Fleshtone Corrector (e.g., Fixed) Patents (Class 348/652)
  • Patent number: 11291076
    Abstract: Provided is a method of establishing a session for communication with a local network in a wireless communication system, the method including obtaining a request for using an integrated mode in which a user plane entity of a base station uses an integrated user plane entity that performs an operation of a user plane function (UPF) together, when a session between a local network and a user equipment (UE) is established, determining based on user information of the UE whether to accept use of an integrated mode, selecting the integrated user plane entity as a user plane entity in which the session is to be established, based on a result of the determining, and transmitting a session establishment request to the selected integrated user plane entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngsung Kho, Moonyoung Jeong, Jaehyun Hwang, Joonseo Lee, Kyuho Han
  • Patent number: 11222197
    Abstract: A user recognition and confirmation device includes an image sensing unit, a face recognition unit, a display unit and an expression recognition unit. The image sensing unit captures a first image frame and a second image frame. The face recognition unit is configured to recognize a user ID according to the first image frame. The display unit is configured to show ID information of the user ID. The expression recognition unit is configured to confirm a user expression according to the second image frame and output a confirm signal. There is further provided a user recognition and confirmation method and a central control system for vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Liang-Chi Chiu, Yu-Han Chen, Ming-Tsan Kao
  • Patent number: 10440339
    Abstract: A reflection correction processing unit extracts at least color information from a peripheral area of a processing target pixel having a high luminance in an input image, and performs control, to the processing target pixel, to reduce the luminance of the processing target pixel and to bring a chrominance signal of the processing target pixel close to a predetermined chrominance signal ratio. In a case where a chrominance signal ratio based on the color information is close to the predetermined chrominance signal ratio, the reflection correction processing unit increases an intensity of the correction to the processing target pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kotaro Kitajima
  • Patent number: 10156954
    Abstract: A first search result and a second search result and a second search result are received. The first search result represents data in a first data source, and the second search result represents data in a second data source. A source display structure is presented in a first window. The source display structure includes, at least, a representation of the first data source, and a representation of the second data source. The representation of the first data source includes, at least, a first identifier associated with the first data source, and a preview of the first search result. The representation of the second data source includes, at least, a second identifier associated with the second data source. Responsive to a first indication, the first search result is displayed. The first indication is received via a first control associated with the preview of the first search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Hari Krishna Gutlapalli, Hema Bharadwaj, Suhas Rohi Mehta
  • Patent number: 9729814
    Abstract: There is provided a signal processing device including a signal generation unit that generates a control signal for controlling an imaging device connected via one cable, a signal superimposition unit that superimposes the control signal generated by the signal generation unit on a video signal received from the imaging device via the cable without an influence on display of a video corresponding to the video signal, and a transmission unit that transmits the signals superimposed by the signal superimposition unit to the imaging device via the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hitoshi Tomiyama
  • Patent number: 9712743
    Abstract: A technique for processing a digital image uses face detection to achieve one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that corresponds to a face image within the digital image. A skin tone is detected for the face image by determining one or more default color or tonal values, or combinations thereof, for the group of pixels. Values of one or more parameters are adjusted for the group of pixels that correspond to the face image based on the detected skin tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Peter Corcoran, Igor Barcovschi, Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Petronel Bigioi
  • Patent number: 9544014
    Abstract: A pulse generator, which is configured to generate a burst pulse formed by burst oscillation signals oscillated in a predetermined time period, includes a burst oscillation circuit configured to generate the burst oscillation signals of different frequencies; and a control circuit configured to control the burst oscillation circuit so as to select the frequencies of the burst oscillation signals from at least two different frequencies or to stop the burst oscillation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yoichi Kawano
  • Patent number: 9516217
    Abstract: A technique for processing a digital image uses face detection to achieve one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that corresponds to a face image within the digital image. A skin tone is detected for the face image by determining one or more default color or tonal values, or combinations thereof, for the group of pixels. Values of one or more parameters are adjusted for the group of pixels that correspond to the face image based on the detected skin tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Peter Corcoran, Igor Barcovschi, Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Petronel Bigioi
  • Patent number: 8553134
    Abstract: An endoscope is provided having an imaging sensor, a focusing lens, and an image processor. The imaging sensor converts an optical image to an output image signal. The focusing lens focuses on an object. The image processor calculates a contrast value based on the image signal while the focusing lens moves to focus on an object, and in the case where the image processor detects a region in which the amount of variation in the contrast value is within a predetermined range, while the focusing lens moves in a close range around a focusing point the image processor processes at least one output image in which either the image has been cropped to exclude the region, an ornament has been added to the region, or the region has been softened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Saki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8103094
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for performing color correction. One product can receive a digital image that includes a region depicting human skin; obtain a skin color value based on a sample; receive a skin parameter value that is a tan or a blush value; use the skin color value and the skin parameter value to determine an estimated ambient lighting condition of the image; and determine a color correction based on the estimated lighting condition and a target lighting condition. Another product can use the skin color value to determine an estimated color temperature of the image and an estimated tint shift of the image, and can determine a color correction based on the estimated lighting condition and a target lighting condition and the estimated tint shift. Another product can use the skin color value and the skin parameter value to determine an estimated camera color setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Gregg D. Wilensky
  • Patent number: 8045062
    Abstract: A method for color tone correction is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of first intermediate components by scaling a plurality of first color components towards a first ideal color, wherein the first color components (i) are for a first plurality of pixels in an input video signal and (ii) fall inside a first region of a color space, (B) generating a plurality of first corrected components by adjusting the first intermediate components such that a first mapping of the first color components to the first corrected components is both (i) continuous in the color space and (ii) non-overlapping in the color space and (C) generating an output video signal by combining the first corrected components with a plurality of unaltered color components, wherein the unaltered color components (i) are for a second plurality of the pixels and (ii) fall outside the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Lowell L. Winger
  • Publication number: 20110134328
    Abstract: A video processing apparatus includes: a skin color region detection device that detects a skin color region in one frame from hue/saturation/brightness signals; a skin color area calculation device that calculates the skin color area of one frame based on the skin color region detection result; a gamma correction control device that generates a gamma correction control signal for a luminance signal based on the skin color area calculation result; a gamma correction device that performs gamma correction according to the gamma correction control signal for the luminance signal; a color space transform device that transforms the gamma-corrected luminance signal and color-difference signals to the hue/saturation/brightness signals; a skin color correction device that corrects only the skin color based on the transformed signals; a color space inverse transform device that inverse-transforms the corrected hue/saturation/brightness signals to color signals; and a video display device that displays the color signal
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi TOMIOKA, Nobuko Fujita
  • Publication number: 20100315559
    Abstract: A method for color tone correction is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of first intermediate components by scaling a plurality of first color components towards a first ideal color, wherein the first color components (i) are for a first plurality of pixels in an input video signal and (ii) fall inside a first region of a color space, (B) generating a plurality of first corrected components by adjusting the first intermediate components such that a first mapping of the first color components to the first corrected components is both (i) continuous in the color space and (ii) non-overlapping in the color space and (C) generating an output video signal by combining the first corrected components with a plurality of unaltered color components, wherein the unaltered color components (i) are for a second plurality of the pixels and (ii) fall outside the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventor: Lowell L. Winger
  • Patent number: 7834936
    Abstract: System and method for increasing the blue component of white and near white pixels while avoiding hard transitions and without affecting flesh-tone colors. Pixels that are bright enough and fall within a detection area in the UV-plane have their blue components increased and their red components decreased. The detection area is limited to avoid application of blue stretch to flesh-tone colors. A transition boundary is provided around the detection area for gradually decreasing the amount of blue stretch as pixels move away from the boundary of the detection area, thereby avoiding hard transitions between areas that are blue stretched and areas that are not blue stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventors: Sheena Luu, Andrew Mackinnon
  • Patent number: 7821580
    Abstract: A method for a color tone correction is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a plurality of first intermediate components by scaling a plurality of first color components towards a first ideal color, wherein the first color components (i) are for a first plurality of pixels in an input video signal and (ii) fall inside a first region of a color space, (B) generating a plurality of first corrected components by adjusting the first intermediate components such that a first mapping of the first color components to the first corrected components is both (i) continuous in the color space and (ii) non-overlapping in the color space and (C) generating an output video signal by combining the first corrected components with a plurality of unaltered color components, wherein the unaltered color components (i) are for a second plurality of the pixels and (ii) fall outside the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Lowell L. Winger
  • Patent number: 7778483
    Abstract: A digital image processing method includes extracting chromatic information of an image taken by an image taking device and related to a human subject; detecting visually interesting regions; and exposure correcting of the taken image by normalizing a grey scale of the taken image based on the visually interesting regions. Advantageously, the method includes recognizing areas corresponding to the skin of the subject, these areas being used as the visually interesting regions for the exposure correction step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Giuseppe Messina, Sebastiano Battiato, Alfio Castorina, Laurent Plaza
  • Patent number: 7619691
    Abstract: In a method of picture signal enhancement, a picture signal is subjected (3, 7) to a histogram-based picture signal modification based on a luminance level distribution over a whole picture or a first part of the picture, and the histogram-based picture signal modification is locally adjusted (5) in dependence on locally measured picture signal properties other than contrast and brightness, the locally measured picture signal relating to second parts of the picture that are each substantially smaller than the whole picture or the first part of the picture, the second parts being within the whole picture or the first part of the picture. Preferably, the second parts are individual pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N. V.
    Inventors: Marina Marie Pierre Nicolas, Michel Wouter Nieuwenhuizen
  • Patent number: 7495710
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a tuner for selecting a desired channel; a decoder for decoding broadcasting signals (Y, U, V) inputted from the selected channel; a video processing unit for processing the decoded broadcasting signals into (R, G, B) signals; a gain adjustment unit for adjusting the gain value of the (R, G, B) signals processed by the video processing unit; a display unit for displaying the (R, G, B) signals the gain of which has been adjusted; and a control unit for detecting skin color from the (R, G, B) signals processed by the video processing unit and calculating luminance signal level to correct the luminance signal level of the (R, G, B) signals. The display apparatus can accurately correct skin color in low luminance level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hee Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 7460181
    Abstract: System and method for increasing the blue component of white and near white pixels while avoiding hard transitions and without affecting flesh-tone colors. Pixels that are bright enough and fall within a detection area in the UV-plane have their blue components increased and their red components decreased. The detection area is limited to avoid application of blue stretch to flesh-tone colors. A transition boundary is provided around the detection area for gradually decreasing the amount of blue stretch as pixels move away from the boundary of the detection area, thereby avoiding hard transitions between areas that are blue stretched and areas that are not blue stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Genesis Microchip Inc.
    Inventors: Sheena Luu, Andrew Mackinnon
  • Patent number: 7339619
    Abstract: A color signal of a primary color or a color signal of a complementary color is converted from a CCD to signals in a color space having an intensity, a hue and a chroma. Tone conversion is performed on a luminance signal. A chroma correction coefficient is calculated to be used for performing correction on a chroma signal. A first maximum chroma value is calculated with respect to the luminance signal and a hue signal and a second maximum chroma value is calculated with respect to the hue signal and the converted luminance signal. And a correction coefficient is calculated based on the first and second maximum chroma values and the chroma signal is corrected based on the correction coefficient and the chroma correction coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 7231085
    Abstract: A chromaticity diagram is divided into a plurality of sections by a primary color line and a complementary color line of a color that does not cause hue turn, then it is decided to which section a color signal being output from an imaging device belongs, and then a color correcting operation is performed for the color signal every section. Accordingly, it is not needed to detect the flesh color itself when the hue turn of the flesh color is corrected by the color correcting operation. Any flesh color can be decided easily according to whether or not the color signal being output from the imaging device has entered into the section including the flesh color. Therefore, the appropriate color correcting operation can be applied to the flesh color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Aotsuka
  • Patent number: 7046305
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically enhancing the foliage display of a color signal includes providing the color signal in multiplexed form having alternating first and second components, the first component being substantially aligned with a flesh tone color space axis, the second component being substantialy aligned with a green tone color space axis. A de-multiplexing unit separates the first and second components to provide a first de-multiplexed component substantially aligned with the flesh tone axis and a second de-multiplexed component substantially aligned with the green tone axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Rick Wayne Miller, Eric Stephen Carlsgaard, Karl Francis Horlander
  • Patent number: 6903782
    Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for performing segmentation-based enhancements of a video image. The apparatus comprises: 1) an input buffer for storing video frames of an incoming video signal; 2) a segmentation controller capable of segmenting a first stored frame into a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments comprising a plurality of pixels having at least one common property; 3) an image processor capable of calculating a probability function associated with at least one pixel in the first stored frame, the probability function indicating a probability that the at least one pixel belongs within a first selected one of the plurality of segments; and 4) an enhancement controller capable of enhancing a parameter of the at least one pixel as a function of the probability function of the at least one pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Stephen Herman, Johan G. Janssen
  • Patent number: 6876399
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus for a microscope of this invention includes an image sensing unit for sensing an observation image obtained by a microscope and obtaining the observation image, a microscopy technique determination unit for detecting a microscopy technique in the microscope, a chromaticity determination unit for determining chromaticity of the observation image on the basis of the microscopy technique detected by said microscopy technique determination unit, and determining a region where color balance is adjusted in the observation image, and a color balance adjustment unit for adjusting color balance in accordance with a color balance adjustment amount arbitrarily set for the region of the observation image determined by said chromaticity determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Masuyama, Tetsuya Shirota
  • Publication number: 20040183951
    Abstract: A monitoring system and method that can detect and capture an image at a monitored position as an analog video signal, and in response, convert the analog video signal into a digital video signal for enlargement, analysis and storage of detected facial images therein.. The system comprises a candidate area detection unit for comparing a color difference signal level of the converted digital video signal with a reference range for detecting at least one skin color candidate area. The system further comprises a control unit for outputting a zooming control signal to the image-capturing unit to capture enlarged images of each detected skin color candidate area and a face detection unit for detecting a face video signal from the enlarged images. A compression/recording unit is provided for then compressing and recording the detected face image video signal, and allowing a user to easily perform a search for a subject's face when searching recorded video data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventor: Hyeok-beom Lee
  • Publication number: 20030174215
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting digital images is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, a unique subject in a current image to be corrected is identified in one or more reference images. Pixel characteristics of the unique subject in the current image to be corrected are compared to the pixel characteristics of the unique subject as it appears in the one or more reference images. Using the comparison, a systemic error of the current image is inferred, and a correction function correcting the inferred error is determined. One embodiment of the invention corrects the color of a digital image based on identifying individual humans in the current image and in the reference images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: Michael A. Goldsmith
  • Publication number: 20030030754
    Abstract: In a color correcting parameter calculator, a color correcting unit 11 calculates a target color by executing color correction processing of an input color on a reference side while a reference side color perception value calculator unit 13 calculates color perception values of the input color and its target color on the reference side. An object side color perception value calculator unit 15 calculates color perception values of an input color on an object side. A color difference searching unit 16 detects that input color on the reference side which has a minimum color difference with the input color on the object side, by accessing a color perception storage unit 14 for input and target colors for the reference side. A device dependent color unit 17 on the object side calculates device dependent color data of a target color on the object side with reference to perception values of the target color on the reference side while a color correcting parameter calculator 18 calculates color correcting parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Tsukada
  • Patent number: 6476820
    Abstract: A signal Y outputted from a Y/C separating circuit is supplied to first and second matrices. Signals R-Y and B-Y are supplied to the first matrix through a gain control amplifier (GCA) and are also supplied to the second matrix. The signals Y, R-Y, and B-Y are converted into three primary color signals R, G, and B by the second matrix. From the signals R, G, and B, a skin color component is detected by a skin color detecting circuit and Eskin is outputted. On the basis of Eskin, color components other than the skin color are detected by a color component detecting circuit and Eother is outputted. Eother−Eskin is supplied as a control voltage to the GCA. Gains for the signals R-Y and B-Y are controlled. When the video signal indicates the skin color component, the control voltage is set to 0 and the gain is set to 1. When the video signal indicates a color component other than the skin color component, Eother is generated, the control voltage rises, and the gain is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Harada, Junji Kagita
  • Patent number: 6384837
    Abstract: A symbol color compensating method for a color display system includes the steps of detecting colors of a plurality of pixels from an image being displayed, calculating an entire frequency number of flesh tone, blue and green colors from the detected colors, selecting one color among the flesh tone, blue and green colors when the calculated frequency number thereof is more than a predetermined value, and controlling a color density and a brightness value of the displayed image in accordance with the selected color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang-Chun Lee, Yeong-Ho Ha, Jin-Seob Kim
  • Patent number: 6343141
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting skin areas in video sequences is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to include a shape locator and a tone detector. The shape locator analyzes the input video sequences to identify the edges of all the objects in a video frame and determine whether such edges approximate the outline of a predetermined shape that is likely to contain a skin area. Once objects likely to contain skin areas are located by the shape locator, the tone detector examines the picture elements (pixels) of each located object to determine if such pixels have signal energies that are characteristic of skin areas. The tone detector then samples pixels that have signal energies which are characteristic of skin areas to determine a range of skin tones and compares the range of sampled skin tones with the tones in the entire frame to find all matching skin tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okada, Jonathan David Rosenberg
  • Publication number: 20010052944
    Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus and a design method therefor are provided, and more particularly, a design method for a video signal processing integrated circuit (IC), in which to solve the shortage of pin ports caused by designing a video signal processor in a single IC, a vertical synchronization signal is output and a quasi synchronization signal is input through a single pin port, and an IC and a video signal processing apparatus thereby are provided. According to the design method, by designing a vertical synchronization dividing circuit inside an IC without increasing the number of pins in a video signal processing IC, the present invention can reduce the number of components, material costs, and save the PCB space. In addition, by integrating the vertical synchronization dividing circuit inside an IC, the component difference of a discrete device can be reduced, which enhances IC performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventor: Chul-min Kim
  • Publication number: 20010005222
    Abstract: An automatic correcting device of an identification photo system comprises a skin pigmentation area abstracting device that abstracts a skin pigmentation area from an image of a person, a skin pigmentation correction value calculating device that calculates skin pigmentation correction values according to colors of the skin pigmentation area abstracted by the skin pigmentation area abstracting device and a predetermined skin pigmentation correction target value, and a color correcting device that corrects colors of the skin pigmentation area according to the skin pigmentation correction values calculated by the skin pigmentation correction value calculating device. Thus, the skin pigmentation of the person in the photo can be corrected to the person's true pigmentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6169536
    Abstract: A color picture quality compensation circuit comprising a device for detecting whether a reference color signal is present in a color signal representing a color of a video image; a device for determining a respective one of a plurality of types of reference color corresponding to a detected reference color signal; a device for providing preset compensation values, each value corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of types of reference color; and a device for adjusting the picture quality of the video image in accordance with one of said compensation values corresponding to said respective type of reference color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang-Chun Lee, Yeong-Ho Ha, Kyong-Chul Hong
  • Patent number: 6072526
    Abstract: An automatic exposure control apparatus comprises a skin color extracting circuit for extracting a skin-colored portion from an input video signal and a focus condition detecting circuit for detecting a focus condition of the skin-colored portion. Exposure is controlled based on outputs of the two circuits. That is, when a skin-colored portion is extracted and it is detected that the skin-colored portion is in an in-focus condition, exposure is controlled so as to be appropriate with respect to the skin-colored portion. A skin color correction unit can correct colors corresponding to the skin color from the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Hashimoto, Keizou Ochi, Gen Sasaki, Kenji Mizumoto, Hiroaki Kubo, Yoshihiko Azuma, Takehiro Katoh, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5999230
    Abstract: A tone correction apparatus corrects the tone of an input color image signal independently of each of a plurality of hue areas divided by a plurality of standard axes passing through a plurality of standard colors set on a hue coordinate system. The tone correction apparatus judges whether the hue of an input color image signal belongs to which one of first and second auxiliary hue areas, the first and second auxiliary hue areas being one of the plurality of hue areas divided by an auxiliary standard axis of an auxiliary standard color, and if the hue of the input color image signal is judged to belong to one of the first and second auxiliary hue areas, independently performs tone correction of the input color image signal with respect to color components along one standard axis of the plurality of standard axes surrounding the one auxiliary hue area to which the hue of the input color image signal belongs and along the auxiliary standard axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Tanabe
  • Patent number: 5926617
    Abstract: A test image 40 for determining a gamma value has a plurality of first gradation patterns 20 and a plurality of second gradation patterns 30. The patterns 20 and 30 are arranged alternately in a vertical direction. In each pattern 20, a relative brightness linearly increases from left to right. In each pattern 30, a relative brightness linearly decreases from left to right.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Ohara, Masaaki Hibino, Koji Kobayakawa, Masashi Ueda, Masaaki Hori, Yasunari Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5798801
    Abstract: An arrangement for increasing saturation of colors in a color television signal while maintaining fleshtone colors at a same level, the arrangement including a circuit for detecting color signals in a color television signal, circuitry for discerning fleshtone color signals in the detected color signals, a circuit for measuring signal levels of the detected color signals other than the discerned fleshtone color signals, and a circuit for increasing the signal levels of the detected color signals other than the discerned fleshtone color signals in dependence on at least one of the measured signal levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Skinner
  • Patent number: 5638136
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a color difference signal of an image includes a video signal processor. The video signal processor receives a luminance signal and color difference signals representing the image, and accesses a color saturation level from a color saturation level table stored in memory based on the color difference signals. The video signal processor then detects flesh tone in areas of the image based on the luminance signal and the color saturation level, and generates a flesh tone detecting signal based on results of the flesh tone detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kojima, Tetsuya Kuno, Hiroaki Sugiura, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5585860
    Abstract: A skin-color-area detector generates a skin-color-area signal from an input video signal. An average luminance level detector generates an average luminance level signal from a luminance signal. These signals are transmitted to a skin-color-corrector to generate skin-color-correction signals. At a saturation controller and at a luminance signal corrector which each receive the skin color corrections signals, skin-color is optimumly corrected. Thereby reproduction quality of skin-color signals in video signals is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Takeshima
  • Patent number: 5583666
    Abstract: This invention provides a method for transforming an input color space to an output color space where each of a plurality of specified colors and/or color regions are constrained to be transformed by any one of a plurality of explicitly specified color calibration or color enhancement strategies. The method involves a two step process: 1) constraints are applied to some subset of the points in the input color space explicitly specifying the transform into the output color space; 2) the reminder of the points are then transformed by a mapping strategy which preserves color continuity. The mapping strategy used in the preferred embodiment is based on a computer graphics geometric morphing technique. In the preferred embodiment, multi-dimensional look-up tables are used to implement the color transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Richard N. Ellson, Kevin E. Spaulding, Andrew H. Mutz, Ron Gershon
  • Patent number: 5574513
    Abstract: A video signal processor controls aperture correction of the video signal by detecting the occurrence of particular colors in the image produced by the video signal. The particular color, for example, fleshtone, is detected as a ratio of the amplitude of an in-phase color signal and the magnitude of its corresponding quadrature phase color signal. This defines a range of color phases which are classified as the particular color, regardless of their saturation. The detected color is converted into a control signal which changes the amplitude of the aperture correction signal. In one embodiment the control signal has a value of zero if the detected color is within the range of color phases and a value of one otherwise. This control signal is used as a multiplier for the aperture correction signal. In another embodiment, a second range of colors is defined around the defined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Panasonic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Topper
  • Patent number: 5561474
    Abstract: The color video camera has a processing circuit which converts electrical signals obtained from an imager into a luminance signal and color-difference signals. The color video camera further includes a memory which stores a table of values designating color saturation levels and corresponding to a specific hue of a background color. The memory outputs a color saturation level based on the color difference signals obtained by imaging an object on a background of the specific hue. This color saturation level is compared with the luminance signal, and based on the comparison results the luminance signal and color difference signals are separated into components corresponding to the background area and components corresponding to the object area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kojima, Tetsuya Kuno, Hiroaki Sugiura, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5555031
    Abstract: In a video signal processing circuit, an adaptive signal compression is realized by correcting the color saturation by multiplication of color difference signals (R-Y, G-Y) by a same correction factor in such a way that color signal values (R, G, B) remain below their respective maximally allowed values without the luminance (Y) being limited as well. Preferably, the correction factor is obtained in dependence upon a non-linearly compressed luminance signal (Y').
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Johannes H. J. M. Van Rooij
  • Patent number: 5502508
    Abstract: A gradation compensating apparatus comprises a skin color detecting circuit for detecting a skin color signal from an inputted color difference signal, a compensation amount controlling circuit for controlling the signal level by the skin color detecting signal as a compensating signal, an APL detecting circuit for detecting an APL level from an inputted luminance signal and for outputting the detected APL level as an APL voltage, an APL controlling circuit for controlling the compensating signal level by the APL voltage, an output circuit for outputting a compensating output voltage by controlling the compensating signal with an inputted dc voltage, and a CRT driving circuit for controlling the brightness of the picture by using the compensating output voltage as a cutoff reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Kawabata, Atsuhisa Kageyama
  • Patent number: 5488429
    Abstract: A flesh-tone area is detected based on color-difference and luminance signals constituting video signals, and luminance correction, color correction, and aperture correction are performed only on the flesh-tone area or a human face area identified in the flesh-tone area. The setting of a focus area or the setting of a photometric area for iris control, automatic gain control, automatic shutter control, etc., in a video camera, is performed with respect to the flesh-tone area or the human face area. Furthermore, based on the color-difference and luminance signals constituting the video signals, a background area is detected, and the video signals are divided into components representing a background area and components representing an object area. An image signal of a desired hue or a still image is superimposed on the detected background area, or special processing is performed on the video signals representing the object area other than the detected background area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kojima, Tetsuya Kuno, Hiroaki Sugiura, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 5428402
    Abstract: Tint detection circuit for automatically selecting a desired tint in a video signal, including a limit signal generator coupled to receive first (R), second (G) and third (R) color signals in order to generate first and second limit signals (CRITR, CRITB); a color-difference generator coupled to receive the first (R), second (G) and third (B) color signals in order to generate first and second color difference signals (G-R, G-B); and a window comparator coupled to the limit signal generator and to the color-difference generator in order to determine whether the first and second color difference signals (G-R, G-B) are within the windows determined by the first and second limit signals (CRITR, CRITB) so as to supply a tint detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Johannes H. J. M. Van Rooij
  • Patent number: 5416533
    Abstract: A pedestal clamping device clamps a pedestal level of an input video signal in response to a predetermined pedestal voltage, and converts the input video signal into a clamped video signal. A black-level expanding device expands a tone of a black portion of the clamped video signal, and converts the clamped video signal into a black-level expanded video signal. A color greatest detecting device detects a greatest of color signals of the input video signal. A adding device adds an output signal from the color greatest detecting device and the pedestal voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuhisa Kageyama
  • Patent number: 5384601
    Abstract: An automatic color adjustment apparatus for use in an imaging device for adjusting the color of a subject such as skin or leave, which is well retained in human memory, to be as natural as possible. The color adjustment apparatus has a weighting coefficient setting device for setting a weighting coefficient according to the difference between the input chromaticity value and the preselected reference chromaticity value set by a chromaticity value setting device. The preselected reference chromaticity value is selected, with respect to a particular subject, such as skin, to be equal to the most natural color of that subject in a chromaticity plane defined by hue and saturation characteristics. The color-adjusted output signal is produced from a calculator which calculates an internal division operation applied to the preselected reference chromaticity value and the input chromaticity signal using the weighting coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Yamashita, Takashi Yumiba
  • Patent number: 5381185
    Abstract: In a method for correcting flesh color including the steps of generating an I-axis component and Q-axis component of a color-difference signal from R-Y, G-Y, and B-Y color-difference signals; generating a flesh color correction signal on the basis of the generated I-axis and Q-axis components; and correcting the B-Y color-difference signal by the generated flesh color correction signal, the R-Y color-difference signal level is detected, and correction of the B-Y color-difference signal by the flesh color correction signal is inhibited, when the detected R-Y color-difference signal level is higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Video and Information
    Inventors: Hideaki Ohki, Masanori Kamiya
  • Patent number: 5333070
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for carrying out color correction on a video signal. The apparatus basically comprises a Y/C separating circuit for separating the video signal into a luminance signal and a color signal, a decoder for decomposing these signals into color separation signals, three three-row/three-column type color-correcting matrix circuits for electrically processing the color separation signals for color correction, an A/D converter circuit for converting the so-processed signals into digital signals, a frame memory for storing the digital signals therein as data, a correction circuit and a printer head. By using the apparatus referred to above, a user can emphatically perform correction on the hue, chroma and luminance of each of specific colors. Thus, the user can adjust the quality of an image with extreme ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Ichikawa