Adaptive Filter Patents (Class 382/261)
  • Patent number: 9819914
    Abstract: A method for generating and employing a camera noise model, performed by a processing unit, is introduced to at least contain the following steps. A first frame is obtained by controlling a camera module via a camera module controller. A camera noise model is generated on-line according to the content of the first frame, which describes relationships between pixel values and standard deviations. A second frame is obtained by controlling the camera module via the camera module controller. The content of the second frame is adjusted using the camera noise model, and the second frame, which has been adjusted, is stored in a frame buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: VIA ALLIANCE SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weiman Kong, Xu Wang, Aimin Liang
  • Patent number: 9779750
    Abstract: A cue, for example a facial expression or hand gesture, is identified, and a device communication is filtered according to the cue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Paul G. Allen, Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9767538
    Abstract: An image capture application captures a sequence of images via a digital camera. The sequence of images may have undesirable levels of blurriness due to the motion of objects in the field of view of the digital camera or due to movement of the digital camera itself. A deblur engine within the image capture application generates image segments within one of the captured images, where a given image segment includes pixel values that move coherently between different images in the sequence. The deblur engine then deblurs each image segment based on the coherent motion of each different image segment and combines the resultant, deblurred image segments into a deblurred image. Advantageously, blurriness caused by the combined effects of moving objects and camera motion may be reduced, thereby improving the ability of a digital camera to provide high-quality images. As such, the user experience of digital photography may be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Kari Pulli
  • Patent number: 9741102
    Abstract: A statistical analysis is performed on pixel values of at least one region of interest in an image obtained by substantially uniform irradiation of an x-ray detector and deciding upon the presence of a source of x-ray beam in-homogeneity by comparing the results of the statistical analysis with at least one predetermined acceptance criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: AGFA HEALTHCARE NV
    Inventors: Marc Cresens, Herman Van Goubergen
  • Patent number: 9710715
    Abstract: An image processing system, an image processing device, and image processing method are provided. Each of the image processing system, the image processing device, and the image processing method includes dividing an image into a plurality of areas according to a predetermined division condition, measuring an optical transmittance of each of the plurality of divided areas or data correlating with the optical transmittance as transmittance data, calculating the optical transmittance or the data correlating with the optical transmittance from the image as the transmittance data, determining a parameter for adjusting a contrast for each of the plurality of areas according to the transmittance data obtained by the measuring or the calculating, and adjusting a contrast of each one of the plurality of areas using the parameter determined by the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Kikuchi, Takashi Uozumi
  • Patent number: 9693063
    Abstract: A content receiver and a method for controlling the same are provided. The content receiver, for example, may include, but is not limited to, a communication system configured to receive video content comprising a plurality of video frames from a content source, and a video analyzer configured to determine when compression of the video content is causing blockiness in one or more of the plurality of video frames, and trigger at least one content receiver response when the compression of the video content is causing blockiness in one or more of the plurality of video frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Sling Media PVT Ltd.
    Inventors: Sushant Sudhir Kulkarni, Arunoday Thammineni, Yatish J. Naik Raikar, Varunkumar B. Tripathi
  • Patent number: 9639980
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an acquiring section that acquires DEM data indicating digital elevation of each lattice-shaped area in a predetermined map region, a selecting section that selects at least one of a plurality of line filters that filters data which is continuous in one direction in the map region and a plurality of matrix filters that filters data constituting a two-dimensional region in the map region, a filter processing section that conducts filter processing of the DEM data acquired by the acquiring section by a filter selected by the selecting section, and an outputting section that outputs the DEM data after being filtered in the filter processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Inoue, Taro Yajima
  • Patent number: 9619862
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to novel devices, methods, and computer readable media for performing raw camera noise reduction using a novel, so-called “alignment mapping” technique to more effectively separate structure from noise in an image, in order to aid in the denoising process. Alignment mapping allows for the extraction of more structure from the image and also the ability to understand the image structure, yielding information for edge direction, edge length, and corner locations within the image. This information can be used to smooth long edges properly and to prevent tight image details, e.g., text, from being overly smoothed. In alignment maps, the amount of noise may be used to compute thresholds and scaling parameters used in the preparation of the alignment map. According to some embodiments, a feature map may also be created for the image. Finally, the image may be smoothed using the created feature map as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9578320
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with correcting defects in an image sensor output are described. According to one embodiment, an imaging device includes image sensor array logic, calibrated noise logic, and defect logic. The image sensor array logic is configured to generate an image array of output pixels in a Bayer pattern. The calibrated noise logic is configured to generate a noise estimate for each pixel. The defect logic is configured to detect a potential defect in a pixel-under-test of the image array of output pixels based on the noise estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Huai Dong Li
  • Patent number: 9569822
    Abstract: In embodiments of removing noise from an image via efficient patch distance computations, weights are computed for patches of pixels in a digital image, and the computed weights are multiplied by respective offset values of offset images that are pixelwise shifted images of the entire digital image. The weights can be applied to the pixels in the digital image on a patch-by-patch basis to restore values of the pixels. Additionally, the digital image can be pixelwise shifted to generate the offset images of the digital image, and the digital image is compared to the offset images. Lookup tables of pixel values can be generated based on the comparisons of the digital image to the offset images, and integral images generated from the lookup tables. Distances to the patches of pixels in the digital image are computed from the integral images, and the computed weights are based on the computed distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Chih-Yao Hsieh, Yuyan Song, Zhe Lin
  • Patent number: 9571856
    Abstract: Techniques and tools for conversion operations between modules in a scalable video encoding tool or scalable video decoding tool are described. For example, given reconstructed base layer video in a low resolution format (e.g., 4:2:0 video with 8 bits per sample) an encoding tool and decoding tool adaptively filter the reconstructed base layer video and upsample its sample values to a higher sample depth (e.g., 10 bits per sample). The tools also adaptively scale chroma samples to a higher chroma sampling rate (e.g., 4:2:2). The adaptive filtering and chroma scaling help reduce energy in inter-layer residual video by making the reconstructed base layer video closer to input video, which typically makes compression of the inter-layer residual video more efficient. The encoding tool also remaps sample values of the inter-layer residual video to adjust dynamic range before encoding, and the decoding tool performs inverse remapping after decoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shijun Sun, Shankar Regunathan, Chengjie Tu, Chih-Lung Lin
  • Patent number: 9569880
    Abstract: A method, graphics processing unit, and system are described herein. The method for adaptive anisotropic filtering includes calculating a number of ways of anisotropy based on a computed level of detail of a texture map and applying a bilinear low pass filter to a texture map's closest two MIP maps using a processor. An effective number of ways and filter sizes may be computed on each of the closest two closest MIP maps. Additionally, the closest two MIP maps may be sampled at their respective effective number of ways. The method also includes applying a corresponding sized low pass filters to each of the closest two MIP maps, and combining the filtered closest two MIP maps using a weighted sum based on a fractional part of a computed level of detail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Prosun Chatterjee, Larry Seiler, Joy Chandra, Benjamin R. Pletcher
  • Patent number: 9560382
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively reducing blocking artifacts in block-coded video are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes processing logic at least capable of deblock filtering at least a portion of a line of video data based, at least in part, on edge information and texture information to generate at least a portion of a line of deblocked video data, and an image data output device responsive to the processing logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jorge E. Caviedes, Mahesh M. Subedar, Khasim S. Dudekula
  • Patent number: 9558582
    Abstract: An image processing method and an image processing apparatus which remove the effects of cosmic rays, noise and defective pixels without losing data in a specified time and which can correct image data efficiently and with high accuracy are provided. An image processing method of performing correction processing on an abnormal value of X-ray image data is provided which includes the steps of: (S3) determining whether or not there exists a target element with intensity significantly different from intensity of peripheral elements, in a three dimensional space formed with a space axis and a time axis defined by a series of captured image frames; and (S9) replacing the intensity of the target element with a replacement value calculated from the intensity of peripheral elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: RIGAKU Corporation
    Inventors: Takuto Sakumura, Yasukazu Nakaye, Koichi Kajiyoshi, Satoshi Mikusu
  • Patent number: 9554085
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method and a device for dynamically controlling quality of a video displaying on a display associated to an electronic device is provided. The method comprises detecting current eye position of a user and identifying at least one region of interest (ROI) on a display screen of the display device based on the current eye position of the user. Then, the method comprises predicting next position of the eye based on at least one of the current eye position of the user or the at least one ROI. Also, the method comprises converting the SD video in to a high definition (HD) video displayed on the ROI on the display screen associated with the current and next position of the eye. Further, the method comprises displaying the HD video on the ROI of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Wipro Limited
    Inventors: Manjunath Ramachandra Iyer, Jijith Nadumuri Ravi, Vijay Garg
  • Patent number: 9519953
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a representative value calculation unit that selects a designation area from a first image, and that calculates a representative value of each of the color components in the designation area, a class classification unit that performs class classification on the designation area, a coefficient reading unit that reads a coefficient that is stored in advance, a color component conversion unit that sets the pixel value relating to a predetermined pixel within the designation area to be a prediction tap, sets the pixel value of one color component, to be a reference, and converts the pixel value of each color component into a conversion value, and a product and sum calculation unit that sets the conversion value to be a variable and calculates each of the pixel values of a second image, by performing product and sum calculation which uses the coefficient which is read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Okumura, Ichiro Fujisawa, Katsutoshi Ando, Takashi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 9514366
    Abstract: This disclosure provides vehicle detection methods and systems including irrelevant search window elimination and/or window score degradation. According to one exemplary embodiment, provided is a method of detecting one or more parked vehicles in a video frame, wherein candidate search windows are limited to one or more predefined window shapes. According to another exemplary embodiment, the method includes degrading a classification score of a candidate search window based on aspect ratio, window overlap area and/or a global maximal classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Alan Schweid, Orhan Bulan, Yao Rong Wang, Wencheng Wu, Robert Paul Loce
  • Patent number: 9508128
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image-correction system, including an image-capture module, a first calculation module, a second calculation module and an output module. The image-capture module obtains an input image and a guide image. The first calculation module obtains a first correction image according to a first parameter and a second parameter, obtains the first parameter according to the mean value of the guide image, a variance value of the guide image, a mean value of the input image and a smooth function, and obtains the second parameter according to the first parameter, the mean value of the guide image and the mean value of the input image. The second calculation module obtains the ratio value of the mean value of the guide image and the variance value of the guide image. The output module outputs the first correction image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SILICON OPTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Chun-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 9510016
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for video coding and decoding with reduced bit-depth update mode and reduced chroma sampling update mode. An apparatus includes an encoder for encoding at least a portion of a picture using at least one of a reduced bit-depth update mode and a reduced chroma sampling update mode that respectively reduces at least one of a bit-depth and a chroma sampling of a residue signal corresponding to the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Cristina Gomila, Oscar Divorra Escoda, Peng Yin, Joel Sole
  • Patent number: 9498177
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for reconstructing image data of an examination object from measured data, the measured data being captured during a rotating movement of a radiation source of a computed tomography system around the examination object. In at least one embodiment, different iteration images of the examination object are determined successively from the measured data by way of an iterative algorithm, wherein with the iterative algorithm the current iteration image at any one time is high-pass-filtered and weighted as a function of contrast using a variable which contains contrast information relating to the current iteration image at that time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Herbert Bruder, Thomas Flohr, Rainer Raupach, Martin Sedlmair, Heinrich Wallschlager
  • Patent number: 9456111
    Abstract: A system and method of content adaptive pixel intensity processing are described. In video processing system, due to various mathematic operations applied to the data, the processed video data may be become exceeding a range of original data and result in artifacts. Content adaptive clipping method is disclosed which takes into account the dynamic characteristics of the video data. Accordingly the method configures the video data into a predefined set which can be a partial picture, a frame or a group of frames. The data range of the original associated with the predefined set is determined The processed video data is clipped according to the range computed for the predefined set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Fu, Ching-Yeh Chen, Yu-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 9432670
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sample adaptive offset (SAO) compensation of reconstructed video data are disclosed. In one embodiment, the relation between the current pixel and said one or more neighboring pixels is stored so that the SAO compensated current pixel can replace the current pixel without buffering the to-be-processed pixels for classification. The SAO process may be performed on a region by region basis to adapt to the local characteristics of the picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Fu, Ching-Yeh Chen, Chia-Yang Tsai, Yu-Wen Huang, Shaw-Min Lei
  • Patent number: 9402088
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to deblocking filtering, which may be advantageously applied for block-wise encoding and decoding of images or video signals. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an improved memory management in an automated decision on whether to apply or skip deblocking filtering for a block and to selection of the deblocking filter. The decision is performed on the basis of a segmentation of blocks in such a manner that memory usage is optimized. Preferably, the selection of appropriate deblocking filters is improved so as to reduce computational expense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SUN PATENT TRUST
    Inventors: Matthias Narroschke, Semih Esenlik, Thomas Wedi
  • Patent number: 9380226
    Abstract: Optimization of image acquisition relative resource usage, particularly power, is accomplished by use of a beehive algorithm, inspired by observation of the way that bees communicate foraging information by a dance. Analysis of relative gain associated with captured pixels facilitates isolation of one or more areas of particular interest for focusing one or more subsequent image capture operations. Selective enablement of picture acquisition elements targeting each isolated area facilitates obtaining images containing needed or useful information while minimizing resource use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Rakesh Sethi
  • Patent number: 9369735
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively reducing blocking artifacts in block-coded video are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes processing logic at least capable of deblock filtering at least a portion of a line of video data based, at least in part, on edge information and texture information to generate at least a portion of a line of deblocked video data, and an image data output device responsive to the processing logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jorge E Caviedes, Mahesh Subedar, Khasim S Dudekula
  • Patent number: 9349185
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a non-target region detecting unit that detects a region that is not to be examined as a non-target region from an image; a pixel-of-interest region setting unit that sets a pixel-of-interest region in a predetermined area including a pixel-of-interest position in the image; a surrounding region determining unit that determines a surrounding region, which is an area for acquiring information for use in forming a reference plane with respect to the pixel-of-interest position, based on the non-target region; a reference plane forming unit that forms the reference plane based on the information in the surrounding region; and an outlier pixel detecting unit that detects an outlier pixel having a pixel value numerically distant from circumferential values based on a difference between corresponding quantities of the reference plane at each pixel position and of the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kono, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takehiro Matsuda, Masashi Hirota
  • Patent number: 9305221
    Abstract: An imaging unit is arranged in a motor vehicle. The imaging unit is designed for providing, as a function of an image acquired by it, a digital source image of a predefined image size. A first intermediate image of a predefined first intermediate image size is generated by reducing a resolution of the source image for the sake of reducing pixels. Furthermore, a second intermediate image of the predefined image size is generated such that it comprises the first intermediate image. The second intermediate image is analyzed by a predefined detector in order to examine whether an object of a predefined object category is situated in the second intermediate image, the detector being designed for analyzing a predefined image detail and for detecting an object of a predefined object category of a predefined object size range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Sebastian Orecher
  • Patent number: 9305337
    Abstract: System, method, and apparatus for smoothing of edges in images to remove irregularities are disclosed. In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of image processing includes, identifying an edge in an image having an associated set of edge characteristics, determining the associated set of edge characteristics, and applying a low pass filter to a pixel of the edge based on the associated set of edge characteristics to generate a second image based on the image, wherein the edge in the image is smoothed in the second image. The method further includes generating a third image which is a blend of the original image and the second (edge-smoothed) image based on the associated set of edge characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Dale R. Adams
  • Patent number: 9294784
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for region-based filter parameter selection for de-artifact filtering. An apparatus includes an encoder for encoding picture data for at least a region of a picture. The encoder includes a de-artifact filter for performing de-artifact filtering on the region using region-based filter parameter selection. The region includes any of a non-block-boundary, a block boundary, a combination thereof, and the non-block-boundary to an exclusion of any block boundaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Yunfei Zheng, Qian Xu, Joel Sole, Peng Yin, Xiaoan Lu
  • Patent number: 9264661
    Abstract: A system may include a receiver, a decoder, a post-processor, and a controller. The receiver may receive encoded video data. The decoder may decode the encoded video data. The post-processor may perform post-processing on frames of decoded video sequence from the decoder. The controller may adjust post-processing of a current frame, based upon at least one condition parameters detected at the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jiefu Zhai, Chris Y. Chung, Xiaosong Zhou, Hsi-Jung Wu
  • Patent number: 9214012
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method including executing high-pass filtering in a column direction on the pixel values of original image data read from a flat panel detector to obtain first image data, and subtracting a value obtained by converting each of the pixel values of the first image data in accordance with an absolute value of a statistic calculated from pixel values in the same pixel row of the first image data from the value of a corresponding pixel of the original image data to obtain processed image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiji Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 9215354
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a noise reduction circuit includes a noise reduction filter for converting a pixel value of a pixel of interest through a calculation that uses the pixel value of the pixel of interest and pixel values of adjacent pixels. The noise reduction filter is set, for the calculation, with a heavier weighting for vertically adjacent pixels than that for horizontally adjacent pixels. The horizontally adjacent pixels are adjacent pixels that are located in parallel with the pixel of interest in a horizontal direction. The vertically adjacent pixels are adjacent pixels that are located in parallel with the pixel of interest in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Takayuki Ogasahara
  • Patent number: 9202107
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a data processing section which processes input image data and obtains output image data; a face detecting section which detects a face image on the basis of the input image data and obtains information about a face image region in which the face image exists; and a processing controller which controls the process of the data processing section on the basis of the information about the face image region obtained in the face detecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuki Yokoyama, Takahiro Sakaguchi, Tomoichi Fujisawa, Masayuki Tsumura, Mitsuharu Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9183621
    Abstract: Provision can be made of a high-speed image processing apparatus that eliminates poor visibility in a dotted configuration or a superimposed portion of two streaks upon removing a false image due to statistical noise. That is, provision can be made of a high-speed image processing apparatus capable of outputting a processed image of high visibility in accordance with a shape of a configuration of a subject appearing in an original image upon removing a false image associated with the statistical noise. A band image noise extract generating unit performs image processing by superimposing a band image, an isotropic blur image, and an anisotropic blur image while changing weighting for each pixel in accordance with edge reliability. Such a construction eliminates poor visibility in the dotted configuration or the superimposed portion of two streaks upon removing the false image in the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9165346
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for reducing image noise. The method includes decomposing an original image into a luminance channel image and at least one chrominance channel image, and calculating a weighted average value of each pixel of the luminance channel image and the chrominance channel image by using luminance information, to correct each pixel of the luminance channel image and the chrominance channel image. By virtue of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to effectively avoid color dispersion at edges of images, to achieve easy implementation, and to effect low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Xuan Fu, Jiangli Ye
  • Patent number: 9142012
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing chrominance (chroma) noise in image data are provided. In one example of such a method, image data in YCC format may be received into logic of an image signal processor. Using the logic, noise may be filtered from a first chrominance component or a second chrominance component, or both, of the image data, using a sparse filter and a noise threshold. The noise threshold may be determined based at least in part on two of the components of the YCC image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Mark A. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9135701
    Abstract: A method of image processing, including: (a) calculating at least one pixel color feature (PCF) value for each pixel in a color medical image to generate a set of PCF data; and (b) filtering the PCF data with at least one spatial adaptive bandpass filter (ABPF) to sort the pixels into physiologically significant regions; wherein the at least one PCF value for at least one pixel depends on at least 2 color components of the medical image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: DVP Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Avraham Rami Guissin, Eitan Lavi
  • Patent number: 9129369
    Abstract: A method for characterizing an atmospheric propagation channel comprising: generating a database of atmospheric modulation transfer functions (MTFs) over a range of known values for at least one image-quality-related parameter; capturing at least one image of an object with an image capture device, wherein the image capture device is separated from the object by the atmospheric channel; deconvolving the captured image with every atmospheric MTF in the database to create a plurality of deconvolved, captured images; scoring each deconvolved, captured image according to an image quality metric (IQM); using an optimization-decision algorithm to find the best IQM score; and characterizing the atmospheric propagation channel as possessing the type and value of the image-quality-related parameters that are associated with the corresponding MTFs used to deconvolve the image having the best IQM score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: David Thomas Wayne, Colin Norris Reinhardt
  • Patent number: 9100595
    Abstract: For a thermal imaging camera (1), features are extracted from a series of at least two infrared images (10, 11) or visible images (19, 20) associated therewith by a feature analysis, and an optimal correspondence between features extracted from the images (9, 10, 19, 20) is determined, and a translation vector (18) that relates the pixels of the first infrared image (10) to pixels of the second infrared image (11) is determined for the image positions (16, 17) of the corresponding features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Testo AG
    Inventors: Matthias Schmieder, Martin Stratmann
  • Patent number: 9091789
    Abstract: Method for addressing non-stationary seismic data for data processing techniques (106) that assume that the data are stationary. In the present invention, windowing operations are applied, not in time and space as in traditional methods, but in frequency and wavenumber. This windowing in frequency and wavenumber is done implicitly by a cascade of separable one dimensional time and spatial filtering operations (104). These filters are Gaussian functions modulated by a complex exponential. By using a variety of these filters, the input data can be decomposed into a series of slopes and frequencies that can be reassembled to the original by applying the adjoint operation followed by a weighted sum (108). This decomposed domain of time, space, frequency and slope can be used as a domain where a priori information about the output can be applied in a straightforward manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: William J. Curry
  • Patent number: 9083959
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods are described related to real-time automatic conversion of 2-dimensional images or video to 3-dimensional stereo images or video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hyeong-Seok V. Ha, Yi-Jen Chiu
  • Patent number: 9082171
    Abstract: An image processing device for reducing image noise and the method thereof are provided. The method for reducing image noise includes the following steps. A filtering operation is performed on a plurality of pixel values of a first image according to a high-pass (HP) filtering mask, a first default filtering mask and a second default filtering mask to obtain a high-pass filtering image, a first low-pass (LP) image and a second LP image, respectively. A difference between the first and the second LP images is calculated to obtain a LP difference image. A pixel weighting calculation is performed according to the HP image and the LP difference image to obtain a pixel weighting mask corresponding to the first image. The first image is calculated according to the pixel weighting mask and one of the first and the second LP images to obtain a noise reducing image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Luo-Wei Tsai, Kual-Zheng Lee, Pang-Chan Hung
  • Patent number: 9053409
    Abstract: The present invention is an image forming apparatus for interpreting data to generate intermediate data and the image forming apparatus includes: a unit configured to determine whether or not there is a periodic drawing pattern in data; a unit configured to determine whether or not there is a reduction command in data; a unit configured to obtain a ratio between the number of pitches of the period of the drawing pattern and a reduction ratio included in the reduction command; a unit configured to determine whether or not the ratio and a value in a table loaded by the image forming apparatus coincide with each other; and a unit configured to reduce, in the case where it is determined that the ratio coincides with a value in the table, an image by dividing the image into cells and performing thinning processing in units of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Takeishi
  • Publication number: 20150131922
    Abstract: A method of removing noise of an image signal includes receiving a first frame and a second frame, generating a spatial filtering frame by performing spatial filtering on the second frame, generating a temporal filtering frame by performing temporal filtering on the first frame, and generating a second filtering frame, using the temporal filtering frame, the spatial filtering frame, and the second frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Yonatan Shlomo SIMSON
  • Publication number: 20150131906
    Abstract: When obtaining subband signals by performing multiresolution decomposition on image data using a broad-sense pinwheel framelet or a pinwheel wavelet frame, having a degree, that is a set of an approximate filter with no orientation and a plurality of detail filters with respective orientations, and acquiring processed image data by the subband signals in a decomposition phase of the multiresolution decomposition, or processed image data that has been reconstructed into an image by summing the subband signals in a synthesis phase of the multiresolution decomposition, the present invention performs attenuation or amplification of the subband signals in the decomposition phase of the multiresolution decomposition that correspond to at least one of the filters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: National Institute of Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Hitoshi Arai, Shinobu Arai
  • Patent number: 9031348
    Abstract: An edge-preserving filtering method and apparatus. The edge-preserving filtering method includes: acquiring an upper edge pixel P(x,y?n), a lower edge pixel P(x,y+m), (m+n) left edge pixels P(x?p,y?), and (m+n) right edge pixels P(x+q,y?) of a pixel to be filtered P(x,y), wherein “x”, “y”, “m”, “n”, “p” and “q” are all positive integers, and “y” takes an integer larger than “y?n” and less than “y+m” in turn; acquiring a filtered pixel value of the pixel to be filtered by using pixel values of the pixel to be filtered, the upper edge pixel, the lower edge pixel, the left edge pixels and the right edge pixels. The edge-preserving filtering method and apparatus in accordance with an embodiment utilize edge information around the pixel to be filtered to swiftly acquire a set of pixels for filtering the pixel to be filtered, and thus implement edge-persevering filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Bai Xianghui
  • Patent number: 9025903
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a first edge strength calculation part that calculates a first edge strength for a focus pixel based on pixel values in a first region that includes the focus pixel in an input image; a second edge strength calculation part that calculates a second edge strength for the focus pixel based on pixel values in a second region that is smaller than the first region and that includes the focus pixel; and a filter processing part that determines a filter coefficient such that a first smoothing strength is higher than a second smoothing strength and that filters the input image using the filter coefficient. The first smoothing strength is obtained where the first edge strength is higher than a first reference value and where the second edge strength is lower than a second reference value, and the second smoothing strength is obtained in other cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasuaki Wada, Yasunori Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9025848
    Abstract: In order to generate an X-ray CT image with optimal quality for each part and each region of an object when scanning the object across a plurality of parts using a plane detector, there is provided an X-ray CT apparatus including smoothing means 230 and filtering means 250 for generating a convolution filter on the basis of feature amounts of projection data output from the X-ray detector 12 and superimposing the convolution filter on the projection data, reconstruction means 200 for generating an X-ray CT image of the object by performing a reconstruction operation on the projection data on which the convolution filter is superimposed, and image display means 280 for displaying the image generated by the reconstruction means 200.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Masakazu Okabe
  • Publication number: 20150117793
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for filtering banding noise in a signal representative of an image. The method includes detecting, by a banding noise detector, banding noise in a neighborhood of a current pixel of the image, determining, by an adaptive filter weight decision unit, a number of banding steps in the neighborhood of the current pixel, determining, by the adaptive filter weight decision unit, a difference between a current pixel value and a previous output value, selecting, by the adaptive filter weight decision unit, a filter weight based on the number of banding steps, the difference between the current pixel value and the previous output value, and the detected banding noise, and filtering, by a recursive filter, the current pixel value according to the selected filter weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiaoyun Deng, Lucas Hui
  • Patent number: 9008455
    Abstract: The disclosed technology provides a system and a method for adaptive MPEG noise reduction. In particular, the disclosed technology provides a system and a method for reducing blocking artifacts and mosquito noise in an MPEG video signal. An overall MPEG noise detector may be used to determine the presence of noise in one or more frames of a video signal. When a sufficient amount of noise is detected in the one or more frames of the video signal, portions of the video signal that contain noise may be located and filtered to reduce the amount of noise present in the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Bharat Pathak