Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating and adjusting a watermark in a watermarking system comprising a watermark generator and a watermark detector includes the watermark generator emitting the watermark. The watermark detector detects the watermark. The watermark detector transmits a signal to the watermark generator. The watermark generator then adjusts the generated watermark based on the signal received from the watermark detector.

Abstract: A method for use in print matching apparatus that includes the steps of: enrolling (200) a print of a user; extracting (210) a set of matching features from the enrolled print; comparing (220) the extracted features of the enrolled print to extracted features of each print in a set of reference prints, wherein each reference print in the set is from a person other than the user, and determining a highest non-matching score; determining (230) at least two minimum and maximum threshold pairs based on characteristics of the print matching apparatus; and storing (240) the matching features of the enrolled print, the highest non-matching score, and the at least two maximum and minimum threshold pairs for use in verifying a subsequently captured print of the user.

Abstract: Digital watermarking technology is used to convey location data for images or objects depicted in video. A digital watermark may associate geovector information with the video or object and areas depicted in the video. A geovector may include location coordinates such as longitude, latitude, altitude, etc. In one implementation, geovector information is embedded within a video frame so as to correspond with an area depicted in the video frame's center or off-center location. In a second implementation, a geovector includes an identifier or indexing protocol for use in a video management system.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively extracting facial feature information from image data may include a facial feature detector configured to generate facial feature information. The facial feature detector may perform an eye-area vertical projection procedure for generating eye information and eyebrow information. The facial feature detector may utilize an eyebrow filter to detect eyebrow location coordinates and eyebrow slope characteristics. Similarly, the facial feature detector may utilize an iris filter to detect iris location coordinates. The facial feature detector may also perform a mouth-area vertical projection procedure for generating corresponding nose/nostril location information and mouth/lip location information.

Abstract: A circuit and method are provided for ensuring that a fingerprint sensor is started automatically when a finger is rested thereon such that a sufficiently contrasting image can be produced. A difference between a maximum and a minimum value of the sensor signals is generated wherein, if the difference is sufficiently large, indicating a sufficient contrast of an image to be produced, a normal scanning operation of the fingerprint sensor is initiated, thus ensuring that the complete fingerprint image is produced, a normal scanning operation of the fingerprint sensor is initiated, thus ensuring that the complete fingerprint images produced are of satisfactory quality.

Abstract: An automatic digital image characterization system has a feature extractor, including a segment processor and a feature processor. The segment processor is connected for receiving an image in the form of digitized pixel values; each pixel value having an amplitude and being associated with positional information in the form of column and row values. The feature processor converts the image information into column and row axis functions having calculated values of statistical mean amplitude and standard deviation. A system processor registers images, senses image changes, locates objects and detects hidden information.

Abstract: Systems, methods and devices are disclosed for determining and assigning descriptive filenames to digital images based on auxiliary input such as user provided input or input from some reference database.

Abstract: A method for managing genuine characteristics of both an electronic document and a print medium comprising: a step for recognizing image data contained in the electronic document; a step for applying an extraction condition of an image feature previously determined and must be considered to the recognized image data to calculate a coordinate set corresponding to a pixel or a set of pixels, constituting the image feature; a step for recognizing at least a coordinate value among coordinate values and pixel color values, corresponding to each of coordinates constituting the coordinate set, and for embedding the recognized coordinate value as a code of a digital watermark into the pixel or the pixel set, constituting the image feature, or into an area in the vicinity; and a step for outputting the electronic document where the digital watermark embedding process operation has been carried out to the print medium.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image data is formulated and saved in a memory for indicating a three-dimensional shape of an object and reflectivity or color at every point of the object. For each of multiple pose candidates, an image space is created for representing brightness values of a set of two-dimensional images of the object which is placed in the same position and orientation as the each pose candidate. The brightness values are those which would be obtained if the object is illuminated under varying lighting conditions. For each pose candidate, an image candidate is detected within the image space using the 3D model data and a distance from the image candidate to an input image is determined. Corresponding to the image candidate whose distance is smallest, one of the pose candidates is selected. The image space is preferably created from each of a set of pose variants of each pose candidate.

Abstract: An image detecting device for executing a pattern matching using a pyramid structure search, comprises an input image storing portion for receiving image data from an external device to hold, a pattern image storing portion for storing a pattern image to be searched, an image processing portion connected to the input image storing portion and the pattern image storing portion, for reading respective image data to execute the pattern matching, a control portion for calculating set parameter candidates that are required to execute the pyramid structure search in the image processing portion, a display portion for displaying groups of set parameter candidates that are calculated in the control portion as a table, and an input portion used to change set parameter values based on the groups of set parameter candidates displayed on the display portion.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reduces a distortion that occurs at a tile boundary (tile distortion) when an image is compressed or expanded on a tile-by-tile basis. It is equipped with a tone jump detecting section, a slope calculating section, and a slope correcting section. The tone jump detecting section calculates differences between the values of pixels on both sides of the tile boundary and detects a tone jump in the tile distortion according to the differences. The slope calculating section calculates slope-like correction values to be used for causing the tone jump to approach zero in a prescribed length ((prescribed length)<(tile length)), and adds the slope-like correction values to the values of pixels near the tile boundary. As a result, the steep tone jump due to the tile distortion is corrected into a gentle slope-like variation. Tile distortions are reduced properly by this processing.

Abstract: A method for selecting reference images, a method and an apparatus for inspecting patterns on a wafer, and a method for dividing a wafer into application regions. In a method for inspecting patterns according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of reference dies may be selected and a difference in gray levels of images of the references dies may be determined. The reference dies may include a first die substantially centrally located on the wafer and at least one second die located at an edge portion of the wafer. One reference image is selected if the difference in gray levels is within a permitted tolerance and more than one reference image may be selected if the difference in gray levels is not within the permitted tolerance. A pattern inspection may be performed using the reference images.

Abstract: A method of approximating the boundary of an object in an image, the image being represented by a data set, the data set comprising a plurality of data elements, each data element having a data value corresponding to a feature of the image, the method comprising determining which one of a plurality of contours most closely matches the object boundary at least partially according to a divergence value for each contour, the divergence value being selected from the group consisting of Jensen-Shannon divergence and Jensen-Renyi divergence. Each contour Ci defines a zone ZIi and a zone ZOi, ZIi representing the data elements inside the contour and ZOi representing the data elements outside the contour, each zone having a corresponding probability distribution of data values for the data elements therein, and wherein the divergence value for each contour Ci represents a measure of the difference between the probability distributions for the zones ZIi and ZOi.

Abstract: A sophisticated surveying instrument consists of a workbench, a coordinate board and two optical sensors. The workbench fastened to a coordinate board with several square grids of equal size forms a connected surveying instrument. Inside the grid there is a readable icon recognizable for the apex coordinate. One of the two optical sensors projects against the workbench to define the starting point and end point of the object while the other against the coordinate, so as to identify the recognizable icon within the projected pixel block on the coordinate board and enter the projected image into an electronic computer for comparison, analysis and conversion, thus identifies the position of the pixel block's center on the coordinate board, defining the corresponding value of the starting point and end point.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the quality of a digital image by using a single user-defined parameter. A virtual image is created based on the single user-defined parameter and the original digital image. An adaptive contrast enhancement algorithm operates on a logarithmically compressed version of the virtual image to produce adaptive contrast values for each pixel in the virtual image. A dynamic range adjustment algorithm is used to generate logarithmic enhanced pixels based on the adaptive contrast values and the pixels of the logarithmically compressed version of the virtual image. The logarithmic enhanced pixels are exponentially expanded and scaled to produce a compensated digital image.

Abstract: A digital image processing method for determining an orientation of a face in a digital color image generates a mean grid pattern element image from a plurality of sample face images and an integral image from the digital color image. A face is located in the color digital image by using the integral image to perform a correlation test between the mean grid pattern element image and the digital color image at a plurality of effective resolutions by reducing the digital color image to a plurality of grid pattern element images at different effective resolutions and correlating the mean grid pattern element image with the plurality of grid pattern element images, whereby either the mean grid pattern element image or the grid pattern element images are provided at a plurality of different orientations. Accordingly, an orientation of the face in the color digital image is determined by using the images with different orientations in the correlation test.

Abstract: A digital image processing method for locating faces in a digital color image includes the steps of: generating a mean grid pattern element (MGPe) image from a plurality of sample face images; generating an integral image from the digital color image; and locating faces in the color digital image by using the integral image to perform a correlation between the mean grid pattern element (MGPe) image and the digital color image at a plurality of effective resolutions by reducing the digital color image to grid pattern element images (GPes) at different effective resolutions and correlating the MGPe with the GPes.

Abstract: An image super resolution system computes a high resolution image of a target from multiple low resolution images of the same target. Each low resolution image differs slightly in perspective from each of the other low resolution images. A coarse registration operation determines initial estimates of registration parameters (e.g., representing shifts and rotation in perspective) associated with each low resolution image. A fine registration operation improves the initial estimates using Bayesian analysis to infer the registration parameters and an acuity parameter. As such, a marginal likelihood of the low resolution images is optimized to determine the improved estimates of the registration parameters and the acuity parameter, which are used to solve for the high resolution image.

Abstract: In a computer processing apparatus 2, a 3D computer model comprising a polygon mesh 500 representing the visual hull of an object 300 is generated by processing images of the object recorded at different positions and orientations to back-project the silhouette of the object in each image to give a respective cone which constrains the volume of 3D space occupied by the object. To remove concave and convex artefacts 510 in the polygon mesh 500, the polygon mesh is projected into each image to give a respective reference silhouette for each image. A change is made to at least one edge or vertex in the polygon mesh to give a refined polygon mesh, which is then projected into each image. The resulting silhouette in each image is tested against the corresponding reference silhouette.

Abstract: The invention performs automatic evaluation based on sensitivity of an image that, in the related art, is performed by using the sensibility and the manual work of a person. The invention provides an image-for-evaluation input device to input an image for evaluation, an induction-field-in-vision calculation device to calculate the induction field in vision of the image input to the image-for-evaluation input device, and an image-evaluation-based-on-sensitivity device to perform evaluation based on sensitivity of the image based on a potential value obtained by the induction-field-in-vision calculation device. The image-evaluation-based-on-sensitivity device includes an induction-field-energy calculation device, calculates an induction-field energy based on the result obtained by the induction-field-in-vision calculation device, and performs the evaluation based on sensitivity of the image according to the magnitude of the energy.