Abstract: An automatic method for processing a color form includes: a) scanning the color form in color space, forming a digital color image, and converting the digital color image into a two-dimensional binary image in chrominance space; and b) conducting a color form dropout process.

Abstract: A method for compensating for dot gain in printing with stochastic screens comprises obtaining continuous tone CMYK files and screening the files at a resolution that is lower than the resolution of an output device that will be used to print the files. The lower resolution stochastically screened files are then expanded to the resolution of the output device, thereby effectively increasing the size of the dots by creating a number of subdots for each dot in the lower resolution stochastically screened files. Subdots within the expanded stochastically screened files can then be selectively removed to compensate for dot gain. In addition, overlapping dots in the screened CMYK files are removed and additional stochastically screened files are created that print a dot of a color of the previously overlapping dots and at the location of the previously overlapping dots to prevent colors from running together when printing on certain media.

Abstract: The invention provides a perceptually-based system for pattern retrieval and matching, suitable for use in a wide variety of information processing applications. An illustrative embodiment of the system uses a predetermined vocabulary comprising one or more dimensions to extract color and texture information from an information signal, e.g., an image, selected by a user. The system then generates a distance measure characterizing the relationship of the selected image to another image stored in a database, by applying a grammar, comprising a set of predetermined rules, to the color and texture information extracted from the selected image and corresponding color and texture information associated with the stored image. The vocabulary may include dimensions such as overall color, directionality and orientation, regularity and placement, color purity, and pattern complexity and heaviness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for converting raster images into a vector format by identifying and converting the borders of image features into a mathematical format referred to as string sequences. To enable the string sequencing of color images, the present invention identifies and resolves contrast conflicts in the image features in order to avoid misperceiving the vectorized image when converted back into a raster format. A contrast conflict occurs when there is a “contrast tie” between overlapping features of the image. The feature that would normally be perceived as the dominant feature breaks the contrast tie so that when the vector image is reconstructed, the dominate feature appears in the foreground of the image while the recessive feature appears in the background.

Abstract: A method for scanning the irregular object. The present invention allows the user to use charting tools such as a painting brush, a straight line, or a curve, etc., to directly frame the object (including the irregular object) required by themselves for the preview image to be scanned. Thus, when the framed object is the irregular object, the scanned irregular object can be directly used, but with the requirement of delivering the scanned irregular object to the image processing software to be processed. Also, the present invention allows the user to frame the object (including the irregular object) required by themselves in an intuitive manner, but framing the desired scanning object in the fixed rectangle.

Abstract: A document image scanning apparatus which can obtain a document image at the right timing by separating a hand image from the document image, even when a hand does not take off a document. The document image scanning apparatus consists of an image inputting apparatus and a document image scanning section.

Abstract: A navigation system for an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) includes an MPEG encoder that pre-processes frame data from a plurality of cameras on the UGV before the data is used to generate maps that identify objects in the vehicle's field of view and that identify terrain characteristics. The MPEG encoder converts the red-green-blue (RGB) data into luminance-chrominance (YUV) data. The luminance and chrominance data for each frame are divided into blocks for determining motion vectors, average chrominance values, and spatial frequencies for each block. A range map identifying objects is generated from the motion vectors and average chrominance values, and a slope map identifying terrain characteristics is generated from the spatial frequencies.

Abstract: A method for removing color moire pattern noise having known chromaticities from a digital image is disclosed. The chromaticities are used to determine the region of color moire. The chromaticities within the region of color moire are then changed in accordance with the chromaticities of the located pixels in the region of color moire so that the color moire pattern noise is reduced.

Abstract: Pixel-level monitoring and reconfiguring of both text inter-word spacing and individual character widths minimizes undesirable moire′ channels and moire′-glyphs, and more particularly relates to operator-selected automatic intra-word space manipulation and automatic intra-character width manipulation to achieve a pleasing overall page effect with maximized freedom from moire′-maze and moire′-glyph visual effects, both in proportional spaced fonts and fixed-character-width fonts. Selective scrolling may be by black-spot instead of actual characters, to make the white moire′-effects stand out more clearly. The typesetter may alternate positive and negative, which is another way to emphasize the moire′-effects. A further sub-variant, called “blush,” causes graying of spaces which are so surrounded by characters that they cannot participate in moire′-effects. This emphasizes the actual moiré-effects.

Abstract: A video signal is generated representative of a background scene, such as a weather map, which provides an outline of all the detail in the map. This outline detail is made visible to a foreground subject by projecting it onto a white screen behind the subject in a selected color such as green. The projector is selectively inhibited so as to prevent the background detail from projecting onto the foreground subject. The white screen and the green detail lines are removed and replaced by the background scene by an image compositing process. Prompts are visible to the foreground subject, but not visible to a home viewing audience.

Abstract: A vertical black line removal system (VBLR) is adapted to remove unwanted vertical lines produced on scanned document images by dust or other particles on the imaging apparatus. The VBLR system, placed in a document scanner after the binarization equipment, creates a stored histogram table including the difference values of “1” or “0” for the first and second image data. A vertical black line search processor compares each histogram value in the histogram table with a predetermined threshold value such that when the histogram value is greater than the threshold value the histogram value and the image address indicating the location of defect are stored in memory.

Abstract: In an image processor, after the background of input image data is removed, the image data are divided into a plurality of areas, and the attribute of image is discriminated for each area. The image data after the background removal is compressed according to the result of attribute discrimination. The amount of the background removal can be controlled. Preferably, the amount of the background removal is controlled according to the discriminated attribute. Then, the background can be removed without artificial feeling in a reproduced image.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a cover having an underside with an identifiable pattern disposed over a platen. The imaging system is capable of recognizing the identifiable pattern and removing data from a digital image file of the scanned original corresponding to portions containing the identifiable pattern. An alternative imaging system provides for a preliminary scan that locates extraneous objects in the background of a scanned region. When an original is scanned, the digital image file from the scan of the original can be compared with the preliminary scan to remove extraneous images from the digital image file.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to efficiently encode an image. To this end, for example, an image undergoes a color reduction process using a dither matrix with a predetermined size. A print control command is output. A compression parameter designation command that designates an up copy vertical offset value (a value according to the matrix size), a near left copy horizontal offset value (a value according to the matrix size), and a far left copy horizontal offset value (a value according to the period of background patterns), which are used in encoding, is output. Image data is encoded according to an encoding sequence.

Abstract: A method of compensating for dot gain in printing with stochastic screens comprises obtaining continuous tone CMYK files and screening the files at a resolution that is lower than the resolution of an output device that will be used to print the files. The lower resolution stochasticly screened files are then expanded to the resolution of the output device, thereby effectively increasing the size of the dots by creating a number of subdots for each dot in the lower resolution stochasticly screened files. Subdots within the expanded stochasticly screened files can then be selectively removed to compensate for dot gain. In addition, overlapping dots in the screened CMYK files are removed and additional stochasticly screened files are created that print a dot of a color of the previously overlapping dots and at the location of the previously overlapping dots to prevent colors from running together when printing on certain media.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for analyzing a test pattern printed by a printing device onto a substrate to determine the printing properties of the substrate. The test pattern includes (i) a first cell having a background of a first color and a pattern of a second color and (ii) a second cell having a background of the second color and a pattern of the first color. The patterns each include a plurality of dots that are randomly positioned within each pattern. Prior to analyzing the test pattern, the first and second colors are differentiated from each other using color-band and threshold selection techniques. A variety of print defect indices are disclosed for analyzing the test pattern including a gain index, a raggedness index, a circularity index, and a non-uniformity index. The results of analysis can be calculated as a single value for a simple and convenient representation of the print quality of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a perceptually-based system for pattern retrieval and matching, suitable for use in a wide variety of information processing applications. An illustrative embodiment of the system uses a predetermined vocabulary comprising one or more dimensions to extract color and texture information from an information signal, e.g., an image, selected by a user. The system then generates a distance measure characterizing the relationship of the selected image to another image stored in a database, by applying a grammar, comprising a set of predetermined rules, to the color and texture information extracted from the selected image and corresponding color and texture information associated with the stored image. The vocabulary may include dimensions such as overall color, directionality and orientation, regularity and placement, color purity, and pattern complexity and heaviness.

Abstract: A method for performing color dropout on a digitized document, the method comprises the steps of obtaining color values from the digitized document for background and a color of interest to a user; transforming the color values of the background and the color of interest into an identical gray scale value according to a color dropout function; obtaining a gray scale value different from the identical gray scale value for the remaining portion of the image according to the color dropout function; and thresholding the gray scale values obtained from the previous steps to obtain a binary image that substantially eliminates color classification error which retains character integrity by a functional transformation that suppresses color fringe artifacts.

Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of converting an image obtained from an image input apparatus into an L·a·b image (where L represents the gray scale axis, or luminance, and a and b represent two orthogonal axes that together define the color and saturation), obtaining a chroma image by using chroma processing to process a and b values which are chrominance-signal values in the pixels of the a and b images as saturation images, obtaining a binary image by binarizing the pixels of the chroma image, extracting the contour of the binary image, and extracting a region in which achromatization is performed by widening the extracted contour of the extracted image.

Abstract: The color image processing apparatus comprises; a compressing/extending section for compressing the BRG input signals, storing the compressed signals in the page memory, restoring the compressed BGR input signals, and outputting the restored signals; a color converting section for receiving the restored signals and converting the restored signals to YMC signals; a ink block generating and ground removing section for generating a K (black) signal according to the YMC signals and removing the ground; and an area separation type of filter for grouping a plurality of pixels in to blocks, identifying the type of image of each block, and generating an area separation signal for an intermediate tone, a black character, or a colored character.

Abstract: A color discriminating apparatus is provided with: a luminance calculator for calculating luminance information of a picked up color image based on image data of each of a plurality of color components constituting the color image; a color information calculator for calculating color information of the color image based on image data; a first discriminator for discriminating, based on calculated color information, which the color image is chromatic or achromatic; a second discriminator for discriminating, based on calculated luminance information, which the color image is black or white when the color image is discriminated to be achromatic; and a third discriminator for discriminating, based on the calculated color information and the calculated luminance information, which of a plurality of predetermined colors the color image agrees with when the color image is discriminated to be chromatic.

Abstract: An automatic method for processing a color form includes: a) scanning the color form in color space, forming a digital color image, and converting the digital color image into a two-dimensional binary image in chrominance space; and b) conducting a color form dropout process.

Abstract: In a stand type image scanner, an exclusive light source portion is used in irradiation in which the light intensity in a specific wavelength band W within a wavelength band W0 in which the reflectivity of a portion to be dropped out on the original is higher than that in the other wavelength band, and a scanning portion performs binary processing of regarding as white color a portion of the original at which the detection value of reflected light intensity is higher than a reference value while regarding as black color a portion of the original at which the detection value of the reflected light intensity is smaller than the reference value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for erasing a feature from a digital image. The method includes identifying a plurality of tip regions on the image each including multiple pixels of the image and each covering a portion of the feature and sequentially processing the tip regions to erase the feature. The sequential processing includes determining an erasure color, defining a color match function for the tip region, applying the color match function to each pixel in the tip region including determining a color match value for each pixel and completely erasing ones of the pixels in the tip region that have a color match value greater than a threshold value. For a pixel having a color match value less than the threshold, an erasure function is applied to the target pixel. A contribution of the erasure color is removed from a color associated with the target pixel where the effect of each action of processing a tip region is recorded in the digital image before any subsequent action of processing a tip region is performed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a binary-coding section, a removing section and a signal generating section. The binary-coding section binary-codes a plurality of color component signals color by color. The removing section removes minor color components from the color component signals, and the generating section generates record color signal by using both a color component signal left after removing the minor color components and the color component signals before binary-coding.

Abstract: In a virtual gamut-obtaining step, lightness, saturation, and/or hue angle of the second gamut is converted and an expanded virtual gamut including at least all of the lightness values of the first gamut is obtained. In a color data changing step, for color data which is not included in the virtual gamut in color data of the first gamut, lightness, saturation, and hue angle are changed, thereby obtaining third color data included in the virtual gamut. In a color data forming step, a conversion opposite to the conversion performed to the second gamut in the virtual gamut obtaining step is executed to the third color data, thereby forming second color data.

Abstract: An objectionable outlining effect, seen as dark edges and white edges outlining everything in a scene, is eliminated by clipping or limiting the spikes generated by excessive enhancement. Specifically, a method is used for improving the quality of an enhanced video image, while simultaneously maintaining or improving image sharpness, by clipping the RGB levels of the enhanced video image, at the points of enhancement, to upper and lower level bounds representing the signal levels of the video signal prior to its enhancement.

Abstract: An image signal processor includes an area extracting unit for extracting from an image signal color signals of a local area of a predetermined size which includes a desired pixel. A maximum variance signal selecting unit selects one of the color signals which exhibits a maximum variance over the average variance of the color signals in the local area. In a signal modifying unit, the shape of the other color signals than the selected color signal is modified so that their parameters are equal to the parameters of the selected color signal. In a candidate image generating unit, the other modified color signals and the selected color signal are combined together to generate a plurality of reference image candidates. A reference image selecting unit than selects as a reference image one of the reference image candidates on the basis of a given evaluation function. In a restoring unit, dropout color signals are then restored with the use of the reference image determined by the reference image selecting unit.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for converting a raster image comprising a plurality of pixels into a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in the raster image. The apparatus comprises a computer program, or an integrated circuit implementing the steps of the computer program, wherein the computer program comprises: (a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein: (b) the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and (c) a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and (d) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence.

Abstract: A method for pulling (extracting) a matte of an image of a foreground object from a composite image, using a computer. An image of the foreground object is recorded over at least two backgrounds having arbitrarily different coloring. Each point of one background must have a color that is different than the color of a corresponding point in the other backgrounds. The images may be recorded with an analog camera and digitized with a scanner or recorded with a digital camera. Images should be registered during recording and digitization to eliminate misalignment of corresponding points in each recorded image. A triangulation of corresponding points of each recorded image is performed so that an alpha value (opacity) and a set of color coordinates for each point of an uncomposited image of the foreground object may be determined using either a difference of sums technique or a least squares technique. To facilitate the triangulation, images are recorded of each background alone, without the foreground object.

Abstract: In an image being displayed on a monitor, each observed background color is identified using a cursor to select the dominant colors. Each foreground color is also identified by using the cursor as a selector. For each pixel, several Candidate mattes are computed one for each background color. Each Candidate matte is computed from a single background color and the set of selected foreground colors using any known method. Of the several Candidate mattes, the greater of these Candidates becomes the matte signal for a given pixel. If this matte is 1.0, then the pixel is part of the background. If the matte is zero, then the pixel is part of the subject. If the matte is between 1.0 and 0.0, then the pixel is in a transition area and the contribution of the background to the pixel is that pixel's matte level. A ‘Processed Foreground’ is generated by removing the contribution of the background from each pixel in the image, resulting in the subject appearing against a black field.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for converting raster images into a vector format by identifying and converting the borders of image features into a mathematical format referred to as string sequences. To enable the string sequencing of color images, the present invention identifies and resolves contrast conflicts in the image features in order to avoid misperceiving the vectorized image when converted back into a raster format. A contrast conflict occurs when there is a “contrast tie” between overlapping features of the image. The feature that would normally be perceived as the dominant feature breaks the contrast tie so that when the vector image is reconstructed, the dominate feature appears in the foreground of the image while the recessive feature appears in the background.

Abstract: An image recognition system for recognizing a target having a color and a pattern includes a plurality of active eyes for recognizing a target. Each active eye is an information processing unit formed in a closed frame defined on a display screen, and each active eye is movable on the display screen, wherein each active eye moves until a color within the closed frame of the active eye is the color of the target in a memory, wherein plural active eyes are located at a boundary between the target and the background on the display screen, thereby forming a colony having a shape. When the shape of the colony matches the pattern of the target in the memory, the target is identified. The time of each processing cycle is very short, and thus, the movement of the object can be traced without a time lag.

Abstract: A method for removing microdots from a photographic image, the method comprises the steps of (a) comparing the blue code value at a location in the color image with an estimate of the blue code value at the location; (b) comparing a second code value at the location in the color image with an estimate of the second code value at the location; and (c) replacing the blue and second code values at the location with the estimated code values based on the results of steps (a) and (b).

Abstract: The improved color transforming method of the invention comprises the steps of: performing calorimetric conversion on the image data obtained from an input medium to produce calorimetric data on the image to be reproduced; and analyzing the resulting calorimetric data to determine automatically a format for compressing the input space of said image to the output space. The color transforming method of the invention performs analysis of the image to be reproduced so that only the areas of the image that need be subjected to compression of a color gamut can be compressed, and thereby achieves optimal color gamut compression in an image-dependent manner with minimum sacrifice in the fidelity of calorimetric reproduction.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to extract a selected subject from its background, by removing the background, including that portion of the background visible through semi transparent areas of the subject, and generating a matte signal containing a record of background levels outside of and within semitransparent subject areas. The observed RGB signal levels of a pixel in the semitransparent transition between a subject and its background, are a mixture of color contributed by the subject, and by the background. The estimated subject color, and the estimated background color, and the observed color of a transition pixel (pixRGB), may be shown as three points in a three dimensional color space.

Abstract: An arrangement for sharpening the resolution of printed text in a color printing system is disclosed. An image processing system (1) includes a color conversion apparatus (2) for converting from one color space (RBG) to another color space (CMYK) for display on a color printer (8). The color conversion apparatus (2) includes a near-black correction unit (36) which detects near black-near white and near white-near, black transistions and when such a transition occurs, outputs a full,or deep black color in place of the near-black color.

Abstract: A document (10) is scanned to provide a digital image. At least one non-dropout color is selected (32) and transformed to a Luminance-Chrominance space (34). Each pixel of the scanned image is converted to the Luminance-Chrominance space (36) and the distance of each of the image pixels from the non-dropout color is determined (38). Each of the image pixels is converted to black (44) if the distance from the non-dropout color is less than or equal to a threshold value, and converted to white (42) if the distance is greater than the threshold value. The converted black and white pixels are then stored.

Abstract: A method for undercolor removal (UCR) from a multi-color image represented by N color planes of non-black pixel image color values and replacement of removed undercolor by black values, includes the following steps. A corrected black color plane is obtained by replacing initial maximum black color values with black color values that are a Min function between the initial black color values and N-1 logically corresponding non-black pixel image color values. Page strip portions of the corrected black color plane are then revised so that each pixel black color value thereof is converted to a UCR value by deriving the Min function with logically corresponding, Nth color plane non-black pixel image color values. Next, logically corresponding UCR values for each page strip are subtracted from Nth color plane non-black pixel image color values and each page strip from the Nth color plane is passed to a print engine for rendering.

Abstract: This is a method for adjusting output device profiles for four-color devices such as offset presses. The user of this invention starts by selecting a base profile. This base profile produces satisfactory color but does not have the desired amount of Gray Component Replacement (GCR). The user of this invention makes use of this invention to adjust the GCR of the output profile until it is at some desired level. The invention then produces a new output profile which produces the same color as the base profile but which has the desired degree of GCR.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an image processing apparatus which can obtain an image reproduction that accurately corresponds to an original color when an ordinary color original is read and which can obtain an accurate marker edition result when a marker original is read. When a color scanning mode to read the color image is selected, an original ground removal by a prescan is not performed. When a marker edition scanning mode to read the marker original is selected, the original ground removal is executed. Thus, a color reproduction which accurately corresponds to the original is executed in the color scanning mode. In the marker edition scanning mode, the color recognition of the marker color is accurately performed without being influenced by the ground color.

Abstract: A novel video object extraction has a first object 12, such as a foreground object, illuminated with visible light 16 and a second object 14, such as a background object, illuminated with a combination of infrared 18 and visible light 16. A novel camera system observes the scene. The novel camera system includes an infrared light camera 24 and a visible light camera 20. The infrared light camera output 24 contains bright images of the second object 14, with relatively little brightness of the first object 12. The signal from this infrared light camera 20, once thresholded, serves as a key to remove the second object 14 from the video image captured by the visible light camera 20.

Abstract: A bitmap-based digital color printing method and system is described which automatically detects when a black object is commanded to be printed, and changes the Bit Block Transfer (BitBlt) method so that the resultant composition of the black color at each point in the bitmap is responsive to the amount of non-black colorants already existing in the background color at that position on the page. For many printing systems the resulting prints exhibit fewer visual defects. Single-color black objects printed on top of a color field are printed as process black responsive to the background color. Therefore, they exhibit a greater density and gloss and show fewer problems caused by the misregistration of separations or other printer defects, such as white fringes around the black objects. They also avoid problems caused by excessive ink coverage differences between foreground black and background color.

Abstract: A method is provided for the control of a color tone during production of a reproduced color image by tonal conversion of a light quantity of each pixel into a halftone. The method includes setting, at a position between a highlight area and a shadow area in a color original image, a color tone control point, defining adjustment conditions at the color tone control point in terms of dot percent values of desired plural color plates. The method also includes introducing a light quantity at the color tone control point, dot percent values of the plates and desired dot percent values set in advance for highlight areas and shadow areas in the plates into a tonal conversion formula to determine values .gamma. for the plates conversion formulas are provided for converting, into dot percent values, light quantities of all pixels ranging from the highlight areas to the shadow areas.

Abstract: A specific color field recognition apparatus and method are disclosed. A mechanism fetches a first image including a specific color and a second image with the specific color eliminated therefrom by picking up an image of an object having a specific color field to be recognized. A device produces a first density histogram and a second density histogram representing the number of pixels for each tone with respect to the first image and the second image, respectively.

Abstract: A monochromatic scanning system includes an illumination system, a document staging system, an optical lens system, a photosensing system to convert light to electrical signals and a color drop-out filter. The illumination system illuminates an original image to be scanned in the document staging system and the optical lens system directs light reflected from the original image to be scanned onto the photosensing system. The color drop-out filter is located in an optical path between the original image to be scanned and the photosensing system such that the color drop-out filter allows a predetermined range of wavelengths to pass therethrough and a range of wavelengths associated with infrared radiation to pass therethrough. this enables the monochromatic scanning system to have drop-out capability by merely substituting the color drop-out filter without further modifications to the scanning system.

Abstract: Described is a method and a device for converting a color signal consisting of a plurality of chromatic color components into another color signal consisting of the plurality of chromatic color components and an achromatic color component. Firstly, an achromatic value is obtained, and then an under color addition is executed to obtain a chromatic value for each of the plurality of chromatic color components. Then, whether the chromatic values for the plurality of chromatic color components should be replaced with predetermined values is examined. If it is determined that the chromatic values for the plurality of chromatic color components should be replaced with predetermined values, the chromatic values are replaced with the predetermined values, and the another color signal consisting of the chromatic color components having the chromatic values and the achromatic color component having the achromatic value is output as the converted signal.

Abstract: When an original image of a full color is reconstructed by two colors, it is intended to prevent that a part of the original image is not reconstructed. An image of a full color original is read by a CCD, thereby forming signals of R, G and B. In an image processing unit, the R, G, and B signals are converted into red and black signals. The red and black signals are sent to a printer unit and an image is formed in red and black.

Abstract: An image processing device in accordance with the present invention processes image data obtained by reading an original image including an image portion and a background portion to subdivide the original image into a plurality of images, the image data including density data representing density of each image. The device includes a device for outputting background density data, a device for outputting density coefficient data, a background color removing device for decreasing a value of density data corresponding to the background portion based on the background density data, and a density correcting device for increasing a value of density data corresponding to the image portion based on the density coefficient data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the elimination of color from a multi-color image document is described. All color information for every picture element of the image of the document is provided concurrently and for every picture element PEL the image signal of all provided colors are analyzed and for every picture element that image signal of that color is selected which has the minimum contrast relative to the background of the image document.