Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Variable threshold – gain – or slice level
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-04-17
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2724)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Variable threshold, gain, or slice level
C382S172000, C382S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219460
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information recording medium, such as paper on which so-called multimedia information including audio information, such as speech and music, video information obtainable from a camera, video equipment and the like, digital code data obtainable from a personal computer, a word processor and the like has been recorded as a two-dimensional code pattern which can optically be read, an information recording apparatus for recording the two-dimensional code pattern on the information recording medium and information reproduction system which optically reads the code pattern to reproduce original multimedia information.
Hitherto, a variety of mediums including magnetic tapes and optical disks have been known as mediums for recording speech, music and the like. However, even if a multiplicity of copies of the foregoing mediums are manufactured, the somewhat costly unit price cannot be reduced. Moreover, an excessively large space is required to store the copies. What is worse, in a case where the medium, on which speech has been recorded must be sent to a remote person, labor and time takes wastefully even if it is mailed or directly transported. Also so-called multimedia information including video information obtainable from camera, video equipment and the like and digital code data obtainable from a personal computer, word processor and the like except audio information encounters similar problems.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, the applicant of the present invention has, in EP 0,670,555A1 (corresponding to U.S. Ser. No. 08/407,018) disclosed a system for recording, on an information recording medium such as paper, multimedia information including at least any one of audio information, video information and digital code data as image information which can be facsimiled and which can be copied in a large quantity with a low cost, that is, in the form of a two-dimensional code pattern formed by two-dimensionally disposing a plurality of dots serving as encoded information, and a system for reproducing the two-dimensional code pattern.
The two-dimensional code pattern disclosed above is formed as shown in FIG.
1
. That is,
FIGS. 1A-1C
correspond to FIG. 16 of EP 0,670,555A1 and shows a dot code
170
(see
FIG. 1A
) serving as a two-dimensional code pattern. Area A of
FIG. 1
is shown in
FIG. 1B
the data format of the dot code
170
is structured such that one block
172
(see
FIG. 1C
) comprise a marker
174
, a block address
176
, an error detection and error correction data
178
and a data area
180
in which actual data is set. The blocks
172
are two-dimensionally arranged in the longitudinal and lateral directions to form a dot code
170
.
FIG. 2
corresponds to FIG. 17 of EP 0,670,555A1 and shows the structure of an apparatus for reproducing multimedia information. The information reproducing apparatus comprises a detection section
184
for reading a dot code from a sheet
182
on which the dot code
170
is printed, a scan conversion section
186
which recognizes image data supplied from the detection section
184
as a dot code to normalize image data above, a binarizing section
188
for binarizing multivalue data, a demodulating section
190
, an adjustment section
192
for adjusting data row, a data error correction section
194
for correcting a read error when data is reproduced and a data error, a data separation section
196
for separating data in accordance with the attitude of data, a decompression processing section for decompressing data compressed to be adaptable to the attitude of data, a display section or a reproducing section or another input device.
In the detection section
184
, the dot code
170
on the sheet
182
is irradiated with light emitted from a light source
198
, and reflected light is allowed to pass through an image forming optical system
200
having lenses and the like and a spatial filter
202
arranged to, for example, remove moire and the like, and then supplied to an image pickup section
204
arranged to convert optical information into an electric signal and comprising, for example, a CCD or a CMD so as to be detected as an image signal. The image signal is amplified by a preamplifier
206
. The light source
198
, image forming optical system
200
, spatial filter
202
, image pickup section
204
and the preamplifier
206
are accommodated in an external light insulating section
208
for insulating disturbance caused by external light. The image signal amplified by the preamplifier
206
is converted into digital information by an A/D conversion section
210
, and then supplied to the following scan conversion section
186
.
Note that the image pickup section
204
is controlled by a image pickup section control section
212
. In an example case where an inter-line type CCD is employed to serve as the image pickup section
204
, the image pickup section control section
212
transmits control signals including a V blank signal for vertical synchronization, an image pickup device reset pulse signal for resetting information charge, a charge transfer gate pulse signal for transmitting charges stored in charge transfer storage sections arranged two-dimensionally, a horizontal charge transfer CLK signal which is a transfer clock signal for a horizontal shift register for transferring a charge in the horizontal direction to transmit the same to the outside, a vertical charge transfer pulse signal for transferring the plurality of vertical shift register charges into a vertical direction to transfer the same to the horizontal shift register and the like.
The image pickup section control section
212
supplies a light emission cell control pulse to keep light emission timing of the light source
198
in synchronization with the timing of the transmission of the signals.
Image data is read in a period from a V blank to another V blank in one field. The light source
198
does not continuously emit light but it emits light pulses with synchronization in field units. To prevent introduction of clock noise into the output is when the pulse is emitted, timing is controlled in such a manner that exposure is performed during the V blank period, that is, a period in which the image charge is not transmitted. That is, the light emission cell control pulse is a very thin digital clock pulse which is generated instantaneously and thus supplies great electric power to the power source. Therefore, any contrivance is required to prevent unintentional introduction of noise into the analog image signal. Thus, the light source is caused to emit pulse light beams in the V blank period. As a result, S/N can be improved. The pulse light emission causing the time in which light is emitted to be shortened is significantly effective in eliminating influence of shake occurring when a manual scanning operation is performed and out of focus caused from movement of the image pickup section
204
. As a result, a high speed scanning operation can be performed.
In order to prevent deterioration in the S/N ratio because of disturbance, such as external light, in spite of existence of the external light insulating section
208
when, for example, the reproducing apparatus has been inclined, a pulse for resetting the image pickup device is transmitted immediately before the light source
198
emits light in the V blank period to reset the signal of the image. Immediately after the signal has been reset, light is emitted, and immediately after the light emission, image data is read.
The scan conversion section
186
will now be described. The scan conversion section
186
is a section which recognizes image data supplied from the detection section
184
as a dot code so as to normalize the dot code. The recognition and normalization are performed as follows: initially, image data supplied from the detection section
184
is stored in an image memory
214
, and then image data above is read out and supplied to a marker detection section
216
. The marker detection section
216
detects a
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
Olympus Optical Co,. Ltd.
Rogers Scott
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