Image Processing Device Reducing Image Size via Pixel Block Averaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing techniques, such as the pixel-averaging algorithm, struggle to achieve high-quality image reduction while maintaining a fast processing speed, particularly when using the lowest common multiple method, which often results in impractically large expansion sizes and slow processing rates compared to methods like the nearest neighbor or bilinear algorithms.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device and program that divides each pixel of the source image into (nDev×nDev) division blocks, where nDev is an integer greater than or equal to two, and calculates average pixel values based on these blocks to reduce the image without expanding the source image size, optimizing the division number to fit within the processing capacity of the CPU to enhance processing speed and image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the pixel-averaging algorithm is used to reduce image size, then image quality is improved, but processing speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the source image into multiple blocks and processes each block independently to calculate average pixel values for the reduced image. This segmentation approach allows parallel processing of different image regions, maintaining the quality benefits of pixel-averaging while significantly improving processing speed through divided computation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent calculates average pixel values only for the specific blocks that correspond to pixels in the reduced image, rather than processing the entire source image uniformly. This partial action approach focuses computational resources only where needed, improving efficiency while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Manufacturing precision

If the lowest common multiple method is used to expand the source image before averaging, then image quality is improved, but the expanded image size becomes impractically large

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidexpanded image size

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of expanding the source image to the lowest common multiple and then averaging (as in conventional methods), the patent inverts the approach by directly calculating average pixel values from the original source image blocks. This inversion eliminates the need for impractical image expansion while preserving the quality benefits of averaging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the necessary block information from the source image that corresponds to the reduced image dimensions, rather than expanding the entire image to the lowest common multiple. This extraction approach obtains the required data for quality averaging without the overhead of creating and processing an excessively large expanded image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Manufacturing precision

If the lowest common multiple method is used to expand the source image, then image quality is improved, but processing time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary division of the source image into blocks and pre-calculates which blocks correspond to reduced image pixels before performing averaging. This preliminary organization of data avoids the time-consuming expansion to lowest common multiple and enables direct, efficient calculation of average pixel values, significantly reducing processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By segmenting the source image into blocks and processing them independently for averaging, the patent eliminates the need to expand the entire image to the lowest common multiple. This segmentation allows direct computation of average values from original image data, maintaining quality while dramatically reducing the processing time associated with large-scale image expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7706619B2Image processing device that produces high-quality reduced image at fast processing speed

Publication Date: 2010.04.27 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

A reduction-ratio acquiring section acquires a reduction ratio for reducing a source image into an output image. A division-number determining section determines a division number nDev for dividing each pixel constituting the source image into (nDev×nDev) division blocks, where nDev is an integer that is greater than or equal to two. A process-block-number calculating section calculates, based on the reduction ratio, a number of division blocks corresponding to a single pixel in the output image. An average-pixel-value calculating section calculates, for the single pixel, an average pixel value based on pixel values of the division blocks. The pixel values of the division blocks are pixels values of corresponding pixels in the source image. A repeating section allows the process-block-number calculating section and the average-pixel-value calculating section to repeat same processes for each pixel in the output image, thereby obtaining an entire output image.