Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Artifact removal or suppression
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-15
2004-11-09
Mehta, Bhavesh M. (Department: 2625)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Artifact removal or suppression
C382S141000, C382S165000, C382S274000, C358S003260, C358S504000, C358S518000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816625
ABSTRACT:
PARTIAL WAIVER OF COPYRIGHT
All of the material in this patent application is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other countries. As of the first effective filing date of the present application, this material is protected as unpublished material.
However, permission to copy this material is hereby granted to the extent that the copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentation or patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related in the general area of image capture and processing systems where images of objects are obtained using cameras, computers, and lighting systems that are then processed through software for a variety of measurement and control applications.
Various distortions inherent in cameras, lenses, mounting and lighting systems produce inaccuracies between the object and its stored image thus limiting applications of image capture and image processing where accurate measurement and control of objects is required.
The present invention provides a means for the measurement and correction of all combined geometric distortions of a camera, lens, lighting and computer system that produce a distortion free computer image at the correct magnification that is an exact duplication of the object from which the computer image is generated. The present invention eliminates distortions that are inherent in cameras, all types of lenses and lens systems including fixed and zoom lens, with all lighting systems and will in addition correct distortions that occur due to alignment errors in cameras and lens systems.
The present invention has further application in the field of inspection and control where images from any number of different sources must be compared on a minute pixel to pixel basis. The sources can be but are not limited to images obtained from different cameras, lenses and lighting systems, and computer digital files. These images are all corrected for distortion and are scaled to the same magnification using the present invention disclosed within this disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of computerized image processing, images of objects are generally captured and stored in computer memory. The image of an object is usually first digitized using a CCD type linear or area camera with a fixed or variable field of view zoom lens. The object is illuminated with various types of lighting systems including continuous illumination such as provided with an incandescence or halogen lamp and or high intensity very short duration lighting such as provided by a xenon flash tubes or other light source.
Each of these components (cameras, lens, lighting systems and camera-lens mounting) introduce various types of distortions that prevent an accurate geometric representation between the object and the stored image of the object. These inaccuracies or geometric distortions limit the use of image capture and processing where accurate measurement and control of objects is required.
The present invention also discloses a method for measuring and correcting all of the geometric distortions to be described under Prior Art. The present invention thus provides a means for implementing a multitude of new image processing applications where accurate measurement and control are required. A number of applications that employ the present invention will be described in this disclosure.
A secondary major advantage of the present invention is that it provides a means for significant cost reduction of all components used in image capture systems. It enables the use of increased manufacturing tolerances such as less accurate prisms, and location of CCD chips on the prisms, lower cost material such as plastic lenses and the elimination of multiple substrates used in chromatic correction in lenses to name a few. The resulting distortions and accuracy will still be considerably more preferable when using the present invention with lower cost components as compared with the prior art technologies.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Overview
In the prior art the reduction of distortions has focused on a method for the reduction of each individual distortion by concentrating on its cause with the introduction of changes that focus on the reduction of the magnitude of the distortion. Some approaches have included changing or improving processes, changing or selecting different materials, improvements in mechanical and electrical design and improved assembly techniques.
Open Loop Correction
These prior art approaches to the reduction of distortions are what can be referred to as open loop solutions. That is, a change is made in a device that reduces the magnitude of a particular distortion. All future devices that incorporate this change will then exhibit the same degree of improvement.
Closed Loop Correction
The present invention provides a closed loop solution to the measurement and correction for all causes of image distortion. These corrections are then made to every pixel every time a new image is captured thus providing a geometrically perfect (or near perfect) image.
RELEVANT PATENTS
The prior art contains a plethora of patents in regards to image correction. Some of interest in discussing the present invention are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,982 issued to Everett Truman Eiselen on Aug. 24, 1976 for APPARATUS FOR IMAGE MANIPULATION that discloses a rudimentary system capable of scaling and manipulating a digital image.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,599 issued to Bruce Zimring on Dec. 10, 1985 for CALIBRATION AND ALIGNMENT TARGET PLATE that discloses a rudimentary target calibration plate used for microscopic analysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,762 issued to Stanley N. Lapidus, et. al., on Apr. 8, 1986 for VISION INSPECTION SYSTEM that discloses a vision inspection system that permits comparison of selected regions of a known object to an unknown object.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,808 issued to Rick Sayre on Dec. 29, 1992 for METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NON-AFFINE IMAGE WARPING that discloses a system that permits arbitrary warping of an image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,237 issued to You-keun Park on Mar. 15, 1994 for IMAGE ROTATION METHOD AND IMAGE ROTATION PROCESSING APPARATUS that discloses a system for image rotation and image processing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,803 issued to Charles C. Stearns, et. al., on Dec. 12, 1995 for METHOD FOR 2-D AFFINE TRANSFORMATION OF IMAGES that discloses a system for interleaved affine transformations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,385 issued to Charles C. Stearns, et. al. on Feb. 3, 1998 for METHOD FOR 2-D AFFINE TRANSFORMATION OF IMAGES that discloses a system for interleaved image transformations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,483 issued to David Michael, et. al., on Oct. 20, 1998 for MULTIPLE FIELD OF VIEW CALIBRATION PLATE HAVING A REGULAR ARRAY OF FEATURES FOR USE IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING that discloses a multiple field of view calibration plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,172 issued to Clarence A. Lewis, Jr., et. al., on Feb. 15, 2000 for SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ZOOM LENS CALIBRATION AND METHOD USING SAME that discloses a method to calibrate a zoom lens based on a fixed calibration plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,893 issued to David Michael, et. al., on Oct. 24, 2000 for MACHINE VISION CALIBRATION TARGETS AND METHODS OF DETERMINING THEIR LOCATION AND ORIENTATION IN AN IMAGE that discloses a machine vision method of analyzing a calibration plate having different colors, contrast, or brightness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,366 issued to Clarence A. Lewis, Jr., et. al., on Dec. 26, 2000 for SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING THE DEPOSITION OF PATTERN AND OVERALL MATERIAL COATINGS that discloses a method of optical and image processing to monitor and control the quality control of pattern and material coatin
Lewis Richard Dale
Lewis, Jr. Clarence A.
Bourque & Associates P.A.
Kassa Yosef
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