US6549658B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for classifying and processing of pixels of image data
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1998-01-21
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Granted: 2003-04-15
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Expires: 2018-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A system and method classify a pixel of image data as one of a plurality of image types. A first image characteristic value for the pixel, a second image characteristic value for the pixel, a third image characteristic value for the pixel, and a fourth image characteristic for the pixel is determined. Some of these determinations may be resolution dependent. The values from these determination are utilized in assigning an image type classification to the pixel. Moreover, if at least one of the image characteristic values is greater than a predetermined threshold value the pixel is classified as a halftone peak value. The system includes a plurality of microclassifiers for determining a distinct image characteristic value of the pixel; a plurality of macroreduction circuits connected to the plurality of microclassifiers for performing further higher level operations upon the distinct image characteristic values of the pixel to produce reduced values; and a classification circuit to classify the pixel as an image type based on the reduced values from the macroreduction circuits. The system also includes a circuit to detect flat peaks without detecting multiple peaks and a rectangular blur filtering system.
Inventors
- 👤 Stuart A. Schweid
- 👤 Jeng-Nan Shiau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/40062; G; G06; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G06V30/41; G06V30/413
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i+1,j+1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1); (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i−1,j−1); and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations whereby the classification identifies peaks that are more than 1 pixel in width.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i+1,j+1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1); (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i−1,j−1); and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations whereby the classification identifies peaks that are more than 1 pixel in width.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j−1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1); (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i+1,j+1); and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations whereby the classification identifies peaks that are more than 1 pixel in width.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j−1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1); (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i+1,j+1); and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations whereby the classification identifies peaks that are more than 1 pixel in width.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all pixel values in a first set of pixel values; (b) comparing the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream to a second set of pixel values, the second set of pixel values including M pixel values wherein M>1, and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when step (a) makes a positive determination and the comparisons of step (b) determine that the pixel value v(i,j) is greater than all pixel values in a first subset of the second set of pixel values, the first subset including N pixel values wherein N<M and the pixel value v(i,j) is equal to all pixel values in a second subset of the second set of pixel values, the second subset including K pixel values wherein K<M.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all pixel values in a first set of pixel values; (b) comparing the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream to a second set of pixel values, the second set of pixel values including M pixel values wherein M>1, and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when step (a) makes a positive determination and the comparisons of step (b) determine that the pixel value v(i,j) is greater than all pixel values in a first subset of the second set of pixel values, the first subset including N pixel values wherein N<M and the pixel value v(i,j) is equal to all pixel values in a second subset of the second set of pixel values, the second subset including K pixel values wherein K<M.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 3 , wherein the second set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i−1,j−1).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 4 , wherein the first set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i+1,j+1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 3 , wherein the second set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i+1,j+1).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 4 , wherein the second set of pixel values further comprises the pixel values corresponding to v(i,j+2) and v(i+2,j).
Claim 11
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all pixel values in a first set of pixel values; (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all pixel values in a second set of pixel values; and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations and the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is equal to at least one of the pixel values in the second set.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data having multiple scanlines with each scanline having multiple pixels in which pixels within the video stream of image data are identified by indices (i,j) wherein i identifies the scanline within the video stream of image data and j identifies a pixel position within the scanline, comprising the steps of: (a) determining if a pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than all pixel values in a first set of pixel values; (b) determining if the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is greater than or equal to all pixel values in a second set of pixel values; and (c) classifying the pixel value v(i,j) as a peak value when said steps (a) and (b) make positive determinations and the pixel value v(i,j) from the video stream is equal to at least one of the pixel values in the second set.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 8 , wherein the second set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i−1,j−1).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 9 , wherein the first set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i+1,j+1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 9 , wherein the second set of pixel values further comprises the pixel values corresponding to v(i,j+2) and v(i+2,j).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 8 , wherein the second set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j+1), v(i,j+1), v(i+1,j), and v(i+1,j+1).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 12 wherein the first set of pixel values comprises the adjacent pixel values corresponding to v(i−1,j−1), v(i−1,j), v(i,j−1), and v(i+1,j−1).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 8 , wherein the video stream of image data has a resolution and wherein the pixel values comprising the second set of pixel values are dependent on the resolution of the video stream of image data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method for detecting peaks in a video stream of image data according to claim 8 , wherein the video stream of image data has a resolution and wherein the pixel values comprising the first set of pixel values are dependent on the resolution of the video stream of image data.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-14 | 2006-10-14 | 2007-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-14 | 2010-10-14 | 2011-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-14 | 2014-10-14 | 2015-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |