...that power steering was invented by independent inventor Francis W. Davis? As chief engineer in the 1920s of the truck division of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, he saw how hard it was to steer heavy vehicles. So that he would be able to keep the profits from his future invention, Davis left his job, rented a small engineering shop in Waltham, Mass., and developed a hydraulic power steering system that led to power steering.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7161626 | Image reading apparatus A CCD photoelectrically converts image information obtained from optically reading an original image, line by line, and outputs an image signal. Several of the photoelectric sensors of a CCD of the CCD portion form an optical black portion. A black shading correctin... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7126156 | Thin film transistor display device with integral control circuitry A semiconductor device includes a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of a supplied signal, and a memory for storing data used in the gamma correction. The control circuit and the memory are constituted by TFTs, and are integrally formed on the same in... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7110046 | Method for dynamically adjusting video brightness A method for dynamically adjusting video brightness performs histogram equalization on a video YUV brightness/color signal to generate an equalization brightness curve. The brightness of each pixel is compared with every pixel of the video frame before and after his... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7019756 | Apparatus and method for brightness control A brightness control apparatus comprising a probability density function (PDF) calculator to calculate a PDF based on pixel values of respective pixels of an input image signal, a first setter to set an upper limit value and a lower limit value with respect to the p... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6965406 | Image processor and image processing method The present invention relates to an image processor and an image processing method for compensating gradation by effectively avoiding drop of partial contrast through application to an image processor such as television receiver, video tape recorder, television came... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6963364 | Method of improving a signal in a sequence of images acquired with a digital color video camera A method of improving a signal in an image sequence acquired with a digital color video camera creating a digital video signal (1) including a brightness signal component (3) and a color signal component (4) includes the steps (6, 7) of c... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6947097 | Process for detecting black bars in a video image A process for detecting black bands in a video image within a luminance range corresponding to low luminance values comprises the steps of: calculating, for each line situated in a location in which a black band can be expected to be found if present in said video i... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6259472 | Histogram equalization apparatus for contrast enhancement of moving image and method therefor A histogram equalization apparatus for contrast enhancement of a moving image includes a CDF calculator for counting the number of pixels having a gray level from the minimum to the maximum or less with respect to an input image in a frame unit to calcula... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6091442 | Apparatus for improving the visibility of images An apparatus for improving the visibility of an image to be displayed is provided in an image signal processor such as a TV or VCR. The image visibility improvement apparatus compares levels of an input image signal with predetermined individual high-leve... | 07/18/2000 |
| 5909249 | Reduction of noise visibility in a digital video system The effects of noise in a video processing system are reduced, resulting in improved image quality. A digital video signal containing a luminance component in Y color space is processed by increasing the amplitude of the luminance data in accordance with ... | 06/01/1999 |
| 5748257 | Picture information detecting apparatus for a video signal A picture information detecting apparatus includes a picture area signal output circuit to detect a picture area excluding black band portions from the input video signal to produce a picture area signal to designate the picture area from which picture in... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5604545 | Methods and apparatus for enhancing gray scale images An image enhancement system that efficiently enhances gray scale images, wherein an analog scene is captured and a resulting analog signal is digitized to a raw gray scale image S. Image S is divided into M disjoint non-empty regions R1 . . . R... | 02/18/1997 |
| 5540097 | Ultrasonic microscope apparatus In an ultrasonic microscope apparatus, an ultrasonic pulse transmitter-receiver emits an ultrasonic wave irradiated on a sample, receives an echo from the sample, and emits an electric output signal in accordance with the received echo. A scanner is provi... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5517242 | Image sensing device having expanded dynamic range An image sensing device is provided with an expanded dynamic range when it photographs a moving object. A first gray value D1 of first picture taken with first exposure time is read in the first time interval and a second gray value D2 of second picture t... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5432550 | Camcorder equipped with a function for correcting brightness on the sides of a screen A camcorder equipped with a function for correcting a brightness on sides of the camcorder screen which automatically compensates the brightness on the sides of screen is described. The camcorder includes an amplifier which varies gain of inputted image s... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5428402 | Tint detection circuit for automatically selecting a desired tint in a video signal Tint detection circuit for automatically selecting a desired tint in a video signal, including a limit signal generator coupled to receive first (R), second (G) and third (R) color signals in order to generate first and second limit signals (CRITR, CRITB)... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5194008 | Subliminal image modulation projection and detection system and method Weapon training simulation system including a computer operated video display scene whereon is projected a plurality of visual targets. The computer controls the display scene and the targets, whether stationary or moving, and processes data of a point of... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5125046 | Digitally enhanced imager for the visually impaired The invention consists of an apparatus and method for creating high resolution, high contrast images to enhance the functional vision of visually impaired individuals. The apparatus includes an image scanning device, a digital image enhancement device and... | 06/23/1992 |
| 5087976 | Automatic adjustment apparatus for independently adjusting different regions of a picture raster An automatic picture adjustment apparatus in which input video signals are subjected to level conversion for picture quality adjustment within a time period which is shorter than one vertical synchronization period so that the picture quality adjustment o... | 02/11/1992 |
| 5025143 | Enhanced clutter suppression apparatus for use with an infrared search and surveillance system A clutter suppressor/target locator apparatus is configured to manipulate rget video data on a particular channel according to a predetermined algorithm, so as to selectively emphasize those area of a scene containing targets of appreciable contrast to th... | 06/18/1991 |
| 5023719 | Imaging system for providing multiple simultaneous real time images A system for providing multiple simultaneous real time image from a single image sensor. The imaging system 10 is adapted for use with an image sensor 12 which provides a first set of electrical signals in response to inputs received thereby from a scene.... | 06/11/1991 |
| 4979043 | Video signal processing circuit A video signal processing circuit comprises an amplifying circuit including selectable amplifying portions with different amplification factors, respectively, and an outline emphasizing circuit including portions with different degrees of outline emphasis... | 12/18/1990 |
| 4975773 | Dynamic range video black level expander A digital video signal black level expander in which the dynamic range of the video signal is the criterion for expansion. The digital video signal is compared pixel by pixel in maximum and minimum comparators and the maximum and minimum pixel values for ... | 12/04/1990 |
| 4937671 | Digital video black expander A black expander circuit for a digital video signal includes a pair of moving average filters, one sampling pixels on a line basis and another sampling the pixel samples on a field basis to develop a moving digital average. The moving digital average is a... | 06/26/1990 |
| 4891757 | Medical imaging system and method having gray scale mapping means for indicating image saturation regions An artifact inducing image acquisition mapping system and technique is described for use in connection with digital imaging. A gray scale mapping technique is employed to indicate to an operator the brightness function of each pixel of an image. Where the... | 01/02/1990 |
| 4862256 | Method of, and apparatus for, coloring a black and white video signal A method of coloring a black and white video signal is provided. At least one area of a frame is defined with reference to luminance values in that frame, and luminance levels are assigned to that area. A color is then assigned to that area, and the area ... | 08/29/1989 |
| 4823194 | Method for processing gray scale images and an apparatus thereof An original picture taken by an ITV camera is subject to a local maximum filter processing and, if necessary, further to a local minimum filter processing, so that a background image is formed from the original picture itself. A target image included in t... | 04/18/1989 |
| 4809070 | Method and apparatus for adding texturing highlights to a video signal The central difference along a selected axis through a point (u, v) of a rectangularly-sampled luminance field and at an arbitrary angle is computed by interpolation. The octant in which the selected axis lies is identified, and first and second p... | 02/28/1989 |
| 4764811 | Picture signal processing circuit A picture signal (PS1) occurring with picture information components at different signal levels in which the signal level differences are greater than the picture information differences at the signal levels is processed with the aid of an amplifier circu... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4710805 | Method of, and apparatus for, modifying luminance levels of a black and white video signal A method of modifying luminance levels of a black and white video signal is provided. The signal is fed to a voltage controlled amplifier and to first and second clipper amplifiers. Each clipper amplifier has an adjustable gain and an adjustable clip leve... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4654711 | Television generator for highlighting portions of an image A contour map signal generator is provided for generating television signal. The contour map signal generator consists of n-series connected circuit, each generating signals for a first pattern and second pattern enlarged or reduced from the first and out... | 03/31/1987 |
| 4561104 | Automated inspection of hot steel slabs The disclosure relates to a real time digital image enhancement system for performing the image enhancement segmentation processing required for a real time automated system for detecting and classifying surface imperfections in hot steel slabs. The syste... | 12/24/1985 |
| 4394688 | Video system having an adjustable digital gamma correction for contrast enhancement A video system having a television camera, a digital video signal processor coupled to the output of the television camera and a television monitor coupled to the output of the digital video signal processor is disclosed. The digital video signal processo... | 07/19/1983 |
| 4346409 | Method of and apparatus for processing a radiographic image A method of and apparatus for processing a radiographic image in a radiographic image recording system in which an image on a radiographic film is scanned and read out by a detector which gives an output to be processed and used for recording a visible im... | 08/24/1982 |
| 4262306 | Method and apparatus for monitoring of positions of patients and/or radiation units An account is given of a method for monitoring of the position of patients and/or radiation units in which a first position is taken by a camera and stored and comparison between the stored position and the second position taken by the camera takes place.... | 04/14/1981 |
| 4258394 | Digital circuit for accurately detecting changes in the gray scale of a scanned image A digital circuit for detecting changes in the gray scale of scanned images is disclosed. Each line of video information produced by scanning the image is digitized. Each digital sample is compared to digital samples delayed a predetermined amount to gene... | 03/24/1981 |
| 4231065 | Local area contrast enhancement device A local area contrast enhancement scheme for a video display includes a two dimensional recursive filter to obtain a moving average of the intensity variations in all areas of the display. This moving average is subtracted from the original signal to prod... | 10/28/1980 |
| 4229764 | Visibility expander Disclosed is a visibility expander of relatively simple and inexpensive construction for use in reading X-ray photographs. It comprises a TV picture tube and monitor coupled, together via a low pass filter and window amplifier in series as stated. Both th... | 10/21/1980 |
| 4213150 | Real-time edge processing unit A digital machine for detecting and processing pictorial edges in video data. The invention mechanizes, in parallel, three different processing techniques, the outputs of which are combined in a selectable manner to generate processed and enhanced video d... | 07/15/1980 |
| 4187519 | System for expanding the video contrast of an image A system, and method, is disclosed for substantially increasing the dynamic range of contrast of an input sequence of pixels representative of an image. In a preferred embodiment a first circuit is responsive to an input sequence of pixels representative ... | 02/05/1980 |