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US6665448B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Selective smoothing and sharpening of images by generalized unsharp masking

Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 2000-09-29
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Granted: 2003-12-16
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Expires: 2020-09-29
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Abstract

Abstract A method of deriving from an existing selective image smoothing filter either a corresponding filter for selective image sharpening, or a corresponding filter for both selective smoothing and selective image sharpening. The selective sharpening filter can be implemented quickly by using implementations of the existing selective smoothing filter and a derived matching non-selective smoothing filter as black boxes and combining their outputs in a simple manner. Alternatively, the derived selective sharpening filter can be implemented by inlining the combination of the implementations of the existing selective smoothing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ron P. Maurer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:40
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/73; G06T5/75; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/20; G06V10/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of designing a selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a matching non-selective smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by disabling its selectivity mechanism; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived matching non-selective smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation to form the image processing filter.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of designing a selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a matching non-selective smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by disabling its selectivity mechanism; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived matching non-selective smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation to form the image processing filter.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of designing a selective smoothing and selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a matching non-selective smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by disabling its selectivity mechanism; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived matching non-selective smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation, wherein the difference operation is scaled in the unsharp masking filter; and substituting selectively smoothed image pixel values for image pixel values in the unsharp masking filter, wherein the selectively smoothed image pixel values are added to the scaled difference operation in the unsharp masking filter to form the image processing filter.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 126 words
A method of designing a selective smoothing and selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a matching non-selective smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by disabling its selectivity mechanism; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived matching non-selective smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation, wherein the difference operation is scaled in the unsharp masking filter; and substituting selectively smoothed image pixel values for image pixel values in the unsharp masking filter, wherein the selectively smoothed image pixel values are added to the scaled difference operation in the unsharp masking filter to form the image processing filter.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 78 words
A method of designing a selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by setting its selectivity mechanism to a weaker selectivity state; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation to form the image processing filter.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 78 words
A method of designing a selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by setting its selectivity mechanism to a weaker selectivity state; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation to form the image processing filter.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 127 words
A method of designing a selective smoothing and selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by setting its selectivity mechanism to a weaker selectivity state; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation, wherein the difference operation is scaled in the unsharp masking filter; and substituting selectively smoothed image pixel values for image pixel values in the unsharp masking filter, wherein the selectively smoothed image pixel values are added to the scaled difference operation in the unsharp masking filter to form the image processing filter.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 127 words
A method of designing a selective smoothing and selective sharpening image processing filter comprising: selecting a pre-existing selective smoothing filter having an associated selectivity mechanism; deriving a smoothing filter from the pre-existing selective smoothing filter by setting its selectivity mechanism to a weaker selectivity state; in an unsharp masking filter having an associated high-pass filter operation, substituting a difference operation of the selective smoothing filter and the derived smoothing filter for the high-pass filter operation, wherein the difference operation is scaled in the unsharp masking filter; and substituting selectively smoothed image pixel values for image pixel values in the unsharp masking filter, wherein the selectively smoothed image pixel values are added to the scaled difference operation in the unsharp masking filter to form the image processing filter.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4315318A Cited
US5220624A Cited
US5402338A Cited
US6169823B1 Cited
US6055340A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2006-12-15 2007-06-16 2007-12-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2010-12-15 2011-06-16 2011-12-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2014-12-15 2015-06-16 2015-12-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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