Optical information processing apparatus capable of various types of filtering and image processing

• US 6,731,819 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Takeshi, Namiki, Mitsuru, Fukushima, Ikutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/574,507
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 382/210, 382/211, 382/260, 382/274, 382/278, 382/280, 359/559, 359/561, 359/564, 348/49, 348/54, 396/209, 250/339.08, 335/47
• US Class Current: 382/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/895 the filter being related to phase processing, e.g. phase-only filters

Abstract

An optical information processing apparatus includes an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information, an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information, a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section, an image dividing section for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system, a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section, an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section, a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, and a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section.

Claims

1. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

an image dividing section for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section;

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system; and

a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section.

2. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filtering section is an amplitude-modulation-type spatial optical modulation element which effects filtering by means of a Gabor filter.

3. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical information processing apparatus obtains the correlation between image information on an object to be processed and a reference image, and

the filtering section is a phase-modulation-type spatial optical modulation element which effects filtering through phase modulation φ expressed by the following expressions;

4. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical information processing apparatus obtains the correlation between image information on an object to be processed and a reference image, and

the filtering section is a phase/amplitude modulation-type spatial optical modulation element which effects filtering through modulation according to the complex conjugate of the Fourier transform of the reference image.

5. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical information processing apparatus obtains the correlation between image information on an object to be processed and a reference image, and

the image display section is further operable in a second display mode in which the image information on an object to be processed and the reference image are displayed with a specific distance between them, and in a third display mode in which output of the Fourier transform acquiring section in the second display mode is displayed.

6. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a first Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

an image dividing section for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the first Fourier transform optical system;

a first filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section;

a first inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the first filtering section;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining a Fourier transform of the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the first inverse Fourier transform section;

a second filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

a second inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering section;

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform section; and

a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section.

7. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein one of the first filtering section and second filtering section is an amplitude-modulation-type spatial optical modulation element and the other is a phase-modulation-type spatial optical modulation element.

8. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein both of the first filtering section and second filtering section are used to apply an SDF filter to the image information displayed on the image display section.

9. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein both of the first filtering section and second filtering section are used to subject the image information displayed on the image display section to Morphological filtering.

10. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical information processing apparatus obtains the correlation between image information on an object to be processed and a reference image, and

the first filtering section effects filtering through modulation according to the complex conjugate of the Fourier transform of the reference image and the second filtering section effects filtering through modulation based on the wave front aberration of the optical system.

11. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a first Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

a first filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the first Fourier transform optical system;

a first inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the first filtering section;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the first inverse Fourier transform section;

a second filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

a second inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering section; and

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform section.

12. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

an image dividing section for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section;

a pupil modulation section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display section;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation section;

a second filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

a second inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering section;

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform section; and

a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section.

13. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the optical information processing apparatus applies a WDF filter to image information on the object to be processed,

the image display section displays the image obtained by shifting the image information about the object to be processed by a specific amount,

the pupil modulation section filters the amplitude information obtained by shifting the image information in the opposite direction by the same amount, and

the second filtering section effects filtering using the transfer function of the optical system.

14. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the lens for converting the light from the light source into the collimate light is also part of the Fourier transform optical system.

15. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the optical information processing apparatus obtains the correlation between image information on an object to be processed and a reference image, and further comprises

a correlation sensing section for sensing a part of the image whose correlation is higher than a threshold value, on the basis of the correlation information given to the filtering information acquiring section, and

the filtering section effects filtering on the basis of the reference image and gives information on the correlation between the image information and the reference image to the filtering information acquiring section, and

the pupil modulation section effects filtering on the basis of the result of sensing at the correlation sensing section.

16. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the lens for converting the light from the light source into the collimate light is also part of the Fourier transform optical system.

17. The optical information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the lens for converting the light from the light source into the collimate light is also part of the Fourier transform optical system.

18. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section;

a pupil modulation section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform section, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display section;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation section;

a second filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

a second inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering section; and

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform section.

19. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section;

a pupil modulation section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform section, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display section;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation section;

an image dividing section for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

a second filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section;

a second inverse Fourier transform section for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering section;

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform optical system; and

a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing section.

20. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section; and

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the filtering section is modularized into a unit according to more than one filtering method and is designed to be capable of changing the filtering method freely by changing the unit.

21. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

an image information reading section for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display section to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading section;

a filtering section for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering section; and

a filtering image information acquiring section for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system is divided and the contents of subsequent processes differ, depending on one piece of the image information divided and the other piece of the image information divided.

22. An optical image processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying an image to be processed;

a read light generator section for generating light to read an image displayed on the image display section;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image read from the image display section by the light from the read light generator section;

a filtering section with a pixel structure for filtering the image subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the light filtered by the filtering section; and

a filtering image acquiring section for acquiring the image subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the display size W_i of the image display section, the wavelength λ

of the read light, the focal length f of the Fourier transform optical system, the minimum pixel-to-pixel spacing p of the filtering section, the display size W_f, and the incident angle θ

_g to the filtering section are so selected that the diffracted light of 0th order generated at the filtering section never overlaps with another n-th order diffracted light.

23. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the filtering section has two axes crossing at right angles along which a large number of pixels are arranged in a matrix and, when W_i>

W_f holds along each of the axes, satisfies the following expression;

24. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the filtering section has a display element for displaying a function corresponding to filtering to be done and a diffraction grating adjacent to the display element, with the pitch p of the diffraction grating satisfying

25. An optical image processing apparatus comprising:

an image display section for displaying an image to be processed;

a read light generator section for generating light to read an image displayed on the image display section;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image read by the read light generator section;

a filtering section for filtering the image subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image filtered by the filtering section;

a contrast ratio correcting section for correcting the contrast ratio of the filtering section; and

a filtering image acquiring section for acquiring the image filtered at the filtering section;

wherein the contrast ratio correcting section is composed of a filter whose transmittance makes a nonlinear change with the amount of incident light.

26. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the contrast ratio correcting section is placed in the vicinity of the Fourier transform surface of the filtering section.

27. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the contrast ratio correcting section is placed in a position conjugate with the Fourier transform surface of the filtering section.

28. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the contrast ratio correcting section is placed in a position conjugate with the Fourier transform surface of the filtering section.

29. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the filter used in the contrast ratio correcting section is composed of a nonlinear filter and a control light source.

30. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the nonlinear filter is made of material of the silver oxide family.

31. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a switching section using a filter.

32. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the nonlinear filter is made of material of the antimony family.

33. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a switching section using a filter.

34. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the nonlinear filter is made of material of the photochromic family.

35. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising a switching section using a filter.

36. The optical image processing apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a switching section using a filter.

37. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

image dividing means for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means;

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system; and

Fourier transform information acquiring means for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means.

38. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a first Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

image dividing means for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the first Fourier transform optical system;

first filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means;

first inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the first filtering means;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the first inverse Fourier transform means;

second filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

second inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering means;

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform means; and

Fourier transform information acquiring means for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means.

39. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a first Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

first filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the first Fourier transform optical system;

first inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the first filtering means;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the first inverse Fourier transform means;

second filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

second inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering means; and

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform means.

40. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

image dividing means for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means;

pupil modulation means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display means;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation means;

second filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

second inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering means;

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform means; and

Fourier transform information acquiring means for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means.

41. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means;

pupil modulation means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform means, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display means;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation means;

second filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

second inverse means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering means; and

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform means.

42. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means;

pupil modulation means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform means, on the surface conjugate with the display surface of the image display means;

a second Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the pupil modulation means;

image dividing means for dividing the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the second Fourier transform optical system;

second filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in one piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means;

second inverse Fourier transform means for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the second filtering means;

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the second inverse Fourier transform means; and

a Fourier transform information acquiring section for taking in the other piece of the image information divided by the image dividing means.

43. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means; and

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the filtering means is modularized into a unit according to more than one filtering method and is designed to be capable of changing the filtering method freely by changing the unit.

44. An optical information processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying information on an object to be processed as image information;

image information reading means for converting a light from a light source into collimate light and projecting the collimate light onto the image display means to read image information;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image information read by the image information reading means;

filtering means for filtering the phase or amplitude information in the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the image information filtered at the filtering means; and

filtering image information acquiring means for taking in the image information subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the image information subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system is divided and the contents of subsequent processes differ, depending on one piece of the image information divided and the other piece of the image information divided.

45. An optical image processing apparatus comprising:

image display means for displaying an image to be processed;

read light generator means for generating light to read an image displayed on the image display means;

a Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the Fourier transform of the image read from the image display means by the light from the read light generator means;

filtering means with a pixel structure for filtering the image subjected to Fourier transform at the Fourier transform optical system;

an inverse Fourier transform optical system for obtaining the inverse Fourier transform of the light filtered by the filtering means; and

filtering image acquiring means for acquiring the image subjected to inverse Fourier transform at the inverse Fourier transform optical system, wherein

the display size W_i of the image display means, the wavelength λ

of the read light, the focal length f of the Fourier transform optical system, the minimum pixel-to-pixel spacing p of the filtering means, the display size W_f, and the incident angle θ

_g to the filtering means are so selected that the diffracted light of 0th order generated at the filtering means never overlaps with another n-th order diffracted light.