EP0414415A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for generating an image
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1990-08-08
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-08-08
Abstract
Abstract In order to generate an image, modelling data representing image features of the image are stored in a data base (1), and first characteristics, such as colours, are stored in another data base (2). An analyzer unit (3) is then able to assign the first characteristics to the image features in an objective way. Subjective properties, e.g. 'darker', 'lighter', are also defined over a range for the image features and a user interface (7) permits a user to select an appropriate value of the subjective property within the range, thereby to generate a second characteristic on the basis of rules relating to the subjective properties stored in a data base (2). An interpreter unit (4) then modifies the first characteristic on the basis of the second characteristic before the selected image features are rendered into an image by a rendering unit (5) for display by a display unit (6). There is also disclosed an arrangement for associating characteristics of image feature on the basis of an ordered relationship of other characteristics of the image features, preferably making use of a reference image to derive the characteristics to be associated.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshiaki Usami
- 👤 Joji Nishiyama
- 👤 Tomoyuki Miyata
- 👤 Hiroaki Takatsuki
- 👤 Yoshimi Ota
- 👤 Masao Yanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of generating an image, comprising the steps of: a) storing modelling data of said image, the modelling data including a plurality of image features for the image; b) storing a plurality of first characteristics of the image features, each of the first characteristics being associated with the image feature such that there is an objective relationship between each of the image features and at least one corresponding first characteristic: c) selecting at least one of the image features; and d) rendering an image on the basis of the at least one selected image feature; characterized in that: the method further includes: e) defining at least one subjective property of the first characteristic, with that subjective property varying over a range of values; f) selecting one of those values, thereby to select a second characteristic; and g) modifying the first characteristic(s) associated with the at least one selected image feature, to generate a modified characteristic associated with the at least one selected image feature; the step (d) of rendering an image being on the basis of said at least one selected image feature of said modified characteristic.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of generating an image, comprising the steps of: a) storing modelling data of said image, the modelling data including a plurality of image features for the image; b) storing a plurality of first characteristics of the image features, each of the first characteristics being associated with the image feature such that there is an objective relationship between each of the image features and at least one corresponding first characteristic: c) selecting at least one of the image features; and d) rendering an image on the basis of the at least one selected image feature; characterized in that: the method further includes: e) defining at least one subjective property of the first characteristic, with that subjective property varying over a range of values; f) selecting one of those values, thereby to select a second characteristic; and g) modifying the first characteristic(s) associated with the at least one selected image feature, to generate a modified characteristic associated with the at least one selected image feature; the step (d) of rendering an image being on the basis of said at least one selected image feature of said modified characteristic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said objective relationship between each said image feature and said at least one corresponding first characteristic defines a predetermined distribution function of said at least one corresponding first characteristic for each of said image features.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising the step of defining at least one rule amongst said first characteristics, and the step of modifying the at least one charcteristic corresponding to said selected image feature on the basis of the said rule.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
43 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, including the step of rendering a preliminary image on the basis of said selected one of said image features and said at least one corresponding first characteristic between said steps (d) and (e).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first characteristics are colours.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
24 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step (g) is carried out on the basis of fuzzy inference processing.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
151 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further including: storing a plurality of image features; deriving at least one first image data characteristic for each said plurality of image features, said at least one first image data characteristic being such that the first image data characteristic of said plurality of image features are ordered in a first sequence; assigning one of a plurality of second image data characteristics to each of said image features on the basis of the relative location of said first image data characteristic of each of said image feature in said sequence; and rendering each of said image features on the basis of said assigned second characteristic, to render an image; whereby said second image characteristics form said first characteristics of said object and the objective relationship being defined on the basis of the relative location of the corresponding image feature in the sequence.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of generating an image, comprising: storing a plurality of image features; deriving at least one first image data characteristic for each said plurality of image features, said at least one first image data characteristic being such that the first image data characteristics of said plurality of image features are ordered in a first sequence; assigning one of a plurality of second image data characteristics to each of said image features on the basis of the relative location of said first image data characteristic of each of said image feature in said sequence; and rendering each of said image features on the basis of said assigned second characteristic, to render an image.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of generating an image, comprising: storing a plurality of image features; deriving at least one first image data characteristic for each said plurality of image features, said at least one first image data characteristic being such that the first image data characteristics of said plurality of image features are ordered in a first sequence; assigning one of a plurality of second image data characteristics to each of said image features on the basis of the relative location of said first image data characteristic of each of said image feature in said sequence; and rendering each of said image features on the basis of said assigned second characteristic, to render an image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein said at least one first image data characteristic is defined by the area of each of said image features.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
21 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein said plurality of second image data characteristics are colours.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein said plurality of second image data characteristics are derived by scanning a preselected reference image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein said preselected reference image has a plurality of reference image features, and said second image data characteristics are derived from corresponding reference image data characteristics of said reference image features.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said reference image features each have first and second reference image data characteristics, said first reference image data characteristics of said reference image features are ordered in a reference sequence, and said second image data characteristic of each of said image features is determined to correspond to said second reference image data characteristics of the reference image feature which has a location in said reference sequence which corresponds to the location of a respective one of said image features in said sequence.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
231 words
An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising: a) memory means (1,2) for: (i) storing modelling data of said image, said modelling data including a plurality of image features for said image; and (ii) storing a plurality of first characteristics of said image features, each of said first characteristics being associated with said image features such that there is an objective relationship between each said image feature and at least one corresponding first characteristic; b) user operable means (7) for selecting at least one of said image features; c) rendering means (5) for generating a rendered image on the basis of said at least one selected image feature; characterized in that: e) the apparatus has rule base means (2) for defining at least one subjective property of said first characteristics, said subjective property varying over a range of values; f) the user operable means is arranged to permit selection of one of said values of said at least one subjective property, thereby to select a second characteristic; g) the apparatus has processing means (3,4) for modifying said at least one first characteristic associated with said at least one selected image feature, to generate a modified characteristic associated with said at least one selected image feature; and h) the rendering means (5) arranged to generate a rendered imge on the basis of said at least one selected image feature and said modified characteristic.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
231 words
An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising: a) memory means (1,2) for: (i) storing modelling data of said image, said modelling data including a plurality of image features for said image; and (ii) storing a plurality of first characteristics of said image features, each of said first characteristics being associated with said image features such that there is an objective relationship between each said image feature and at least one corresponding first characteristic; b) user operable means (7) for selecting at least one of said image features; c) rendering means (5) for generating a rendered image on the basis of said at least one selected image feature; characterized in that: e) the apparatus has rule base means (2) for defining at least one subjective property of said first characteristics, said subjective property varying over a range of values; f) the user operable means is arranged to permit selection of one of said values of said at least one subjective property, thereby to select a second characteristic; g) the apparatus has processing means (3,4) for modifying said at least one first characteristic associated with said at least one selected image feature, to generate a modified characteristic associated with said at least one selected image feature; and h) the rendering means (5) arranged to generate a rendered imge on the basis of said at least one selected image feature and said modified characteristic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said memory means (5) is arranged to store information relating to said at least one subjective property.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein said processing means comprises an analyser (3) for analysing said objective relationship between each said image feature and at least one corresponding first characteristic, and an interpreter (4) for controlling said relationship on the basis of said second characteristic, thereby to modify said at least one first characteristic.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to 16, further including scanning means (85) for scanning a physical image, thereby to drive a least some of said plurality of first characteristics.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising: memory means (82) for storing a plurality of image features; means (83) for defining at least one first image data characteristic for each said plurality of image features, said at least one first image data characteristic being such that the first image data characteristic of said plurality of image features are ordered in a first sequence; means (87) for assigning one of a plurality of second image data characteristics to each of said image features on the basis of the relative location of said first image data characteristic of each of said image feature in said sequence; and rendering means (88) for rendering each of said image features on the basis of said assigned second characteristic, to render an image; and display means (89) for displaying an image of said image features rendered by said rendering means (88).
Claim 22
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for displaying an image, comprising: memory means (82) for storing a plurality of image features; means (83) for defining at least one first image data characteristic for each said plurality of image features, said at least one first image data characteristic being such that the first image data characteristic of said plurality of image features are ordered in a first sequence; means (87) for assigning one of a plurality of second image data characteristics to each of said image features on the basis of the relative location of said first image data characteristic of each of said image feature in said sequence; and rendering means (88) for rendering each of said image features on the basis of said assigned second characteristic, to render an image; and display means (89) for displaying an image of said image features rendered by said rendering means (88).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, further including scanning means (85) for scanning a physical image, thereby to derive at least some of said plurality of second image data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 or claim 19, further including additional memory means (95,98) for storing at least some of said plurality of second image data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.