Image processing apparatus for applying effects to a stored image

• US 7,492,490 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US10/656,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/486, 358/487, 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/505, 382/167, 382/247, 348/207.99, 348/296, 348/224, 348/1
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 : electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 : Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14491 : Electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 : Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/02 : Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets B42D25/00 takes precedence; envelopes B65D27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/08 : Alphanumerical data
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/34 : Markings visible under particular conditions or containing coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/50 : Corresponding markings appearing in different shapes or at different places
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 : Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/20 : characterised by a particular use or purpose
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/23 : Identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 : Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/00 : Photographic printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/02 : Exposure apparatus for contact printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 : for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2022 : Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/12 : Digital output to print unit , e.g. line printer, chain printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 : Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 : Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 : Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 : Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0281 : Arrangement of scan or data electrode driver circuits at the periphery of a panel not inherent to a split matrix structure
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/22 : Safety or protection circuits preventing unauthorised or accidental access to memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/576 : using active circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 : with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00355 : Mark-sheet input sensing record carriers G06K7/00; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 : for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00965 : using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/04 : Scanning arrangements , i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versaH04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2307 : Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device, according to a measured quantity H04N1/27, H04N1/29 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0008 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 : Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 : of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 : of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 : Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 : Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/9091 : Electronic still camera or scene reproducer

Abstract

An image processing apparatus for applying effects to a stored image includes an optical reader. The apparatus includes a feed mechanism for feeding a planar element on which a printed, two-dimensional pattern having a certain resolution is carried, to the reader. The reader has a sensor with a resolution capacity of at least twice the resolution of the two-dimensional pattern and is configured to generate program data represented by the two-dimensional pattern in an external format, the data itself representing an image processing program. A reader interface is connected to the reader to receive the program data from the reader, the reader interface being configured to transform the program data to an internal format suitable for processing. A processor is connected to both the reader and the reader interface to control operation of the reader and the reader interface and to apply the image processing program to the stored image to generate an output image with desired effects.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for applying desired effects to a stored image, the apparatus comprising;

an optical reader;

a feed mechanism for feeding a card having an array of dots past the optical reader;

an optical reader interface that is connected to the optical reader, the optical reader interface able to control the optical reader to detect a data area on the card, to detect a bit pattern corresponding to the array of dots in the data area, and to produce raw data from the bit pattern while the card is being fed past the optical reader, the raw data used to produce an imgne processing script; and

,

a processor that is connected to the optical reader interface to receive and apply the image processing script to the stored image to generate an output image with the desired effects;

whereby, the array of dots defines a first resolution and the optical reader has a sensor with a second resolution at least twice the first resolution.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the second resolution is at least three times the first resolution.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the optical reader interface is configured to write the bit pattern as a byte pattern.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the optical reader interface is configured to descramble and XOR the byte pattern.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the optical reader interface is configured to decode the byte pattern.

6. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a data storage device that is operatively connected to the processor and able to store the image processing script.

7. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the processor includes a VLIW processor that is connected to the optical reader interface via a FIFO buffer so that the optical reader interface is able to write data from the optical reader to the FIFO buffer and the VLIW processor is able to process and store the data received from the FIFO buffer.

8. A camera which comprises:

a housing;

an image sensor positioned on the housing for sensing a viewed image and generating pixel data representing the image;

an optical reader;

a feed mechanism for feeding a card having an array of dots past the optical reader;

an optical reader interface that is connected to the optical reader, the optical reader interface able to control the optical reader to detect a data area on the card, to detect a bit pattern corresponding to the array of dots in the data area, and to produce raw data from the bit pattern while the card is being fed past the optical reader, the raw data used to produce an image processing script; and

,

a central processor which comprises an image sensor interface that is connected to the image sensor to receive the pixel data from the image sensor, and that is connected to the optical reader interface to receive and apply the image processing script to the pixel data so that the pixel data can be transformed and written to a data storage device,

whereby, the array of dots defines a first resolution and the optical reader has a sensor with a second resolution at least twice the first resolution.