EP0220110A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bit plane area correlator
Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1986-10-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A metnod and apparatus for simultaneously correlating a mask to a series of shifted positions of an image. A series of bits from a field representing an image are supplied to a number of buffer registers. A number of overlapping combinations of bits from the buffer registers are simultaneously compared with the mask bits and a signal is produced indicating the results of such comparison for each of the image bit combinations. Algebraic functions are applied to the separate combinations to relate individual comparisons. A statistical analysis is performed to oetermine a best fit of an image to a mask.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael F. Deering
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F17/00; G06F17/10; G06F17/15; G06F17/153; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/70; G06V10/74; G06V10/75; G06V10/751; G06V10/7515
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of: accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; and producing a signal indicating the results of said comparison for each said combination.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of: accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; and producing a signal indicating the results of said comparison for each said combination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: accumulating the results of said comparison for all pixels in at least a portion of said image and said mask separately for each said combination; and selecting from among said accumulated results for said combinations a best match of said image to said mask.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising repeating said accessing, comparing and producing steps for a second mask and algebraically combining the results of said second mask comparison with said accumulated results for all'pixels in at least a portion of said second mask and said image separately for each said combination.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of shifting at least a portion of said accumulated results to alter the relative significance of the pixels corresponding to said portion of accumulated results.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising repeating said steps for a plurality of masks and determining a best match for said masks to said image from among said best match for each said combination.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; means for substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; and means for producing a signal indicating the results of said comparison for each said combination.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; means for substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; and means for producing a signal indicating the results of said comparison for each said combination.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein.said means for producing a signal comprises means for counting the number of digital ones or zeros in said results of said comparison and producing a digital tally of said number for each said combination.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising: means for accumulating the results of said comparison for all pixels in at least a portion of said image and said mask separately for each said combination; and means for selecting from among said accumulated results for said combinations a best match of said image to said mask.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for algebraically combining the results of said second mask comparison with said accumulated results for all pixels in at least a portion of said second mask and said image separately for each said combination.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for shifting at least a portion of said accumulated results to alter the relative significance of the pixels corresponding to said portion of accumulated results.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
11 . The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for repeating said steps for a plurality of masks and means for determining a best match for said masks to said image from among said best match for each said combination.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
1 2 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for comparing comprises means for performing a Not Exclusive OR function on each pair of bits from said image and said mask.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
13 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each said pixel is represented by at least two bits to give a grey scale and further comprising means for repeating said accessing and comparing steps for a second bit of .. each of said pixels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
1 4. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each said means for comparing comprises a boolean arithmetic logic unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
209 words
15 . An apparatus for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; means for substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; means for counting the number of digital ones or zeros in said results of said comparison and producing a digital tally of said number for each said combination; means for accumulating said tallies for all pixels-in at least a portion of said image and said mask separately for each said combination; means for algebraically combining the results of said second mask comparison with said accumulated results for all pixels in at least a portion of said second mask and said image separately for each said combination; and means for selecting from among said accumulated results for said combinations a best match of said image to. said masks.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
209 words
15 . An apparatus for comparing an image formed by a plurality of pixels to a mask formed by a plurality of pixels, comprising: means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said mask pixels; means for accessing a plurality of bits representing a contiguous plurality of said image pixels larger in number than said plurality of mask pixels; means for substantially simultaneously comparing said mask pixel bits to a plurality of combinations of said image pixel bits, each of said combinations representing a number of contiguous image pixels equal in number to said plurality of mask pixels; means for counting the number of digital ones or zeros in said results of said comparison and producing a digital tally of said number for each said combination; means for accumulating said tallies for all pixels-in at least a portion of said image and said mask separately for each said combination; means for algebraically combining the results of said second mask comparison with said accumulated results for all pixels in at least a portion of said second mask and said image separately for each said combination; and means for selecting from among said accumulated results for said combinations a best match of said image to. said masks.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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