US6850651B2 — Moiré correction in images

Claim 1

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of reducing image defects in a digital image comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; and storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of reducing image defects in a digital image comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; and storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the matrix is an at least 7×7 matrix of pixels.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 2 wherein at least six averaging pixels are selected.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 3 wherein more than one but less than all averaging pixels are used to determine the average treatment value.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 3 wherein at least four averaging pixels are pixels that are not in a position adjacent in the matrix to the central pixel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 5 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 20% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 3 wherein all averaging pixels are pixels that are not in a position adjacent in the matrix to the central pixel.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 7 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 20% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 7 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 80% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 7 wherein the central pixel comprises a group of pixels that is less than all pixels in the sub-matrix.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 2 wherein at least eight averaging pixels are selected.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 11 wherein more than one but less than all averaging pixels are used to determine the average treatment value.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 2 wherein at least three averaging pixels are pixels that are not in a position adjacent in the matrix to the central pixel.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 13 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 20% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 13 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 80% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the central pixel comprises a group of pixels that is less than all pixels in the sub-matrix.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 2 wherein all averaging pixels are pixels that are not in a position adjacent in the matrix to the central pixel.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 2 wherein at least 8 pixels are averaged to determine corrected values.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the central pixel comprises a group of pixels that is less than all pixels in the sub-matrix.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 wherein for at least some pixels in the image, the saturation of the at least some pixels is further modified following assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 79 words

The method of claim 1 wherein for at least some pixels in the image, the chroma, C, is calculated and the maximum chroma in the image, C max , is estimated, using C max to determine corrected chroma values C corr according to the formula: C corr =C max ·( C/C max ) 1/x ., wherein x is from about 1.01 to about 1.60, and these corrected chroma values are stored as at least part of stored image data.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 21 wherein all C corr for all pixels in the image are determined and stored.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels comprises selecting a square filter of width 6k+1 pixels, where k is an integer greater than zero, positioned approximately centrally on an image pixel.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 23 wherein 6k+1 is 7, and wherein from 2 to 7 pixels are selected from the group of 8 pixels constituting corners and centers of the sides of the square, and the 2 to 7 pixels are used to compute a new corrected color value for the image pixel.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 75 words

The method of claim 23 wherein 6k+1 is selected from the group consisting of 7, 13, 19, and 25 and wherein from 2 to 13 pixels are selected from the group of total pixels in the square and the 2 to 13 pixels comprise at least some corners and centers of the sides of the square, and the 2 to 7 pixels are used to compute a new corrected color value for the image pixel.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 25 wherein corrected values are determined by averaging values from the 2 to 7 pixels.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 26 wherein from 4 to 13 pixels are averaged to determine the corrected values.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 196 words

A computer with imaging system associated therewith, the computer containing software therein that directs a process for improving image defects comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel; and displaying the image with the stored average treatment value displayed in the image.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 196 words

A computer with imaging system associated therewith, the computer containing software therein that directs a process for improving image defects comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel; and displaying the image with the stored average treatment value displayed in the image.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer with imaging system of claim 28 wherein the matrix is an at least 7×7 matrix of pixels and at least eight averaging pixels are selected.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 52 words

The computer with imaging system of claim 29 wherein the matrix is an at least 7×7 matrix of pixels, average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for approximately 100% of pixels in the digital image and eight averaging pixels are selected for each pixel for which average treatment values are assigned.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 39 words

The computer with imaging system of claim 28 wherein the matrix is an at least 7×7 matrix of pixels and average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 80% of the pixels in the digital image.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer with imaging system of claim 31 wherein the central pixel comprises a group of pixels that is less than all pixels in the sub-matrix.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 46 words

The computer with imaging system of claim 31 wherein average treatment values are defined, assigned and stored for at least 80% of the pixels in the digital image and the central pixel comprises a group of pixels that is less than all pixels in the sub-matrix.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of reducing moiré defects in a digital image comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; and storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 173 words

A method of reducing moiré defects in a digital image comprising: providing a digital image data set in the form of a matrix of pixels; selecting a sub-matrix comprising at least a 5×5 matrix of pixels; identifying a pixel within the sub-matrix to be treated as a central pixel; determining a value for at least one optical property in the central pixel; selecting at least four pixels around the central pixel as averaging pixels, at least two of the averaging pixels being in a position in the sub-matrix that is not adjacent the position in the matrix of the central pixel; determining a value for the at least one optical property for the at least four averaging pixels; averaging the values for the at least one optical property for more than one of the at least four averaging pixels to provide an average treatment value for the central pixel; assigning the average treatment value for the central pixel to the central pixel; and storing the average treatment value assigned to the central pixel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-02-01	2008-08-02	2009-02-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-02-01	2012-08-02	2013-02-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-02-01	2016-08-02	2017-02-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Moiré correction in images

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