Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Edge or contour enhancement
Reexamination Certificate
1995-03-03
2003-03-04
Mehta, Bhavesh (Department: 2611)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Edge or contour enhancement
C382S269000, C382S275000, C348S607000, C348S625000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06529637
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus and method is shown for modifying the creation and/or presentation of image information displayed, printed or created on a raster or matrix image or graphic display or printer, thereby increasing the apparent image quality. Means for deriving a plurality of neighboring image elements or elements of the video signal which neighbor in time or space to a common location, and means for determining the image elements replication at such location in response thereto, are also shown. Particular embodiments relation to increasing the apparent temporal and spatial resolution of raster scanned television computer and permanent copy devices are shown.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to increasing the apparent temporal or spatial resolution of a created and/or displayed image which is typically produced by ordered groups of elements such as by a raster or matrix element or device, without a required increase in the number of image elements of the image.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As television, computer, graphics, printers, fax machines and related image technology develop, there is increasing emphasis on improving the quality of created, displayed, or stored images in order that they appear more real and pleasing to the human observer. Two of the parameters which affect image quality, and therefore are subject to improvement, are spatial and temporal resolution. Spatial resolution, simply put, is the number of image elements which are used to make up an image, normally static, and correspondingly, temporal resolution is the number of elements per unit time which make up an image, normally moving. Desirable qualities of an image system, such as television camera, scanner, broadcast television, computer display printer, permanent copy device, etc. will ideally include having as many elements per image or frame and, in the case of moving images, as many elements or frames per unit time as is economically feasible. Unfortunately, increasing the number of image elements per frame or the number of frames per second is a costly improvement. Therefore many schemes have been developed to improve the resolution of the image, while reducing the number of elements used.
Other improvement systems, such as various Scanner Interpolation Techniques, improved Definition Television Systems (IDTV), Advanced Television Systems (ATV), and High Definition Television Systems (HDTV), Hewlett Packard's Laser Printer Resolution Enhancement System, and other Image Enhancers typically operate to increase the resolution and other quality related aspects of image systems. Many of these systems resort to various techniques for such quality improvements, some of which generate unwanted artifacts.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for improving the apparent quality of a created and/or displayed image by altering the size, shape or position of the elements of the image.
It is an object of this invention to allow usage of a low resolution camera and/or recorder in a high resolution video distribution and/or display system.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method to alter the size, shape or position of the elements of a scanned or presented image in response to the relationship between a plurality of elements of the image.
It is a yet further object of this invention to provide a means and method for inspecting a plurality of elements of an image to determine the presence of a need for filling of areas between the elements.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a means and method for simultaneously providing a plurality of elements of said image for inspection and comparison means to determine proper altering of areas between the elements or voids created by defective or unneeded elements.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a means and method for inspecting a certain element or location with respect to one or more surrounding or neighboring elements of an image to determine the desirability for changing the shape, position or size of other elements to improve the spatial and/or temporal resolution relationship between the elements, which may neighbor in time or space.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a means and method for inspecting neighboring elements with respect to one or more other elements of an image to determine a need for changing the shape, position or size of elements to improve the spatial or temporal resolution relationship with the other elements, especially when one other element is defective.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a means and method to improve the quality of an image by inspecting a plurality of neighboring elements to generate replication elements in response thereto.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for replicating non-defective image elements while producing no ascertainable artifacts.
It is still yet another object of the invention to apply the above objects to any physical phenomena or signal which can be represented as a matrix of discrete elements.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an image creation device utilizing the above objects.
According to an aspect of this invention, the inventive concepts disclosed herein show an apparatus and method for modifying the creation, storage and/or production of an image by device in response to the image content thereof as carried by an image bearing signal, in order to create an image having apparently higher quality than normal.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention describes a neighboring element means for providing a plurality of neighboring elements, and an element replication means responsive to said plurality of neighboring elements to selectively fill a location, which may be a void, or artifacts, between elements, or to replace elements in the spatial or time dimensions or both. The inventive concepts disclosed herein may be utilized to improve the apparent resolution of the created and/or displayed image spatially, temporally, or both, or to conceal, by replication including modification, and/or creation of otherwise non-existant, defective or unneeded image elements or artifacts. The invention will find considerable use in the reduction of spatial or temporal (motion) artifacts of improved television systems like HDTV.
It will be understood that the term image as used herein is meant to apply to the creation and/or presentation of any phenomena by a raster or matrix of discrete or adjoining elements, and that the raster or matrix may be either a single one, or a given one of a plurality or sequence of rasters or matrices, for example as used in temporal portraits of such physical phenomena. The image can be visable on a display (such as a computer monitor or regular television set), viewable after creation (such as a laser printer or fax machine) or otherwise exist (such as in memory for subsequent (use or on a recorder tape). The term image is applicable to the creation of an image (for example at a low resolution to camera); on recording (for example on a VHS machine for HDTV transmission), on receipt (for example NTSC reception on an HDTV monitor) or otherwise.
It will be further understood that invention has application to a group, or series of such elements, whether transmitted or stored, in time sequential or parallel arrangement or in any other form. The more important aspect of the invention is the operations on the elements which have some spatial or temporal coherence or probability of similarity. It is of lesser importance what the elements represent or how the elements are conveyed, or of the particular nature or make up of the form of the elements.
It will be also understood that although the word void is used in this specification, the invention is directed towards replicating new image information utilizing neighboring image elements, which new image information is utilized at a certain location(s). These location
Lightbody & Lucas
Mehta Bhavesh
Pixel Instruments Corporation
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