401 results about "Image degradation" patented technology

The image forming apparatus comprises: an ink discharge device comprising a plurality of full line type inkjet heads arranged separately for a plurality of inks of different colors, each of the inkjet heads having a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging droplets of the ink toward a surface of a recording medium are arranged through a length corresponding to a full width of the recording medium; an ink supply device which supplies ultraviolet curable inks of corresponding colors to the inkjet heads; a conveyance device which causes the inkjet heads and the recording medium to move relatively to each other by conveying at least one of the recording medium and the inkjet heads in a direction substantially perpendicular to a breadthways direction of the recording medium; a first curing device which irradiates ultraviolet light for causing the droplets of the ink, deposited on the surface of the recording medium by one of the inkjet heads on an upstream side in a direction of relative conveyance of the recording medium with respect to the inkjet heads, to semi-cure to a degree whereby the droplets of the ink discharged from the inkjet head on the upstream side do not mix on the surface of the recording medium with the droplets of the ink discharged by a next one of the inkjet heads situated on a downstream side in the direction of relative conveyance, the first curing device comprising an ultraviolet light source including a group of light emitting elements arranged in a linear form and disposed between the inkjet heads of the respective colors; and a second curing device which irradiates ultraviolet light for performing main curing of the droplets of the ink on the recording medium to a degree whereby image degradation does not occur upon subsequent handling of the cured droplets of the ink, the second curing device being disposed after one of the inkjet heads situated in a furthest downstream position of the inkjet heads.

Described is a scanner for reading an optical code which includes a light transmission system and an image acquisition system. The light transmission system projects light on a target. The image acquisition system receives light reflected from the target to generate an image of the target. The image acquisition system is arranged to receive the light reflected from the target at a plurality of angles so that, when specular reflection of the target is associated with a first of the plurality of angles, light from a second one of the plurality of angles is available to minimize image degradation associated with the specular reflection.

In large arrays of image sensing devices, like CCDs, a small number of defective image elements (pixels) must be tolerated and the resulting image degradation should be eliminated through bad pixel correction. The disclosed invention provides a mechanism to effectively detect defective pixels “on the fly” in a Bayer RGB type color image sensor, optimized for low cost applications. It calculates a variable threshold based on signal changes on nearby pixels of the same color within a single row and checks if the signal change of the pixel under test exceeds said variable threshold. It further performs a plausibility check using nearby pixels of an other color in the same row.

The invention discloses an indoor positioning technology based on inertial data and visual features and discloses a corresponding implementation device to implement the steps. The indoor positioning technology specifically comprises: (1) multi-sensor data processing: a camera calibration and image feature extraction method; an IMU data modeling and filtering method; (2) multi-sensor coordinate system calibration: a system modeling, relative attitude calibration and relative position and attitude joint calibration method; (3) an indoor positioning and tracking technology fusing the inertial data and the visual features. Compared with an existing traditional single camera tracking technology, the indoor positioning technology disclosed by the invention has the advantages that single camera tracking is a simple assumption based on constant-speed motion; a better prediction can be provided by using the inertial data of an IMU, so that a search area is smaller during feature matching, the matching speed is higher, the tracking results are more accurate, and the camera tracking robustness in the image degradation and un-textured areas is greatly improved.

Provided is an imaging device capable of reducing image degradation due to a shake of a hand or an object and easily capturing an image of preferable image quality. The imaging device (1) includes: an imaging optical system (L) for forming an optical image of an object; an imaging sensor (4) for receiving the formed optical image and converting it into an electric image signal for output; a motion detecting unit (100) for detecting a motion of an object to be imaged according to the outputted image signal; and a microcomputer (3) for controlling an exposure time in accordance with the motion of the detected optical image of the object.

There is provided an image display device and a method of driving an image display device, which enable detecting an object position and the like without image degradation using a simple structure while ensuring convenience. The image display device includes: a plurality of light-emitting / photo-detection devices each having both light-emitting and photo-detection functions; light-emission driving section driving the light-emitting / photo-detection devices for light emission in accordance with image data; photo-detection driving section driving one or more light-emitting / photo-detection devices for photo-detection, other than a light-emitting / photo-detection device which is emitting light in accordance with the image data, so that the one or more light-emitting / photo-detection devices detect light emitted from the light-emitting / photo-detection device and reflected from a target object; and detecting section detecting the target object in accordance with one or more photo-detection signals obtained from the one or more light-emitting / photo-detection devices.

A digital television broadcast signal receiver connected to a multi-directional antenna carries out in advance automatic scanning for each channel to determine and store the strength of a signal received in each of multiple receiving directions of the antenna, a best receiving direction, and a maximum value of the received signal strengths, normalize the received signal strengths measured in the respective directions with respect to the maximum received signal strength, and produce and store an antenna direction level pattern including a bar graph that shows the received signal strengths in the respective directions with the normalized values used as the amplitude. In response to a command from a user, the receiver superimposes the level pattern on a video image being received for display on a display screen, so that a user can select a receiving direction on the screen. When image degradation takes place during signal reception by the antenna having been already adjusted in orientation, a user can manually reorient the antenna so as to quickly improve the receiving condition without the need for additional time-consuming automatic scanning for adjustment of the orientation of the antenna.

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor comprising a photoconductive layer, a protective layer, and a conductive support, wherein the protective layer is disposed as the outermost layer of the photoconductive layer, and 20% by volume to 60% by volume of fine particles of fluorine-contained resin and at least one compound selected from amine aromatic compounds and hydroxy aromatic compounds are incorporated into the protective layer. According to the present invention, high durability may be achieved, image degradation such as lags may be controlled from the increase of residual potential and decrease of charging, and high quality images may be formed stably even after the prolonged and repeated usage. The present invention also relates to an electrophotographic process, an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge for the electrophotographic apparatus which utilize the electrophotographic photoconductor respectively.

Described is a scanner for reading an optical code which includes a light transmission system and an image acquisition system. The light transmission system projects light on a target. The image acquisition system receives light reflected from the target to generate an image of the target. The image acquisition system is arranged to receive the light reflected from the target at a plurality of angles so that, when specular reflection of the target is associated with a first of the plurality of angles, light from a second one of the plurality of angles is available to minimize image degradation associated with the specular reflection.

The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoconductor comprising a photoconductive layer, a protective layer, and a conductive support, wherein the protective layer is disposed as the outermost layer of the photoconductive layer, and 20% by volume to 60% by volume of fine particles of fluorine-contained resin and at least one compound selected from amine aromatic compounds and hydroxy aromatic compounds are incorporated into the protective layer.According to the present invention, high durability may be achieved, image degradation such as lags may be controlled from the increase of residual potential and decrease of charging, and high quality images may be formed stably even after the prolonged and repeated usage.The present invention also relates to an electrophotographic process, an electrophotographic apparatus and a process cartridge for the electrophotographic apparatus which utilize the electrophotographic photoconductor respectively.

In an image display device having a frame rate converting (FRC) portion, it is possible to prevent image degradation of a combined image display portion such as an OSD and PinP attributed to the FRC process. The image display device includes: an FRC portion 10 for converting the number of frames of an input image signal by interpolating an image signal subjected to a motion compensation process between the frames of the input image signal; an OSD processing portion 14 for superposing an OSD signal on the input image signal, and a controlling portion 15. The FRC portion 10 has a motion vector detecting portion 11e for detecting a motion vector between the frames of the input image signal, an interpolation vector evaluating portion 11f for allocating interpolation vector between frames based on the motion vector information, and an interpolation frame generating portion 12d for generating an interpolation frame from the interpolation vector. When the OSD signal is superposed on the input image signal, the controlling portion 15 disables the motion compensation process of the FRC portion 10 by making the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting portion 11e 0 vector.

A method for processing a traffic monitoring video image in a foggy day includes: 1, detecting vehicles in traffic monitoring scene; 2, building area-of-interest, namely a driving area according to detected vehicle and pedestrian movement areas; 3, estimating road area depth ratio, and generating a depth image: estimating the road area depth ratio according to detected sizes, positions and moving directions of vehicles, building a traffic monitoring scene model, and generating a traffic monitoring scene depth image automatically; 4, building a traffic monitoring scene foggy day image degradation model: using the traffic monitoring scene depth image as an important parameter of foggy day image degradation, and building the traffic monitoring scene foggy day image degradation model; and 5, solving the traffic monitoring scene foggy day image degradation model, and recovering an image.

An image capture apparatus on which a lens apparatus is detachably mounted, may include an image capture device, an image-signal processor, a communication unit, and a control unit. The image capture device may generate an image signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of subject light forming an image through a lens of the image capture apparatus. The image-signal processor may carry out image processing on the image signal photo-electrically converted by the image capture device. The communication unit may communicate with the lens apparatus. The control unit may carry out control to receive the correction information for lateral chromatic aberration and / or the correction information for light falloff at edges through the communication unit. The image-signal processor may correct image degradation caused by the aberration of the lens using the correction information for lateral chromatic aberration and / or the correction information for light falloff at edges, which are received through the communication unit.

The present invention provides a mask for divided printing that completes an image by plural scans using inks of different plural inks, the mask being able to suppress possible grains during printing to reduce image degradation resulting from beading. If for example, among the print permitting pixels for which the total repulsive potential is to be calculated, a print permitting pixel Do has the highest total repulsive potential, changes in repulsive potential after movement of the pixels are determined and the print permitting pixel Do is moved to a pixel having the lowest total repulsive potential after the movement. This processing is repeated to enable a reduction in the total energy of the entire plane. Consequently, the print permitting pixels are appropriately dispersed in overlapping plane masks so as to have few low frequency components.

The invention discloses a method for restoring a TDICCD image aiming at motion fuzzy core space shift variant, which comprises the following steps of: performing interpolation fitting on a motion track of a TDICCD camera measured by a position detection device, and extracting a motion track section during exposure integration of each row of pixels in a TDICCD image time sequence from the motion track after the interpolation fitting; extracting the integral pixel deformation quantity of the pixels of the current row and a fuzzy core from the motion track section; positioning a pixel block to be restored containing information on the pixels of the current row in the TDICCD image; and substituting the pixel block to be restored corresponding to the pixels of the current row and the fuzzy core in the steps into a standard RL algorithm to perform restoration operation on each row of the pixels so as to obtain each row of the pixels after restoration, and recombining each row of the pixels after restoration to obtain a restored TDICCD image. The method can restore image degradation and fuzziness caused by motions of any forms to obtain clear undeformed restored images.

In an measuring method for optical transfer function of the invention, irradiating-light from a light source (31) scans an element to be measured within an image sensor of an imaging camera constituted by integrating an imaging optical system and the image sensor. The element to be measured converts sequentially the irradiating-light into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal. Further, based on the outputted electrical signal, point spread function data is generated, and subjected to Fourier transform to calculate an optical transfer function. Accordingly, a method is provided for measuring an optical transfer function for properly restoring image degradation due to factors including the position of the imaging optical system within the imaging camera and inter-element cross talk.

In order to reduce image degradation due to image capture problems, a method utilizes image data corresponding to a captured image and image capture metadata that refers specifically to information that is associated with capture of the image. A database of correction parameters is provided in order to reduce degradation present in the captured image, whereby each correction parameter is associated with particular image capture metadata. The method involves using the image capture metadata to determine whether the database contains one or more correction parameters associated with that image capture metadata, and then producing correction parameters from the database of correction parameters when the database contains correction parameters associated with the image capture metadata. One or more new correction parameters are produced when the database does not contain correction parameters associated with the image capture metadata. The database then may be updated with the new correction parameters.

A method and apparatus for providing an improved Internet camera is described. The method of keeping a refreshed image from a camera on a user's system comprises sending the image to the user's system and refreshing the image periodically. The method further comprises after a period of time, degrading the image.

The present invention relates to ink-jet inks in combination with a clear, dry toner to produce a permanent ink-jet image. In particular, this invention relates to an ink system that utilizes the addition of specific toner / developers, typically found in the laser printer field, with aqueous based in-jet inks. These dual systems produce a permanent image that is resistant to image degradation factors such as mechanical abrasion, light, water, and solvents such as the ones used in highlighter markers.

A liquid crystal display (LCD) system, comprising a matrix of pixels, analyzes a video data stream for grayscale level jumps from extreme black to moderate gray levels. Transitions in grayscale levels are restricted between adjacent pixels so as to reduce image degradation due to fringe field effects. A memory, such as a shift register, may be used to store and then grayscale levels to be written to adjacent pixels are compared and if a difference between these grayscale levels exceed a certain value then at least one of the grayscale levels is modified.

A device and method for controlling a display. The method includes: receiving image data, determining backlight illumination intensity in response to an allowed image degradation level parameter and to ambient light, and determining a display refresh parameter in response to a temperature parameter.A method and device for controlling a display, the device includes: a frame buffer adapted to receive image data, a processor adapted to receive a power parameter and an allowed image degradation level parameter, and an image converter that is adapted to perform a linear image conversion and a non-linear image conversion. The processor is adapted to determine which conversion to perform in response to a power parameter.

A method and apparatus for near-field focusing of an incident wave, over a range of frequencies from microwaves to optical frequencies, into a sub-wavelength spot having a peak-to-null beamwidth of λ / 10. The screen may be made out of closely spaced, unequal slots cut on a metallic sheet. Nano-scale focusing capability may be achieved with a simple structure of three slots on a metallic sheet, which can be readily implemented using current nanofabrication technologies. Unlike negative-refractive-index focusing implementations, this “meta-screen” does not suffer from image degradation when losses are introduced and is easily scalable from microwave to Terahertz frequencies and beyond. The slotted geometry is designed using a theory of shifted beams to determine the necessary weighting factors for each slot clement, which are then converted to appropriate slot dimensions.

A ringing reduction apparatus includes image restoration means for restoring an input image with image degradation to the image with less degradation using an image restoration filter; and weighted average means for performing weighted average of the input image and the restoration image obtained by the image restoration means. In the ringing reduction apparatus, the weighted average means performs the weighted average of the input image and the restoration image such that a degree of the input image is strengthened in a portion where ringing is conspicuous in the restoration image, and the weighted average means performs the weighted average of the input image and the restoration image such that a degree of the restoration image is strengthened in a portion where ringing is inconspicuous in the restoration image.

A code volume control section refers to an input image and a reference image stored in a frame memory and thereby sets a quantization step for each block so that the volume of coded data generated for a frame will be a preset volume. A data loss probability estimation section estimates a data loss probability (the probability that data loss will occur to a target block due to transmission error) based on a code volume predicted value of the target block obtained by the code volume control section and the code volume from the latest synchronization code pattern to a block just before the target block. A degradation estimation calculation section calculates an estimate of degradation of the target block caused by errors based on image degradation power and the data loss probability. A mode selection section selects an optimum encoding mode for the target block based on the degradation estimate of the target block and an estimate of frame coding distortion. Forced refresh (intra-frame encoding of a block) is carried out properly and effectively, thereby image degradation is reduced without deteriorating coding efficiency.

An optical module, a camera, and a mobile terminal device are provided. The optical module includes a lens unit, a lens driving unit, a driving control unit, and a vibration sensing unit. The vibration sensing unit is configured to detect vibration / shaking of the optical module, the camera, or the mobile terminal device and transmit a detected signal to the driving control unit. The driving control unit generates a corresponding vibration / shaking compensation signal according to the detected signal of the vibration sensor, and performs a vibration / shaking compensation movement by driving the lens with the lens driving unit. The optical module is applied in the camera and the mobile terminal device. The present invention has not only an auto-focusing function, but also an added anti-vibration function, so as to overcome influences on image degradation resulted from vibration / shaking of the optical module, the camera, or the mobile terminal device.

Disclosed is a liquid crystal display capable of ensuring brightness necessary for achieving satisfactory display by increasing ratio of light-emitting time to one frame period. A liquid crystal display is adapted to have a period (non-video signal write period) required for writing non-video signals different from video signals onto all the pixels before a video signal write period. In the non-video signal write period, the non-video signals are written onto the respective pixels, thereby starting response of the liquid crystal before the start of the video signal write period. In the non-video signal write period, a backlight is turned off, and thereby image degradation is prevented even when the non-video signals are written onto the respective pixels.

This invention relates to a method for improving image quality of a digital image captured with an imaging module comprising at least imaging optics and an image sensor, where the image is formed through the imaging optics, the image consisting of at least one colour component. In the method, the degradation information of each colour component of the image is found and is used for improving image quality. The degradation information of each colour component is specified by a point-spread function. Each colour component is restored by the degradation function. The image can be unprocessed image data. The invention also relates to several alternatives for implementing the restoration, and for controlling and regularizing the inverse process independently of the image degradation. The invention also relates to a device, to a module, to a system and to a computer program products and to a program modules.

A method and system can automatically select the optimal size of a visual object that can be displayed on an display device. For example, the present invention can determine the best or optimum size to display a visual object received from a computer network to a computer screen such that image degradations due to compression or transmission defects are less noticeable or perceivable. Typically, the best or optimum size to display a visual object can comprise a size that is also the maximum in which the visual object can be displayed without any degradations or defects.

An image processing device and an image processing method provided herein are capable of achieving data compression with reduced image degradation even if the data is image data entered from an input device such as a scanner. The entered original image data is divided into 2×2 pixel blocks. Two-color-form compression processing and four-color holding compression processing are performed on a block-by-block basis. The compression result data which leads to a smaller one of the differences in gradation value between the original image data and the two-color-form compression difference data and between the original image data and the four-color compression difference data is output as the compression processing result of the block.

In recording an image file that is shot by panoramic image shooting, a plurality of pieces of image data are recorded in the image file, and therefore there is a problem that the file size increases. Although it is possible to reduce the file size by applying higher compression processing using JPEG or the like, there is a problem that the image degradation appears noticeably. With respect to an input image file, it is determined whether or not it is the one obtained by panoramic image shooting, and then at the time of recording, one of two overlap areas is deleted and the positional information on the other overlap area is attached. Thereafter, at the time of transmission or printing, the overlap area is restored based on the attached positional information. In this manner, the file size at the time of recording is reduced without degrading the image.