Abstract: An image reading device includes a transport unit for transporting a document, a scanner for scanning image data of the document transported by the transport unit, and a controller for controlling the image reading device. The controller extracts a plurality of one-character areas included in the image data, recognizes character data of each of the extracted one-character areas, determines presence or absence of line noise based on a result of recognition of each of the one-character areas, and displays presence of the line noise on an operation panel when it is determined that there is the line noise.

Abstract: PSF coding has become well known in recent years. Although it enables significant increases in the depth of field, defocus introduces artifacts in images that are a major detraction from the final image quality. A method is described that enables the deduction or defocus and consequently the removal of these artifacts. The principle of the disclosed techniques involves iteratively adjusting the restoration algorithm according to a chosen image metric and choosing the defocus parameter that yields the image the lowest level of artifact.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rendering image data on a 3D display is disclosed. A first image signal is received and then at least one colour component of the first image signal is rendered in reduced spatial resolution to produce a second image signal. The second image signal is spatial filtered wherein spatial errors and view errors are balanced when reconstructing a full resolution signal for the display.

Abstract: Defect and maintenance detection for an image capture device (ICD) capable of distinguishing between a defect in the ICD and one on the imaged object. The defect detection system includes, inter alia: a value combiner that combines a brightest image video value for each sensing element of the ICD experiencing the imaged object with a corresponding stored device video value to create a combined value for each image video value; and a defect determinator determines the presence of a defect(s) by comparing the combined values to a defect threshold. The maintenance detection system includes a determinator that determines when maintenance is required based on whether a single image is considered defective or whether a number of consecutive defective images have been created. Device video values are updated sluggishly according to corresponding image video values.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a coding device configured to code input image data, and a decoding device configured to decode the coded input image data, wherein, if coding and decoding are repeated on the input image data, the image quality of an image corresponding to the input image data is deteriorated. The decoding device includes an input section inputting quantized data in which the input image data is quantized; and a decoding section dequantizing the quantized data that is input by the input section and converting a dequantized value obtained as a result of the quantization into a value in the vicinity of the boundary of a quantization threshold value within a range corresponding to the dequantized value when the quantization is performed.

Abstract: Generation of an electronic document which leaves density difference information between the background of a document and a correcting liquid applied surface is in demand. Hence, upon reading a document image and converting it into an electronic document, the background density of the document is read from the read image, and a lower density region having a density lower than the background density is extracted from the read image using the background density.

Abstract: An image composed of a group of objects contained in a print job is formed on a recording medium with a plurality of color recording materials. Formats of an object are decided by analyzing the object. A size of the object is decided. Trapping processing applied to the object is controlled in accordance with decision results about the formats and the sizes of the object. This makes it possible to provide a color image forming apparatus capable of carrying out appropriate trapping automatically.

Abstract: A method of processing image data for registration of multiple images to a common reference space comprising the step of computing a mapping between each image and a common reference image comprising an average of all of the images.

Abstract: A method for simplifying a point cloud is provided. The method includes: (a) acquiring a point cloud; (b) establishing a topological structure for the point cloud; (c) selecting a maiden point from the point cloud as a selected point; (d) searching a plurality of points which are near to the selected point from the point cloud according to the topological structure as near points of the selected point; (e) fitting the selected point and the near points to form a paraboloid, obtaining curve equations of the paraboloid, and computing a curvature of the selected point according to the curve equations and a curvature formula; (f) repeating the steps from (c) to (e) until the curvatures of all points in the point have been computed; and (g) simplifying the point cloud according to the curvatures of the points and a preconfigured parameter. A related system is also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating a digital image in which exposure varies by region of the image are described. The image may be created from first and second images. In one embodiment, a method comprises writing pixels of the first image that are within a first region of a space to pixel locations in a memory that correspond with coordinates of the respective first image pixels. A replacement pixel is generated by combining a pixel of the first image that is within the first region with a spatially corresponding pixel of a second image. The replacement pixel is written to a pixel location in the memory that corresponds with the coordinates of the replacement pixel. Pixels of the first image that are within a second region of the space may be written to pixel locations in the memory that correspond with the coordinates of the respective first image pixels.

Abstract: An adjusting apparatus for enhancing the contrast of an image and a method therefor are provided. The adjusting apparatus includes a mask processor, a brightness detecting unit, a brightness adjusting unit, a ratio calculating unit and a contrast enhancing unit. The mask processor retrieves a pixel matrix from an original image according to its mask dimension, and outputs a specific pixel corresponding to a specific position in the pixel matrix. Then, the brightness detecting unit, the brightness adjusting unit and the ratio calculating unit are coupled in series to process the image according to relations of each sub-pixel of the pixel matrix, so as to obtain an adjusting ratio. Thereby, the contrast enhancing unit multiplies the value of the adjusted specific pixel by the adjusting ratio to enhance the contrast of the image.

Abstract: A scanner capable of selecting scanning positions includes a scanning window, a scanning module and a control processing unit. Before a sheet of documents is scanned, the control processing unit moves the scanning module to a first location to generate a first image datum, and moves the scanning module to a second location to generate a second image datum. The control processing unit compares both the image data according to differences between the first and second image data, and moves the scanning module to a scanning location for scanning the sheet of document.

Abstract: A method includes analyzing an input image at least to determine locations of human skin in the input image and processing the input image at least to improve, on a per pixel basis, the areas of human skin of the input image. Another method included in the present invention includes measuring blurriness levels in an input image; and processing the input image with the blurriness levels at least to sharpen the input image. A third method includes identifying areas of at least bright light in an input image and changing the sharpness of the input image as a function of exposure level of different areas of the input image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates an output image according to interpolation performed by using an input image includes a pixel-value calculating unit that calculates a pixel value of a pixel of the output image according to interpolation performed by using pixel values of pixels of the input image and an interpolation function, an edge determining unit that determines an edge direction, which is a direction of an edge in the pixel of the output image, using the input image, and an adjusting unit that adjusts the interpolation function such that a degree of pixels of the input image present in a direction along the edge direction contributing to the interpolation is large and a degree of pixels of the input image present in a direction orthogonal to the edge direction contributing to the interpolation is small.

Abstract: An image deblurring method for camera-based document image processing is described. A document image captured by a digital camera is divided into multiple overlapping or non-overlapping sub-images. A point spread function is derived for each sub-image by analyzing the gradient information along edges contained in the sub-image. Each sub-image is deblurred by using its local point-spread function. The whole deblurred image is constructed from deblurred sub-images. In cases where information of interest is located in localized parts of the document image, dividing the image into sub-images may be done by extracting the area of interest from the captured image. This deblurring method improves the quality of the deblurred image when the camera-captured image is blurred by variable amount of location-dependent defocus.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an image processing apparatus and method capable of analyzing a character image to detect a blur, and reducing the blur on a printed product. According to the method, a scanner reads an original character image, generating image data. A blur and deterioration of a character image represented by the image data are detected. Portions corresponding to the detected blur or the deterioration are removed from the image data. The image data from which the portions corresponding to the blur or the deterioration are removed is output to an image output unit.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided which allows a reading device fixed at a reading position to read images from a document while transporting the document. The apparatus includes a correcting unit adapted to perform correction processing associated with image reading performed by the reading device; a calculating unit adapted to calculate a time interval from one document to the next document that are being transported; a scheduling unit adapted to divide the correction processing into a plurality of steps and schedule the execution of the steps on the basis of the calculated time interval; and an executing unit adapted to sequentially execute the steps scheduled by the scheduling unit every time a document passes through the reading position.

Abstract: An image correction method able to avoid error image. According to opposite properties of black and white, only the last few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for black correction, while only the first few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for white correction. Further, the most significant bit of the digital signal is 1 for white correction. Therefore, the unwanted LBB effect on the scanned image caused by dust or spots on the correction document is avoided. In addition, as only a few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted, the requirement in memory capacity is reduced.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention relates to methods or suppressing edge ringing in images. For example, in some embodiments a method of processing an image to suppress ringing and broadened edges induced by image correction processing, includes high-pass filtering a first image to obtain a second image, processing said second image including applying non-linear apodization to said second image to obtain a third image, low-pass filtering said first image to obtain a fourth image, and combining the third image and the fourth image to obtain an output image, wherein the output image is characterized by having reduced edge-response sidelobes as compared to the first images. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to devices comprising means and/or modules to suppress edge ringing in images.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments during backprojection of filtered two-dimensional into three dimensional image each voxel is analyzed for inconsistent contributions based on at least two criteria and each of the inconsistent contributions is either replaced or excluded from the backprojection.

Abstract: In order to enhance the quality of image after removing a noise from image data obtained by scanning an original document, an MFP is provided with a scanning portion to obtain the image data by scanning the original document, a noise detection processing portion to detect a noise from the obtained image data, a dot region detecting portion to detect a region of dots from the obtained image data, and a copy correction processing portion to substitute a noise region with a substitution region that is located in the vicinity of the noise region and that is of the same size as the noise region if a region in the vicinity of the noise region including the noise detected by the noise detection processing portion is included in the region of dots detected by the dot region detecting portion.

Abstract: An imaging device which assures high-quality image information free from a line noise by extracting line noise information from a taken image, detecting an existence of an extrinsic line noise in the image, and correcting the line noise if it exists. The imaging device comprises a memory circuit for storing image pick-up outputs at imaging of a two-dimensional area sensor comprising photosensors or radiation sensors, an extrinsic line noise detection unit for detecting an extrinsic line noise in the image pick-up outputs stored in the memory circuit, and an arithmetic processing circuit for calculating an output quantity of the detected extrinsic line noise. The line noise is eliminated by correcting the image pick-up outputs on the basis of the obtained output quantity of the extrinsic line noise.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a denoise method on Gaussian/Laplacian image pyramid, which integrates Pyramid analysis/synthesis algorithm, MMSE (minimum mean square error) filter and NL (non local) filter on the image pyramid to reconstruct and output a denoised image of an original input image through a plurality of iterative procedures, and utilizes an auto-adaptive noise estimation algorithm to find parameter of noise level used by the NL filter, so as to be easily embedded in mobile or handheld devices for obtaining better noise removing and anti-shaking results and remove noise much faster than the conventional denoise method, but only with less quality loss.

Abstract: An information processing device including a printed circuit board, to access a detachable storage medium, including a control device, provided on the printed circuit board, to control access to the storage medium; a slot connector, provided on the printed circuit board to accept the storage medium; a junction portion between the storage medium and the printed circuit board, to receive a signal from the storage medium; a signal line connected between the junction portion and the control device, to transmit a signal from the storage medium to the control device; a noise line connected between the junction portion and a ground terminal, to transmit noise from the junction portion to the ground terminal; and a noise absorption element, provided in the noise line between the junction portion and the ground terminal.

Abstract: A method is disclosed as including scanning a first pixel of an image with a primary scanning line of a sensor, and scanning a second pixel of the image with a secondary scanning line of the sensor, wherein the first pixel is separated from the second pixel by a pitch of one or more scan lines. A compensation value is determined for one or more pixels of the image, wherein the compensation value is determined based, at least in part, on a mathematical operation comprising pixel values associated with the first and second pixels and the pitch. The method further includes compensating the one or more pixel values based, at least in part, on the compensation value, wherein the compensation value compensates for a reflection of light between the first and second scanning lines when the first and second pixels are scanned.

Abstract: An image signal is input to two LPFs having different transmission characteristics. A selector chooses one of outputs of the respective LPFs and delivers the chosen output to a gamma correction circuit. The switching of the selector is controlled by a filter control circuit. In the filter control circuit, a comparator compares an exposure time E of a current frame with a threshold value R. The selector is controlled so as to select an output of one of the LPFs that has a lower cutoff frequency and a greater noise component elimination effect than the other LPF does if the exposure time E is longer than or equal to the threshold value R.

Abstract: There is provided an image input device in which a carriage mounted with an image sensor and three types of light source is moved in a sub-scanning direction of a document by a motor and the document is read in a line sequential manner. The image input device includes a controller controlling a driving of the motor, an operation of the image sensor, and lighting and extinguishing operations of the light source; and a detecting unit outputting an edge signal to the controller when detecting a movement of the carriage corresponding to one sub-scanning line. The controller is configured to sequentially light and extinguish the three types of light source whenever receiving the edge signal from the detecting unit so as to sequentially read out electric charge stored in the image sensor during the lighting period of the respective light source; and discard the electric charge stored in the image sensor during an intervening period before receiving a subsequent edge signal.

Abstract: Modified image data is composed by combining unprocessed original image data and modification information expressing a modification process applied to that original image data, enabling the original image data to be recreated from modified image data without deterioration in picture quality. In addition, recording modification information at each process step enables past modifications to be undone and redone at any time.

Abstract: A method of pixelized image formation on a photosensitive surface, comprising: providing relative motion of the photosensitive surface relative to a multiplicity of light sources, such that pixels on the surface pass a plurality of said light sources; and exposing a plurality of the pixels of the surface to one or more, but fewer than the plurality, of said light sources, such that the exposure of the exposed pixels is the same.

Abstract: A method for processing an image using a bilateral filter. The bilateral filter is reformulated at each pixel location in the image into a sum of the original signal value of a central pixel at said pixel location and a bilateral correction term which is a function of local signal differences between the central pixel and its neighbors. The bilateral correction term is calculated using a computationally efficient approximation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a repeated sampling method for image scanning. In one or more embodiments, the sampling method may comprise a sample treatment procedure for the data of an image scanning device during the scanning of an image. The method may comprise sampling, sorting, eliminating one or more group-departing values, and getting a mean value, etc. The sampling procedure may involve scanning a single point of the image several times to produce several sets of sampling values. The sorting procedure may involve sorting the several sets of sampling values after being sampled according to their magnitude. The eliminating group-departing values procedure may involve obtaining the relatively larger values and relatively smaller values from the several sets of sampling values after being sorted. The getting mean value procedure may involve obtaining a mean value from the several sets of sampling values.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus reads an image from a document being simultaneously fed by the apparatus. A document feeder unit feeds the document on a original plate. A first image reading unit reads an image from the fed document at a first document-read position on the original plate. A second image reading unit reads an image from the fed document at a second document-read position located at a predetermined distance from the first document-read position in a document feeding direction. An abnormal pixel detection unit detects abnormal pixels resulting from rubbish moved between the first document-read position and second document-read position on the original plate together with the document.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes, with the purpose of detecting with improved precision noise generated due to dust on a platen, three line sensors spaced from each other in a sub scanning direction to scan an original in the sub scanning direction, the platen between the original and the three line sensors, a moving mechanism for moving the platen at a rate relative to the line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the line sensors, an interline corrector synchronizing three data output from the three line sensors to be values of pixels reading a single location on the original, and a noise detector receiving these data synchronized by the interline corrector that are provided successively line by line, and the noise detector includes an isolated noise determiner determining that an isolated point of a chromatic color is a noise pixel.

Abstract: An image copier according to the invention comprises a scanner for reading an image and a printer for forming an image on sheet, and the scanner includes a document table for positioning an original document from which an image is to be read; a document holding cover holding the original document on the original document table and having a light-emitting element for detecting the size of an original document which emits light when the size of the original document is detected, a light source for irradiating the original document with light when an image on the original document is read, a light-receiving element for image reading which receives reflected light from the original document, a controller for the light-emitting element for detecting the size of an original document which controls the light-emitting element for detecting the thickness of the original document, a specific region determination unit for identifying a specific region based on the numbers of pixels in a main scanning direction and a sub

Abstract: A filter circuit has: a first and a second current mirror circuit that are each built with a plurality of transistors and that respectively pass a first and a second mirror current according to a constant current; an input terminal via which an input pulse signal is fed in; a first transistor that, in response to the signal fed in via the input terminal and by using a supply voltage, makes the first current mirror circuit operate; a second transistor that, operating in inverted synchronism with the first transistor, in response to the signal fed in via the input terminal and by using a ground voltage, makes the second current mirror circuit operate; a capacitor that is charged by the first mirror current and that is discharged by the second mirror current; and an output terminal via which a voltage at one end of the capacitor is fed out.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for removing show-through of a scanned image. The method includes: performing forward scanning on a medium placed on a glass platen of an image scanner; performing backward scanning on the medium; and removing show-through of a forward-scanned image based on a backward-scanned image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a channel estimator and a method for changing a coefficient of an IIR filter depending on a moving speed of a mobile communication terminal. In the channel estimator, a coefficient changing unit receives I and Q signals from a current base station, and selects a coefficient of the IIR filter optimized depending on the moving speed of the current mobile communication terminal. The coefficient changing unit sets the selected coefficient of the IIR filter to the IIR filter of the channel estimator. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the performance degradation of the channel estimator caused by the speed of the mobile communication terminal.

Abstract: An image reading device having plural image sensors and a reading controller is disclosed. The image reading device is for obtaining image data over a subject by joining sub-image data outputs read by the image sensors, each image sensor comprising: a signal amplifier; and an A/D converter for converting an analog value output from the image sensor to a digital value; whereby the reading controller adjusts an amplification factor of each signal amplifier so that a read value of a white board read by each image sensor becomes a predetermined value.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for decoding a mixed code that is a combination of first and second code images. In the method, a mixed code image is obtained by receiving the original image having the mixed code image and removing noise from the original image. Next, the colors, shades, and brightnesses of pixels of the mixed code image are categorized into groups based on a predetermined threshold, the mixed code image is divided into first and second code images, and first and second information are extracted by decoding the first and second code images, respectively. The first and second code images can be effectively decoded by decoding interpretation information, construction information, error control information, and code direction information stored in the first and/or second code images.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus moves a copyboard provided between an original document and three line sensors and the three line sensors relatively to each other at a speed different from the speed of conveying an original document. An in-line correction portion allows three data output by three line sensors to be synchronized so that a foreign object on the copyboard appears at different positions of the original document in chromatic color. A foreign object position detection portion detects a position on the copyboard of a foreign object before an original document is conveyed, and a color determination portion decides a determination pixel for use in determination from a plurality of pixels included in each of scanned data obtained while the original document is conveyed, based on the position of the foreign object, and determines whether the original document is color or black-and-white based on the determination pixel.

Abstract: A method for removing show-through defects in scanned document images is provided by adjusting the scanner's image sensor calibration gain in the area of a drive roll gap. The method will also compensate for drive roll contamination. The invention uses a modified calibration scheme in conjunction with a document transmission sensor in the document handler to measure radiant energy transmitted through the document, i.e., transmission. The scanner adjusts the calibration gain factors to simulate a uniform background with knowledge of the gap and the input document's transmission thus a uniform scanner response is determined and presented to the image processing. A device for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: An image correction method able to avoid error image. According to opposite properties of black and white, only the last few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for black correction, while only the first few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for white correction. Further, the most significant bit of the digital signal is 1 for white correction. Therefore, the unwanted LBB effect on the scanned image caused by dust or spot on the correction document is avoided. In addition, as only a few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted, the requirement in memory capacity is reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying characters on a TV screen in an electronic appliance such as a DVD player is disclosed. Vertically compressed character fonts are stored. When it is requested to display a character, the stored character font is read and displayed in a video field and then the character font is displayed again in the next video field, whereby flickering can be effectively eliminated with a reduced-size memory for storing fonts data.

Abstract: In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.

Abstract: A reference voltage generating unit generates a plurality of analog reference voltages, and an A/D converting unit converts the analog reference voltages thus generated and an analog input voltage input from an external device to digital reference values. A CPU generates, based on the analog reference voltages and the digital reference values converted from the analog reference voltages, an equation for correcting the analog input voltage to be converted to a digital value falling in a range of the digital reference values. With the equation generated, the CPU calculates the analog input voltage for the digital value obtained by conversion.

Abstract: A method for compensating for induced artifacts on an image to be printed includes processing the image to be printed. An image region of the image susceptible to at least one artifact is identified. An imaging process is modified to reduce an effect of the at least one artifact on the image region. The image is printed.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus for acquiring a read signal of an image by receiving and photoelectrically converting a light reflected from a document. The location of an alien substance on an original plate is detected based on a reflected light received by a light receiving unit adapted to receive a light reflected from a document. When an alien substance is detected, an illumination unit selectively illuminates the location in which the alien substance has been detected. Also, a message which prompts cleaning of the alien substance is displayed. A method of displaying the alien substance location are also provided. Thereby, the image reading apparatus of the present invention can assists a user in cleaning the alien substance such as a dust or dirt on the original plate.

Abstract: To print on the front side, image data saved in an image memory is read pixel by pixel along a main scanning direction x. Correction data for each block of pixels then is referred to, and the image data is read while being shifted in a sub-scanning direction y by a value of the correction data and is inputted to an exposing device. To print on the rear side, upon reading image data along the main scanning direction x, the image data in the image memory is read along the main scanning direction from a side opposite the one read at the time of printing on the front side. Positive and negative signs of deviation amounts specified by the correction data are reversed and the positions of the pixels to be read are shifted successively in a sub-scanning direction opposite to the one used while printing on the front side.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing the three data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the three data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data.

Abstract: An image processor includes a Lee filter for processing image data to improve noise therefrom. The Lee filter includes a smoothing control signal. During filtering of the image data, the smoothing control signal is converted to a monochrome video signal that is provided to a display instead of, or in addition to, the filtered image data. The image projected by the display of the smoothing control signal highlights edge activity in the filtered image. This display of edge activity makes it easier to locate noisy areas in the image data and fine-tune the amount of filtering to further reduce noise present in the image data and yet leave the desired image details alone.