Patent ID: 6498660
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: G06K,H04N

Abstract:
A method of processing image data containing pixel values for pixels, said pixels being oriented in said image data in horizontal rows and vertical columns, said method comprising the steps of:examining a focus pixel in said image data; performing calculations on pixel values of a subset of pixels in horizontal rows immediately above and below the row of said focus pixel to form a first result, said calculations to detect whether the image region contains an edge; performing calculations on pixel values of a subset of pixels in vertical columns immediately to the left and to the right of the column of said focus pixel to form a second result, said calculations to detect whether the image region contains an edge; using a pixel window superimposed on the image data and said focus pixel in order to determine a local pixel average; and calculating a pixel value average for the pixels contained within said pixel window to arrive at said local average.