US5404427A — Video signal processing with added probabilistic …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 180 words

A video signal processing system comprising: a first defining circuit for defining an image characteristic, said characteristic having a plurality of different values at discrete intervals; a second defining circuit for defining a desired image characteristic value, for each of a plurality of image elements, within the discrete intervals defined by said first defining circuit; a determining circuit for determining, for each element of said plurality of image elements, an associated number related to a difference in value between the desired image characteristic value defined by said second defining circuit and a value of said image characteristic defined by said first defining circuit; a random number generator for generating a random number; a comparator for comparing the random number and the associated number in order to determine a relationship between the random number and the associated number; and an output circuit for outputting a value of said image characteristic defined by said first defining circuit depending on the relationship determined by said comparator, the value output by the output circuit representing the desired value defined by said second defining circuit.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 180 words

A video signal processing system comprising: a first defining circuit for defining an image characteristic, said characteristic having a plurality of different values at discrete intervals; a second defining circuit for defining a desired image characteristic value, for each of a plurality of image elements, within the discrete intervals defined by said first defining circuit; a determining circuit for determining, for each element of said plurality of image elements, an associated number related to a difference in value between the desired image characteristic value defined by said second defining circuit and a value of said image characteristic defined by said first defining circuit; a random number generator for generating a random number; a comparator for comparing the random number and the associated number in order to determine a relationship between the random number and the associated number; and an output circuit for outputting a value of said image characteristic defined by said first defining circuit depending on the relationship determined by said comparator, the value output by the output circuit representing the desired value defined by said second defining circuit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 132 words

A video signal processing method comprising: (a) defining an image characteristic, said characteristic having a plurality of available different values at discrete intervals; (b) defining a desired image characteristic value, for each of a plurality of image elements, within the discrete intervals; (c) determining, for each element of said plurality of image elements, an associated number related to a difference in value between the desired characteristic value and an available value of said image characteristic; (d) generating a random number; (e) comparing the random number and the associated number in order to determine a relationship between the random number and the associated number; and (f) outputting a value of said image characteristic from said available values depending on the relationship determined by the comparison, the outputted available value representing the desired value.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 132 words

A video signal processing method comprising: (a) defining an image characteristic, said characteristic having a plurality of available different values at discrete intervals; (b) defining a desired image characteristic value, for each of a plurality of image elements, within the discrete intervals; (c) determining, for each element of said plurality of image elements, an associated number related to a difference in value between the desired characteristic value and an available value of said image characteristic; (d) generating a random number; (e) comparing the random number and the associated number in order to determine a relationship between the random number and the associated number; and (f) outputting a value of said image characteristic from said available values depending on the relationship determined by the comparison, the outputted available value representing the desired value.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 203 words

An electronic processing apparatus for processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between adjacent available characteristic values, the apparatus comprising: a source of input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; a random number generator for generating data representing a random number; a comparator for comparing the random number and the low order number and for producing a binary value depending on the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and an output circuit for outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 203 words

An electronic processing apparatus for processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between adjacent available characteristic values, the apparatus comprising: a source of input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; a random number generator for generating data representing a random number; a comparator for comparing the random number and the low order number and for producing a binary value depending on the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and an output circuit for outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 72 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said input image data for each pixel comprises an m-bit binary number representing said desired characteristic value, with the most significant n-bits of said m-bit binary number corresponding to said high order number and the least significant m-n bits of said m-bit binary number corresponding to said low order number, where m and n are integers and m-n is an integer greater than one.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said source of input image data comprises a drawing processor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said source of input image data comprises a frame store.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said output circuit comprises an adder for incrementing the corresponding available characteristic value depending on the binary value.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 78 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said image comprises a plurality of image lines, said source of input image data comprises a computer for providing for each pixel a line count number corresponding to said low order number and indicating the line in which said pixel is positioned, and for providing data corresponding to said high order number representing a first available characteristic value and a second available characteristic value adjacent said first available characteristic value.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said output circuit comprises a switch for switching between said first available characteristic value and said second available characteristic value.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 184 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said source of input image data comprises a first multiplier for multiplying image data for a first image by a first weighting factor, a second multiplier for multiplying image data for a second image by a second weighting factor, said first and second multipliers respectively outputting first and second intermediate data comprising an intermediate high order number and an intermediate low order number, a first adder for adding said first and second intermediate low order numbers to produce a low order sum and a carry which together correspond to said low order number, a second adder for adding said first and second intermediate high order numbers and said carry to produce a high order sum corresponding to said high order number; said random number generator and comparator comprise a look-up table responsive to the low order sum from the first adder for generating said binary value; and said output circuit comprises a third adder for incrementing the high order sum output from the second adder depending on the binary value to produce the output image data.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 103 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said random number generator and said comparator together comprise an addressable memory containing data representing multiple look-up tables stored at different respective addresses in the memory and each table containing a set of binary data distributed randomly in the table with a probability related to the address at which the table is stored, and a counter for generating address data for selecting a look-up table in the memory, and wherein said low order number is applied to the memory so as to select a binary datum from an addressed look-up table as said binary value.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said image characteristic value comprises the color of each pixel.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between available characteristic values, the method comprising: obtaining input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; generating data representing a random number; comparing the random number and the low order number and producing a binary value depending the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 184 words

A method of processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between available characteristic values, the method comprising: obtaining input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; generating data representing a random number; comparing the random number and the low order number and producing a binary value depending the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 71 words

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said input image data for each pixel comprises an m-bit binary number representing said desired characteristic value, with the most significant n-bits of said m-bit binary number corresponding to said high order number and the least significant m-n bits of said binary number corresponding to said low order number, where m and n are integers and m-n is an integer greater than one.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said outputting of output image data comprises incrementing the corresponding available characteristic value depending on the binary value.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 70 words

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said image comprises a plurality of image lines, the method comprising the further steps of: providing for each pixel a line count number indicating the line in which said pixel is positioned, which line count number comprises said low order number; and providing data corresponding to said high order number representing a first available characteristic value and a second available characteristic value.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said outputting comprises switching between said first available characteristic value and said second available characteristic value.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 173 words

A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein: said obtaining input image data comprises multiplying image data for a first image by a first weighting factor to obtain first intermediate data, multiplying image data for a second image by a second weighting factor to obtain second intermediate data, said first and second intermediate data comprising an intermediate high order number and an intermediate low order number, adding said first and second intermediate low order number, adding said first and second intermediate low order numbers to produce a low order sum and a carry which together correspond to said low order number, and adding said first and second intermediate high order numbers and said carry to produce a high order sum corresponding to said high order number; and said generating and comparing comprises referencing a look-up table depending on the low order sum from the first adder in order to generate said binary value; and said outputting comprises incrementing the high order sum depending on the binary value to produce the output image data.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 197 words

An electronic processing apparatus for processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between available characteristic values, the apparatus comprising: a source of input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; a source of data representing a random number; comparing circuit comparing the random number and the low order number and producing a binary output value depending on the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and an output circuit outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 197 words

An electronic processing apparatus for processing digital image data defining pixels which together represent at least one image, wherein output image data representing each pixel in terms of one of a multiplicity of available characteristic values is produced from input image data representing each pixel in terms of a desired characteristic value which is defined to an accuracy greater than that of the output data such that the desired characteristic value can be defined as a value between available characteristic values, the apparatus comprising: a source of input image data defining the desired characteristic value of each pixel in terms of a high order number corresponding to one of said multiplicity of available values and a low order number representing the difference between the desired value and said corresponding available value; a source of data representing a random number; comparing circuit comparing the random number and the low order number and producing a binary output value depending on the relationship between the random number and the low order number; and an output circuit outputting as the output image data an available characteristic value selected depending on the value of the high order number and the binary value.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-04-03	1998-10-03	1999-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-04-03	2002-10-03	2003-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-04-03	2006-10-03	2007-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Video signal processing with added probabilistic dither

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