Line or text-based image processing tools

• US 20070268501A1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiu, Chinchuan Andrew, Jiang, Xiaoyun, Quan, Shuxue
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10008 from scanner, fax or copier
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30176 Document
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/006 Geometric correction correction of chromatic aberrations adapted to be used in an image pickup device containing an electronic image sensor H04N23/10; detecting, correcting, reducing or removing artefacts resulting only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" H04N25/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/194 involving foreground-background segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure, apparatus are provided, including an image processor, a unique image processing mechanism, and a unique image processing activation mechanism. The image processor includes the unique image processing mechanism, which processes a certain type of image. The unique image processing activation mechanism causes the unique image processing mechanism to process a given image.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an image processor including a unique image processing mechanism to process a certain type of image; and

a unique image processing activation mechanism to cause the unique image processing mechanism to process a given image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an embedded device, wherein the embedded device comprises the image processor and the unique image processing mechanism, and wherein the embedded device further comprises the unique image processing activation mechanism.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a camera.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile communications device, including a mobile phone and a camera.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises one of a document facsimile reading apparatus, a photocopy machine, a business card reader, a bar code scanner, and a document scanner.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the certain type of image is a document.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the certain type of image is a black and white document including lines and text.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the certain type of image is an image of a business card.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the certain type of image is an image of at least one of a blackboard and a whiteboard.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the certain type of image is an image of a blackboard.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the certain type of image is an image of a whiteboard.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a picture taker to take the given image.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the picture taker includes camera elements including an image sensor and lens assembly.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a picture display to display the given image.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a mobile communications processor.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the mobile communications processor includes a processor for a mobile phone.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the mobile communications processor includes a mechanism to receive and send the given image to or from a separate remote device via a wireless connection.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a separate unique image processor, separate from the image processor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a contrast increasing mechanism.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a gamma changing mechanism.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a local gain adjustment mechanism.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a background subtraction mechanism, the background subtraction mechanism including a background separator to obtain a background image from the given image, the background subtraction mechanism further including a difference calculator to form an image with pixel values based on respective differences between pixel values in the foreground-included given image and corresponding pixel values in the background image.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the background separator includes a subsample mechanism, a filter mechanism, and a supersample mechanism to subsample, filter, and subsequently supersample the given image.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the background separator includes one or a combination of a median filter, a smoothing filter, and a morphological operator.

25. An integrated circuit comprising:

an image processor including a unique image processing mechanism to process a certain type of image; and

a unique image processing activation mechanism to cause the unique image processing mechanism to process a given image.

26. The integrated circuit according to claim 25, wherein the unique image processing mechanism includes a background subtraction mechanism, the background subtraction mechanism including a background separator to obtain a background image from the given image, the background subtraction mechanism further including a difference calculator to form an image with pixel values based on respective differences between pixel values in the foreground-included given image and corresponding pixel values in the background image.

27. A method comprising:

processing an image within an embedded device and performing unique image processing on a certain type of image; and

activating the unique image processing to cause the unique image processing of a given image.

28. The method according claim 27, wherein the unique image processing includes performing a background subtraction, the background subtraction including separating a background image from the given image, the background subtraction further including calculating a difference to form an image with pixel values based on respective differences between pixel values in a foreground-included given image and corresponding pixel values in the background image.

29. Machine-readable media encoded with data, the encoded data being interoperable with a machine to cause:

processing an image within an embedded device and performing unique image processing on a certain type of image; and

activating the unique image processing to cause the unique image processing of a given image.

30. The machine-readable media according claim 29, wherein the encoded data is interoperable with a machine to cause the unique image processing to include performing a background subtraction, the background subtraction including separating a background image from the given image, the background subtraction further including calculating a difference to form an image with pixel values based on respective differences between pixel values in a foreground-included given image and corresponding pixel values in the background image.

31. Apparatus comprising:

means for performing image processing on a digital captured image in an embedded device, the means for performing image processing including unique image processing means for processing a certain type of image; and

means for activating the unique image processing means to process a given image.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the means for performing unique image processing include means for performing a background subtraction processing, the means for performing a background subtraction processing including means for separating out a background image from the given image and means for calculating a difference image.