Signal Enhancing Patents (Class 358/447)
  • Patent number: 11423335
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for identifying and executing one or more interactive condition evaluation tests and collecting and analyzing user behavior data to generate an output are provided. In some examples, user information may be received and one or more interactive condition evaluation tests may be identified. An instruction may be transmitted to a computing device of a user and executed on the computing device to enable functionality of one or more sensors that may be used in the identified tests. Upon initiating a test, data may be collected from the one or more sensors. The collected sensor data may be transmitted to the system and processed using one or more machine learning datasets. Additionally, user behavior data may be collected and processed using one or more machine learning datasets. The sensor data, the user behavior data, and other data may be used together to generate an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: John Rugel, Brian Stricker, Howard Hayes, Surender Kumar, Matthew Olenak
  • Patent number: 11252300
    Abstract: Training and upscaling a large-sized input image, including: dividing the large-sized input image into a plurality of small-sized sub-pictures; expanding each sub-picture of the plurality of small-sized sub-pictures using target padding pixels to produce an expanded sub-picture; upscaling each sub-picture using an ML-based upscaler to produce an expanded upscaled sub-picture; cropping the expanded upscaled sub-picture to an upscaled size equal to an original size of each sub-picture multiplied by an upscaling factor; repeating expanding, upscaling, and cropping for the plurality of sub-pictures; and concatenating the plurality of cropped sub-pictures to produce an output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Miaoqi Zhu, Yoshikazu Takashima
  • Patent number: 11172149
    Abstract: An image sensing system includes a pixel array, an analog-to-digital converter circuit, and an average calculator. The analog-to-digital converter circuit converts a first pixel signal to first pixel data and converts a second pixel signal to second pixel data. The average calculator generates a first average bit based on a first bit of the first pixel data and a first bit of the second pixel data during a first time and generates a second average bit based on a second bit of the first pixel data and a second bit of the second pixel data during a second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heesung Chae, Yunhwan Jung, Kyung-Min Kim, Kyungtae Kim
  • Patent number: 11120529
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire noise information about a noise characteristic of an input image generated by image capturing using an optical system, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire a sharpening filter in a real space, the sharpening filter being based on an optical characteristic of the optical system, and a third acquisition unit configured to acquire gain information about gain of the sharpening filter using components of the sharpening filter. The image processing apparatus performs sharpening processing on the input image based on the noise information and the gain information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ida, Koshi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11025840
    Abstract: Provided is an image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array including pixels arranged along a first direction and a second direction, and partitioned into blocks, a converter configured to convert image signals outputted from the pixels into digital signals based on an image, and an image signal processor configured to add amplitudes of the digital signals belonging to each of the blocks to determine edge blocks among the blocks, compare the amplitudes of the digital signals to determine directions in which direction lines of the edge blocks are directed, and connect the direction lines to extract an edge of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Hyun Kyu Yu, Sung Weon Kang, Young-Su Kwon, Joo Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 10944911
    Abstract: Methods and integrated circuits to process image data from single or multiple digital overlap (DOL) wide dynamic range (WDR) sensors, in which first received pixel data associated with a first exposure of a sensor image is stored in a DDR memory circuit, second received pixel data associated with a second exposure of the image is stored in the first buffer, third received pixel data associated with a third exposure of the image is stored in a second buffer, and fourth received pixel data associated with a fourth exposure of the image is provided to a merge circuit, and merged pixel data is stored in a dynamically partitioned line buffer for processing by an image pipeline circuit to facilitate interfacing multiple DOL WDR sensors in an interleaved fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Shashank Dabral
  • Patent number: 10856735
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the field of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). This disclosure particularly relates to an OCT system that generates an image with improved quality. In one example, the OCT system may generate an improved Bscan image by using multiple shaping functions to shape the raw A-scans. In another example, the OCT system may generate the improved B-scan image by forming multiple apodization patterns on a detector and acquiring raw A-scans by using the apodization patterns. A better diagnosis of a health condition may be reached by using the improved images generated by the OCT system of this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yu Chen, Scott E. Fraser
  • Patent number: 10798267
    Abstract: An image processing unit detects an edge portion of an input image and outputs first data for correcting the detected edge portion. The image processing unit also detects a thin line in the input image and outputs second data for correcting the detected thin line. In a case where a pixel of interest is subjected to both correction processes using the first data and the second data, a greater correction amount is selected and the correction is made using the selected correction amount, and a result corrected image is output as an output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichirou Haruta
  • Patent number: 10677595
    Abstract: A method for navigating an automated guided vehicle is provided. The method includes: generating an environment map for an automated guided vehicle and setting a target position, wherein the environment map at least includes an open region and a barrier region; generating a first navigation path on the environment map according to the target position; optimizing the first navigation path by using a dichotomy method to generate a second navigation path; orthogonalizing the second navigation path to generate a third navigation path, wherein every two adjacent line segments in the third navigation path are orthogonal to each other; and navigating the automated guided vehicle to the target position using the third navigation path. The method for navigating the automated guided vehicle according to the invention optimizes navigation paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignees: INVENTEC APPLIANCES (PUDONG) CORPORATION, INVENTEC APPLIANCES CORP., INVENTEC APPLIANCES (NANCHANG) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hou-Jin Guo, Zhi-Peng Ye
  • Patent number: 10586126
    Abstract: A change degree deriving apparatus includes a receiving unit and a deriving unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive first image data of an object including an achromatic color and a first color and reference image data of the object. The first image data relates to the first color. The reference image data serves as a reference. The deriving unit is configured to derive a change degree of the object from a first difference based on the first image data and the reference image data received by the receiving unit. The first difference is a difference between the first image data and the reference image data, which occurs at a chromatic color portion when a portion corresponding to the achromatic color is set as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Sasahara, Hitoshi Ogatsu, Junichi Matsunoshita, Ken Ogino
  • Patent number: 10467790
    Abstract: A system receives a page request for a requested document, where the requested document specifies a set of first images as being presentable within the requested document. In response to the received page request, the system modifies the requested document and generates a modified document. The modified document specifies a second image that is to be generated based on the set of first images. The system generates the second image, based on the set of first images, and provides the modified document and access to the second image. The second image is an aggregation of the first images, which are represented within the second image as sprites to be rendered with the modified document. The modified document may use these sprites by specifying regions within the second image as being presentable within the modified document, where these regions correspond to the first images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mohit Soni, Ramakrishna Vadakattu
  • Patent number: 10447867
    Abstract: A two-sided scanning device includes a first image scanning module, a second image scanning module, a first scanning background component, a first brightness calibration component, a second scanning background component, and a second brightness calibration component. When the second image scanning module moves relative to the first image scanning module to a scanning position, the second image scanning module drives the first scanning background component to move relative to the first image scanning module, so that the first image scanning module and the second image scanning module are aligned with the first scanning background component and the second scanning background component, respectively. Therefore, the first scanning background component and the second scanning background component can be scanning backgrounds for the first image scanning module and the second image scanning module to generate a scanning image of an object with a size corresponding to an actual size of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: AVISION INC.
    Inventors: Te-Hsun Liu, Chi-Yao Chen, Chin-Jung Tu
  • Patent number: 10440355
    Abstract: A an augmented reality (AR) headset includes a depth camera assembly that combines stereo imaging with structured light (SL) to generate depth information for an area of interest. The depth camera assembly includes at least two image capture devices and a SL illuminator and determines an imaging mode based on a signal to noise ratio or spatial variance of images captured by one or more of the cameras. Different imaging modes correspond to different operation of one or more image capture devices and the SL illuminator. The depth camera assembly includes different ranges of signal to noise ratios that each correspond to an imaging mode, and the depth camera assembly configures the image capture devices and the SL illuminator based on an imaging mode associated with a range of signal to noise ratios including the signal to noise ratio of a captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Daniel Trail, Alexander Jobe Fix
  • Patent number: 10225437
    Abstract: An image scanning apparatus is provided. The image scanning apparatus includes an image sensor configured to scan image information of a manuscript, a converter configured to convert a signal scanned by the image sensor into a digital signal, a processor configured to control the converter by using a plurality of control signals and perform image-processing with respect to the signal converted into the digital signal, and a reset circuit unit configured to generate a reset signal by using the plurality of control signals and provide the converter with the generated reset signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HP PRINTING KOREA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-han Kim, Dong-yeol Jung
  • Patent number: 10051141
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a mode setting unit in which a value indicating whether a scanning device is for simplex scanning or duplex scanning is set up, an interface unit that controls whether to enable signal exchange with an external memory based on the value set up in the mode setting unit, and a transfer unit that retrieves image data from the external memory and transfers the image data to an image processing unit. When the value in the mode setting unit indicates that the scanning device is for duplex scanning, the interface unit enables signal exchange with the external memory, and the transfer unit transfers the image data retrieved from the external memory to the image processing unit. When the value in the mode setting unit indicates that the scanning device is for simplex scanning, the interface unit prohibits signal exchange with the external memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9807280
    Abstract: A binary image of an input image is generated, and a character region within the binary image and a region surrounding each character are acquired as character segmentation rectangle information. A thinning process is executed on a region within the binary image which is identified based on the character segmentation rectangle information to acquire a thinned image. An edge detected image of the region identified based on the character segmentation rectangle information is acquired. Whether each character identified based on the character segmentation rectangle information is a character to be separated from a background by the binarization process or not is determined based on a result of a logical AND of the thinned image and the edge detected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Reiji Misawa, Koya Shimamura
  • Patent number: 9779321
    Abstract: This invention discloses an image processing device and an image processing method. The image processing device includes a line buffer, a pixel enhancing module, a smoothing module, a noise reduction module and a contrast adjusting module. The line buffer stores a plurality of pixel values of an image. The pixel enhancing module performs an edge-enhancing operation on the image. The smoothing module filters the image to improve the image in terms of roughness. The noise reduction module filters the image to improve the image in terms of a signal-to-noise ratio. The contrast adjusting module checks whether a target pixel is on a thin edge to decide the method of adjusting the contrast of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hao-Tien Chiang, Shih-Tse Chen
  • Patent number: 9767544
    Abstract: A method for brightness and contrast enhancement includes computing a luminance histogram of a digital image, computing first distances from the luminance histogram to a plurality of predetermined luminance histograms, estimating first control point values for a global tone mapping curve from predetermined control point values corresponding to a subset of the predetermined luminance histograms selected based on the computed first distances, and interpolating the estimated control point values to determine the global tone mapping curve. The method may also include dividing the digital image into a plurality of image blocks, and enhancing each pixel in the digital image by computing second distances from a pixel in an image block to the centers of neighboring image blocks, and computing an enhanced pixel value based on the computed second distances, predetermined control point values corresponding to the neighboring image blocks, and the global tone mapping curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Aziz Umit Batur, Rajesh Narasimha
  • Patent number: 9736333
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for generating an output image are disclosed. For example, the method includes receiving an image, applying a first filter, applying a second filter, calculating a difference between the image with the second filter that was applied and the image with the first filter that was applied and transmitting the difference to a sharpening module and a segmentation module to generate the output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Xing Li, Dhevendra Alagan Palanivel, Sainarayanan Gopalakrishnan, Vignesh Doss
  • Patent number: 9697628
    Abstract: A system receives a page request for a requested document, where the requested document specifies a set of first images as being presentable within the requested document. In response to the received page request, the system modifies the requested document and generates a modified document. The modified document specifies a second image that is to be generated based on the set of first images. The system generates the second image, based on the set of first images, and provides the modified document and access to the second image. The second image is an aggregation of the first images, which are represented within the second image as sprites to be rendered with the modified document. The modified document may use these sprites by specifying regions within the second image as being presentable within the modified document, where these regions correspond to the first images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Mohit Soni, Ramakrishna Vadakattu
  • Patent number: 9686449
    Abstract: A method and system for determining blur in digital video due to high quantization adopted during encoding of an image. The image is preprocessed to filter the noise and an edge image is extracted from the preprocessed image. A gradient sign change is determined for each pixel of the edge image. A ringing metric is determined based on the gradient magnitude and the gradient sign change. Further, a blockiness metric is determined based on a block grid periodicity and offset that is determined based on block grid analysis of the edge image. Further, a perceptual blurriness metric is determined using a mean and kurtosis computed based on a gradient histogram analysis of the block grid analysed edge image. A composite blurring metric is determined based on the blockiness metric, the perceptual blurriness metric, and ringing metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Interra Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Advait Madhav Mogre, Bhupender Kumar, Pervez Alam, Rishi Gupta, Shekhar Madnani
  • Patent number: 9667957
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs for improved quality video compression. Image quality from MPEG-style video coding may be improved by preserving a higher number of bits during intermediate encoding and decoding processing steps. Problems of inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) mismatch can be eliminated by exactly matching the IDCT function numerical algorithm of the decoder to the IDCT function numerical algorithm used for the decoding portion of the encoder. Also included is an application of high precision compression to wide dynamic range images by extending the range of the “quantization parameter” or “QP”. The extension of QP may be accomplished either by increasing the range of QP directly, or indirectly through a non-linear transformation. Also included is an application of extended intermediate processing precision and an extended QP range to reduced contrast regions of an image to extend the precision with which the low-contrast portions are compression coded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A. Demos, David Ruhoff
  • Patent number: 9646366
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to enhance medical images by utilizing an enhancement function in order to permit a user to more efficiently and effectively read the medical images and provide diagnostic or other information based upon the enhanced images. In the context of a method, a medical image is received that has a plurality of pixels with respective pixel values. The method also enhances the medical image utilizing an enhancement function. The enhancement function varies depending upon the pixel value of a respective pixel. For example, the enhancement function of one embodiment may be a piecewise function. As such, the method enhances the medical image by modifying a representation of the medical image in accordance with the enhancement function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Change Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Azadeh Yazdan Panah Gohar Rizi, Mahmoud Ramze Rezaee
  • Patent number: 9609306
    Abstract: A method of image processing in a structured light imaging device is provided that includes receiving a captured image of a scene, wherein the captured image is captured by a camera of a projector-camera pair in the structured light imaging system, and wherein the captured image includes a pre-determined hierarchical binary pattern projected into the scene by the projector, wherein the pre-determined hierarchical binary pattern was formed by iteratively scaling a lower resolution binary pattern to multiple successively higher resolutions, rectifying the captured image to generated a rectified captured image, extracting a binary image from the rectified captured image at full resolution and at each resolution used to generate the pre-determined hierarchical binary pattern, and using the binary images to generate a depth map of the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Vikram VijayanBabu Appia
  • Patent number: 9600923
    Abstract: Various implementations provide a resolution-specific attribute for a resolution-invariant region. Several implementations provide an SCM-based disparity value for scale-invariant cells. Particular implementations provide a signal or structure that includes such an attribute. Yet further implementations access such an attribute, and process the attribute. One particular implementation accesses an attribute for a region of a picture. The region is coextensive with a first integer number of pixels in a particular resolution, and with a second integer number of pixels in a second resolution. The attribute is specific to the region and to a combination resolution determined as a combination of the particular resolution and the second resolution. The attribute is converted to provide an attribute specific to the particular resolution. The converted attribute is associated with the first integer number of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: William Gibbens Redmann
  • Patent number: 9565338
    Abstract: An image processing method includes reading a document on which a halftone-processed image is printed, performing smoothing processing on image data acquired by reading the document, setting a target region of a predetermined size to the smoothed image data and then calculating a degree of variation in signal values of a plurality of pixels included in the target region, determining a brightness correction amount for the target region based on the calculated degree of variation and the signal values of the plurality of pixels included in the target region, and performing brightness correction on the target region in the image data acquired by reading the document, based on the determined brightness correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daiki Ikari
  • Patent number: 9495735
    Abstract: Embodiments of a processing systems and methods can unbend an image of facing pages of a bound book. An exemplary processing system can comprise an edge-detection unit, a keystone-correction unit, a flattening unit, and a conversion unit. After an image is received by the processing system, the image can be processed in turn by each unit. The edge-detection unit can identify edges of a document in the image. The keystone-correction unit can reduce or remove keystoning in the image, thereby correcting horizontal distortion of the document. The flattening unit can flatten or straighten text or objects in the image, thereby correcting vertical distortion of the document. The conversion unit can convert the image to a desired color profile. Accordingly, the processing system can process an original image into a more easily readable and digitally manipulable image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Scott E. Wilson, Peter W. Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 9462154
    Abstract: An image processing device reduces an image in a sub-scanning direction at a reduction factor of ½N (N>1) and includes one or more ASICs each of which performs image reduction at a reduction factor of 50%. When the one or more ASICs perform the image reduction processing in N stages each at the reduction factor of 50%, one of the ASICs performs an i-th stage of the image reduction processing at 50% (N?1?i?1) and stores resulting image data into a buffer memory that is equal in size to ½i of one band. Then, one of the ASICs performs an (i+1)-th stage of the image reduction processing at 50% on the image data acquired through the i-th stage of the image reduction processing and stores resulting image data into a buffer memory that is equal in size to ½i+1 of one band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kunihiko Shimamoto
  • Patent number: 9378440
    Abstract: A method of printing a half tone image on an image forming apparatus using toner that is fused to a substrate is provided. The method includes generating a dot design that represents the half tone image, the dot design being made up of a plurality of dots; analyzing the dot design using an algorithm; matching the dot design to an equivalent alternate design that represents the half tone image, the matching being based on results of the analyzing, the equivalent alternate design being made up substantially entirely of a plurality of non-dot shapes; forming the half tone image on the substrate using the equivalent alternate design; and fusing the half tone image on the substrate with a fuser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Erwin Ruiz, Steven M. Russel, Paul M. Fromm, Robert W. Phelps, John T. Newell, III
  • Patent number: 9367901
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a frequency component generation unit, a coefficient acquisition unit, a detection unit, a gain adjustment unit, and a processed image generation unit. The frequency component generation unit is configured to generate a plurality of frequency component images based on an original image. The coefficient acquisition unit is configured to acquire a gain coefficient for gain correction. The detection unit is configured to detect edge information based on the gain coefficient. The gain adjustment unit is configured to adjust a gain of at least one of the plurality of frequency component images based on the gain coefficient and the edge information. The processed image generation unit is configured to generate a processed image based on at least one of the plurality of frequency component images with the gain adjusted by the gain adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Omi
  • Patent number: 9287852
    Abstract: A method in a signal processor for filtering samples in a digital signal is provided. An approximate filtered sample is generated as a function of less than four samples of the digital signal. A correction is generated as a function of the less than four samples, and a filtered sample is generated by modifying the approximate filtered sample with the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Chanchal Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 9264277
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a null symbol of an input signal includes: a first circuit for processing the input signal to obtain a first output signal, the first output signal being used to track the influence of a channel phenomenon; a second circuit for processing the input signal to obtain a second output signal, the second output signal being used to track the null symbol in the input signal; and a determining circuit coupled to the first circuit and the second circuit and determining the null symbol of the input signal according to the first output signal and the second output signal. A method for detecting a null symbol of an input signal is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Wei-Hung He, Chin-Tai Chen
  • Patent number: 9041982
    Abstract: Systems and methods use a supporting arm having a first end and a second end, and a program of scanning instructions readable by a computerized processor. The first end of the supporting arm is connected to a secondary device. The second end of the supporting arm holds a portable device comprising a camera. The camera has a field of view within which images are captured. The portable device maintains the scanning instructions. The second end of the supporting arm is positioned to hold the camera in a location, relative to the secondary device, to maintain the surface of the secondary device within the field of view of the camera. The camera of the portable device obtains images of objects placed on the surface of the secondary device when the portable device is held by the portable device holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Peter Golding, Michael John Wilsher, Jack Douglas Jenkins, Jr., Lee Roche
  • Publication number: 20150138609
    Abstract: Systems and methods use a supporting arm having a first end and a second end, and a program of scanning instructions readable by a computerized processor. The first end of the supporting arm is connected to a secondary device. The second end of the supporting arm holds a portable device comprising a camera. The camera has a field of view within which images are captured. The portable device maintains the scanning instructions. The second end of the supporting arm is positioned to hold the camera in a location, relative to the secondary device, to maintain the surface of the secondary device within the field of view of the camera. The camera of the portable device obtains images of objects placed on the surface of the secondary device when the portable device is held by the portable device holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Peter Golding, Michael John Wilsher, Jack Douglas Jenkins, JR., Lee Roche
  • Patent number: 9002103
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a definition reducing section, a color region extracting section, a concealing image generating section and an image combining section. The definition reducing section, based on a received image, generates an image having a lower definition than the received image. The color region extracting section extracts a color region from the low definition image generated by the definition reducing section. The concealing image generating section, based on the color region extracted by the color region extracting section, converts the color region into a concealing region for concealing a part of the received image and, generates a concealing image including the concealing region. The image combining section combines the received image with the concealing image generated by the concealing image generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Teruka Saito
  • Publication number: 20150070734
    Abstract: Based on attachment position information of each of a plurality of sensor units, which reads an image in each area obtained by dividing the area of an original in a sub-scanning direction, image data output from the sensor unit undergoes attachment error correction of correcting the attachment error of the sensor unit. Image data output from the plurality of sensor units then undergo joint processing. Based on the placement information of the original, tilt correction of correcting the tilt of the original is performed for the image data having undergone the joint processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Hagiwara, Takayuki Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 8970916
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus including a periodicity determining unit that determines whether a determination area including a target defective pixel is a periodicity area, a first pixel value generating unit that generates a pixel value by a first supplementing method, a second pixel value generating unit that generates a pixel value by a pixel second supplementing method, a control unit that determines which of the first pixel value generating unit and the second pixel value generating unit is to be used based on the determination by the periodicity determining unit, a pixel value supplementing unit that inserts the pixel value generated by the pixel value generating unit determined to be adopted, and a pixel value updating unit that updates pixel values of neighboring pixels of the defective pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8964272
    Abstract: Various method and apparatus are disclosed for scanning a transparency with a template
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Justin A. Tehrani, Virgil K. Russon, Steven J. Simske
  • Patent number: 8928950
    Abstract: A controlling device for controlling a scan performing unit may determine a specific optical resolution from among a plurality of optical resolutions by utilizing specific information given from a user, cause the scan performing unit to perform a scan of a document in accordance with the specific optical resolution, perform an analysis of scan data obtained by the scan of the document, determine an output resolution based on a result of the analysis of the scan data, converting the scan data indicating the specific optical resolution into image data indicating the output resolution in a case where the output resolution is not identical to the specific optical resolution, and create a file including the image data indicating the output resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayumi Kuraya, Tomohiko Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8917428
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image reading controller including an output unit that outputs plural control signals for controlling turning on and off of a light emitting unit of an image reading unit including the light emitting unit and a light receiving unit on respective transmission paths, the plural control signals satisfying at least one of a first condition that respective transmission paths are separated from each other by a predetermined distance or more and a second condition that types of the respective transmission paths are different from each other; and a controller that controls turning on and off of the light emitting unit on the basis of the plural control signals output from the output unit and input through the respective transmission paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Shintani
  • Patent number: 8902474
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an input unit sequentially scanning first image data having first resolution, in units of a predetermined number of pixels that are contiguous in a first direction, in a second direction crossing the first direction at right angles, thereby inputting a pixel group corresponding to each unit of pixels, a computation unit calculating pixel values of second image data having second resolution using pixels in a reference area having a predetermined range in the first image data, a storage unit storing pixel values of a range of the first image data that is larger than the reference area in the first direction, and a control unit controlling the computation unit so as to successively output pixels of the second resolution in the first direction in units of the predetermined number of pixels using the stored pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jumpei Ashida
  • Patent number: 8896748
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically focusing an image capture device on a page of a document object. A predetermined light pattern is projected onto the page being imaged. The light pattern varies as a function of the separation of the page being imaged from the end page. The light pattern projected onto the page being imaged is sensed. Based on the sensed light pattern, the image capture device is focused on the page being imaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander T. Starns, Wesley Grass
  • Patent number: 8897587
    Abstract: The disclosed method includes: carrying out scale conversion for a first pixel value of each of a plurality of pixels included in an image to generate a second pixel value of the plurality of pixels; applying a reaction-diffusion equation including a diffusion element and a reaction element that is set according to at least the number of types of regions to be extracted, to the second pixel value of each of plural pixels within a certain region of the image a predetermined number of times to generate a third pixel value of each of the plurality of pixels included in the image; and carrying out scale inverse-conversion that is inverse-conversion of the scale conversion, for the third pixel value of each of the plurality of pixels included in the image to generate a fourth pixel value of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Masahiro Watanabe, Takao Hirahara, Toshiaki Hisada, Seiryo Sugiura, Takumi Washio, Jun-ichi Okada
  • Patent number: 8854704
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source unit, an image sensor, an attenuator, an analog processor and an A/D converter. The attenuator generates a second analog signal by voltage-dividing a first analog signal by two resistors. The analog processor generates a third analog signal by amplifying the second analog signal with a predetermined gain. The A/D converter converts the third analog signal into a digital signal. A voltage-dividing ratio of the attenuator is not higher than a ratio of a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal inputtable to the analog processor to a maximum value of the amplitude of a signal having a possibility of being output from the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20140204428
    Abstract: When processing image data by referring to at least one of reference image data and correction data, an image is processed in a unit of band area by dividing image data of a target image in a plurality of band areas. In this case, the minimum transfer unit of the image data is set. The minimum transfer unit of at least one of the reference image data and the correction data is obtained to process the image data in the minimum transfer unit. The transfer rate of the image data is determined so that the image data to be buffered fits in a capacity of a buffer available in image processing. The height of the band area to be created by division is determined based on the ratio of the transfer rate of the image data to the minimum transfer unit of the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadayuki Ito
  • Patent number: 8767232
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines one of a plurality of parameters as a parameter used for line width correction of an image based on a comparison between the images of the straight lines obtained by reading printed straight lines subjected to line width correction using the plurality of parameters and an image of a straight line as a reference image which is to be obtained by reading the straight line printed in a predetermined line width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Nakashio
  • Patent number: 8749857
    Abstract: An image reader includes a light source that irradiates light to a recording material on which an image is formed, a generation section that receives light reflected from the recording material and generates image information from the received light, and a processing section that extracts information corresponding to a window region of the recording material set in advance, as correction information, from the image information generated by the generation section when light from the light source is irradiated to the recording material on which the image is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Kazama, Kenji Hyoki, Masaki Fujise
  • Patent number: 8730528
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit that includes plural photoelectric conversion elements arranged therein and that reads an image using light, the light being reflected by a document transported to a read position and being received by the plural photoelectric conversion elements, a reference plate that is disposed at the read position, a correction data generating unit that generates correction data by modifying second reference data on the basis of a ratio of first reference data to the second reference data, the first reference data being obtained by the image reading unit using light reflected by the reference plate in a clean state, the second reference data being obtained by the image reading unit using light reflected by the reference plate before reading an image, and an image correcting unit that corrects the image on the basis of the correction data generated by the correction data generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Norikazu Sakai
  • Patent number: 8693042
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses an image copying method, which includes the steps of: copying, an image to be copied, to a destination address line by line, in the case of the image to be copied having a width of one pixel; copying, the image to be copied, to the destination address by a number of bytes according to a size of the image to be copied, in the case of the image to be copied not having a width of one pixel. The image copying method can save the image copying time and deduce the Central Processing Unit (CPU) occupation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Jianhua Xiao, Jianfei Yu, Keying Fang
  • Patent number: 8659766
    Abstract: This invention is directed to image reading capable of suppressing EMI unwanted radiation while maintaining image quality. To accomplish this, the following processing is executed when reading an original image by a photoelectric transducer. More specifically, a first driving signal where SSCG spread modulation is applied, and a second driving signal where no SSCG spread modulation is applied are generated from a reference signal. Either the first or second driving signal is selected, and a timing signal for reading the original image is generated based on the selected driving signal. The image signal obtained by the photoelectric transducer is latched using the timing signal. The latched image signal is transferred for subsequent image processing. Upon reading a one-line image original, the second driving signal is selected till the completion of the latch operation, and after the latch operation, the first driving signal is selected for an image signal transfer operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Aoyama, Noriko Takeuchi