Digital presenter for displaying image captured by camera with illumination system

• US 8,736,751 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2008
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Yun, Il Dong
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, CHIA WEI A
• Application Number:
  US12/198,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 348/345, 348/370, 348/371, 25055901-55909
• US Class Current: 348/370
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02409 Focusing, i.e. adjusting the focus of the scanning head
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19594 using a television camera or a still video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0436 Scanning a picture-bearing surface lying face up on a support H04N2201/0434 takes precedence; using cylindrical picture bearing surfaces H04N1/06; with manual scanning H04N1/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An image displaying apparatus includes a base capable of supporting an object, a camera configured to capture a plurality of images of the object, an illumination system housing a plurality of illuminators, an illumination control system configured to control illumination provided by the plurality of illuminators, and a focus control system configured to control a focus of the camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus to display an image, comprising:

a base to support an object, the base including a base arm;

an illumination system that includes a plurality of illuminators configured to selectively illuminate the object;

a camera system coupled to the base arm, the camera system configured to;

capture a plurality of images of the object, wherein each of the plurality of images is captured for the object at different illumination conditions, wherein the different illumination conditions are obtained by individual energization and de-energization of the plurality of illuminators and wherein each of the plurality of images corresponds to a different respective illumination condition of the object;

determine a brightness value for each pixel for each of the plurality of images;

compare the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent a common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a first threshold value;

compare the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent the common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a second threshold value;

average the brightness values of the corresponding pixels, if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value, to obtain respective averaged brightness values of the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of images;

determine a representative pixel from the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of the images, wherein determined representative pixels include the respective average brightness values if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value;

form an image from the determined representative pixels; and

output the image;

an illuminator control system configured to control the plurality of illuminators; and

a focus control system configured to adjust a focus of the camera system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illuminator control system is configured to energize and de-energize the plurality of illuminators and is configured to control the camera system to capture an image of the object while at least some of the illuminators are energized.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the illuminators are capable of being individually energized and de-energized.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determination of the representative pixel from the corresponding pixels of each of the plurality of the images comprises selection of the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively lower brightness if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is higher than the first threshold value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein selecting determination of the representative pixel from the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of the images comprises selection of a representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to determine the representative pixel, the camera system comprises is further configured to:

select the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively lower brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is higher than the first threshold value; and

select the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.

7. A method to display an image, comprising:

selectively capturing a plurality of images of an object while a plurality of illuminators are selectively controlled such that each of the plurality of images corresponds to a different illumination condition of the object;

determining a brightness value for each pixel for each of the plurality of images;

comparing the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent a common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a first threshold value;

comparing the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent the common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a second threshold value;

averaging the brightness values of the corresponding pixels, if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value, to obtain respective averaged brightness values of the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of images;

determining a representative pixel from the corresponding pixels of each of the plurality of the images, wherein determined representative pixels include the respective average brightness values if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value;

forming the image from the determined representative pixels; and

outputting the image.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining the representative pixel from the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of the images comprises:

selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively lower brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is higher than the first threshold value.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the determining the representative pixel from the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of the images comprises selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein determining the representative pixel comprises:

selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively lower brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is higher than the first threshold value; and

selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.

11. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium that includes instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to control an apparatus to perform a method comprising:

selectively capturing a plurality of images of an object while a plurality of illuminators are selectively controlled such that each of the plurality images corresponds to a different illumination condition of the object;

determining a brightness value for each pixel for each of the plurality of images;

comparing the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent a common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a first threshold value; and

comparing the brightness value, of corresponding pixels that represent the common region of the object from each of the plurality of images, with a second threshold value;

averaging the brightness values of the corresponding pixels, if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value, to obtain respective averaged brightness values of the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of images;

determining a representative pixel from the corresponding pixels of each of the plurality of the images, wherein determined representative pixels include the respective average brightness values if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value;

forming an image from the determined representative pixels; and

outputting the image.

12. The storage medium of claim 11 wherein the determining the representative pixel from the corresponding pixels from each of the plurality of the images comprises selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.

13. The storage medium of claim 11 wherein determining the representative pixel comprises:

selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is higher than the first threshold value; and

selecting the representative pixel, from the corresponding pixels, that includes a relatively higher brightness value if the brightness value of each corresponding pixel is lower than the second threshold value.