Patent Document ID: 5553167
Application ID: 08237323
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for generating a thresholded image signal from an input image signal having a plurality of pixel signals having multiple levels, the input image signal having been generated by imaging a physical scene with a camera, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a first threshold signal in accordance with one or more aging functions, wherein at least one of said one or more aging functions is defined by a non-linear function; (b) transforming a first input pixel signal of said input image signal into a first thresholded pixel signal by thresholding said first input pixel signal according to said first threshold signal; (c) generating a second threshold signal in accordance with said one or more aging functions; (d) transforming a second input pixel signal of said input image signal into a second thresholded pixel signal by thresholding said second input pixel signal according to said second threshold signal; and (e) generating said thresholded image signal in accordance with said first and second thresholded pixel signals, wherein; said first input pixel signal and said second input pixel signal are from a single row of said input image signal; and said first and second threshold signals are generated, said first and second input pixel signals are transformed, and said thresholded image signal is generated all in pipeline fashion as the single row of said input image signal is generated by a video camera without buffering all of the input pixels signals of the single row at one time.