US7379076B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Using pixel homogeneity to improve the clarity of images
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2004-07-15
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Granted: 2008-05-27
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Expires: 2024-07-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides for improving image clarity through sub-pixel positioning of the image in a grid space based on pixel homogeneity scores. The pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels produced from an over-sampling of the pixels within the grid space. A representation of an image (or at least a portion thereof) is positioned at various sub-pixel locations with in the grid space, and pixel homogeneity scores are calculated for the various locations. Based on a comparison of the pixel homogeneity scores, a position to display the image is chosen such that image rendering is optimized or at least improved.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald D. Karlov
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:23
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/22; G09G5/24; G09G5/28; G09G2340/00; G09G2340/04; G09G2340/0457
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising acts of: generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; calculating a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; calculating a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space; comparing the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determining which position the image should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen rendering of the image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising acts of: generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; calculating a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; calculating a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space; comparing the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determining which position the image should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen rendering of the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first position is within a pixel location of the second position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more algorithms that improve throughput.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more of bit-masking or parallel single instruction multiple data techniques.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are a sum of homogeneity scores for each pixel within the grid space.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first pixel homogeneity score is lower than the second pixel homogeneity score, and wherein the first position is determined to be the position within the grid space to display the image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein multiple pixel homogeneity scores are compared with the first and second pixel homogeneity scores in determining which position within the grid space to display the image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined position for the image is stored in a temporary memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of information used to calculate pixel homogeneity scores is stored in a look-up table, the information representing a bell shaped distribution of the homogeneity score for a pixel verses the fraction of sub-pixels lit within a pixel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
111 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising: an act of generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; a step for rendering the image in a position based on a plurality of pixel homogeneity scores for the representation at different sub-pixel locations within the grid space, the pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
111 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising: an act of generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; a step for rendering the image in a position based on a plurality of pixel homogeneity scores for the representation at different sub-pixel locations within the grid space, the pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the different sub-pixel locations are less than a full diagonal length of a pixel from one another.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of pixel homogeneity scores are approximated using one or more algorithms that improve throughput.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more of bit-masking or parallel single instruction multiple data techniques.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of pixel homogeneity scores are a sum of homogeneity scores for each pixel within the grid space.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein a position that produces a lowest homogeneity score from among the plurality of pixel homogeneity scores is the position for rendering the image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the position for rendering the image is stored in a temporary memory for future reference.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein a portion of information used to calculate the plurality of pixel homogeneity scores is stored in a look-up table, the information representing a bell shaped distribution of the homogeneity score for a pixel verses the fraction of sub-pixels lit within a pixel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
218 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising acts of: generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; scanning one or more pixels within the grid space for determining a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; moving at least a portion of the representation to a second position within the grid space; rescanning the one or more pixels within the grid space for determining a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at the second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within the one or more pixels scanned; comparing the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determining which position the at least a portion of the image corresponding to the at least a portion of the representation should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen the image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
218 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the method comprising acts of: generating a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; scanning one or more pixels within the grid space for determining a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; moving at least a portion of the representation to a second position within the grid space; rescanning the one or more pixels within the grid space for determining a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at the second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within the one or more pixels scanned; comparing the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determining which position the at least a portion of the image corresponding to the at least a portion of the representation should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen the image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the first position is within a pixel location of the second position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more algorithms that improve throughput.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more of bit-masking or parallel single instruction multiple data techniques.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are a sum of homogeneity scores for each pixel within the grid space.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the first pixel homogeneity score is lower than the second pixel homogeneity score, and wherein the first position is determined to be the position within the grid space to display the image.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein multiple pixel homogeneity scores are compared with the first and second pixel homogeneity scores in determining which position within the grid space to display the at least a portion of the image.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the determined position for the at least a portion of the image is stored in a temporary memory.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein a portion of information used to calculate pixel homogeneity scores is stored in a look-up table, the information representing a bell shaped distribution of the homogeneity score for a pixel verses the fraction of sub-pixels lit within a pixel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
202 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a computer program product for implementing a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, can cause the distributed computing system to perform the following: generate a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; calculate a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; calculate a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space; compare the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determine which position the image should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen the image.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
202 words
In a processing device coupled to a display device, a computer program product for implementing a method of improving image clarity at the display device by determining a desired position for the image to be displayed, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, can cause the distributed computing system to perform the following: generate a representation of an image to be displayed on a display device, the representation configured to be moved by sub-pixel positioning in a grid space; calculate a first pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a first position within the grid space; calculate a second pixel homogeneity score for the representation based on a rendering of the representation at a second position within the grid space, the first and second pixel homogeneity scores indicating the uniformity of state for sub-pixels within one or more individual pixels in the grid space; compare the first pixel homogeneity score to the second pixel homogeneity score; and based on the comparison, determine which position the image should be displayed on the display device in order to sharpen the image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the first position is within a pixel location of the second position.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are approximated using one or more algorithms that improve throughput.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product of claim 29 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are calculated using one or more of bit-masking or parallel single instruction multiple data techniques.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the first and second pixel homogeneity scores are a sum of homogeneity scores for each pixel within the grid space.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the first pixel homogeneity score is lower than the second pixel homogeneity score, and wherein the first position is determined to be the position within the grid space to display the image.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein multiple pixel homogeneity scores are compared with the first and second pixel homogeneity scores in determining which position within the grid space to display the image.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein the determined position for the image is stored in a temporary memory.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer program product of claim 27 , wherein a portion of information used to calculate pixel homogeneity scores is stored in a look-up table, the information representing a bell shaped distribution of the homogeneity score for a pixel verses the fraction of sub-pixels lit within a pixel.
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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) | 2011-05-27 | 2011-11-26 | 2012-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2015-05-27 | 2015-11-26 | 2016-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2019-05-27 | 2019-11-26 | 2020-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |