Abstract: An image scanner apparatus scans a document and provides image data in digital form representing the scanned document. The compression apparatus detects characteristics of the image data and compresses the image data using parallel compressors, each employing a different encoding scheme. The apparatus then selects compressed image data encoded by one of the compressors in accordance with the detected characteristics and stores the selected data.

Abstract: An image computing and processing apparatus for computing correspondence between images from a plurality of images and for obtaining disparity corresponding to the depth of an image. Also, an apparatus for synthesizing from the disparity and image data an image as viewed from a designated viewing direction. The apparatus has a base image frame memory for storing a base image, a reference image frame memory for storing a reference image, a block correlation computing circuit for computing block correlations and confidence measure for estimation by using a plurality of block sizes, a representative pixel correlation computing circuit, and an estimation integrating computing circuit for evaluating the reliability of the result of estimation by block matching on the basis of a luminance gradient, image noise, a minimum value of an evaluation yardstick for differences between blocks, and block size, and for integrating the results of estimation obtained with the plurality of block sizes.

Abstract: An apparatus to perform symmetric filtering image compression is provided. The apparatus includes an N-element shift circuit, that has N shifting blocks (SB), to store and shift data elements. Each data element represents a pixel of an image. The apparatus also includes a first plurality of adder circuits to add data elements from a first plurality of pairs of SBs of the N SBs. The apparatus further includes a second plurality of adder circuits to add data elements from a second plurality of pairs of SBs of the N SBs. Additionally, the apparatus includes a first plurality of multiplier circuits, to multiply by corresponding low pass coefficients results of additions performed by the first plurality of adder circuits. The apparatus also includes a second plurality of multiplier circuits, to multiply by corresponding high pass coefficients results of additions performed by the second plurality of adder circuits.

Abstract: A technique for embedding a tracking number as a series of bits in a printed image alters characteristic parameter values at a set of pseudo-random locations chosen for each bit in an embedding zone. The alteration markedly changes the expectation value of some linear combination of mathematical functions of the values at that set of locations. A marker bit encoded to a higher certainty than other bits in the string aids in orienting the zones in decoding. The tracking number is detected and identified by exploiting the behavior of sums of a large number of random variables, based on the Patchtrack approach.

Abstract: The image compression and expansion device handles red (R), green (G) and blue (B) image data, which are offset horizontally to each other by one-third of one pixel, for example. The R, G and B image data are converted to a luminance signal and color difference signals, which are compressed according to the JPEG algorithm to generate compressed image data. The compressed image data are then recorded in a recording medium. Offset information, indicating that the R, G and B image data are offset to each other, is converted to a predetermined format, and is also recorded in the recording medium.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus and method efficiently compresses a variety of images by a lossless or near-lossless coding, and an image decoding apparatus and method decodes code data encoded by the image coding apparatus and method. A windowing unit determines peripheral pixel values, which include a coding object pixel value and values of pixels located near the coding object pixel. An approximation unit uses plural approximation methods so as to output decoded pixel candidates, each of which approximates the coding object pixel value based on the values of the nearby pixels by using one of the plural approximation methods. The plural approximation methods can include an interpolation method and a quantization method. A minimum error selector calculates an error between the coding object pixel value and each of the decoded pixel candidates, and outputs a rank of the approximation method that produced the minimum error. A rank/runlength calculator counts the runlength of first ranks and outputs a coding symbol.

Abstract: A compression process of dividing each word to be compressed into least and most significant bits, and applying a different compression ratio to each. If the compression processes are lossy, both parts of the output can also be losslessly compressed before being output. Hierarchical vector quantization can be issued for either lossy compressor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage device by which image data is hierarchically encoded and stored, and to a technique for reducing the size of the device and increasing processing speed. Size reduction and increased processing speed are realized by hierarchically encoding data stored in memory, by computing higher hierarchical data from lower hierarchy data, and by integrating the memory and the memory accessing circuits all on a single semiconductor chip (e.g., CMOS). The chip includes input writing and output reading, read and write address controllers, memory address decoders, read and write buffers, and a memory cell array.

Abstract: An image compression system includes a source, a memory, a personality/graphics engine having a personality and a graphics engine, a memory allocator and an image processor. The source is operative to supply digital data representative of images. The memory has a finite size for receiving the digital data. The personality is configured to interpret an input file and is operative to construct image patches from the digital data. The graphics engine is operative to generate a display list from the memory. The memory allocator is associated with the memory and is operative to allocate image patches. The image processor includes a JPEG compressor and a JPEG decompressor. The image processor is operative to render the display list into strip buffers. The JPEG compressor is operative to JPEG compress images on the display list. The JPEG decompressor is operative to decompress compressed images on the display list.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a color-information obtaining device which obtains color information relating to a color of a target-area picture-element group consisting of a plurality of picture elements belonging to a target area as one of a plurality of areas present in an object image, a characteristic-information obtaining device which obtains characteristic information which relates to a characteristic of the object image and which is different from the color information, and a target-area determining device for determining the target area in the object image based on the color information and the characteristic information.

Abstract: A semiconductor failure analysis system which includes a failure information collection unit for collecting, by bit, failure information concerned with a failure of a semiconductor, an inspection unit for examining relations between various types of inspection data obtained by inspection of the semiconductor and for examining relations between said inspection data and the failure information, a storage unit for storing information concerned with design of said semiconductor, an analysis unit for analyzing the failure information on the basis of output information output from the failure information collection unit, output information output from the inspection unit and design information stored in the storage unit, a display unit for displaying at least one of the result of analysis output from the analysis unit and the failure information, a failure cause estimation unit for estimating a cause of said failure information, and an unit for feeding the estimated cause of said failure information back to a proce

Abstract: An image scanning technique of the present invention shortens the time required for reading images of a plurality of originals set on an original tray. The positions of a lens 18 and a line of CCDs 20 are adjusted, so as to enable a scanning range of the line of CCDs 20 in a primary scanning direction to cover a plurality of originals. A first shooting range Z1 of the line of CCDs 20 covers four trimming areas Tr1, Tr2, Tr5, and Tr6. The procedure of the image scanning technique first reads white reference data of a white reference plate in the first shooting range Z1, then scans the four trimming areas Tr1, Tr2, Tr5, and Tr6 while fixing the shooting range to the first shooting range Z1, and carries out shading correction to correct image data obtained by the scan with the white reference data. This structure requires the process of scanning the white reference plate and updating the white reference data only once for correcting the image data of the plurality of originals.

Abstract: A high performance method for the compression of floating point format surface normals and the inverse method for the decompression of those compressed surface normals. Each of the three vector components of the surface normal is compressed by subtracting a constant from the floating point format value, then extracting a predefined field, and finally storing the extracted field. Decompression of the compressed surface normal requires first converting the three stored vector components into floating-point format and then adding a predefined constant to each. Typically the surface normals are of unit length.

Abstract: A reversible eight-element discrete cosine transform coding system which provides transform values near to transform values of the original eight-element discrete cosine transform. In a 4.times.4 matrix transform which appears when an eight-element discrete cosine transform is decomposed in accordance with a fast calculation method, transform coefficients (X1, X7, X3, X5) are separated into (X1, X7) and (X3, X5), which are quantized individually making use of the fact that, if (X1, X7) are determined, then values which can be taken by (X3, X5) are limited. (X1, X7) are quantized with step sizes k1, k7 by linear quantizers to obtain quantization values (Xq1, Xq7). Meanwhile, (X3, X5) are divided into global signals and local signals, and the global signals are quantized with step sizes L3, L5 by linear quantizers while quantization values of the local signals are determined using a table. The quantization values are added by adders to obtain quantization values (Xq3, Xq5) of (X3, X5).

Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method is disclosed for encoding wavelet trees in a wavelet-based coding technique, which addresses both balanced and unbalanced wavelet trees and increases the overall coding efficiency.

Abstract: In a method for separating a desired color region from a color image, color component values, which represent color components of the image, are calculated. Energy minimization is then carried out, in which calculations of an update rule for minimizing energy are iterated, in accordance with an energy function, which is defined by the color component values and a line process representing the presence or absence of continuity of the color component values in the image. A contour of the color region, which contour is represented by the line process and obtained from the energy minimization, is then extracted. The desired color region is thereby separated accurately from the color image without being affected by a background in the image.

Abstract: A method of coding an object of an arbitrary shape. The arbitrary shape coding method includes the steps of: (a) determining whether or not a shape in a video object layer (VOL) is an arbitrary shape; (b) calculating the size of a video object plane (VOP) in each frame if the shape in the VOL is determined as being an arbitrary shape in the step (a); (c) coding information of each frame about whether or not all macroblocks in the VOP are opaque; (d) coding the VOP in macroblock units if the shape of each frame is determined not to be all opaque in the step (c); and (e) coding only motion and texture information in the VOP, by macroblock, if the shape in the VOL is determined to be a non-arbitrary shape in the step (a) or if the shape in the VOP in a frame is determined as all opaque in step (c).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding data that includes generating transformed signals in response to input data. In one embodiment, the transformed signals are generated using a reversible wavelet transform. The present invention also includes a method and apparatus for compressing the transform signals into data representing a losslessly compressed version of the input data. In one embodiment, the present invention decomposes the input data using reversible wavelet transforms.

Abstract: Already stored uncompressed raster data are selectively compressed before any new raster data can be processed and stored. Both compressed and uncompressed raster data is preferably stored in the same size blocks, and the Raster Objects are preferably divided at Render Swath boundaries. Assuming that the Raster Object data has been or will be compressed by means of a known dither matrix, that dither matrix is used in the compression process to eliminate all but the data essential to reconstruct the dithered image, and the pixels of the original image are preferably successively processed along a predetermined scan path and the resultant linear pixel array is divided into successive runs which may each be encoded such that when those encoded runs are assembled into a replica of the original image and both the original image and the replica image are dithered with the same predetermined dither matrix, the dithered replica image is identical to the dithered original image.

Abstract: A method for compressing multiple channels of data using an MPEG-compatible motion estimation technique. The method determines the differences between frames within each channel and among the channels and encodes those differences. To facilitate compression, some of the frames are predicted and some of the frames are skipped. The differences between the current frame and the predicted frame for each channel are computed for each successive group of frames, and then compared, after each group of frames of each channel is encoded, to a threshold level E.sub.0. In the event that, for any of the groups of frames, the difference between the current frame and the predicted frame of any of the channels reaches the threshold, the method of the present system will insert an I-frame into the sequence of encoded frames, thus restarting the encoding process with an I-frame.