Raising Or Lowering The Image Resolution (e.g., Subpixel Accuracy) Patents (Class 382/299)
  • Patent number: 8233039
    Abstract: A microscope image pickup system includes: alight source; an object lens; a display device; a record device; a capture device for performing a preview mode in which an image of the test object obtained by the object lens is repeatedly captured and a plurality of captured images are continuously displayed on the display device, or an image record mode in which the image of the test object is captured and the captured image is recorded on the record device; an illumination light amount control device for controlling the amount of light of the illumination light; and a system control device for controlling an operation of the illumination light amount control device depending on the preview mode or the image record mode performed by the capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Sakamoto, Shinichiro Aizaki
  • Patent number: 8233748
    Abstract: Provided is an image-resolution-improvement apparatus and method which can increase the resolution of an input image at a high magnification to thereby obtain a high-quality final image. The apparatus includes a textured-region-detection unit to detect a texture region in an input image; and a final-image-generation unit to synthesize a first intermediate image and a second intermediate image, which are obtained by applying different interpolation techniques to the texture region and a non-texture region excluding the texture region and generating a final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ho-young Lee, Jan P. Allebach, Xiaojun Feng, Yousun Bang, Heui-keun Choh
  • Patent number: 8233086
    Abstract: A method for efficient digital capturing of analog video signals of computer game consoles is provided. The video format of the signal is changed from 480p to 720p, without any scaling artifacts. The number of active horizontal resolution lines and active vertical resolution lines is reduced in the higher definition space, so that the output picture is a pixel-for-pixel transformed replica of the 480p image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jacob Mateo Baker
  • Patent number: 8233745
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus calculates estimated pixel values of respective pixels of a provisional high-resolution image by interpolation on basis of pixel values in a reference frame. Interior of the reference frame is segmentalized into an edge region, a texture region or a flat region and others on a basis of pixel values of respective pixels. The respective pixels in the reference frame are set as target pixels one by one in sequence. Corresponding positions on the provisional high-resolution image are calculated, of the respective target pixels in decimal accuracy on a basis of information on the segmented regions including the target values. The estimated pixel values are modified so that differences from the pixel values of the target pixels to provisionally estimated pixel values obtained from the estimated pixel values of the provisional high-resolution image for pixels around the corresponding positions of the target pixels, becomes smaller. Modified pixel values and then obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Takashi Ida, Toshimitsu Kaneko, Hidenori Takeshima, Yasunori Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8233746
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided that includes an image acquisition unit that obtains video data that includes a plurality of consecutive frames, and also obtains image data that correspond to some of the frames and have a higher spatial resolution than the frames. The image processing device also includes a super resolution processing unit that uses a plurality of the frames to perform super resolution processing on the frames, and that generates super resolution images that correspond to the frames. The image processing device further includes a motion estimation unit that uses the video data to detect a motion vector between the super resolution images and an image generation unit that, based on the super resolution images corresponding to the image data and on the motion vector, generates motion compensated image data that corresponds to the frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ohji Nakagami, Junichi Tanaka, Yoichi Yagasaki
  • Patent number: 8233747
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a super-resolution image are provided. The method may include obtaining a first set of RAW data representing a first image captured at a first resolution and obtaining, from the first set of RAW data, at least one first sample of data associated with the first image. The method may also include obtaining a second set of RAW data representing a second image captured at the first resolution, and performing image registration as a function of the first set of RAW data and the second set of RAW data so as to obtain at least one second sample of data associated with the second image. The first set of RAW data is used as a reference for the second set of RAW data. The method further includes combining the at least one first sample of data with at least one second sample of data to form a collection of samples, and interpolating the collection of samples to form the super-resolution image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gazi Ali, Ming-Chang Liu
  • Patent number: 8233734
    Abstract: Images are upsampled using a knowledge base derived from a plurality of high-quality training images. The knowledge base is used to refine a high-frequency component including high-frequency aspects of a high-resolution, low-frequency image, interpolated from a low-resolution full-frequency image, into a high-frequency component. An enhancement step is performed without using a knowledge base to construct a high-compatibility component from the low-resolution, full-frequency image. The low-resolution, full-frequency image is combined with the coarse high-frequency component to yield an enhanced high-frequency component. A second knowledge base step is performed to construct an improved high-frequency component from the enhanced high-frequency component. The improved high-frequency component is blended with a high-resolution, low-frequency image to yield a high-resolution image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Yonghua Zhang, Lin Ma, Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 8233749
    Abstract: The disclosure refers to an image processing system, projector, method and computer program product. In one example, an image processing system includes an interpolation unit that performs interpolation using an input image and a reference pixel in an input background part outside of the input image and interpolation pixels including neighboring pixels around the reference pixel, and a target pixel location determination unit that determines a location of a target pixel with respect to an image after distortion correction in a display area of an optical modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Aso
  • Patent number: 8228428
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a video signal processing method and a video signal processing apparatus. The video signal processing apparatus receives a picture datum, which includes M×N pixel data, wherein a scan orientation of the pixel data includes M pixel data. The video signal processing apparatus includes a horizontal scaling unit and a timing control unit. The horizontal scaling unit scales the pixel data of the scan orientation of the picture datum to obtain P pixel data. The timing control unit transfers the P pixel data to a scan-line signal of the video signal, determines the number of times of outputting the scan-line signal according to a ratio of Q to N, sequentially outputs the scan-line signal according to the number of times of outputting the scan-line signal and thus outputs the video signal with a resolution of P×Q.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Generalplus Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Shang-Min Jiang
  • Patent number: 8224122
    Abstract: A dynamic wide angle image viewing technique is presented which provides a way to view a wide-angle image while zooming between a wide angle view and a narrower angle view that employs both perspective and non-perspective projection models. In general, this involves first establishing the field of view for a view of the wide angle image that is to be displayed. The view is then rendered and displayed based on the established field of view, such that the projection transitions between a perspective projection associated with narrower angle views and a non-perspective projection (e.g., cylindrical, spherical or some other parameterization) associated with wider-angle views.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Cohen, Matthew Uyttendaele, Johannes Kopf
  • Patent number: 8224116
    Abstract: An image processing method for reducing noise of an image to be filtered; the method includes a step of creating shrunken image of shrinking ratio r×r (where r is a natural number) by averaging the pixel values for each pixel in a block for every r pixels, a step of obtaining the pixel value in the shrunken image that correspond to the focus pixel in the source image by performing linear interpolation from the shrunken image pixels, a step of determining the noise reduction filter from the focus pixel and reference pixel in the shrunken image, and a step of computing the compensated pixel value of the focus pixel in the source image by weighted sum of each pixel value applying the filter to the focus pixel in the source image and the corresponding shrunken pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Morpho, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Hiraga, Kensuke Habuka, Takeshi Miura
  • Patent number: 8224123
    Abstract: A technique is provided for reducing the size of each of images included in an image signal and generating a high-resolution image with minimized degradation in the image quality from the reduced images. Alias components and motion information that are included in the image signal having the reduced images are used for conversion of the images included in the image signal into a high-resolution image. Low pass filtering is performed on a frequency component in the direction of a motion included in the image signal and a frequency component in a direction other than the direction of the motion. The cut-off frequency of the low pass filter in the direction other than the direction of the motion is lower than the cut-off frequency of the low pass filter in the direction of the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hamada, Masahiro Kageyama, Shigeki Nagaya
  • Patent number: 8217966
    Abstract: A method of automatically tracking the portions of a 3D medical imaging volume, such as the voxels, that have already been displayed according to use-defined display parameters, notating those portions, and providing the user with information indicating what portions of the imaging volume have been displayed at full resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: DR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan K. Fram, Murray A. Reicher
  • Patent number: 8218077
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing first image data into second image data having a higher quality includes the following elements. A determination unit determines whether broadcast image data is up-converted image data generated by up-converting different image data by increasing the number of pixels forming the different image data. A down-converter down-converts the broadcast image data into down-converted image data by decreasing the number of pixels forming the broadcast image data. A first image converter converts, if the broadcast image data is not the up-converted image data, the first image data into the second image data by using the down-converted image data and the broadcast image data as the first image data. A second image converter converts, if the broadcast image data is the up-converted image data, the first image data into the second image data by using the down-converted image data as the first image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Tsutomu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8218908
    Abstract: A method (200, 400) of compressing an input image (201) is described. The method (200, 400) starts by extracting image gradient data representing pixel differences along contours of the image. Next, the method forms an edge based image from the image gradient data and a low resolution image derived from the input image. The method then computes a residual image representing a difference between the edge based image and the input image, and finally compresses the input image by encoding the image gradient data, the low resolution image, and the residual image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Peter William Mitchell Ilbery
  • Patent number: 8217957
    Abstract: A system generates continuous texture environment based on mipmapped texture and photographic images such that each mipmapped image has a plurality of mipmap level representations of a particular texture or photographic image. The system can include a delta value dataset configured to store a plurality of delta values for the texture images and photographic images. The system further includes an absolute value dataset configured to store a plurality of absolute values for the photographic images to be displayed in the continuous texture environment. The system yet further includes an environment processor configured to generate the continuous texture environment. The environment processor includes a blending processor configured to blend the photographic imagery and texture images to remove discontinuities using the delta values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul L. Isaacson
  • Patent number: 8213726
    Abstract: Multi-scale processing may be used to reduce the memory and computational requirements of optimization algorithms for image labeling, for example, for object segmentation, 3D reconstruction, stereo correspondence, optical flow and other applications. For example, in order to label a large image (or 3D volume) a multi-scale process first solves the problem at a low resolution, obtaining a coarse labeling of an original high resolution problem. This labeling is refined by solving another optimization on a subset of the image elements. In examples, an energy function for a coarse level version of an input image is formed directly from an energy function of the input image. In examples, the subset of image elements may be selected using a measure of confidence in the labeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Pushmeet Kohli, Carsten Rother, Victor Lempitsky
  • Patent number: 8213746
    Abstract: A method for iterative derivation of a master image from sampled images of non-identical, at least partially overlapping, regions of a scene. The method includes defining a transformation operator mapping positions within the master image to corresponding positions in the sampled image; a distortion operator simulating a modulation transfer function associated with an imaging sensor from which the sampled image was generated; and a sampling operator for reducing an image from the output resolution to the resolution of the sampled image. For each sampled image the transformation operator, distortion operator and sampling operator are applied to a current master image hypothesis to generate a predicted image A difference image is calculated which has pixel values corresponding to the difference in corresponding pixel values between the sampled image and the predicted image. A back-projection of each of the difference images is performed to generate a correction image for the current master image hypothesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd
    Inventors: Karni Volovelsky, Motti Golan, Nitzan Goldberg
  • Patent number: 8213747
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects, a variable resolution image is displayed at an initial resolution. The variable resolution image has multiple portions, at least two of which have different resolutions. A request to display one of the multiple portions of the variable resolution image at a higher resolution is received, and a check is made as to whether a higher resolution version of the one portion is available. The higher resolution version of the one portion is displayed if available, otherwise the one portion at the initial resolution is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lutz Gerhard, Paul D. Jones, David M. Gedye, Abraham Dunn, Radoslav P. Nickolov
  • Patent number: 8208734
    Abstract: A method is provided for acquiring a reserved block in a holographic storage system. A symmetrical reference table is defined according to the characteristics of a known reference reserved block. Then, the differences between respective unit blocks and the reference reserved block are calculated according to the symmetrical reference table so as to determine total match scores for respective unit blocks. Consequently, the unit block having the highest match score is deemed as the reserved block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventor: Yin-Ying Chen
  • Patent number: 8208760
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image resolution adjustment method comprising the steps of: performing a predetermined selection rule to select one of scaling modes based on a source resolution Vi and a display resolution Vo to generate a scaling value set for outputting a scaled image; and determining whether a smoothing process to determine whether or not the scaled image is smoothed based on application requirements, wherein the scaling modes comprises a first scaling mode, a second scaling mode and a third scaling mode to generate each of the corresponding scaling value set, respectively. The scaling value set is provided to generate replicated pixels or lines for each pixel or line of the source image during a horizontal or vertical scaling period, and the replicated pixels or lines are arranged in horizontal or vertical symmetry in relation to its central region of the source image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Chi Lin Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kuan-Yi Wu
  • Patent number: 8209135
    Abstract: A defect detected by a wafer inspection tool is reliably captured by a defect review tool. A defect review condition in the defect review tool is varied depending on defect attributes provided by the wafer inspection tool so as to optimize the review process. For example, review magnification is varied depending on the size of the defect, or the frame addition number is varied depending on the maximum gray level difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Funakoshi, Junko Konishi, Yuko Kariya, Noritsugu Takahashi, Fumiaki Endo
  • Patent number: 8204328
    Abstract: A method for simultaneously optimizing a digital image taken in or through a scattering medium and obtaining information regarding optical properties of the scattering medium is provided. Data of the digital image is received by a computer. The digital image is evaluated according to an objective image quality metric and a resulting image quality value is compared to a previously stored image quality value for the image. A revised optical transfer function is derived by modeling the optical properties of the medium to be used to generate a restored digital image, which is derived from the original image and the revised optical transfer function. The restored digital image is evaluated according to the objective image quality metric and an optimized restored image is identified. The optical properties associated with the optical transfer function producing the optimized restored image are retrieved and represent a close approximation of the true optical properties of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Wellin Hou, Alan Weidemann
  • Patent number: 8200046
    Abstract: A high resolution image of a scene or object is generated by collecting a plurality of images, enhancing the plurality of images to produce a sequence of enhanced images, registering the sequence of enhanced images, accumulating the intensities of the registered sequence of enhanced images to produce a composite image, and enhancing the composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: DRS RSTA, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene L. Cloud, Harry C. Lee, Richard A. Manville
  • Patent number: 8199154
    Abstract: Herein described is a method and system of displaying low resolution graphics onto a high resolution display. The low resolution graphics may be displayed using one or more displayable maps or surfaces, each of which is defined by way of one or more parameters. The display may comprise a monitor, television set, or set top box, capable of displaying at a particular resolution. In one or more representative embodiments, the various aspects of the invention permit scaling the low resolution graphics onto the high resolution display by way of using the one or more displayable maps or surfaces such that the graphics data is properly displayed on the higher resolution display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Steven (Yao-Hua) Tseng
  • Patent number: 8200044
    Abstract: An image analyser analyses regions of an image. An image scaler may then scale the image adaptively, in dependence on the nature of region of the image being scaled. In one embodiment, adjacent pixels are analysed to determine their frequency content. This frequency analysis provides an indication of whether the pixels likely contain hard edges, discontinuities or variations typical of computer generated graphics. As a result of the analysis, the type of scaling suited for scaling the image portion containing the pixels may be assessed. Adjacent pixels having high frequency components may be scaled by a scaling circuit that introduces limited ringing. Adjacent pixels having lower frequency components may be scaled using a higher-order multi-tap scaler. Resulting scaled pixels may be formed as a blended combination of the two different scaling techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Edward George Callway
  • Patent number: 8195009
    Abstract: This invention makes it possible to obtain an enlarged image while suppressing noise and maintaining the sharpness of an original image only by setting a simple enlargement ratio without no special knowledge. Original image data (Ia) is enlarged in accordance with a set enlargement ratio (E) to generate an enlarged image (IA). The enlarged image (IA) is smoothed by using a smoothing filter with a size depending on the enlargement ratio (E) to generate smoothed image data (IB). Difference image data (IC) is generated by calculating the difference between the enlarged image data (IA) and the smoothed image data (IB). The generated difference image data is multiplied by an emphasis coefficient. The product is added to the enlarged image data, thereby obtaining image data (IS) that has undergone enlargement/unsharp masking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Hanamoto, Kiyoshi Kusama
  • Patent number: 8189953
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a thinning-out section generating thinned-out line data of thinned-out data constituted by a plurality of the thinned-out line data, the thinned-out data being obtained by thinning out wide-field image data with distortion captured using a wide-angle lens, and sequentially outputting the thinned-out line data at every predetermined timing, a switching section performing switching from an output of the wide-field image data to an output of the thinned-out line data in response to the predetermined timing, and a buffer temporarily storing the wide-field image data and the thinned-out data constituted by the plurality of thinned-out data outputted after the switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, OPT Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Kamiya, Masayuki Ito
  • Patent number: 8189927
    Abstract: A method of face categorization and annotation of a face image library includes automatically cropping a face within an acquired digital image or removing one or more non-facial items from the digital image, or both, and thereby generating a full-size face image. The full-size face image is stored with other indicia identifying a person corresponding to the face in a face image library of an embedded device such as a mobile camera phone or other handheld camera device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Peter Corcoran, Eric Zarakov, Petronel Bigioi
  • Patent number: 8184922
    Abstract: A digital filter configuration for the filtration of a digital video signal, wherein the functions of a zoom filter, in the form of a low-pass filter, which is a polyphase filter, and of at least one peaking filter, in the form of a high-pass filter, are realized, wherein the functions of the two filters are realized in a combined filter (1-17) in an integrated circuit in a manner such that, for each phase of the zoom filter to be set, combined filter coefficients are calculated from filter coefficients stored for this phase of the zoom filter and from filter coefficients stored for the peaking filter, which combined filter coefficients are applied to the video data to be filtered in a filtration process, so that both filtration functions are executed with the combined filter coefficients in this filtration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Trident Microsystems (Far East) Ltd.
    Inventor: Frank Matschullat
  • Patent number: 8179560
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided for realizing a higher speed print-out of a scan image. It is determined whether an input data type stored in metadata of document data is PDL or not (S1609). If the input data type is “full-page image”, page data is divided into blocks and a thread is allotted to each of the blocks (S1608). If the input data type is not “full-page image”, the process goes to S1603. Subsequently, DL data is generated from vector data in the document, the DL data is added to the document, and the DL data is rendered into a bit map (S1603 to S1605). If the threads are processed by a plurality of processors, respectively, it becomes possible to carry out the processing in parallel and thereby to realize higher speed processing, when the input data type is “full page image”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Hino
  • Patent number: 8180179
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including an area sensor unit reading image data items corresponding to frames from an original image, a correction unit correcting the inclinations of the image data items, a high-resolution conversion unit acquiring image data with a resolution higher than the pixel sensor's resolution through interpolation, a maximum frame number storage unit storing data of the maximum number of frames of the acquired image data items, a resolution setting unit setting a resolution for outputting the original image, a necessary frame number acquisition unit acquiring the number of frames necessary to perform the high resolution conversion based on the setting result, a read frequency calculation unit calculating the frequency of reading the original image through the necessary frame number acquisition unit and the maximum frame number storage unit, and a read frequency control unit reading the determined frequency and the original image is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mizuki Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8179568
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for minimizing dot visibility in color marking devices capable of dot-on-dot printing. The present method achieves minimum dot visibility for a given dispersed-dot screen by performing a CMYK to CMYKRGB conversion which uses less visible dots as much as possible before more visible dots are introduced. The output color dot coverages are calculated sequentially to minimize the coverage of more visible dots in a decreasing order of brightness. Resulting images have noticeably reduced halftone graininess, particularly in the mid to darker tone areas. The present method is also computationally efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Zhen He
  • Patent number: 8179445
    Abstract: A method for producing an improved high resolution image is disclosed including capturing low resolution images and a high resolution image; combining the low resolution images to provide an aggregate low resolution image; reducing the resolution of the high resolution image and then interpolated to produce a blurred high resolution image; calculating an image difference map using the aggregate high resolution image and blurred high resolution image; and using the image difference map along with the aggregate high resolution image and the high resolution image to produce an improved high resolution image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Wei Hao
  • Patent number: 8175417
    Abstract: A disclosed pixel interpolation apparatus for converting an image to a predetermined resolution includes a first interpolating part configured to calculate a first interpolation pixel value by performing high order interpolation using pixel values of plural first reference pixels and a distance between the plural first reference pixels and a first interpolation pixel; a second interpolating part configured to calculate a second interpolation pixel value by performing weighted interpolation using pixel values of plural second reference pixels, an edge gradient of the second reference pixels, and the distance between the second reference pixels and a second interpolation pixel; an overshoot area detecting part configured to detect an overshoot area in the image; and an interpolation pixel selecting part configured to determine whether to perform the high order interpolation or the weighted interpolation according to a detection result of the overshoot area detecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kohji Yamada, Mari Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8170376
    Abstract: A super-resolution device and method for setting at least one of a plurality of pixels included in image data as target pixels, the image data including pixels arranged in a screen and pixel values representing brightness, an area including the target pixel and peripheral pixels as a target area, and an area for searching pixel value change patterns in the target pixel area; calculating a difference between a first change pattern and second change pattern; comparing a difference between the first and second change patterns; calculating a pixel value of a super-resolution image having a number of pixels larger than a number of pixels included in the image data on the basis of a decimal-accuracy-vector, an extrapolated vector, and pixel values obtained from the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Takashi Ida, Hidenori Takeshima, Yasunori Taguchi, Kenzo Isogawa
  • Patent number: 8164601
    Abstract: A graphics integrated circuit chip is used in a set-top box for controlling a television display. The graphics chip processes analog video input, digital video input, and graphics input. The chip includes a single polyphase filter that preferably provides both anti-flutter filtering and scaling of graphics. Anti-flutter filtering may help reduce display flicker due to the interlaced nature of television displays. The scaling of graphics may be used to convert the normally square pixel aspect ratio of graphics to the normally rectangular pixel aspect ratio of video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, James T. Patterson, Greg A. Kranawetter
  • Publication number: 20120092517
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided which capture an image with a first resolution. A detail (32) of the image is selected, and the image is downscaled to a lower resolution, where the detail (32) is added to the image with a higher resolution than the resolution of the remaining image. The thus formed combined image is then transmitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS AB
    Inventor: Olof Wickström
  • Patent number: 8159615
    Abstract: A system and method of geometrical predistortion of a graphical source signal is provided in which the graphical source signal is merged with an input video signal for display on a display device. The input video signal is received at a hardware scaler device and a predistorted video signal is generated there from. A warping map is calculated using a programmed processor and a graphics source signal is then predistorted, in software, using the warping map to generate a warped graphical overlay signal. The predistorted video signal from the hardware scaler is then merged with the warped graphical overlay signal from the programmed processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sigma Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Gheorghe Berbecel
  • Publication number: 20120086850
    Abstract: A method implementable on a computing device includes exploiting data redundancy to combine high frequency information from at least two different scales of an input signal to generate a super resolution version of said input signal. An alternative method includes exploiting recurrence of data from an input signal in at least two different scales of at least one reference signal to extract and to combine high frequency information from a plurality of scales of said at least one reference signal to generate a super resolution version of said input signal. An alternative method includes generating a super resolution version of a single input video sequence in at least the temporal dimension by exploiting data recurrence within the input video sequence or with respect to an external database of example video sequences. A signal may be an image, a video sequence, an audio signal, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: YEDA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michal Irani, Daniel Glasner, Oded Shahar, Shai Bagon
  • Patent number: 8150214
    Abstract: A method and a processing device may be provided for discovering and constructing multi-resolution images. Content, including an image, may be obtained from a specified address via a network and rendered to a display monitor of the processing device. The processing device may attempt to discover a second image, corresponding to the image included in the obtained content, but with a different resolution than a resolution of the image included in the obtained content. If the second image is discovered, the second image and the image included in the obtained content may be linked to create a multi-resolution image. If the image included in the content rendered to the display monitor is enlarged beyond a threshold, the rendered image may become pixelated. A high resolution image corresponding to and linked to the rendered image may be blended into the enlarged rendered image to eliminate pixelation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karim Taji Farouki, Blaise Hilary Aguera-Arcas
  • Patent number: 8144943
    Abstract: A plurality of collation patterns having different resolutions are generated from an original collation pattern which includes a plurality of local regions. Subject reliabilities for individual local regions are calculated based on local features of the local regions in the collation patterns having different resolutions. In accordance with the subject reliabilities for individual local regions, it is determined that the original collation pattern includes a specific image of a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Yashiro, Kotaro Yano, Yumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8144166
    Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for improving output rendering in anti-aliased rendering scenarios. A pixel snapping mode of operation is turned on and off to improve output rendering. When the system detects that an animation has started, the pixel snapping mode is turned off, and when the system detects that the animation has stopped, the pixel snapping mode is resumed. Techniques for providing a smooth transition can be used when turning pixel snapping on. One example of a transition technique includes turning off pixel snapping when an animation begins by immediately lowering the strength of an effect of the pixel snapping mode to zero. Another example includes turning on pixel snapping when the animation finishes by raising the strength of the effect of the pixel snapping mode over a period of time until the strength is full strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mikhail M. Lyapunov, Seema L. Ramchandani, Timothy P. Cahill
  • Patent number: 8139898
    Abstract: An image processing device includes an image acquisition module, a memory module, and an image signal processing module, for performing an image enlargement and enhancement. The image acquisition module sequentially reads in an image block, including a unit pixel matrix and an exterior pixel matrix, wherein each pixel matrix includes a plurality of pixels and each pixel is associated with a parameter. The memory module stores a plurality of predefined edge patterns. The image signal processing module compares a loaded image block with predefined edge patterns, and determines if it is an edge block. Then, the image signal processing module further classifies its pixels into two groups, and calculates a continuous separating boundary between the two groups. Finally, the image signal processing module enlarges an edge block by placing new pixels inside its unit pixel matrix, wherein the new pixel parameters are extrapolated from the two classified pixel groups to maintain a sharp edge boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Jen-Hui Chuang, Szu-Hui Wu, Horng-Horng Lin, Shih-Shiung Huang, Yao-Jen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8139899
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing resolution of video images are disclosed. Vectors may be produced based on a sequence of video frames. Low dimensional vectors may be produced from the vectors. Groups of at least two of the low dimensional vectors may be interpolated to produce respective low dimensional interpolated vectors. Each of the low dimensional vectors and the interpolated low dimensional vectors may be mapped, according to a model, to obtain dimensionally increased image information. Aspects of the image information may be included in corresponding video frames and corresponding interpolated video frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruei-Sung Lin, Boaz Super
  • Patent number: 8139897
    Abstract: An image processing device includes an acquiring unit that acquires, from image data, processing image data having a first resolution in a first direction and a second resolution in a second direction different from the first direction; a receiving unit that receives input of a first theoretical resolution in the first direction and a second theoretical resolution in the second direction; and a tilt detecting unit that detects tilt of the image data in accordance with the processing image data and the first theoretical resolution and the second theoretical resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Keiji Kojima
  • Patent number: 8135234
    Abstract: There are provided methods and apparatus for edge-based spatio-temporal filtering. An apparatus for filtering a sequence of pictures includes a spatial filter, a motion compensator, a deblocking filter, and a temporal filter. The spatial filter is for spatially filtering a picture in the sequence and at least one reference picture selected from among previous pictures and subsequent pictures in the sequence with respect to the picture. The motion compensator, in signal communication with the spatial filter, is for forming, subsequent to spatial filtering, multiple temporal predictions for the picture from the at least one reference picture. The deblocking filter, in signal communication with the motion compensator, is for deblock filtering the multiple temporal predictions. The temporal filter, in signal communication with the deblocking filter, is for temporally filtering the multiple temporal predictions and combining the multiple temporal predictions to generate a noise reduced version of the picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Jill MacDonald Boyce
  • Patent number: 8135237
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide noise reduction in a demosaiced digital image by processing the digitized signals received from a color pattern pixel array for noise reduction previous to, or as part of, a demosaicing process by using a weight matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Shuxue Quan
  • Patent number: 8131082
    Abstract: A position and an area of a region to be processed, that is, a region from which image feature parameters are to be extracted, are obtained, and the number of pixels required for obtaining the usable image feature parameters is determined in accordance with types of the image feature parameters to be extracted. Then, a required resolution is calculated in accordance with the determined number of pixels and the area of the region to be processed, an image having a minimum resolution which is equal to or higher than the required resolution and which is usable to extract the usable image feature parameters is selected, and the image feature parameters are extracted from a region to be processed in the selected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Matsushita, Hirotaka Shiiyama, Kazuyo Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8131116
    Abstract: The resolution of an image of an object is increased. The illumination equation parameters of the object are estimated, and a resolution-increasing process is performed on the estimated illumination equation parameters. Then, the resolution-increased illumination equation parameters are synthesized together to produce a high-resolution image. If there is a pixel for which the estimation precision of the estimated illumination equation parameters does not satisfy a predetermined precision, the illumination equation parameters are estimated again while feeding back the resolution-increased illumination equation parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Motomura, Katsuhiro Kanamori, Satoshi Sato