(12) EX PARTE REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (10088th)
`United States Patent
`
`US RE43,707 C1
`
` Kimpe et a]. (45) Certificate Issued: Mar. 31, 2014
`
`(10) Number:
`
`USO0RE43707C1
`
`(54) METHODS, APPARATUS, AND DEVICES FOR
`NOISE REDUCTION
`.
`Inventors: Tom Kimpe, Ghent (BE); Paul
`Matthijs, Eke (BE)
`
`(75)
`
`(73) Assignee: Barco N.V., Kortrijk (BE)
`
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 90/020,037, Dec. 28, 2012
`Reexamination Certificate for:
`Patent No.:
`Re. 43,707
`Issued:
`Oct. 2, 2012
`Appl. No.:
`13/338,880
`Filed:
`Dec. 28, 2011
`
`Certificate of Correction issued Nov. 6, 2012
`Related US. Patent Documents
`
`Reissue of:
`
`(64) Patent No.:
`Issued:
`Appl. No.:
`Filed:
`
`7,639,849
`Dec. 29, 2009
`11/134,522
`May 23, 2005
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/681,429, filed on May
`17, 2005.
`
`(2006.01)
`
`(51)
`
`(
`
`Int. Cl.
`G06K 9/00
`52) US. Cl.
`.
`....................... 382/128, 345/690
`USPC ...........
`(58) Field of Class1ficatlon Search
`None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`To view the complete listing of prior art documents cited
`during the proceeding for Reexamination Control Number
`90/020,037, please refer to the USPTO’s public Patent
`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system under the
`Display References tab.
`
`Primary Examiner 7 Eron J Sorrell
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Embodiments include applying a compensation to an image
`signal based on nonuniforrnity of a display device. The com-
`pensation is based on information about variations in light-
`output response among elements of the display device. The
`compensation is also modified based on a characteristic of a
`desired use of the display.
`
`
`
`for each of a plurality of pixels of a
`display, obtaining a measure of a
`
`
`light-output response
`
`
`
`T100
`
`modifying a map that is
`based on the measures
`
`T200
`
`T300
`
`
`
`obtaining a display signal
`é based on the modified map
`
`
`and an image signal
`
`

`

`1
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`EX PARTE
`
`US RE43,707 C1
`
`2
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`a first degree of non-uniformity [ [for driving levels] ]
`among responses of the pixels to a value of the image
`signal within a [[first range of driving levels]] lumi-
`nance interval; and
`a second degree of non-uniformity [ [for driving levels]]
`among responses of the pixels to a value of the image
`signal outside the [ [first range of driving levels] ] lumi-
`nance interval.
`
`5
`
`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`
`ISSUED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 307
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appeared in the
`patent, but was deleted by the reissue patent; matter
`printed in italics was added by the reissue patent. Matter
`enclosed in heavy double brackets [[ ]] appeared in the
`reissue patent but is deleted by this reexamination cer-
`tificate; matter printed in boldface is added by this reex-
`amination certificate.
`
`AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN
`DETERMINED THAT:
`
`The patentability of claims 36, 46, 54 and 107 is confirmed.
`Claims 67, 77-79, 81, 82 and 92-94 are cancelled.
`Claims 64-66, 68, 71, 74, 76, 80, 85, 91, 98, 100 and 101
`are determined to be patentable as amended.
`Claims 69, 70, 72, 73, 75, 86, 87, 88, 99, 102, 103 and 104,
`dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be
`patentable.
`New claims 116-129 are added and determined to be
`
`patentable.
`Claims 1-35, 37-45, 47-53, 55-63, 83, 84, 89, 90, 95-97,
`105, 106 and 108-115 were not reexamined.
`
`64. The image processing apparatus ofclaim [ [62]] 94,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response com—
`prises a lower degree of non-uniformity for pixels substan—
`tially at a center ofthe display thanforpixels substantially at
`edges ofthe display.
`65. The image processing apparatus ofclaim [ [62]] 94,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response com—
`prises lower display noisefor pixels substantially at a center
`of the display than for pixels substantially at edges of the
`display.
`66. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises a
`constant contrastfor a majority ofthe display and a lower
`contrast near to edges of the display.
`68. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises, for
`pixels substantially at a center of the display, a lower
`degree of non-uniformity [ [for driving levels] ] among
`responses of the pixels to a value of the image signal that
`corresponds to a driving level in a first range of driving
`levels than [[for driving levels]] among responses of the
`pixels to a value of the image signal that corresponds to a
`driving level outside thefirst range ofdriving levels.
`7]. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises:
`a first degree of non-uniformity [ [at] ] among responses
`of pixels of the display to a value of the image signal
`that corresponds to a driving level in a first range of
`driving levels; and
`a second degree of non-uniformity [ [at] ] among
`responses of the pixels to a value of the image signal
`that corresponds to a driving level in a second range of
`driving levels.
`74. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises, for
`pixels substantially at a center of the display:
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
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`76. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises a
`contrast that is at least ninety percent of an uncorrected
`display contrast, and wherein said display is a liquid crys-
`tal display.
`80. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response comprises a
`lower degree ofnon-uniformity within afirst range ofspatial
`frequencies than [ [outside] ] above thefirst range ofspatial
`frequencies.
`85. The image processing apparatus ofclaim 62, wherein
`the desired non-uniform light-output response is based in
`part on [[an effect ofl] a spatial non-uniformity intro-
`duced by a post-processing system.
`9]. The image processing apparatus ofclaim [ [62]] 80,
`25 wherein the map includes at least one lookup table.
`98. An image processing apparatus comprising:
`an array oflogic elements configured to generate a display
`signal based on a map and an image signal that repre—
`sents at least one physical and tangible object,
`wherein the display signal is configured to cause a display
`to depict a display image ofthe at least onephysical and
`tangible object,
`wherein the map comprises correction data configured to
`produce, for pixels substantially at a center of the
`display, a light-output response with a lower degree of
`non-uniformity[ [for driving levels] ] among responses
`of the pixels to a value of the image signal within a
`[ [first range of driving levels] ] luminance interval
`than [[for driving levels]] among responses of the
`pixels to a value of the image signal outside the [ [first
`range of driving levels] ] luminance interval.
`100. [ [An image processing apparatus comprising:
`an array of logic elements configured to generate a display
`signal based on a map and an image signal that repre-
`sents at least one physical and tangible object,
`wherein the display signal is configured to cause a display
`to depict a display image of the at least one physical and
`tangible object,
`wherein the map comprises correction data configured to
`correct for pixel non-uniformity only when the pixel
`non-uniformity is outside of a tolerance level]] The
`image processing apparatus according to claim 101,
`wherein the pixel non-uniformity is a color non-uni-
`formity.
`I 0]. [ [The image processing apparatus ofclaim 100,] ]An
`image processing apparatus comprising:
`an array of logic elements configured to generate a
`display signal based on a map and an image signal
`that represents at least one physical and tangible
`object,
`wherein the display signal is configured to cause a dis-
`play to depict a display image of the at least one
`physical and tangible object, and
`wherein the map comprises correction data configured
`to correct for pixel non-uniformity only when the
`pixel non-uniformity is outside of a tolerance level,
`and
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`US RE43,707 C1
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`4
`wherein each of said pixels to be corrected is associated
`with a corresponding one among the set of look-up
`tables.
`
`122. The image processing apparatus of claim 64,
`wherein, for each of a plurality of pixels substantially at
`the center of the display, a maximum light-output
`response of the pixel after correction is intentionally
`greater than a maximum light-output response for pixels
`substantially at edges of the display, and
`wherein, for each of said plurality of pixels substan-
`tially at the center of the display, said correction data
`indicates a corresponding correction value, wherein
`at least one of said corresponding correction values
`differs from at least one of the rest of said corre-
`
`3
`wherein the tolerance level varies among pixels of the
`display.
`116. The image processing apparatus of claim 62,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises a first degree of non-uniformity across a first
`range of driving levels, and
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises, across a second range of driving levels
`that is above the first range, a degree of non-unifor-
`mity that is higher than the first degree, and
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`117. The image processing apparatus of claim 62,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises a first degree of non-uniformity across a first
`range of driving levels, and
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises, across a second range of driving levels
`that is below the first range, a degree of non-unifor-
`mity that is higher than the first degree, and
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`118. The image processing apparatus of claim 64,
`wherein the map includes a plurality of coefficients of a
`polynomial description.
`119. The image processing apparatus of claim 64,
`wherein the map comprises correction data for a first
`pixel
`in the display based in part on a light-output
`response of at least one pixel in the display adjacent to the
`first pixel that has a degree of non-uniformity greater
`than a predetermined threshold.
`120. The image processing apparatus of claim 64,
`wherein the map has a spatial resolution that is lower than
`a spatial resolution of the display.
`121. The image processing apparatus of claim 91,
`wherein said correction data comprises a set of look-up
`tables, and
`wherein a total number of look-up tables in the set is
`less than one percent of a total number of pixels in the
`display, and
`
`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`*
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`*
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`sponding correction values.
`123. The image processing apparatus of claim 68,
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`124. The image processing apparatus of claim 69,
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`125. The image processing apparatus of claim 70,
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`126. The image processing apparatus of claim 81,
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`127. The image processing apparatus of claim 82,
`wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.
`128. The image processing apparatus of claim 62,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises a constant maximum luminance for a majority
`of the display and a lower maximum luminance near to
`edges of the display.
`129. The image processing apparatus of claim 62,
`wherein the desired non-uniform light-output response
`comprises a constant minimum luminance for a majority
`of the display and a higher minimum luminance near to
`edges of the display.
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
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`