Line Thinning Or Thickening Patents (Class 382/258)
  • Patent number: 10404961
    Abstract: Original or compressed Auxiliary Data, including possibly major depth discontinuities in the form of shape images, partial occlusion data, associated tuned and control parameters, and depth information of the original video(s), are used to facilitate the interactive display and generation of new views (view synthesis) of conventional 2D, stereo, and multi-view videos in conventional 2D, 3D (stereo) and multi-view or autostereoscopic displays with reduced artifacts. The partial or full occlusion data includes image, depth and opacity data of possibly partially occluded areas to facilitate the reduction of artifacts in the synthesized view. An efficient method is used for extracting objects at partially occluded regions as defined by the auxiliary data from the texture videos to facilitate view synthesis with reduced artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: VERSITECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Shing Chow Chan, Xi Guang Wei
  • Patent number: 9712718
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of points defining a plurality of line segments constituting an outline of an object, an identification unit configured to identify a first line segment constituting the outline and having a shorter distance to a second line segment constituting the outline in a predetermined direction than a threshold by calculating a distance in the predetermined direction between the first line segment and the second line segment based on coordinates of the plurality of points, a correction unit configured to perform correction relating to an end point of the identified first line segment which is included in the plurality of points, and a rasterization unit configured to rasterize the object based on the plurality of corrected points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 9472163
    Abstract: A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes receiving information representative of one or more environmental conditions. The method also includes determining one or more adjustments for rendering content on one or more electronic displays based upon the received information representative of the one or more environmental conditions, and, adjusting the rendering of the content for being presented on at least one display based upon the received information representing the one or more environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Monotype Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Gould, Geoffrey W. Greve
  • Patent number: 9025206
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can provide a natural edge processing even if a toner save processing and a line width correction processing are configured in parallel. The image forming apparatus detects an edge neighboring region of an input image in a predetermined direction. The edge neighboring region detected by the neighboring edge detection step is subjected to a line width correction processing. An edge region of the input image in a direction other than the predetermined direction is detected. Then, a toner save processing is performed on a no-edge region that is a region other than the edge region detected by the edge detection step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daiki Ikari
  • Patent number: 9025853
    Abstract: A method of determining relief markings on a tire's sidewall surface includes assigning, to each pixel of a three-dimensional image of the surface, a grey-level value proportional to an elevation point corresponding to the pixel, to obtain a starting image. Using linear structuring elements of successively increasing sizes and oriented circumferentially, a series of successive morphological openings is performed iteratively on the starting surface. An image value obtained after a morphological opening using a structuring element is subtracted from an image value obtained after a morphological opening using a structuring element of an immediately lower size, to obtain a succession of images flattened by differencing. A thresholding operation is performed on the images flattened by differencing, to obtain binary images. A set-theoretic union of values of each of the binary images is performed, to obtain a final binary image in which markings appear in relief.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Establissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Guillaume Noyel, Jean-Paul Zanella, Alexandre Joly
  • Patent number: 8897833
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing at least one digital photographic image is presented, the system and method comprising at least one capturing device and at least one receiving device disposed in a communicative relation with one another via at least one wireless network. In particular, the capturing device is structured to capture the at least one digital photographic image via, for example, a capture assembly, whereas the receiving device is cooperatively structured to receive the digital photographic image via, for example, the at least one wireless network. In addition, the capturing device(s) and receiving device(s) may be disposed in a selectively paired relationship via one or more common pre-defined pairing criteria. Further, the at least one digital photographic image may be filtered via at least one pre-defined transfer criteria disposed on the capturing device and/or receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Rothschild Storage Retrieval Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Leigh M. Rothschild
  • Patent number: 8830258
    Abstract: A method and system for generating strokes in real-time on an electronic paper display. A display device receives the stroke input, which is converted to binary code by a digitizer. A rendering engine renders the high-resolution stroke data in non-antialiased form to an ink buffer. The rendering engine then updates pixels based on the color or gray level of the background (unlinked) pixel and the amount of ink covering the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Bradley J. Rhodes, Kurt W. Piersol
  • Patent number: 8787691
    Abstract: Encoding efficiency of image prediction encoding can be improved by performing horizontal packing as horizontal processing to manipulate a horizontal-direction array of pixels of each of a first thinned-out image and a second thinned-out image arrayed in checkerboard fashion, obtained by thinning out the pixels of each of a first image and a second image different from the first image every other line in an oblique direction, wherein pixels of first and second thinned-out images are packed in the horizontal direction. A combined image can be generated, which is combined by adjacently arraying the post-horizontal processing first and second thinned-out images after horizontal processing, as an image to serve as the object of prediction encoding. Aspects of this disclosure can be applied to a case of performing prediction encoding on a first and second image, such as a left and right images making up a 3D image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Takahashi, Teruhiko Suzuki, Takuya Kitamura, Yoichi Yagasaki
  • Patent number: 8767232
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines one of a plurality of parameters as a parameter used for line width correction of an image based on a comparison between the images of the straight lines obtained by reading printed straight lines subjected to line width correction using the plurality of parameters and an image of a straight line as a reference image which is to be obtained by reading the straight line printed in a predetermined line width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Nakashio
  • Patent number: 8724925
    Abstract: A correction-coefficient calculating unit calculates a correction coefficient to correct misalignment between a first print image and a second print image. A correcting unit corrects the first print image based on the correction coefficient to obtain a corrected first image. A pixel-value determining unit assigns a pixel value based on pixel-value matching state at corresponding positions in the corrected first image and the second print image. An image generating unit generates a misalignment display image from the corrected first image and the second print image that is assigned a predetermined pixel value. An output unit that outputs the misalignment display image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Hasegawa, Hitoshi Itoh, Mitsuyoshi Mineyama
  • Patent number: 8717629
    Abstract: An image-processing method includes: acquiring multi-level tone print data expressed in multi-level tones; determining whether the acquired multi-level tone print data includes line data indicative of a line having a tone; replacing, if the print data includes the line data, the line data with specific line data based on the tone of the line data, the specific line data indicating a specific line having a prescribed tone value and a prescribed structure; and converting the multi-level tone print data to binary data after replacing the line data with the specific line data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koki Aonuma
  • Patent number: 8670631
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which performs reduction processing for rendering data in accordance with a reduction ratio, the apparatus comprises edge extraction unit that extracts edges from a contour of an object in the rendering data; saved line specification unit that specifies, out of lines including the edges extracted by the edge extraction unit, lines each having an outer shape feature of the object as saved lines which are lines not subjected to thinning processing; and thinning processing unit that thins out lines other than the saved lines in the object, thereby performing the reduction processing for the rendering data, wherein the saved line specification unit specifies saved lines by determining the outer shape feature of the object in accordance with characteristics of the edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsu Oishi
  • Patent number: 8655209
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of forming a toner image, comprising: electrically charging a photoreceptor by a charging roller being brought into contact with the photoreceptor, the photoreceptor comprises a photosensitive coating layer on a cylindrical conductive substrate; correcting line width variation using an exposure adjustment calculation (y); and, wherein the exposure adjustment calculation uses a factor based on a ratio (m) of a coefficient of line width variation due to toner age divided by the coefficient of line width variation due to laser power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: W. Bradford Willard, Paul L. Jacobs, Brian Robert Conrow
  • Patent number: 8644618
    Abstract: Systems and methods may automatically evaluate printed line weights in an image composition. An image composition may be received and the number of horizontal and vertical rows of pixels may be determined. The number of positive pixels in each of the horizontal and vertical rows may then be determined. An actual size of a pixel may be calculated. The actual size of a pixel may be multiplied by the number of positive pixels in each of the horizontal rows and each of the vertical rows to determine a positive line weight of each of the horizontal rows and each of the vertical rows. A predetermined minimum permissible positive line weight for the image composition may be identified and compared to the positive line weight of each of the horizontal rows and each of the vertical rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: BrandFast LLC
    Inventors: Robert Patrick, David E. Tate, Melanie Ouzts, Marieke Mcclure
  • Patent number: 8630017
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus that improves the visibility of a character and its background in different colors or of outline characters is provided. Specifically, outline character bold data is inverted and each of the pixels in the data is expanded to adjacent eight pixels. Then, the expanded outline character is processed into expanded inverted data. The logical AND of the inverted expanded data and K data on a background image is then calculated to generate K data with the outline character expanded. This results in an image with the outline character expanded. That is, the present invention enables characters with improved visibility and free from blurredness to be printed while preventing the adverse effect of bleeding on the outline character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daigoro Kanematsu, Mitsutoshi Nagamura, Tomomi Furuichi, Masaharu Shimakawa
  • Patent number: 8594722
    Abstract: A system and method for distributing at least one digital photographic image is presented, the system and method comprising at least one capturing device and at least one receiving device disposed in a communicative relation with one another via at least one wireless network. In particular, the capturing device is structured to capture the at least one digital photographic image via, for example, a capture assembly, whereas the receiving device is cooperatively structured to receive the digital photographic image via, for example, the at least one wireless network. In addition, the capturing device(s) and receiving device(s) may be disposed in a selectively paired relationship via one or more common pre-defined pairing criteria. Further, the at least one digital photographic image may be filtered via at least one pre-defined transfer criteria disposed on the capturing device and/or receiving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: SRR Patent Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Leigh M. Rothschild
  • Patent number: 8463011
    Abstract: A method for extracting a colonic centerline includes segmenting a colon from a digital image of a patient's abdomen, selecting one extreme point of the colon as a source point, calculating a first distance transform of every point in the colon that is a distance of a point to the source point, and calculating a second distance transform of every point in the colon, that is a shortest distance of a point to a wall point of the colon. A centerline path is generated through the colon using the first and second distance transforms, starting from a point with a greatest distance to the source point as determined by the first distance transform, and adding points to the centerline path by selecting points with a greatest distance to the source point that are farthest from the wall of the colon using the second distance transform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Geiger, Sandra Sudarsky
  • Patent number: 8400670
    Abstract: A method for resizing an input digital image having input pixel values to produce an output digital image having output pixel values, wherein the output digital image has a lower resolution and wherein single pixel width details in the input digital image are preserved, the method being performed by a processor and comprising: determining an output pixel value for the output digital image by interpolating within a corresponding neighborhood of image pixels in the input digital image; detecting whether the input digital image contains a fine detail within the corresponding neighborhood of image pixels; adjusting the output pixel value when a fine detail is detected; and repeating steps a)-c) for a plurality of output pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher Rueby
  • Patent number: 8401325
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a thinning process unit which extracts a core line by applying a thinning process; a line width estimation unit which estimates an original line width of each pixel of the core line; a core line division unit which divides the core line; a monospaced line determination unit which determines, based on line width information, whether or not each of core lines divided by the core line division unit is a monospaced line; a connection relation information generation unit which generates connection relation information with another core line in association with each of the core lines; and a core line modification unit which modifies the core lines, based on pieces of line width information of core line pixels, a monospaced line determination result, and pieces of connection relation information generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuuichi Tsunematsu
  • Patent number: 8331696
    Abstract: To provide an update region detection device capable of accurately detecting an update region from plot data on a computer screen. In an update region detection unit (125), a pixel comparison unit (601) compares a difference between values of pixels at the same position in each of a reference frame and a current frame, with a first threshold and a second threshold, the second threshold being a value greater than the first threshold. An update region extraction unit (602) extracts, an update region, a group including a pixel where a difference greater than the second threshold has been detected, from among a group of pixels where a difference greater than the first threshold has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Takada
  • Patent number: 8311333
    Abstract: First, a binary image is generated by binarizing an image. Next, a binary pixel ratio, that is a ratio of a binary pixel quantity that is a quantity of dotted pixels included in a specific area of the binary image to a total quantity of pixels included in the specific area of the binary image, is found. Then, a thin-line image is generated by performing a line-thinning process on the specific area. After that, a thin-line pixel ratio that is a ratio of the quantity of dotted pixels included in the generated thin-line image to the binary pixel quantity is found, and the specific area is determined to be a map area or a photograph area based on the calculated binary pixel ratio and the calculated thin-line pixel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Mori, Osamu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8295630
    Abstract: An image processing system and method for comparing two monochromic images A2 and B2 is provided. The system and method thins objects in the monochromic image B2 so as to generate a skeleton image B3, thickens the objects in the monochromic image A2 to generate a bold image A4, and overlays the skeleton image B3 with the bold image A4 so as to generate an overlaid image AB1. The system and method further thins the objects in the monochromic image A2 so as to generate a skeleton image A3, thickens the objects in the monochromic image B2 to generate a bold image B4, and overlays the skeleton image A3 with the bold image B4 so as to generate an overlaid image AB2. The system and method outputs the overlaid images AB1 and AB2 on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-I Lee, Chien-Fa Yeh, Wei-Qing Xiao
  • 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: 8189943
    Abstract: A method up-samples images in a reduced resolution video, wherein each image I(x, y) stores depths d at pixel locations (x, y). each depth image is scaled up to produce a corresponding up-scaled image. Then, image dilation, a median filter, image erosion, and a min-max filter are applied in order to produce a corresponding up-sampled image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sehoon Yea, Kwan-Jun Oh, Anthony Vetro
  • Patent number: 8041141
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention utilize a variational framework for computing curve skeletons (CS) of objects whose cross section is not necessary tubular. Embodiments utilize an energy function, which is proportional to some medialness function, such that the minimum cost path between any two medial voxels in the shape is a curve skeleton. Different medialness functions include the Euclidean distance field and a modified version of the magnitude of the gradient vector flow (GVF), which results in two different energy functions. The first energy function controls the identification of the topological nodes of the shape from which curve skeletons start, while the second one controls the extraction of the curve skeletons. Preferred embodiments are completely automated since all parameters are analytically estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Aly A. Farag, M. Sabry Hassouna
  • Patent number: 8014030
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a contour pixel extraction unit configured to extract a contour pixel component from a bit plane. The bit plane is a set of bits, the number of which is equal to the number of pixels, and each of which is 1 bit of a plurality of bits representing an intensity of each of pixels. Also provided is a connectedness detection unit configured to detect equivalent bits adjacent to each other in a window including a bit corresponding to a target pixel on the bit plane. Also provided is a filter unit configured to reduce an intensity of the target pixel by a reduction amount determined in accordance with the contour pixel component extracted by the contour pixel extraction unit and the equivalent bits adjacent to each other detected by the connectedness detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Nakahara
  • Patent number: 8009917
    Abstract: An image processing device is structured such that an appropriate judgement of an image, at which blurring or disappearance or the like will occur, is possible. When pixels, which form a line image at which there is the possibility that blurring or disappearance will occur at the time of printing by using a printing plate, are extracted, a line image warning function gives notice by displaying a warning message on a monitor of a client terminal. Thereafter, image converting and print setting are carried out such that an extracted line image is clarified. In this way, when a proof is prepared, an image, at which there is the possibility that blurring or disappearance will occur on a printed matter obtained by using a printing plate, is clarified, and appropriate proofing is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Ishizuka, Mari Kodama, Yasushi Nishide
  • Patent number: 7916345
    Abstract: There is described an image processing apparatus, which makes it possible to easily adjust a width of a line image without deteriorating the image quality of the line image. The apparatus includes a storage section to store a first template and a second template; a first determining section to determine whether or not a target pixel is the specific pixel, based on the first template; a second determining section to determine whether or not the target pixel is the edge pixel, based on the second template; and a line width adjusting section to adjust the width of the line image. When determining that the target pixel is the specific pixel, the target pixel is converted to a black pixel. When determining that the target pixel is not the specific pixel and the target pixel is the edge pixel, the target pixel is converted to a white pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mieko Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7889392
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: a data conversion unit that converts first image data into second image data; and an image output unit that outputs an image obtained by reproducing the second image data. The data conversion unit includes: a determination unit which divides the first image data into a dot block each includes plural pieces of dot data, and determines whether or not an array of dot data included in each dot block corresponds to a specific array; and a replacement unit which replaces the data out of the second image data, which is located in a portion corresponding to the dot block, with first replacement data including image forming dot data with which an image is formed. The specific array includes a first array in which the dot data to be thinned out is configured as the image forming dot data, and the dot data not to be thinned out is configured as non-image forming dot data with which an image is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koki Aonuma
  • Patent number: 7876932
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that can represent an area of a raster image by a centerline. During operation, the system receives a planar map which represents a raster image that contains a region. Note that the region corresponds to a face in the planar map whose edges correspond to the boundaries of the region. Next, the system determines a centerline for a subregion within the region which is currently represented by an outline. The system then transforms the planar map so that the subregion is represented by the centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter Skirko
  • Patent number: 7873235
    Abstract: An imaging processing system adapted for use with a vehicle is provided in one aspect of the present invention. The system generally includes an image capturing device and an image processing device. The image capturing device is operable to capture an original image of a scene exterior to the vehicle. The captured original image is generally defined by a group of pixels. The image processing device is operable to receive the captured original image and morphologically process the captured original image to remove distortion from the captured original image to produce a final filtered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Reid Steiger
  • Publication number: 20100310189
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, program and recording medium for achieving grayscale compression capable of suppressing image quality degradation using a simple configuration. A detection section 63 performs a detection process of a signal Y? that has been subjected to the processes of a luminance signal generating section 61 and perception equalization section 62, thus finding average intensities of lighting in bright and dark areas of an input image. A control MPU 64 finds adaptation gains kAr and kBr based on the average intensities. Processing the signal Y? with an edge-preserving LPF 65 provides a lighting component signal Y?lp. A detail extraction section 66 computes the difference between the signal Y? and lighting component signal Y?lp, thus extracting a detail component signal Y?de of the image of the signal Y?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Masafumi Wakazono, Naoya Katoh, Nobuyuki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7835583
    Abstract: A method of separating an image is provided. The method comprises: running a bitmap image of at least one polygon comprising a plurality of pixels through a distance filter; skeletonizing the polygon formed after filtering by modulo arithmetic; logically ANDing the skeletonized image with two masks separately consisting of horizontal and vertical lines of 1 bit thickness at a particular frequency to form an image of the horizontal edges and an image of the vertical edges; and filtering the resulting image through a particle filter eliminating particles of size greater than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Billings Jackson
  • Publication number: 20100259795
    Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling the width of one or more image objects in a digital image are provided which determine if one or more image objects include a line or an edge. If the image includes a line, it is processed using a line width control algorithm to modify its width. If the image includes an edge, it is processed using an edge growth control module which processes it differently than a line to modify the edge in the image object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert P. Loce, Edgar Bernal
  • Patent number: 7787144
    Abstract: A storage medium readable by a computer, stores a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a function for executing an image processing on an image defined by vector data containing a plurality of lines having different line widths, the function including calculating the line widths of the plurality of lines so as to maintain the number of types of line widths of the plurality of lines and a thinner-or-thicker relation among the line widths of the plurality of lines before executing the image processing, and setting the line widths calculated by the calculating step as line widths of the plurality of lines after the image processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoru Yokota
  • Patent number: 7782483
    Abstract: An image forming system includes: a data conversion unit that converts first image data into second image data; and an image output unit that outputs an image obtained by reproducing the second image data. The data conversion unit includes: a determination unit which divides the first image data into a dot block each includes plural pieces of dot data, and determines whether or not an array of dot data included in each dot block corresponds to a specific array; and a replacement unit which replaces the data out of the second image data, which is located in a portion corresponding to the dot block, with first replacement data including image forming dot data with which an image is formed. The specific array includes a first array in which the dot data to be thinned out is configured as the image forming dot data, and the dot data not to be thinned out is configured as non-image forming dot data with which an image is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koki Aonuma
  • Publication number: 20100172595
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a thinning process unit which extracts a core line by applying a thinning process; a line width estimation unit which estimates an original line width of each pixel of the core line; a core line division unit which divides the core line; a monospaced line determination unit which determines, based on line width information, whether or not each of core lines divided by the core line division unit is a monospaced line; a connection relation information generation unit which generates connection relation information with another core line in association with each of the core lines; and a core line modification unit which modifies the core lines, based on pieces of line width information of core line pixels, a monospaced line determination result, and pieces of connection relation information generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuuichi Tsunematsu
  • Patent number: 7679773
    Abstract: According to the present invention, in a borderless printing mode, a printing region is determined from an original image, a region expanded outward is determined for borderless printing based on the determined region. When the thus determined region exceeds the region of the original image, an image in the surplus portion is extrapolated based on an image at end portions of the original image, and printing data is formed based on the extrapolated image and image data of the expanded region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kusama, Kunihiro Yamamoto, Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 7652807
    Abstract: An image generating apparatus includes a color correcting unit, a setting unit and an image generating unit. The color correcting unit corrects a drawing color of each image element. When at least one of color components of the corrected drawing color of each image element meets a predetermined condition, the setting unit sets the at least one of the color components to a predetermined value. The image generating unit draws each image element with the drawing color subjected to the correcting and the setting, to generate an image. When the image element, which is to be drawn with the drawing color including the at least one of the color components, is drawn to overlap another image element, the image generating unit draws a color component, which is same as the at least one of the color components, of a drawing color of the other image element without overwriting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mari Kodama
  • Patent number: 7620260
    Abstract: A line thinning algorithm (LTA) for a grayscale input image, wherein the LTA is a separable algorithm that performs on each row of input grayscale image sequentially from top to bottom and subsequently on each column from left to right, independently. The LTA is very robust to the noise and is capable of thinning lines even in noisy image areas. The level of thinning is fully adaptive to the transition range and dynamic range locally in each line segment. Furthermore, the LTA for a black line can be easily generalized for a white line counterpart by simply switching the sign of one parameter DELTA from positive to negative without changing other aspects of the LTA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Surapong Lertrattanapanich, Yeong-Taeg Kim
  • Patent number: 7590268
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that can represent an area of a raster image by a centerline. During operation, the system receives a planar map which represents a raster image that contains a region. Note that the region corresponds to a face in the planar map whose edges correspond to the boundaries of the region. Next, the system determines a centerline for a subregion within the region which is currently represented by an outline. The system then transforms the planar map so that the subregion is represented by the centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter Skirko
  • Patent number: 7539331
    Abstract: Methods and procedures for improving the performance and reliability of image analysis within an image identification system include a series of image qualification functions designed to quickly process a fraction of available image data and to provide feedback to a system user pertaining to image quality and authenticity. Functions designed to produce image models based on original image data and to catalogue such image models into a searchable database are included in the present invention. The present invention also includes functions for comparing one image model to another. Finally, the present invention provides functions for making a quick determination as to which, if any, of a potential thousands (or more, i.e., millions) of image models within a searchable database exhibit a desired level of similarity, as compared to a target image model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: BIO-key International Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Wendt, Ben Wittig
  • Patent number: 7489314
    Abstract: A drawing device which outputs an image datum based on a drawing mode and a command to draw, includes a coordinate conversion unit which converts coordinates in the command to draw in accordance with a designated reduction ratio and a compensation unit which adds a width to a line to be drawn when a width of the line is lost by a conversion executed by the coordinate conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Watase
  • Patent number: 7480413
    Abstract: An image processing device is structured such that an appropriate judgement of an image, at which blurring or disappearance or the like will occur, is possible. When pixels, which form a line image at which there is the possibility that blurring or disappearance will occur at the time of printing by using a printing plate, are extracted, a line image warning function gives notice by displaying a warning message on a monitor of a client terminal. Thereafter, image converting and print setting are carried out such that an extracted line image is clarified. In this way, when a proof is prepared, an image, at which there is the possibility that blurring or disappearance will occur on a printed matter obtained by using a printing plate, is clarified, and appropriate proofing is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Ishizuka, Mari Kodama, Yasushi Nishide
  • Patent number: 7460280
    Abstract: An image-reading apparatus reads an image on a document by controlling a main-scanning operation in accordance with an index period, a sub-scanning operation in accordance with a line-thinning rate, and a reading velocity of reading the image in a sub-scanning direction in accordance with a magnification factor. The apparatus includes an inputting section to input the magnification factor, an index period changing section to control the index period, based on the magnification factor, and a line-thinning rate changing section to control the line-thinning rate, based on the magnification factor. The index period changing section may select one of a plurality of index periods, including at least normal and long index periods, to control the index period. The thinning-rate changing section may select one of a plurality of line-thinning rates, including line-thinning rates indicating activation and deactivation of a line-thinning operation, to control the line-thinning rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7443538
    Abstract: A printer embodied rendering algorithm for detecting and configuring positive and negative thin lines to be rendered such that when a bright-colored thin line on a dark background (negative thin line) is rendered and the result is stored in an RGB buffer in a printer system, the thin line thickness is increased only when the brightness of the line color is higher than a predetermined threshold value and the thin line thickness is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. According to the rendering algorithm, it is possible to prevent a negative thin line from disappearing or becoming thinner without increasing a positive thin line thickness, thereby improving the visibility of the thin line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7408672
    Abstract: When a print key on a console panel is depressed, a main CPU confirms enlargement/reduction rate information input via the console panel, and then, performs line thinning by setting a line thinning parameter according to the same magnification, an enlargement rate or a reduction rate in a line thinning processing unit in an image processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinsaku Ito
  • Patent number: 7359553
    Abstract: Methods and procedures for improving the performance and reliability of image analysis within an image identification system include a series of image qualification functions designed to quickly process a fraction of available image data and to provide feedback to a system user pertaining to image quality and authenticity. Functions designed to produce image models based on original image data and to catalogue such image models into a searchable database are included in the present invention. The present invention also includes functions for comparing one image model to another. Finally, the present invention provides functions for making a quick determination as to which, if any, of a potential thousands (or more, i.e., millions) of image models within a searchable database exhibit a desired level of similarity, as compared to a target image model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: BIO-key International, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Wendt, Ben Wittig
  • Patent number: 7336396
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus extracts a contour pixel of a binary input image signal in a contour pixel extraction portion, and calculates a line thinning amount from the extracted contour pixel based on a preset parameter in a line thinning amount calculation portion. The apparatus judges whether black pixel areas of the binary input image signal are connected in a finite area including a target pixel in a finite area connectivity judgment portion. The apparatus adds a line thinning amount to the binary input image signal of the target pixel in accordance with the judgment by the finite area connectivity judgment portion and outputs obtained results in a selective correction output portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaku Takano, Naofumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: RE43282
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint, particularly in a human knee. The methods include converting an image such as an MRI to a three dimensional map of the cartilage. The cartilage map can be correlated to a movement pattern of the joint to assess the affect of movement on cartilage wear. Changes in the thickness of cartilage over time can be determined so that therapies can be provided. Information on thickness of cartilage and curvature of cartilage or subchondral bone can be used to plan therapy. Information on movement pattern can be used to plan therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Eugene J. Alexander, Thomas P. Andriacchi, Philipp Lang, Daniel Steines