Gray Scale Transformation (e.g., Gamma Correction) Patents (Class 348/254)
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Patent number: 8379039Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide several novel methods for distributing image content (e.g., picture content, video content, etc.). In some embodiments, the method tags the content with data that specifies an initial target color-region for the content. Some embodiments tag the data when the content is being created, while other embodiments tag the data when the content is being edited. The method uses the tag data to reformat the content for one or more different targets for the content. For instance, during the reformatting, some embodiments use the tags to perform proper color region conversion on the content. In some embodiments, this conversion converts the colors of each pixel in the content from the initial target color region to a subsequent target color region.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2009Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Kenneth Greenebaum
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Patent number: 8373718Abstract: Embodiments of the claimed subject matter provide a system and process for enhancing the display of color in a graphical display. In one embodiment, a process is provided for color enhancement using a detection volume and a shift volume. In one embodiment, input from pixels, as color data, is compared to a detection volume. If the color data of an input is detected in the detection volume, the color data is modified to a corresponding position in the shift volume, the modification consisting of an enhancement to the original color.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2008Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Santanu Dutta, Christos Chrysafis
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Patent number: 8373721Abstract: In a method of realism assessment of an image composite, the foreground and the background are transformed into a color space, such as YCbCr, followed by projecting the foreground and the background to a subspace represented by the axes representing chromatic information. The image composite is assessed in the projected subspace, according to linearity of color distributions of the foreground/the background, or according to distance between the color distributions of the foreground/the background and a center of the transformed color space.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2009Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: National Taiwan UniversityInventors: Bing-Yi Wong, Homer H. Chen, Chia-Kai Liang, Tai-Hsu Lin
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Patent number: 8369646Abstract: An image correction method includes the steps of: acquiring a black-side intermediate luminance distribution as a luminance distribution in a region between a lowest luminance in a given intermediate luminance region in a luminance distribution of input image data in an image frame and a reference luminance provided in the center of the intermediate luminance region; determining a low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve on the basis of the acquired black-side intermediate luminance distribution, the low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve passing through a reference point, in the reference input/output characteristic line, determined in accordance with the reference luminance and through a minimum luminance point of the reference input/output characteristic line; and executing image correction on input image data having a luminance which is lower than the reference luminance on the basis of the determined low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Shigeru Harada
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Patent number: 8369645Abstract: An image correction circuit includes: a region determining means for determining an intermediate luminance region in each image frame on the basis of the description of input image data; a luminance distribution acquiring means for acquiring a luminance distribution of input image data in the determined intermediate luminance region in each image frame; a determining means for determining an input/output characteristic line in each image frame by adaptively changing a predetermined reference input/output characteristic line on the basis of the acquired luminance distribution of the intermediate luminance region, the input/output characteristic line defining the substance of image correction on input image data; and a correction executing means for executing image correction on input image data on the basis of the determined input/output characteristic line.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Shigeru Harada
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Patent number: 8363168Abstract: A difference sample data holder of a gamma correction device holds as difference sample data a difference between a corrected signal level and a yet-to-be-corrected signal level for each of multiple sample points set at equal intervals between the permissible minimum and maximum levels of an input video signal. A correction execution unit performs cubic interpolation operation using the difference sample data held in the difference sample data holder, and adds the operated result and the signal level of the input video signal to obtain the signal level of the corrected video signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2008Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Shinji Uchinuno, Fuminori Higashi
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Patent number: 8363125Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a gamma transforming unit that performs gamma transformation on an image signal based on a luminance component of the image signal and so as to maintain an RGB ratio of the image signal; a correction-target-value calculating unit that calculates a correction target value as a target value for performing tone correction on the luminance component of the image signal, based on a structure of RGB components contained in an image signal obtained by the gamma transforming unit through the gamma transformation; and a tone correcting unit that performs tone correction on a value of the image signal based on the luminance component of the image signal and the correction target value.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventor: Noriko Miyagi
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Patent number: 8358351Abstract: A device, method, computer useable medium, and processor programmed to automatically generate tone mapping curves in a digital camera based on image metadata are described. By examining image metadata from a digital camera's sensor, such as the light-product, one can detect sun-lit, high-light, and low-light scenes. Once the light-product value has been calculated for a given image, a tone mapping curve can automatically be generated within the sensor and adjusted appropriately for the scene based on predetermined parameters. Further, it has been determined that independently varying the slopes of the tone mapping curve at the low end (S0) and high end (S1) of the curve results in more visually appealing images. By dynamically and independently selecting S0 and S1 values based on image metadata, more visually pleasing images can be generated.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2009Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ralph Brunner, Mark Zimmer, Guy Cote
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Patent number: 8350905Abstract: A microscope system has a VS image generation means for generating a virtual slide image of a specimen which is constructed by mutually connecting a plurality of microscope images with a first photomagnification photographed and acquired whenever an objective lens and the specimen are relatively moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and which represents the entire image of the specimen, an object-of-interest set means setting an object of interest with respect to the entire image of the specimen represented by the VS image, and a three-dimensional VS image generation means for generating a three-dimensional VS image which is constructed by connecting the microscope images at different focal positions in accordance with the same focal position and which is constructed from the microscope images with a second photomagnification higher than the first photomagnification and represents the image of the object of interest.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Tatsuki Yamada
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Patent number: 8339485Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus includes a user interface unit, a gamma correction value calculating unit, and a gamma correction value storage unit. The user interface unit receives a designation of values of at least three points that form a gamma curve used during gamma correction of a video signal. The gamma correction value calculating unit calculates gamma correction values by substituting coefficients, obtained by an approximation calculation carried out on the values of the at least three points, whose designation is received by the user interface unit, into an exponential function using the coefficients as parameters. The gamma correction value storage unit stores the gamma correction values calculated by the gamma correction value calculating unit and is operable when an indication confirming the gamma correction values has been received from the user, to output the gamma correction values to a gamma correction unit carrying out processing for gamma correction.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2009Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kazuo Endo, Mitsutoshi Shinkai
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Patent number: 8334884Abstract: A method of calculating a correction value used when signal value correction is performed with respect to an image signal supplied to a display panel includes setting a target luminance value, which is not uniform in an overall surface of the display panel, as a target luminance value of one image signal value such that at least a portion of a distribution of target luminance values at each plane position of the display panel becomes a curved distribution, and calculating a correction value at each plane position of the display panel using luminance observed at each plane position of the display panel when one image signal value is given to the overall surface of the display panel and the target luminance value at each plane position of the display panel.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Yasunobu Kato
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Patent number: 8334912Abstract: A synchronization processing in which an image data having a plurality of color components per pixel is generated based on the image data obtained by an imaging apparatus which includes an image sensor arranged with a plurality of color filters is performed. Then, a predetermined granular pattern is added to the image data subjected to the synchronization processing.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2009Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.Inventors: Tetsuya Toyoda, Manabu Ichikawa
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Patent number: 8334914Abstract: Plural areas defined by contours in a through image (live view image) are previously set as object segments whose luminance levels are to be altered. When a user touches a point within an object segment seen in the through image displayed on a touch panel LCD 12, a gamma curve is changed to alter a luminance level of the object segment including the touched point. This arrangement allows the user to make more bright the whole of the object segment simply by touching a point within the object segment, and also to select any segment of an object as the object segment whose luminance level is to be altered.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2009Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Casio Computer Co., LtdInventor: Kazunori Kita
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Patent number: 8325202Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device, a color correction table generation device, a display device, an image processing method, a color correction table generation method, a color adjustment method of a display device, and an image processing program capable of color matching to preferred colors of which excessive emphasis in chroma is suppressed. There are provided a chroma limit setting section for setting a chroma limit based on a optimal color, and a color correction table generation section for generating a color correction table by making a correspondence between an input color and an output color having chroma no greater than a chroma limit. The color correction table is stored in a color correction table storage section. The color correction execution section executes color correction along the color correction table so that the projector outputs a color with chroma no greater than the chroma limit.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masashi Kanai, Hideaki Kasahara
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Patent number: 8325238Abstract: Disclosed herein is a test pattern signal generator for outputting a video signal adapted to display, on a display device, a test pattern of a color chart according to a standard for a first color gamut and a color chart of a test pattern according to a standard for a second color gamut which is wider than the first color gamut, the test pattern signal generator including: a color chart recording section configured to record color chart information of the standard for the first color gamut and color chart information of the standard for the second color gamut; and a test pattern signal generation section configured to generate, based on the information recorded in the color chart recording section, a video signal adapted to display test patterns in which the color charts according to the respective standards are arranged in a predetermined layout on the same screen.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yutaka Imai, Naoya Katoh
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Patent number: 8325246Abstract: An imaging method is provided. The method includes the steps of: amplifying an imaging signal obtained from an image sensor for converting imaging light into an imaging signal; carrying out nonlinear processing on the amplified signal; adding a predetermined plurality of frames of the imaging signal subjected to the nonlinear processing per frame; and carrying out the variable setting of amplification gain of each frame on the basis of a signal accumulation period of each frame in the plurality of frames subjected to the addition.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2008Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Takashi Kameyama
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Patent number: 8319864Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor; a pixel output judging processor which judges if a pixel output reaches a saturation level or not; a pixel output compensation processor which performs a compensating operation to compensate a pixel output of a pixel of a specific color which reaches the saturation level; a bit compression convertor which performs a bit compression such that pixel output data, which is once converted from a first bit number to a second bit number, is converted again to the first bit number; a histogram producer which produces a brightness histogram of a photographic subject image; and a calculator which calculates a ratio of the number of pixels of a maximum brightness area to the number of entire pixels from the brightness histogram, wherein the bit compression convertor performs the bit compression based on a bit compression characteristic set on the basis of the ratio of the number of pixels of the maximum brightness area.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Manabu Yamada
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Patent number: 8310562Abstract: An imaging control apparatus includes an HDR signal processor and a frame memory. The HDR signal processor obtains pixel data S1 and S2 obtained by imaging with a very short exposure time T1 and a short exposure time T2 earlier than obtaining pixel data S3 obtained by imaging with a normal exposure time T3, generates a luminance image data by separating illumination light component from the pixel data S1 and S2, the generation of the luminance image data starting when the pixel data S2 is obtained, and generates a gain for tone mapping from the luminance image data. On the other hand, the HDR signal processor generates an HDR image data from the pixel data S1 to S3, the generation of the HDR image starting when the pixel data S3 is obtained, and performs tone mapping by multiplying this image data by the gain.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2010Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Haruhisa Kurane, Masanobu Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8305470Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging element that takes an image of a target object and output an image signal corresponding to the image; a storage unit that stores therein a zero-point adjustment reference value; a brightness detecting unit that detects a brightness of the target object; and a reference-value changing unit that changes the zero-point adjustment reference value when the brightness detected by the brightness detecting unit is equal to or lower than a threshold. A zero point in a level of the image signal output from the imaging element is adjusted by using the zero-point adjustment reference value stored in the storage unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2009Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, LimitedInventors: Ryosuke Kasahara, Tetsuya Sasaki, Go Maruyama, Hiroyoshi Sekiguchi, Masahiko Itoh, Xue Li
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Patent number: 8300140Abstract: The electronic camera has an imaging device that images a subject with subject reflectance R (%) with a dynamic range wider than that at displaying or printing to acquire image data and a recording device that converts the image data acquired by the imaging device with a predetermined function and records the converted image data and the information on the function as digital values (digit). Therefore, a printed image with an automatically or manually corrected density can be obtained at the displaying or the printing.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Manabu Hyodo, Yoshiya Ohara
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Patent number: 8294795Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit, a generating unit, a detecting unit, and a calculating unit. The image capturing unit captures an image of a subject to generate image data. The generating unit generates a blurred image from the image data. The detecting unit detects a main subject area included in the image data. The calculating unit calculates an evaluation value regarding a brightness based on an image of the main subject area among the blurred image, and calculates an improvement amount of lightness used for performing a correction on dark part gradation of the image data generated by the image capturing unit based on the evaluation value being calculated. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the exposure and correct the dark part gradation optimally both for a main subject portion and a background portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Masaru Muramatsu
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Patent number: 8290293Abstract: To compensate an image, a profile thereof is obtained from pixel values in a marginal area of the image. A background value of the image determined from the profile and correction to the image is performed in accordance with the background value and the profile.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hyung-soo Ohk
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Patent number: 8290263Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a photographing condition estimation unit for estimating a photographing condition of the input image based on photometric information and focal information. A Y/C separation unit separates the input image into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; a luminance correction unit extracts an edge from the luminance signal and corrects the luminance signal by a gradation conversion curve; a color difference correction unit corrects the color difference signal based on luminance signals obtained before and after the gradation correction and a theoretical limit characteristic of color reproduction; a skin color correction unit performs skin color correction depending on the photographing condition; and a Y/C synthesis unit synthesizes the luminance signal and the color difference signal obtained after the correction. Gradation correction is performed on the input image such that appropriate hue and saturation are achieved while emphasizing a main object.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takao Tsuruoka, Kazuhito Horiuchi
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Patent number: 8290310Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a computation unit that determines an interpolation process starting point and gradient on the basis of a change point at which a difference between pixel values of adjacent pixels of an image signal is greater than zero and is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, wherein a position of a pixel scanned earlier or later than the change point by substantially one-half a continuous width of pixels having an identical grayscale value is set as the starting point and the gradient is determined based on a difference between pixel values before and after the change point and the continuous width, and a conversion unit that converts pixel values of the image signal on the basis of the determined starting point and gradient so that a grayscale change from the interpolation process starting point in the image signal corresponds to the gradient.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Koichi Sono
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Patent number: 8279235Abstract: A color correction method is provided. Grey values of three primary colors of an image data are transformed into initial characteristic values in a color space. Three sets of characteristic values of a to-be-corrected apparatus when the apparatus displays the primary colors respectively are measured. The characteristic values of the image data are transformed into a set of adjusted brightness values of the primary colors according to the characteristic values and a color space transformation equation. Gamma curves of the apparatus when displaying the primary colors are measured and modified to generate new grey-value vs. brightness relationships for the primary colors, so as to obtain adjusted grey values of the primary colors corresponding to the adjusted brightness values.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Wintek CorporationInventors: Jyun-Sian Li, Chih-Chang Lai
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Patent number: 8279234Abstract: The present invention relates to a gamma data generation method of a display device. In the method, gamma data including red gamma data, green gamma data, and blue gamma data is determined. A target luminance and a target color coordinate of a first reference gray are determined. Then, an image is displayed on a display device based on red, green, and blue input image signals for a first reference gray, and a first luminance and a first color coordinate from the image are measured. Then, it is determined whether a coordinate difference between the first color coordinate and the target color coordinate and a luminance difference between the first luminance and the target luminance are in an allowable error range or not.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2008Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kyong-Tae Park, Hyo-Seok Kim
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Patent number: 8279349Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system and method for controlling visual parameters of a capturing device to minimize clipping and saturation according to predefined parameters. The method may include processing pixel values of a current input frame of a received video signal captured by a capturing device; accumulating processing results of the current input frame to processing results of one or more previous input frames and calculating a desired dynamic range based on pre-determined user parameters. The processing may further include checking if the accumulated results are within the desired dynamic range and determining if adjustment is desired. If the accumulated results are not within the desired dynamic range, adjusting visual parameters for a subsequent input frame, by controlling the capturing device and if the accumulated results are within the desired dynamic range maintaining current visual parameters of the current input frame for the subsequent input frame.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Nice Systems Ltd.Inventors: Yaron Shmueli, Eran Gonen, Amotz Hoshen
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Patent number: 8274525Abstract: A color gamut mapping maps an input image signal which has input pixel colors defined by an input luminance and an input chromaticity into a mapped image signal which has corresponding mapped pixel colors defined by a mapped luminance and a mapped chromaticity for a display. The input pixel colors lie within the input color gamut different than the display color gamut. The desired mapped luminance may be retrieved by looking up stored desired luminance values in a look-up table at the mapped chromaticity, or by calculating a relative to white luminance, or a luminance decrease, etc.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2007Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: TP Vision Holding, B.V.Inventor: Erno Hermanus Antonius Langendijk
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Patent number: 8274526Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for visual gamma correction of a display system includes retrieving input gamma information from input content, determining at least one pattern representing luminance of the received content based upon at least the retrieved gamma information, displaying the at least one determined pattern representing the luminance of the received image content and at least one corresponding reference image on the display system, and adjusting the brightness and contrast of the least one reference image on the display system to approach the luminance of a corresponding determined pattern to determine a corrected gamma for the display system.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2006Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventor: Bongsun Lee
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Patent number: 8269787Abstract: A method for color grading within a component color space associated with a display includes receiving a source image comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel is associated with a color comprising a plurality of color component values in the component color space, wherein the component color space comprises RGB, and wherein a pixel is associated with a color inside a gamut of the display but outside a gamut of a target media, receiving a color grading signal from a user, modifying the color associated with the pixel from the plurality of pixels in response to the color grading signal, to form a graded image comprising the pixel, wherein the pixel is associated with a graded color comprising a plurality of color component values, displaying the graded image on the display to the user, automatically performing a gamut remapping of the graded color associated with the pixel, to form a gamut remapped image comprising the pixel, wherein the pixel is associated with a gamut remapped color comprising a pType: GrantFiled: May 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: PixarInventors: Rod Bogart, Rick Sayre
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Patent number: 8259125Abstract: Methods for gamut mapping and boosting a color saturation of a color signal having multiple colors and a color value for each color. An example method includes mapping each color from a first to a second color space, adjusting each color in the mapped color signal including boosting a color saturation; determining a maximum color value of the color signal; and, in response to a determining that the maximum color value exceeds a maximum displayable color value, setting the color value of the color having the maximum color value to be equal to the maximum displayable color value and scaling color values of colors not having the maximum color value.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Texas Instuments IncorporatedInventors: Rajeev Ramanath, Larry L. Jenkins
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Patent number: 8253756Abstract: A circuit dithers pixel data on a display, and includes a lookup table module, a dithering parameter decoder, a first adder, a second adder, and an overflow handling module. A lookup table of the lookup table module stores dithering parameters generated by encoding odd and even pixel dithering parameters. The dithering parameter decoder generates second and third dithering parameters corresponding to odd and even pixels from a first dithering parameter. The first adder generates a dithered odd pixel parameter according to the odd pixel parameter and the second dithering parameter. The second adder generates a dithered even pixel parameter according to the even pixel parameter and the third dithering parameter. The overflow handling module checks for overflow, and generates an output odd pixel parameter according to the dithered odd pixel parameter, and generates an output even pixel parameter according to the dithered even pixel parameter.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.Inventors: Yu-Ju Lee, Tzu-Chiang Shen
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Patent number: 8248493Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus includes a non-equidistant section determination circuit, a sample data register, and an interpolation computation circuit. The non-equidistant section determination circuit detects a non-equidistant section having different intervals between plural sample points set for the dynamic range of a video signal to be inputted. The sample data register holds the signal level (correction level) of a video signal after correction for each sample point. The interpolation computation circuit obtains the signal level of the video signal after correction by executing cubic interpolation computation with reference to the correction level. Here, a first section is defined as a section located on a lower signal level side and having intervals of X (X>0) between sample points, and a second section is defined as a section located on a higher level side and having intervals of Y (Y>0, X?Y) between sample points.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2008Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Fuminori Higashi
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Patent number: 8248431Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed that includes an extraction unit extracting predetermined color areas from an input image, a calculation unit calculating each of representative colors of the extracted predetermined color areas, an evaluation unit evaluating whether hue values of the representative colors of the predetermined color areas are distributed in both directions from the hue value of a target color, and a color correcting unit, in which when it is determined that the hue values of the representative colors of the predetermined color areas are not distributed in both directions from the hue value of the target color, color correction is performed on the predetermined color areas.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company Ltd.Inventor: Yasunobu Shirata
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Patent number: 8248494Abstract: A method of compressing an original dynamic range of an original image, includes a first step of obtaining a reduced image corresponding to the original image by performing quantization and downsampling on the original image that has been input; a second step of calculating a look-up table based on the reduced image, wherein the look-up table indicates a mapping relationship between the original dynamic range of the original image and a dynamic range of a medium; and a third step of mapping each of the pixels in the original image from the original dynamic range of the original image onto the dynamic range of the medium based on the look-up table.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Cheng Du, Tong Liu, Gang Wang, Zhongchao Shi, Tao Li
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Patent number: 8243154Abstract: A proposition is to perform a detection of a position shift amount between images which are anteroposterior in a chronological order with high accuracy. Therefore, in an image processing apparatus, a unit A performs a geometric transformation on a pixel group ? in an image 1 using an input position shift amount as a parameter, and calculates a gain based on a luminance difference between the pixel group ? in the image 1 being performed the transformation and pixels in an image 2 existing at an identical coordinate as the pixel group ?. Besides a unit B multiplies an input gain to the image 2 and calculates a position shift amount between the image 1 and the image 2. A detecting unit executes the unit A and the unit B for at least one time or more.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Shigeru Doida
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Patent number: 8237785Abstract: In acquisition of an image of cells, a focal position is accurately set at highly active cells rather than focusing on dead cells. Provided is an automatic focusing apparatus (8) used in a microscope (1) that image captures fluorescence emitted from cells to acquire a cell image, the automatic focusing apparatus (8) including a setting unit (5) that sets a luminance range indicating a region where viable cells exist on the basis of a luminance distribution of the acquired cell image; and a focus-detecting unit that detects a focal position on the basis of a luminance of an image of nuclei of the cells within the luminance range set by the setting unit (5).Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2007Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Kosuke Takagi, Yuichiro Matsuo, Yoshihiro Shimada
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Publication number: 20120169906Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing wide dynamic range (WDR) image are disclosed. The WDR image processing apparatus could be integrated within an image sensor or an image backend apparatus. Whether the m-th bit of the sensing image signal is equal to 1 is determined. If the m-th bit is equal to 1, then the values corresponding to the m-th to the (m?r)-th bits are added by first offset to output a WDR image signal. If the m-th bit is not equal to 1, then whether the (m?1)-th bit is equal to 1 is determined. If the (m?1)-th bit is equal to 1, then the values corresponding to the (m?1)-th to the (m?s)-th bits are added by a second offset to output the WDR image signal. The same processing is applied up to the (m?t)-th bit, m, n, r, s and t are positive integers, and m is greater than n.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: WT MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Bor-Wen Chiou, Wun-Young Leo
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Patent number: 8212836Abstract: The color management module includes a first color converter color-converting color information contained in an image signal having been input according to a three-dimensional LUT; an interpolator generating a synthetic image signal by synthesizing an image signal converted by the first color converter and an image signal having been input in an arbitrary ratio; and a second color converter color-converting color information on the synthetic image signal in the HSV space and outputting the color information.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Keizo Matsumoto, Masanobu Inoe, Hisakazu Hitomi
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Patent number: 8212936Abstract: A request recognition section (373) recognizes an input operation for a source switching request to switch broadcast program contents extracted from broadcast waves to contents recorded in a recording and reproducing apparatus to display the contents on a display unit (350). Values of a plurality of setting factors such as brightness, contrast, and black level related to picture quality, which correspond to the source to be switched, specified corresponding to the previous contents source are read from a memory (360). Predefined values of the setting factors set corresponding to the previous contents source are compared with values newly read, and the values of the respective setting factors are sequentially changed stepwise. It is possible to prevent a flicker on a screen caused by a sudden change in the picture quality during processing of changing the picture quality, thereby favorably adjusting the picture quality.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2005Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Pioneer CorporationInventor: Nao Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8208045Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reducing noise in image data, comprising the steps of performing (S4, S7, S10) a spatial noise reduction on the image data and applying (S12) a gamma correction on the spatial noise reduced image data. The present invention further relates to a system for noise reduction in image data.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Muhammad Siddiqui, Klaus Zimmermann
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Patent number: 8208175Abstract: A target pixel is processed according to a blended combination of two or more error diffusion techniques. For example, the two or more techniques may include a standard error diffusion technique and rank ordered error diffusion. Additionally, or alternatively, a quantization resolution is selected for the target pixel based on information regarding the pixel. For example, a quantization resolution is selected based on a relative position of the target pixel or based on a value of the target pixel and/or values of pixels neighboring the target pixel.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2005Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Beilei Xu, Robert Paul Loce
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Patent number: 8203523Abstract: Display systems that employ input gamma dithering and dynamic backlight control. Embodiments relate to disabling input gamma dithering during periods when there is a change in the scale value by which image data is scaled due to dynamic backlight control. In this manner, input gamma dithering is selectively applied only during those times when data scaling due to dynamic backlight control is constant.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seok-Jin Han, Sarah Sunyoung Hwang
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Patent number: 8199227Abstract: The object is to enable picture compositing having a balanced and uniform appearance over the whole image even when performing space-variant image-signal processing. Provided is an image-signal processing apparatus for performing image-signal processing on an input image signal, the image-signal processing apparatus comprising a first signal processing unit for performing first signal processing on the input image signal; a correction-coefficient calculating unit for calculating a first correction coefficient on the basis of the image signal after being subjected to the first signal processing by the first signal processing unit; and a second signal processing unit for performing second signal processing on the input image signal using the first correction coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Seigo On, Taketo Tsukioka
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Patent number: 8199228Abstract: A grayscale image with corrected contours, which is suitably applicable to the art of recognition of objects, is obtained using a grayscale image and a distance image of a subject. The contour of the grayscale image where a grayscale contour image extracted from the grayscale image and a distance contour image extracted from the distance image agree with each other in contour, is corrected to generate the grayscale image with corrected contours. It is possible to highlight or emphasize the boundary of the subject, and a contour correcting process, which is different from the ordinary contour correcting process, can be carried out on a boundary of the subject.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Tomonori Masuda
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Patent number: 8194160Abstract: An image processing system includes a frequency decomposition unit adapted to decompose an image signal into a high frequency component and a low frequency component, a high frequency separation unit adapted to separate the high frequency component into an invalid component caused by noise and other valid component, a conversion characteristic calculation unit adapted to calculate a conversion characteristic on the basis of the low frequency component, a gradation processing unit adapted to perform a gradation processing on the low frequency component and the valid component on the basis of the calculated conversion characteristic, and a frequency synthesis unit adapted to generate an image signal on which a gradation conversion has been performed by synthesizing the low frequency component on which the gradation conversion has been performed, the valid component on which a gradation conversion has been performed and the invalid component.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Takao Tsuruoka
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Patent number: 8194286Abstract: An apparatus includes a gray converter to convert an inputted color image to be printed into a gray conversion image and to outputs the gray conversion image a difference calculator to calculate a at least one difference value between a at least one color channel image with respect to the color image and the gray conversion image; and a gray reviser to revise the gray conversion image based on the at least one difference value and to output a gray conversion image.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2007Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: In-ho Park, Hyun-soo Oh, Mi-jung Jang
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Patent number: 8194094Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image display panel having a two-dimensional matrix with (P×Q) pixels each including first, second and third sub-pixels for displaying respective first, second and third elementary colors, and fourth sub-pixel for displaying a fourth color; and a signal processing section configured to receive first, second and third sub-pixel input signals respectively provided with signal values of x1-(p, q), x2-(p, q) and x3-(p, q), and to output first, second, third and fourth sub-pixel output signals respectively provided with signal values of X1-(p, q), X2-(p, q), X3-(p, q) and X4-(p, q), which used for determining the display gradations of the first, second, third, and fourth sub-pixels, respectively, with regard to a (p, q)th pixel where notations p and q are integers satisfying equations 1?p?P and 1?q?Q.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Akira Sakaigawa, Yukiko Iijima, Amane Higashi, Koji Noguchi
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Publication number: 20120133806Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided in which, even if a nonlinear characteristic of a luminance-type gamma correction circuit for converting a luminance signal is changed, saturation with respect to a luminance output can be nearly constant. A signal amount of the luminance signal generated from image data that exceeds a previously defined threshold is calculated. A first nonlinear characteristic is selected from a plurality of nonlinear characteristics previously set depending on the calculated signal amount. Nonlinear conversation is performed on a signal generated from the image data to determine luminance with the selected first nonlinear characteristic. An output ratio of the first nonlinear characteristic to a second nonlinear characteristic is prepared and the second nonlinear characteristic is defined so that the output ratio is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenzo HISA
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Patent number: 8189013Abstract: Disclosed is a video signal processing device and a method of processing gradation capable of improving the contrast ratio and the user satisfaction of a plasma display device. The video signal processing device includes a position detecting unit for detecting positions of pixels to be displayed in a frame, a sub region detecting unit for detecting a central region including a reference point formed of at least one pixel in the frame and sub regions surrounding the central region, and a compensating unit for differently compensating brightness of pixels positioned in the sub regions and brightness of pixels positioned in the central unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mi-Young Joo, Jong-Ho Park