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).

  • Publication number: 20110050700
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami
  • Publication number: 20110050701
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Toyoda, Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami, Hiroaki Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20100310166
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Shotaro Moriya, Noritaka Okuda, Satoshi Yamanaka, Koji Minami, Yoshitaka Toyoda, Hiroaki Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7667721
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai, Masako Asamura
  • Patent number: 7515211
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masako Asamura, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Masaki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 7501465
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Zeon Corporation
    Inventors: Taichi Sawaguchi, Koji Minami
  • Patent number: 7468848
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignees: Hoya Corporation, Zeon Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihiko Shimizu, Makoto Iikawa, Kazunori Komori, Koji Minami
  • Publication number: 20080231753
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Takashi Fujiwara, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Hironobu Yasui
  • Publication number: 20080151103
    Abstract: 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) whic
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Masako Asamura, Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
  • Publication number: 20080069217
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Toshihiro Gai, Hironobu Yasui, Shuji Sotoda, Chihiro Sakuwa, Takashi Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20080062101
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai, Masako Asamura
  • Publication number: 20070258155
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicants: PENTAX CORPORATION, ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunihiko SHIMIZU, Makoto IIKAWA, Kazunori KOMORI, Koji MINAMI
  • Patent number: 7280709
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Masako Asamura, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
  • Publication number: 20070229709
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Masako Asamura, Koji Minami, Chihiro Sakuwa, Toshihiro Gai
  • Publication number: 20070158623
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2005
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Zeon Corporation
    Inventors: Taichi Sawaguchi, Koji Minami
  • Patent number: 7169026
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Seikoh Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Junji Taira
  • Patent number: 7170846
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Minami
  • Publication number: 20060290818
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Masako Asamura, Yoshito Suzuki, Toshihiro Gai, Koji Minami, Masaki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 6912017
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Yoshiteru Suzuki, Kohei Teramoto, Hiroaki Sugiura, Shinsuke Shikama
  • Publication number: 20050079807
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Koji Minami, Junji Taira