Abstract: A method for collecting and analyzing operational information from a network of components associated with a liquid energy commodity comprises the steps of: (a) measuring an amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage at one or more storage facilities in the network, and storing that measurement data; (b) determining a flow rate of the liquid energy commodity in one or more selected pipelines in the network, and storing that flow rate data; (c) ascertaining an operational status of one or more processing facilities in the network, and storing that operational status information; (d) analyzing the measurement data, the flow rate data, and the operational status information to determine a balance of the liquid energy commodity in the network or a selected portion thereof at a given time; and (e) communicating information about the balance of the liquid energy commodity to a third-party market participant.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes: an image pickup element in which a plurality of pixels receives light of an image are two-dimensionally arrayed; and an acquiring unit acquires information relating to a distance to an object based on an output signal of the image pickup element which each pixel line is constituted by pixels which receive beams passing through a same pupil region of the imaging optical system, and wherein the acquiring unit (1) acquires a first image displacement amount from output signals of at least two pixel lines which receive beams passing through a same pupil region, (2) acquires a second image displacement amount from output signals of at least two pixel lines which receive beams passing through different pupil regions, and (3) acquires the information relating to the distance to the object based on the first image displacement amount and the second image displacement amount.

Abstract: Systems and methods render video content on different user-computing platform types. The method comprises: transmitting a script to the user-computing platform, the script comprising a non-compiled series of instructions which is configured to be interpreted by an application program operating on any one of the plurality of user-computing platform types; and using the application program to interpret the transmitted script by performing the series of instructions to thereby decode encoded video data accessible to the user-computing platform into decoded video data comprising one or more frame images without use of a previously compiled program module that is installed prior to the interpreting and without compiling the series of instructions prior to the interpreting.

Abstract: The present specification describes a novel system for dynamically modifying the magnification power of optical devices used in high performance and critical applications such as medical procedures. The present specification describes an optical imaging system having a magnification control system connected to a sensor device for enabling movement of sensor device with respect to a lens assembly of the imaging system, wherein distance between the sensor device and the lens assembly is altered to enable different levels of magnification capability.

Abstract: An exemplary video encoding system accesses an image set that includes first and second consecutive color data images depicting a virtual reality scene from a particular vantage point, and first and second consecutive depth data images corresponding to the color data images. The system performs a first-pass video encoding of the image set by identifying motion vector data associated with a transformation from the first to the second color data image, and abstaining from analyzing a transformation from the first to the second depth data image. The system then performs a second-pass video encoding of the image set based on the identified motion vector data by encoding the first and second color data images into a color video stream to be rendered by a media player device, and the first and second depth data images into a depth video stream to be rendered by the media player device.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a gas monitoring program causes a computer to acquire a continuous frame of an infrared image, to calculate a concentration-thickness product of leaking gas in the infrared image, to assume a gas leakage location of the leaking gas in the infrared image, to set a gas type which circulates in a pipe proximate to the gas leakage location as a gas type of the leaking gas by referring to circulating substance information of the piping equipment and matching the gas leakage location, to set a maintenance threshold value for the concentration-thickness product of the leaking gas, to estimate a leakage volume from the gas leakage location per unit of time of the gas type, and to predictively calculate a timing when the concentration-thickness product exceeds the maintenance threshold value on a basis of a time-changing leakage volume per unit of time.

Abstract: In a measurement apparatus, a first pupil is capable of transmitting first light of a first wavelength band, and a second pupil is capable of transmitting second light of a second wavelength band. An imaging device includes a plurality of first pixels generating first pixel signals based on third light of a third wavelength band transmitted through a first optical filter that is capable of transmitting the third light. The imaging device further includes a plurality of second pixels generating second pixel signals based on fourth light of a fourth wavelength band transmitted through a second optical filter that is capable of transmitting the fourth light. A light source outputs illumination light including only fifth light of a fifth wavelength band and sixth light of a sixth wavelength band not overlapping the fifth wavelength band.

Abstract: An image coding method, comprising: subtracting a prediction signal from the input image signal for each coding unit, thereby generating respective prediction error signals; performing orthogonal transform and quantization on a corresponding one of the prediction error signals for each transform unit, eventually generating quantization coefficients; and coding pieces of management information indicating a structure of the transform units and the quantization coefficients into a tree structure. Each of the transform units corresponds to a corresponding one of leaf nodes in the tree structure. In the coding, for each leaf node, management information and a quantization coefficient are coded, eventually generating a coded signal in which the coded management information and the coded quantization coefficient are arranged in succession for each leaf node.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for integrating a virtual rendering system and a video capture system using flexible camera control to provide an augmented reality. There is provided a method for integrating a virtual rendering system and a video capture system for outputting a composite render to a display, the method comprising obtaining, from the virtual rendering system, a virtual camera configuration of a virtual camera in a virtual environment, programming the video capture system using the virtual camera configuration to correspondingly control a robotic camera in a real environment, capturing a video capture feed using the robotic camera, obtaining a virtually rendered feed using the virtual camera, rendering the composite render by processing the feeds, and outputting the composite render to the display.

Abstract: Wedgelet separation lines of neighboring blocks are predicted from each other by aligning the wedgelet separation lines of such neighboring blocks to each other, thereby reducing the side information coding rate that may be used.

Abstract: Wedgelet separation lines of neighboring blocks are predicted from each other by aligning the wedgelet separation lines of such neighboring blocks to each other, thereby reducing the side information coding rate that may be used.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the image quality of a selfie. The system and method include analyzing a selfie with image processing modules and selfie quality index modules. The image processing modules process the image using face and landmark detection techniques and face normalization techniques. The selfie quality index modules analyze the selfie for important image quality metrics and provide feature vectors that are used to generate a selfie quality index score. The selfie quality index score can be used to determine whether the selfie meet minimum threshold quality requirement for further analysis by the system for a skin condition.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of managing a DPB (decoded picture buffer) for a video coding system are disclosed. Whether the IntraBC mode is used for a current picture is determined and a maximum allowed number of decoded pictures in the DPB is allocated based on whether the IntraBC mode is used for the current picture. The current picture is then encoded or decoded using decoded pictures stored in the DPB as reference data. In another method, a maximum number of reordered pictures in the DPB is determined. If certain conditions are true, one or more decoded pictures stored in the DPB will be emptied until none of the conditions is true. One condition corresponds to a number of decoded pictures in the DPB marked as “needed for output” being greater than the maximum number of reordered picture modified according to whether the IntraBC mode is used for the current picture.

Abstract: In an A/V recording and communication device, the power configuration of the device is considered when determining a setting for a keep-alive interval of the device. If the device is connected to a reliable and continuous source of power, such as AC mains, then the keep-alive interval may be set to a very short duration, thereby reducing or eliminating any latency that the user might experience when attempting to remotely access the camera of the device. By contrast, if the device relies solely on a rechargeable battery for power, then the keep-alive interval may be set to a longer duration, thereby reducing the rate at which the rechargeable battery will be discharged. And, if the device is connected to an intermittent source of power, such as a solar panel, then the keep-alive interval may be set to a moderate duration to balance the competing interests of reducing latency and conserving battery life.

Abstract: A system and method that includes, in an embodiment, a prism, a camera, a light source, and a plate. The system, in an embodiment, is configured for scanning a roll and generating an image of the roll surface. The prism, in an embodiment, is positioned below the camera and above the plate. In an embodiment, the plate is positioned below the prism and above the roll surface. In an embodiment, the light source is positioned above the prism. In an embodiment, the light source and the prism are positioned to provide light to the roll surface at an angle of at least 75 degrees measured from a line normal to the roll surface. In an embodiment, the prism is configured to refract light from the light source, the camera is a line scan camera that includes a row of pixel sensors, and the light source includes light emitting diodes.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for generating a transfer viability measurement. The apparatus receives a digital audiovisual work and an associated textual script associated with the digital audiovisual work, analyzes the digital audiovisual work to generate dialogue text from audio dialogue in the digital audiovisual work, and compares the textual script with the dialogue text to generate a series of subdivisions of the digital audiovisual work. Then, the apparatus analyzes each of the series of subdivisions using a transfer viability algorithm to generate individual transfer viability scores for each of the subdivisions and an aggregate transfer viability score for the digital audiovisual work as a whole, the individual transfer viability scores and the aggregate transfer viability score indicative of a potential for accurately converting the subdivisions and the digital audiovisual work as a whole into three hundred sixty degree video.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depth-fill algorithm for low-complexity stereo vision. The method includes utilizing right and left images of a stereo camera to estimate depth of the scene, wherein the estimated depth relates to each pixel of the image, and updating a depth model with the current depth utilizing the estimated depth of the scene.

Abstract: A machine tool, which carries out machining on a workpiece using a tool, is equipped with a servo motor configured to cause axial movement of the tool, an imaging device configured to capture an image of the tool at a specified imaging magnification, a display unit configured to display the image captured by the imaging device, a command position calculating unit configured to, in the case that the imaging magnification is changed, calculate a movement command position of the tool on the basis of the imaging magnification before and after having been changed, so as to maintain a relative positional relationship between a specified point of the tool in the image, and an imaging center position in the image before and after the change in the imaging magnification, and a motor control unit configured to control the servo motor on the basis of the movement command position.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to distributed video coding. In one embodiment, distributed video encoding apparatus to achieve improved rate distortion performance is disclosed. The distributed video encoding apparatus comprises a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory stores processor instructions, which, on execution, causes the processor to receive at least one Group of Pictures (GOP) comprising at least one key frame and at least one Wyner-Ziv (WZ) frame. The processor further determines a first value that is indicative of a cumulative motion activity associated with the at least one GOP. The processor further classifies the at least one GOP into one of one or more high-motion WZ frames and one or more low-motion WZ frames based on the determined first value. The processor encodes the high-motion WZ frames using inter no-motion encoding. The processor further encodes the one or more low-motion WZ frames using Wyner-Ziv encoding.

Abstract: To transmit moving image data at a high frame rate in good condition, second moving image data at a predetermined frame rate is provided by processing first moving image data at the predetermined frame rate in units of consecutive N pictures (N is an integer larger than or equal to two), using an image data item provided by averaging the image data items of the N pictures as the image data item of a picture in the second moving image data, and using the image data items of N?1 pictures of the N pictures without change as the image data items of additional pictures in the second moving image data. A video stream is generated by encoding the image data item of each of the pictures in the second moving image data and the generated video stream is transmitted.