Automated quality assurance image processing system

• US 5,832,140 A
• Filed: 06/01/1995
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: StapleVision, Inc. (DCI Telecommunications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: StapleVision, Inc. (DCI Telecommunications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lord, Christopher, Stapleton, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHALWALA, BIPIN H
• Application Number:
  US08/457,676
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 382/137, 382/139, 382/140, 382/156, 382/168, 382/171, 382/199, 382/232, 382/254, 382/266, 382/275, 382/286, 382/289, 382/298, 382/309, 382/317, 382/305, 382/282, 382/287, 382/300, 358/403, 358/405, 358/462, 364/552, 364/554
• US Class Current: 382/298
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/393 Enlarging or reducing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing system with a quality assurance feature is disclosed for determining the quality of the images being processed. The system includes a plurality of sections operating independently and concurrently to insure reliability. One section includes calculation of a quality assurance parameter dependent on the fill factor and the compression ratio determined before and after compression respectively. A second section includes histogram hardware for generating qualified histograms representative of foreground data, and background data transitions and a comparator for detecting overlap therebetween. A third section develops a histogram parameter based on the areas of the histograms and compares this parameter to the quality assurance parameter for concurrence. The system also includes autosizing means for detecting the borders of an image using fuzzy logic.

Claims

1. An image processing system for converting optical images into corresponding digital data, said system comprising:

a. sensing means for generating digital sensor signals corresponding to an image, said digital sensor signals having a fill factor;

b. compressing means for compressing said digital sensor signals to generate compressed signals, said compressed signals having a compression ratio;

c. autosizing image processing system for automatically detecting an image window within an image, for eliminating digital sensor signals outside said window, and for automatically determining and controlling the size of an image and its associated scanning parameters when unable to determine assigned codes regarding the same, the autosizing image processing system comprising;

a realtime multidiscriminant processor of image video data prioritized to minimize overscanning and need to rescan or reject incorrect or missing data codes and thereby maximize the input scan rate throughput, including;

logic means to detect the most likely first corner encountered of an image border although it may be skewed or fuzzy or offset excessively;

statistical means to recognize two or more most likely corners of an image border although it may be skewed or fuzzy or offset excessively;

contrast comparator means to statistically recognize the most likely extremes of the image content Xmin, Ymin, Xmax, Ymax although it may be a noisy image or without any detectable border or has one that is skewed or fuzzy or offset beyond normally acceptable margins; and

scan conversion means for employing interpolation and decimation to vary the window size and the number of scan lines and picture elements therein thereby providing improved image quality.

2. The image processing system of claim 1 wherein the autosizing image processing system further comprises:

video correlator means for substantially instantly determining within one picture element dwell time the correlated number of ones (1) and zeros (0) and don'"'"'t care (X) pixels in a realtime statistical bit-map sampling window for computing the probability and confidence level of the image extent free of integrating counting said number of correlation pixels or storing entire image.

3. The image processing system of claim 2 wherein the autosizing image processing system further comprises:

array means addressable by the video contents of the picture elements within a statistical sampling window and provides an output of the number of 1'"'"'s, 0'"'"'s, and X'"'"'s for computing the probability and confidence level of the image extent free of counting or integrating said numbers.

4. The image processing system of claim 1 wherein the autosizing image processing system further comprises:

adaptive scanning control means to locate a moveable window wherein an optical character recognition (OCR) is employed to read data relating to the scan parameters and quality.

5. The image processing system of claim 1 wherein the autosizing image processing system further comprises memory for the entire image for subsequent non-instantaneous processing to enhance image quality assurance.