Monolith Company, Ltd.

Yoshihisa Shinagawa

Tosiyasu Laurence Kunii

Kozo Akiyoshi

Nobuo Akiyoshi

Hirofumi Ito

Hiroki Nagashima

Kazuki Hirose

An image interpolation method and apparatus by which to quickly generate and display motion pictures using a small amount of data. An image input unit inputs a first image and a second image. A matching processor computes a pixel matching between those images so that a corresponding point is obtained on the second image with respect to a lattice point of a mesh on the first image. The matching processor stores the matching results recorded as a corresponding point file. An intermediate image generator generates an intermediate image between the first image and the second image based on the corresponding point file. In particular, in generating the intermediate image, an attribute of the pixels on one image may be used as such without the attribute being interpolated between pixels of each image. Thus, when generating intermediate images, only one image and a smaller corresponding point file can be used.

Image interpolation method and apparatus therefor

An image-effect apparatus which provides high quality motion pictures and image effects such as supper slow motion based on a small amount of image data. An image input unit inputs a first image and a second image. A matching processor performs pixel matching between the first image and the second image, and a result thereof is recorded as a corresponding point file. An intermediate image generator generates an intermediate image between the first image and the second image based on the corresponding point file. A speed controller controls the number of intermediate images to be generated, based on a user's instruction. As the number of intermediate images generated is increased, slow motion and super slow motion images are produced.

Image-effect method and apparatus using critical points

An image data coding and decoding technique which realizes most efficient compression of the image data. The image data are input and separated into key frames and other intermediate frames. Per-pixel matching is computed between the key frames. A virtual intermediate frame between these key frames is generated by interpolating the matching-computed result. Difference is taken between the intermediate virtual frames and actual intermediate frames which have existed from the outset, so that the actual intermediate frames are encoded with the minimum quantity of codes.

Method and apparatus for coding and decoding image data using critical points

A multiresolutional filter called a critical point filter is introduced. This filter extracts a maximum, a minimum, and two types of saddle points of pixel intensity for every 2&times;2 (horizontal&times;vertical) pixels so that an image of a lower level of resolution is newly generated for every type of a critical point. Using this multiresolutional filter, a source image and a destination image are hierarchized, and source hierarchical images and destination hierarchical images are matched using image characteristics recognized through a filtering operation.

Multiresolutional critical point filter and image matching using the invention

Shape expressions in CAD or CG have often been carried out in polygon data. In polygon representations, the amount of data becomes very large if precision is pursued. Another shape representation utilizing the existing polygon data asset is proposed. Polygon data showing the shape of an object is first obtained. Topological information of the object is extracted from the polygon data. Based on the information, the polygon data is converted into topological data. The inversion is carried out upon necessity.

Object structure graph generation and data conversion using the same

A multiresolutional filter called a critical point filter is introduced. This filter extracts a maximum, a minimum, and two types of saddle points of pixel intensity for every 2.times.2 (horizontal.times.vertical) pixels so that an image of a lower level of resolution is newly generated for every type of a critical point. Using this multiresolutional filter, a source image and a destination image are hierarchized, and source hierarchical images and destination hierarchical images are matched using image characteristics recognized through a filtering operation.

Multiresolutional critical point filter and image matching using the same

A multiresolutional filter called a critical point filter is introduced. This filter extracts a maximum, a minimum, and two types of saddle points of pixel intensity for every 2.times.2 (horizontal x vertical) pixels so that an image of a lower level of resolution is newly generated for every type of a critical point. Using this multiresolutional filter, a source image and a destination image are hierarchized, and source hierarchical images and destination hierarchical images are matched using image characteristics recognized through a filtering operation.

An animation solid is created by an animation solid generator such that the shape of its cross section at t=t0 coincides with the shape of the contour of an object contained in a frame to be displayed at t=t0, wherein time t is set in the height z direction of the solid. For creation of this solid, topological considerations, including connected components and the tree structure of contours, are used. By chopping this solid, intermediate dividing can be performed. The basis of the topological geometry rests on Morse theory.

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Tokyo, Japan

Yoshihisa Shinagawa