Signal intensity range transformation apparatus and method

Abstract

A system and method for manipulating image data is disclosed. Generally, the system and method identifies useful grey-levels within an input image. The image is then scaled based upon the identified useful grey-levels.

1 . A device providing an image output frame in response to an image input frame, the device comprising: a housing having a printed circuit board contained therein; an input connector attached to the housing and having a conductive path attached to the printed circuit board; an output connector attached to the housing and having a conductive path attached to the printed circuit board; an integrated circuit placed on the printed circuit board, the integrated circuit having an output responsive to the image input frame, the output comprising transformed pixel frame data; and wherein the device does not require a keyboard to operate.  
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is an embedded system.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the input connector receives thirty frames per second and the output connector provides thirty frames per second.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a port is not provided for operably attaching the device to the keyboard.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a saturation bias identification circuit having a range of useful grey-levels output responsive to the image input frame, and a cumulative distribution function scaling circuit having a scaled output responsive to the useful grey-levels output.  
   
   
       6 . A method for providing an image output frame in response to an image input frame, the method comprising the steps of: segmenting the image input frame into one or more zones; determining a plurality of grey-level values for a pixel based, at least in part, on grey-level data contained within the one or more zones; and, calculating a composite enhanced pixel grey-level value for the pixel by blending the plurality of grey-level values.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the image input frame is segmented into a plurality of zones.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising establishing reference points within the image input frame, and wherein the step of calculating a composite enhanced pixel grey-level value is based, at least in part, on distance from the reference points.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of generating a digital output responsive to the image input frame.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of generating an analog output in response to the image input frame.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of generating a luminance output signal in response to the image input frame.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of generating a conditioned output responsive to the image input frame.  
   
   
       13 . A method for providing an image output frame in response to an image input frame, the method comprising the steps of: establishing reference points within the image input frame; calculating grey-level values for a plurality of pixels within the image input frame; and, calculating a composite enhanced pixel grey-level value for the pixels based, at least in part, on distance from the reference points.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising segmenting the image input frame into a plurality of zones, and wherein at least one of the reference points is located within one of the zones.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising generating a range of useful grey-levels in response to the image input frame, and generating a scaled output in response to the range of useful grey-levels.  
   
   
       16 . A method for providing an image output frame in response to an image input frame, the method comprising the steps of: constructing an equalized lookup table for the image input frame; constructing an equalized lookup table for a zone within the image input frame; and, utilizing the lookup tables to build a balanced lookup table.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of utilizing a lookup table representative of the image input frame to build the balanced lookup table.  
   
   
       18 . A method for providing an output of signal values in response to an input array of signal values derived directly or indirectly from a sensor, wherein each input value is variable within a range of values based upon an environment sensed by the sensor, and each value of the input signal has coordinates with a spatial and or geometric relationship to other values in the input signal, comprising the steps of: segmenting the image input array into one or more spatial zones; determining a plurality of signal intensity values for a coordinate based, at least in part, on signal intensity contained at coordinates within the one or more other zones; and, calculating a composite enhanced coordinate signal value for the coordinate by blending the plurality of signal intensity values.  
   
   
       19 . A method for providing an output of signal values in response to an input array of signal values derived directly or indirectly from a sensor, wherein each input value is variable within a range of values based upon an environment sensed by the sensor, and each value of the input signal has coordinates with a spatial and or geometric relationship to other values in the input signal, comprising the steps of: establishing reference points within the array of signal values; calculating signal intensity values for a plurality of coordinates within the array of input values; and, calculating a composite enhanced coordinate signal intensity value for the coordinates based, at least in part, on a distance of the coordinate from the reference points.  
   
   
       20 . A method providing an output of signal values in response to an input array of signal values derived directly or indirectly from a sensor, wherein each input value is variable within a range of values based upon an environment sensed by the sensor, and each value of the input signal has coordinates with a spatial and or geometric relationship to other values in the input signal, comprising the steps of: constructing an equalized lookup table for the array of signal intensity values; constructing an equalized lookup table for a zone within the array of signal intensity values; and, utilizing the lookup tables to build a balanced lookup table.