Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprising image capturing means for capturing a plurality of images, adjacent ones of which partially overlap with each other, overlap region determining means for determining an overlap region, first region determining means for determining a first region within the overlap region determined, first pixel value determining means for determining a pixel value in the first region based on a pixel value of one of the two adjacent images, second pixel value determining means for determining a pixel value in a second region within the overlap region based on respective pixel values of the two adjacent images, and image joining means for joining the two adjacent images with each other by utilizing the determined pixel value in the first region and the determined pixel value in the second region as pixel values in respective regions of the overlap region.

Abstract: In document output including mixture of different sizes, regarding a paper (A4 size) which is not Z-folded, header/footor information is printed on the paper as a designated manner, and, regarding a paper (A3 size) which is to be Z-folded, the header/footor information is combined with document data in such a manner that the position of the header/footor information after Z-folding apparently becomes the same as the position of the information on the A4 size. For example, in an opened condition, two header/footor information are printed at two positions, and positions of two header/footor informations are adjusted so that an information component (99/1) printed on an area A and an information component (2/31) printed on an area D constitute one header information as “99/12/31”. As a result, the header/footor information can be recognized at a glance without opening the folded page, apparently similar to the non-Z-fold paper.

Abstract: Document processing systems are provided that are capable of facilitating scanning of one or more documents via multiple scanners. In this regard, a preferred document processing system includes a document assembly system. The document assembly system is configured to electrically communicate with a first scanner, which may be assigned to a first group of scanners, and a second scanner, which may be assigned to a second group of scanners. The scanners provide scan information to the document assembly system. The document assembly system is configured to correlate the scan information received from the first scanner with the scan information received from the second scanner. Computer readable media and methods also are provided.

Abstract: Simultaneous display of a page preview and an enlarged view of a spot on the page was so far impossible. Supplied data for print is converted to bitmap data from which a previewer 33b simultaneously displays preview images in the page view display area 101, composite view display area 102 and zoomed-in view display area 103. Thus, the user can view a plurality of parallel, different-scale views of an object image to print at a time. To check different-scale views of an object image to print in the similar prior-art method, the user must change the displayed preview. However, the user need not to do that in the method of the present invention; that is, the operability can be enhanced.

Abstract: When an input image and a sender information image independent from each other are combined into one transmission image in which the sender information image which has a lower line count (smaller area) is laid out in the upper portion while the input image having a greater area than the sender information image is laid out in the lower portion, both the input image and sender information image are individually rotated by 180 degrees before encoding, then the transmission image is encoded by JPEG from the input image side having a greater area.

Abstract: Upon synthesizing objects, information bits indicating the types of objects are lost. To solve this problem, this invention provides an image processing apparatus having discrimination means for discriminating a type of object to be rendered, determination means for determining the presence/absence of synthesis of the discriminated object, synthesis means for synthesizing an object and information of the type of object in accordance with the determination result, and processing means for appending information indicating the type of synthesized object to a rendering result obtained by rendering the object to be rendered in units of pixels.

Abstract: A camera-based document scanning system produces electronic versions of documents, based on a plurality of images of discrete portions of the documents. The system compares each pair of consecutive images and derives motion parameters that indicate the relative motion between each pair of consecutive images. The system utilizes the derived motion parameters to align and merge each image with respect to the previous images, thereby building a single, mosaic image of the document. In the illustrative embodiment, the motion parameters are derived by minimizing a sum of squared differences equation on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of an image capture system having an electronic camera for platenless document imaging. The system comprises: an electronic camera with an electronic detector and a lens with a field of view for imaging on the detector a portion of a document; a support by which the camera can be positioned to view the document; an actuator for moving the camera field of view so that a plurality of overlapping image tiles of a document can be captured at predetermined different locations over the support surface, each image tile having an array of tile data points and being subject to some expected perspective and/or camera distortion relative to the support surface; and a processor by which the plurality of image tiles may be joined into a composite image of the document. The processor includes a memory which stores transform data for each image tile, the transform data relating both to the expected distortion and to the predetermined overlap between image tiles.

Abstract: In transmitting image data from multiple cameras to an image processing section to produce a synthesized image from respective camera images, the amount of data transmitted through a transmission path can be cut down without sacrificing the quality of the synthesized image. In accordance with a correspondence between the synthesized and camera images as described on a mapping table, a resolution specifier specifies resolutions, which should be necessary for image synthesis, for respective areas of each camera image. A compressor, provided for each of the cameras, compresses the associated camera image data according to the resolutions specified. In this manner, the image data, which has been compressed in accordance with the correspondence between the synthesized and camera images, is transmitted through the transmission path.

Abstract: There is provided a personal image information recording/outputting system capable of inexpensively acquiring an output matter (a printed matter of a photographic image or the like) of personal image information (digital image data) such as a facial photographic image, and allowing third parties to effectively utilize personal image information such as a facial photographic image or the like by permission of an owner of personal image information or the like. A photographic image managing part 12 of a center server 10 stores photographic image data 14 and personal data 15, which are transferred from a store server 20 or 30, in a data base 13, and retrieves and extract photographic image data 14 meeting required conditions, from the data base 13 on the basis of personal data 15.

Abstract: A kit for organizing a plurality of images obtained from a predetermined source. The kit includes an image retaining device for capturing of images which may have a unique ID, a registration card for use in accessing a photoservice provider which has on file the unique ID for registering the image retaining device to a customer, and computer software program for allowing the consumer to accomplish certain operations at the network photoservice provider.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-precision alignment method, device and code for inspections that compare an inspection image with a reference image and detect defects from their differences. In one embodiment an inspection image and a reference image are divided into multiple regions. An offset is calculated for each pair of regions. Out of these multiple offsets, only the offsets with high reliability are used to determine an offset for the entire image. This allows high-precision alignment with little or no dependency on pattern density or shape, differences in luminance between images, and uneven luminance within individual images. Also, detection sensitivity is adjusted as necessary by monitoring alignment precision.

Abstract: Large format, digital camera systems (10, 100, 150, 250, 310) expose single detector arrays 20 with multiple lens systems (12, 14, 16, 18) or multiple detector arrays (104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 152, 162, 172, 182, 252, 262, 272, 282, 322, 324) with one or more single lens systems (156, 166, 176, 186) to acquire sub-images of overlapping sub-areas of large area objects. The sub-images are stitched together to form a large format, digital, macro-image (80, 230?, 236?, 238?, 240?), which can be colored. Dampened camera carrier (400) and accelerometer (404) signals with double-rate digital signal processing (306, 308) are used.

Abstract: A system electronically registers an image on an input document. The system includes a scanner for generating an image data stream representing an electronic image of the image on the input document and an edge detecting circuit for detecting edge data within the image data stream. A circuit detects a first corner of a leading edge of the input document based on the detected edge data and for establishing a first coordinate value therefrom and a second corner of a leading edge of the input document based on the detected edge data and for establishing a second coordinate value therefrom. The system further determines a minimum and maximum location for a leading edge of the scanned document and determines a minimum and maximum location for a trailing edge of the scanned document.

Abstract: In an electric filing apparatus, a document is read, and the read document is divided into blocks by a predetermined dividing number. Further, the divided block is divided into a partial image or partial character train, and a partial image or partial character train is extracted from a predetermined position every block. The extracted partial images or partial character trains are combined, thereby forming a reduced image smaller than an original image or character train. When selecting a document registered by the user, a list of the reduced images is displayed.

Abstract: If Y, M, C, and K color component images are serially generated by one color component image generating device in four steps, it takes much time to perform image processing for printing a one-page full-color image. This makes it impossible to increase the printing speed. In addition, since conversion to Y, M, C, and K data is performed before rendering, rendering logic cannot be faithfully implemented, resulting in poor color reproducibility. In order to solve these problems, image generating devices (103–105) respectively render R, G, and B color component images in bitmap memories 106 to 108, which are divided into areas in units of predetermined bands obtained by dividing a page, on the basis of a display list which is common to R, G, and B data and stored in a memory (102). The rendered color component images on a band basis are converted into C, M, Y, and K color component images by a color space converter (109) in synchronism with the operation of a printer engine.

Abstract: A personalized motion imaging system, including: a computer; a motion image display device connected to the computer for displaying a motion image sequence to a viewer; a camera connected to the computer for capturing an image of the viewer; and an image processing program running on the computer for generating a real-time motion image sequence of an environment and integrating a motion image sequence of the viewer into the computer generated motion image sequence of the environment to produce a composite motion image sequence for display on a motion image display device.

Abstract: Information that is required for laying out character string data is entered, as are character string data. The printing attributes for the data are then edited, and are employed to extract contour information. Thereafter, the extracted contour information is employed to determine the information that is to be used as a reference when laying out the character string data, and a layout position is specified. Then, the various data that are obtained are stored as printing data, and the character string data are laid out in a drawing area. Therefore, the printing data can be precisely and easily prepared, without the work efficiency of a user being deteriorated.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a computer device, for example a personal computer, and a scanning device, for example a flat bed scanning device, configured to operate a two-scan image capture process followed by data processing for combining first and second images obtained in said two-step image capture process, and a three-step image capture process followed by data processing for combining first, second and third images obtained in said three-step image capture process for obtaining a combined full image of a document. Algorithms are disclosed for stitching first and second images together to obtain a combined image data. In both the two-step and three-step image capture operation and subsequent data processing, a document having a size larger than an image capture area of said image capture device can be combined to produce a combined image data representing the whole of the document in a fully automated manner without the need for user intervention in matching images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image of multilevel image data includes a driving unit for driving an image forming element for image formation, an additional data generating unit for generating a digital signal string based on predetermined additional data, and an input unit for superposing a digital signal string related to the multilevel image data and the digital signal string based on the additional data and inputting the superposed digital signal string to the driving unit.

Abstract: A document information communicating system having: a sending apparatus for sending document information which is divided into a plurality of pages; and a receiving apparatus for receiving the document information and displaying the received document information. The sending apparatus has a sending device for repeatedly sending the plurality of pages of the document information. The receiving apparatus has: a selecting device for selecting at least one page from the plurality of pages of the document information; a receiving device for receiving the selected page of the document information; a display device having a display panel which allows a whole of one page of the document information to be displayed thereon at a time; and a display control device for displaying the document information received by the receiving device on the display panel.

Abstract: When a single X-ray image is formed by compositing a plurality of partial X-ray images, level differences among partial images are corrected. The level difference values at the boundary portions among partial images are statistically calculated using information of an image captured before the partial images to be corrected, and calculating correction values. An image is corrected using the calculated correction values. A system for calculating the correction values, and a system for correcting the partial images are built and driven independently.

Abstract: At a conventional image scanning method, it takes long time to transfer an image data of whole image, consequently it takes long time to display the whole image on a display. Therefore, an image scanning method and an apparatus thereof, with which a user can recognize mistakes at reading a document at earlier time, are provided. By one time scanning, an image data whose resolution is lower than fundamental resolution is read. The image data of lower resolution is obtained by that the image data are thinned out. And this image data having lower resolution is displayed on a display as a preview image. By rescanning, an image whose resolution is higher than the preview image is read and displayed. This preview image can be displayed in short time, therefore the user can recognize a mistake at earlier time.

Abstract: In printing plural desired images on a printing sheet, instead of printing the images at a size according to the sheet size (so that the magnification of the images varies according to the sheet size and it is not possible to printing the desired image with the desired size on the sheet), an apparatus has an arrangement for designating the size of an image to be printed on a sheet, arranging the images on a sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a healing enhancement apparatus formed from a hospital bed cubicle curtain bearing a patient calming image such as an outdoor scene or other image of nature. The healing enhancement apparatus, an alternative to the sterile environment found in most hospitals, has therapeutic benefits. In particular, the patient calming scene, occupying all or most of the cubicle curtain assists in calming the patient, reducing blood pressure, reducing required medications, and assists in quicker recoveries. The image is preferably applied to first and second panels of cloth that are stitched together, in registration, at a seam. The image may extend from edge-to-edge, or may occupy a framed portion of the curtain.

Abstract: An effects processor for an effects module. The effects processor comprises a RISC processor, a DSP for fast integer multiplication and a small memory. The processor uses VARK language and a lookup table of VARK scripts to apply a variety of effects to images stored outside the effects module. The effects processor includes a serial bus interface which communicates with the Serial Bus of a compact printer system comprising one or more further modules. The Serial Bus communicates power and data between the effects module and one or more of the further modules. Methods of compositing, convolving, warping and color substitution are described.

Abstract: An image processing system for digital printing for improving throughput and efficiency of the transfer of image data to imaging devices, such as lasers, while allowing for dynamic and continuous adjustment of image size and registration (i.e., alignment) on recording media. A buffer memory structure is configured to receive data from raw image files. Specific portions of data are copied from the raw image files into a buffer memory structure and, for compilation of the final image, into an image buffer. Image overlap is resolved by copying data into the image buffer according to a defined hierarchy. Using a phase locked loop, image size and registration are adjusted to optimize the appearance of the final image on the recording medium. The optimization is performed dynamically and continuously, thereby providing a uniform final image. Many aspects of the operation of the image processing system may be under the control of a digital computer.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a loading means for loading a sheaf of originals obtained by staking a sheaf of the originals to be copied and a sheaf of the originals for front and reverse cover sheets, a feed means for feeding the originals one by one from the loaded sheaf, a read means for reading the fed original, a storage means for storing a read original image, an image formation means for reading the original images of four pages from the storage means, and forms the images of two pages on each of front and reverse faces of a sheet, a setting means for performing setting to form the images on the front and reverse cover sheets, and a control means for controlling, according to the setting, the reading of the images from the storage means such that the original images for the front and reverse cover sheets are respectively formed on front and reverse cover sheet pages, for controlling the reading such that the original image for the cover sheet is formed on the sheet different from the sheet not

Abstract: An improved method and device for capturing image data benefits from having a single central processor execute the operating system, and the image capture, decode and processing programs. A method for capturing of image data comprises transmitting image data from an imager, assembling the image data, assigning a memory address to the assembled image data and transferring the assembled image data into system memory. This method is capable of central processing whereby the capturing of image data is executed via the main processor without having to invoke a dedicated processor or incorporate external components, such as additional PCBs, external digital signal processing or external data storage. Additionally, an imaging device comprises an image builder module that receives image data from the imager bus and assembles the data, and a transfer controller that initiates the image builder module and controls the transfer of image data into and out of memory.

Abstract: The digital copier comprises a document table for supporting a document, a document tray for receiving documents, a line sensor for reading an image from each document in units of lines parallel to a main scanning direction, a sensor transporter for transporting the sensor to scan the document on the table from one reading surface edge in the sub-scanning direction during the table-document reading mode, a document feeder for feeding each document received in the tray such that the document is scanned from another reading surface edge in the sub-scanning direction during the feeder-document reading mode, and a processing section for processing a reading result of the sensor. Particularly, the processing section has a controller for controlling the read start timing to compensate for a read range which may deviate with respect to an identical effective reading area of each document between the reading modes.

Abstract: In order to compose a plurality of print jobs together to prepare one composed job and provide a desired printed result with no inconvenience to a user, an information processor of the present invention includes a generator for generating print setting information for the composed job, for analyzing the print setting information of a plurality of print jobs and unifying information which can be respectively set only to one print job when a plurality of print jobs are instructed to be composed together so as to obtain one composed job.

Abstract: A novel method is disclosed for laying out a plurality of rectangles onto a bounding box area, where bboxArea represents a total area of the bounding box and totalRectArea represents the sum of the areas of all the rectangles. The method comprises the steps of: first adjusting all rectangles to a specified aspect ratio and then computing a sum of areas of all rectangle intersections (overlap) occurring as a result of said arrangement. Next, the function blackArea=totalRectArea?overlap is used to approximate the black area and all non-overlapping spaces remaining between the arranged rectangles are computed by: WhiteSpace=bboxArea?blackArea.

Abstract: The present invention is in the area of gridlocking or sensor registration. Embodiments encompass systems of process and/or equipment to format tracks from more than one sensor to be compared or correlated by statistical and/or optical correlation techniques to provide coordinate transformations between one or more of the sensors based upon the objects or a subset of the objects tracked by each sensor. Embodiments may take into account determinations or calculations regarding tracks describing the same object by different sensors and may take into account errors in those determinations by comparing pairs of tracks associated with more than one object at the same or substantially the same time. Further, many embodiments comprise software that can execute on a laptop, desktop, or similar computer.

Abstract: An image fusion is carried out using a look-up table. The look-up table is addressed by the different kinds of images that will be used to carry out the fusion. Each address in the look-up table contains a precomputed image fusion between the two different kinds of images.

Abstract: An electronic image capture apparatus is disclosed comprising: an electronic camera having a detector, a lens having a field of view which is adapted to limit the radiation incident upon the detector to that within the field of view, an actuator for moving the field of view across the document, a control means for controlling the actuator to move the camera across the document so as to obtain a set of overlapping sub-images corresponding to different areas of the document, and electronic processing means adapted to receive the set of sub-images produced by the camera and to process the sub-images to form a composite image of the portion of the document covered by the set of sub-images. A set of processable sub-image files are produced which each comprise a data set of characters corresponding to characters appearing in a respective sub-image in the set and the relative location of the characters in that sub-image.

Abstract: The invention relates to the automatic printing of medical digital images. Medical imaging systems especially comprise a medical imaging device 1, a signal processing and image display station 2, a data entry device 4 allowing the selection of the print support format, and a printer 3 allowing the images to be printed. According to the invention, an analyzer of the images to be printed 8 allows the automatic ordering of the print support format selected by the printer 3. Application to the automatic selection of print support formats in medical digital imaging.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to convert a low-quality original image into a high-quality fractal-interpolated image. From a low-quality original image, original image blocks of n×n size, which are mutually overlapping and each centered on each pixel of the original image, are acquired. Also, similar image blocks of 2n×2n size, which are each similar to each of the original image blocks, are detected from the original image by affine transformation. The detected similar image blocks are reduced to the same size as the original image blocks, and then substituted for the original image blocks respectively. Then, overlapping portions of the substituted similar image blocks are adjusted by averaging. As a result, a high-quality fractal-interpolated image is generated.

Abstract: A method for detecting an image area in a digital image includes identifying in the digital image a first image region indicative of a background area and a second image region indicative of the image area, computing gradient values using the pixel values of the digital image, defining a list of strokes based on the gradient values, merging the list of strokes, defining a list of corners using the list of strokes, and defining an image area rectangle delimiting the image area using the list of corners and the list of strokes. The image area rectangle can be used to define a binding box for extracting the image area from the digital image. The method enables the automatic detection of multiple image areas in a digital image. Moreover, the method implements a robust algorithm for image area detection such that even imperfect image areas can be detected without errors.

Abstract: A print and method of making a print having a invisible coordinate system on the same side as the image using a digital printer. The print may include additional invisible information which relates to specific parts of the image.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating images by combining datas of the images to a data of a composite image including the images, has an image recording device for storing and respective datas of the images, and an image combining device for combining the datas of the images input from the image recording device to the data of the opposite image, and outputting the data of the composite image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a digital camera which provides high resolution at low cost by using a charge coupled device (CCD) with a high concentration of pixels in one dimension and rapidly scanning an image plane in the camera to provide high resolution in a second dimension. High resolution can thereby be achieved in both dimensions of the image plane without the need for an expensive CCD which employs a two dimensional array of pixels numbering in the thousands in both dimensions. For additional cost savings, the moveable one dimensional CCD concept can be retrofitted into an existing camera assembly thereby replacing the film and film handling equipment in the existing camera.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is to add information to image data of multicolor image and monochromatic image. An image processing apparatus capable of adding information on raw data performs a dispersion conversion on the spectrum of the additional information by multiplying a code sequence of the PN sequence generator 114 by the additional data which is inputted from the input terminal 111 and converted into serial data in P/S converter 112. At this time, the data sequence transmitted from the image signal processor 102 to the printer engine 107 is converted by the scan converter 109 to correspond to the spatial axis for desperation. The converted data sequence is added to the output from the adder 113 by the adder 110, and reconverted to the original scan by the scan inverter 115.

Abstract: An electronic filling system includes a personal computer haying a display with a scanner. A program and/or data storage medium is provided to store at least a program enabling the display to display a reading condition inputting screen. The program and/or data storage medium also stores information of one or more reading conditions as a personal default which is generated by a user through the reading condition inputting screen. The scanner reads image data based on the one or more reading conditions of the personal default, and the image data read in stored in the program and/or data storage medium.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus capable of determining the optimum layout based on the designated conditions such as the number of images to be printed on a page, sheet size, number of division of sheet, number of print sheets, page change position designating information etc., and printing the designated images according to thus determined layout.

Abstract: A page processing apparatus for forming layout information showing an allocating position of each page for multi-page printing in which a plurality of pages are arranged to one print medium and printed has: a page designating unit which designates a page to be overlapped and an overlapping page among the pages; an area designating unit which designates an overlap possible area or an overlap inhibition area to an area of the designated page to be overlapped and obtains the designated area as area information; and a layout information obtaining unit which determines a layout position of each page on the basis of the obtained area information and obtains a predetermined page layout as layout information. A good print result is obtained in the multi-page printing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of an image capture system having an electronic camera for platenless document imaging. The system comprises: an electronic camera with an electronic detector and a lens with a field of view for imaging on the detector a portion of a document; a support by which the camera can be positioned to view the document; an actuator for moving the camera field of view so that a plurality of overlapping image tiles of a document can be captured at predetermined different locations over the support surface, each image tile having an array of tile data points and being subject to some expected perspective and/or camera distortion relative to the support surface; and a processor by which the plurality of image tiles may be joined into a composite image of the document. The processor includes a memory which stores transform data for each image tile, the transform data relating both to the expected distortion and to the predetermined overlap between image tiles.

Abstract: The present invention is a print reception apparatus comprising a medium reader which a medium is detached from and attached to, a display device which displays various kinds of screens, an operation device, and a control device which makes the display device switch and display a screen on the basis of the detaching or attaching operation of the medium to or from the media reader and operation with the operation device, and generates ordering information while capturing images used for printing from the medium which is loaded in the media reader, wherein the control device controls a printer so as to print the captured images by two images on one sheet of photo paper.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a camera for capturing image frames, a frame pre-screen unit for pre-screening the captured image frames, a frame store unit for storing the pre-screened frames, and a refined frame mosaicing unit for generating a refined mosaic from the pre-screened image frames that are stored in the frame store unit. The frame pre-screen unit may include a coarse align unit for generating a coarse image mosaic from the pre-screened image frames, and a display for displaying the coarse image mosaic. In an embodiment, the coarse image mosaic is generated and displayed in real-time relative to the image frames that are captured by the camera. In an embodiment of the imaging system, the display is located within the camera and in another embodiment, the frame pre-screen unit and the frame store unit are located within the camera.

Abstract: An image processing system, includes an operating unit, which select a first size of a reproducing medium, a size information acquiring unit, which acquires size information related to a template for defining a layout of an object, the size information indicating a second size of a reproducing medium, and a print control unit, which outputs an instruction for printing a predetermined object on the reproducing medium having the first size in accordance with the template. The first size is different from the second size indicated by the size information related to the template. The aspect ratio of the reproducing medium having the first size is equal to, or approximates to that of the reproducing medium having the second size.

Abstract: A multi-function machine for combining and routing image data is disclosed. The multi-function machine includes a number of functional units, for instance, a digital copier which produces scanned image data, a printer which prints image data from a computer, and a facsimile device which receives and sends facsimile image data. Image data from one or a number of sources may be combined to form merged image data, corresponding to a merger of the individual images. The merged image data may then be conveyed to any of a number of user selectable destinations, including a printer, a host computer, or a facsimile device.