Production of an image model and inspection of a pixel representation of an image

Claim 1

Apparatus for comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each of said pixels having a brightness value, the apparatus comprising: means for providing, for each of a multiplicity of selected master image pixels, a respective digital signal having at least one signal element which represents a predetermined range of tolerance of the brightness value of the respective selected master image pixel; wherein said respective digital signal comprises a plurality of signal elements each of which is associated with a respective predetermined range of brightness and has a first signal value when the respective master image pixel and each of a plurality of master image pixels neighboring said respective master image pixel have brightness values which are within the respective range of brightness and a second signal value when any one of said respective master image pixel and said pixels neighboring said respective master image pixel has a brightness value not within the respective range of brightness; and comparison means responsive to the digital signals for testing the brightness value of each of a multiplicity of selected secondary image pixels, each of which nominally corresponds to a respective one of said selected master image pixels, against the said predetermined range.

Claim 5

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each pixel having a respective brightness value, comprising the steps of: forming a respective signal representation of each of a multiplicity of master image pixels, said respective signal representation defining predetermined limits of tolerable aberration of the respective brightness value and including a signal element which denotes whether a respective master image pixel and all the master image pixels in a selected neighborhood of said respective master image pixel have brightness values within said predetermined limits; storing a complete representation of said master image, said complete representation comprising the signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; and testing under control of a respective signal representation the brightness value of each secondary image pixel against the said limits of a master image pixel nominally corresponding to said each secondary image pixel to determine whether said secondary image has tolerable aberration relative to said master image.

Claim 6

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each pixel having a respective brightness value, comprising the steps of: forming a respective signal representation of each of a multiplicity of master image pixels, said respective signal representation defining predetermined limits of tolerable aberration of the respective brightness value and including a signal element which denotes whether a respective master image pixel and all the master image pixels in a selected neighborhood of said respective master image pixel have brightness values within said predetermined limits; storing a complete representation of said master image, said complete representation comprising the signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; and testing under control of a respective signal representation the brightness value of each secondary image pixel against the said limits of a master image pixel nominally corresponding to said each secondary image pixel to determine whether said secondary image has tolerable aberration relative to said master image.

Claim 7

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each of said pixels having an optical parameter value, the method comprising the steps of: (i) for each of a multiplicity of selected master image pixels, establishing a respective digital signal having a multiplicity of signal elements at least one of which represents a predetermined range of tolerance of the optical parameter value of the respective selected master image pixel; wherein said establishing step comprises, for each of the said multiplicity of selected master image pixels; defining a respective neighborhood of said master image pixels; testing all the master image pixels of said respective neighborhood against each of a multiplicity of different predetermined ranges of optical parameter values; providing a respective signal element with a first value if all said master image pixels in said respective neighborhood have optical parameter values within the respective one of the predetermined ranges; and providing the said respective signal element with a second value if any one of said master image pixels in said respective neighborhood has an optical parameter value outside the respective one of said ranges; and (ii) for each one of a multiplicity of selected secondary image pixels each of which nominally corresponds to a respective one of said selected master image pixels, testing the optical parameter value of said one selected secondary image pixel against the said predetermined range.

Claim 8

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each of said pixels having an optical parameter value, the method comprising the steps of: (i) for each of a multiplicity of selected master image pixels, establishing a respective digital signal having a multiplicity of signal elements at least one of which represents a predetermined range of tolerance of the optical parameter value of the respective selected master image pixel; wherein said establishing step comprises, for each of the said multiplicity of selected master image pixels; defining a respective neighborhood of said master image pixels; testing all the master image pixels of said respective neighborhood against each of a multiplicity of different predetermined ranges of optical parameter values; providing a respective signal element with a first value if all said master image pixels in said respective neighborhood have optical parameter values within the respective one of the predetermined ranges; and providing the said respective signal element with a second value if any one of said master image pixels in said respective neighborhood has an optical parameter value outside the respective one of said ranges; and (ii) for each one of a multiplicity of selected secondary image pixels each of which nominally corresponds to a respective one of said selected master image pixels, testing the optical parameter value of said one selected secondary image pixel against the said predetermined range.

Claim 10

A method of developing a signal model of a reference image composed of pixels, and using the signal model to validate the brightness of pixels in a secondary image, comprising, for each given pixel in the reference image: defining a range of brightness values; defining a matrix composed of a multiplicity of pixels neighboring and including said given pixel; testing the brightness value of each pixel in the matrix; establishing a first signal value if all the pixels in the matrix have brightness values within said range; establishing a second signal value if at least one of said pixels in said matrix has a brightness value outside said range, so as to provide as said signal model an array of signal values each representative of a matrix of pixels defined for each said given pixel in the reference image; and utilizing said signal model and said range of brightness values to validate the accuracy of pixels in the secondary image.

Claim 11

A method of developing a signal model of a reference image composed of pixels, and using the signal model to validate the brightness of pixels in a secondary image, comprising, for each given pixel in the reference image: defining a range of brightness values; defining a matrix composed of a multiplicity of pixels neighboring and including said given pixel; testing the brightness value of each pixel in the matrix; establishing a first signal value if all the pixels in the matrix have brightness values within said range; establishing a second signal value if at least one of said pixels in said matrix has a brightness value outside said range, so as to provide as said signal model an array of signal values each representative of a matrix of pixels defined for each said given pixel in the reference image; and utilizing said signal model and said range of brightness values to validate the accuracy of pixels in the secondary image.

Claim 12

A method of developing a plurality of signal models of a reference image composed of pixels, and using the signal models to validate the brightness of pixels in a secondary image, comprising: defining a plurality of different ranges of brightness values; for each given pixel in the reference image, defining a matrix composed of a multiplicity of pixels neighboring and including said given pixel; testing the brightness value of each pixel in the matrix; for each signal model, establishing a first signal value if all the pixels in the matrix have brightness values within a respective one of said ranges; for each signal model, establishing a second signal value if at least one of said pixels in said matrix has a brightness value outside said respective one of said ranges, so as to provide each signal model as an array of signal values each representative of a matrix of pixels defined for each said given pixel in the reference image; and utilizing said signal models and said ranges of brightness values to validate the brightness of pixels in said secondary image.

Claim 13

A method of developing a plurality of signal models of a reference image composed of pixels, and using the signal models to validate the brightness of pixels in a secondary image, comprising: defining a plurality of different ranges of brightness values; for each given pixel in the reference image, defining a matrix composed of a multiplicity of pixels neighboring and including said given pixel; testing the brightness value of each pixel in the matrix; for each signal model, establishing a first signal value if all the pixels in the matrix have brightness values within a respective one of said ranges; for each signal model, establishing a second signal value if at least one of said pixels in said matrix has a brightness value outside said respective one of said ranges, so as to provide each signal model as an array of signal values each representative of a matrix of pixels defined for each said given pixel in the reference image; and utilizing said signal models and said ranges of brightness values to validate the brightness of pixels in said secondary image.

Claim 19

A method of comparing a selected pixel of a secondary image with a matrix of pixels in a neighborhood surrounding and including a nominally corresponding reference image pixel for the purposes of validating the selected pixel's brightness, comprising: examining in respect of said reference image pixel the matrix of the pixels in said neighborhood; defining a predetermined range of brightness values; developing by reference to pixels only in said matrix a signal which indicates whether said predetermined range of brightness values encompasses the brightness values of all the pixels in said matrix of neighborhood pixels; testing in response to said signal the brightness value of the selected pixel of the secondary image against a validation range corresponding to said predetermined range of brightness values, so as to determine whether the brightness value of the selected pixel is within or without the validation range; and validating if the brightness of said selected pixel falls within said validation range.

Claim 20

A method of comparing a selected pixel of a secondary image with a matrix of pixels in a neighborhood surrounding and including a nominally corresponding reference image pixel for the purposes of validating the selected pixel's brightness, comprising: examining in respect of said reference image pixel the matrix of the pixels in said neighborhood; defining a predetermined range of brightness values; developing by reference to pixels only in said matrix a signal which indicates whether said predetermined range of brightness values encompasses the brightness values of all the pixels in said matrix of neighborhood pixels; testing in response to said signal the brightness value of the selected pixel of the secondary image against a validation range corresponding to said predetermined range of brightness values, so as to determine whether the brightness value of the selected pixel is within or without the validation range; and validating if the brightness of said selected pixel falls within said validation range.

Claim 24

A method of examining an object, comprising: establishing a representation of a reference image in the form of an array of signal elements, wherein each signal element in the array is associated with a respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image, wherein each said signal element denotes a respective range of brightness values, and wherein each said signal element has a signal value which indicates whether every one of the pixels in a defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of and including the said respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image has a brightness value within said range; scanning the object in two dimensions to provide a multiplicity of object pixels nominally corresponding to respective reference image pixels or groups of pixels, and testing the brightness value of each of a plurality of selected said object pixels for correspondence with a validation range corresponding to said respective range of brightness values denoted by the signal element associated with said nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels.

Claim 25

A method of examining an object, comprising: establishing a representation of a reference image in the form of an array of signal elements, wherein each signal element in the array is associated with a respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image, wherein each said signal element denotes a respective range of brightness values, and wherein each said signal element has a signal value which indicates whether every one of the pixels in a defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of and including the said respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image has a brightness value within said range; scanning the object in two dimensions to provide a multiplicity of object pixels nominally corresponding to respective reference image pixels or groups of pixels, and testing the brightness value of each of a plurality of selected said object pixels for correspondence with a validation range corresponding to said respective range of brightness values denoted by the signal element associated with said nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels.

Claim 26

A method of examining an object, comprising: establishing a representation of a reference image in the form of an array of signal elements, wherein each signal element in the array is associated with a respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image, wherein each said signal element denotes a respective range of brightness values, and wherein each said signal element has a signal value which indicates whether every one of the pixels in a defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of and including the said respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image has a brightness value within said range; and scanning the object in two dimensions to provide a multiplicity of object pixels nominally corresponding to respective reference image pixels or groups of pixels, and testing the brightness value of each of a plurality of selected said object pixels for correspondence with a validation range corresponding to said respective range of brightness values denoted by the signal element associated with said nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels; wherein the testing of an object pixel for correspondence with a validation range is inhibited when the signal element associated with a nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels indicates at least one of the pixels in said defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of the said reference image pixel or group of pixels has a brightness value that falls outside said respective denoted range.

Claim 27

A method of examining an object, comprising: establishing a representation of a reference image in the form of an array of signal elements, wherein each signal element in the array is associated with a respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image, wherein each said signal element denotes a respective range of brightness values, and wherein each said signal element has a signal value which indicates whether every one of the pixels in a defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of and including the said respective pixel or group of pixels in the reference image has a brightness value within said range; and scanning the object in two dimensions to provide a multiplicity of object pixels nominally corresponding to respective reference image pixels or groups of pixels, and testing the brightness value of each of a plurality of selected said object pixels for correspondence with a validation range corresponding to said respective range of brightness values denoted by the signal element associated with said nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels; wherein the testing of an object pixel for correspondence with a validation range is inhibited when the signal element associated with a nominally corresponding reference image pixel or group of pixels indicates at least one of the pixels in said defined matrix of pixels in the neighborhood of the said reference image pixel or group of pixels has a brightness value that falls outside said respective denoted range.

Claim 36

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a reference image composed of reference image pixels to determine if the secondary image is a tolerable aberration of the reference image, said method comprising the steps of: defining for each of a multiplicity of selected pixels of said reference image a respective matrix of said reference image pixels, each respective matrix including the respective pixel and neighboring pixels, the size of the neighborhood being selected in accordance with a desired tolerance of the comparison to variation in the position of the secondary image pixels to the position of nominally corresponding reference image pixels; further defining for each of said multiplicity of selected reference image pixels at least one range of brightness values common to the respective matrix of neighboring pixels, said range being selected in accordance with a desired tolerance of the comparison to variation in the brightness of the selected pixel with respect to the brightness of all the reference image pixels in the neighborhood; developing by reference to pixels only of said reference image a signal representation of which at least one element denotes whether all said reference image pixels in said respective matrix have a brightness value within said at least one range; comparing under control of said signal representation the brightness of pixels in said secondary image with a validation range corresponding to said at least one range of brightness values defined for nominally corresponding reference image pixels; and computing from the results of said comparisons whether the aberration indicated by said comparisons is tolerable.

Claim 37

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a reference image composed of reference image pixels to determine if the secondary image is a tolerable aberration of the reference image, said method comprising the steps of: defining for each of a multiplicity of selected pixels of said reference image a respective matrix of said reference image pixels, each respective matrix including the respective pixel and neighboring pixels, the size of the neighborhood being selected in accordance with a desired tolerance of the comparison to variation in the position of the secondary image pixels to the position of nominally corresponding reference image pixels; further defining for each of said multiplicity of selected reference image pixels at least one range of brightness values common to the respective matrix of neighboring pixels, said range being selected in accordance with a desired tolerance of the comparison to variation in the brightness of the selected pixel with respect to the brightness of all the reference image pixels in the neighborhood; developing by reference to pixels only of said reference image a signal representation of which at least one element denotes whether all said reference image pixels in said respective matrix have a brightness value within said at least one range; comparing under control of said signal representation the brightness of pixels in said secondary image with a validation range corresponding to said at least one range of brightness values defined for nominally corresponding reference image pixels; and computing from the results of said comparisons whether the aberration indicated by said comparisons is tolerable.

Claim 38

The method of comparing a reproduction image against a master image which comprises the steps of: (a) representing the master image by a multiplicity of pixels, each pixel of which represents a pixel of the master image; (b) providing a plurality of different optical parameter range values of which at least one may be associated with each pixel of the master image; (c) expanding each pixel of the multiplicity of pixels of the master image into a respective neighborhood of different pixel locations at which pixel locations a pixel of the reproduction image corresponding to said each pixel of the master image may fall; (d) developing from each neighborhood a digital data word having a multiplicity of data elements each of which indicates whether all the optical parameter values associated with pixel locations in the neighborhood are within a respective one of said different optical parameter range values; (e) measuring the optical parameter values of different pixels of the reproduction image; (f) comparing each such measured optical parameter value of a pixel of the reproduction image with that different optical parameter value range which the digital data word indicates as being common to all the pixel locations in the respective neighborhood into which the nominally corresponding master image pixel was expanded; and (g) determining, on the basis of the comparisons of step (f) whether the reproduction image is an acceptable reproduction of the master image.

Claim 39

The method of comparing a reproduction image against a master image which comprises the steps of: (a) representing the master image by a multiplicity of pixels, each pixel of which represents a pixel of the master image; (b) providing a plurality of different optical parameter range values of which at least one may be associated with each pixel of the master image; (c) expanding each pixel of the multiplicity of pixels of the master image into a respective neighborhood of different pixel locations at which pixel locations a pixel of the reproduction image corresponding to said each pixel of the master image may fall; (d) developing from each neighborhood a digital data word having a multiplicity of data elements each of which indicates whether all the optical parameter values associated with pixel locations in the neighborhood are within a respective one of said different optical parameter range values; (e) measuring the optical parameter values of different pixels of the reproduction image; (f) comparing each such measured optical parameter value of a pixel of the reproduction image with that different optical parameter value range which the digital data word indicates as being common to all the pixel locations in the respective neighborhood into which the nominally corresponding master image pixel was expanded; and (g) determining, on the basis of the comparisons of step (f) whether the reproduction image is an acceptable reproduction of the master image.

Claim 43

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each pixel having a respective brightness value, comprising the steps of: forming a respective signal representation of each of a multiplicity of master image pixels, said respective signal representation defining predetermined limits of tolerable aberration of the respective brightness value and including plural signal elements corresponding to plural ranges of brightness which signal elements are computed from a comparison at the corresponding range of brightness with the brightness of a respective master image pixel and all the master image pixels in a selected neighborhood of said respective master image pixel; storing in a means for storage a representation of said master image, said representation comprising the signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; reading out from said means for storage said signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; and testing under the control of a respective signal representation read out from said means for storage the brightness value of each secondary image pixel against the said limits of a master image pixel nominally corresponding to said each secondary image pixel to determine whether said secondary image has tolerable aberration relative to said master image.

Claim 44

A method of comparing a secondary image composed of secondary image pixels with a master image composed of master image pixels, each pixel having a respective brightness value, comprising the steps of: forming a respective signal representation of each of a multiplicity of master image pixels, said respective signal representation defining predetermined limits of tolerable aberration of the respective brightness value and including plural signal elements corresponding to plural ranges of brightness which signal elements are computed from a comparison at the corresponding range of brightness with the brightness of a respective master image pixel and all the master image pixels in a selected neighborhood of said respective master image pixel; storing in a means for storage a representation of said master image, said representation comprising the signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; reading out from said means for storage said signal representation of each of said multiplicity of master image pixels; and testing under the control of a respective signal representation read out from said means for storage the brightness value of each secondary image pixel against the said limits of a master image pixel nominally corresponding to said each secondary image pixel to determine whether said secondary image has tolerable aberration relative to said master image.