Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-25
2004-10-05
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2626)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S003270, C358S001200, C382S254000, C382S266000, C382S275000, C382S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06801339
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus for carrying out image processing on an image signal. This invention also relates to an image composing method and system for composing an image from a plurality of images. This invention further relates to an image sharpness estimating method and device for estimating graininess of an image. This invention still further relates to an image sharpness estimating method and device for estimating sharpness of an image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Techniques for obtaining an image signal, which represents an image, carrying out appropriate image processing on the image signal, and reproducing a visible image from the processed image signal have heretofore been carried out in various fields. An image output device for reproducing the image carries out image processing, such as correction of the image signal, in accordance with characteristics of an image input apparatus, which is connected to the image output device in a system, and characteristics of the image output device and reproduces the image from the processed image signal. In cases where only one image input apparatus is connected to the image output device, the image output device may carry out the image processing corresponding to the characteristics of the image input apparatus. In cases where a plurality of image input apparatuses are connected to the image output device, the image output device may carry out the image processing corresponding to the characteristics of each of the image input apparatuses.
However, in cases where a plurality of image input apparatuses are connected to an image output device, it often occurs that the image input apparatuses are altered, and it cannot be specified which image signal having been fed into the image output device is the one obtained from which image input apparatus. Therefore, it is difficult to carry out optimum image processing such that the details of the image processing may correspond to the characteristics of each of the image input apparatuses. Accordingly, an image processing apparatus has been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2,660,170, wherein image signals having been received from image input apparatuses are converted into image signals having general-purpose gradation, and wherein only the output characteristics are corrected in an image output device such that an appropriate reproduced image may be obtained.
Also, images obtained from image input apparatuses have graininess characteristics (i.e., the state of noise components) and sharpness characteristics varying in accordance with the image input apparatuses. Therefore, ordinarily, image processing, such as smoothing processing or sharpness enhancement processing, is carried on the obtained image signal and in accordance with the graininess characteristics and/or the sharpness characteristics of the image input apparatus, from which the image signal has been obtained, such that an image having good image quality may be reproduced. Further, when an image is reproduced, image size enlargement or reduction is often carried out by carrying out an interpolating operation on an image signal. In such cases, an interpolating operation (e.g., a cubic spline interpolating operation), which attaches importance to sharpness, or an interpolating operation (e.g., a B spline interpolating operation), which attaches importance to smoothness, is carried out in accordance with the graininess characteristics and/or the sharpness characteristics of the image input apparatus, from which the image signal has been obtained.
As a technique for processing an image signal, a multi-resolution transforming technique has heretofore been proposed. With the multi-resolution transforming technique, an original image is transformed in to multi-resolution images, each of which is of one of a plurality of different frequency bands, and predetermined processing is carried out on the image of each frequency band. Inverse multi-resolution transform is then carried out, and an ultimate processed image is thereby obtained. In such cases, the predetermined processing may be processing for separating high frequency components for noise removal, compression processing in which signal components of a frequency band containing much noise are reduced, or the like. As the multi-resolution transforming technique, a wavelet transform technique, a Laplacian pyramid technique, a Fourier transform technique, or the like, has been known. In particular, the wavelet transform is one of techniques for signal frequency analysis. The wavelet transform is advantageous over the Fourier transform, which has heretofore been used widely as the frequency analysis technique, in that a local change in a signal can be detected easily. Therefore, recently, the wavelet transform has attracted particular attention in the field of signal processing (“Wavelets and Signal Processing” by Olivier Rioul and Martin Vetterli, IEEE SP MAGAZINE, pp. 14-38, October 1991; “Zero-Crossings of a Wavelet Transform” by Stephane Mallat, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INFORMATION THEORY, Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 1,019-1,033, July 1991; Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6(1994)-350989, 6(1994)-350990, 7(1995)-23228, 7(1995)-23229, and 7(1995)-79350, and Japanese Patent Application No. 8(1996)-14510).
With rapid advances made in computer networks in recent years, various kinds of image input apparatuses are connected to an image output device, and image signals having been obtained from various kinds of processing are transferred through a network. Therefore, image signals are transferred in a state such that it may not be clear which image signal having been fed into the image output device is the one obtained from which image input apparatus, and such that it may not be clear whether image processing has or has not been carried out with respect to graininess, sharpness, or gradation of the image signal. In such cases, if the image processing apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent No. 2,660,170 is utilized, image processing can be carried out on image signals such that they may have general-purpose gradation regardless of the kinds of the image input apparatuses.
However, as for graininess (noise components) or sharpness of an image represented by an image signal, if it is not clear which image signal is the one having been obtained from which image input apparatus, image processing, such as smoothing processing, sharpness enhancement processing, or interpolating operation processing, which is optimum for the characteristics of the image input apparatus, cannot be carried out on the image signal. In such cases, it may be considered to carry out the same image processing with respect to graininess or sharpness on every image signal by utilizing one predetermined technique. However, the image processing cannot be optimum for every image, and there is the risk that, for example, an image has a high level of graininess, but the sharpness of the image is enhanced. Also, there is the risk that an unsharp image is obtained due to insufficient sharpness enhancement. Further, there is the risk that an image has a high level of sharpness, but the sharpness of the image is enhanced even further, resulting in an image having an artifact, such as overshooting or undershooting. Particularly, in cases where the technique described above is employed when an image is composed from a plurality of images and the composed image is reproduced, even if the image signals combined with one another have different graininess characteristics or different sharpness characteristics, the same image processing will be carried out on the image signals. Therefore, from the image composition, an image will be obtained, in which the balance of graininess or sharpness varies for different areas of the image and which gives an unnatural feeling. Also, it may be considered for the operator to view an image having been reproduced and to artificially correct the image signal. However, in such cases, consid
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Rogers Scott
LandOfFree
Image processing method and apparatus 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 and apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image processing method and apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3262851