Abstract: A pattern recognition matching processing method and apparatus uses expansion processing with dictionary data as a matching candidate (pattern image). Contraction processing may be performed for the pattern image, and a differential image between the expanded and contracted images can be found. A mask image is prepared based on the differential image, and matching processing of the image containing a character to be recognized with the pattern image is performed with respect to pixels in an area other than the prepared mask image.

Abstract: During the operation of a document processing system machine and job data are collected from a document processing system. Optionally, machine information, both for the specific machine and population based data are acquired from a database or server. Having accumulated the job data and machine data, the diagnostic inference engine performs an analysis to determine the initial diagnosis of the document processing system. After obtaining the initial diagnosis, the system determines the test patterns to be printed and the image quality tests to be performed. The system then prints test patterns, and scans the patterns to determine image quality parameters and/or to automatically identify image defects. Optionally, image defect information may also be provided by the customer or the service engineer via a user interface. Next, a diagnostic inference engine uses the results of the image quality analysis to refine the initial diagnosis.

Abstract: An efficiently hybrid approach to exploit hyperspectral imagery and unmix spectral pixels. This hybrid approach uses a genetic algorithm to solve the abundance vector for the first pixel of a hyperspectral image cube. This abundance vector is used as initial state in a robust filter to derive the abundance estimate for the next pixel. By using Kalman filter, the abundance estimate for a pixel can be obtained in one iteration procedure which is much fast than genetic algorithm. The output of the robust filter is fed to genetic algorithm again to derive accurate abundance estimate for the current pixel. The using of robust filter solution as starting point of the genetic algorithm speeds up the evolution of the genetic algorithm. After obtaining the accurate abundance estimate, the procedure goes to next pixel, and uses the output of genetic algorithm as the previous state estimate to derive abundance estimate for this pixel using robust filter.

Abstract: A calibration and correction procedure for a fingerprint scanner. The calibration and correction procedure performs an automatic calibration procedure and gray level linearity procedure. The automatic calibration procedure includes a brightness function to correct for distortions in brightness, a focus check function to identify when the fingerprint scanner is out of focus, and a geometric distortion function to correct for imperfect linearity in the geometry of the fingerprint scanner. The gray level linearity procedure corrects for linear distortions in brightness and contrast of gray levels.

Abstract: An automated analysis method and tool for a digitally imaged financial item can digitally recognize a plurality of characters across an area of a digital image containing character indicia at predetermined positions in the area and also possibly containing non-character indicia in the area. This finds exemplification in an automated check processing method and check sorting system in which a check's MICR line that has been read and interpreted as invalid can be digitally analyzed, via a digital image of the check, to identify MICR characters that could not be validly read or interpreted by the conventional MICR processing equipment. This includes digitally applying character recognition processing to an invalidated MICR line in a digital image of the financial item (e.g., a check). Previously invalidated MICR line data can then be corrected.

Abstract: A methodology is disclosed for processing image data to extract image information of interest from aggregate image information containing other interfering information. Application of the methodology also leads to significant compression in the data, which reduces storage requirements. With the methodology of the invention, an augmented linear decomposition of the image data is performed. Thereafter, components of the image data corresponding to a baseline image, image information introduced by non-regular extraneous factors, and image information related to random noise are removed from the data by suppression of appropriate terms of the linear decomposition. The image data so reduced may contain both image information of interest and image data related to regularly occurring extraneous factors. The image data of interest is removed from such reduced aggregate image data by frequency domain filtering of the reduced aggregate data.

Abstract: A first points range of high brightness and a second points range of high brightness in a photographed image are selected. It is checked if an identical end point is shared by the three and four points range selected. A first straight line, connecting a center of gravity corresponding to the identical end point and a center of gravity corresponding to another end point of the first points range opposite to the identical end point, is calculated. A second straight line, connecting the center of gravity corresponding to the identical end point and a center of gravity corresponding to another end point of the second points range opposite to the identical end point, is calculated. It is checked if an angle, defined by the first and second straight lines, is within a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the uniformity in exposure and tone of a digital image using a locally adapted histogram equalization approach. This approach involves first segmenting the digital image into a plurality of image patches. For each of these patches, a pixel brightness level histogram is created. The histogram for each patch is then optionally averaged with the histograms associated with a prescribed number of neighboring image patches. A normalized cumulative distribution function is generated for each patch based on the associated averaged histogram. This normalized-cumulative distribution function identifies a respective new pixel brightness level for each of the original pixel brightness levels. For each of the original pixel brightness levels, the 1s associated new pixel brightness levels from one or more of the image patches are blended. Preferably, this blending is accomplished using either a bilinear or biquadratic interpolator function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a streaming two-dimensional digital image segmentation is provided. The image segmentation method is compatible with architectures for scan-line processing and streaming image data. More particularly, the method is accomplished by detecting horizontal runs of non-background image elements potentially having a particular property, calculating an average strength value of the property for the run and comparing the value to a threshold. A separate strength value for the property and run start position are maintained for each vertical column of image elements. Thus, an average strength value of a vertical run is calculated for each image element in the horizontal run and compared with the average strength value for the horizontal run. If the results agree, the image elements are tagged accordingly (i.e. whether the property is present). However, a strategy for resolving the results is implemented when the horizontal and vertical analyses do not agree.

Abstract: The invention concerns an ultrasonic image processing method for displaying a composite sequence of images of an artery segment with indication of blood flow velocity and wall movements in function of the cardiac cycle, comprising steps of: forming, at a first rate, a first sequence (131) of blood flow velocity color-coded images and forming, at a second rate, a second sequence (231) of images with wall movement graphics; and constructing said composite image sequence (361) by determining a first set of temporal markers (n1,n2), related to the cardiac cycle, in the first image sequence as the minimum points of a curve (P(n)) of the number of the colored points per image in function of the image instants, determining a second set of temporal markers (k1,k2), related to the same cardiac cycle, in the second image sequence as the minimum points of a curve (D(k)) of the arterial mean dilation in function of the image instants, and by superposing the first and second image sequences by synchronizing the respecti

Abstract: A fingerprint identification device judges that the input fingerprint is identical to the fingerprint in the database only when a the touch sensor detects the human finger and a the fingerprint processing unit detects that the input fingerprint is identical to a fingerprint in the database. The touch sensor includes an oscillator that outputs a high frequency signal. An electrode unit applies the high frequency signal to the human finger. A detector unit detects a variation of impedance values varied by the human finger contracting the electrode unit and outputs an output signal based on the variation of impedance values. A discriminator unit determines whether the human finger is in contact with the electrode unit by comparing the output signal from the detector unit with a predetermined reference value.

Abstract: On the basis of an image data of image data, an image discrimination unit discriminates whether the input image is a color image or an image having index data. The input image is corrected by an image correction unit based upon the results of discrimination.

Abstract: A shape detection device which can detect the existence/absence or normal/abnormal state of an object and the shape and movement of the object by directly contacting the object. The shape detection device includes a shape detection section having two substrates on which a plurality of electrodes are formed and which are arranged to face each other or in the same direction with a predetermined space therebetween and bonded together by an insulating adhesive filled into the space between the substrates. The shape detection device is manufactured by forming the plurality of electrodes on the substrates, arranging the substrates to face each other or in the same direction with the predetermined space therebetween, bonding the substrates together by filling the insulating adhesive into the space between the substrates, and grinding edge portions of the electrodes formed on the substrates bonded together.

Abstract: A system for inspecting the surface of elongated work boards being moved, which is featured in that the work boards are photographed using a digital camera, that line image data which intersect with a moving direction of the work boards are extracted, and that the resultant line image data are integrated and synthesized to obtain a synthesized image, which is then displayed to evaluate the worked state of the work boards.

Abstract: A wafer mapping system uses a camera to acquire an image of a carrier containing wafers. In one embodiment, the acquired image is stored as rows and columns of pixels. The presence and location of a wafer in the carrier are determined by looking for pixel intensity variations in a column of the image.

Abstract: It is possible for the present invention to carry out the inclination correcting by adding a simple constitution of shifting an image only in the main-scanning direction to that of the conventional image processing apparatus. The first line shifting means 65 shifts the image data in the main scanning direction by specific number of lines in the shifting amount corresponding to the inclined angle detected by the inclined angle detecting means 66. The first rotating means 85 rotates the image data stored in the first image memory 88 by 90 degree or 270 degree, and then interchanges the main-scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. The second line shifting means 91 shifts the image data rotated by the first rotating means 85 in the main-scanning direction.

Abstract: A scanner system analyses data plotted in a scatter plot in accordance with user-specified criteria or statistical measures from the data population, to produce a scatter plot that displays in the plotted data the boundaries for the selection of out-lyer points and/or otherwise visually denotes in the plotted data which points are the out-lyer points. The scanner system analyzes the underlying data based on user-specified differential expression ratios, or based on criteria associated with the statistics of the data population, to produce out-lyer boundaries that are represented by diverging lines. Alternatively, the system may analyze the underlying data based on absolute expression levels, to produce boundaries that are represented in the plot by lines that meet at an identity line of slope 1.

Abstract: A histogram preparing portion prepares a density histogram based on input image data. A reference value calculating and correcting portion calculates a white reference value and a black reference value for adjusting density on the basis of the density histogram. A reference value determining portion corrects one of the white reference value and the black reference value such that the black reference value is necessarily greater than the white reference value. An automatic density adjusting portion adjust the density of the input image data with the corrected white or black reference value. Thus, automatic adjustment for removing a background or darkening a light letter can be performed suitably without failure, so that a clear image can be provided.

Abstract: A device for testing the color and reflectivity of garments by obtaining a image of the garment to be tested and reference samples simultaneously and segmenting the image of the garment into zones and obtaining characteristics, i.e. color, reflectivity, and brightness, of the each zone which are compared to the reference samples. The zones are then displayed where the zones that are within range are displayed in one color and those out of the range are displayed in another color.

Abstract: A three points range of high brightness and a four points range of high brightness in a photographed image are selected. It is checked if an identical end point is shared by the three and four points range selected. It is checked if a center of gravity corresponding to the identical end point, a center of gravity corresponding to another end point of the three points rage opposite to the identical end point, and a center of gravity corresponding to another end point of the four points range opposite to the identical end point, meet a positional relationship between standard points of a target.