Patent EP0145477A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0145477A2
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EP
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Digital image processing
Assignee: Machine Vision International Corp
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Filing: 1984-12-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for porcessing digital representations of images by routing the representations sequentially through a plurality of stages. Each stage includes a delay (112) for delaying one of two inputs and a function unit (114) for performing logical operations on the delayed and undelayed signals to produce two outputs. The logic unit performs any one of a plurality of logic functions as dynamically selected (S1SF, S1PF) during processing. Specific functions of particular interest include 1) ORing the delayed sig- naland the original digital signal and 2) ANDing the delayed signal and the original digital signal. The delay includes a first shift register (130) through which the serial signal is shifted, a storage device (136) for storing signal segments read from the first shift register, and a second shift register (140) into which the segments are returned from storage to be re-serialized to produce the delayed signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley Ronald Sternberg
- 👤 Glenn Herteg
- 👤 Martin Paul Koskella
- 👤 Timothy Scott Berla
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A geometric logic unit (22) for processing at least one serial signal each representative of an image made up of a matrix of points to produce at least one serial signal each representative of a processed image, said geometric logic unit comprising a plurality of serially coupled stages (58, 60, 62) each in turn comprising: input port means (72, 76) for receiving at least one input serial signal; delay means (112) for delaying selected ones of said input signals to produce at least one first delayed serial signal each corresponding to one of the input signals; means (114) for combining selected ones of said delayed signals and said input signals to produce at least one output serial signal; and output port means (158, 160) for outputting the output signals; characterised in that said combining means includes function means (164, 166) capable of performing a plurality of functions and selector means (36, 38, 154, 156) for selecting one of said functions to be performed to result in said combining.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A geometric logic unit (22) for processing at least one serial signal each representative of an image made up of a matrix of points to produce at least one serial signal each representative of a processed image, said geometric logic unit comprising a plurality of serially coupled stages (58, 60, 62) each in turn comprising: input port means (72, 76) for receiving at least one input serial signal; delay means (112) for delaying selected ones of said input signals to produce at least one first delayed serial signal each corresponding to one of the input signals; means (114) for combining selected ones of said delayed signals and said input signals to produce at least one output serial signal; and output port means (158, 160) for outputting the output signals; characterised in that said combining means includes function means (164, 166) capable of performing a plurality of functions and selector means (36, 38, 154, 156) for selecting one of said functions to be performed to result in said combining.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A geometric logic unit according to Claim 1 in which said function means includes at least one multiplexer (164, 166) having two input ports (B, A) and said selector means enables the selection of any one of the sixteen possible logical functions of two inputs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A geometric logic unit according to Claim 2 in which said logic means includes two of said multiplexers (164, 166) each having first and second input ports (B, A) for receiving one of said delayed signals and one of said input signals, each of said multiplexers producing one of said output signals (158, 160).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
A geometric logic unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 3 in which said logic means (232) comprises: first logic means for logically combining one of said delayed signals and one of said input signals to produce a first output signal; and second logic means for logically combining said one delayed signal and said one input signal to produce a second output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A geometric logic unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 3 in which said logic means comprises: first logic means (282) for logically combining one of said delayed signals and one of said input signals to produce a first output signal; and second logic means (284) for passing said one input signal as a second output signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A geometric logic unit according to any of Claims 1 to 5 in which said delay means comprises: holding means (ll7) for accumulating sequences of said serial signal; storage means (136) for storing each of said sequences as a unit; and retrieval means (144, 140) for retrieving said sequences from said storage means, said retrieval means including means (140) for re-serializing said sequences.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
115 words
A geometric logic unit according to any of Claims 1 to 5 in which said delay means comprises: 1) a short shift section including shift register means (117) for shifting said serial signal to produce a short delayed serial signal; 2) a long shift section including: a) means (124, 130, 134) for periodically reading segments of said serial signal in parallel from said shift register means (117); b) storage means (136) for storing said segments; c) re-serializing means (140) for receiving said segments from said storage means and for serializing said segments to produce a long delayed serial signal; and 3) selecting means (SlD) for selecting one of said delayed signals as an output signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
144 words
An image processing system for processing at least one start image each made up of a matrix of points, said system comprising: serializing means (16) for producing at least one first serial signal each representative of one of the start images; delay means (112) coupled to said serializing means for time delaying selected ones of the first signals to produce at least one delayed serial signal each corresponding to one of said first signals; and operating means (114) coupled to said delay means and to said serializing means for performing operations on selected ones of said delayed signals and said first signals to produce at least one output serial signal; characterised in that said operating means includes function means (164, 166) capable of performing a plurality of operations and selector means (36, 38, 154, 156) for selecting one of said operations to be performed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
An image processing system for processing at least one start image each made up of a matrix of points, said system comprising: serializing means (16) for producing at least one first serial signal each representative of one of the start images; delay means (112) coupled to said serializing means for time delaying selected ones of the first signals to produce at least one delayed serial signal each corresponding to one of said first signals; and operating means (114) coupled to said delay means and to said serializing means for performing operations on selected ones of said delayed signals and said first signals to produce at least one output serial signal; characterised in that said operating means includes function means (164, 166) capable of performing a plurality of operations and selector means (36, 38, 154, 156) for selecting one of said operations to be performed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system according to Claim 8 in which said function means comprises means (282) for performing logical operations on one of said delay signals and one first signal, and said operating means further comprises second function means (284) identical to said first function means and including means for passing said one input signal as an output signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 in which the or each function means includes means for performing all sixteen possible logical functions on two inputs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 or Claim 10 in which the or each function means comprises a multiplexer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
65 words
A system according to any of Claims 8 to 11 in which said delay means comprises: means (124, 130) for periodically reading segments of said serial signal in parallel from said shift register means; storage means (136) for storing said segments; and re-serializing means (140) for receiving said segments from said storage means and for serializing said segments to produce a long delayed serial signal.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of manipulating at least one start serial signal each representative of an image to produce at least one resultant serial signal each representative of a processed image, said method comprising routing said start signals sequentially through a plurality of processing sequences each comprising: supplying at least one input signal to input ports; delaying at least one of said input signals to produce at least one delayed signal each corresponding to one of the input signals; and combining selected ones of the delayed signals and the input signals to produce at least one output serial signal; characterised in that said combining step includes providing the capability of performing a plurality of signal combinations and selecting one of said combinations to be performed.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of manipulating at least one start serial signal each representative of an image to produce at least one resultant serial signal each representative of a processed image, said method comprising routing said start signals sequentially through a plurality of processing sequences each comprising: supplying at least one input signal to input ports; delaying at least one of said input signals to produce at least one delayed signal each corresponding to one of the input signals; and combining selected ones of the delayed signals and the input signals to produce at least one output serial signal; characterised in that said combining step includes providing the capability of performing a plurality of signal combinations and selecting one of said combinations to be performed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to Claim 13 in which said performing step comprises performing logical operations on one of the delayed signals and one of the input signals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to Claim 14 in which said performing step comprises selecting one of the sixteen possible logic functions of two inputs and performing said one logic function on said one delayed signal and said one input signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 or Claim 15 in which said delaying step comprises: segmenting said input serial signal to produce segments; sequentially storing the segments (136); retrieving the segments (144); and serializing the segments (140) to produce a shifted serial signal corresponding to the input serial signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 or Claim 15 in which said delaying step comprises: sequentially shifting said serial signal through a hardware device (130); periodically storing (136) the signal from a portion of the hardware device to store the serial signal in segments; sequentially retrieving (144) the segments from storage; and re-serializing the segments (140) to produce a time-delayed serial signal.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of processing at least one image each made up of a matrix of points, said method comprising: serializing (16) each matrix of points into an input serial signal; shifting (112) at least one of said input serial signals to produce a shifted serial signal; and operating (114) on selected ones of said input serial signals and said delayed serial signals to produce at least one output signal representative of an output image; characterised in that said operating step includes providing a capability of performing a plurality of operations and selecting one of the operations to be performed.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of processing at least one image each made up of a matrix of points, said method comprising: serializing (16) each matrix of points into an input serial signal; shifting (112) at least one of said input serial signals to produce a shifted serial signal; and operating (114) on selected ones of said input serial signals and said delayed serial signals to produce at least one output signal representative of an output image; characterised in that said operating step includes providing a capability of performing a plurality of operations and selecting one of the operations to be performed.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to Claim 18 in which said operating step comprises logically operating on one of said delayed signals and one of said input signals to produce said output signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to Claim 18 or Claim 19 in which said providing step comprises providing the capability of performing all sixteen possible logic operations on two one-bit inputs.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
63 words
A method according to any of Claims 18 to 20 in which said shifting step comprises: sequentially shifting (130) said serial signal through a hardware device; periodically storing (136) the signal from a portion of the hardware device to store the serial signal in segments; sequentially retrieving (144) the segments from storage; and re-serializing (140) the segments to produce a time-delayed serial signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
A delay device (112) for a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said delay device comprising: holding means (117, 124, 130) for accumulating sequences of said serial signal; storage means (136) for storing each of said sequences; retrieval means (144) for retrieving said sequences from said storage means; and means (140) for re-serializing said retrieved sequences.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
63 words
A delay device (112) for a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said delay device comprising: holding means (117, 124, 130) for accumulating sequences of said serial signal; storage means (136) for storing each of said sequences; retrieval means (144) for retrieving said sequences from said storage means; and means (140) for re-serializing said retrieved sequences.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A delay device according to Claim 22 in which said holding means comprises first means for shifting the serial data sequentially through successive storage locations.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A delay device according to Claim 22 or Claim 23 in which said re-serializing means comprises second means for shifting the segments sequentially through successive memory locations.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for shifting a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said method comprising: segmenting (124, 130, 134) said input serial signal to produce segments; sequentially storing (136) the segments; retrieving (144) the segments; and serializing (140) the segments to produce a shifted serial signal corresponding to the input serial signal.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for shifting a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said method comprising: segmenting (124, 130, 134) said input serial signal to produce segments; sequentially storing (136) the segments; retrieving (144) the segments; and serializing (140) the segments to produce a shifted serial signal corresponding to the input serial signal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to Claim 25 in which said segmenting step comprises: shifting the serial signal through sequential storage locations; and periodically reading the storage locations in parallel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to Claim 25 or Claim 26 in which said serializing step comprises: periodically writing (134) the segments in parallel into sequential storage locations (136); and shifting the segments through the sequential storage locations.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
123 words
A system for delaying a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said system comprising: 1) a short shift section including shift register means (117) for shifting said serial signal through sequential storage locations to produce a short delayed serial signal; 2) a long shift section including: a) means (124, 130, 134) for periodically reading segments of said serial signal in parallel from said shift register means (117); b) storage means (136) for storing said segments; c) re-serializing means (140) for receiving said segments from said storage means and for serializing said segments to produce a long delayed serial signal; and 3) selecting means (S1D) for selecting one of said delayed signals as an output delayed signal.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
123 words
A system for delaying a serial signal representative of an image made up of a matrix of points, said system comprising: 1) a short shift section including shift register means (117) for shifting said serial signal through sequential storage locations to produce a short delayed serial signal; 2) a long shift section including: a) means (124, 130, 134) for periodically reading segments of said serial signal in parallel from said shift register means (117); b) storage means (136) for storing said segments; c) re-serializing means (140) for receiving said segments from said storage means and for serializing said segments to produce a long delayed serial signal; and 3) selecting means (S1D) for selecting one of said delayed signals as an output delayed signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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