Abstract: A video surveillance system is provided for recording and executing camera operation patterns. Each pattern includes a plurality of records having a camera condition field and a count field. The system reads a camera condition and writes the condition to memory in a pattern record. The system compares each new camera condition with the condition stored in memory, and records a newly read condition into a new pattern record if the new camera condition is different from the condition data stored in the most recent pattern record. Otherwise, the count field is updated in the most recent pattern record by incrementing a count data therein. Patterns are executed by sequentially moving the camera through the camera condition stored in the pattern records, and keeping the system at a particular condition for a duration equal to the count data of each pattern record multiplied by a predetermined time interval.

Abstract: There are described herein systems and methods for producing and distributing personalized photographic souvenirs for spectators of an event. Equipment well-known in the art is used to take photographs of performers at the event, and to scan images or take photos of items representative of the event, for example a ticket stub, advertisement, or team names and logos. In addition, at least one pan-and-tilt camera system, also well-known in the art, is used to take an orderly, indexed series of photos of the spectators such that substantially every spectator will appear in at least one spectator photo. The spectator photos are indexed according to a predetermined mapping algorithm, which maps a particular location of the venue to a virtual sector. Individual souvenirs are then created at the venue in a centralized processing location, by organizing and combining a spectator photo with the other photos and/or scanned images.

Abstract: A surround surveillance system mounted on a mobile body for surveying surroundings around the mobile body includes an omniazimuth visual system, the omniazimuth visual system includes at least one omniazimuth visual sensor including an optical system capable of obtaining an image with an omniazimuth view field area therearound and capable of central projection transformation of the image into an optical image, and an imaging section including an imaging lens for converting the optical image obtained by the optical system into image data, an image processor for transforming the image data into at least one of panoramic image data and perspective image data, a display section for displaying one of a panoramic image corresponding to the panoramic image data and a perspective image corresponding to the perspective image data and a display control section for controlling the display section.

Abstract: A method detects blocks that are to be indicated as skipped at an earlier stage of the encoding process, than would be the case with other implementations of the ITU H.263 and H.264 standards. The method includes transforming 4×4 blocks in the macro blocks having a skip vector of zero with a binary-transform function. The blocks having values of the four uppermost left binary-transform coefficients less than a predefined threshold, are defined as skipped, thus, minimizing the need for computationally demanding block transformation or quantization.

Abstract: A firearm sight can detect engagement of a firing pin with a cartridge, and can respond to this event by saving an image which shows a target and reticle at a point in time just prior to the detected event. An electronic reticle can be downloaded into the sight. The effective position of the reticle within the sight can be adjusted electronically, and a zoom factor of the sight can be adjusted electronically. The sight can sense approximately transverse movement thereof, and can provide a user with an indication of the amount of transverse movement. With the use of an additional device, the sight can automatically align its reticle to the bore of a firearm on which the sight is mounted.

Abstract: A robotic CCD microscope and procedures to automate crystal recognition. The robotic CCD microscope and procedures enables more accurate crystal recognition, leading to fewer false negative and fewer false positives, and enable detection of smaller crystals compared to other methods available today.

Abstract: The improved landscape camera system for use in aircraft utilizes digital video technology to obtain multiple fields of view that are selectable for viewing by passengers on the aircraft, from either a single video frame or from multiple cameras with different fields of view. The camera module can also receive video input from one or more auxiliary video cameras, such as a vertical fin mounted video camera, i.e. directed forward for a view of the aircraft in flight, or a rearward looking belly mounted camera.

Abstract: A method for prediction of the motion vector of a pixel block in a video picture that is to be coded. The actual motion vectors of two adjacent blocks close to the uppermost left corner of the block are selected as candidates for the prediction. One additional block, also adjacent to the block, is selected to decide which of the motion vectors to be used as the prediction. The vector difference to the motion vector of the decision block is decisive for the final selection.

Abstract: An image coding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics are provided. The image coding method comprises (a) modeling image quality distribution of an input image in units of scenes such that the quality of an image input in units of scenes is gradually lowered from a region of interest to a background region, (b) determining a quantization parameter of each region constituting one scene according to the result of modeling of image quality distribution, (c) quantizing image data in accordance with the quantization parameter, and (d) coding entropy of the quantized image data.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for adaptive rate control in the transcoding of video streams. The method comprises: accepting frames of an input MPEG encoded video stream; decoding the video stream; determining video stream complexity; for each frame, calculating an output video stream quantization parameter (Qo) responsive to determined video stream complexity; and, encoding the output video stream into a protocol using Qo. Some aspects further comprise accepting a target bit rate ratio (r) for transcoding that is equal to the ratio of the target output video stream number of bits per frame (No), to the input video stream number of bits per frame (Ni). Then, Qo is also calculated in response to the value of r. More explicitly, Qo is calculated in response to a complexity ratio of: an accumulated complexity in the output video stream, to an accumulated complexity in the input video stream.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamically placing sensors in a 3D model is provided. Specifically, in one embodiment, the method selects a 3D model and a sensor for placement into the 3D model. The method renders the sensor and the 3D model in accordance with sensor parameters associated with the sensor and parameters desired by a user. In addition, the method determines whether an occlusion to the sensor is present.

Abstract: An apparatus for variable bit rate control in moving picture compression. First, a total activity measure for the current picture to be encoded in a set of consecutive pictures is calculated. Based on the total activity measure of the current picture and an activity-to-complexity ratio of a previously encoded picture of the same type in the set of consecutive pictures, a complexity measure of the current picture is estimated. A statistical complexity measure is then calculated from the complexity measure of the current picture. A target bit budget is allocated to the current picture depending on the instantaneous rate, the complexity measure and the instantaneous complexity measure. After encoding the current picture, the activity-to-complexity ratio for the current picture is computed based on the total activity measure, actual bits consumed by the current picture and an average of actual quantization step sizes used to encode the current picture.

Abstract: A method compares a background image to input images to determine a similarity scores ? for each input image. Then, the background image is updated only if the similarity score for a particular image is less than a predetermined threshold. Presumably, any pixel whose color does not change is part of a static background, and any pixel that does change is part of a moving object. The similarity score controls when input images are scored and the manner the background image is updated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor-less automatic retraction device that can insert a vision tube capable of monitoring the inside of a furnace to mange the internal state of the furnace and control the temperature of the furnace into the furnace and retract the vision tube from the furnace in a motor-less manner. A conventional retraction device is disadvantageous in that it is expensive, voluminous, difficult to install, thus requiring expert's help to install, and difficult to repair at the time of breakdown, and requires expensive repairing costs. In order to overcome the above-described disadvantages, an object of the present invention is to develop a motor-less automatic retraction device that can insert the vision tube into the furnace and retract the vision tube from the furnace using a spring, so the device is easily to install due to its small size and lightweight, is easy to repair, and allows repairing costs to be reduced.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for reducing the video decoder processing requirements are presented herein. During a rewind operation, a reference picture for a group of pictures is decoded and stored into a reference frame buffer. By storing a reference picture for the group, the reference picture need not be decoded to display each picture in the group during the rewind operation.

Abstract: A video coding system and method for coding an input frame in which the evolution of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients is modeled as a Laplace-Markov process, the system comprising: a base layer processing system for generating a base layer reconstruction; an enhancement layer processing system for generating an enhancement layer reconstruction; and an entropy constrained scalar quantizer (ECSQ) system for descritizing a prediction residual between the input frame and an estimation theoretic (ET) prediction output; wherein the ECSQ system utilizes an ECSQ that comprises a uniform threshold quantizer with a deadzone size defined by the equation: ? ? ( ? , t * ) = 2 ? ( 1 1 - ? 2 ? ? t * - 1 ) , where ? ? ? ? ( ? , ? ) = ( ? ? - 1 ) ? exp ? { - ? ? [ d ? ( ? - ? ? ( ? ) ) - d ? ( - ? ) d ? ( ? - ? ? ( ? ) ) - d ? ( - ? ? ( ? ) ) ] } ? .

Abstract: A cable assembly for a dental video camera system includes a dental video camera with a camera cable and a camera connector, a monitor with a monitor cable and a monitor connector and a power supply with power supply cable and a power supply connector. The cable assembly also includes an input housing, a camera cable with a complement-camera connector and a first connector. The camera cable is electrically coupled to the first connector. The complement camera connector that electrically couples the dental video camera through the camera connector to said camera cable. The cable assembly also an output housing with a complement-monitor connector, a complement-power supply connector and a complement-first connector. The complement-monitor connector and the complement-power supply connector are disposed in the output housing and the complement camera connector electrically couples the dental video camera through the camera connector to the camera cable.

Abstract: Enhanced resolution video sequence results from construction of enhanced resolution key frames and synthesis of enhanced resolution non-key frames. Key frames are constructed by processing a plurality of initial resolution frames in order to produce the enhanced resolution image components of the key frame. Non-key frames are synthesized using the enhanced resolution image component of the key frames and image component motion determinations from initial resolution frames using an image warping technique. Non-key frame image components are further improved by blending and error correction processes.

Abstract: A system (100) for combining multi-spectral images of a scene (102) is disclosed. The system (100) is compatible with a viewing system (104) for viewing the scene (102) in a first spectral range. The viewing system (104) has an objective lens (110), an image intensifier (112) and viewing optics (114). There is a detector (128) for viewing the scene (102) in a second spectral band. The detector (128) has an image output (129) representative of the viewed scene. A display (132) for receiving and displaying the image output is provided. There is a collimator (134) for receiving and projecting the displayed image. A beam mixer (118) is provided for receiving both the viewed scene in the first spectral band and the displayed image and conveying the combined images to the viewing system (104) to construct the combined multi-spectral images of the scene. The system may also be used stand-alone without the viewing system (104).

Abstract: A decomposed original video sequence includes one or more original camera-motion layers and zero or more original fixed-frame layers decomposed from an original video sequence. The decomposed original video sequence is edited by editing at least one of the original camera-motion layers to obtain modified camera-motion layers such that each frame of a composite modified video sequence composed from the modified camera-motion layers and the original fixed-frame layers is obtained without editing each frame of said original video sequence. The editing comprises performing an edge operation to one of said original camera-motion layers.