Author: claimsbot

1-32. (canceled)
33. A digital computer comprising:
a log information storage unit that stores log information, the log information being information on performance executed by a plurality of applications configured to handle image data, the information on performance corresponding to a recorded level which can be set according to each of the plurality of applications;
a network communication unit that communicates with an external device connected to a network;
a receiving unit that receives data written in eXtensible Markup Language, as a transmission request of the log information stored in the log information storage unit from the external device, through the network communication unit based on SOAP; and
a transmission unit tht generates data describing a result of the transmission request in the eXtensible Markup Language corresponding to the recording level. and transmits the data generated to the external device based on the SOAP.
34. The digital computer according to claim 33, wherein the transmitting unit generates dara including information on certification and restriction of use or information on charging, and transmits the data generated to the external device based on the SOAP.
35. The digital computer according to claim 33, wherein the receiving unit is a SOAP listener and the transmitting unit is a SOAP proxy.
36. The digital computer according to claim 33, wherein the recording level can be set according th contents of performance of an application.
37. The digital computer according to claim 33, wherein the recording level can be set according to selection of an application.
38. The digital computer according to claim 33, wherein the recording level can be set according to a mode performance of an application.
39. The digital computer according to claim 33, further comprising a recording level setting unit being capable of setting the recording level.
40. An external device comprising:
a network communication unit that communicates with a digital computer connected to a network, the digital computer including a log information storage unit that stores log information, the log information being information on performance executed by a plurality of application which are capable of handeling image data, the information on performance corresponding to a recording level which can be set according to each of the plurality of applications;
a transmitting unit that generates data in the eXtensible Markup Language corresponding to the recording level, and transmits the data generated to the digital computer based on SOAP; and
a receiving unit that receives data written in eXtensible Markup Language. as a result of transmission request from the digital computer, based on the SOAP.
41. The external device according to claim 40, wherein the receiving unit is a SOAP listener and the transmitting unit is a SOAP proxy.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for treating a patient who has an immunoinflammatory disorder or is at risk for developing an immunoinflammatory disorder, said method comprising administering to said patient:
(a) a corticosteroid; and
(b) a compound having the formula:
6
wherein each Z and each Z is, independently, N, O, C,
7
wherein when Z or Z is O or
8
then p1,
when Z or Z is N,
9
then p2,
when Z or Z is C, then p3;
each R1 is, independently, X, OH, N-alkyl, a branched or unbranched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a heterocycle, or, when p>1, two R1 groups from a common Z or Z atom, in combination with each other, represent (CY2)k, wherein k is an integer between 4 and 6, inclusive;
each X is, independently, Y, CY3, C(CY3)3, CY2CY3, (CY2)1-5OY, CnY2n1, wherein
n3-7 inclusively; and
each Y is independently: H, F, Cl, Br, or I,
wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously or within 14 days of each other, in amounts and for a duration sufficient to treat said patient.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound is a 2,6-disubstituted 4,8-dibenzylaminopyrimido5,4-dpyrimidine.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound is dipyridamole, mopidamole, dipyridamole monoacetate, NU3026 (2,6-di-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-methoxy-4,8-di-piperidinopyrimidopyrimidine), NU3059 (2,6-bis-(2,3-dimethyoxypropoxy)-4,8-di-piperidinopyrimidopyrimidine), NU3060 (2,6-bisN,N-di(2-methoxy)ethyl-4,6-di-piperidinopyrimidopyrimidine), or NU3076 (2,6-bis(diethanolamino)-4,8-di-4-methoxybenzylaminopyrimidopyrimidine).
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said compound is dipyridamole.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said corticosteroid is algestone, 6-alpha-fluoroprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-acetate, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-hemisuccinate sodium salt, 6-alpha,9-alpha-difluoroprednisolone 21-acetate 17-butyrate, amcinafal, beclomethasone, beclomethasone dipropionate, beclomethasone dipropionate monohydrate, 6-beta-hydroxycortisol, betamethasone, betamethasone-17-valerate, budesonide, clobetasol, clobetasol propionate, clobetasone, clocortolone, clocortolone pivalate, cortisone, cortisone acetate, cortodoxone, deflazacort, 21-deoxycortisol, deprodone, descinolone, desonide, desoximethasone, dexamethasone, dexamethasone-21-acetate, dichlorisone, diflorasone, diflorasone diacetate, diflucortolone, doxibetasol, fludrocortisone, flumethasone, flumethasone pivalate, flumoxonide, flunisolide, fluocinonide, fluocinolone acetonide, 9-fluorocortisone, fluorohydroxyandrostenedione, fluorometholone, fluorometholone acetate, fluoxymesterone, flupredidene, fluprednisolone, flurandrenolide, formocortal, halcinonide, halometasone, halopredone, hyrcanoside, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone butyrate, hydrocortisone cypionate, hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, hydrocortisone probutate, hydrocortisone valerate, 6-hydroxydexamethasone, isoflupredone, isoflupredone acetate, isoprednidene, meclorisone, methylprednisolone, methylprednisolone acetate, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, paramethasone, paramethasone acetate, prednisolone, prednisolone acetate, prednisolone metasulphobenzoate, prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisolone tebutate, prednisolone-21-hemisuccinate free acid, prednisolone-21-acetate, prednisolone-21 (beta-D-glucuronide), prednisone, prednylidene, procinonide, tralonide, triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone acetonide 21-palmitate, triamcinolone diacetate, triamcinolone hexacetonide, or wortmannin.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein said corticosteroid is fludrocortisone or prednisolone.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said compound is dipyridamole.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered within ten days of each other.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered within five days of each other.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered within twenty-four hours of each other.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered simultaneously.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are administered in the same pharmaceutical formulation.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said immunoinflammatory disorder is rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory dermatosis, or stroke induced brain cell death.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said compound is administered in an amount of 0.5-800 mgday, and said corticosteroid is administered in an amount of 0.1-1500 mgday.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said compound is administered in an amount of 18-600 mgday, and said corticosteroid is administered in an amount of 0.5-30 mgday.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said corticosteroid is administered in an amount of 0.5-10 mgday.
17. A pharmaceutical composition comprising
(i) a corticosteroid;
(ii) a compound having the formula:
10
wherein each Z and each Z is, independently, N, O, C,
11
wherein when Z or Z is O or
12
then p1,
when Z or Z is N,
13
then p2,
when Z or Z is C, then p3;
each R1 is, independently, X, OH, N-alkyl, a branched or unbranched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a heterocycle, or, when p>1, two R1 groups from a common Z or Z atom, in combination with each other, represent (CY2)k, wherein k is an integer between 4 and 6, inclusive;
each X is, independently, Y, CY3, C(CY3)3, CY2CY3, (CY2)1-5OY, CnY2n1, wherein
n3-7 inclusively; and
each Y is independently: H, F, Cl, Br, or I; and

(iii) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
18. The composition of claim 17, wherein said compound is a 2,6-disubstituted 4,8-dibenzylaminopyrimido5,4-dpyrimidine.
19. The composition of claim 18, wherein said compound is dipyridamole, mopidamole, dipyridamole monoacetate, NU3026, NU3059, NU3060, or NU3076.
20. The composition of claim 17, wherein said corticosteroid is algestone, 6-alpha-fluoroprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-acetate, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-hemisuccinate sodium salt, 6-alpha,9-alpha-difluoroprednisolone 21-acetate 17-butyrate, amcinafal, beclomethasone, beclomethasone dipropionate, beclomethasone dipropionate monohydrate, 6-beta-hydroxycortisol, betamethasone, betamethasone-17-valerate, budesonide, clobetasol, clobetasol propionate, clobetasone, clocortolone, clocortolone pivalate, cortisone, cortisone acetate, cortodoxone, deflazacort, 21-deoxycortisol, deprodone, descinolone, desonide, desoximethasone, dexamethasone, dexamethasone-21-acetate, dichlorisone, diflorasone, diflorasone diacetate, diflucortolone, doxibetasol, fludrocortisone, flumethasone, flumethasone pivalate, flumoxonide, flunisolide, fluocinonide, fluocinolone acetonide, 9-fluorocortisone, fluorohydroxyandrostenedione, fluorometholone, fluorometholone acetate, fluoxymesterone, flupredidene, fluprednisolone, flurandrenolide, formocortal, halcinonide, halometasone, halopredone, hyrcanoside, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone butyrate, hydrocortisone cypionate, hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, hydrocortisone probutate, hydrocortisone valerate, 6-hydroxydexamethasone, isoflupredone, isoflupredone acetate, isoprednidene, meclorisone, methylprednisolone, methylprednisolone acetate, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, paramethasone, paramethasone acetate, prednisolone, prednisolone acetate, prednisolone metasulphobenzoate, prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisolone tebutate, prednisolone-21-hemisuccinate free acid, prednisolone-21-acetate, prednisolone-21 (beta-D-glucuronide), prednisone, prednylidene, procinonide, tralonide, triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone acetonide 21-palmitate, triamcinolone diacetate, triamcinolone hexacetonide, or wortmannin.
21. A pharmaceutical pack comprising
(i) a corticosteroid; and
(ii) a compound having the formula:
14
wherein each Z and each Z is, independently, N, O, C,
15
wherein when Z or Z is O or
16
then p1,
when Z or Z is N,
17
then p2,
when Z or Z is C, then p3;
each R1 is, independently, X, OH, N-alkyl, a branched or unbranched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a heterocycle, or, when p>1, two R1 groups from a common Z or Z atom, in combination with each other, represent (CY2)k, wherein k is an integer between 4 and 6, inclusive;
each X is, independently, Y, CY3, C(CY3)3, CY2CY3, (CY2)1-5OY, CnY2n1, wherein
n3-7 inclusively; and
each Y is independently: H, F, Cl, Br, or I.
22. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 21, wherein said compound is a 2,6-disubstituted 4,8-dibenzylaminopyrimido5,4-dpyrimidine.
23. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 22, wherein said compound is dipyridamole, mopidamole, dipyridamole monoacetate, NU3026, NU3059, NU3060, or NU3076.
24. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 23, wherein said compound is dipyridamole.
25. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 21, wherein said corticosteroid is algestone, 6-alpha-fluoroprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-acetate, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-hemisuccinate sodium salt, 6-alpha,9-alpha-difluoroprednisolone 21-acetate 17-butyrate, amcinafal, beclomethasone, beclomethasone dipropionate, beclomethasone dipropionate monohydrate, 6-beta-hydroxycortisol, betamethasone, betamethasone-17-valerate, budesonide, clobetasol, clobetasol propionate, clobetasone, clocortolone, clocortolone pivalate, cortisone, cortisone acetate, cortodoxone, deflazacort, 21-deoxycortisol, deprodone, descinolone, desonide, desoximethasone, dexamethasone, dexamethasone-21-acetate, dichlorisone, diflorasone, diflorasone diacetate, diflucortolone, doxibetasol, fludrocortisone, flumethasone, flumethasone pivalate, flumoxonide, flunisolide, fluocinonide, fluocinolone acetonide, 9-fluorocortisone, fluorohydroxyandrostenedione, fluorometholone, fluorometholone acetate, fluoxymesterone, flupredidene, fluprednisolone, flurandrenolide, formocortal, halcinonide, halometasone, halopredone, hyrcanoside, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone butyrate, hydrocortisone cypionate, hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, hydrocortisone probutate, hydrocortisone valerate, 6-hydroxydexamethasone, isoflupredone, isoflupredone acetate, isoprednidene, meclorisone, methylprednisolone, methylprednisolone acetate, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, paramethasone, paramethasone acetate, prednisolone, prednisolone acetate, prednisolone metasulphobenzoate, prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisolone tebutate, prednisolone-21-hemisuccinate free acid, prednisolone-21-acetate, prednisolone-21(beta-D-glucuronide), prednisone, prednylidene, procinonide, tralonide, triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone acetonide 21-palmitate, triamcinolone diacetate, triamcinolone hexacetonide, or wortmannin.
26. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 21, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are formulated separately and in individual dosage amounts.
27. The pharmaceutical pack of claim 21, wherein said compound and said corticosteroid are formulated together and in individual dosage amounts.
28. A method for treating a patient who has an immunoinflammatory disorder or is at risk for developing an immunoinflammatory disorder, said method comprising administering to said patient:
(a) two or more corticosteroids; and
(b) a compound having the formula:
18
wherein each Z and each Z is, independently, N, O, C,
19
wherein when Z or Z is O or
20
then p1,
when Z or Z is N,
21
then p2,
when Z or Z is C, then p3;
each R1 is, independently, X, OH, N-alkyl, a branched or unbranched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a heterocycle, or, when p>1, two R1 groups from a common Z or Z atom, in combination with each other, represent (CY2)k, wherein k is an integer between 4 and 6, inclusive;
each X is, independently, Y, CY3, C(CY3)3, CY2CY3, (CY2)1-5OY, CnY2n1, wherein
n3-7 inclusively; and
each Y is independently: H, F, Cl, Br, or I;
wherein each of said compound and said two or more corticosteroids are administered in amounts sufficient to treat said patient.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein said compound is dipyridamole, mopidamole, dipyridamole monoacetate, NU3026, NU3059, NU3060, or NU3076.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said compound is dipyridamole.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of said corticosteroids is algestone, 6-alpha-fluoroprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-acetate, 6-alpha-methylprednisolone 21-hemisuccinate sodium salt, 6-alpha,9-alpha-difluoroprednisolone 21-acetate 17-butyrate, amcinafal, beclomethasone, beclomethasone dipropionate, beclomethasone dipropionate monohydrate, 6-beta-hydroxycortisol, betamethasone, betamethasone-17-valerate, budesonide, clobetasol, clobetasol propionate, clobetasone, clocortolone, clocortolone pivalate, cortisone, cortisone acetate, cortodoxone, deflazacort, 21-deoxycortisol, deprodone, descinolone, desonide, desoximethasone, dexamethasone, dexamethasone-21-acetate, dichlorisone, diflorasone, diflorasone diacetate, diflucortolone, doxibetasol, fludrocortisone, flumethasone, flumethasone pivalate, flumoxonide, flunisolide, fluocinonide, fluocinolone acetonide, 9-fluorocortisone, fluorohydroxyandrostenedione, fluorometholone, fluorometholone acetate, fluoxymesterone, flupredidene, fluprednisolone, flurandrenolide, formocortal, halcinonide, halometasone, halopredone, hyrcanoside, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone butyrate, hydrocortisone cypionate, hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, hydrocortisone probutate, hydrocortisone valerate, 6-hydroxydexamethasone, isoflupredone, isoflupredone acetate, isoprednidene, meclorisone, methylprednisolone, methylprednisolone acetate, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, paramethasone, paramethasone acetate, prednisolone, prednisolone acetate, prednisolone metasulphobenzoate, prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisolone tebutate, prednisolone-21-hemisuccinate free acid, prednisolone-21-acetate, prednisolone-21(beta-D-glucuronide), prednisone, prednylidene, procinonide, tralonide, triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone acetonide 21-palmitate, triamcinolone diacetate, triamcinolone hexacetonide, or wortmannin.
32. A method for identifying combinations of compounds useful for treating a patient having an immunoinflammatory disorder, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting immune cells in vitro with (i) a first compound selected from the group consisting of dipyridamole, fludrocortisone, and prednisolone, and (ii) a candidate compound; and
(b) determining whether the combination of said first compound and said candidate compound reduces TNF levels in said immune cells relative to immune cells contacted with said first compound but not contacted with said candidate compound, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells contacted with said candidate compound but not with said first compound, wherein a reduction of said TNF levels identifies said combination as a combination that is useful for treating a patient having an immunoinflammatory disorder.
33. A method for suppressing the production of one or more proinflammatory cytokines in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to the patient a cytokine suppressing amount of the pharmaceutical composition of claim 17.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein one of said cytokines is TNF.
35. A kit comprising (i) the pharmaceutical pack of claim 21 and (ii) instructions for administering said pack to a patient diagnosed with or at risk for developing an immunoinflammatory disorder.
36. A method for treating a patient who has an immunoinflammatory disorder or is at risk for developing an immunoinflammatory disorder, said method comprising administering to said patient (i) dipyridimole and (ii) prednisolone or fludricortisone within one hour of each other in amounts and for a duration sufficient to treat said patient.

1. A tension control system for fiber bundles in a filament winding apparatus that applies a prescribed winding tension to a fiber bundle unwound from a fiber bundle feeding package and winds the tension-applied fiber bundle around a mandrel, the filament winding apparatus comprising:
a tension applying portion that applies the prescribed winding tension to the fiber bundle at a position that is immediately before a side of the mandrel between the fiber bundle feeding package and the mandrel;
a tension sensor that detects a tension of the fiber bundle between the fiber bundle feeding package and the tension applying portion; and
determination means that determines a tension abnormality of the fiber bundle by comparing pre-set reference information with a tension measured value measured by the tension sensor,
wherein the tension of the fiber bundle is controlled through the tension sensor between the fiber bundle feeding package and the tension applying portion.
2. The tension control system according to claim 1, wherein the determination means determines the tension abnormality when the tension measured value measured by the tension sensor exceeds a pre-set tension threshold value.
3. The tension control system according to claim 1, further comprising alerting means that generates an alert signal when the determination means determines the tension abnormality.
4. The tension control system according to claim 1, further comprising control means that stops a process of winding the fiber bundle around the mandrel when the determination means determines the tension abnormality.
5. The tension control system according to claim 1, further comprising display means for the determination means to monitor the tension measured value acquired by the tension sensor by measuring the tension of each of the fiber bundles with respect to each of the fiber bundle feeding packages.
6. The tension control system according to claim 5, wherein the determination means determines the tension abnormality with respect to each of the fiber bundle feeding packages by comparing the tension measured value of the fiber bundle of each of the fiber bundle feeding packages with each other on the display means.
7. The tension control system according to claim 5, wherein the determination means determines the tension abnormality with respect to each of the fiber bundle feeding packages by comparing tension fluctuations of the fiber bundle of each of the fiber bundle feeding packages with each other on the display means.
8. The tension control system according to claim 5, wherein the determination means includes storage means that stores a previously measured sampling average value of the fiber bundle, and the determination means determines the tension abnormality by comparing, on the display means, the sampling average value with the tension measured value measured by the tension sensor.
9. The tension control system according to claim 5, wherein the determination means displays, for monitoring, the tension measured value of the fiber bundle on the display means as waveform information representing an amount of temporal fluctuations.
10. The tension control system according to claim 1, wherein the tension sensor comprises a strain gauge.
11. The tension control system according to claim 10, wherein the tension sensor further comprises:
a guide wheel coaxially attached to a leading edge of a supporting rod that extends horizontally along a direction that is perpendicular to a running direction of the fiber bundle;
an elastic plate attached to a rear edge of the supporting rod, wherein the strain gauge is attached to the elastic plate; and
guide rollers below the guide wheel and supporting rod with space therebetween,
wherein the fiber bundle is guided by the guide wheel and guide rollers while being flexed.
12. The tension control system according to claim 1, wherein the tension applying portion comprises an air pressure adjusting member.
13. The tension control system according to claim 12, wherein the air pressure adjusting member supplies air pressure to cause the fiber bundle to be nipped between first and second nipping members, thereby applying the prescribed winding tension.
14. The tension control system according to claim 13, wherein:
the first nipping member is a side wall of a frame of the tension applying portion; and
the second nipping member is a press roller that is moved by air pressure supplied by the air pressure adjusting member.
15. A method for controlling tension in a filament winding apparatus that applies a prescribed winding tension to a fiber bundle unwound from a fiber bundle feeding package and winds the tension-applied fiber bundle around a mandrel, the method comprising:
applying the prescribed winding tension to the fiber bundle at a position that is immediately before a side of the mandrel between the fiber bundle feeding package and the mandrel;
detecting a tension of the fiber bundle between the fiber bundle feeding package and the tension applying portion;
determining a tension abnormality of the fiber bundle by comparing pre-set reference information with a tension measured value measured by the tension sensor; and
controlling the tension of the fiber bundle through the tension sensor between the fiber bundle feeding package and the tension applying portion.
16. The method for controlling tension according to claim 15, wherein the tension abnormality is determined when the tension measured value measured by the tension sensor exceeds a pre-set tension threshold value.
17. The method for controlling tension according to claim 15, further comprising generating an alert signal when the tension abnormality is determined.
18. The method for controlling tension according to claim 15, further comprising stopping a process of winding the fiber bundle around the mandrel when the tension abnormality is determined.
19. The method for controlling tension according to claim 15, further comprising displaying the tension measured value acquired by measuring the tension of each of the fiber bundles with respect to each of the fiber bundle feeding packages.
20. The method for controlling tension according to claim 19, wherein the tension abnormality is determined with respect to each of the fiber bundle feeding packages by comparing the displayed tension measured value of the fiber bundle of each of the fiber bundle feeding packages with each other.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for detecting coding artifacts in an image, comprising:
filtering, with circuitry, the image with a block noise filter to at least reduce block noise in the image;
detecting, with the circuitry, an edge position of an edge in said image after filtering with the block noise filter;
detecting, with the circuitry, a border position of a border between a texture area and a flat area in said image after filtering with the block noise filter;
defining, with the circuitry, the area between said edge position and said border position as artifact area potentially comprising coding artifacts;
displaying artifact location information corresponding to the coding artifacts on a display, the artifact location information including a scalar image map;
defining a dilated edge area at least on the side of the detected edge position facing the detected border position, in particular on both sides of the detected edge position;
defining a dilated border area at least on the side of the detected border position facing the detected edge position, in particular on both sides of the detected border position; and
defining the overlapping area of said dilated edge area and said dilated border area between said edge position and said border position as said artifact area.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dilated edge area is defined by defining a block of a number of dilated edge area pixels around the edge pixels of the detected edge position, including an area around each edge pixel of the detected edge position, and by including the dilated edge area pixels into said dilated edge area.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
defining an excluded edge area between the detected edge position and the detected border position, said excluded edge area covering the area from the detected edge position to the end of the corresponding edge, and
excluding said excluded edge area from said dilated edge area.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said excluded edge area is defined by defining a block of a number of excluded edge area pixels around the edge pixels of the detected edge position, including an area around each edge pixel of the detected edge position, and by including the excluded edge area pixels into said excluded edge area.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dilated border area is defined by defining a block of a number of dilated border area pixels on the side of the border pixels facing the detected edge position, including on the side of each border pixel of the detected border position, and by including the dilated border area pixels into said dilated border area.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dilated border area is defined by defining a block of a number of dilated border area pixels around the border pixels of the detected border position, an area around each border pixel of the detected border position, and by including the dilated border area pixels into said dilated border area.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
defining an excluded edge area between the detected edge position and the detected border position, said excluded edge area covering the area from the detected edge position to the end of the corresponding edge; and
excluding said excluded edge area from said artifact area.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1,
further comprising generating the artifact location information and the scalar image map comprising binary artifact indicator values, said artifact location information indicating the one or more areas of the image defined as artifact area.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising evaluating said artifact location information to generate a scalar artifact percentage information indication the percentage of the image containing coding artifacts.
10. An apparatus for detecting coding artifacts in an image, comprising:
circuitry configured to
block filter the image to reduce block noise therein,
detect an edge position of an edge in said image after block filtering,
detect a border position of a border between a texture area and a flat area in said image after block filtering,
define the area between said edge position and said border position as artifact area potentially comprising coding artifacts,
display artifact location information corresponding to the coding artifacts on a display, the artifact location information including a scalar image map,
define a dilated edge area at least on the side of the detected edge position facing the detected border position, the dilated area being defined on both sides of the detected edge position,
define a dilated border area at least on the side of the detected border position facing the detected edge position, the dilated border area being defined on both sides of the detected border position, and
define the overlapping area of said dilated edge area and said dilated border area between said edge position and said border position as said artifact area.
11. A method for reducing coding artifacts in an image according to claim 1, further comprising:
reducing coding artifacts in image after block filtering by applying mosquito noise reduction andor deringing to only the detected artifact areas of the image.
12. An apparatus for reducing coding artifacts in an image according to claim 10, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
reduce coding artifacts in said image after block filtering by applying a step of mosquito noise reduction andor deringing to only the detected artifact areas of the image.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to claim 1.
14. An apparatus for detecting coding artifacts in an image, comprising:
means for block filtering the image to reduce block noise therein;
first detection means for detecting an edge position of an edge in said image after block filtering;
second detection means for detecting a border position of a border between a texture area and a flat area in said image after block filtering;
defining means for defining the area between said edge position and said border position as artifact area potentially comprising coding artifacts;
means for displaying artifact location information corresponding to the coding artifacts on a display, the location artifact information including a scalar image map;
means for defining a dilated edge area at least on the side of the detected edge position facing the detected border position, in particular on both sides of the detected edge position;
means for defining a dilated border area at least on the side of the detected border position facing the detected edge position, in particular on both sides of the detected border position; and
means for defining the overlapping area of said dilated edge area and said dilated border area between said edge position and said border position as said artifact area.
15. The apparatus for reducing coding artifacts in an image according to claim 14, further comprising:
means for reducing coding artifacts in said image after block filtering by applying mosquito noise reduction andor deringing to only the detected artifact areas of the image.
16. A device for processing andor displaying images comprising circuitry to perform the method claim 1.
17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the device is one of a camera, a TV set, a computer, a broadcasting unit and a video player.