Abstract: A method of preventing the occurrence of false colors produced at the edge of an image of interest when the image is displayed upon being read by a scanner. When image data representing an interpolation target pixel at which image data is missing is produced, the arithmetic mean of pixels (e.g. R.sub.1 and R.sub.5) neighboring the interpolation target pixel on both sides thereof is calculated [(R.sub.1 +R.sub.5)/2] and corrective data .DELTA..sub.3 is added to the data representing the arithmetic mean. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of false colors at the edge of the image.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus wherein the original image to be read by main scanning is prescanned first to obtain reading parameters optimum for the main scanning, is characterized in that the apparatus processes image data picked up at predetermined dots from among all image data by a median filter during the pre-scanning, and processes all image data by the median filter during the main scanning.

Abstract: A method of signal processing including receiving an input vector for processing, decomposing an input vector of N length including multiplying input vector with a first and a second decimating matrices to generate a shape vector and a detail vector shape vector and detail vector having a length of N/2, where N is an integer, reconstructing input vector including multiplying shape vector and detail vector by a first and second restoring matrices respectively, to generate a reconstructed shape vector and a reconstructed detail vector, and adding reconstructed shape vector to reconstructed detail vector to generate an integer processed input vector is presented. Accordingly, signal processing involves fewer integer operations compared to floating point operations representing more precision for less operations, and further, requires neither the approximation or the computation overhead of the conventional approach.

Abstract: A method of generating image data comprising digital pixel data representative of one or more images on an input scanner support.In a first step the support is scanned to generate support image data at a first resolution comprising digital pixel data representative of the support and image.In a second step support image data at a second resolution is generated from the support image data at a first resolution. In a third step the boundary of an image is determined by performing a predetermined boundary determining algorithm on the support image data at the second resolution.In a fourth step, the image data is extracted from the support image data at the first resolution by extracting pixel data within the boundary of the image determined in the third step.

Abstract: A video image, characterized by a plurality of pixels, is compressed by deriving at least one parameter based upon principal component analysis. An image value for each video image is then determined for the one parameter. The image value associated with each video image is compared to an image value associated with another video image to determine a difference. Any one of the image values of each video image and another video image is discarded in the event the difference is below a threshold. The remaining video images are then stored. Using this method of compression, it becomes possible to search a video database to find a match between an inquiring video scene with a video database comprising a plurality of video scenes with each video scene having a plurality of video images.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for the color correction of digital images that have been compressed. In a preferred embodiment, aspects of the color correction are carried out on the compressed image data to improve computational efficiency. One of a number of alternative methods is employed to accomplish the color correction on lossy or losslessly compressed images. The color transformation process accomplishes color correction on compressed image data in conjunction with compression or decompression operations. A second, simplified phase of the color correction may be applied subsequently to the decompressed image data in certain embodiments. Accordingly, the technique has application to any number of color imaging systems, including digital printers and copiers where there is a necessity to color correct compressed digital images.

Abstract: Recently, a number of reversible wavelet transforms have been identified which allow for exact reconstruction in integer arithmetic. Different transforms vary in how rounding is performed. The present invention provides a transform, which is linear except for the rounding with non-linear operations in order to create a reversible implementation. Also, the present invention also provides transforms which are decomposed into all finite inpulse response parts.

Abstract: A system for producing a raster image derived from coded and non-coded portions of a hybrid data structure from an input bitmap including (1) a data processing apparatus, (2) a recognizer which performs recognition on an input bitmap to the data processing apparatus to detect identifiable objects within the input bitmap, (3) a mechanism for producing a hybrid data structure including coded data corresponding to the identifiable objects and non-coded data derived from portions of the input bitmap which do not correspond to the identifiable objects, and (4) an output device capable of developing a visually perceptible raster image derived from the hybrid data structure. The raster image includes raster images of the identifiable objects and raster images derived from portions of the input bitmap that do not correspond to the identifiable objects.

Abstract: The method achieves a reduction of the required transmission capacity. This occurs in that pixels of pixel-based image parts (PB) and corresponding pixels of computer image parts (CB) that overlap are already merged in the transmission unit according to the blue part of the pixel of the pixel-based image part (PB) and according to the computer model attributes, so that a key signal (K) is no longer transmitted. The key signal (K) usually indicates the ratio in which the pixel of the pixel-based image part (PB) should be merged with the pixel of the computer image part (CB). In known methods, this information is not binary. In the receiver unit, thus, the only thing decided is whether the pixel is taken from a partially mixed image sequence (TGB) or from the computer image parts (CB).

Abstract: An image quality control apparatus having an image divider, a converter, an image analyzer, an image output property circuit, a quantization method selector, a quantizer and a coder. The image divider divides an input image into a plurality of divided images including a predetermined number of picture elements. The converter converts the divided images into converted coefficients. Then, the image analyzer determines a property of the divided images which is output by the image output property output circuit. A quantization selector selects a quantization method in response to the divided image property that was found by the image analyzer and the image output property output circuit. The quantizer quantizes the conversion coefficients found by the converter in accordance with the quantization methods selected by the quantization selector. A coder then codes the conversion coefficients quantized by the quantizer.

Abstract: Compression of data representing waveform information is dynamically adapted to the waveform by performing a transformation on blocks of samples of the waveform to derive a plurality of coefficients representing a portion of the waveform corresponding to a block of samples and computing quantizer step sizes (quantitative increments of digitization) and quantizer sizes (number of bits for transmission of the coefficients) based on the relative magnitude and dynamic range of the coefficients and a user-specified parameter. The user-specified parameter may be used to set a lower limit on performance such as an upper limit on quantization noise or distortion (in which case data rate is automatically minimized) or a data rate for a communication link (in which case performance relative to quantization noise or distortion is maximized).

Abstract: The efficiency of variable-length (VL) encoding data using a defined VL encoding table is characterized and one or more changes to one or more entries of the defined VL encoding table are determined that increase the efficiency of encoding the data. An updated VL encoding table is generated from the defined VL encoding table based on the changes. VL codes for the data are generated using the updated VL encoding table, and an encoded bitstream is generated from VL codes, wherein the encoded bitstream explicitly identifies the changes. For decoding, the changes are extracted from the encoded bitstream and an updated VL decoding table is generated from a defined VL decoding table corresponding to the defined VL encoding table, based on the changes. The VL codes in the encoded bitstream are decoded using the updated VL decoding table to generate a set of decoded data.

Abstract: A system for coding of digital video images such as bi-directionally predicted video object planes (B-VOPs), in particular, where the B-VOP and/or a reference image used to code the B-VOP is interlaced coded. For a B-VOP macroblock which is co-sited with a field predicted macroblock of a future anchor picture, direct mode prediction is made by calculating four field motion vectors, then generating the prediction macroblock. The four field motion vectors and their reference fields are determined from (1) an offset term of the current macroblock's coding vector, (2) the two future anchor picture field motion vectors, (3) the reference field used by the two field motion vectors of the co-sited future anchor macroblock, and (4) the temporal spacing, in field periods, between the current B-VOP fields and the anchor fields.

Abstract: A method of coding/decoding image information is derived to perform a boundary block merge of the macro blocks of the image information and copy the DCT coefficients of a block that is converted to an exterior block from a boundary one out of left-sided and upper-sided blocks for the use purpose in performing a prediction of the DCT coefficients of the block's sub blocks, thus enhancing the efficiency of a coding/decoding process.

Abstract: A color image display apparatus includes an input color characteristic obtaining unit for obtaining input color characteristic data simultaneously with input of image data, an input color characteristic data storage unit for storing the obtained input characteristic data, an image display device such as a CRT or the like, a display color characteristic data storage unit for storing the color characteristic of the image display device, a color transformation table generating means for generating a color transformation table, and a color transforming means for actually color-transforming the image data. The color transformation table generating means further includes a color transformation system selecting means, and a plural-tables generating unit.

Abstract: A frame in an uncompressed digital video signal is selected for encoding as a high-fidelity still image. The digital video signal is MPEG encoded to produce an MPEG encoded bitstream and additional bits are employed to encode the selected frame, to produce the MPEG encoded bitstream. The additional bits are determined by fixing the values of MQUANT and "intra DC mult" for all macroblocks in the selected frame. In an alternative method, the extra bits are determined by repeating the selected frame a plurality of times in the digital video signal prior to encoding the selected frame.

Abstract: The head in a series of video images is identified by digitizing sequential images, subtracting a previous image from an input image to determine moving objects, calculating boundary curvature extremes of regions in the subtracted image, comparing the extremes with a stored model of a human head to find regions shaped like a human head, and identifying the head with a surrounding shape.

Abstract: A device for coding/decoding image information is provided to perform a boundary block merge of macro blocks of image information. Further, the DCT coefficients of a block are copied, if that is converted to an exterior block from a boundary block out of left-sided and upper-sided blocks for the purpose of performing a prediction of the DCT coefficients of the block's sub blocks. Thus, the efficiency of a coding/decoding process is enhanced.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing automated defect spatial signature alysis on a data set representing defect coordinates and wafer processing information includes categorizing data from the data set into a plurality of high level categories, classifying the categorized data contained in each high level category into user-labeled signature events, and correlating the categorized, classified signature events to a present or incipient anomalous process condition.

Abstract: Flash correlation instantaneously compares two or more patterns to determine whether they are the same or essentially the same, regardless of the complexity of the images, and in spite of the addition of noise, local changes, and variations in resolution and focus. Flash correlation artifacts also provide cues to quantitative assessment of relative movement, stretching, blurring, and warping of one image with respect to the other. Presence of a flash correlation artifact between two stacks of patterns is sufficient to identify the stacks as containing at least one pair of massively correlated patterns. Precise control of registration, image size and orientation is not required. An image may be combined with other images, either by overlays or concatenation, and still be identified. A Flash correlation engine may utilize optical, analog or digital processing to provide rapid sorting, classification, and identification functions with minimal computational complexity.