Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Shinbata

Hiroyuki Shinbata has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070189391
    Abstract: There are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, the dynamic range or partial pixel value range of which has been changed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an image or generation of overshoot. Also, there are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, desired spatial frequency components of which have been emphasized or suppressed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an edge portion contained in an objective image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: HIROYUKI SHINBATA
  • Patent number: 7248748
    Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method. In this apparatus and method, high-frequency components are converted by multiple-frequency transformation in accordance with tone conversion used to change the dynamic range, thereby obtaining a high-quality image. For example, an original image undergoes tone conversion on the basis of a tone conversion curve, and the converted image then undergoes discrete wavelet transformation. After that, subbands obtained by discrete wavelet transformation undergo a conversion process in correspondence with the slope of the tone conversion curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7139419
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which can always accurately extract, from a photographed image, an optimum feature quantity to be used for image processing is provided. In the apparatus, a limitation unit limits a predetermined area to extract the feature quantity in a lung area of an image (lung image obtained by radiographing). For example, as the predetermined area, the limitation unit limits an area obtained by dividing the lung area in a predetermined ratio, an area extending from ¼ to ½ from a head side of a maximum-length vertical axis of the lung area, or an area within a predetermined-length range from the upside of the lung area. An extraction unit extracts a feature quantity (maximum pixel value) from the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7127064
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus in which an optimum characteristic amount for use in an image processing can constantly correctly be extracted from an object image, an optimum image processing can therefore be performed, and a satisfactory image can be outputted. To achieve this, a first extraction section limits a predetermined area from the object image (X-ray image), and extracts a first characteristic amount from the predetermined area. A second extraction section extracts a second characteristic amount from a fixed area of the object image. A selection section selects a characteristic amount for use in a gray scale conversion processing from the first and second characteristic amounts based on a result of comparison of a difference between the first characteristic amount and the second characteristic amount with a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7123763
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for determining whether diaphragmatic radiation has been employed to obtain an autoradiograph of an object using a radiographic device having a diaphragmatic radiation function. An autoradiographic signal is entered and a first characteristic value is calculated using an autoradiograph designated by the autoradiographic signal, and then a frequency is calculated for the appearance of a density value for pixels constituting the edge of the autoradiograph that is determined using the first characteristic value and the frequency is employed to determine whether diaphragmatic radiation was used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7088851
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing a photographed image of an object extracts an object region from the photographed image and determines a region from which a feature value of the photographed image is extracted on the basis of a pixel value on a contour in the extracted object region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Publication number: 20060171601
    Abstract: There are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, the dynamic range or partial pixel value range of which has been changed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an image or generation of overshoot. Also, there are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, desired spatial frequency components of which have been emphasized or suppressed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an edge portion contained in an objective image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7079700
    Abstract: There are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, the dynamic range or partial pixel value range of which has been changed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an image or generation of overshoot. Also, there are disclosed an image processing apparatus and method, and the like, which can obtain a high-quality image, desired spatial frequency components of which have been emphasized or suppressed while suppressing or avoiding collapse of the edge structure of an edge portion contained in an objective image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7076111
    Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method. In this apparatus and method, high-frequency components are converted by multiple-frequency transformation in accordance with tone conversion used to change the dynamic range, thereby obtaining a high-quality image. For example, an original image undergoes tone conversion on the basis of a tone conversion curve, and the converted image then undergoes discrete wavelet transformation. After that, subbands obtained by discrete wavelet transformation undergo a conversion process in correspondence with the slope of the tone conversion curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Publication number: 20060110061
    Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus and method. In this apparatus and method, high-frequency components are converted by multiple-frequency transformation in accordance with tone conversion used to change the dynamic range, thereby obtaining a high-quality image. For example, an original image undergoes tone conversion on the basis of a tone conversion curve, and the converted image then undergoes discrete wavelet transformation. After that, subbands obtained by discrete wavelet transformation undergo a conversion process in correspondence with the slope of the tone conversion curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7050648
    Abstract: An image processing method comprises an extracting process of extracting a characteristic amount of an input image, a generating process of generating a high frequency component of the input image, a gradation converting process of converting a gradation of the input image on the basis of the characteristic amount, and an adding process of adding the high frequency component to the input image whose gradation has been converted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7046836
    Abstract: An image processing method is intended to extract an irradiation area in an image easily and accurately. A calculation unit 202 calculates secondary difference values of density values representing respective areas in three areas of a rectangular shape arranged in parallel on an image, determined by a calculation area input unit 200 and a calculation area determination unit 201, between adjacent rectangular areas and the secondary difference values thus calculated are stored in a memory unit 203. Then a judgment unit 204 judges one end point of an irradiation area from the secondary difference values thus stored and an irradiation area determination unit 205 determines the irradiation area, based on a plurality of end points thus judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Publication number: 20060093202
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for determining whether diaphragmatic radiation has been employed to obtain an autoradiograph of an object using a radiographic device having a diaphragmatic radiation function. An autoradiographic signal is entered and a first characteristic value is calculated using an autoradiograph designated by the autoradiographic signal, and then a frequency is calculated for the appearance of a density value for pixels constituting the edge of the autoradiograph that is determined using the first characteristic value and the frequency is employed to determine whether diaphragmatic radiation was used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7027632
    Abstract: According to the present invention, provided are an image discrimination apparatus and an image discrimination method for determining whether diaphragmatic radiation has been employed to obtain an autoradiograph of an object using a radiographic device having a diaphragmatic radiation function. According to the image discrimination apparatus and the image discrimination method of the present invention, an autoradiographic signal is entered and a first characteristic value is calculated using an autoradiograph designated by the autoradiographic signal, and then a frequency is calculated for the appearance of a density value for pixels constituting the edge of the autoradiograph that is determined using the first characteristic value and the frequency is employed to determine whether the autoradiograph has been obtained by using diaphragmatic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7024036
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus substantially performs image processing on an image including first gray-scale conversion processing using a first gray-scale conversion curve. Then, the image processing apparatus performs second gray-scale conversion processing on the processed image using a second gray-scale conversion curve, and displays a composite gray-scale conversion curve combining the first and second gray-scale conversion curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 7013035
    Abstract: An image processing method for extracting a characteristic amount of a photographed image from the photographed image obtained by photographing an object, comprises a passing through deleting step of deleting a passing through area from the photographed image, a preparing step of preparing a projection from the image from which the passing through area is deleted, and a setting step of setting a characteristic area of said photographed image based on a result of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Publication number: 20060008131
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus in which an optimum characteristic amount for use in an image processing can constantly correctly be extracted from an object image, an optimum image processing can therefore be performed, and a satisfactory image can be outputted. To achieve this, a first extraction section limits a predetermined area from the object image (X-ray image), and extracts a first characteristic amount from the predetermined area. A second extraction section extracts a second characteristic amount from a fixed area of the object image. A selection section selects a characteristic amount for use in a gray scale conversion processing from the first and second characteristic amounts based on a result of comparison of a difference between the first characteristic amount and the second characteristic amount with a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 6985632
    Abstract: Obtains an image from which noise is removed upon compressing or decoding and displaying an image containing noise. To accomplish this, a subband to which a wavelet transform coefficient of interest belongs is checked upon entropy decoding, and when the coefficient belongs to a subband other than LL, decoding is aborted at a predetermined lower-limit bit plane, and all bits contained in bit planes from the lower-limit bit plane to the least significant bit plane are set at zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sato, Tomohiko Matsuura, Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 6985614
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus in which an optimum characteristic amount for use in an image processing can constantly correctly be extracted from an object image, an optimum image processing can therefore be performed, and a satisfactory image can be outputted. To achieve this, a first extraction section limits a predetermined area from the object image (X-ray image), and extracts a first characteristic amount from the predetermined area. A second extraction section extracts a second characteristic amount from a fixed area of the object image. A selection section selects a characteristic amount for use in a gray scale conversion processing from the first and second characteristic amounts based on a result of comparison of a difference between the first characteristic amount and the second characteristic amount with a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata
  • Patent number: 6985615
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image processing apparatus for performing a dynamic range compression processing to an arbitrary image to add a high frequency component obtained based on the image, the image processing apparatus comprising: conversion means for converting the magnitude of the amplitude of the added high frequency component based on the magnitude of the high frequency component. When the dynamic range compression processing is performed, artifacts such as an overshoot and undershoot are depressed, the amplitude of the high frequency component is held and the width of an image density distribution is set to be freely adjustable, so that a satisfactory processed image can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shinbata