Drop-out Color In Image (i.e., Color To Be Removed) Patents (Class 382/163)
  • Patent number: 8326028
    Abstract: It is possible to compatibly set multiple “dropout” color ranges and “non-dropout” color ranges and uniquely determine a dropout boundary. An object of the present invention is to greatly conserve maintenance cost of adding a new dropout form after apparatus operations. A conventional technology aims at assuring relation to a predetermined color region, determining the presence or absence of contention, or uniquely settling a dropout boundary. The present invention provides a means for supplying levels to a “dropout” color range and a “non-dropout” color range. A registered color range histogram can be quasi-three-dimensionally visualized so that an operator can make adjustment by viewing a contention determination result and an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Computer Peripherals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Nakashima, Shinichi Shinoda, Hiroshi Shojima, Masahiro Oikawa, Kazuki Nakashima, Yasuhiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 8320669
    Abstract: In image processing in which each small area included in color image data, which is represented by C, M, Y, and K, is expressed by a predetermined number of representative colors, values of color parameters are obtained for a small area from the values of the color parameters for C, M, Y, and K for each pixel in the small area, so that the values of the color parameters have degrees of variation being compensated to become smaller in the group as the value for black becomes larger. One color parameter to be targeted is selected (#104) based on the degree of variation in the values of individual color parameters in the group. A reference value to be used for grouping the pixels is obtained based on the relationship between the values of the color parameter to be targeted in the group and the quantities of pixels in the group. Based on the reference value, the pixels are divided into groups (#106), and a representative color for each group is obtained (#109).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshitsugu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8314944
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a main body casing, a cover configured to be openable and closable with respect to the main body casing, a sensing unit configured to sense an opening-closing operation of the cover, a forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a detecting unit configured to perform a detecting operation to detect a deviation of an image forming position of the image to be formed by the forming unit, an accepting unit configured to accept a print request, and a control unit configured to control the detecting unit to perform the detecting operation in response to the print request being accepted when the sensing unit senses an opening-closing operation of the cover after execution of a previous detecting operation, and thereafter to control the forming unit to form the image in the image forming position corrected to cancel the deviation detected in the detecting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kushida
  • Patent number: 8311327
    Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for detecting backlit images. Encoded color image data is first received into a computer having a processor and associated data storage. Histogram data is then calculated from the received encoded color image data, and a mid-tone range in normalized histogram data is then detected. A zone of normalized pixel counts within the mid-tone range is then selected. Data representing an entry point and an exit point of the normalized histogram data relative to the selected zone is then generated. A plateau area is detected in the histogram data in the selected zone between the entry point and the exit point. Thereafter, a backlit image detection signal is generated indicating whether a backlit image portion is present in the color image data according to the plateau detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: William C. Kress, Jonathan Yen
  • Patent number: 8294958
    Abstract: A scanner system and corresponding method, the system comprising: a scanner device (1); a target 17) and a processor (21). The scanner device (1) comprises: an emitter (13) for projecting patterned light and a sensor (12) for capturing images of the object (19). The target (17) has predetermined features visible to the sensor simultaneously with the object for enabling the processor to determine the location of the sensor with respect to the object. The generates a three-dimensional model of the object on the basis of images of the object with the patterned light projected thereon. The scanner device further comprises a light source (14) for directionally illuminating the object (19), and the sensor (12) is arranged to capture images of the illuminated object. The processor generates sets of photometric data for the object when illuminated from different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Isis Innovation Limited
    Inventors: James Paterson, Ronald William Daniel, David Claus, Andrew Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 8274710
    Abstract: Input image data is converted into a brightness component to obtain a difference between the brightness component and a threshold. A count variation is determined based on the obtained difference, and the counter is used to follow up and change the threshold. The threshold obtained by the follow-up and change is used to execute a background color removal process in each pixel by executing a signal conversion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Yano, Hirokazu Tamura, Atsushi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20120237121
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a separating unit configured to separate colors of a plurality of pixels included in an input color image into a plurality of color groups on the basis of similarities between the colors of the pixels; and a conversion unit configured to generate a monochrome image by performing correction on each of the pixels of the color image on the basis of a grayscale representation assigned to each of plurality of the color groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Shouichi Kuboyama
  • Patent number: 8265378
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide systems and methods for converting a digital image represented in a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation. A saturation region is identified, where a color model value of the pixels in the saturation region is above an upper saturation threshold or below a lower saturation threshold. The color model value for each pixel in the saturation region is then adjusted by a corresponding adjustment. The magnitude of the adjustment for each pixel is based on characteristics of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Lorne A. Whitehead, Helge Seetzen, Gregory John Ward
  • Patent number: 8254001
    Abstract: A color gamut data creating device includes a target plane determining unit. The measurement points are defined in a color space. The color space has an achromatic axis and an axis perpendicular to the achromatic axis. The target plane determining unit further determines a plurality of target planes. Each target plane has a fixed hue angle and including the chromatic axis. A difference between a maximum saturation at a hue angle of each target plane and a maximum saturation at a hue angle of another target plane that is adjacent to the each target plane is lower than a prescribed value. The locating unit that projects, on each target plane, those measurement points that are within a prescribed range relative to the subject target plane. The color gamut creating unit creates color gamut data indicative of a distribution range of the measurement points projected on each target plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Kuno
  • Patent number: 8249337
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide systems and methods for converting a digital image represented in a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation. A saturation region is identified, where a color model value of the pixels in the saturation region is above an upper saturation threshold or below a lower saturation threshold. The color model value for each pixel in the saturation region is then adjusted by a corresponding adjustment. The magnitude of the adjustment for each pixel is based on characteristics of the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Lorne A. Whitehead, Helge Seetzen, Gregory John Ward
  • Patent number: 8248664
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus performs a first edge determination to determine whether each pixel is an edge of a black character or a thin black line based on a pixel signal of a predetermined color in each pixel included in multi-valued image data. The image processing apparatus determines whether to achromatize a pixel signal of each pixel included in the multi-valued image data based on a result of the first edge determination, and achromatizes a pixel determined to be achromatized. The image processing apparatus performs a second edge determination for determining whether each pixel is an edge based on a pixel signal of a color different from the predetermined color in each pixel included in the multi-valued image data. The image processing apparatus corrects the multi-valued image data based on a result of the second edge determination after completing achromatization of the pixel determined to be achromatized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Sato
  • Patent number: 8249305
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a feature value detecting section, an image processing section, and an audio processing section. The feature value detecting section determines, when a first image and a second image that are captured at different positions include a specific subject, a feature value of the subject included in the supplied first and second images. The image processing section detects motion of the subject on the basis of the feature value determined by the feature value detecting section. The audio processing section localizes a sound image of the subject in accordance with the motion of the subject detected by the image processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Tetsushi Kokubo, Kenji Tanaka, Hitoshi Mukai, Hirofumi Hibi, Kazumasa Tanaka, Takuro Ema, Hiroyuki Morisaki
  • Patent number: 8243325
    Abstract: A method of matching color elements for objects within a print job prior to printing, includes for each page in the print job, identifying all objects and their associated object properties within the page; for each object, identifying, according to predetermined object property criteria, if the object is a candidate for a color matching task; for each of the identified candidates, filtering the object properties using a predetermined visual relevance metric, such that objects having less than the predetermined visual relevance metric are removed from consideration; defining each candidate object satisfying the predetermined visual relevance metric as a color matching object with respect to at least a second color matching object thus defining a color matching object group; for each such color matching object group, either alerting a user to a problem or resolving the problem by assigning common rendering across the color matching object group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Reiner Eschbach
  • Publication number: 20120203371
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for converting an image to a color-reduced image suitable for embroidery and having colors mapped only to available embroidery thread colors. Pixel color values in the image are snapped to a nearest color in a predetermined reduced set of colors that correspond to embroidery thread colors. The image is then color-reduced by iteratively identifying possible pairs of colors in the color-reduced image and merging at least one identified color pair based on color similarity and edge characteristics until the total number of colors in the color-reduced image is not greater than the predetermined maximum color count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Eugene Hsu
  • Patent number: 8233675
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to pre-processing images, audio and/or video to improve biometric analysis from such. In one implementation, a method is provided including: receiving a color digital image including a representation of a human subject; converting the color digital image into grayscale values; transforming at least one representation of the converted color image; analyzing the transformed, converted color image to identify artifacts; if artifacts are found, processing the color digital image to reduce the artifacts; and providing the processed digital image to a biometric system. Other implementations are provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: L-1 Secure Credentialing, Inc.
    Inventors: Alastair M. Reed, Brett A. Bradley
  • Patent number: 8233725
    Abstract: Properties of pixels in a digital image are sampled within different subdivisions of an editing tool impression to produce different property distributions. The different subdivisions can automatically alter their size, geometry, and/or location, based on image content within one or more of the subdivisions, in order to encompass a set of pixels having a substantially uniform distribution of a pixel property. Uniformity can be defined relative to the editing operation or context of the image. The property distributions from each region are classified to identify different edit classes within the property space, which are then used to apply an edit effect to the digital image within the tool impression. The edit classes may be represented by an edit profile in two or more dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventors: Krzysztof Antoni Zaklika, Mikhail Ivanovich Trifonov, Leonid Borisovich Lalyko
  • Patent number: 8233747
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a super-resolution image are provided. The method may include obtaining a first set of RAW data representing a first image captured at a first resolution and obtaining, from the first set of RAW data, at least one first sample of data associated with the first image. The method may also include obtaining a second set of RAW data representing a second image captured at the first resolution, and performing image registration as a function of the first set of RAW data and the second set of RAW data so as to obtain at least one second sample of data associated with the second image. The first set of RAW data is used as a reference for the second set of RAW data. The method further includes combining the at least one first sample of data with at least one second sample of data to form a collection of samples, and interpolating the collection of samples to form the super-resolution image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gazi Ali, Ming-Chang Liu
  • Patent number: 8224074
    Abstract: An image-processing device includes: a memory that stores a red range occurring within a color space; an acquisition unit that acquires image data representing a document image that includes characters; and a production unit that produces image data representing an overall image that includes: the document image represented by the image data that is acquired by the acquisition unit, a differentiation image that is positioned within the document image and that allows the user to differentiate an image of red characters residing in the range from an image formed of colors other than red, and an information image representing information for acquiring the document image in a state in which the differentiation image is not positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nozomi Noguchi, Shinichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8223164
    Abstract: A boot logo processing method includes the following steps. Palette data and a boot graphic including plurality colors are provided, and the colors include corresponding color values respectively in color gamut of the boot graphic. A boot graphic is provided, and it may be composed of plurality colors. When the number of the colors composing the boot graphic is greater than a default value of the number of the colors provided by the palette data, color value of every color is operated with color values of other colors to obtain plurality operating values. Thereby, in the processing method of the invention, part of the colors in the color gamut of the boot graphic are merged into a single color according to the operating values to decrease the number of the colors composing the boot graphic, and produce the boot logo at least according to the latest boot graphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Sheng Chien
  • Publication number: 20120171997
    Abstract: A security system includes a software application running in a user's smartphone and a separately carried visual key that the user can image at will with the smartphone's camera. An effective visual key would typically comprise digital data encoded in a series of colored cells arranged in a colorgram. Such digital data is treated as a what-you-have security factor, and is concatenated with other security factors so users can authenticate themselves to websites, internet services, and even within the smartphone device itself or its applications. In one aspect, when users authenticate themselves to a server, the server returns a short-term supply of one-time-passwords or account numbers for use in secure access and financial transactions on other systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald P. Knapp, Kerry D. Brown, Peter Landrock
  • Patent number: 8208171
    Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent a problem that an image on a document sheet is erased due to misdetection of a line-shaped noise. A copy machine 1 compares RGB values of a target pixel with averaged RGB values (Step S103). If only one of the RGB values has a difference that is greater than a prescribed value Ref2 (Step S103: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to a line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in a line-shaped noise address storing area 49b. If two of the RGB values have differences (Step S103: NO, Step S104: YES) and a difference between these two of the RGB values is no greater than a prescribed value Ref3 (Step S105: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to the line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in the line-shaped noise address storing area 49b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kubo, Nobuhiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 8207982
    Abstract: Color management using a discrete spectral gamut descriptor. A multi-spectral color image is converted to a spectrally-based ICS representation. In response to a determination that an ICS value is included in a discrete spectral gamut descriptor, the ICS value is converted into a destination-side color. Otherwise, the ICS color value is spectrally gamut mapped, and the gamut-mapped ICS value is converted into a destination-side color. The discrete spectral gamut descriptor includes a collection of discrete cells of a subdivided bounding box that includes a set of sample points in the ICS that span the spectral gamut of the destination device. Each cell has an attribute that represents an initial guess for a destination-side color for ICS values included in the cell, and the attribute is used to convert ICS values included in the cell into destination-side colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Siu-Kei Tin
  • Patent number: 8205314
    Abstract: A method for providing a colored mask for a cable, wire or rope that can be quickly changed between two colors. A sheath covering is provided for a flexible element, such as a cable. The sheath covering has a length, a first side, an opposite second side, and two side edges. The first side of the sheath covering is pigmented in a first key color. Conversely, the second side of each sheath covering is pigmented in a second key color. The sheath covering is formed into a tubular structure around the flexible element. Depending upon which way the sheath covering is curved, either the first side or the second side can become the visible exterior of the tubular structure. Accordingly, to mask a flexible element in a first color, the sheathing covering is positioned around the flexible element. To change the color, the sheathing covering is merely inverted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: William E. Dermody, IV
  • Patent number: 8203709
    Abstract: Emitting illumination light and auxiliary light having a wavelength range different from that of the illumination light onto an observation target simultaneously, obtaining an image formed of reflection light of the illumination light and reflection light of the auxiliary light reflected from the observation target, calculating, with respect to each pixel of the obtained image signal, estimated spectroscopic data in the wavelength range of the auxiliary light using a value of the image signal and estimated matrix data in the wavelength range of the auxiliary light stored in advance, obtaining quasi reflectivity information reflecting a reflectivity of the observation target in the wavelength range of the auxiliary light based on the estimated spectroscopic data in the wavelength range of the auxiliary light, and generating a special image based on the quasi reflectivity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Ishii
  • Patent number: 8199969
    Abstract: The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: electronic memory for buffering a color video signal comprising a first frame and a second frame; and one or more electronic processors programmed for: transforming a first color channel and a second color channel of the first frame by hiding a digital watermark in the first color channel such that the first digital watermark includes a first signal polarity, and hiding the digital watermark in the second color channel such that the digital watermark includes a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity; transforming a first color channel and a second color channel of the second frame by hiding a digital watermark in the first color channel such that the first digital watermark includes the second signal polarity, and hiding the digital watermark in the second color channel such that the digital watermark includes the first signal polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventor: Alastair M. Reed
  • Publication number: 20120134580
    Abstract: Unevenness in density (line noise) resulting from color misregistration among RGB components in a halftone region or a line screen region is suppressed. With respect to a document that is discriminated as a printed photo document or a text/printed photo document that includes black halftones by a document type discrimination section, or to a region segmented into a black halftone region by a segmentation section, a non-uniform image suppressing operation mode is executed. In the non-uniform image suppressing operation mode, a black generation and under color removal section does not carry out a black generation and under color removal process on a pixel in which a minimum value of the image data of the plurality of color components is at least equal to or less than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Yoshinori MURAKAMI, Makio Gotoh
  • Patent number: 8189914
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof include an adaptive threshold, which can be adapted for every block dividing an entire scanned region of a document, is set. A brightness value of original brightness data of the document is disregarded, and is substituted by a brightness value of background color data corresponding to the block, by use of a brightness threshold and a color difference threshold set as the adaptive threshold based on difference between brightness of the blocks and difference between color differences of the blocks. Accordingly, there is no problem of back surface noise such that an undesired object of a back surface of the duplex-printed document appears on a scan image in scanning a front surface of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Kyung Hong
  • Patent number: 8189921
    Abstract: The present invention firstly roughly classifies an analysis range specified by the operator in the color image data of a form into background, a character frame and a character, precisely specifies a character frame on the basis of the classification result, eliminates the character from the color image data from which the background is eliminated and recognizes the remaining character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Shinichi Eguchi, Hajime Kawashima, Kouichi Kanamoto, Shohei Hasegawa, Katsutoshi Kobara, Maki Yabuki
  • Patent number: 8189242
    Abstract: In forming an image including a spot color, when an image for which a trapping process is performed does not include information of a spot color, the trapping process sometimes functions ineffectively. To solve this problem, image data having information of colors less in number than the colors included in the image is input and two adjacent regions are detected from the input image data. When the color information is color-separated into the colors, it is determined if the two regions share the color, and trapping for an adjacent portion of the two regions is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Takeishi
  • Patent number: 8179568
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for minimizing dot visibility in color marking devices capable of dot-on-dot printing. The present method achieves minimum dot visibility for a given dispersed-dot screen by performing a CMYK to CMYKRGB conversion which uses less visible dots as much as possible before more visible dots are introduced. The output color dot coverages are calculated sequentially to minimize the coverage of more visible dots in a decreasing order of brightness. Resulting images have noticeably reduced halftone graininess, particularly in the mid to darker tone areas. The present method is also computationally efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Zhen He
  • Patent number: 8175341
    Abstract: In case of an image region having a property of abrupt changes in luminance and tint, even when a region made up of pixels having luminance values and tint levels similar to those of one point designated by the user is extracted as a correction region with reference to the user designated point, it is difficult to extract a region to be corrected without omission. To solve this problem, a user instruction indicating a point inside or near an image region which is to undergo correction is input, and a plurality of origin pixels corresponding to start points of region expansion are set in a region which includes the input point and has a predetermined size. The region expansion is executed from each origin pixel, and a correction region is decided according to the result of the region expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 8169447
    Abstract: A color computer output is dynamically converted into a monochrome computer output based on a stored profile. The stored profile may be for a piece of hardware (e.g., a monochrome printer), or a user (e.g., a color-blind user).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir Singh Bhogal, Robert Ross Peterson
  • Patent number: 8155439
    Abstract: An image processing device of the present application includes a color drift correcting section, a saturation reduction calculating section, and a color correcting section. The color drift correcting section corrects a color drift of an input image and generates a color drift correction image. The saturation reduction calculating section calculates a degree of saturation reduction caused by the color drift correction by comparing the input image with the color drift correction image. The color correcting section performs a color correction depending on the degree of saturation reduction with respect to a processed image of either one of the input image and the color drift correction image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Utsugi
  • Patent number: 8149456
    Abstract: Restriction information on a total colorant amount for a medium is obtained. Patches at grid points in a color space corresponding to a plurality of colorants at which the total colorant amount falls within a restriction represented by the restriction information, and a patch at a point surrounded by the patches are generated. Color values are obtained by measuring the colors of the patches printed on the medium. It is determined based on a color prediction value between the grid points whether the measured color values are appropriate, and if so, a color value at a grid point at which the total colorant amount exceeds the restriction is estimated based on the measured color values. A color separation table is created based on the measured color values and the estimated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yingying Fan, Kazuhiro Saito, Takayuki Ogasahara
  • Patent number: 8139268
    Abstract: A color document is scanned using sensors of two color components, and monochrome image data is generated by performing a color conversion process on color image data made up of two color components obtained through the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanori Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8139266
    Abstract: The color printing control device outputs color material reduction processed data generated by applying a color material reduction process to each pixel of bitmaps converted to color material colors to be used in printing, when it is judged that the color material reduction printing mode is specified. The color material reduction process includes chroma conversion that reduces chroma and under-color removal/black generation that replaces at least a portion of achromatic components generated by overlaying of a plurality of color materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Iida
  • Patent number: 8115782
    Abstract: Properties of pixels of a digital image are sampled within different subdivisions of an editing tool impression to produce different pixel property distributions. The property distributions from each region may be automatically classified to identify different edit classes within the property space, which are then used to apply an edit effect to the digital image within the tool impression. The edit classes are represented by an edit profile, the generation of which may be completely automated based on selection of a tool impression, or partially automated using the selection of the tool impression and receipt of classification guidance input, such as one or more parameters received from user input or a configuration file. The edit classes may also be generated without reference to the pixel property distributions, such as via user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventors: Krzysztof Antoni Zaklika, Mikhail Ivanovich Trifonov, Leonid Borisovich Lalyko, Viktor Antol'evich Nesterov, Pavel Vladimirovich Gruzdev
  • Publication number: 20120020552
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an influence value setting unit that sets an influence value on a pixel of interest in a local region of an image, the influence value being a color difference in the local region, and a color region processing unit that treats the pixel of interest as a pixel in a region of a representative color when a color of the pixel of interest is within a range from the representative color to the threshold value, the threshold value being set such that the threshold value increases as the influence value increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi ITOH
  • Patent number: 8081196
    Abstract: Properties of pixels of a digital image are sampled within different subdivisions of an editing tool impression to produce different pixel property distributions. The property distributions from each region may be automatically classified to identify different edit classes within the property space, which are then used to apply an edit effect to the digital image within the tool impression. The edit classes are represented by an edit profile, the generation of which may be completely automated based on selection of a tool impression, or partially automated using the selection of the tool impression and receipt of classification guidance input, such as one or more parameters received from user input or a configuration file. The edit classes may also be generated without reference to the pixel property distributions, such as via user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventors: Krzysztof Antoni Zaklika, Mikhail Ivanovich Trifonov, Leonid Borisovich Lalyko, Viktor Antol'evich Nesterov, Pavel Vladimirovich Gruzdev
  • Publication number: 20110304641
    Abstract: A developer tool is used to programmatically calculate the contrast between the text and background in a user interface. A luminosity ratio is automatically calculated by the tool by capturing an image of a user interface, archiving user interface elements that do not contain text, performing optical character recognition on the remaining user interface elements to find pixels on the text part of the user interface element and pixels on the background part of the user interface element, and finally calculating the luminosity ratio. Results including errors, warnings and luminosity ratio for one or more hotspots in the image can be returned. Results can be used to identify user interface elements that comply or fail to comply with visibility guidelines for contrast between user interface text and background.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Anthony Grieves, Matthew Karr, Katherine Ann Corner
  • Publication number: 20110280476
    Abstract: A system and method are described for automatically laying out photos within a photo story and automatically selecting colors for design elements based on the main colors in each of the photos. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: quantizing a photo used for the photo story, the photo initially having a predefined number of colors, wherein the quantizing reduces the number of colors to N colors; determining usage values for each of the N colors to determine the most used colors in the photo; and selecting a color for a photo story design element based on the usage values for each of the N colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Kelly Berger, Adnan Asar, Alessandro Isaacs
  • Patent number: 8054318
    Abstract: An image displaying device and a method for controlling color thereof. The image displaying device includes a lattice selection unit which selects a lattice of a look-up table (LUT) for reference of each pixel of an input image, a lattice control unit which determines whether the selected lattice requires to be changed for color adjustment and calculates a change degree of the lattice, an LUT conversion unit which converts the LUT by changing the lattice based on the calculated change degree, and a lattice reference/interpolation unit which refers to or interpolates the lattice based on the converted LUT. Accordingly, the LUT can be updated real time, thereby realizing more accurate adjustment of color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-wook Ok, Du-sik Park, Young-shin Kwak
  • Publication number: 20110262034
    Abstract: The detection of red-eye defects is enhanced in digital images for embedded image acquisition and processing systems. A two-stage redeye filtering system includes a speed optimized filter that performs initial segmentation of candidate redeye regions and optionally applies a speed-optimized set of falsing/verification filters to determine a first set of confirmed redeye regions for correction. Some of the candidate regions which are rejected during the first stage are recorded and re-analyzed during a second stage by an alternative set of analysis-optimized filters to determine a second set of confirmed redeye regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: TESSERA TECHNOLOGIES IRELAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Yury Prilutsky, Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran, Alexei Pososin, Petronel Bigioi, Mihai Ciuc
  • Patent number: 8035870
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads an original by R, G and B sensors and a monochromatic sensor, and includes Log conversion means for subjecting signals produced by the reading to Log conversion. When two-color printing is performed, Log conversion parameters are individually set for one of signals produced by the reading of the R, G and B sensors and for a signal produced by the reading of the monochromatic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 8031935
    Abstract: A method for removing color noise on a slowly varying component contained in color difference component image data of image data which is imported from an image sensor and converted to brightness and the color difference component image data, includes the steps of: sampling pixels of said color difference component image data by thinning out according to a first defined sampling format when not performing a color noise removal process on the slowly varying component; determining if the color noise removal process is necessary to be performed or not; producing the color difference component image data, corresponding to a compressed image data size smaller than an image data size without said color noise removal process, by thinning out according to a second defined sampling format when performing said color noise removal process; and recording the color difference and brightness component image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8031911
    Abstract: A method for producing mottling in an image includes modifying digital colorant information in a digital image data file for at least one of a plurality of colorants. The degree of modification is based on digital colorant information in the digital image data file, mottling information from a mottling tile, and a colorant gain curve for at least one colorant. The colorant gain curve is obtained by determining a tint percentage, the variation of the tint of the printed at least one colorant when printed at a tint percentage on volume printing stock. The mottling information has a spatial frequency distribution substantially equal to the spatial frequency distribution of the mottling produced by at least one colorant on a volume printing stock. The method allows the digital image to emulate the image that would result if the digital image was printed on a volume printer on high volume printing stock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andreas M. Albat, Richard R. Bielak
  • Patent number: 8023156
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image color management system and method for controlling an image output device. The method for controlling the image output device comprises generating an image output device profile LUT (look-up-table) characterizing the color profile of the image output device for a plurality of drift states associated with the image output device; generating a set of basis vectors representing the LUT; storing the set of basis vectors in an image output device controller; and generating an image output device active profile associated with a current drift state of the image output device to convert image color data for display or printing by the image output device, wherein the image output device active profile is generated from the set of basis vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Lalit Keshav Mestha, Yao Rong Wang, Zhigang Fan, Alvaro Enrique Gil, Matthew F. Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20110221932
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing an image. The method includes: increasing contrast of an input image to generate a first image; adding a mask having a pattern showing an image effect, to the first image to generate a second image; and adjusting a range of pixel values of the second image to generate a resultant image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun-sun Ahn, Jin-pyo Gwak
  • Publication number: 20110216968
    Abstract: A system and method for resizing a digitally represented color image are presented. A color image with pixels defined by luminance and at least one chrominance value is received. For each pixel of the color image, a luminance spatial variation and respective chrominance spatial variations in the respective neighborhood of the each pixel are computed. The luminance spatial variation and the respective chrominance spatial variations are combined to produce a respective importance value for each pixel. Selected pixels are identified based upon their respective importance values and are removed by seam carving of the color image. The seam carving identifies seams of pixels based upon the respective importance values of pixels within the seams of pixels to create a resized color image. The resized color image is produced to an image output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: CLAUDE S. FILLION, Vishal Monga, Raja Bala
  • Patent number: RE43239
    Abstract: A color interpolation method of an image sensor including a pixel array which green, red and blue pixels are arrayed in Bayer pattern is provided. The method includes: calculating a first average value of first values filtered by green pixels on even rows and a second average value of a second values filtered by green pixels on odd rows; comparing a value difference between the first average value and the second average value with a standard value; and performing one of a normal interpolation method and a compensation interpolation method with respect to the values filtered by the green pixels according to the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC
    Inventor: Kil-Ho Ahn