Gradation Patents (Class 358/521)
  • Patent number: 11948506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a deformable display, more in particular a flexible, stretchable, and transparent deformable display based on light-emitting elements such as for example light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The invention also relates to the use and applications of such deformable display, including systems and methods making use of such deformable display. In addition the invention relates to a flexible, stretchable and transparent display being deformable in real-time while maintaining deformability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: STEREYO BV
    Inventors: Robbie Thielemans, Vince Dundee, Marc Johan Van Eekeren, Steve Simard
  • Patent number: 11548291
    Abstract: A technique includes printing a first image including a plurality of edge pixels and a second image with a lower ratio of edges pixels than the first image and an average density equal to that of the first image and determining a value of a processing parameter so that the average densities of the first image and the second image match. The technique is configured to realize appropriate pre-print processing while preventing the average densities from being low due to the excessive pre-print processing or being high due to the insufficient pre-print processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Koyama, Shinpei Shinohara
  • Patent number: 11507423
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for performing parallel data processing, including: receiving data for parallel processing from a data processing requestor; generating a plurality of data sub-blocks; determining a plurality of data portions in each data sub-block of the plurality of data sub-blocks; changing an order of the plurality of data portions in at least one data sub-block of the plurality of data sub-blocks; providing the plurality of data sub-blocks, including the at least one data sub-block comprising the changed order of the plurality of data portions, to a plurality of processing units for parallel processing; and receiving processed data associated with the plurality of data sub-blocks from the plurality of processing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Hee Jun Park, Richard Gerard Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11496651
    Abstract: In this print method, assuming that the number of stacking of ink layers in a thickest portion in a thickly-piled portion is N, in a histogram preparation step ST2, a histogram of luminance values of grayscale image data prepared in an image data preparation step ST1 is prepared, and in luminance value range setting steps ST3 to ST10, a luminance value of predetermined gradations of the histogram is divided into N and N luminance value ranges are set. In the luminance value range setting steps ST3 to ST10, a division position of the luminance value of the predetermined gradations is adjusted while the histogram displayed on a predetermined display is checked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keita Nishio
  • Patent number: 11480354
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a camera to capture an image of a drain pan inside the air conditioner. An air-conditioning management device acquires, from the air conditioner, captured image information indicating an image of the drain pan captured by the air conditioner. The air-conditioning management device compares the captured image information with reference image information indicating a captured image of the drain pan used as a reference to calculate a dirtiness degree. The air-conditioning management device transmits, to a monitoring terminal, information useful for monitoring of the drain pan, such as the capture image information, information indicating the dirtiness degree, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Taichi Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 11403741
    Abstract: There is provided a video signal processing apparatus, including: a first interface configured to obtain a first video signal imaged within a first dynamic range; a second interface configured to obtain information for specifying a partial area of the obtained first video signal; and an arithmetic processing circuit configured to calculate a representative value of brightness of the first video signal of the partial area, to compress a dynamic range of the first video signal depending on the calculated representative value, and to generate a second video signal, a dynamic range of the second video signal being restricted to a second dynamic range narrower than the first dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kikuchi, Jun Onuki, Masaki Hirose
  • Patent number: 11322116
    Abstract: A display device is disclosed. The display device comprises: a storage configured to store output brightness information for each gradation according to brightness information of an image; and a processor configured to acquire target brightness corresponding to brightness information of an input image on the basis of the information stored in the storage, acquire a target light amount on the basis of a light amount of the input image, acquire a plurality of correction effects corresponding to a plurality of correction images by applying a plurality of gradation adjustment curves to the input image, acquire a gradation adjustment curve corresponding to the maximum correction effect among the plurality of correction effects, and adjust and output a gradation for each pixel of the input image on the basis of the acquired gradation adjustment curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaemoon Lim, Joseph Kim, Younghoon Jeong, Chun Zhao
  • Patent number: 11158285
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce computation for color conversion processing on input RGB color signals with maintaining the hue of a picture expressed by the input RGB color signals. A color conversion processor of the present invention includes: a conversion unit that converts color data including multiple color components, which can be displayed in a first color gamut, to corresponding color data in a second color gamut, which is narrower than the first color gamut; a first color correction unit that corrects the converted color data by using a first color correction value; a first derivation unit that derives a first luminance correction value by multiplication using the first color correction value; and a first luminance correction unit that corrects the color data, corrected by the first color correction unit, by using the first luminance correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiko Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 11114045
    Abstract: A method and system for enhancing the visibility of screen images in a high ambient light condition or environment by processing the object images comprising a first stage to increase the brightness of transmission light from the back-light of an LCD screen and a second stage to further enhance the brightness as well as the contrast of the images to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: JL MARINE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen E. du Buis, David Bailey
  • Patent number: 10902643
    Abstract: A color detection system, comprising: a card having printed thereon a color chart comprising multiple colored areas, and at least one grayscale area; a camera configured to acquire an image comprising a pixel representation a sample positioned adjacent to the card; a storage device configured to store reference data corresponding to the color chart and the at least one grayscale area; and a processor configured to: perform a grayscale correction to the pixel representation of the color chart and sample using a grayscale correction transformation between the pixel representation the grayscale area and the corresponding reference data, estimate colorimetric coordinates for the sample by applying to the respective grayscale corrected pixel representation, a transformation between the grayscale corrected pixel representation of the color chart and the corresponding colorimetric reference data, and convert the estimated colorimetric coordinates for the sample to RGB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Inventors: Mirta Perlman, Gilad Gotesman, Ilanit Mor, Alon Moshe
  • Patent number: 10831105
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for directly curing photopolymer printing plates, such as with UV radiation. Printing plates are cured directly by radiation, such as emitted from a high power UV laser beam. No LAMS layer or film bearing the image information is required on top of the polymer plate. The laser beam may be split into several individually-modulated beams by means of an Acousto Optical Deflector. Each individual beam is capable of curing pixels of the image that are to be transferred to the printing plate. Support shoulders for the printing details, formed by the pixels are determined by the caustic of the UV beam propagation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Esko-Graphics Imaging GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Sievers
  • Patent number: 10567619
    Abstract: In a case where image correction is performed to deal with a registration shift and a color shift in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, it is made possible to obtain a sufficient correction effect even in a high-quality mode. The image forming apparatus having a first printing mode and a second printing mode includes: at least one controller, having at least one processor which executes instructions stored in at least one memory, at least one circuitry or a combination of the at least one processor and the at least one circuitries, being configured to: perform scan line changing processing to shift an image in units of pixels in a sub scanning direction at a predetermined scan line changing point in a main scanning direction in accordance with characteristics of a laser scan line; and correct a tone level value of a pixel of interest in an image after the scan line changing processing by referring to a tone level value of a pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest in a sub scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Michihiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 10298804
    Abstract: A method, and document scanner system, for correcting image values recorded by an optical document scanner with multiple color cameras arranged in a staggered configuration with overlap scan areas includes storing color correction values mapped to respective color index values, where a color correction value is computed from a color difference between a first color value and a second color value of the respective overlap sets, and correcting a third color value which is a color value from the second set of color image values by a color correction value which is looked up via a color index value determined from the third color value. Thereby color variations among staggered cameras are corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Contex A/S
    Inventors: Poul Overgaard, Peter Nissen, Gerard Verhaegh
  • Patent number: 10142509
    Abstract: A scanning device comprises a scan assembly, a control processor and an output interface. The scan assembly comprises two scanner modules for scanning front and reverse sides of a data medium to obtain front side analog data and reverse side analog data. The control processor electrically connected to the scan assembly controls the scan assembly, and executes an analog-to-digital converting process to convert the front side analog data and the reverse side analog data into front side digital data and reverse side digital data. The output interface electrically connected to the control processor outputs even sets of digital data, comprising the front side digital data and the reverse side digital data, to an image forming apparatus, so that the image forming apparatus performs even-set data typesetting and outputting after the even sets of digital data are completely outputted. An image forming system using the scanning device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Chang Li, Shao-Lan Sheng
  • Patent number: 10114324
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a storage portion stores a target adhesion amount of toner to adhere to an image bearing member at each of gradation levels as a target gradation level and a setting value of a control parameter used for control on the image forming portion at the target gradation level. A first control processor makes an adhesion amount sensor measure an actual adhesion amount corresponding to the setting value and thereafter compares a resultant measured value and the target adhesion amount and corrects the setting value if needed in association with at least one of the target gradation levels as a subject. A second control processor makes the image forming portion output a calibration image used for correcting the target adhesion amount using a period when the first control processor performs processing if there arises a need to correct the target adhesion amount associated with the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaya Fujitani
  • Patent number: 10097713
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is capable of reducing glare that a user feels while PWM-controlling an LED and of detecting an original size in a principal scanning direction with sufficient accuracy. A line sensor receives light emitted from a light source and reflected by an original. When a pressure plate that presses an original to a platen is closed, a control unit controls to supply a line periodic signal of which a period is longer than that for reading an original image to the line sensor, and to supply a lighting control signal of which a duty ratio is smaller than that for reading the original image to the light source in synchronization with the line periodic signal to light the light source and to read an image, and controls to detect length of the original in the principal scanning direction using the image signals from the line sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunori Togashi
  • Patent number: 9942447
    Abstract: A color processing device includes a compositing unit, a modification unit, and an output unit. The compositing unit composites plural color conversion rules in a color space that includes plural color components through serial processing. The modification unit modifies the color conversion rules after being composited by the compositing unit, by applying an inverse conversion of a specific one-dimensional correlation, which correlates input color values and output color values in the color space, to the composited color conversion rules. The output unit outputs the composited color conversion rules after being modified and the specific one-dimensional correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jungo Harigai, Ryosuke Higashikata, Yoshitaka Kuwada
  • Patent number: 9911181
    Abstract: Method comprising, for each pixel, obtaining a pixel expansion exponent value (E?(p)) by low pass filtering luminance values of colors of pixels in its spatial neighborhood, obtaining a pixel luminance-enhancement value (Yenhance(p)) by extraction of high frequencies of luminance values of colors of pixels in its spatial neighborhood, and then inverse tone mapping the luminance (Y(p)) according to the equation Yexp(p)=Y(p)E?(p)×[Yenhance(p)]c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Tania Pouli, Erik Reinhard, Christel Chamaret
  • Patent number: 9659388
    Abstract: In an example, a method of gamut mapping may include generating a first second-order or higher response-surface regression model that maps color values corresponding to the second color space to color values corresponding to the first color space. The method may include generating predicted color values for measured color values by inputting measured color values into the first second-order or higher response-surface regression model. The method may include generating, based on predicted color values and a plurality of color values, a second second-order or higher response-surface regression model that maps predicted color values output by the first second-order or higher response-surface regression model corresponding to the first color space to color values corresponding to the first color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Reza Safaee-Rad, Jennifer Lee Gille, Milivoje Aleksic
  • Patent number: 9621763
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image information acquisition unit acquiring average brightness of image data and cumulative frequency distribution of pixels related to gradation of the image data; a conversion range determination unit acquiring a conversion threshold value from the average brightness based on a previously set relationship and determining a gradation conversion range where the gradation of the image data is to be converted based on a gradation where a cumulative frequency corresponds to the conversion threshold value in the cumulative frequency distribution; and a gradation conversion unit converting the gradation of the image data in the gradation conversion range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Kakinuma
  • Patent number: 9552528
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating a binarization threshold are described. A set of input image pixels is processed. Edges including edge pixels are identified. In various embodiments histograms of pixel values and edge pixel values are generated and jointly used in determining an appropriate binarization threshold. In some embodiments a first histogram of edge pixel values is used to determine an interval of pixel values of interest to limit the set of pixel values used for determining a binarization threshold statistically. In some embodiments a first histogram corresponding to edge pixel values and a second histogram corresponding to image pixel values are generated, subjected to one or more smoothing operations, and truncated, based on information derived from the edge histogram. Characteristics of the histograms including, e.g., minima, maxima, are determined, evaluated, and used to generate a best global threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ACCUSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: John H Elton, Stephen A Martucci
  • Patent number: 9524445
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems, methods and apparatus for boundary detection, in an image, by suppression of contours resulting from background textures and text in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard John Campbell
  • Patent number: 9460497
    Abstract: An embodiment of an image enhancement method is introduced for use in an electronic device. An image composed of a plurality of pixel values is first received, and each pixel therein is separated into two channels. The image is further divided into a plurality of blocks. A distribution of a selected channel is determined for each block, which is selected from the two channels. For each pixel, the pixel value of the selected channel is adjusted according to at least one distribution corresponding to at least one neighboring block. For each pixel, the pixel value of the other channel is adjusted according to the adjusted pixel value of the selected channel. As a result, the adjusted image is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chia Yen Michael Lin, Chia-Ho Pan, Jing-Lung Wu, Hsin-Ti Chueh
  • Patent number: 9368086
    Abstract: An image is processed in a device-independent color space by applying a modification function to one or more dimensions of that color space. The image is then converted into a target device-dependent color space. In order to minimize unwanted changes of color arising from the modification function taking image color values out of gamut when converted to the target device-dependent color space, the modification function is scaled to limit modified image values to within modification limits that are determined, for each image pixel or group of pixels, in dependence on the target device-dependent color space gamut boundary in the device-independent color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Boris Oicherman, Pavel Kisilev, Doron Shaked
  • Patent number: 9191549
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of accurately detecting abnormal pixels caused by a contaminant such as dirt, stain, or flaw on a moving document reading glass being read. An image processing unit of the image reading apparatus performs a first abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from image sensors for respective colors when a reading unit reads a guide plate in a main scanning direction in a state before an original passes through a moving document reading position, performs a second abnormal pixel detection process to detect pixel signals representing abnormal pixels and output from the image sensors when an original being conveyed is read by the reading unit in the main scanning direction, and detects a main scanning direction of abnormal pixels based on results of these detection processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Morikawa
  • Patent number: 9025170
    Abstract: A reading unit reads a first side of a printed material having first image data printed on the first side and second image data printed on a second side, the second side being a back side of the first side, in order to obtain image data. A density determination unit determines whether a density of the second image data exceeds a predetermined density. A comparison unit compares a density of the image data obtained by the reading unit and a density of the first image data, and produces a comparison result. A determination unit, in a case when a density difference between the density of the image data and the density of the first image data exceeds a threshold as the comparison result of the comparison unit, determines that the printed material includes a defect portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9025198
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a base value setting unit and a correction value calculating unit. The base value setting unit sets a base value of an image process condition on the basis of the area ratio of an image to be formed. The correction value calculating unit calculates a correction value obtained by correcting the base value set by the base value setting unit on the basis of at least the pattern of the image. The image is formed based on the correction value calculated by the correction value calculating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yuji Wada
  • Patent number: 9019580
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of performing gradation correction without causing a user to perform a troublesome operation. The image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit that reads an original. A chart is formed on a recording material, and the recording material having the chart formed thereon is conveyed to the image reading unit via a shared conveying path used for both of reading the original and forming an image on the recording material. The conveyed recording material is read by the image reading unit, and gradation correction is performed based on the chart read by the image reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Odaira
  • Patent number: 9013750
    Abstract: An image processing device processes image data, which expresses an image and is edited to image data including, in correspondence with each pixel of the image, a pixel value field that holds a pixel value of the pixel and an attribute value field that holds an attribute value. The image processing device includes a first and a second image processing module, and a connection module that is connected to the first and second image processing modules, and moves the image data from one image processing module to the other image processing module. At least one of the image processing modules has a first function to output an image processing result for a pixel value of the input image data as an output pixel value, and a second function to output an image processing result for a pixel value of the input image data as an output attribute value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitoshi Yamada, Mitsuhiro Ono, Fumitaka Goto, Rie Kajihara
  • Patent number: 8982417
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a color conversion processing unit, a modulation difference creating unit, a color value modulating unit, and an output unit. The color conversion processing unit performs color conversion from an input color value of a target image to a corresponding output color value to obtain a tentative output color value. The modulation difference creating unit creates modulation differences. The modulation differences include combinations that are obtained by either setting or not setting a value equivalent to the minimum resolution of the tentative output color value for each color component of the tentative output color value. The color value modulating unit performs modulation on the tentative output color value by adding or subtracting a modulation difference selected at random to or from the tentative output color value. The output unit outputs the target image according to the color value obtained after modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 8947727
    Abstract: An image processing system comprising: a color conversion unit configured to perform color conversion from color data in a first color space into color data in a second color space by using a color profile; a correction unit configured to perform correction for the color data in the second color space by using correction data; a printing unit configured to print on a printing medium in accordance with the color data in the second color space that is corrected by the correction unit; a first changing unit configured to change the color profile; a second changing unit configured to change the correction data; and a selection unit configured to select, based on a color measurement result of a color chart for correcting a color of an image printed on the printing medium, one of processes including change of the color profile and change of the correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukinobu Akado, Hitoshi Onoda
  • Patent number: 8947495
    Abstract: A telepresence device allows a remote meeting participant to establish a telepresence at a remote meeting location. The telepresence device provides a video image of the remote meeting participant on a video display screen at a meeting location To enhance the visual sensation that the remote person is present at the meeting location, the telepresence device may display the silhouette image of the remote meeting participant without the image of the background scene of the remote participant's location (e.g., office, home or home office). Further, the telepresence device may be equipped with a rear-facing camera that captures a video image of the background scene behind the telepresence device at the meeting location. The silhouette image of the remote meeting participant may be superimposed on the video image of the background scene at the meeting location, which is captured by the rear-facing camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Zulfiquar Sayeed, James Kotch
  • Patent number: 8941900
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of processing an image of the image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a scanner to scan a document, a detector to detect text and image areas included in the scanned document, a conversion unit to convert the scanned document so as to output one of the detected text and image areas as color data and the other as monochrome data, and an output unit to output the converted document, wherein the conversion unit converts the scanned document to set a color value of the detected text area to a preset color value so as to output the detected text area as monochrome data or set a color value of the detected image area to a preset color value so as to output the detected image area as monochrome data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung-soo Ohk
  • Patent number: 8934156
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus and an image processing method according to the present invention, a gradation correction table creation unit prints stored chart data on a print paper by an image forming device, determines a target color from the color measuring result of the printed chart by a color measuring device, and creates a gray reproduction estimation model function according to the measured color result of the chart. Next, after the gradation correction table is created such that the gray of each gradation is adequately close to the target color, the gradation correction table is changed such that the color difference of neighboring gradations is included in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 8928960
    Abstract: A control device performs: acquiring an optical measured scan value; setting a measured offset using the measured scan value by reference to predetermined correlations; and determining a control value using the measured offset amount. The control value is used for controlling an amount of colorant to be ejected during printing. In the predetermined correlations, a first pair of scan values is associated with a first pair of offsets. A second pair of scan values is associated with a second pair of offsets. The first and second pair has a first and second scan difference between the scan values, respectively. The first and second pair of offsets has a first and second offset difference between the offsets, respectively. The first scan difference is different from the second scan difference. The first offset difference is same as the second offset difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Kuno
  • Patent number: 8922839
    Abstract: A array including array elements in a number smaller than the minimum number of pixels, having values larger than Th_c, and a plurality of array elements having values smaller than Th_c is generated. A formation array having the same size as that of a latent image is generated from the generated array. An image obtained by replacing the pixel value at a pixel position within the first region in the latent image with the value at the pixel position in the formation array is generated as a configuration image. The pixel value at each pixel position in the configuration image, that corresponds to each pixel position in the input image, is output as the amount of a highly infrared absorbent color material used to print a pixel at this pixel position in the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Yokoi, Koji Harada, Junichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8922855
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus which performs printing by using special ink for generating special glossiness on a printed material and color inks, the apparatus includes a controller that, when an image in which an index value indicating a degree of the special glossiness is low and an image in which the index value is high are to be printed adjacently, controls to print the image in which the index value is low by substituting other inks for the special ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshio Okumura
  • Patent number: 8902470
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a multi-level unit that applies a multi-level process on binary halftone dot image data indicating a binary halftone dot image, to form multi-level image data; an acquiring unit that acquires a number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data; a tone correcting unit that determines a tone correction amount corresponding to the number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data acquired by the acquiring unit, and that applies tone correction on the multi-level image data produced by the multi-level unit, by using the determined tone correction amount; and a re-binarizing unit that binarizes the multi-level image data in which the tone is corrected by the tone correcting unit, without changing a halftone dot shape of the binary halftone dot image data, to produce re-binarized halftone dot image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Misaizu, Kenji Hara, Shigeru Arai, Kota Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8902471
    Abstract: A method includes dividing an input range of color values of a first color space into a plurality of sub-ranges, wherein at least one of the sub-ranges comprises an over-range color value. The method also includes determining for each sub-range a level of accuracy in converting color values within each sub-range. The method further includes determining a processing step to be applied to input color values in each sub-range based on the determined level of accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Manish S. Kulkarni, Lars U. Borg
  • Patent number: 8891865
    Abstract: An image processing device (100) includes a gradation correction value acquiring unit (12) that acquires a gradation correction value representing a ratio of a luminance component of an input image and a luminance component of an output image, a chroma analyzing unit (13) that calculates a chroma correction value, in which the total sum of degrees of chroma discrepancy between an analysis image equal to or different from the input image and a corrected image obtained by correcting a luminance component of the analysis image on the basis of one or more gradation correction values is the minimum, in correspondence with the gradation correction value, and an image output unit (14) that outputs as the output image an image obtained by correcting the input image received by the image input unit (11) on the basis of the gradation correction value acquired by the gradation correction value acquiring unit (12) and the chroma correction value correlated with the gradation correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Toda
  • Patent number: 8885213
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming images at a plurality of resolution levels including at least one low resolution level and one high resolution level includes a photoconductor, onto which a beam size is set for the low resolution level; and an adjustment unit to conduct an exposure time-based density adjustment using a plurality of half-tone patterns prepared by changing an exposure time per pixel at a timing when a resolution level shifts from the low resolution level to the high resolution level and before actually shifting to an image forming operation executed at the high resolution level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuhei Yokoyama, Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8879128
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is disclosed. The image reading apparatus includes an automatic document feeding unit that transports a document in a predetermined direction while the document floats above a platen glass member and a light source disposed below the platen glass member that irradiates a portion on the document at a predetermined reading location such that reflected light from the portion on the document is converted into image data and a floating distance between the document and the platen glass member is detected to set a value of an image parameter for correcting the image data for the document, based on the detected floating distance between the document and the platen glass member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Higashi, Masahiro Nonoyama
  • Patent number: 8879123
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that performs a color conversion of a image expressed by coordinates of a multidimensional color space, including, a storage unit for storing lattice point data in the multidimensional color space, an address generating unit for generating addresses for reading from the storage unit the lattice point data in a first region and a second region in accordance with input values of a color signal, the first region being a region where values of all color components are equal to or larger than a first threshold, the second region being different from the first region, and an interpolating unit for generating a converted color signal by an interpolating process based on the read lattice point data. A lattice-point interval in the first region is narrower than a lattice-point interval in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventors: Junji Yagi, Akira Iwayama
  • Patent number: 8873103
    Abstract: Uneven glossiness is effectively suppressed between areas where light inks are mainly used and areas where dark inks are mainly used. The gloss is raised in areas where dark cyan ink C is used. In other words, the application amount of second clear ink applied by after application printing is set to 32% at primary cyan (grid point 16) to equalize the gloss with areas where light cyan ink LC is used. Also, the application amount of first clear ink applied by common printing is set to 32% in a highlight portion (grid point 8) to equalize the gloss with the maximum gloss reached using dark cyan ink C. In so doing, it is possible to keep the gloss nearly constant over the entire range from white to cyan, or in other words, suppress uneven glossiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Okinori Tsuchiya, Tohru Ikeda, Akihiko Nakatani, Yugo Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8873849
    Abstract: An image processing method of picking up an image of a substrate and converting pixel values of the picked-up substrate image makes the pixel values of the picked-up substrate image into a histogram, and creates a tone curve T composed of a periodic function of a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined period based on a distribution of the pixel values in the histogram. The pixel values of the picked-up substrate image are converted using the tone curve T to obtain a substrate image with a high contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shuji Iwanaga, Shinobu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8873108
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided, which are useful for faithfully reproducing luster even if a luminance reproduction range of an output apparatus is brighter than the luminance reproduction range of an input apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a luster region determination unit configured to determine a luster region included in an input image based on a luminance value of the input image, a luminance correction value calculation unit configured to calculate a luminance correction value of the luster region, and a corrected image generation unit configured to generate an output image by adding the luminance correction value to the luminance value of the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8866835
    Abstract: A color adjustment system for a display device includes a computer device, and a display device for displaying an image. The display device selectably displays a plurality of color temperature color presets. The computer device makes a white point adjustment to the display device, based on a color temperature color preset selected from among the plurality of color temperature color presets by a selecting operation from the computer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Tanizoe, Hidenori Sakai, Yasuhiro Arakawa, Hiroshi Ueno
  • Patent number: 8861038
    Abstract: A method for printing an image with colour pixels is disclosed. This method optimizes the print quality for a selected level of ink usage by maximizing a dot-off-dot strategy and separating between direct binary search dot patterns for a number of selected colorants in a printer comprising black colorant. Ink usage is controlled by determining the fraction of coinciding printer colorants that may be substituted by black colorant. The perceived error between the image pixels and the image dot pattern is minimized according to a human visual system model that excludes non-homogeneous patterns that affect the quality of the halftone textures. Dots for other colorants are processed independently and added to the obtained halftone dot pattern for the selected colorants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies, B.V.
    Inventors: Maria V. Ortiz Segovia, Jan P. Allebach, Nicolas P.M.F. Bonnier
  • Patent number: 8861048
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Narai, Yasunobu Youda, Taku Kudoh, Takayuki Andoh, Koji Hatayama, Yohei Osanai
  • Patent number: 8861036
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having density correction characteristic data and a section to execute density conversion on input image data includes a section to generate detecting patterns with multiple area ratios, a section to create images of the patterns on an image bearing member, a section to detect the images of the patterns created on the image bearing member, a section to hold detected values corresponding to the images of the patterns detected from the image bearing member, a section to obtain fixed values or previously detected values as target values for correction, and correction coefficients, a section to calculate a correction characteristic corresponding to the detecting patterns from the obtained target values, the detected values, and correction coefficients, and a section to synthesize new density correction characteristic data from the density correction characteristic data and the correction characteristic corresponding to the patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiro Nakajima