Abstract: A video encoding/decoding apparatus, a deblocking filter and filtering method based on intra-prediction directions for same, and recording media are disclosed, and the deblocking filter includes: a boundary strength determiner for determining strength of boundary of current block; an intra-block identifier for confirming intra-block identity of a subblock enclosing first pixel at a certain location with reference to the boundary; an intra-prediction direction identifier for identifying an intra-prediction direction of the subblock if the subblock is identified as an intra-block; a filtering pixel selection unit for selecting pixels for filtering based on the first pixel and the identified intra-prediction direction; and a filtering unit for filtering in horizontal direction, vertical direction, or diagonal direction depending on the intra-prediction direction and relationships between pixel values of the selected pixels to eliminate deblocking artifacts within diagonal edges at a boundary between blocks by de

Abstract: A method for decoding a stream of coded data representative of a sequence of pictures is described. The method comprises the following steps: decoding at least one part of the stream into decoded data, selecting a brightness variation model representative of a brightness variation between the pictures of the sequence from a set of at least two brightness variation models, and reconstructing the picture data from decoded data by taking into account the brightness variation model. A method for coding a picture sequence and a data structure are further disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing device including a corresponding pixel computation unit configured to, with respect to image data containing an image data area and an ignored area, replace a pixel in the ignored area having influence on a spatial analysis process with a pixel having no influence on the spatial analysis process.

Abstract: An image coding device including: an edge detecting section configured to perform edge detection using an image signal of a reference image for a coding object block; a transform block setting section configured to set transform blocks by dividing the coding object block such that a boundary between the blocks after division does not include an edge on a basis of a result of the edge detection; and a coding processing section configured to generate coded data by performing processing including an orthogonal transform of each of the transform blocks.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high-resolution video encoding/decoding method and apparatus. The video encoding method includes: predicting a current block to generate a predicted block, subtracting the predicted block from the current block to generate a residual block, determining a transform and quantization type according to the block type of the current block; transforming and quantizing the residual block according to the determined transform and quantization type; and encoding the transformed and quantized residual block. According to the video encoding/decoding method and apparatus, not only the encoding efficiency can be improved because it enables an encoding using a high correlation between temporally/spatially adjacent pixels appearing in a video, but the compression efficiency can also be improved by reducing block distortion.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing device including a decoding section configured to decode an image from an encoded stream, a horizontal filtering section configured to apply a deblocking filter to a vertical block boundary within an image to be decoded by the decoding section, a vertical filtering section configured to apply a deblocking filter to a horizontal block boundary within an image to be decoded by the decoding section, and a control section configured to cause the horizontal filtering section to filter in parallel a plurality of vertical block boundaries included in a processing unit containing a plurality of coding units and cause the vertical filtering section to filter in parallel a plurality of horizontal block boundaries included in the processing unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining characteristics of video data. A frame of video data is obtained, where the frame is represented by pixel data. A value is assigned to an element of a detection array based on pixel data in a portion of the video frame corresponding to the element. A frequency transform of values of the detection array is determined, and a characteristic of the video data is extracted based on the output of the frequency transform.

Abstract: This invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a program, and a display in which both of a secret image and a public image can be efficiently displayed with high picture quality without reducing contrast of the public image. One of output images is a secret image which displays an input secret image as one of input images in a partial area of a screen, all the output images including the secret image have a relationship to become, when a luminance value of each pixel thereof is totaled, an input public image as one of the input images; and during a period in which at least the secret image is being outputted, shutter glasses disposed between a display to which the image signals are inputted and user's eyes are set to a light transmission state.

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.

Abstract: A denoising apparatus comprising an image input unit which receives pixel data including color information of pixels included in a correction target image, a denoising unit which denoises the pixel data by a weight based averaging method, wherein the weight is set to a maximum value when a difference value between a correction target block and a comparison target block in the correction target image is zero, decreases linearly to zero as the difference value increases until it reaches a threshold value, and is set to zero when the difference value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and an image output unit which outputs the pixel data processed by the denoising unit. The denoising unit assigns a corrected weight value to at least a guaranteed number of comparison target blocks for an impulse block, where an impulse block is a correction target block for which the number of non-zero weight valued comparison target blocks is less than a predetermined guaranteed number.

Abstract: A method of coding a moving picture is provided that reduces blocking artifacts. The method can include defining a plurality of defining pixels S0, S1, and S2, which are centered around a block boundary. If a default mode is selected then frequency information of the surroundings of the block boundary is obtained. A magnitude of a discontinuous component in a frequency domain belonging to the block boundary is adjusted based on a magnitude of a corresponding discontinuous component selected from a pixel contained entirely within a block adjacent the block boundary. The frequency domain adjustment is then applied to a spatial domain. Or, a DC offset mode can be selected to reduce blocking artifacts in smooth regions where there is little motion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a deblocking filtering method, a method for inducing bs (boundary strength) therefor, and a method and an apparatus for encoding/decoding using the same. The method for inducing the bS of the present invention comprises the steps of: inducing a boundary of a deblocking filtering unit block as a unit block for applying the deblocking filtering; and setting the bS according to each bS setting unit block within the deblocking filtering unit block, wherein the bS setting step can set a bS value for a target boundary corresponding to a boundary of the deblocking filtering unit block as the bs setting unit block.

Abstract: Implementations relate to estimating noise in images. In some implementations, a method includes extracting a plurality of sample blocks of pixels from a received image, where each sample block includes a subset of pixels of the image. One or more of the sample blocks are examined for texture content based on whether the sample blocks include one or more edges based on a predetermined threshold. At least one sample block determined to include texture content is removed. The method determines one or more average color variances based on the remaining sample blocks that have not been removed, where noise estimations for the image are based on the average color variances.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a small area divider that divides, on the basis of edge information of an image, the image into multiple small areas each including multiple pixels; an attribute probability estimator that estimates attribute probability for each of the small areas, which is probability that the small area is attributed to a specific area to be detected; an adjacent-small-area connection strength calculator that calculates connection strength that quantitatively indicates a degree to which small areas adjacent to each other among the multiple small areas are attributed to the same area that is the specific area or a non-specific area; and a specific area detector that detects the specific area on the basis of the attribute probability and the connection strength.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding an image are provided. The method includes: decoding information representing that a first block of the image has been encoded in a first mode; and reconstructing the first block by setting pixel values of the first block to be identical with pixel values of a second block of the image that is adjacent to the first block and has been decoded prior to the first block, wherein the first mode is a mode for encoding information representing that the first block is identical or similar to the second block and has been encoded in the first mode, instead of encoding the pixel values of the first block.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatic contour filter positioning for medical X-ray imaging in an X-ray apparatus comprising a collimator and at least one movable contour filter actuated by a motor based positioning subsystem, wherein a digital image in a frame of rows and columns of pixels is rendered for processing and obtaining control data for applying a contour filter. The method comprises identifying exposure of subareas, preparing for filter positioning, and defining filter position.

Abstract: A method and system for orientation compensation of a mobile device within an environment includes providing a plurality of reference markers having straight edges and having a defined, regular orientation with respect to the environment. Information about the orientation of the reference markers is supplied to a mobile device operating within the environment. An orientation sensor disposed within the mobile device estimates an orientation of the mobile device. An image of one reference marker is captured, and at least one edge of that reference marker is located. The estimated orientation is compensated by correcting for the reference marker orientation and aligning the corrected estimated orientation to the at least one edge of the reference marker that is closest to being parallel to the corrected estimated orientation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a multi-level unit that applies a multi-level process on binary halftone dot image data indicating a binary halftone dot image, to form multi-level image data; an acquiring unit that acquires a number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data; a tone correcting unit that determines a tone correction amount corresponding to the number of screen lines of the binary halftone dot image data acquired by the acquiring unit, and that applies tone correction on the multi-level image data produced by the multi-level unit, by using the determined tone correction amount; and a re-binarizing unit that binarizes the multi-level image data in which the tone is corrected by the tone correcting unit, without changing a halftone dot shape of the binary halftone dot image data, to produce re-binarized halftone dot image data.

Abstract: Methods for reducing blocking artifacts at the boundary between adjacent blocks reconstructed from a frame of compressed video information are disclosed herein. The frame includes a prediction stage parameter and a residual error attribute with respect to at least one of the blocks. One method includes reconstructing the at least one block based on the prediction stage parameter and the residual error attribute, categorizing the at least one reconstructed block into one of a plurality of categories based on the prediction stage parameter and the residual error attribute, identifying a filter strength value for the category in which the at least one reconstructed block is categorized based on at least one of the prediction stage parameter or the residual error attribute associated with that category, and filtering the boundary adjacent to the at least one reconstructed block using the identified filter strength value.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods of measuring a blockiness level in video data that has been encoded and decoded. In one embodiment, a Q-value is calculated that indicates the blockiness level of a decompressed image. The Q-value can be based on a block map having indicators corresponding to each of a plurality of pixels in an input image, each indicator signaling if a block edge is present at the corresponding pixel location in the input image, and also based on block locations indicative of the alignment block edge locations in the input image. The Q-value can be calculated in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction with respect to the input image. The Q-value is determined based on a flatness measurement of pixel values around certain considered pixels in the input image. The Q-value can be provided to a deblocking filter to improve the performance of deblocking the input image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding apparatus for detecting coding artifacts in an image. The proposed apparatus comprises an edge position detector that detects an edge position of an edge in said image, a border position detector that detects a border position of a border between a texture area and a flat area in said image, and an artifact position defining unit that defines the area between said edge position and said border position as artifact area potentially comprising coding artifacts.

Abstract: This invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a program, and a display in which both of a secret image and a public image can be efficiently displayed with high picture quality without reducing contrast of the public image. One of output images is a secret image which displays an input secret image as one of input images in a partial area of a screen, all the output images including the secret image have a relationship to become, when a luminance value of each pixel thereof is totaled, an input public image as one of the input images; and during a period in which at least the secret image is being outputted, shutter glasses disposed between a display to which the image signals are inputted and user's eyes are set to a light transmission state.

Abstract: A block-based image denoising method includes determining similarities between a current block and reference blocks within a search range around the current block, from among certain-sized blocks divided from an input image; determining weights of the reference blocks with respect to the current block based on the similarities; and generating resultant blocks by denoising the current block with respect to every block of the input image based on the weights of the reference blocks.

Abstract: The picture quality of captured images can be improved with the degradation of clearness of image-captured object boundaries suppressed. An image processing apparatus (100) comprises: an image/distance acquiring unit (200) that acquires corresponding pixel pairs between left-eye and right-eye images, its depth information and its matching scores; a weight information calculating unit (300) that determines, for each of the pixel pairs, a weight of each of the pixels in a certain area including, as pixels of interest, the pixel pair on the basis of the depth information and the matching scores; and a pixel value superimposing unit (400) that applies, for each of the pixel pairs, the weight to the pixel values in the aforementioned certain area, thereby performing a smoothing process in at least one of the two images and that superimposes the two images using the values obtained by the smoothing process.

Abstract: Depth values in a scene are measured by projecting sets of patterns on the scene, wherein each set of patterns is structured with different spatial frequency using different encoding functions. Sets of images of the scene is acquired, wherein there is one image for each pattern in each set. Depth values are determining for each pixel at corresponding locations in the sets of images. The depth values of each pixel are analyzed, and the depth value is returned if the depth values at the corresponding locations are similar. Otherwise, the depth value is marked as having an error.

Abstract: A method preprocessing scheme that improves classification accuracy of a face recognition system comprises identifying a plurality of edges of an image. The method further comprises step of identifying a plurality of discontinuities in the plurality of edges of the image. Furthermore, the method also comprises generating contiguous outline for the image. The last step of the method comprises filling a background of the image with at least one color.

Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention includes a digital image processing method for concealing errors. The method includes determining error pixel locations based on motion vectors and determining if the error pixel locations in a current frame are on an edge of an object in the current frame. If an error pixel location is on an edge, then a search of pixel values is performed in the current frame along the edge for a replacement pixel value. If the error pixel location is not on an edge, then a search of pixel values is performed in a region adjacent to the edge for the replacement pixel value.

Abstract: In an image processing device, the processor performs: (a) setting, as target pixel data, each set of pixel data; (b) selecting, from among the plurality of sets of pixel data, a plurality of first sets of pixel data corresponding to a plurality of first pixels positioned within a prescribed range of the image; (c) determining whether the plurality of first sets of pixel data represents a white background; (d) determining whether a variation in color difference components among the plurality of first sets of pixel data satisfies a prescribed condition; and (e) determining that target pixel data includes mosquito noise when the plurality of first sets of pixel data represents the white background and when the variation in the color difference component among the plurality of first sets of pixel data satisfies the prescribed condition. The prescribed range includes a pixel corresponding to the target pixel data.

Abstract: In a deblocking operation, pixel values within a first block of pixels are compared, and pixel values in the first block are also compared to pixel values in a second block of pixels that is adjacent to the first block. Based on the results of the comparisons, a digital deblocking filter and a region of interest can be selected, where the region of interest identifies a number of pixels in the first block and a number of pixels in the second block to which the selected filter is to be applied.

Abstract: A method for detecting a block raster in an image comprising a number of pixels, each of which having assigned at least one pixel value, said pixels being arranged one after the other along horizontal and vertical pixel boundaries. The method includes establishing a first raster with raster limits (xj+dxj) that run either parallel to the vertical pixel boundaries or to the horizontal pixel boundaries and, the position of said limits being predetermined by way of an offset (OF) and an opposite distance (SP). A raster scale is determined of the raster as a function of the edge scales of at least some of the raster limits (xj,+dxj). The method is repeated for a second raster, and the first or second raster is selected in consideration of the raster scales.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying digitized waveform data on a pixilated screen are provided. Certain methods include retrieving waveform data that exists as a plurality of sequential samples in a buffer. A first sample is associated with a first point of a pixilated screen. A second sample that follows the first sample is associated with a second point of the screen. A boundary of a rectangular line segment connecting the points is determined. For each pixel of the pixilated screen that has any portion inside the boundary of the rectangular line segment, a number of subpixels within the pixel that have any portion inside the boundary of the rectangular line segment is determined and that number of subpixels is correlated with an intensity value that is then associated with the pixel. Waveform data is displayed by painting pixels of the screen with the associated intensity values.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and systems for extracting information about a scene from a set of image data by interdependently smoothing the data, segmenting the imaged scene into coherent elements by determining edges, and estimating attributes present within the scene. These methods and systems include attribute estimation, adaptive neighborhood adjustment and preferential use of different images or imaging modalities for information extraction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a combining processing unit combining plural images into a piece of combined image. The plural images is taken by a plurality of image-capturing from a certain position to different plural directions. The combining processing unit configured to extract a parameter by performing block matching processes at individual boundaries in such a manner that boundaries a plurality of selected images are disposed in overlapping relation, perform block matching processes of all boundaries to be combined based on the parameter, evaluate results of the block matching processes with respect to all the boundaries, and perform combining the images to reduce errors by updating an optical axis direction so as to reduce errors in all the boundaries.

Abstract: Provided are a filtering method and apparatus for removing blocking artifacts and ringing noise. The filtering method includes transforming video data on a block-by-block basis, and detecting the presence of an edge region in the video data by checking the distribution of values obtained by the transformation. Accordingly, it is possible to completely remove blocking artifacts and/or ringing noise by more effectively detecting the presence of an edge region in video data.

Abstract: An image encoding method using color space estimation is provided. A method for encoding a second color space pixel corresponding to coordinates of a first color space pixel using color spaces, includes encoding a pixel of a first color space; calculating a color space estimation value of a current pixel of a second color space by referring to the encoded pixel of the first color space; and encoding a differential value of the calculated color space estimation value and the current pixel value. Thus, the image compression efficiency can be enhanced by using the information between the color spaces in the image encoding, and the lossless image compression can be accomplished by ruling out the similarity of the pixels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing the resolution of a depth map by identifying and updating false depth pixels are described. In some embodiments, a depth pixel of the depth map is initially assigned a confidence value based on curvature values and localized contrast information. The curvature values may be generated by applying a Laplacian filter or other edge detection filter to the depth pixel and its neighboring pixels. The localized contrast information may be generated by determining a difference between the maximum and minimum depth values associated with the depth pixel and its neighboring pixels. A false depth pixel may be identified by comparing a confidence value associated with the false depth pixel with a particular threshold. The false depth pixel may be updated by assigning a new depth value based on an extrapolation of depth values associated with neighboring pixel locations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing an image blocking artifact by using a transformation coefficient are provided. The method includes: detecting a first blocking artifact which is in a flat region of the input image; removing the first blocking artifact using a number of low frequency coefficients from among transformation coefficients for each transformation block of a plurality of transformation blocks of the input image, based on a result of detecting the first blocking artifact; detecting an edge region of the input image; and removing a second blocking artifact, which is in an edge region of an intermediate image obtained from the removing of the first blocking artifact of the input image, based on the detected edge region in the input image.

Abstract: A block noise reduction system and method which may determine a feature value of a local texture at each location of input pixel, may selectively determine 1D filtering mode or 2D filtering mode as a filtering mode based on the determined feature value, and may perform filtering to preserve an edge according to the determined filtering mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires image data expressing an image region included in an image with a first value and a background region included in the image with a second value; a segmenting unit that segments the image region into multiple segments arranged in a fast scanning direction; a converting unit that converts a value of at least one of the segments into the second value; an output unit that generates an image signal on the basis of the image data and outputs the image signal; an exposure unit that exposes a charged image bearing member to light according to the output image signal by scanning the light thereto in the fast scanning direction so as to form a latent image; and a developing unit that forms the image by developing the latent image using an invisible toner that absorbs infrared light or ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A method for removing color noise on a slowly varying component contained in color difference component image data of image data which is imported from an image sensor and converted to brightness and the color difference component image data, includes the steps of: sampling pixels of said color difference component image data by thinning out according to a first defined sampling format when not performing a color noise removal process on the slowly varying component; determining if the color noise removal process is necessary to be performed or not; producing the color difference component image data, corresponding to a compressed image data size smaller than an image data size without said color noise removal process, by thinning out according to a second defined sampling format when performing said color noise removal process; and recording the color difference and brightness component image data.

Abstract: Signal processing techniques are applied to digital image data to remove the distortion caused by motion of the camera, or the movement of the subject being photographed, or defective optics, or optical distortion from other sources. When the image is captured, the effect of relative motion between the camera and the subject is that it transforms the true image into a blurred image according to a 2-dimensional transfer function. The 2-dimensional transfer function representing the motion is derived using blind estimation techniques or by using information from sensors that detect the motion. The transfer function is inverted and used to define a corrective filter. The filter is applied to the image and the blur due to the motion is removed, restoring the correct image. Another embodiment uses the transfer function to avoid blur by combining multiple consecutive images taken at a fast shutter speed.

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.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of improving image quality, includes a deblocking filter that adjusts a plurality of parameters related to deblocking processing on the basis of activity of an image calculated by an activity calculation section, the total sum of orthogonal transformation coefficients of the image calculated by an orthogonal transformation section, complexity of the image calculated by the rate control unit, or the total sum of prediction errors of the image calculated by a prediction error addition unit.

Abstract: Morphological anti-aliasing (MLAA) of a re-projection of a two-dimensional image can be implemented in a way that produces a better result while using fewer processor resources. One or more discontinuities between each neighboring pixel of the two-dimensional image are determined. One or more pre-defined patterns formed by the one or more discontinuities are identified. A blend amount is calculated for each pixel neighboring the identified pre-defined patterns. A re-projection is applied to the two-dimensional image and to the blend amount for each pixel thereby generating re-projected blend amounts. The neighboring pixels of the re-projection are then blended according to the re-projected blend amounts.

Abstract: An image processing system, apparatus and method are disclosed for corner enhancing a digital image for rendering on an image output device. According to one exemplary method, pixels associated with corner regions of the digital image are determined using a plurality of vector windows. Subsequently, one or more corner pixels are modified to sharpen the rendering of the digital image on the image output device.

Abstract: An FFT analysis is performed on the decoded image data of one frame, and a cutoff frequency based on the assumption that the original signal has first-order attenuation characteristics is obtained in both the horizontal and vertical directions. A sampled-data H? filter (digital filter), previously designed to have different parameters corresponding to different cutoff frequencies is selected. By using this filter, a filtering process is performed on the image data decoded both in the horizontal and vertical directions. Since the variety of the analog frequency characteristics of the original image is taken into account for every frame of the image, the information that seems to be noise in the original image is less likely to be removed, and mosquito noise and block noise associated with a coding/decoding process can be efficiently removed.

Abstract: A mosaic image having high recognizability of a picture of an original image is provided while the number of division of the original image is suppressed. An image providing device includes a specifying means that specifies a region including an edge of an image from a plurality of regions, a dividing means that further divides the specified region into a plurality of regions, an acquisition means that acquires an image specified by a user, a determination means that determines a region to which the acquired image is assigned from regions not divided by the dividing means among the plurality of regions and from regions formed by being divided by the dividing means, and a presentation means that causes a mosaic image in which the acquired image is arranged on the basis of an assignment determined by the determination means to be presented.

Abstract: A method of processing an image based upon edge energy is disclosed. The method comprises providing (100) an edge map (540) for a group of pixels, classifying (100, 110, 120) pixels in the group as either smooth region pixels or edge region pixels, identifying (120), in the group of pixels, a pixel in the proximity of an edge region pixel, and defining (160) the identified pixel as a ringing noise pixel if the identified pixel is a smooth region pixel.

Abstract: A system and a method for deblocking a reconstructed/decoded picture in a scalable video encoding/decoding system is provided. Deblocking is accomplished by applying a filter to smooth pixel values adjacent to a boundary shared by two blocks. The type of the filter applied depends on quantization parameter (QP) values assigned to the two blocks. An enhancement layer (EL) block is assigned a QP value based on its coded information and the QP value of its corresponding base layer (BL) block(s).

Abstract: A data processing apparatus capable of performing processing in units of block data by using processing results of other block data in a short time is provided, wherein a deblocking filter performs horizontal filtering processing and vertical filtering processing on first block data and second block data obtained by dividing restructured picture data into two in parallel by adjusting their dependency relation.