Target searching device and its image display method

• US 20070242855A1
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quatron Incorporated (Quatron)
• Original Assignee: Quatron Incorporated (Quatron)
• Inventors: Chen, Tony K.T.
• Application Number:
  US11/499,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242855A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/00 Sighting devices for indirect laying of fire F41G3/16; bombsights F41G3/24 ; structurally associated with laser telemeters F41G3/065; mounting tubular or beam shaped aiming devices on firearms F41G11/001
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/165 using a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations

Abstract

A target searching device has an image capture unit that captures and outputs a captured image having I×J pixels, an image display unit that displays a displayed image having M×N pixels, and an image process unit that is coupled with the image capture unit and the image display unit. The target searching device can perform a method of displaying an image, which includes the steps of acquiring a captured image having I×J pixels, selecting a pre-set target from the captured image, dividing the captured image into a plurality of image blocks with reference to the pre-set target, resealing each image block by a set of zoom parameters to transform the captured image of I×J pixels into a displayed image having M×N pixels, and displaying the displayed image.

Claims

1. A target searching device, comprising:

an image capture unit that captures and outputs a captured image having I×

J pixels;

an image display unit that displays a displayed image having M×

N pixels; and

an image process unit that is coupled with the image capture unit and the image display unit, the image process unit having;

means for receiving the captured image from the image capture unit and selecting a pre-set target from the captured image;

means for dividing the captured image into a plurality of image blocks with reference to the pre-set target; and

means for resealing each image block by a set of zoom parameters to transform the captured image of I×

J pixels into the displayed image of M×

N pixels for display by the image display unit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the pre-set target is located at the center of the captured image and the captured image is divided into a plurality of rectangular image blocks by drawing vertical lines on both sides of the pre-set target and horizontal lines over and under the pre-set target.

3. The device of claim 2, further including means for gradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the zoom factors of the zoom parameters are set to be 1 for the image block containing the pre-set target.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the pre-set target is located at the center of the captured image, a plurality of radiating lines are drawn from the pre-set target, and a plurality of concentric ovals are drawn to encircle the pre-set target such that a plurality of fan-shaped image blocks are formed.

6. The device of claim 5, further including means for gradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the zoom factors of the zoom parameters are set to be 2 for the image block containing the pre-set target.

8. The device of claim 1, further including an eyeball tracking unit that assists the image process unit to select the pre-set target according to the location of the user'"'"'s eyeball.

9. A method of displaying an image, comprising:

acquiring a captured image having I×

J pixels;

selecting a pre-set target from the captured image;

dividing the captured image into a plurality of image blocks with reference to the pre-set target;

resealing each image block by a set of zoom parameters to transform the captured image of I×

J pixels into a displayed image having M×

N pixels; and

displaying the displayed image.

10. The method of claim 9, further including:

locating the pre-set target at the center of the captured image; and

dividing the captured image into a plurality of rectangular image blocks by drawing vertical lines on both sides of the pre-set target and horizontal lines over and under the pre-set target.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

gradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

setting the zoom factors of the zoom parameters to be 1 for the image block containing the pre-set target.

13. The method of claim 9, further including:

locating the pre-set target at the center of the captured image;

drawing a plurality of radiating lines from the pre-set target; and

drawing a plurality of concentric ovals to encircle the pre-set target such that a plurality of fan-shaped image blocks are formed.

14. The method of claim 13, further including:

gradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

setting zoom factors of the zoom parameters to be 2 for the image block containing the pre-set target.

16. The method of claim 9, further including:

selecting the pre-set target based on the location of the user'"'"'s eyeball.

17. A method of processing an image, comprising:

acquiring a captured image having lxJ pixels;

selecting a pre-set target from the captured image;

dividing the captured image into a plurality of image blocks with reference to the pre-set target;

rescaling each image block by a set of zoom parameters to transform the captured image of lxJ pixels into a processed image having MxN pixels; and

outputting the processed image.

18. The method of claim 17, further including:

locating the pre-set target at the center of the captured image; and

dividing the captured image into a plurality of rectangular image blocks by drawing vertical lines on both sides of the pre-set target and horizontal lines over and under the pre-set target.

19. The method of claim 18, further including:

gradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.

20. The method of claim 19, further including:

setting the zoom factors of the zoom parameters to be 1 for the image block containing the pre-set target.

21. The method of claim 17, further including:

locating the pre-set target at the center of the captured image;

drawing a plurality of radiating lines from the pre-set target; and

drawing a plurality of concentric ovals to encircle the pre-set target such that a plurality of fan-shaped image blocks are formed.

22. The method of claim 21, further including:

mgradually reducing zoom factors of the zoom parameters for the image blocks away from the pre-set target.