Method and an apparatus for generating a video binary signal for a video image having a matrix of pixels
First Claim
1. An apparatus for dynamically setting a discrimination threshold for the processing of an image having one or more edges said image is composed of a plurality of lines, each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a grey value, said apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving a plurality of said lines of pixels;
means for determining the pixel ("instantaneous maximum pixel") having the maximum grey value among the plurality of pixels received;
means for receiving said instantaneous maximum pixel and for storing its grey value in the event said instantaneous maximum pixel is associated with one of said edges of said image;
means for determining the pixel ("instantaneous minimum pixel") having the minimum grey value among the plurality of pixels received;
means for receiving said instantaneous minimum pixel and for storing its grey value in the event said instantaneous minimum pixel is associated with one of said edges of said image;
means for setting a grey scale threshold based upon the stored minimum grey value and the stored maximum grey value; and
means for comparing the grey value of each pixel of said image to said grey scale threshold to produce a first binary output for each pixel.
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Abstract
In the present invention, a method and an apparatus for dynamically setting a discrimination threshold for the processing of an image is disclosed. The image is composed of a matrix of pixels with each pixel having a grey scale value. The pixels are arranged in a plurality of lines with each line having a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels are supplied to a line buffers memory. From the line buffers memory, the white peak line and the black minimum line are supplied to a peak and minimum detectors which determine the white peak value and the black minimum value associated with an edge. The white peak value and the black minimum values are stored. The stored white peak and black minimum values are supplied to a threshold calculator to which a user selectable input is also supplied. The output of a threshold calculator is a threshold level which is used by comparator. Another input to the comparator is the grey scale value of the pixel from the image. The output of the comparator is a binary video signal.
22 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dynamically setting a discrimination threshold for the processing of an image having one or more edges said image is composed of a plurality of lines, each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a grey value, said apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of said lines of pixels; means for determining the pixel ("instantaneous maximum pixel") having the maximum grey value among the plurality of pixels received; means for receiving said instantaneous maximum pixel and for storing its grey value in the event said instantaneous maximum pixel is associated with one of said edges of said image; means for determining the pixel ("instantaneous minimum pixel") having the minimum grey value among the plurality of pixels received; means for receiving said instantaneous minimum pixel and for storing its grey value in the event said instantaneous minimum pixel is associated with one of said edges of said image; means for setting a grey scale threshold based upon the stored minimum grey value and the stored maximum grey value; and means for comparing the grey value of each pixel of said image to said grey scale threshold to produce a first binary output for each pixel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of generating a video binary signal for a video image having one or more edges, said image having a plurality of lines each having a plurality of pixels with each pixel having a grey scale value, said method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of lines of pixels; determining the first pixel having the maximum grey value among the plurality of pixels received; storing the maximum grey value determined in the event the first pixel determined is associated with one of said edges of said image; determining the second pixel having the minimum grey value among the plurality of pixels received; storing the minimum grey value determined in the event the second pixel determined is associated with one of said edges of said image; setting a grey scale threshold based upon the stored minimum grey value and the stored maximum grey value; and comparing the grey value of each pixel of said video image to said grey scale threshold to produce said video binary signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for dynamically setting a discrimination threshold for the processing of an image having one or more edges, said image is composed of a plurality of lines, each having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a grey value, said apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of said lines of pixels; first means for detecting an edge of said image among the plurality of said lines of pixels; first means for determining the maximum grey value of the pixels in the region of said edge detected; second means for determining the minimum grey value of the pixels in the region of said edge detected; means for storing said minimum and maximum grey values; means for setting a grey scale threshold based upon the stored minimum grey value and the stored maximum grey value; and means for comparing the grey value of each pixel of said image to said grey scale threshold to produce a first binary output for each pixel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification