Abstract: A general absolute value circuit for developing a true, symmetric or bipolar, absolute value output signal from an input charge signal, compact enough to be used on a sensor chip incorporated into (or used in combination with) a pixel processor of the type used in imaging and other systems that collect electromagnetic radiation as part of on-chip circuitry, includes a balanced differential amplifier combined with a merged dual shelf transistor structure. The balanced differential amplifier, in response to an input charge signal, drives the merged dual shelf transistor structure which in turn generates the desired true absolute value output signal. Such circuitry may be used in imaging systems to implement focal-plane processing algorithms or may be used for performing a single read true absolute value computation by a pixel processor located on a sensor chip. The merged dual shelf transistor structure enhances performance and speed of the processor in which it is incorporated.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first transforming device for transforming encoded data into discrete cosine transform coefficient data segmented into processing blocks, each block being formed of a matrix of m.times.n pixels; and a setting device for setting the values of M and N defining the size of a matrix forming each processing block used in inverse discrete cosine transform. The image processing apparatus also includes a data preparing circuit for adding discrete cosine transform coefficient data to, or deleting discrete cosine transform coefficient data from, a high-frequency domain of the discrete cosine transform coefficient data and segmented into processing blocks, each block being formed of a matrix of m.times.n pixels, and for preparing discrete cosine transform coefficient data segmented into processing blocks, each block being formed of a matrix of M.times.

Abstract: A method of improving the contrast in a natural scene image, in which the image is converted from an original set of color coordinates to an expression where one term has a relationship to overall image intensity. A global histogram of the image is derived for that term, which plots the populations of pixels at each possible level of intensity in the image. The signal describing the histogram is operated on with a filter having the characteristic of weakening strong peaks and valleys in the function, but not effecting flat portions of the signal. The filtered histogram signal is used for controlling the TRC mapping in a device at which the image is to be printed. Contrast is improved in areas likely to have the most image information, using the method described above, and further, dividing the image into a number of segments, each describable by a local histogram signal for that image segment. Each local histogram signal is compared to the global histogram, to determine which signals are flatter.

Abstract: A television camera equipped with a continuously-variable-speed electronic shutter function which can control the charge-storing time of a solid-state image sensor and an amplifier so that a video signal follows the optimum light amount for a subject at high speed and with high accuracy. A shutter-equipped image sensor which is controlled by a shutter pulse generating unit, converts light incident on an optical lens into an electric signal. The electric signal, after being passed through an amplifier and a signal processing unit, is detected by a video level detecting unit as a video level. A shutter control unit holds the shutter amount corresponding to the video level for each field to immediately calculate an estimated shutter amount by using a predetermined equation, and supplies the calculated shutter amount to the shutter pulse generating unit for each field. A control mode decision unit exclusively controls a gain control unit serving as an AGC and the shutter control unit.

Abstract: A video camera having an imaging device providing a video signal comprises; lens means for focusing an object leading to the imaging device, signal processor or processing outputs of the imaging device to video signals, focus detection means for detecting focus information of the object, drive means for driving the lens according to outputs of the focus detection means, and control means for controlling the lens position from first position to a predetermined position when the power is supplied.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor has a photosensing region formed on a substrate. The photosensing region has a plurality of photocells for receiving an incident image. The photosensing region is capable of changing image sampling modes by relatively shifting image sampling points for the incident image. In the photosensing region, a plurality of first transfer elements are formed and the first transfer elements receive the signal charges from adjoining photocells and transfer them out. Further, a temporary storage region is formed on the substrate having a plurality of second transfer elements therein for each of the first transfer elements. Each of the second transfer elements has a capacity to accommodate all of the signal charges of a corresponding first transfer elements which are read out from the photocells at the same time. A plurality of gate elements are respectively formed between each of the first transfer elements and their corresponding plurality of second transfer elements.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a CCD camera comprising those sequential processes comprises steps of shifting a spot light source held by a positioning device, in front of a fixed CCD camera between two remote points on a visual line in order that light beam in the center of the light source can be incident upon predetermined picture element of a solid sensor built in the CCD camera, computing angles between a plurality of visual lines generated by shifting the light source and the optical axis of the CCD camera based on position data related to the positioning device, and calibrating the corresponding relationship between the angle of light beam incident upon the CCD camera and the predetermined picture elements built in the solid sensor.

Abstract: An adaptive learning type general purpose image measurement and recognition method includes the steps of extracting a large number of basic initial features having values which are invariant to parallel displacement of an object to be caught in an image frame and which have additivity with respect to the image frame, and performing statistical feature extraction having a learning function on the basis of a multivariate analysis method applied to the extracted initial features to thereby adaptively enable use for various types of measurement.

Abstract: An apparatus for interpolating pixels using correlated dual sample-hold processing for detecting and removing dark current occurring during the feed through period to thereby improve the resolution of a 3-panel type video camera includes first and second composite delay elements for selectively delaying respective ones of signals corresponding to R, G and B channels to permit selected delay of a pair of the signals by 1/2 pitch delays of 1/3 pitch delays during interlacing for interpolating pixels. A method for signal processing using selected pitch delay values is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for creating color separations comprising discrete computational objects whose edge contours are mutually compatible, such contours being defined based on user-selected n-way color relationships. The objects may be moved, copied, scaled, re-oriented, altered in appearance or resolution, or otherwise manipulated by a user as units. In operation, the invention analyzes a multicolored pixelmap to identify edges associated with regions of a particular color. As it traces an edge the invention generates a secondary edge whose distance from the original edge is determined by the pairwise relationship between the adjacent colors; that distance may vary as the color abutting the edge changes. The pixels along the secondary edge are stored as an order list of pixels that defines the object thus traced.

Abstract: An electronic imaging system is provided that records both motion and still video images. In a motion mode of operation, the electronic imaging system records NTSC resolution images at a standard thirty frame per second rate. In a still mode of operation, the electronic imaging system records megapixel resolution still images at a much lower frame rate. The electronic imaging system utilizes an electronic image sensor that incorporates column selective "charge clearing" structures and column selective "charge parking" structures. The charge clearing structures are used to selectively discard the signal charge from certain color pixels. The charge parking structures are used to sum the charge from multiple vertical pixels. The architecture of the electronic image sensor also allows different image aspect ratios to be provided for the motion and still modes described above.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor provides in accordance with a television standard horizontal and vertical CCD control signals. The apparatus includes a frequency generator, a standard timing generator, a pixel clock generator, and a small number of additional timers and logic units which are driven by signals from the generators to generate the vertical and horizontal CCD control signals. The frequency of operation of the pixel clock generator is selectable in accordance with a number of pixels per horizontal line of the CCD image sensor. Various CCD image sensors having different numbers of pixels per horizontal line may be used. The method includes generating a plurality of precisely timed pulses referenced to television standard synchronizing and control signals, and logically combining these pulses and standard signals to generate the vertical and horizontal CCD control signals.

Abstract: An image signal conversion apparatus converts an image signal outputted from an image signal generation means into a film record signal in an image signal conversion means, and forms an image on a predetermined film on the basis of the film record signal. A first reference signal for controlling the image signal conversion means is generated on the basis of time information of the image signal generation means, and then a second reference signal for controlling a film recording means is generated on the basis of the first reference signal. Thereby the image signal conversion means and the film recording means can accurately synchronize with the image signal generation means.

Abstract: An improved camera system intended for a machine vision system which produces an image output that is specially adapted to be received by a machine vision system. In one embodiment, the camera system receives components from three portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, these being infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and then combines these three portions essentially as expanded colors in an expanded version of an RGB "red/green/blue" video system. This provides a better image in all types of weather and visibility conditions. In addition, the camera system includes dynamic range transform logic which selectively compresses the dynamic range of the respective pixel values comprising the image to extract the most useful information from the extended dynamic range of the image. This reduces the amount of information required to be processed while retaining a quality image.

Abstract: A method of processing a first series of values representing a row of pixels of a digitized image for differentially encoding the first series of pixel values to generate a first series of codes representing a first series of differential values; expanding each code of the first series into a group of codes to form a second series of codes, each group of codes representing a plurality of differential values whose sum is the differential value represented by the corresponding code of the first series; and decoding the second series of codes to generate a second series of pixel values for display. By transmitting or recording the first series of codes and then effectively dividing each received or reproduced differential value into two or more smaller differential values, known apparatus can be made with little modification to expand each line of a received image by a factor of two or more, depending on the number of codes in each group.

Abstract: A first method for exact and inexact matching of documents stored in a document database includes the step of converting the documents in the database to a compacted tokenized form. A search string or search document is then converted to the compact tokenized form and compared to determine if the test string occurs in the documents of the database or whether the documents in the database correspond to the test document. A second method for inexact matching of a test document to the documents in the database includes generating sets of one or more floating point values for each document in the database and for the test document. The sets of floating point numbers for the database are then compared to the set for the test document to determine a degree of matching. A threshold value is established and each document in the database which generates a matching value closer to the test document that the threshold is considered to be an inexact match of the test document.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an electronic gimbal system (10) which stabilizes a digital video image of a particular scene taken by a sensor which is under disturbance forces. The video image is stored as a two-dimensional array of pixel locations (12) and is applied to an address look-up calculator (14) along with a signal from an inertial sensor (16). The inertial sensor (16) determines the offset of the array of pixel locations from an inertial reference frame and adjusts the input array accordingly. In one particular implementation, the address look-up calculator (14) applies a bilinear interpolation to the pixel location in order to provide a weighted sum of pixel intensities for each offset pixel location.

Abstract: An analog/digital converting circuit necessary for recording processing is also used when exposure control is performed employing digital image data. A gamma corrector circuit 10 capable of being changed over between a gamma-correction characteristic and a linearly proportional characteristic in response to depression of a two-stage shutter release button is provided. When exposure control is carried out, changeover of the gamma-corrector circuit 10 is controlled in such a manner that the input/output characteristic of the circuit will be a linearly proportional characteristic. When exposure control is performed, a b terminal of a changeover switch 14 is connected to the A/D converting circuit 13 so that a photometric value is calculated using circuits 15, 16, and 17. When processing for recording image data is executed, changeover of the gamma-corrector circuit 10 is controlled is such a manner that the output signal thereof takes on the value of the input signal raised to the 0.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and method for verifying the identity of a person by comparing that person's face (or selected facial features) with an image generated using data stored on an identification card, badge, tag or other escort memory carried by the person. Both automatic and manual verification apparatus are disclosed, and both employ principal component methods that reduce the amount of data required to be carried by the bearer to under 100 bytes. The process of verifying identity involves combining data from the small escort memory with other image-related data that are general in nature and that are stored at the verification location. The system of the present invention is expected to find use in a wide variety of cases where a person's identity is to be established (e.g.

Abstract: An improved imaging system operates at the diffraction limit of the optics to which it is connected and outputs a signal representative of the sample lying in the sample plane. The imaging system comprises a cathode ray tube, an optical lens system and a means for sensing. The cathode ray tube comprises an electron gun for generating an electron beam in a raster pattern. The raster pattern comprises a predetermined number of horizontal lines that are spaced vertically from each other a predetermined and equal distance. The electron beam is adapted to produce an illuminated spot that scans correspondingly in the raster pattern and wherein the spot is positioned in an object plane. The optical lens system for focusing in a diffraction limited manner, the object plane on to the sample plane, such that the image of the spot is the smallest diffraction limited size as determined by the optical lens system. The imaging system also includes zoom and contrast enhancement/suppression capabilities.