring blocks centered on surrounding pixels and choosing the direction of the neighboring block with the least sum of absolute differences. The pixel is then filtered one-dimensionally by averaging it with neighboring pixels located in the direction of correlation. This noise reduction method is simple, reliable, and avoids needless loss of detail.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2008Publication date: September 25, 2008Inventors: Takashi Fujiwara, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Hironobu Yasui
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Publication number: 20080151103Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus, which can prevent degradation of picture quality in converting an interlaced scan video signal to a progressive scan video signal, includes an interframe correlation detection means (11); an interfield correlation detection means (12); a field resolution determination means (13) which generates a signal (filhv) indicative of a degree of high frequency components existing in a field; a pull-down sequence detection means (14) which generates a telecine detection signal (tci) indicating whether or not an input video signal is any of 2-3 pull-down telecine video signal and 2-2 pull-down telecine video signal and also generates a mixing ratio signal (tcmix) indicative of a mixing ratio used at the time of interpolation processing; an interpolation signal generation means (110) which mixes a plurality of kinds of interpolation signals (Im, It) in accordance with the telecine detection signal (tci) and the mixing ratio signal (tcmix); and a rate doubling conversion means (9) whicType: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2005Publication date: June 26, 2008Inventors: Masako Asamura, Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
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Publication number: 20080069217Abstract: A frame interpolation apparatus generates a pixel value at an interpolation position by examining pairs of pixel blocks, one from a preceding reference frame and one from a following reference frame, located in positions that are point-symmetric or nearly point-symmetric with respect to the interpolation position. The pair of pixel blocks showing the greatest mutual similarity is selected, the central pixels in the selected pair of pixel blocks are taken as reference pixels, and the interpolated pixel value is generated from the reference pixel values. By routinely examining a large number of pairs of pixel blocks for each interpolation position, the frame interpolation apparatus can detect image motion accurately and generate accurate interpolated values.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Inventors: Koji Minami, Toshihiro Gai, Hironobu Yasui, Shuji Sotoda, Chihiro Sakuwa, Takashi Fujiwara
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Publication number: 20080062101Abstract: A gray-scale conversion means (10) converts the gray scale of an input video signal (100) as necessary, and outputs the video signal with the converted gray scale. A statistical processing means (13) detects a statistical property of each field or frame of the input video signal; a scene change detection means (16) detects scene changes in the input video signal. A conversion characteristic determination means (22) determines the gray-scale conversion characteristic according to outputs of the statistical processing means (13) and the scene change detection means (16). The gray-scale correction increases contrast regardless of image content, and enables faster response to changes in image content.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2005Publication date: March 13, 2008Inventors: Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai, Masako Asamura
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Publication number: 20070258155Abstract: A fixing method for a resin lens in which a resin lens element is fixed to a resin lens frame, includes forming the resin lens element and the resin lens frame using amorphous polyolefin as a resin material therefor; forming an abutting surface in each of the resin lens element and the resin lens frame so as to mutually abut against each other; abutting the resin lens element and the resin lens frame mutually against each other at the abutting surfaces thereof; and laser welding the abutting surfaces to each other by irradiating a laser beam thereon.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2007Publication date: November 8, 2007Applicants: PENTAX CORPORATION, ZEON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiko SHIMIZU, Makoto IIKAWA, Kazunori KOMORI, Koji MINAMI
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Patent number: 7280709Abstract: In the conversion of a video signal from interlaced to progressive scanning, the value of each pixel on an interpolated scan line is calculated by a procedure that includes calculating similarity values for pairs of pixel blocks located in point-symmetrical positions on opposite sides of the interpolated pixel; deciding whether similar edges are present in corresponding positions in the two pixel blocks constituting each pixel block pair; selecting an interpolation direction corresponding to the most similar pixel block pair among the pixel block pairs in which the similar edges are present; and using the pixels disposed at or closest to the centers of the two pixel blocks in this pixel block pair as reference pixels. Restricting diagonal interpolation directions to pixel block pairs in which similar edges are present improves the accuracy of the interpolation direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2003Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Koji Minami, Masako Asamura, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
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Publication number: 20070229709Abstract: A video noise reducer processes a frame difference signal equal to the difference between the video signal of the current frame and the video signal of the preceding frame or the difference between the video signal of the current frame and the noise-reduced video signal of the preceding frame to obtain a motion detection signal and a noise detection signal. The difference between the motion detection signal and the noise detection signal is then processed to obtain a recursion coefficient. The frame difference signal is multiplied by the recursion coefficient and the resulting product is additively combined with the video signal of the current frame to reduce noise without generating significant motion artifacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: October 4, 2007Inventors: Masako Asamura, Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
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Publication number: 20070158623Abstract: A resin composition includes an alicyclic structure-containing polymer; a hindered amine compound; and a releasing agent, wherein the releasing agent and the alicyclic structure-containing polymer satisfy the following relationship: 10?|s1?s21?0.8 [(MPa)0.5], wherein s1 represents a solubility parameter of the releasing agent, and s2 represents a solubility parameter of the alicyclic structure-containing polymer. The resin composition can be used as optical materials, such as a lens, a diffraction grating, and a prism, especially in the field of using blue laser, and has excellent releasability, transparence and colorless property as well as excellent resistance to laser.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2005Publication date: July 12, 2007Applicant: Zeon CorporationInventors: Taichi Sawaguchi, Koji Minami
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Patent number: 7169026Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus has a jig plate for supporting at least one workpiece having an end face and a polishing plate mounted for undergoing movement. A polishing member is mounted on the polishing plate for undergoing movement therewith to polish the end face of the workpiece. A slidable contact member is disposed on the jig plate for slidable contact with the polishing plate during a polishing operation to thereby regulate a polishing amount of the end face of the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2004Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Seikoh Giken Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Minami, Junji Taira
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Patent number: 7170846Abstract: A light receiving and emitting unit has a plurality of light sources, a light receiving element, a light control unit, and an optical block. The optical block has at least a first and a second member formed of a material having birefringent property, and a third member interposed between the first and the second member and formed of a material having lower refractive index than the first and the second members. The light control unit has a crystal thin plate, a pair of electrodes formed on the surfaces of the crystal thin plate so as to sandwich the crystal thin plate for applying a voltage to the voltage application area, and a first and a second insulating member for sandwiching the crystal thin plate so as to cover the electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2003Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Minami
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Publication number: 20060290818Abstract: A video signal processing circuit that uses a prescribed clock signal to process a digitized composite video signal. A clock generating means (2) generates the prescribed clock signal; a burst phase detecting means (3) detects color subcarrier phase information (p) in each line of the composite video signal; a phase difference calculation means (4) finds the phase difference between phase information (p) from the burst phase detecting means and a prescribed reference phase; a sampling phase conversion means (8) corrects the sampling phase of the composite video signal according to phase corrections (?b, ?t) obtained from the phase difference calculation means (4); a Y/C separation means (9) separates the luminance and chrominance signals from the composite video signal output from the sampling phase conversion means (8). Excellent two- or three-dimensional Y/C separation can be obtained regardless of the television broadcast system, even from a non-standard signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2004Publication date: December 28, 2006Inventors: Masako Asamura, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Masaki Yamakawa
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Patent number: 6912017Abstract: There is disclosed a display device using a color wheel having a color filter Cw, in addition to normal color filters corresponding to the three primary colors. The filter Cw has almost flat spectral transmission characteristics. Brightness information included in a color image signal is quantized with (n+m) bits. Information corresponding to the lower-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the filter Cw. Information corresponding to the upper-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the normal color filters. Only brightness information to which the human eye is visually sensitive is reproduced by the filter Cw having a lower transmissivity. This can eliminate a lack of the number of gray levels due to a constraint on the minimum switching speed of a light valve. Furthermore, the brightness little deteriorates.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2000Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Minami, Yoshiteru Suzuki, Kohei Teramoto, Hiroaki Sugiura, Shinsuke Shikama
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Publication number: 20050079807Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus is provided in which polishing accuracy is improved, regardless of the length of the ferrule when polishing the end face of the ferrule. The end face polishing apparatus in which a rod-shaped member mounted on a jig plate by a polishing member mounted on the polishing plate which is rotatably and swingably supported to the apparatus body is pressed to be polished; in which the jig plate is provided on either the jig plate or the polishing plate, and the other is slidably contacted by a slidable contact member, and is supported in a state where rotation is regulated on the polishing plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2004Publication date: April 14, 2005Inventors: Koji Minami, Junji Taira