International Business Machines Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

International Business Corporation

Applied Science Fiction, Inc.

Steven C Penn

Albert Durr Edgar

Garland Ray Bullock

Michael David Wilkes

Ronald J Lisle

Daniel J Moore

John J Deacon

Nancy A Burns

Mark S Bishop

James L Bell

A method for generating a digital representation of an image by scanning the image with two different types of light. A system for use in generating a digital representation of an image, as well as digital representation of an image are also provided.

Method and apparatus for scanning images

Surface defect correction technology for photographic images requires an infrared scan along with a conventional color scan. In the present invention, the additional infrared scan needed for surface defect correction is obtained by adding a line of sensors specific to infrared light to a conventional multilinear color sensor array. The invention teaches a practical mode of distinguishing infrared light using a dichroic prism placed over the sensor. This mode has the additional advantage of placing the infrared-specific sensor line in a displaced focus plane to match conventional lenses. Adding a sensor line to a conventional trilinear sensor array requires a quadrilinear array topology. In addition to the direct quadrilinear topology, the invention teaches a method of obtaining full color image information with only two linear sensor lines by interstitially mixing red and blue sensors on a single sensor line, which, in conjunction with the additional infrared line, results in a conventional trilinear sensor topology with a different filter arrangement.

Multilinear array sensor with an infrared line

A method and apparatus for controlling and displaying the image information presently seen by the image capture device together with those images which have been captured and stored upon actuation of the device. In a preferred embodiment, a viewfinder window is located in a capture device window. The capture device window also includes a variety of push buttons, some of which control the image capture device, others of which control the way in which the captured images are displayed on the computer screen. In response to the user command to capture an image, the image will be displayed adjacent to the image capture window. As the user continues to capture images, the frames are displayed as long as the computer has adequate temporary storage. Means to discard some images are also included in the user interface. Preferably, the discarded images are retained to allow the maximum reversibility of decisions to the discard images. The user interface also allows the user to stack a set of images into a single object in the workspace. Images may be manipulated within the stack, discarded or modified or changed between stacks of image objects.

Digital image capture control

Fluorescent reference tracks for use in correcting for geometric and other distortions in an image scanning system comprising a rotatable cylindrical drum assembly and an optical subsystem disposed within a protective housing is disclosed. Fluorescent reference tracks illuminable by light outside the visible spectrum, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, are disposed on inner surfaces of inwardly directed film support shoulders of the drum assembly. Respective edges of film containing an image to be scanned are retained on the outer surfaces of the film support shoulders of the drum assembly. As the film is rotated by the drum assembly past a primary light source disposed adjacent one side of the drum, light from the primary light source is directed through the film and is focused by a lens assembly disposed internal to the drum assembly onto a sensor assembly disposed at an opposite side of the drum assembly, which scans the transilluminated film portion. Simultaneously, UV light from secondary light sources is directed toward the respective inner surfaces of the portion of the support shoulders supporting the transilluminated film portion, such that a fluorescing image of the reference tracks flanking the film portion is reflected back through the lens assembly and scanned by the sensor assembly simultaneously with the film image portion.

Fluorescent reference tracks for an image scanning system

An image on a substrate is scanned by moving the substrate relative to a sensor array. As the raw scan lines are stored, a position reference for each raw scan line is established. First, the raw scan lines are prescaled between a raw resolution between raw scan lines as they are received from the sensor element to an intermediate resolution between scan lines. The position references for the raw scan lines are used during the prescaling step as well as the following scaling steps to accurately determine the position of the raw scan line within the image despite the distortions created by the inexpensive transport mechanism. Next, the prescaled scan lines are scaled 'crosswise', that is between pixels in the scan line from a raw resolution sensed by the sensor elements in the sensor array to a chosen pixel resolution. Next, the prescaled scan lines which now have the chosen pixel resolution are scaled 'lengthwise', that is in the direction of the scan, from the intermediate resolution to a chosen scan line resolution between the scan lines. The image is stored in an output buffer at the chosen pixel and scan line resolutions for transmission to an attached computer system for further image processing.

Scan line queuing for high performance image correction

A scanner for copying an image from substrate including a substrate holder for holding the substrate having a reference grid preferably disposed to one side of the substrate. The scanning means, e.g., a CCD array, simultaneously scans the image and the reference grid as the substrate holder is moved relative to the scanning means. The scanner contains software and/or hardware for interpreting the sensed portion of the reference grid as a position. The position is associated with the raw scan line of the image which was sensed at the same time as the sensed portion of the reference grid.

Reference grid rectilinear correction

A scanner housing encloses a rotatable cylindrical drum, the outer surface having opposing rims or hubs which support respective outer edges of a film strip or slide to be scanned. The edges of the film are releasably held flat against respective rims by means of bands contacting respective radially outer edges of the film to maintain them against the respective outer rim surfaces of the drum whereby the film rotates with the drum's rotation past a scanner assembly. The scanner assembly is disposed internally of the housing adjacent one outer side of the drum and includes a linear array scanning transducer. A light source is located adjacent an opposing outer side of the drum at a location substantially diametrically opposed from the scanner assembly. A focusing lens assembly is disposed internally of the drum between the light source and the scanner assembly. The film being carried on the outer circumference of the rotating drum as the drum rotates, passes adjacent the light source. Light from the source thereby is directed from the light source through the film, the lens assembly, and impinges upon the scanning array whereupon the portion of the film adjacent the light source is thereby scanned.

Film scanning system and method

A method, system and process for improving image enhancement tools through the application of expert systems. The improvements are accomplished by the operation of a process in the memory of a processor that enhances an image based on a set of criteria entered by a user. The image is enhanced in at least two ways and the two enhanced images are presented to the user. The user selects the image that appears best and the selected image is thereafter used for subsequent image enhancements according to the user criteria until a final image is created.

Expert system for image enhancement

Frames associated with sequences of video source material representing a series of scene changes are digitized. A computerized process analyzes the digitized information and identifies one or more frames of the source material associated with and representative of each such scene change and/or sequence. The representative frames are displayed, A selected frame from the display will thereby cause automatic selection and association of a sequence of frames comprising a corresponding video sequence from which the frame was selected for subsequent playback, In a preferred embodiment, the entirety of the representative frames or a subset thereof are specified and ordered. The order of the corresponding frames of video segments or scenes corresponding to each such selected and ordered representative frame are thereby automatically also ordered. Simplified video editing is accomplished by manipulating these representative frames, each associated with a different scene or video sequence.

Video editing by locating segment boundaries and reordering segment

An apparatus for generating an image from an object including apparatus for using a first portion of a light sensor to generate image data of an object, apparatus for using a second portion of the light sensor to generate illumination data of an illumination source concurrently with the generation of image data by the first portion of the light sensor, and apparatus for correcting the generated image data using the concurrently generated illumination data. In addition, a method for generating an image from an object including the steps of using a first portion of a light sensor to generate image data of an object, using a second portion of the light sensor to generate illumination data of an illumination source concurrently with the generation of image data by the first portion of the light sensor, and correcting the generated image data using the concurrently generated illumination data.

Method and apparatus for scanning an object and correcting image data

A method and apparatus are disclosed for the audio editing of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) files. MIDI files make it possible to exchange information such as: musical notes, program changes, expression control and channel information between musical instruments, sequencers, computers, lighting controllers and mixers. MIDI files generally consist of serially listed channel and system messages which include at least program status messages and matching note on and note off messages. The method and apparatus of the present invention may be utilized to ensure the integrity of a source file, a copied or lifted section or a target file by automatically inserting matching note on or note off messages into a file or file section to correct inconsistencies created by such editing. Additionally, program status messages are automatically inserted into source files, copied or lifted sections, or target files to yield results which are consistent with the results which may be obtained by editing digital audio data. Timing information is selectively added or maintained such that MIDI files may be selectively edited without requiring a user to learn a complex MIDI sequencer.

Method and apparatus for audio editing of MIDI files

A system and method for translating MIDI files is used with a sequencer and synthesizer. When a MIDI file is imported into a system, the file is scanned and voice assignment information extracted. This information is stored in a converted file. If desired, the extracted information can be stored using MIDI system exclusives. This allows either any original program change information, or the extracted information, to be used during a performance of the converted MIDI file.

MIDI file translation

A method for viewing a representation of an overscanned captured image on a display that is incapable of displaying the full image as originally captured. The method comprises the steps of (1) digitizing the image to produce a first block of serial data elements where each data element represents at least one picture element of the image, (2) storing a first data block in a data processing memory, (3) computing a second data element block by removing every nth data element from the first data element block, where n is an integer less than the number of first data block elements and said second data block element represents a reduced size image, and (4) displaying the second data element block overlayed upon at least a portion of the digitized image. The invention also includes an apparatus for viewing a representation of an overscanned captured image. The apparatus consists of a camera for digitizing the image, a data processing means including means for storing a first block of data from the digitizing camera representing the captured and digitized image, computing a second data block from a first data block of the digitized image data by removing every nth data element of the first data block, where n is less then the number of elements in the first data block, and a display for accessing the data processor to display the second data block overlayed upon at least a portion of the digitized image.

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, TX, United States of America

Steven C Penn