249 results about "Color plane" patented technology

An apparatus and method for image data compression performs a modified zero-tree coding on a range of image bit plane values from the largest to a defined smaller value, and a vector quantizer codes the remaining values and lossless coding is performed on the results of the two coding steps. The defined smaller value can be adjusted iteratively to meet a preselected compressed image size criterion or to meet a predefined level of image quality, as determined by any suitable metric. If the image to be compressed is in RGB color space, the apparatus converts the RGB image to a less redundant color space before commencing further processing.

A lossless image encoding/decoding method and apparatus. The lossless color image encoding apparatus includes a motion prediction image generator estimating a motion between a previous image and a current image and outputting a corresponding prediction image, a residue generator generating a temporal residue corresponding to a difference between a prediction image generated by the motion prediction image generator and the corresponding block of the current image with respect to different components of the color image, a prediction residue generator generating prediction residues by defining a linear-transformed value of one residue among the different components of the color image output from the residue generator as a predictor and using differences between each of the residues of the other components and the predictor, and an entropy encoder receiving the residue forming the predictor from the residue generator and the prediction residues from the prediction residue generator and generating a bitstream. Encoding methods, decoding apparatuses, and decoding methods can be implemented similarly.

A bad pixel correction (BPC) algorithm that can be implemented on the image sensor chip is provided for detecting and correcting defective pixels in a digital color image sensor. Gradients of neighboring pixels in at least one other color plane than the color plane of a current pixel and a range of sensor values from neighboring pixels in the same color plane as the current pixel are determined. If the sensor value of the current pixel is outside of the range by a threshold amount that is calculated using one or more of the gradients, the current pixel is determined to be a defective pixel, and replaced using the sensor values of the neighboring pixels in the same color plane.

An adaptive demosaicing method is disclosed that interpolates images based on color edge detection and neighborhood voting. The adaptive demosaicing algorithm uses a voting scheme to determine the direction of interpolation at each missing luminance pixel location. Each color plane votes either horizontal or vertical based on a comparison between the vertical and horizontal components of the degree of change (i.e., gradient, Laplacian or other measure of the degree of change) in that color plane. Votes are counted from the neighborhood pixels as well as from measurements taken at the pixel location itself. Once the luminance plane is fully interpolated, the chrominance planes are filled in by a simple bilinear or median interpolation of difference chrominance values. Enhancements to the adaptive demosaicing algorithm permit adaptive smoothing and sharpening.

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.

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.

This invention more effectively suppresses color fringing in a color image by image processing. An image processing method includes estimating the degree of color fringing in a color image based on the color image that is generated by photo-electrically converting an object image and formed from a plurality of color planes. The method also includes removing from the color image the estimated degree of color fringing.

Disclosed are methods of halftoning images having multiple color planes using error diffusion techniques, and incorporating both error information from the previously-processed color planes of a pixel, and error information from a previously process pixel of yet-to-be processed color planes.

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method of using hue to interpolate color pixel signals includes the following. For a particular pixel location in a subsampled color image, differences in hue are compared for two mutually orthogonal directions across the particular pixel location. A color signal value for that particular pixel location for a color plane other than the color plane of the pixel signal value in the subsampled color image of that location is computed. The computation includes relatively weighing the differences in hue values, the relative weights depending, at least in part, on the difference in hue value in one direction relative to the other.

A system and method for motion compensation of color sequential displays, receiving a motion image data input, extracting an estimate of a motion of an image portion represented in said image data input with a motion estimator, and calculating, for a time instance of display of each image subframe of an image frame, a compensated representation for reducing display artifacts with a processor, wherein each subframe represents a different aspect of the image frame. The subframes are preferably different color planes of the image frame. The processor preferably performs a bilinear interpolation where the compensated image boundary does not fall on a display pixel boundary. The motion compensation algorithm is preferably robust in the face of erroneous motion vectors. The system and method is advantageously used in single panel liquid crystal display projection systems, although the techniques are applicable to various image display technologies.

A method and apparatus for color plane interpolation are provided which interpolates the color values of pixels differently depending on an edge direction and whether a pixel is at an edge within an image. The use of the edge detection during the interpolation of each of the colors present in the color pattern helps reduce some of the disadvantages of the loss of image sharpness abundant in known demosaicing techniques.

An inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead having a plurality of color planes for ejecting a plurality of different inks. Each color plane has a nozzle row defined in a nozzle face of the printhead and each nozzle in a respective color plane is supplied with a same ink. The printhead is plumbed such that a first color plane ejecting a first ink having a relatively low luminance is sandwiched between second and third color planes ejecting respective second and third inks having a relatively high luminance A plurality of ink reservoirs are in fluid communication with the printhead, the ink reservoirs containing the first, second and third inks. An amount of surfactant in the first ink is at least 0.4 wt % greater than an amount of surfactant in the second and third inks.

An image processor (14) supporting very high-speed printing. The image processor (14) preferably has two separate connections to a source (12) of the image being printed, e.g., a printer control bus (34) and an image data bus (36). The image processor (14) preferably accepts images from the image source (12) in commonly known graphics file formats, such as the well-known 24-bit, uncompressed TIFF file format. The image processor (14) is a multiprocessor implementation. Preferably, one processor (30) coordinates or “orchestrates” control of the printing system and handshaking with the image source via the printer control bus (34) and the other processor (32) functions as a raster image processor (RIP) processor (52) and accepts and stores images into the printer environment from the image source (12) via the image data bus (36). The RIP processor (52) preferably performs color separation on the image into color planes and transmits each color plane to a separate processing path from that point on in the imaging chain. Each color plane preferably has a separate imaging path out from a shared image data bus (62). This separate path for each color plane preferably includes a band manager (54), a print engine or nozzle controller (60), and a print head (58).

Systems and methods are provided for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image using a look-up table, wherein the look-up table stores information correlating a plurality of compression ratios to a set of compression parameters and wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of image components, each image component associated with a distinct color plane. The plurality of color planes may be ranked using a dominance rank, wherein the dominance rank for a color plane is based on image component data associated with the color plane. At least one compression ratio may be associated with each color plane based on the dominance rank associated with the color plane. At least one image component may be compressed according to the compression ratio associated with the color plane corresponding to the image component using compression parameters obtained from the look-up table. The compression ratio may be iteratively adjusted, until the total data size of the plurality of image components is below a data size threshold.

The present invention is a method and system for mixed resolution, multi-channel color image processing including compression, transmission and decompression. The color information is defined at a lower resolution since colors generally do not change at a high frequency and higher compression ratios may be obtained with the lower resolution. The edge information contains the commands switch between the foreground and background colors. The edge information occurs at high resolution and high frequency rates relative to the color information. The lower resolution color planes can be pixel replicated to the resolution of the edge information after compression and decompression for proper edge selection to occur. The resulting reconstructed image of foreground and background colors retains high detail.

Scanning devices and method of use that permit the capture of high resolution images of an original that is illuminated by a light source that is located outside of the optical field of view of an image detector. In one aspect, the image detector may be a monochrome sensor that sequentially captures different color plane images of an original that is illuminated by different colors. The different color plane images may be processed to generate a full color copy of the original. Light and images may be directed through tapered optical waveguides to minimize the volume of the scanning device. The image detector may include a first associated waveguide while the light source may include a second associated waveguide.

A trapping determination process section calculates edge intensities in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction of each pixel by using differential filters for each color plane. The trapping determination process section determines, for at least two color planes, whether there is a pixel where the absolute values of the edge intensities are equal to or greater than a threshold and the edge intensities take positive and negative values, respectively. When such a pixel exists, the trapping determination process section calculates color differences between this pixel and the average values of the pixel values in an increment direction region and a decrement direction region, and determines a direction in which the color difference is smaller to be a similar color direction. The trapping determination process section determines, on the basis of the similar color direction, whether or not to perform a trapping process, and performs the trapping process.

A method and apparatus for image classification includes a first embodiment, in which halftone detection is performed based on the size of a boundary set between a class of light pixels and a class of dark pixels, and further based upon image information contained within each single image plane (i.e within one color plane). This embodiment of the invention is based upon the distinctive property of images that halftone areas within the image have larger boundary sets than non-halftone areas within the image. A second, equally preferred embodiment of the invention provides a cross color difference correlation technique that is used to detect halftone pixels.