Patents Examined by Dennis Rosario-Vasquez
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Patent number: 7006707Abstract: The orientation of a camera associated with a first image is determined based on a shape of a perimeter of a corrected version of the first image. The corrected version of the first image has less perspective distortion relative to a reference image than the first image. The shape of the perimeter of the corrected version of the first image is also different from the shape of the perimeter of the first image. The first image is then projected onto a surface based on the orientation of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2001Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Adobe Systems IncorporatedInventor: John Peterson
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Patent number: 6961476Abstract: The present invention provides to image processing methods that include a method of selecting an optimal threshold value (to) for an image comprising the steps of: obtaining an image; selecting a test segment of the said image; determining the mean feature size (S) of features appearing in the test segment at each of a plurality of threshold values (t), so as to produce mean feature size data (S(t)); selecting a relevant subset of the mean feature size data (S(t)); and determining an optimal threshold value (to) as a function of said subset of the mean feature size data. The present invention additionally provides methods of thresholding an image to produce a binary image by application of the optimal threshold value (to) determined according to the methods of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2001Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventor: Matthew Robert Cole Atkinson
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Patent number: 6959119Abstract: A method kit is provided for demonstrating the effects of a cosmetic product on a consumer's body, especially effects over a period of time. The method includes applying a cosmetic product to the body, capturing an image of the consumer, displaying the image on a monitor and digitally transforming the image to reflect the effect of using the selected cosmetic over the period of time. Among transformed attributes of the body are those of glow/color, sags/wrinkles, pores and combinations thereof. The original and transformed images are juxtaposed on a screen. Consumers are required to select between transformed and displayed images, preferably repetitively, until the consumer has chosen their most appealing transformation.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2001Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USAInventors: Stacy Susan Hawkins, Jeremy James Andrew, Richard Iwao Murahata
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Patent number: 6920251Abstract: A peak value of readings of a reference plate is calculated by a peak value calculation means. The peak value is stored by a storage means. An average value of the readings of the reference plate is calculated by an average value calculation means. Difference data between the peak value and the average value is calculated by a difference data calculation means. A variable correction coefficient is set by a correction coefficient setting means through use of the difference data and the peak value as shading correction reference data. Readings of an document image is corrected by a correction means through use of the correction coefficient. Thereby, dispersion of document image readings in shading correction is decreased.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2001Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideyuki Toriyama
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Patent number: 6917721Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing an image are disclosed. For edge detection, the zero crossing pixel location, n0, within the image is identified. Then, a sub-pixel position offset, a, is determined. The offset is a relationship between interpolated image and an interpolated kernel at the zero crossing pixel location. Finally, the interpolated position for the edge location, t0, is determined from the pixel location, n0, and the sub-pixel position offset, a. For matching the detected edges of an object to edges of a model object, translation [v1, v2] between a detected edge of an object in the image and the corresponding edge of a model object is first determined. Next, cross correlation between the detected edge and the corresponding model edge is calculated. Then, translation error [e1, e2] is determined. Finally, the translation is updated.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2001Date of Patent: July 12, 2005Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Michael Elad, Doron Shaked
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Patent number: 6907143Abstract: An adaptive spatio-temporal filter for use in video quality of service instruments based on human vision system models has a pair of parallel, lowpass, spatio-temporal filters receiving a common video input signal. The outputs from the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters are differenced to produce the output of the adaptive spatio-temporal filter, with the bandwidths of the pair being such as to produce an overall bandpass response. A filter adaptation controller generates adaptive filter coefficients for each pixel processed based on a perceptual parameter, such as the local average luminance, contrast, etc., of either the input video signal or the output of one of the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters. Each of the pair of lowpass spatio-temporal filters has a temporal IIR filter in cascade with a 2-D spatial IIR filter, and each individual filter is composed of a common building block,5 i.e., a first order, unity DC gain, tunable lowpass filter having a topology suitable for IC implementation.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2001Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.Inventor: Kevin M. Ferguson
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Patent number: 6891648Abstract: An image-reading device is provided. The image-reading device comprises a photoelectric converting element reading a first image from a subject copy, a reference-white member functioning as a reference white used in a white-shading correction, reading means for reading a second image from a constant range on a surface of the reference-white member by using the photoelectric converting element, averaging means for dividing image data of the second image into a plurality of blocks in a sub-scanning direction so that each of the blocks includes a plurality of lines and obtaining average values of image data of the lines in the blocks respectively, peak-value determining means for obtaining a peak value of the average values, and white-shading correcting means for performing the white-shading correction to image data of the first image by using the peak value as white-shading data.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2001Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshikazu Inoue, Wataru Nara, Yasuyuki Nomizu, Hiroyuki Kawamoto, Hiroshi Fukano, Motoya Sano, Hiroshi Kubo, Hitoshi Hattori
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Patent number: 6868191Abstract: The present invention is directed toward providing a system for constructing a graphical representation of an image, as perceived from a desired view, from a plurality of calibrated views. An optimum, median fused depth map of a new, desired view of an object or a scene is constructed from a plurality of depth maps of the object or scene, utilizing median values for each of the image pixels within the image domain of the new view. Each of the known depth maps are rendered into the new view, and the pixels of the rendered image are processed one at a time until a median value for each pixel in the new view of the image of the object or scene is calculated. The calculated median values are then assembled into a median fused depth map of the new view of the object or scene, with the median fused depth map available to construct a new two or three dimension images and models of the object or scene as perceived from the new view.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2001Date of Patent: March 15, 2005Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)Inventor: David Nister
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Patent number: 6859555Abstract: A method for determining a circle in an image is disclosed. The method extracts a first pair of edge points along an x-axis of the image, extracts a second pair of edge points along a y-axis of the image, determines an intersection of a first and second line extending perpendicular from a pair of midpoints of the first and second pair of edge points respectively, and determines a radius from the intersection to any edge point.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2000Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.Inventors: Tong Fang, Ming Fang
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Patent number: 6842543Abstract: The present invention is a method of processing a digital image that is initially represented by digital data indexed to represent positions on a display. The digital data is indicative of an intensity value Ii(x,y) for each position (x,y) in each i-th spectral band. The intensity value for each position in each i-th spectral band is adjusted to generate an adjusted intensity value for each position in each i-th spectral band in accordance with ? n = 1 N ? W n ? ( log ? ? ? I i ? ( x , y ) - log ? ? [ I i ? ( x , y ) * F n ? ( x , y ) ] ) , i = 1 , … ? ? , S where Wn is a weighting factor, “*” is the convolution operator and S is the total number of unique spectral bands. For each n, the function Fn(x,y) is a unique surround function applied to each position (x,y) and N is the total number of unique surround functions. Each unique surround function is scaled to improve some aspect of the digital image, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignees: Science and Technology Corporation, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Glenn A. Woodell, Daniel J. Jobson, Zia-ur Rahman
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Patent number: 6823087Abstract: The invention, in a first aspect, is a method for mitigating edge effects in a decompressed video image. The method comprises first reads an N×N group of pixels defining a vertical edge between two blocks in a video frame row by row into N registers, wherein N is a predetermined number defining the length of a filter. The content of the N registers is then transposed and then filtered in the filter. The filtered content of the N registers is then transposed and stored back from where it was read. In other aspects, the invention is a program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform such a method; a computer programmed to perform such a method; and a computing system capable of performing such a method.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2001Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Yi Liu, Wei-Lien Hsu, Frank Gorishek
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Patent number: 6819805Abstract: A method and apparatus correct for image brightness of images taken of an object with point source illumination in an imaging system. The brightness correction method and apparatus of the present invention correct for the non-object related brightness characteristics of a point source illumination in the observed or measured brightness of a relatively planar object being imaged by the imaging system. The method and apparatus are applicable to imaging and inspection systems used with a wide variety of planar and semi-planar objects including but not limited to X-ray inspection of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and integrated circuits.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2001Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Daniel Usikov
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Patent number: 6804418Abstract: A digital image processing method for generating a low resolution, low bit depth digital image from a higher resolution, higher bit depth input color digital image, includes the steps of: generating a gray scale image from the input color digital image; generating a low resolution sketch image from the grayscale image; generating a low resolution halftone image from the gray scale image; and combining the low resolution sketch image and the low resolution halftone image to form the low resolution, low bit depth digital image.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2000Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Qing Yu, Jiebo Luo
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Patent number: 6785427Abstract: An image matching method for matching a first image and an overlapping second image includes generating a first set of working layers of the first image and a second set of working layers of the second image. The method determines an overlap between an initial working layer of the first image and an initial working layer of the second image where the initial working layers have a smaller pixel array size and a lower image resolution than the other working layers. The method selects a feature point in the working layer of the first image and determines a position in the working layer of the second image corresponding to the feature point. The method then determines the motion parameters based on the feature point and the position in the first and second images.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2000Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: ArcSoft, Inc.Inventor: Lingxiang Zhou
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Patent number: 6771842Abstract: A method for detecting a skew of a document image corrects the skew of a document image input from an image scanner, and achieves increased accuracy compared with prior art document image skew detection methods. After segmenting the input document image into regions each having a predetermined width, lines containing black pixels are detected from each of these regions. Then, from a region where the detected lines containing black pixels follow one another in a consecutive manner, a partial image is extracted, the skew angle of the partial image is detected, and the skew angle of the document image is determined based on the thus detected skew angle of the partial image.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2000Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Kenichiro Sakai, Hirotaka Chiba, Tsugio Noda
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Patent number: 6697540Abstract: The invention disclosed a method for digital image interpolation and sharpness enhancement, said method includes the following steps: 1) Inputting an image signal Xij to a first interpolation low pass filter FIR 1, said FIR 1 is a cubic interpolation filter having filter coefficient hi(n); 2) inputting an image signal Xij to at least one of second interpolation low pass filters FIR 2, said FIR 2 is an interpolation filter having filter coefficient hi′(n), wherein said FIR 2 has a cut-off frequency lower than that of said FIR 1; 3) making FIR 1 outputted via a band pass filter to obtain an image signal tij; 4) making FIR 2 outputted via a delay buffer to obtain an image signal tij′; 5) inputting said image signal tij and tij′ to a subtractor to get a differential signal tij−tij′; and 6) obtaining an output of image signal Yij by means of the following equation: Yij=tij+S·(tij−tij′), where S is a sharpness level control coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2000Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: Media Scope Technologies Corp.Inventor: Wen-Hen Chen