Patents Examined by Michael T. Razavi
-
Patent number: 5649025Abstract: An image processing method for preparing a document for printing or other further processing. Document images often contain information in several intensity levels. Detecting these levels will help separate logically separate regions in the image. A multithresholding process separates different significant intensity levels in a document image by recursively finding locally optimum threshold locations, and then selecting only the significant thresholds by studying the intensity transitions in the image.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1995Date of Patent: July 15, 1997Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Shriram V. S. Revankar
-
Patent number: 5649021Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an instrument is provided. The device may be a cutting tool for use in surgery, or other type of device applied to transform a specific object located in a defined area. The apparatus comprises a marker having a predetermined color. The marker is applied to the specific device or tool to form a marked device. An imager generates video signals representing a color image of the defined area. A color detector processes the imager signals to detect a range of colors in the image represented by the imager signals. The range of colors includes the predetermined color. The color detector provides an output signal representing instances of signals in the detected color range. A detection mechanism processes the output signal of the color detector to provide an indication of whether the detected instances represented by the output signal conform to the marked device.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: July 15, 1997Assignee: David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc.Inventors: James R. Matey, John G. Aceti, Timothy A. Pletcher
-
Patent number: 5647019Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying object images displayed in a camera image, the method comprising the step of, comparing a predetermined point mapped in the camera image in a spherical polar coordinates with a position of the camera as an origin, with a plurality of cursor windows including the object images respectively in the camera image, in which vertexes and center point of each window are mapped in the camera image in a spherical polar coordinates with a position of the camera as an origin, so that an object included in a cursor window corresponding to the predetermined point is identified.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1993Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignees: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., Fuji Facom CorporationInventors: Mitsutoshi Iino, Shiro Nakatao
-
Patent number: 5644645Abstract: A fingerprint image transmission system includes a remote computer system and a central computer system. In the remote computer system, a gray image of a fingerprint image sampled by an image scanner portion (10) is compressed by a non-reversible (lossy) coding by a non-reversible coding mechanism (202) and a skeleton pattern generated by a skeleton generating mechanism (201) by inputting the gray image, is compressed by a reversible (lossless) coding by a reversible coding mechanism (203). The compressed gray image and the compressed skeleton pattern are transmitted to the central computer system through a transmission mechanism (31). In the central computer system, a receiver mechanism (41) receives the gray image and the skeleton pattern transmitted from the remote computer system.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1994Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Yoshikazu Osuga
-
Patent number: 5642434Abstract: Each pixel of a density reference area of a reference image is assigned a predetermined coefficient value in accordance with whether the pixel is located within a peripheral boundary of a to be detected shape, external the peripheral boundary of the to-be-detected shape, or on the peripheral boundary of the to-be-detected shape. An actual image of an object containing the to-be-detected shape is then obtained, and after setting a target pixel of the resultant image, the image density of each pixel is multiplied by the coefficient values of the density reference area of the reference image. The resultant products are transformed into a density correlation value for the target pixel. The location of the target pixel is then scanned to determine the location of a target pixel at which a maximum or a minimum density correlation value is obtained. The thus determined location is detected as the location of the to-be-detected shape within the object.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1994Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaya Nakao, Yoshihiro Itsuzaki, Kinji Horikami, Misuzu Takano
-
Patent number: 5640464Abstract: A method and system for verifying the presence of a lens in a transparent package. The method comprises the steps of moving the package into an inspection position, and conducting a light beam through the package and onto an image plane to form an image of the package on the image plane. The method further comprises the steps of generating a set of signals representing the image on the image plane, and analyzing those signals to determine whether a lens is present in the package. This analyzing step, in turn, includes the steps of searching the package image for images of discrete objects; and for each object image found in the package image, identifying values for a plurality of parameters, and analyzing those identified values according to a predetermined procedure to identify the object as a lens or as not a lens.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 1994Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: James Ebel, Michael Francis Widman, Peter W. Sites, Peyman H. Dehkordi
-
Patent number: 5631744Abstract: A coding apparatus includes a blocking unit for gathering and blocking sample values of input signals, an orthogonal-transforming unit for orthogonal-transforming the blocked input signals, a transforming unit for constructing a one-dimensionally arraying block by combining orthogonal-transformed blocks and for arranging the data in the one-dimensionally arraying block in a one-dimensional array, and a coding unit for coding the data of the one-dimensional array from the transforming unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 1995Date of Patent: May 20, 1997Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshitaka Takeuchi, Masahiko Enari
-
Patent number: 5627914Abstract: A method for processing equations in a graphical computer system characterized by the steps of: receiving at least one unit comprising an equation which was derived from a graphical user input device; parsing the units into a parsed tree utilizing a constrained attribute grammar; and deriving a result of the equation utilizing the parsed tree. Preferably, the graphical user input device is a table or the screen of a pen-based computer system, where stroke units derived from strokes made by a stylus on the screen are passed to at least one recognition domain. The process preferably also includes the steps of: receiving at least one stroke unit comprising an edit to an equation on the screen; determining whether the edit changes the structure of the parsed tree of the equation; and editing the parsed tree if the edit does not change the structure of the parsed tree.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventor: Giulia Pagallo
-
Patent number: 5627906Abstract: The present invention comprises an image processing system to process an array of ultrasonic scanning image data. The image processing system is capable of performing local attenuation estimations by the use of the scanned data and displaying the estimated local attenuations in clearly identifiable images whereby the results of the ultrasonic scan can be accurately and easily interpreted. The estimation process comprises the steps of macro segmentation, micro segmentation, classification, and filtering wherein various techniques of average thresholds, classification and homogenization are used to minimize measurement noises and determine the pixels within a homogeneous geometrical element.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1991Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventor: Eugene Walach
-
Patent number: 5625715Abstract: A method of encoding a sequence of images including a moving object, comprises forming an initial template, extracting a mask outlining the object, dividing the template into a plurality (for example sixteen) sub-templates, searching the next frame to find a match with the template, searching the next frame to find a match with each of the sub-templates, determining the displacements of each of the sub-templates with respect to the template, using the displacements to determine affine transform coefficients and performing an affine transform to produce an updated template and updated mask. Encoding is performed at a higher resolution for portions within the outline than for portions outside the outline.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1993Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Timothy I. P. Trew, Gabriele C. Seeling
-
Patent number: 5625702Abstract: A moving body recognition apparatus which recognizes a shape and movement of an object moving in relation to an image input unit by extracting feature points, e.g. a peak of the object and a boundary of color, each in said images captured at a plurality of instants in time for observation by the image input unit. The moving body recognition apparatus comprises an image input unit for capturing images of an object as a moving body having a rotation, a feature point extraction unit for extracting feature points from the images inputted by the image input unit, a feature point storage unit for storing known position data of the extracted feature points, and a shape/movement recognition unit for calculating the actual positions and movements of the feature points of the object in the images by using the known position data of the extracted feature points outputted from the feature point storage unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1995Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Hiroshi Kamada, Takashi Kubota, Morito Shiohara
-
Patent number: 5623556Abstract: For each of multiple segments acquired by dividing a binary image by a predetermined under of lines, image data of a reference line corresponding to a start line of that segment is stored in an intermediate start table in association with data indicating a head coding position of the start line in code data acquired when the binary image is compressed. Based on the stored data, partial image extraction is executed.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 1995Date of Patent: April 22, 1997Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masayoshi Murayama, Shigehiro Kajihara, Fumitaka Sato
-
Patent number: 5621818Abstract: A character recognition apparatus for recognizing characters in a document by sequentially detecting one-character portions of images in a document image and by recognizing the character images of the one-character portions detected. The character recognition apparatus includes a character detecting section for detecting an image of one character from the document image; a character recognizing section for recognizing the detected image of one character and outputting a character code; and a control section for effecting control such that the character image of one character recognized by the character recognizing means is stored in correspondence with the character code obtained as a result of recognition, a comparison is made between the stored character image and the image of a newly detected character, and the character-code stored in correspondence with the relevant character image is read as a result of recognition in a case where the similarity of the images is sufficiently large.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1992Date of Patent: April 15, 1997Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kiyoshi Tashiro
-
Patent number: 5619258Abstract: A telecine uses a flying-spot scanner to derive video images from a film. A scan control circuit is used to control the scan of the flying-spot to introduce special effects. Pairs of successive images may be misaligned and a motion vector estimator is used to detect the amount of misalignment. This produces a shift vector for an image stabilizer to shift one of the images of a pair. The motion vector estimator also receives data from the scan control circuit relating to any special effect in the images and corrects the shift vector in dependence on this.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1993Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignee: Rank Cintel LimitedInventor: John D. Gillespie
-
Patent number: 5619341Abstract: The present invention is method and apparatus for preventing overflow and underflow of an encoder buffer in a video compression system. A virtual buffer is created in a rate controller to model the decoder buffer fullness (102). A sequence of bits is generated by an encoder (104). The encoder is controlled by the rate controller to prevent a decoder buffer underflow and overflow. Then, the sequence of bits is received by the encoder buffer to produce a bitstream (106). The bitstream corresponds to an instantaneous channel bitrate. The bitstream is transmitted from the encoder buffer to a decoder buffer following a delay (108). The delay is controlled by a rate controller to synchronize an encoder buffer fullness with a virtual buffer fullness (110). The synchronization prevents overflow and underflow of the encoder buffer.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1995Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Cheung Auyeung, Brett L. Lindsley, Stephen N. Levine
-
Patent number: 5617490Abstract: A camera system has a neural network for calibration of image distortion. The neural network learns the conversion from image coordinates with distortion to image coordinates with substantially reduced distortion, whereby the neural network provides image coordinates having substantially reduced distortion. In a learning process of the neural network, a relatively simple camera model is used to provide an instruction signal to the neural network according to sample data provided from the real camera.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 1994Date of Patent: April 1, 1997Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masao Kume, Takeo Kanade
-
Patent number: 5615278Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus which obtains an image of an object to be inspected by an imaging optical system, and corrects the position of each part of the image. The position of the image depends on the relative disposition of the imaging optical system with respect to the object to be inspected at the time of obtaining the image to be inspected. By this arrangement, correct imaging of an eye fundus image can be performed regardless of imaging conditions which arise due to the difference in the distortion characteristics of the eye and an imaging optical system which images persons having far-sightedness and near-sightedness.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 1995Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazuhiro Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 5615281Abstract: Representative pixel data is extracted for each predetermined region in an original image according to priority of color codes representing colors. The representative pixel data constitute a reduced image. The reduced image is a clear and complete reproduction of the original image without line omissions and distortion of a desired linework. M pieces of pixel data on each scanning line are successively read until the pixel data reaches a maximum value Xmax in a main scanning direction. One pixel data having a color code with the highest priority is selected from the read pixel data according to a priority code table TBL. If the color code is not in the priority table, pixel data at a predetermined position in the region of the read pixel data is selected. The results of selection for two adjacent scanning lines are compared based on the priority code table TBL, and final representative pixel data is selected.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1994Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsuya Yamaguchi
-
Patent number: 5610655Abstract: A video camera recorder having a watertight housing including a housing body, a housing bottom and a closure for closing an opening of the housing. The opening is watertightly closed by a watertight structure including an annular bead formed in the housing and a packing provided to the closure. An electronic view finder is watertightly isolated in a space defined between a partition wall, arranged within the housing, and the housing. A cover is provided between the closure and an electronic equipment, such as a video deck, disposed within the housing, and a packing is arranged between the housing and the cover so that the space surrounded by the cover and the housing is held watertightly. Alternatively, the gap between a portion of a video deck disposed in the housing and a housing is watertightly sealed, the portion of the video deck projecting from the housing the opening. A water absorbent or a water sensor is disposed in a recess formed in the housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1993Date of Patent: March 11, 1997Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Manabu Wakabayashi, Kenji Ogiro
-
Patent number: 5602932Abstract: Image analysis apparatus comprises a two dimensional array of photodetectors (80) for receiving light from pixels of a display screen (90). The intensity values generated by the photodetectors (80) in response to incident light from the pixels are stored in a memory (40). The photodetectors' spatial geometry is mapped onto the display screen's known pixel geometry. A processor (50) determines one or more performance parameters of the display screen (90) as a function of the intensity values stored in the memory (40) and of the photodetectors mapped spatial geometry (80). Calibration and correlation problems associated with prior art measurement techniques are avoided by mapping the spacing of the array of photodetectors onto the known geometry of the display pixel structure. Also, the apparatus can be conveniently incorporated into a handset and therefore does not require complicated positioning jigs in use.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 1995Date of Patent: February 11, 1997Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Alan Macdonald, Ian Miller