Motion Image Output Device Noise Reduction via Frame Merging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional output devices face difficulties in adjusting image files from motion image files effectively, particularly due to noise contents and the challenge of calculating appropriate adjustment parameters without considering neighboring frames.

Innovation Solution

An output device is designed with an inputting unit, extracting unit, calculating unit, and adjusting unit to input motion image files, extract chronologically continuous frame images, calculate total adjustment parameters based on these frames, and adjust the images accordingly to generate improved output images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adjustment parameters are calculated based only on the target frame image, then the adjustment process is simple and fast, but noise contents in the frame image cause inappropriate adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment appropriatenessVSAvoidparameter calculation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple frame images (target frame + neighboring frames) into a composite image for adjustment parameter calculation. This merging approach allows the system to leverage information from multiple frames to overcome noise in individual frames, thereby improving adjustment appropriateness while managing complexity through a systematic combination process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary actions by extracting and preprocessing neighboring frames before calculating adjustment parameters. The system prepares the composite image by combining multiple frames in advance, which enables more reliable parameter calculation while maintaining a structured workflow that manages computational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple neighboring frame images are extracted and processed, then noise effects are mitigated through averaging, but the processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise mitigationVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by extracting a limited number of neighboring frames (typically 1-2 frames before and after the target frame) rather than processing the entire motion image sequence. This selective extraction provides sufficient noise mitigation through averaging while keeping processing time and computational load within acceptable limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of frame selection by focusing on chronologically continuous neighboring frames with similar content characteristics. This parameter change (selecting frames with temporal proximity and content similarity) enables effective noise mitigation while reducing the number of frames that need to be processed, thereby controlling processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If adjustment parameters are calculated using only the target frame image, then processing is faster, but the adjustments are inappropriate due to noise contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidadjustment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple frame images into a composite image for parameter calculation, which improves adjustment precision by averaging out noise. The merging process is designed to be computationally efficient, maintaining acceptable processing speed while significantly improving the accuracy of adjustment parameters through the combined information from multiple frames.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Device complexity

If frame images from motion image files are adjusted without considering temporal continuity, then the adjustment process is simpler, but noise contents cannot be effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment process complexityVSAvoidnoise reduction effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of frame selection by focusing on chronologically continuous neighboring frames. This parameter change exploits the temporal continuity inherent in motion images, where adjacent frames typically contain similar content. By leveraging this temporal relationship, the system achieves effective noise reduction through averaging while keeping the adjustment process relatively simple and systematic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8831373B2Output device that adjusts images shown thereon

Publication Date: 2014.09.09 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

There is provided an output device including an inputting unit, an extracting unit, a calculating unit, an adjusting unit and an outputting unit. The inputting unit is configured to input an image file representing a motion image. The extracting unit is configured to extract, from the image file, a first frame image and at least one neighboring frame image that is chronologically continuous with the first frame image. The calculating unit is configured to calculate a total adjustment parameter for adjusting the first frame image based on the first frame image and the at least one neighboring frame image. The adjusting unit is configured to adjust the first frame image using the total adjustment parameter to generate a first adjusted output image. The outputting unit is configured to output the first adjusted output image.