EP0744705A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image detection system
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-20
Abstract
Abstract An image detection system is disclosed for the detection of an image in an input pixel stream. An image is input as a input pixel stream (19) and accumulated and converted (112,113,114) into cells which are formed into cell data portions from regions of a corresponding image of the input pixel stream (19). A template storage ROM (15) stores at least one template that comprises a multiplicity of cell data entries derived from an desired image to be detected. A comparator matrix (115) is connected to the cell converter (112,113,114) and the template ROM (15) for comparing the cell data portions with a multiplicity of cell data entries to derive a template detection signal (215) when a predetermined number of the cell data portions match with the multiplicity of said cell data entries. The system finds particular use in the prevention of fraudulent copying of images, such as bank noted using colour laser copiers and printers. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Ross Alexander Donely
- 👤 Stamatios Demetriou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:03
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/04; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00838; H04N1/0084; H04N1/00843; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/70; G06V10/74; G06V10/75; G06V10/751; G06V10/7515; H04N1/00848; H04N1/00856; H04N1/00875
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for the detection of an image in an input pixel stream, said apparatus comprising: (i) image input means for receiving said input pixel stream; (ii) cell converter means for forming cell data portions formed from regions of a corresponding image of said input pixel stream; (iii) template storage means for storing at least one template, said template comprising a multiplicity of cell data entries derived from the desired image to be detected; and (iv) comparator means for comparing said cell data portions of said cell converter means with said multiplicity of cell data entries to derive a template detection signal when a predetermined number of said cell data portions match with said multiplicity of said cell data entries.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multiplicity of cell data entries comprises all said cell data entries within said template.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cell data entries comprise values delimiting a range of values, and wherein said cell data portions must occur within said range in order to provide the desired match.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said comparator means simultaneously compares a column of said cell data portions with the whole of said cell data entries of said template to determine if any column of said template matches with said column of cell data portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said comparator means simultaneously compares a 180 degree rotation of said column of cell data portions with the whole of said template to determine if any column of said template matches with said rotated column of cell data portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said comparator means simultaneously compares a column of said cell data portions with the whole of said template to determine if any column of said template matches with a column of a 90 degree rotation of said columns of said template.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein said comparator means simultaneously compares a column of said cell data portions with the whole of said template to determine if any column of said template matches with a column of a 270 degree rotation of said columns of said template.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said template storage means contains multiple templates and said comparator means carries out a comparison for each one of said templates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said comparator means loads a subsequent template while simultaneously carrying our said comparisons of said cell data portions of said cell converter means with said multiplicity of cell data entries.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for the detection of an image in an input pixel stream, said apparatus comprising: (i) image input means for receiving said input pixel stream; (ii) cell converter means for forming cell data portions from overlapping regions of said pixel stream, said cell data portions being divided into a series of phases with each of said phases having cell data portions derived from non-overlapping regions, (iii) template storage means for storing at least one template, said template comprising a multiplicity of cell data entries derived from a desired image to be detected; and (iv) comparator means for comparing said cell data of each of said series of phases of said cell converter means with said multiplicity of cell data entries to derive a template detection signal when a predetermined number of said cell data portions match with said multiplicity of said cell data entries.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: (v) detected template storage means for storage of a plurality of template entries, with each said template entry including detected location data corresponding to a location of the template detected by said template detection signal; and (vi) dual template detection means for detecting an occurrence of two templates from the same image in said pixel stream.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said dual template detection means includes distance determination means for determining the distance between the detected location data of said detected templates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said distance determination means includes distance comparator means for determining if said distance between the detected location data is substantially the same as an expected predetermined distance between said detected templates.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein said distance is a vector measure having magnitude and directional components.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cell data portions include a data value derived from of a group of pixels, said pixels covering a two dimensional area of said image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said cell converter means forms multiple sets of said cell data portions, with each set of said cell data portions being composed from a contiguous two dimensional area of pixels in the input pixel stream.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
162 words
Apparatus for comparing a first predetermined array of cell data values with a second predetermined array of template data values, said apparatus comprising: (i) input means for inputting, a column at a time, said first predetermined array of cell data values to a comparator matrix means; (ii) a comparator matrix means for simultaneously determining if said column of cell data values matches with any of a plurality of columns of said second predetermined array of template data values and to produce a column matching signal designating the said matched column of said second predetermined array of template data values; (iii) tally array means for storing said column matching signals for a series of columns of said first predetermined array of cell data values, and (iv) template match detection means for deriving from said stored column matching signals, a template match signal signifying the occurrence of a match between said template and a portion of said first predetermined array of cell data values.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
142 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said comparator matrix means simultaneously determines ii said column of cell data values matches with any of a plurality of columns of a predetermined number of rotations of said second predetermined array of template data values and produces a rotated column matching signal designating said matched column of said predetermined number of rotations of said second predetermined array of template data values; said tally array further includes means for storing said rotated column matching signals for a series of columns of said first predetermined array of cell data values; and said template match detection means further includes means to derive, from said stored rotated column matching signals, a template match signal signifying the occurrence of a match between a rotation of said template and a portion of said first predetermined array of cell data values.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said comparator matrix means simultaneously determines if said column of cell data values matches with any of a plurality of rows of said second predetermined array of template data values and produces a row matching signal designating the said matched row of said second predetermined array of template data values; said apparatus further comprising: second tally array means for storing said row matching signals for a series of columns of said first predetermined array of cell data values, and second template match detection means for deriving from said stored row matching signals, a second template match signal signifying the occurrence of a match between said template and a portion of said first predetermined array of cell data values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein a template data value comprises two numbers which delimit a range of values, and wherein a column of cell data values matches a corresponding column of said template data values when each of said cell data values is within the range delimited by said template data value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein said rotations include substantially 90, 180 and 270 degrees.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the number of elements of said column of cell data values is the same as the number of values in said column of said second predetermined array of template data values.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
91 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: inputting image data representing an input image; determining whether the input image includes a first pattern extracted from a first region of a specific image and generating a first determination result; determining whether the input image includes a second pattern extracted from in a second region of the specific image and generating a second determination result; and discriminating whether the input image includes the specific image based on the first and second determination results and positional information about the first and second regions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein the image data is colour component data which is used for forming a colour image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein the colour component data is selected one of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of performing density conversion on the image data before the determinations.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said discrimination is performed in synchronism with the input of said image data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said first and second regions correspond to N x M pixel block.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein said positional information includes distance information and direction information.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 23, further comprising tie step of controlling an image processing apparatus based on the discrimination result.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
68 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: inputting image data representing an input image; extracting multi-value data for each of a plurality of cells corresponding to a region of the input image; and discriminating whether the input image includes a specific image by comparing the extracted multi-value data with multi-value template data for each of a plurality of cells corresponding to a region of the specific image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein the image data is colour component data which is used for forming a colour image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 32, wherein the colour component data is selected one of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein said discrimination is performed in synchronism with the input of same image data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein said multi-value template data has a margin for controlling a quality of the discrimination.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 31, further comprising the step of controlling an image processing apparatus based on the discrimination result.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
95 words
An image processing method comprising the steps of: inputting image data representing an input image: extracting cell data for each of a plurality of cells corresponding to a first region of the input image; and discriminating whether the input image includes a specific image by comparing the extracted cell data with template data for each of a plurality of cells corresponding to a second region of the specific image; wherein the discrimination is performed by compensating a minute aberration between the first region of the input image and the second region of the specific image.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 37, wherein the image data is colour component data which is used for forming a colour image.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 38, wherein the colour component data is selected one of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 37, wherein said discrimination is performed in synchronism with the input of said image data.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 37, wherein said minute aberration is smaller than a size of the cell.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of controlling an image processing apparatus based on the discrimination result.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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