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US 7,095,448 B2Granted
Image processing circuit and method for modifying a pixel value
AssigneeEquator Technologies, Inc.
InventorsQinggang Zhou, Robert J. Gove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image processing circuit compares a pixel value to a threshold value and modifies the pixel value if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value. Alternatively, the image processing circuit generates a random number and combines the random number with a pixel value. Such image processing circuits can be used to remove artifacts such as contour artifacts from a decoded electronic image or a sequence of decoded video frames.
Claims63
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- compare a pixel value to a threshold value;
- modify the pixel value only if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value;
- and
- modify the pixel value if the pixel value is less than the threshold value.
2 more elements
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit is operable to
- generate a random number;
- combine the random number with a pixel value;
- and truncate the random number before combining the random number with the pixel value.
1 more element
The image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit is operable to
- generate a random number;
- combine the random number with a pixel value;
- and
- clip the pixel value if the pixel value is outside of a predetermined range.
2 more elements
An image processing circuit, comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- compare a first pixel value to a first threshold value, the first pixel value corresponding to a pixel location in a first video frame,
- add a first compensation value to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is
- less than the first threshold value,
- compare a second pixel value to a second threshold value, the second pixel value corresponding to the pixel location in a second video frame, and
- add a second compensation value to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
3 more elements
An image processing circuit, comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number using a first seed number,
- compare a first pixel value to a first threshold value,
- add the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value,
- generate a second random number using a second seed number,
- compare a second pixel value to a second threshold,
- add the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
4 more elements
An image processing circuit, comprising
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number using a first seed number,
- compare a first pixel value to a first threshold value,
- add the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value,
- truncate the first random number before adding the first random number to the first pixel value;
- generate a second random number using a second seed number,
- compare a second pixel value to a second threshold value,
- add the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value,
- truncate the second random number before adding the second random number to the second pixel value;
- and
- set the second seed number equal to the untruncated first random number.
8 more elements
An image processing circuit, comprising
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number using a first seed number,
- compare a first pixel value to a first threshold value,
- add the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value,
- generate a second random number using a second seed number,
- compare a second pixel value to a second threshold value, and
- add the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value, wherein the pixel circuit is operable to generate the first and second random numbers using the following equation:
- random number=(1664525 ×seed number+1013904223)mod 232.
5 more elements
An image processing circuit, comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number using a first seed number,
- compare a first pixel value to a first threshold value, the first pixel value corresponding to a starting pixel location in a first video frame value
- add the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value,
- generate a second random number using a second seed number,
- compare a second pixel value to a second threshold value, the second pixel corresponding to a starting pixel location in a second video frame, and
- add the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
4 more elements
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit is operable to
- generate a first random number,
- add the first random number to a first pixel value,
- generate a second random number,
- add the second random number to a second pixel value, and
- generate the first and second random numbers from respective first and second seed numbers.
3 more elements
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit is operable to
- generate a first random number,
- add the first random number to a first pixel value,
- generate a second random number.
- add the second random number to a second pixel value,
- generate the first random number from a seed number;
- and
- generate the second random number from the first random number.
5 more elements
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number,
- add the first random number to a first pixel value,
- generate a second random number, and
- add the second random number to a second pixel value, wherein:
- the first pixel value corresponds to a pixel location in a first video frame;
- the second pixel value corresponds to the pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- the first random number equals the second random number.
6 more elements
An image processing circuit comprising:
- a pixel circuit operable to,
- generate a first random number,
- add the first random number to a first pixel value,
- generate a second random number, and
- add the second random number to a second pixel value, wherein:
- the first pixel value corresponds to a starting pixel location in a first video frame;
- the second pixel value corresponds to the pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- the first random number does not equal the second random number.
6 more elements
A circuit, comprising:
- a comparator having a pixel-value input terminal and first and second pixel-value output terminals;
- a random-number generator having a seed input terminal and a random-number output terminal;
- a combiner having a first input terminal coupled to the first pixel-value output terminal;
- a second input terminal coupled to the random-number output terminal, and a combiner output terminal;
- and
- an image buffer having a first input terminal coupled to the second pixel-value output terminal and having a second input terminal coupled to the combiner output terminal.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- comparing a pixel value to a threshold value;
- modifying the pixel value only if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value;
- generating a random number;
- and
- setting the compensation value equal to the random number;
- wherein the modifying comprises adding a compensation value to the pixel value.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- comparing a pixel value to a threshold value;
- modifying the pixel value only if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value;
- generating a random number;
- truncating the random number to a number within a range of (−3) to (+3);
- and
- setting the compensation value equal to the truncated random number;
- wherein the modifying comprises adding a compensation value to the pixel value.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- comparing a pixel value to a threshold value;
- modifying the pixel value only if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value;
- determining whether the sum of the pixel and compensation value is within a predetermined range of pixel values;
- and
- setting the sum equal to a value within the range if the sum is outside of the range:
- wherein the modifying comprises adding a compensation value to the pixel value.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- comparing a pixel value to a threshold value;
- and
- modifying the pixel value only if the pixel value has a predetermined relationship to the threshold value;
- wherein the modifying comprises modifying the pixel value if the pixel value is less than the threshold.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- generating a random number;
- combining the random number with a pixel value;
- and
- truncating the random number before combining the random number with the pixel value.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- generating a random number;
- combining the random number with a pixel value;
- and
- clipping the pixel value if the pixel value is outside of predetermined range.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- comparing a first pixel value to a first threshold value, the first pixel value corresponding to a pixel location in a first video frame;
- adding a first compensation value to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value;
- comparing a second pixel value to a second threshold value, the second pixel value corresponding to the pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- adding a second compensation value to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating a first random number using a first seed number;
- comparing a first pixel value to a first threshold value;
- adding the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value;
- generating a second random number using a second seed number;
- comparing a second pixel value to a second threshold value;
- and
- adding the second random number to the pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating a first random number using a first seed number;
- comparing a first pixel value to a first threshold value;
- adding the first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value;
- generating a second random number using a second seed number;
- comparing a second pixel value to a second threshold value;
- and
- adding the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value, wherein the first and second random numbers are generated according to the following equation:
- random number=(1664525 ×seed number+1013904223)mod 232.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- generating a first random number using a first seed number;
- comparing a first pixel value to a first threshold value, the first pixel value corresponding to a starting pixel location in a first video frame;
- adding a first random number to the first pixel value if the first pixel value is less than the first threshold value;
- generating a second random number using second seed number;
- comparing a second pixel value to a second threshold value, the second pixel value corresponding to a starting pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- adding the second random number to the second pixel value if the second pixel value is less than the second threshold value.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a first random number;
- adding the first random number to a first pixel value;
- generating a second random number;
- and
- adding the second random number to a second pixel value;
- wherein the generating the first and second random numbers comprises generating the first and second random numbers from respective first and second seed numbers.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a first random number;
- adding the first random number to a first pixel value;
- generating a second random number;
- and
- adding the second random number to a second pixel value;
- wherein:
- the generating the first random number comprises generating the first random number from a seed number;
- and
- the generating the second random number comprises generating the second random number from the first random number.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a first random number;
- adding the first random number to a first pixel value;
- generating a second random number;
- and
- adding the second random number to a second pixel value;
- wherein:
- the first pixel value corresponds to a pixel location in a first video frame;
- the second pixel value corresponds to the pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- the generating the second random number comprises generating the second random equal to the first random number.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a first random number;
- adding the first random number to a first pixel value;
- generating a second random number;
- and
- adding the second random number to a second pixel value;
- wherein:
- the first pixel value corresponds to a starting pixel location in a first video frame;
- the second pixel value corresponds to the pixel location in a second video frame;
- and
- the generating the second random number comprises generating the second random number unequal to the first random number.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.