Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2002-07-09
Le, Que T. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
C382S305000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06417501
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with an image processing system. More specifically, the present invention discloses an image processing system that gradually changes pixel characteristics along a predetermined direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram for a conventional image processing system
10
, and
FIG. 2
is a diagram for an image
14
in FIG.
1
. The image processing system
10
comprises memory
12
for storing programs and an unprocessed image
14
, and a processor
16
used for executing the program stored in the memory
12
.
In a conventional image processing method, 24 bits are used to represent the color of each pixel. Each of the colors, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) has 8 bits of intensity information. Although red, green and blue (RGB) color information is usually used, hue, saturation and lightness (HSL) or other methods can just as well be used to represent the color of each pixel. These methods for representing color are suitable for different circumstances.
In
FIG. 2
, the image
14
comprises a plurality of pixels
18
arranged into a matrix. The image
14
comprises an image region
20
, which comprises several pixels
22
, each with RGB parameters.
The image processing method of the image processing system
10
adjusts the RGB parameters for each pixel
22
according to a predetermined image adjusting method, and then uses a lowpass spatial filtering method or a median filtering method to adjust the RGB parameters for the entire image
14
.
With the lowpass spatial filtering method, a parameter (e.g. the red parameter) of each predetermined neighboring pixel is added together, and the sum is divided by the number of parameters thus added to get an average. The resulting average parameter replaces the parameter of each neighboring pixel. With the median filtering method, a middle value of a parameter of a predetermined number of neighboring pixels is obtained, and the middle value replaces the parameter of each neighboring pixel. Neither of these two image-adjusting methods provides a satisfactory result because they blur edges, and create subtle distortions.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of this invention to solve the above-mentioned problem by using an image processing method that deals with images in a progressive manner.
Briefly, the present invention is an image processing method that is performed in an image processing system. The image processing system comprises a memory for storing programs, an unprocessed image, and a processor for executing the programs stored in the memory. The image comprises a matrix of pixels, each pixel having a set of parameters, including hue, saturation and lightness parameters. These parameters are adjusted by gradually changing an image adjusting value outside of an image region from the edge of the image region along a predetermined direction. In this method, the image in question contains a predetermined excluded region. Parameters within this excluded region are not adjusted.
It is an advantage of the present invention that by gradually changing the image adjusting value, the method does not blur edges or create the subtle image distortions of the prior art.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5676256 (1997-10-01), Kumar et al.
Tang Chien-Hsing
Yang Po-Chin
Acer Communications and Multimedia Inc.
Hsu Winston
Le Que T.
LandOfFree
Image processing method for an image processing system... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image processing method for an image processing system..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image processing method for an image processing system... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2856488