Convolution Patents (Class 382/279)
  • Patent number: 7471813
    Abstract: A method for correction of scatter in an image includes receiving data of an image having a scatter characteristic, performing a deconvolution procedure on the data using Hermite expansion technique, and generating modified image data based on a result from the step of performing. A method for correction of scatter in an image includes receiving data of an image having a scatter characteristic, and generating modified image data using Fredholm integral technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems International AG
    Inventors: Waldemar Ulmer, Wolfgang Kaissl
  • Patent number: 7471320
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method is provided for enhancing a digital image comprised of pixels by adaptively sharpening the pixels and clipping the numerical values of the sharpened edge pixels so as to fall between the smallest unsharpened numerical value and the greatest unsharpened numerical value, respectively, of the pixels located within a neighborhood of the pixels. Pixels which are located on an edge are sharpened in the direction perpendicular to the edge. The threshold value used to ascertain the presence of an edge and sharpening parameter used to control the degree of sharpening can be adaptively controlled by the zoom ratio. The apparatus of the invention is particularly suited for an electronic set-top video camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Malkin, Larry K. Baxter, Steven C. Taetzsch, Daniel R. Phelps
  • Patent number: 7453470
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for anti-aliasing scan conversion. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary method to scan convert an image on a data processing system includes: sampling the image in a first direction to generate first signals for points along a second line in a second direction using a closed form solution for a convolution integral with a first kernel; and weighting the first signals for the points according to a second kernel in the second direction to generate a second signal for a pixel. In one example according to this aspect, the closed form solution is tabulated in a look up table. After entries are looked up from the look up table according to the image along a first line in the first direction on a first point of the points, the entries are combined to generate one of the first signals for the first point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Brunner
  • Publication number: 20080266413
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the effect of applying a kernel to a signal is provided. The adjustment may be based on the magnitude of an effect that a kernel matrix is intended to have on the signal matrix. The adjustments can be based on factors including, but not limited to, a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal data, properties of a device (e.g., lens) used to capture the signal data, or a metric that is derived based on an analysis of the signal data. Processing image data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is aimed at regaining lost contrast that may be due to properties of optics that are used to capture the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Noy Cohen, Gal Shabtay, Ephraim Robert Goldenberg, David Mendlovic, Ya'ara David
  • Patent number: 7444034
    Abstract: A multi-dimensional data enhancement system can be embedded within a video cable for providing enhanced video images from a video signal source to a display. The multi-dimensional data enhancement system can also be provided in a switching box that allows a user to connect multiple video signal sources to the box and then select a particular video signal source from the group. The selected signal is then enhanced by the switching box before the signal is shown on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Digivision, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Thistle, Richard Hier, Randy Millar, Terry Coleman, David Eccles, Melissa Graham
  • Patent number: 7430315
    Abstract: The face detection system and method attempts classification of a test image before performing all of the kernel evaluations. Many subimages are not faces and should be relatively easy to identify as such. Thus, the SVM classifier try to discard non-face images using as few kernel evaluations as possible using a cascade SVM classification. In the first stage, a score is computed for the first two support vectors, and the score is compared to a threshold. If the score is below the threshold value, the subimage is classified as not a face. If the score is above the threshold value, the cascade SVM classification function continues to apply more complicated decision rules, each time doubling the number of kernel evaluations, classifying the image as a non-face (and thus terminating the process) as soon as the test image fails to satisfy one of the decision rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co.
    Inventors: Ming-Hsuan Yang, Jongwoo Lim, David Ross, Takahiro Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20080219590
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that reduces computational complexity in simulating an image resulting from an original mask and an optical transmission system. During operation, the system obtains a set transmission cross coefficient (TCC) kernel functions based on the optical transmission system, and obtains a set of transmission functions for a representative pattern which contains features representative of the original mask. The system constructs a new set of kernel functions based on the TCC kernel functions and the transmission functions for the representative pattern, wherein responses to the new kernel functions in a resulting image corresponding to the representative pattern are substantially uncorrelated with one another. The system further produces an intensity distribution of a resulting image corresponding to the original mask based on the new kernel functions, thereby facilitating prediction of a layout that can be produced from the original mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Jianliang Li, Qiliang Yan, Lawrence S. Melvin, James P. Shiely
  • Patent number: 7424173
    Abstract: A phase information restoring method improves estimation accuracy of phase by using radiation with energy of high transmittance when constructing a radiation image of a living organism such as a human body by the phase-contrast method. The phase information restoring method includes the steps of: (a) obtaining plural sets of detection data respectively representing plural kinds of radiation image information on a detection plane at a predetermined distance from an object by using plural radiations having different wavelengths with energy from 16 keV to 30 keV to detect intensity of the plural radiations transmitted through the object on the detection plane; and (b) restoring phase information on the radiations transmitted through the object on the basis of the plural sets of detection data so as to obtain phase data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyuki Sakaida
  • Patent number: 7412110
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for filtering an image including a plurality of pixels. A forward kernel centered at a first pixel in the image is received. The forward kernel assigns forward weights to pixels in a neighborhood surrounding the first pixel. A backward kernel centered at a second pixel within the neighborhood surrounding the first pixel is specified based on a local attribute of the image at the second pixel. The backward kernel assigns backward weights to pixels in a neighborhood surrounding the second pixel. A convolution weight of the second pixel is determined based on the backward kernel and the forward kernel. The convolution weight and a pixel value of the second pixel are used to generate a new value of the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: John W. Worthington
  • Patent number: 7388987
    Abstract: Methods, machines, and machine-readable media for computing dissimilarity measures are described. In one aspect, a first set of pixel neighborhood values (PNVs) is computed from respective sets of pixel values of a first image corresponding to different spatially-shifted pixel neighborhoods each encompassing a mutual target pixel in the first image. A second set of PNVs is computed from respective sets of pixel values of a second image corresponding to different spatially-shifted pixel neighborhoods each encompassing a mutual target pixel in the second image. A measure of dissimilarity is computed based at least in part on the first and second sets of computed PNVs. The computed dissimilarity measure is stored on a machine-readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Mei Chen
  • Publication number: 20080131023
    Abstract: An image processing method includes wavefront coding a wavefront that forms an optical image, converting the optical image to a data stream and processing the data stream with a color-specific filter kernel to reverse effects of wavefront coding and generate a final image. Another image processing method includes wavefront coding a wavefront that forms an optical image, converting the optical image to a data stream and colorspace converting the data stream. The method separates spatial information and color information of the colorspace converted data stream into one or more separate channels and deblurs one or both of the spatial information and the color information. The method recombines the channels to recombine deblurred spatial information with deblurred color information, and colorspace converts the recombined deblurred spatial and color information to generate an output image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Gregory Edward Johnson, Ashley K. Macon, Hans B. Wach
  • Patent number: 7379613
    Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of wavefront coding a wavefront that forms an optical image, converting the optical image to a data stream, and processing the data stream with a filter kernel to reverse effects of wavefront coding and generate a final image. By example, the filter set kernel may be a reduced filter set kernel, or a color-specific kernel. Methods and systems are also disclosed for processing color images, such as by separating color and spatial information into separate channels. Methods and systems herein are for example useful in forming electronic devices with reduced opto-mechanical, opto-electronic and processing complexity or cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: OmniVision CDM Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Gregory Edward Johnson, Ashley K. Macon, Hans B. Wach
  • Patent number: 7379615
    Abstract: To reduce the fluoroscopic noise in an image I acquired at a date t, the pixels of this image are paired with the pixels of an image I? acquired at a date t?1. For a pixel with coordinates (x,y) of the image I, a convolution is done with a core U equivalent to a low-pass filter whose coefficients have been modified as a function of the neighborhood of the pixel with coordinates (x,y) in the image I. For the pixel paired in the image I?, a convolution is done with the core U whose coefficients have been modified as a function of the neighborhood of the pixel with coordinates (x,y) in the image I?. The result of the two convolutions is associated linearly in order to obtain a filtered value for the pixel with coordinates (x,y). These operations are repeated for each pixel of the image I.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Cyril Allouche
  • Patent number: 7379105
    Abstract: A video image capture device includes an image sensor including an two-dimensional array of pixel elements overlaid with a pattern of color filters and having a vertical resolution different from the vertical resolutions specified for a group of video formats, a frame buffer for storing digital pixel data outputted by the image sensor, and an interpolator module for interpolating the digital pixel data to generate video data in at least three color planes and having a vertical resolution corresponding to a video format selected from the group of video formats. In one embodiment, the group of video formats includes the NTSC and PAL video formats. The vertical resolution of the image sensor has a value between the vertical resolution of the NTSC and PAL video formats. The interpolator module performs interpolation using a set of combined filters, each of the combined filters incorporating a demosaic filter and a scaling filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: PIXIM, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Frank, David Kuo
  • Patent number: 7359576
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for filtering an image. A filter kernel is received to determine one or more filtered values for each pixel in a sequence of pixels, where adjacent pixels are separated by a characteristic distance in the image. A difference kernel is defined based on local differences between a first kernel and a second kernel that are defined by the filter kernel centered at a first location and a second location, respectively. The second location is separated from the first location by the characteristic distance separating adjacent pixels in the sequence. The difference kernel is used to determine a difference between filtered values of adjacent pixels in the sequence. For depth of field filtering, the filter kernel can include a blur filter kernel that is based upon depth values of pixels in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: John W. Worthington, Christopher B. Cox
  • Patent number: 7346224
    Abstract: A method classifies pixels in an image by first partitioning the image into blocks. A variance of an intensity is determined for each pixel, and for each block the pixel with the maximum variance is identified. Then, the blocks are classified into classes according to the maximum variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao-Song Kong, Yao Nie, Anthony Vetro, Huifang Sun
  • Publication number: 20070292047
    Abstract: Techniques for performing convolution filtering using hardware normally available in a graphics processor are described. Convolution filtering of an arbitrary H×W grid of pixels is achieved by partitioning the grid into smaller sections, performing computation for each section, and combining the intermediate results for all sections to obtain a final result. In one design, a command to perform convolution filtering on a grid of pixels with a kernel of coefficients is received, e.g., from a graphics application. The grid is partitioned into multiple sections, where each section may be 2×2 or smaller. Multiple instructions are generated for the multiple sections, with each instruction performing convolution computation on at least one pixel in one section. Each instruction may include pixel position information and applicable kernel coefficients. Instructions to combine the intermediate results from the multiple instructions are also generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Guofang Jiao, Yun Du, Chun Yu, Lingjun Chen
  • Patent number: 7305089
    Abstract: The camera includes a sensor for sensing the photographer's iris image and registering the image in advance. The iris image is recorded in the image of a subject by a digital MCU at a timing different from that at which the image of the subject is captured. The recording timing is that at which the camera power supply is turned off, that at which a recording medium is ejected from the camera or that at which the iris image to be recorded is changed to the registered iris image of another photographer. The recording of the iris image is achieved by embedding it as a watermark or by appending it to metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Goichi Morikawa, Go Tokura
  • Patent number: 7274831
    Abstract: An antialiasing method and apparatus suitable for antialiasing a variety of image types, including fonts, large images, and very small images. The antialiasing technique may represent the edge of a line, curve or region as a series of line segments. These line segments are then traversed to convolute the line segment approximating the contours of the image with a desired filter function. A filter function is also disclosed for antialiasing the edges of a line, curve or region, which may be employed when the edge is represented by a series of line segments. The antialiasing filter tends to centers the spectral energy of an image on the sampled area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zhouchen Lin, Jian Wang, Haitao Chen
  • Patent number: 7218795
    Abstract: Line defects are removed from an image by providing image data in digital form, analyzing segments of the image data as groups of pixels, detecting line defects in the image by application of a line detector, such as a local radial angular transform, and adjusting the image data to correct the detected line defects within the determined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventors: Mikhail Ivanovich Trifonov, Olga Vadimovna Sharonova, Kryzstof Antoni Zaklika
  • Patent number: 7123259
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for reflection space image based rendering of an object at an interactive frame rate. A set of source radiance environment maps associated with a set of source viewing vectors are warped to create a destination radiance environment map associated with a destination viewing vector in a current frame. Blending and weighting operations can also be applied in creating the final destination radiance environment map. An object is then rendered with texture environment mapped from the destination radiance environment map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Keith Cabral, Marc Olano, Philip Nemec
  • Patent number: 7092582
    Abstract: A multi-dimensional image data enhancement system is configured to reduce the effect of blanking areas on the large kernel processing of pixel data. Thus, when pixels comprising blanking data are processed, additional blanking data can be added to the blanking data such that the additional “fictional blanking data” will occupy an area within the kernel size instead of image data in an adjacent frame or non-related areas of the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Digivision, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard G. Hier, Terrence J. Coleman
  • Patent number: 7072528
    Abstract: A cubic convolution interpolating apparatus and method for performing interpolation by optimizing a parameter which determines the interpolation coefficients according to the local property of an image signal, which can minimize the quantity of information loss in a scaled or resampled image signal. The cubic convolution interpolating apparatus includes an image signal divider dividing an image signal into a plurality of subblocks, and a block generating parameters which determine cubic convolution interpolation coefficients in units of subblocks, and perform cubic convolution interpolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-ki Han
  • Patent number: 6993208
    Abstract: Upon scaling input image data and outputting the scaled image data, an address arithmetic processor determines phase information, which indicates the distances between the position of the pixel of interest after scaling and neighboring pixels of an original image, in accordance with the scale of that scaling, a coefficient arithmetic processor calculates filter coefficients in a filter process in accordance with the determined phase information, and a filter processor executes the filter process of the input image data by convolution operations on the basis of the calculated filter coefficients and outputs multi-valued image data. An LUT converts the density of the multi-valued image data in correspondence with the density characteristics of a printer, and a binarization processor binarizes the multi-valued image data and outputs binary image data to an image storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6970597
    Abstract: A method for generating coefficients for a set of convolution kernels for use in interpolating pixel values in an image sensor is described. The coefficients are computed by applying a constraint matrix specifying one or more constraints. The method includes generating ideal sensor data representative of a test image in a first color plane, generating sensor data of the test image, generating f data matrices including pixel data from multiple neighborhoods of pixels in the pixel array, and determining the coefficients for f convolution kernels using the ideal sensor data, the f data matrices and by applying one or more constraints. The use of a constraint matrix greatly simplifies the computation of the coefficients and can be applied in image processing to generate a high quality full color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: PIXIM, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin P. Olding, Ricardo J. Motta
  • Patent number: 6959385
    Abstract: To provide a device capable of determining uniquely the direction of rotation applied to an image and extracting digital watermark information correctly even in the case where a registration signal having a symmetric axis is embedded. A device for enabling digital watermark information to be extracted from image data having the digital watermark information embedded therein in such a manner that it can hardly be perceived by human eyes, in which processing for extracting rotation information and position information from the image data is performed plural times for rotation angles different from one another. For extracted position and rotation information, confidence coefficients indicating accuracy thereof are calculated. The position and rotation angle at which the digital watermark information is embedded are determined based on the confidence coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomochika Murakami, Keiichi Iwamura, Yoshihiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 6956625
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method for realizing panorama/waterglass functions, which are capable of reducing the size of a memory and simplifying memory control, are provided. In order to write a plurality of consecutive pixel data into memory devices, and simultaneously to read the plurality of consecutive pixel data from memory devices, the consecutive pixel data are separated into a plurality of first-in first-out (FIFO) buffers having a small size, thereby minimizing the size of a memory. Further, an identical clock signal is used, and the separated FIFOs are used when the consecutive pixel data are written to the memory devices and read from the memory devices, thereby simplifying memory control such as address control. Further, when realizing panorama/waterglass functions, the scaling ratio function is variably set, thereby variably realizing memories having sizes which vary according to the scaling ratio function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jong-dae Kim
  • Patent number: 6947176
    Abstract: A method is provided for correcting lightness of an image using a multiscale retinex. Lightness of a subject pixel of an original image is corrected using a convolution operation of a surround function and surround pixels with respect to the subject pixel of the original image, and the convolution operation is performed over a plurality of scales. The surround function has a simplified model such that a value of the surround function is changed in a stepwise way along two axes orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Synthesis Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Kubo, Xiaomang Zhang, Hiroyuki Okuhata, Akimasa Niwa
  • Patent number: 6937274
    Abstract: A method (S100) for dynamic range compression of output channel data from an image sensor (2) comprising an array of sensor cells. The method (S100) comprises selecting a window (S130) in the channel data, the window having a reference pixel value and a plurality of nearby pixel values. The reference pixel value originates from a reference cell that is one of the sensor cells and the nearby pixel values originate from the sensor cells that are in close proximity to the reference cell. There is a step of multiplying (S140) the pixel values, in the window, by a respective weight value to provide weighted pixel values and then adding (S150) the weighted pixel values to provide a convolution value. Thereafter, there is a step of providing (S160) a dynamic range compression value for the window from a selected one of the pixel values and said convolution value and then an assigning step (S170) assigns the dynamic range compression value to a selected pixel location comprising part of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Tarik Hammadou
  • Patent number: 6928182
    Abstract: A de-convolution process is applied to an MR, CT or other image (25) of a scanned-object (23) to derive the point-spread function (22?) at an object-edge and to pin-point from the mid-point of its full-width-half-maximum FWHM, the location (30) of the true image-edge. With the object-image (25?) overlying the PSF function (22?) in the de-convolution space, sub-pixels which follow location (30) are transferred to before it to re-construct the image-edge (25?) for sharper conformity to the object-edge (23). Sharp definition of image-contour (37) facilitates accurate determination of area and volume of image profiles (35) and their segmentation. The accurate image-edge definition enables viable correction of geometrical distortion in stand-alone MR diagnosis and treatment planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventor: Kui Ming Chui
  • Patent number: 6912323
    Abstract: A fast convolution method applicable to convolving a signal (indicative of an n-dimensional pattern, where n is greater than or equal to two) with a smooth kernel that can be approximated by a separated-spline kernel, and a system configured to perform such method using software or signal processing circuitry. Unlike Fourier-based convolution methods which require on the order of N log N arithmetic operations for a signal of length N, the method of the invention requires only on the order of N arithmetic operations to do so. Unlike wavelet-based convolution approximations (which typically also require more arithmetic operations than are required in accordance with the invention to convolve the same signal), the method of the invention is exact for convolution kernels which are spline kernels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Jeremy Copeland, Richard E. Crandall, Ulrich Hofmann, Richard L. Lozes
  • Patent number: 6912310
    Abstract: Object segmentation and tracking are improved by including directional information to guide the placement of an active contour (i.e., the elastic curve or ‘snake’) in estimating the object boundary. In estimating an object boundary the active contour deforms from an initial shape to adjust to image features using an energy minimizing function. The function is guided by external constraint forces and image forces to achieve a minimal total energy of the active contour. Both gradient strength and gradient direction of the image are analyzed in minimizing contour energy for an active contour model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: HyunWook Park, Todd Schoepflin, Shijun Sun, Yongmin Kim
  • Patent number: 6912307
    Abstract: A method for automatic partial correction of the color contrast and intensity of color images. The images are processed in a manner similar to that by which the visual system processes signals related to color vision, to achieve better color contrast and to enhance achromatic contrast intensity for both still and video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Ramot Fyt Tel Aviv University Ltd.
    Inventors: Hedva Spitzer, Eilon Sherman
  • Patent number: 6853912
    Abstract: A navigation method and system for displaying a map image and shrinking the map image relative to a center point or a reference line on the map image by a non-linear function so that an image outside of the display screen becomes visible on the screen without much decreasing the size thereof. In the first embodiment, the image is coaxially shrinked relative to the center point. In the second embodiment, the images perpendicular to the reference line are shifted toward the reference line. Because of the non-linear function, the images are shrinked with higher degree at around the center point or the reference line than that far away, thereby bringing in the far away images without much decreasing the size thereof. The shrink ratios of the images at the same distance from the center point or the reference line are the same throughout the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Maung W. Han
  • Patent number: 6842297
    Abstract: Improved Wavefront Coding Optics, which apply a phase profile to the wavefront of light from an object to be imaged, retain their insensitivity to focus related aberration, while increasing the heights of the resulting MTFs and reducing the noise in the final images. Such improved Wavefront Coding Optics have the characteristic that the central portion of the applied phase profile is essentially flat (or constant), while a peripheral region of the phase profile around the central region alternately has positive and negative phase regions relative to the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6816622
    Abstract: An optimal filter kernel, formed by convolving a box filter with a filter of fixed integer width and unity area, is used to perform image resizing and reconstruction. The optimal filter has forced zeros at locations along a frequency scale corresponding to the reciprocal of the spacing of one or more pixels that comprise a source image to be resized. When a rescale value for a source image is selected, the optimal filter kernel is computed, mapped to the source image, and centered upon a location within the source image corresponding to the position of an output pixel to be generated. The number of pixels that lie underneath the optimal filter kernel is established by multiplying the number of pixels that comprise the width of the source image by the selected rescale value. Upon mapping the optimal filter kernel, the output pixel values that comprise the resized image are then evaluated by processing the one or more source image pixels, such as through interpolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James F. Blinn, Andrew C. Godfrey, Michael D. Marr, Adrian Secchia
  • Publication number: 20040197028
    Abstract: An antialiasing method and apparatus suitable for antialiasing a variety of image types, including fonts, large images, and very small images. The antialiasing technique may represent the edge of a line, curve or region as a series of line segments. These line segments are then traversed to convolute the line segment approximating the contours of the image with a desired filter function. A filter function is also disclosed for antialiasing the edges of a line, curve or region, which may be employed when the edge is represented by a series of line segments. The antialiasing filter tends to centers the spectral energy of an image on the sampled area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zhouchen Lin, Jian Wang, Haitao Chen
  • Patent number: 6798860
    Abstract: A method for deconvolving imaging data obtained in slices using an imaging system. The method includes steps of selecting a target slice sensitivity profile and determining a deconvolution kernel using the target slice sensitivity profile. This method allows an imaging system user to use singular value decomposition to achieve a desired slice sensitivity profile through imaging data deconvolution. Thus sub-millimeter slice thickness and improved image resolution are achieved without hardware modifications to existing imaging systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jiang Hsieh, Idris A. Elbakri
  • Publication number: 20040184675
    Abstract: A system and method of image processing employ mathematical deconvolution to estimate the magnitude and location of a target object within an image. Both the nature of internal reflections and the convolution process by which each internal reflection contributes to blurring of the acquired image data may be measured and modeled. In accordance with mathematical deconvolution techniques, the combined effects of these internal reflections may be reduced to the extent that respective contributions of the target object and each individual reflection may be distinguished and quantified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventor: Carl S. Brown
  • Patent number: 6792130
    Abstract: A method for embedding a watermark signal that contains message data in a digital image sequence having two or more frames, includes the steps of: producing a set of two or more different carrier signals from a single secure key; assigning a carrier signal from the set of carrier signals to each frame in the sequence; and embedding a watermark signal in each frame using the corresponding assigned carrier signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Paul W. Jones, Chris W. Honsinger, Majid Rabbani
  • Patent number: 6751335
    Abstract: A method of forming a dispersed message for embedding in an image, includes the steps of: providing a random phase carrier; defining a set of ordered bit locations; assigning a polarity to each bit location corresponding to a bit of the message; cyclically shifting the random phase carrier in accordance with each bit location and weighting the cyclically shifted carriers by the polarity of the corresponding bit; and forming a sum of the cyclically shifted weighted carriers to form the dispersed message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Chris W. Honsinger
  • Patent number: 6735346
    Abstract: A collected data is divided into M single valued subsets, where M is greater than zero. A two-dimensional subset image is formed from each single valued subset. Then, a fast Fourier transform is performed on each image to obtain a two-dimensional subset frequency space. Next, a one-dimensional discrete Fourier transform in z, where z is an integer equal to or greater than zero, is performed. Lastly, a two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform in (x,y) for each value of z is performed, thereby forming the three-dimensional volume from the collected data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Essex Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Woodford, Fred F. Froehlich
  • Patent number: 6700672
    Abstract: A method, using a filter function, generates an anti-aliased discrete image from a continuous image including an edge. The method defines a line sample. A progressive convolution is derived from the filter function and the line sample. A pixel at a predetermined location in the discrete image is selected, and the line sample is oriented with respect to the selected pixel. A distance is measured from a point in the continuous image corresponding to the selected pixel to the edge along the oriented the line sample. The progressive convolution is evaluated at the measured distance to produce a weighted coverage value, and the weighted coverage value is associated with the pixel to anti-alias the pixel in the discrete image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Thouis R. Jones, Ronald N. Perry, Robert M. Kotredes
  • Patent number: 6701028
    Abstract: A fast convolution method applicable to convolve a signal with a smooth kernel that can be approximated by a spline kernel, and a system configured to perform such method using software or signal processing circuitry. Unlike Fourier-based convolution methods which require on the order of N log N arithmetic operations for a signal of length N, the method of the invention requires only on the order of N arithmetic operations to do so. Unlike wavelet-based convolution approximations (which typically also require more arithmetic operations than are required in accordance with the invention to convolve the same signal), the method of the invention is exact for convolution kernels which are spline kernels. Moreover, convolution in accordance with the invention can be acyclic convolution (achieved without zero-padding) or cyclic convolution, and in both cases the invention imposes no restriction (such as evenness) on signal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Crandall
  • Patent number: 6687417
    Abstract: A method of providing a representation of image data is disclosed. The method accesses a plurality of discrete sample values of the image data and calculates kernel values for each of the discrete sample values using a scaled kernel. The scaled kernel is constructed by transforming a kernel from a first range to a second range. In order to provide a representation of the image data, the kernel values are convolved with the discrete sample values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Bradley, Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 6678390
    Abstract: A method and computer program for extracting an embedded message from a digital image, the embedded message being formed by convolution with a carrier, employs a message template indicating the relative locations of data in the embedded message, the relative locations of the data being such that the autocorrelation of the message template is strongly peaked. An arbitrary region of the digital image is correlated with the carrier to extract a cyclically shifted message from the digital image. The absolute value of the cyclically shifted message is taken to form a positive valued cyclically shifted message. The positive valued cyclically shifted message is correlated with the message template to form a shifted offset image having a peak amplitude representing the location of the message boundary. The location of the message boundary is employed to extract the hidden message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Chris W. Honsinger
  • Publication number: 20030215154
    Abstract: A method for reconstructing non-uniformly sampled data to create an image includes: receiving a new partial data set, the new partial data set including a vector of non-uniformly sampled data at k-space positions; subtracting an old partial data set at the same k-space positions from the new partial data set to create a difference vector; gridding the difference vector to create a difference matrix; adding the difference matrix to a frame of previously gridded data to create a new frame; and transforming the new frame to create the image. In one embodiment, gridding includes constructing a gridding table for a data point in a complete data set, and convolving a data point in the difference vector with the gridding table. In another embodiment at least one of a grid size and a first parameter of the window function is optimized using input parameters for at least one of aliasing energy and computation time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: John Mark Pauly, Juan Manuel Santos, Graham Arnold Wright
  • Patent number: 6643412
    Abstract: The method for high speed convolution includes the steps of: determining a convolution mask by dividing a theoretical mask into a predetermined number of areas as many as a multiple of sampling intervals of target data; generating accumulative image data of a target image to be convolved and storing them in a memory; calculating image summation data in an area corresponding to the area of each step of the mask from the accumulative image data; and calculating the convolution of pixels from the corresponding area image data and mask step values corresponding to the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheol-Kee Hong, Cheol-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 6631215
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining a weighted average measured reflectance parameter Rm for pixels in an image for use in integrated cavity effect correction of the image. For each pixel of interest Pi,j in the image, an approximate spatial dependent average Ai,j, Bi,j of video values in a region of W pixels by H scan lines surrounding the pixel of interest Pi,j is computed by convolving video values Vi,j of the image in the region with a uniform filter. For each pixel of interest Pi,j a result of the convolving step is used as the reflectance parameter Rm. The apparatus includes a video buffer for storing the pixels of the original scanned image, and first and second stage average buffers for storing the computed approximate spatial dependent averages Ai,j, Bi,j. First and second stage processing circuits respectively generate the first and second stage average values Ai,j, Bi,j by convolving the video values of the image in a preselected region with a uniform filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jeng-nan Shiau, Raymond J. Clark, Stuart A. Schweid, Terri A. Clingerman
  • Publication number: 20030169944
    Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of wavefront coding a wavefront that forms an optical image, converting the optical image to a data stream, and processing the data stream with a filter kernel to reverse effects of wavefront coding and generate a final image. By example, the filter set kernel may be a reduced filter set kernel, or a color-specific kernel. Methods and systems are also disclosed for processing color images, such as by separating color and spatial information into separate channels. Methods and systems herein are for example useful in forming electronic devices with reduced opto-mechanical, opto-electronic and processing complexity or cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Gregory Edward Johnson, Ashley K. Macon, Hans B. Wach