System and method for anti-moire imaging in a one dimensional sensor array

• US 7,176,969 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta; Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, SATHYANARAYA V
• Application Number:
  US10/015,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20030112474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 382298-300, 348/230.1, 348/229.1, 348/236, 348/237, 348/294
• US Class Current: 348/294
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/03 with photodetectors arranged in a substantially linear array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0308 characterised by the design of the photodetectors, e.g. shape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/191 the array comprising a one-dimensional array , or a combination of one-dimensional arrays, or a substantially one-dimensional array, e.g. an array of staggered elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/046 Actively compensating for disturbances, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/7013 using abutted sensors forming a long line

Abstract

A device and process which eliminates potential moiré patterns in digitized images by employing a one-dimensional sensor array and a sampling method of the sensor signals which produces a data set of non-uniformly spaced sensor positions. This allows the spacing of the sensors to avoid having a strong “harmonic” which may interfere with details or harmonics present in the image source, which eliminates the occurrence of moiré patterns and the need for application of image processing to remove moiré patterns. Sensors are non-uniformly spaced along a first axis according to a predetermined scheme or function. Sensors are sampled during scanning according a non-uniform function in order to realize a non-uniform sampling scheme in a second dimension. Linear interpolation is applied to the non-uniformly spaced data set, synthesizing a uniformly-spaced data set for use in common imaging formats and processing.

Claims

1. A method of producing a sampled image comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of sensor positions in a row arrangement non-uniformly distributed with varying distances between each adjacent pair of sensor positions determined according to a first predictable deterministic schema; and

selectively sampling an image by sequentially exposing image portions to said row arrangement according to a second predictable deterministic schema such that each sensor position is sampled in a non-uniformly varying spatial manner to obtain a first set of data samples representing non-uniformly spaced points in said image.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first predetermined schema comprises a pseudo-random schema.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first predetermined schema comprises a nonlinear polynomial schema.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning a reference identifier to said first predetermined schema.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second predetermined schema comprises a pseudo-random schema.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second predetermined schema comprises a nonlinear polynomial schema.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning a reference identifier to said first predetermined schema.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of interpolating a set of data samples representing uniformly spaced data samples from said first set of non-uniformly spaced data samples, wherein said uniformly spaced data samples represent said image and contain approximately the same number of data samples as said first set of non-uniformly spaced data samples.

9. A computer readable medium encoded with software for producing a sampled image, said software causing a processor to perform the steps of:

sequentially exposing image portions to a plurality of sensors positioned in a row arrangement non-uniformly distributed with varying distances between each adjacent pair of sensor positions determined according to a first predictable deterministic schema; and

selectively sampling said sensors according to a second predictable deterministic schema such that each sensor is sampled in a non-uniformly varying spatial manner to obtain a first set of data samples representing non-uniformly spaces points in said image.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said predetermined schema comprises a pseudo-random schema.

11. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said predetermined schema comprises a nonlinear polynomial schema.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 9 further comprising software for interpolating a set of data samples representing uniformly spaced data samples from said first set of non-uniformly spaced data samples, wherein said uniformly spaced data samples represent said image and contain approximately the same number of data samples as said first set of non-uniformly spaced data samples.

13. A system for producing a sampled image comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned in a row arrangement distributed with varying distances between each adjacent pair of sensor determined according to a first predictable deterministic schema; and

a means for selectively sampling an image by sequentially exposing image portions to said row arrangement according to a second predictable deterministic schema such that each sensor position is sampled in a non-uniformly varying spatial manner to obtain a first set of data samples representing non-uniformly spaces points in said image.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first schema for sensor positioning is a pseudo-random schema.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first schema for sensor positioning is a nonlinear polynomial schema.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second predetermined schema comprises a pseudo-random schema.

17. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second predetermined schema comprises a nonlinear polynomial schema.

18. The system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a means for generating a uniformly-spaced data sample by interpolating said first set of data samples.