Preview buffer for electronic scanner

• US 5,652,663 A
• Filed: 07/29/1994
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Zelten, James Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US08/282,720
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 358/447, 358/448, 358/452, 358/456, 358/458, 358/527, 358/531, 358/532, 358/537, 358/461, 382/254, 382/274
• US Class Current: 358/447
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for enhancing full color images and may be used within a variety of computer peripheral devices such as a scanner which scans images initially recorded on a photographic medium, for example. The invention takes image data and applies a programmable set of parameters to the image data which govern color saturation and sharpness, inter alia. The image is then passed to a computer where a user may alter the parameter. The parameters are passed back to be reprocessed within the scanner and an updated image is then sent back the computer in real time.

Claims

1. An apparatus used in combination with a computer for allowing a user of the computer to electronically enhance a color image initially recorded on a photographic medium, said apparatus comprising

photoresponsive means for reading the color image from the photographic medium in a first precision and providing image data representative of the color image;

buffer means for storing the image data;

image enhancing means having programmable image enhancing parameters for reading the image data from the buffer means and for processing the image data according to the programmable image enhancing parameters to create a processed image having a second precision that is less than the first precision; and

computer interface means for displaying the processed image to the user such that the user can alter the processed image by selectively changing the programmable image enhancing parameters to form revised programmable image enhancing parameters which, after each such change, are transmitted back through the computer interface means to the image enhancing means where the programmable image enhancing parameters are replaced by the revised programmable image enhancing parameters and subsequently a new processed image is transmitted to the user interface means thus defining an image enhancing cycle.

2. An electronic scanning system for reading an image from a photographic medium into a computer to allow a user to manipulate the image, said electronic scanning system comprising

a scanner having an optically responsive component for inputting the image and translating the image into image data having a first precision which are then processed to conform to preset color and sharpness parameters to form processed image data having a second precision that is less than the first precision;

a computer in electrical communication with the scanner for receiving the processed image data, the computer having a monitor for displaying the processed data and having input devices to allow the user to alter color and sharpness parameters; and

, if so altered, altered color and sharpness variables are downloaded to the scanner to replace the preset color and sharpness parameters causing the image data to again be processed within the scanner using the altered color and sharpness parameters, updated image data are then received from the scanner which is displayed on the monitor thus completing an image enhancing cycle.

3. A method for allowing a user of a computer to electronically enhance a color image scanned from a photographic medium by a scanner comprising steps of

reading the color image into the scanner from the photographic medium at a first precision and providing image data representative of the color image;

processing the image data according to programmable image enhancing parameters to create a processed image having a second precision less than the first precision; and

displaying the processed image by the computer to the user such that the user can selectively alter the processed image by changing the programmable image enhancing parameters to form new programmable image enhancing parameters, and after each such change scanner to cause an update to the processed image.