Color Processing In Perceptual Color Space Patents (Class 345/591)
  • Patent number: 7733353
    Abstract: In a system and a method for profiling a digital-image input device, profiling of the digital-image input device is performed based at least on an image of a color chart and an estimated illumination of the color chart generated by comparing illumination of device-dependent coordinate values for the image of the color chart with illumination of device-independent coordinate values of the color chart. Because the estimated illumination of the color chart is performed on data pertaining to the color chart, the present invention may generate a profile without reference to data pertaining to scenery in the image outside of the color chart. Consequently, the present invention may generate a profile irrespective of the relative exposure of the color chart with respect to other scenery in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher J. Edge
  • Patent number: 7733545
    Abstract: A disclosed image processing method is for generating and processing image data to be sent to an image forming apparatus including a recording head for ejecting droplets of a recording liquid, the image forming apparatus forming an image on paper based on input data. The image processing method includes: color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with a specified density or color space conversion processing upon converting input data to color space values for the image forming apparatus in accordance with characteristics regarding permeability of the paper to a coloring agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetaka Sakakibara, Masakazu Yoshida, Masanori Hirano
  • Patent number: 7728845
    Abstract: Color calibration of color image rendering devices, such as large color displays, which operate by either projection or emission of images, utilize internal color measurement instrument or external color measurement modules locatable on a wall or speaker. A dual use camera is provided for a portable or laptop computer, or a cellular phone, handset, personal digital assistant or other handheld device with a digital camera, in which one of the camera or a display is movable with respect to the other to enable the camera in a first mode to capture images of the display for enabling calibration of the display, and in a second mode for capturing image other than of the display. The displays may represent rendering devices for enabling virtual proofing in a network, or may be part of stand-alone systems and apparatuses for color calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Rah Color Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Richard A. Holub
  • Patent number: 7724265
    Abstract: A YUV format to be stored in a memory is selected from A or B by a format judging unit for RGB data that is the input output display data of a memory unit, based on the comparison between chrominance (U, V) difference information on horizontal two pixels and the threshold values of U difference and V difference to be resistor-set at a format judging unit. The YUV data and information of A or B that are YUV format-converted at the format conversion unit are stored in the memory. The selection of the YUV format of A or B is, when the chrominance difference information is small as compared with the threshold value the format is YUV 422 (B conversion), and when it is large the format is that the low order bits of Y, U, V of each pixel are reduced (A conversion).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Naoki Takada, Yasuyuki Kudo, Goro Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 7714874
    Abstract: Disclosed are a color management method, an apparatus thereof and a color management computer program for executing the method that enable a user to conveniently and easily select and/or change colors desired by the user in diverse ways. The color management method includes displaying a color scheme list that is a list of color schemes for providing a standard for converting the colors that constitute an image, and if a selection manipulation of one among the color schemes that constitute the displayed color scheme list is input, storing the color scheme selected by the selection manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi-jung Jang, Kyeong-man Kim, Hyun-soo Oh
  • Patent number: 7710432
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, selective tristimulus corrections to device-independent coordinates are applied using a piecewise linear correction function. The piecewise linear correction function is defined such that a maximum of the piecewise linear correction function occurs at a boundary condition of a corresponding device-dependent color space, and the piecewise linear correction function is linearly reduced to zero or approximately zero as values in the corresponding device-dependent color space approach either a different boundary condition or a neutral axis. By having the piecewise linear correction function reduce linearly to zero or approximately zero, corrections to one region of color smoothly diminish and blend into the other regions of color, thereby substantially preventing the introduction of artifacts or image corruption due to the corrections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher J. Edge
  • Patent number: 7710434
    Abstract: Image processing in mobile devices is optimized by combining at least two of the color conversion, rotation, and scaling operations. Received images, such as still images or frames of video stream, are subjected to a combined transformation after decoding, where each pixel is color converted (e.g. from YUV to RGB), rotated, and scaled as needed. By combining two or three of the processes into one, read/write operations consuming significant processing and memory resources are reduced enabling processing of higher resolution images and/or power and processing resource savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Chuang Gu
  • Patent number: 7705857
    Abstract: A method for correcting for hue shifts includes parameterizing the conversion of long-medium-short (LMS) spectral sensitivities of the human eye to a human observer function, and applying a non-linear transformation between the LMS and human observer function in order to correct for the hue shifts. A system for correcting for hue shifts is also provided. The system includes a controller for parameterizing the conversion of LMS spectral sensitivities of the human eye to a human observer function and applying a non-linear transformation between the LMS and human observer function in order to correct for the hue shifts in the image. The system can also include an output device for presenting the hue corrected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher J. Edge
  • Patent number: 7697008
    Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
  • Patent number: 7692663
    Abstract: Construction and use of a multi-shelled gamut boundary descriptor for an RGB display device in which one shell is an outer “plausible” shell and another shell is an inner “reference” shell. The outer shell is coterminous with a unit RGB cube. The inner shell is constructed based on eight reference primaries in the RGB cube, corresponding to primary colors black, blue, green, cyan. red, magenta, yellow and white. Both the inner cube and the outer cube in RGB color space are transformed to a perceptual color space, thereby defining the GBDs for an inner and an outer shell of a multi-shelled GBD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Siu-Kei Tin
  • Patent number: 7692666
    Abstract: Systems and techniques support color management of an image with a parameterized image color space. In general, in one implementation, a color profile that conforms to a defined color profile architecture and that defines a multistage color space transform is generated. The image includes a parameterized encoding of an image color space with image parameters defining a range and an offset of an image component of the image, and a white point of the image color space. Generation of the color profile involves affecting two or more stages of the multistage transform based on the image parameters. Image processing precision can be increased by fitting output to input data scopes between two or more stages. The image parameters of the parameterized encoding can define ranges, offsets, and bit depths of image components of the image, and the color profile can be a bit-depth independent color profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Bourgoin, Lars U. Borg
  • Patent number: 7688332
    Abstract: An image processing parameter is determined by moving an image displayed on a map representing a color space to an arbitrary position on the map, and an image process corresponding to the arbitrary position is performed to the image at the position after the movement. Besides, the map representing the color space is displayed, and an image processing parameter is determined by relatively moving on the map an image in regard to the map. By such constitutions, operability and sensuous usability in color adjustment are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhito Yoshio, Ayako Kurita, Takafumi Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 7688333
    Abstract: An apparatus including a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit may be configured to collect color statistics. The second circuit may be configured to sort colors based upon the color statistics collected by the first circuit. The third circuit may be configured to generate a mapping function between the sorted colors and a color space of a receiving standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory R. Maertens, Diego Vianello
  • Patent number: 7688331
    Abstract: In a method and system for performing color correction for an image signal, a first set of matrix coefficients for color correction of the image signal in a 3-dimensional RGB color space is transformed to a first set of points of a two-dimensional XY plane. In addition, the first set of points is modified to a second set of points in the XY plane for tuning image quality. Furthermore, the first and second sets of points in the two-dimensional XY plane are displayed such as on a graphical user interface of a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Yoon Yoon, Timofei Uvarov
  • Publication number: 20100073396
    Abstract: A method for producing a photo album includes sorting images according to a primary predetermined criterion, separating the sorted images into a first page group and a second page group using one or more secondary criteria, and automatically selecting a first page layout from a library of page layouts. The first page layout includes a same number of one or more image receiving areas as the number of one or more images in the first page group. The one or more images in the first page group are automatically placed into the one or more image receiving areas in the first page layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Wiley H. Wang, Russ Ennio Muzzolini, Jennifer Marie Dean, Eugene Chen, Trynne Anne Miller, Su Mien Quek
  • Patent number: 7684916
    Abstract: An imaging device collects color image data to facilitate distinguishing crop image data from background data. A definer defines a series of scan line segments generally perpendicular to a transverse axis of the vehicle or of the imaging device. An intensity evaluator determines scan line intensity data for each of the scan line segments. An alignment detector identifies a preferential heading of the vehicle that is generally aligned with respect to a crop feature, associated with the crop image data, based on the determined scan line intensity meeting or exceeding a maximum value or minimum threshold value. A reliability estimator estimates a reliability of the vehicle heading based on compliance with an intensity level criteria associated with one or more crop rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignees: Deere & Company, Kansas State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Jiantao Wei, Shufeng Han
  • Publication number: 20100060659
    Abstract: A multi-primary conversion method for converting (CON) an input vector (CIP) defining a color of an input pixel in a linear color space (X, Y, Z) into a drive vector (PD) having n components for driving n display primaries (P1, . . . , Pn) of a display color space. The drive vector (PD) comprises m sub-drive vectors (PDi) for driving m groups of the display primaries (P1, . . . , Pn). The conversion method comprises: determining (5, 6; 9, 10) in the linear color space (X, Y, Z) a position of the input vector (CIP) with respect to boundaries (CB) of at least two of three gamuts (FG, ELG, ELCG) being defined by transformed display primaries (CP1, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Gerben Johan Hekstra, Oleg Belik
  • Patent number: 7663641
    Abstract: Gamut-mapping from a source device to a destination device is performed in a perceptually linear color space such as CIECAM02 by separating a source image into primary color components and processing each primary component separately by mapping a source cusp point with a destination cusp point. The mapped primary components are then summed and a resultant destination image is obtained. Alternatively, hue rotation is performed by determining a relative position of an input color between the nearest primary and the nearest secondary color in a source hue wheel. The determined relative position in the source hue wheel is used to find a corresponding location in a destination hue wheel so that a hue angle for the destination point can be obtained. In either process, the source and destination points are mapped using a cusp-to-cusp mapping process, and if the source point lies outside of the destination boundary after the cusp mapping, the point is mapped to the three-dimensional surface of the destination gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Rocklin J. Sloan
  • Patent number: 7663640
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for displaying images onto an arbitrary surface, using a projector, such that the quality of the images is preserved despite surface imperfections or color variations. Methods and systems are also provided for controlling the appearance of a projection surface. Various embodiments use a detailed radiometric model and a calibration method to determine the pixel values required to be projected by a projector in order for a camera to observe a desired image. Other embodiments use a compensation algorithm that uses a feedback approach to provide the desired image compensation. Geometric mapping may be used to establish a correspondence between points in the images to be displayed by the projector and the corresponding points in the images that are captured by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Shree Nayar, Michael Grossberg, Harish Peri, Peter Belhumeur
  • Publication number: 20100033495
    Abstract: The invention discloses an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, for adjusting the contrast of an input image. The input image consists of plural pixels and each pixel has a respective input lightness. The apparatus can perform a normalization procedure on the pixels to obtain a respective normalized lightness of each pixel. In addition, the apparatus generates lightness statistics based on the pixels and determines plural threshold lightness based on the lightness statistics. According to the normalized lightness and the threshold lightness, the apparatus can change the lightness gain of a specific region of the input image dynamically, and thereby adjust the contrast of the input image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Kai-Hsiang Hsu, Yi-Chia Shan
  • Patent number: 7659910
    Abstract: The invention discloses a hue dividing and judging device including a memory unit, a calculation module, and a judgment module. The memory unit is used for storing a look-up table, and the look-up table records N boundaries, wherein the N boundaries includes j+1 operative boundaries for defining j color areas. The calculation module is used for calculating the hue of each pixel of an input image. According to the look-up table, the judgment module is used for judging where the hue of each pixel falls within two of the operative boundaries, so as to judge that the hue of the pixel of the input image falls into which one of the color areas. Accordingly, if there are more operative boundaries recorded in the look-up table, the hue will be divided into more color areas, and the user will have more choices for adjusting the color of the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Marketech International Corp.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsiang Hsu, Yi-Chia Shan, Tsan-Hung Tsai, Hsu-Chia Kao
  • Patent number: 7659911
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for perfectly lossless and minimal-loss interconversion of digital color data between spectral color spaces (RGB) and perceptually based luma-chroma color spaces (Y?CBCR) is disclosed. In particular, the present invention provides a process for converting digital pixels from R?G?B? space to Y?CBCR space and back, or from Y?CBCR space to R?G?B? space and back, with zero error, or, in constant-precision implementations, with guaranteed minimal error. This invention permits digital video editing and image editing systems to repeatedly interconvert between color spaces without accumulating errors. In image codecs, this invention can improve the quality of lossy image compressors independently of their core algorithms, and enables lossless image compressors to operate in a different color space than the source data without thereby becoming lossy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Inventor: Andreas Wittenstein
  • Patent number: 7656554
    Abstract: A method for correcting neutral color shift in a production cartridge for use in an imaging system includes determining a colorant increment data based on a standard cartridge neutral variation signature color data and a standard cartridge neutral sensitivity signature color data associated with a standard cartridge, and based on a production cartridge neutral variation signature color data and a production cartridge neutral sensitivity signature color data associated with the production cartridge, and using the colorant increment data to correct the neutral color shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Yaping Deer, Xuan-Chao Huang, Brant Dennis Nystrom, Richard Lee Reel
  • Patent number: 7652676
    Abstract: A system and method for color managing content elements on a display device are provided. The systems and methods for color managing content elements on a display device comprising using a set of color space characteristic values that describe a color space of the display device to create a profile having a multidimensional table encapsulating the display behavior as described by color space characteristic values for the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David Hayward
  • Publication number: 20100013851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a color processing device and method by implementation of a color cube function to perform complex conversion from one color space to another. Color processing in real-time with a finite amount of system resources is achieved by means of a subcube curvature model. A known target space is calculated relative to an original space into final values; the final values are arranged and indexed as a three-output function of three inputs creating a subcube curvature model. The subcube curvature model is represented, communicated and stored in a reproducible way wherein each subcube curvature model is processed and displayed in substantially real-time. The color processing device is a system capable of translating one color space to another in real-time in finite resource systems, the system utilizing color processing hardware including a parallel processor, a field programmable gate array semiconductor; and phase-multiplexed look-up table arrangement with SRAM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Cary A. Shoup, Kenbe D. Goertzen
  • Patent number: 7646391
    Abstract: A system and method for color managing content elements on a display device are provided. The systems and methods for color managing content elements on a display device comprising using a set of color space characteristic values that describe a color space of the display device to create a profile having a multidimensional table encapsulating the display behavior as described by color space characteristic values for the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: David Hayward
  • Patent number: 7643036
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for presenting color samples in a color chart. The color chart includes an arrangement of multiple color samples that include colored areas representing colors in a color space. Color samples in the arrangement are associated with one or more color identifiers that uniquely identify the colors represented by the corresponding color samples. A gamut identifier identifies a color gamut relative to the colors represented by the color samples in the arrangement. A gamut mapping is provided to map a color from outside the color gamut to a color inside the color gamut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Clive M. Rees
  • Patent number: 7639255
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for displaying on a color display device a realistic color of a paint coating comprising the following steps: (A) identify L*, a* b* color values at least three different angles for a paint coating from a data base; (B) convert the at least three angle L*, a* b* color values to tristimulus X, Y, Z values; (C) develop continuous function equation for each tristimulus X, Y, Z values vs. aspecular angle via computer implementation and calculate the range of angles to be displayed; (D) calculate a range of aspecular angles required to display the object; (E) calculate R,G,B values from tristimulus values over the range of aspecular angles and determine maximum saturation of R,G,B values and bring into range allowed by color display device; (F) determine statistical texture function of paint coating to be simulated; and (G) apply statistical texture function to the R,G,B values of step (E) and display color pixels on color display device to show realistic color of paint coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Larry Eugene Steenhoek, Allan Blase Joseph Rodrigues, Daniel A. Benton, Gerard T. Brosmer, Robert Vincent Canning, Jr., Aaron J. Owens
  • Patent number: 7639263
    Abstract: The values of each possible component output R, G, and B may be pre-computed for all values of each possible component input Y, U, and V. Each contribution of Y, U, and V input may then be loaded into a register and added in parallel, without overflow, resulting in a computationally inexpensive RGB output from a YUV input. In one embodiment, contributions of Y, U, and V to each of R, G, and B are retrieved from pre-computed tables. The YUV contributions for each value of R, G, and B are packed into three data elements and added together in parallel, resulting in a value for an RGB output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Karlov, Gilles Khouzam
  • Patent number: 7623704
    Abstract: A representative color calculation section calculates a representative color representing a region, which is a subject of color adjustment in an input image. A color adjustment distance calculation section calculates, as a color adjustment distance, a Euclidean distance on a color space between the representative color calculated by the representative color calculation section and a given target color. A reproduction color calculation section calculates a reproduction color expressing the adjusted color of the region, which is the subject of the color adjustment, in such a manner that the colors of the region is adjusted on the basis of the color adjustment distance so that the colors of the region is adjusted little when the color adjustment distance is long, but the color of the region is brought near to the target color when the color adjustment distance is short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20090278856
    Abstract: In order to calculate the calorimetric value of a color patch under a given viewing illuminant, a plurality of colorimetric value sets obtained by measuring the colors of color patches under a plurality of illuminants are stored in a memory, the type of spectral distribution and white point information of the viewing illuminant are obtained (S12), and a calorimetric value set corresponding to the type of spectral distribution of the viewing illuminant is selected (S13). A colorimetric value set under the viewing illuminant is calculated from the selected calorimetric value set, on the basis of the white point information of the viewing illuminant and the white point information of the illuminant of the selected colorimetric value set (S14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7616215
    Abstract: A system and method for image acquisition enables selective automated application of color management to color image data generated by an image-capturing device by the device driver for the device. In the image acquisition system, each image-capturing device has properties or operation parameters that can be set to control the operation of the device. During an image acquisition operation, color image data generated by the image-capturing device are transmitted to the device driver. If the operation parameters of the device are set to indicate that color management is to be performed, the device driver calls color management functions provided by the operating system to perform the desired color operation, such as a color space conversion, on the received color image data. The processed color image data are then sent to the image-processing application for further processing or editing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Stokes, Franc J. Camara, David M. Parsons, Gilman K. Wong, Vladimir Sadovsky
  • Patent number: 7609413
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for performing color manipulation using virtual gamuts. In one aspect of the invention, a method to perform color manipulation on a digital processing system includes: performing color manipulation using a virtual gamut of a device if a real gamut of the device is poor in quality. When the real gamut of the device is wide, color manipulations are performed using the real gamut of the device. In one example according to this aspect, whether or not the real gamut of the device is poor in quality is determined by comparing an area of the real gamut with a threshold gamut area in a chromaticity diagram. A virtual profile of the device specifies the virtual gamut of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Marcu, Steve Swen, Luke Stanislaw Wallis
  • Publication number: 20090262126
    Abstract: A method and system for separated image compression are disclosed. According to one embodiment a computer-implemented method comprises initiating transfer of a screen image, preparing the screen image for separation, separating the screen image into image blocks, compressing the image blocks into image packets, and transmitting the image packets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Xuan Zhang, Bin Zhu
  • Publication number: 20090251484
    Abstract: A portable device comprises a data storage for storing avatar data defining a user avatar. The user avatar is formed by a plurality of visual objects. The portable device further comprises a camera for capturing an image. A visual characteristic processor is arranged to determine a first visual characteristic from the image and an avatar processor is arranged to set an object visual characteristic of an object of the plurality of visual objects in response to the first visual characteristic. The invention may allow improved customization of user avatars. For example, a color of an element of a user avatar may be adapted to a color of a real-life object simply by a user taking a picture thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: Ming-Xi Zhao, Jian-Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 7598951
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for synthesizing and expressing multiple effects and textures in a 3-dimensional graph image. The method includes: defining nodes in VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), the nodes being used to express multiple effects; inputting VRML files corresponding to the defined nodes, the VRML files having information on the 3-dimensional image and the multiple effects to be expressed in the 3-dimensional image; generating the 3-dimensional image by using the input VRML files; and expressing the multiple effects in the generated 3-dimensional image by using the information on the multiple effects in the input VRML files. Accordingly, the VRML nodes and fields are defined to synthesize multiple effects and multiple textures in the 3-dimensional image, so that it is possible to effectively apply the multiple effects and multiple texture effects in the 3-dimensional image in cooperation with a conventional 3-dimensional image expression method and apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keechang Lee, Dokyoon Kim, Jeonghwan Ahn, Seyoon Tak, Sangoak Woo
  • Patent number: 7598961
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to effect a multiple mode display system that may accept multiple input image data formats and output several possible image data formats. One method is disclosed for converting from a source color space to a target color space. The source color space results from a combination of N primary color points and the target color space resulting from combination of a N+1 or more primary color points in the target color space, wherein N is an integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Francis Higgins
  • Publication number: 20090244563
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically converting first color data to second color data using a look-up table, wherein the first color data is a subset of a first color space, and the second color data is a subset of a second color space. In some embodiments, at least one first color value is input in the first color data. At least one look-up table entry may be calculated for the at least one first color value in the first color data, if the look-up table entry has not been previously calculated. The at least one calculated look-up table entry may be stored. At least one value in the second color data, which corresponds to the at least one first color value, can be computed based on the at least one first color value and the stored value of the at least one look-up table entry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Kurt Nordback
  • Patent number: 7589739
    Abstract: There is provided a color evaluating method of an image display device, which evaluates colors displayed by the image display device, including: displaying an image evaluation image, in which a plurality of color regions corresponding to a pixel or a plurality of pixels of the image display device and each having one of a plurality of colors is included and, among the plurality of color regions, at least one color region and at least one other color region having a color similar to that of the one color region are arranged to be adjacent to each other, on the image display device; and evaluating the colors displayed by the image display device based on picked-up image data obtained by picking up the color evaluation image displayed by the image display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7589874
    Abstract: When the color gamut of a printer is further expanded, if the same gamut expansion processing as in the prior art is applied, the chroma level becomes too high beyond necessity, resulting in extremely vivid colors. Hence, less than a favorable image is obtained. To solve this problem, information of each of an input gamut and output gamut is input, an expanding method of the input gamut is set, and an expanded gamut is generated by expanding the input gamut by that expanding method. Based on the information of the expanded gamut and output gamut, conversion characteristics required to convert the color values of the expanded gamut to those of the output gamut are calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7583407
    Abstract: In a high lightness region of a color hue corresponding to a basic color material, the high lightness region ranging from a lightness level corresponding to the maximum color saturation level that is reproducible by the basic color material to the highest lightness level, color separation data corresponding to the basic color material is generated. In an intermediate lightness region whose lightness level is lower than that of the high lightness region, color separation data corresponding to the basic color material and two color materials (one of them is preferably is a particular color material) that have color hues close to that of the basic color material is generated. This provides the advantage of enlarging the color gamut in the low lightness region of a basic color hue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ayato Imai
  • Publication number: 20090213136
    Abstract: A method for selecting a desired color from a screen display using a color selection tool that may appear as an eyedropper. Rather than independently choosing pixels or a matrix of pixels, the user blends a color by selecting pixels using a mouse cursor. In response, the color of each selected pixel is incrementally blended into the current color at a constant rate. That is, each selected pixel is blended with the current color according to a constant blending factor. In this manner, the current color changes at a constant rate with the contribution of each successive pixel. This approach allows the user to gradually blend colors from the screen display, much as a painter would gradually mix colors on a palette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Nicolas Desjardins, Kuo-Cheng Tong
  • Publication number: 20090213135
    Abstract: A method for providing color space conversion is desribed. The method included receiving a graphics object. The graphics object includes at least a first component expressed in a first color space and a second component expressed in a second color space. The first color space is distinct from the second color space. The method also includes piece-wise converting the graphics object to generate output data expressed in a third color space. The first component and a second component may be received and combined to generate the graphics object prior to converting. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Tomi Heinonen
  • Patent number: 7576719
    Abstract: A display capable of displaying multi-color space and including a display unit, a control circuit, and a light source is provided. The control circuit is electrically connected to the display unit and the light source respectively. In addition, the light source is controlled by the control circuit to switch between different illumination modes, such that the display is capable of displaying multi-color space with different specifications, for example, sRGB, NTSC, SMPTE, PAL, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventor: Jih-Fon Huang
  • Patent number: 7567370
    Abstract: A color display including: a stacked plurality of color layers, each layer being selectively reflective or absorptive of light in a different portion of the human visible spectrum; wherein, the layers are each configured as a plurality of independently addressable picture elements, at least some of the picture elements in at least one of the layers are superimposed in the stack over at least some picture elements in at least one other of the layers, and a resolution of the superimposed picture elements in the at least one of the layers is different from the resolution of the superimposed picture elements in the at least one other of the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Stellbrink, Peter Fricke
  • Publication number: 20090184955
    Abstract: A method of volume rendering includes obtaining data (52) representative of a first composited plane of one or more anatomical structures and calculating data (54) of a second composited plane as a function of a first composited plane. The data of the second composited plane is indicative of a measure of depth of the one or more anatomical structures along respective ray cast lines. The method also includes determining (56) depth weighted color values between two different colorization palettes as a function of the measure of depths of the second composited plane. The determined depth weighted color values are applied (58) to the first composited plane for producing a volume rendering image with depth weighted colorization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Karl E. Thiele
  • Patent number: 7564603
    Abstract: An image processing device generates output data used when an image displayed on a display device is to be output by an output device. The image processing device includes an output execution instruction input unit and a color space converter. The output execution instruction input unit inputs an instruction to execute image output via the output device. The color space converter carries out a first conversion process and a second conversion process. The first conversion process converts first device-dependent image data that expresses an image in a first device-dependent color space handled by the display device into device-independent image data that expresses the image in a device-independent color space. The second conversion process converts the device-independent image data into second device-dependent image data as the output data that expresses the image in a second device-dependent color space handled by the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Hoshii
  • Patent number: 7561302
    Abstract: An image formation control system including an input system that is adapted to input instruction signals concerning a vividness enhancement target color of image signals from a user, and a vividness enhancement processing system that is adapted to apply a vividness enhancement process by converting at least one first area of a color space concerning the image signals to a single vividness enhancement target color corresponding to each first area according to the instruction signals from the user input through the input system, and by determining a second area which is the remaining area of the color space wherein the vividness enhancement process is not applied is provided. The image signals processed with the vividness enhancement process are converted to output data for a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiko Niimi, Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7561753
    Abstract: Methodologies and systems to compare images with different levels of contrast are provided. Contrast is normalized between the images with different contrast levels and brightness is set. When normalizing contrast a derivative of gray level is determined for a first digital image having a first contrast level, and a derivative of gray level is determined for a second digital image having a second contrast level that is greater than the first contrast level. A ratio of the derivative of gray level for the first digital image to the derivative of gray level for the second digital image is determined, and the derivative of gray level for the first digital image is equalized with the derivative of gray level for the second digital image. Brightness of at least one image may be set automatically, such as by calculating an average pixel value excluding background and text, or manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael C. Hutchinson, Michael D. Horky, Mark A. Lee, William D. Meade, James C. Kennedy, Thomas E. Riechers, Michael J. Duncan
  • Patent number: RE41191
    Abstract: A color curve control circuit includes: a data input unit, for entering values for changing colors on the screen of a monitor; a microcomputer, for processing color signals corresponding to color temperature using stored color temperature data and a color curve control program, in order to change the colors on the screen according to signals generated by the data input unit, and for generating color gain signals and color cutoff signals; and a digital to analog converter for converting the digital color gain and cutoff signals from the microcomputer into analog signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Geun Choi