Abstract: A method of labeling of image data includes reading the image data sequentially with units of two successive pixels and providing one label to a target unit of two successive pixels in the image data when a preliminary label is to be assigned to at least one of the two successive pixels of the target unit. And an image processing apparatus includes a memory configured to store image data, a processor configured to process the image data with units of two successive pixels and to provide one label to a target unit of two successive pixels when a preliminary label is to be assigned to at least one of the two successive pixels of the target unit and a memory controller arranged between the memory and the processor and configured to control reading and writing the image data.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a point is contained in a sub-volume of a digitized medical image, includes providing a tetrahedron volume mesh (TVM) representing a sub-volume of a digital image volume and a point M, finding a vertex P of said TVM that is closest to point M, finding a tetrahedron Ti in said TVM that defines a solid angle around point P where point M is located, wherein if M is inside Ti, then M is inside the TVM, if M is not inside Ti, finding a facet F of tetrahedron Ti through which a line PM connecting points M and P exits Ti, and determining whether a next tetrahedron Ti+1 of said TVM exists along line PM, wherein if no such tetrahedron Ti+1 exists, then point M is outside the TVM, and wherein if Ti+1 exists, determining whether point M is inside tetrahedron Ti+1.

Abstract: A luminance intensity of pixels of an input digital image is corrected for generating a corrected digital image. A luminance of each pixel is calculated as a function of the luminance of a corresponding pixel in an original image according to a parametric function. A mask of the input digital image to be corrected is generated according to a bilateral filtering technique. For each pixel of the input digital image, a respective value of at least one parameter of the parametric function is established based upon the luminance of a corresponding pixel of the mask.

Abstract: A method for embedding a watermark into digital data by independently changing real and imaginary number components of the coefficient values of a complex watermark coefficient matrix using a key, performing a discrete Fourier inverse transform on the sequence matrix of the changed watermark and generating a watermark pattern, adding like tiling the water mark pattern to the original image, and generating an embedded image. A watermark detection method includes separating a block from an arbitrary position on the detected object image, performing a discrete Fourier transform on the block and obtaining a sequence matrix, generating position information for a component which is to be detected and is specified by the key, detecting a position marker sequence by calculating a phase difference of a sequence by a parallel displacement, for the position information, extracting offset information, and detecting the embedded watermark from the detected object image.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for viewing microscopic images include transmitting tiled microscopic images from a server to a client. The client assembles the tiled images into a seamless virtual slide or specimen image and provides tools for manipulating image magnification and viewpoint. The method and apparatus also provides a virtual multi-headed microscope function which allows scattered viewers to simultaneously view and interact with a coherent magnified microscopic image.

Abstract: An image processing system including a plurality of image processors. Each image processor is configured to carry out a different image processing operation. The system also includes a motion estimator. For image processor, the motion estimator is configured to obtain motion information for a pixel or pixels being applied as a processing input to the image processor.

Abstract: A trimmed image is obtained by trimming for cutting out from a photographic image obtained by taking a photograph of an object including a reference part, and one or more other part which has a common centerline with the reference part and is arranged in a direction in which the centerline of the reference part extends, an image of an area including a part or the whole of the reference part and said other part along a trimming centerline. The centerline of the reference part is obtained and the degree and the direction of inclination of said other part are detected from the photographic image. The trimming centerline is inclined by a larger angle away from the centerline toward the direction of the inclination of said other part as the degree of inclination increases.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device for establishing a data collection with the aid of at least one imaging apparatus (1, 2, 3) and at least one illumination device (11, 12, 13). According to the inventive method, an object is recorded from at least three different directions while being illuminated from at least three directions in reflected light. Each direction of recording lies essentially opposite a direction of illumination such that at least one contour of the object is visible with an illuminated side and a shaded side thereof from each of the three directions of recording while substantially the entire object is recorded from the at least three directions of recording by the at least one imaging apparatus. The directions of recording and the directions of illumination can be moved in a defined manner at several degrees of freedom relative to the object. The recorded images and/or data derived therefrom are stored in the data collection.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can generate a map. The map can be a hybrid between an orthographic projection map and street-side images, thus including useful aspects from both types of representations. For example, an orthographic projection map is very effective at presenting global relationships among the features of the map, but not effective at presenting local detail. In contrast, street-side images show excellent detail, but do not convey the global information of an orthographic projection map. The hybrid map can thus provide a richer set of information than conventional maps, and can also display objects/features of the hybrid map in multiple perspectives simultaneously on a single representation that is printable.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for the calibration of a tracked imaging probe for use in image-guided surgical systems. The invention uses actual image data collected from an easily constructed calibration jig to provide data for the calibration algorithm. The calibration algorithm analytically develops a geometric relationship between the probe and the image so objects appearing in the collected image can be accurately described with reference to the probe. The invention can be used with either two or three dimensional image data-sets. The invention also has the ability to automatically determine the image scale factor when two dimensional data-sets are used.

Abstract: An endoscope processor comprising a signal receiver and a standard value calculator is provided. The signal receiver receives an image signal generated based on an optical image captured at a light receiving surface on an imaging device. The image signal comprises a plurality of pixel signals generated by a plurality of pixels according to amounts of received light. A plurality of the pixels are arranged on the light receiving surface. The standard value calculator calculates a standard value using a focused pixel signal and surrounding pixel signals. The surrounding pixel signals are the pixel signals of surrounding pixels. The surrounding pixels surround the focused pixel. The standard value is used for carrying out signal processing on the focused pixel signal.

Abstract: An endoscope processor comprising a signal receiver, an average calculator, a difference calculator, an emphasizer, a synthesizer, and an output block is provided. The signal receiver receives an image signal generated by an imaging device. The image signal comprises a plurality of pixel signals. The average calculator calculates a signal average value. The difference calculator calculates a signal difference value. The emphasizer calculates an emphasized value by multiplying the signal difference value by a predetermined gain. The synthesizer generates an emphasized image signal, in which the pixel signal for each pixel is replaced with the sum of the emphasized value for each pixel and the signal average value.

Abstract: A method for embedding a watermark into digital data, when the watermark is to be embedded in a digital image, independently changes real number components and imaginary number components of each of coefficient values of a complex watermark coefficient matrix using key, from the watermark to be embedded in the digital image, a step for performing a discrete Fourier inverse transform on the sequence matrix of the changed watermark and generating a watermark pattern; and a step for adding like tiling the water mark pattern to the original image, and generating an embedded image.

Abstract: A noisy signal analysis in which a threshold value is set to evaluate the presentation of the display device. The analysis can produce the range of noise level of the image for measuring the distortion block of image caused by the display devices. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a step function generator for producing step functions, a transforming unit for changing threshold value in step functions, and a display for showing the image corresponding to both the high value and low value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an edge-direction detector that detects an edge direction in an original image; a confidence detector that detects a confidence of the edge direction; a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity; a texture-contrast-weight setter that sets a texture-contrast weight; an edge-contrast-weight setter that sets an edge-contrast weight; a texture-weight setter that sets a texture weight; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight; a texture filter that performs texture filtering to generate a texture-filter image; an edge filter that performs edge filtering to generate an edge-filter image; a texture combiner that combines the original image and the texture-filter image to generate a texture-combination image; and an edge combiner that combines the texture-combination image and the edge-filter image to generate an edge-combination image.

Abstract: The present video tracking technique outputs a Maximum A Posterior (MAP) solution for a target object based on two object templates obtained from a start and an end keyframe of a whole state sequence. The technique first minimizes the whole state space of the sequence by generating a sparse set of local two-dimensional modes in each frame of the sequence. The two-dimensional modes are converted into three-dimensional points within a three-dimensional volume. The three-dimensional points are clustered using a spectral clustering technique where each cluster corresponds to a possible trajectory segment of the target object. If there is occlusion in the sequence, occlusion segments are generated so that an optimal trajectory of the target object can be obtained.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a contrast detector that detects a contrast intensity of a pixel in a first image; a flat-intensity detector that detects a flat intensity of the pixel; an edge-intensity detector that detects an edge intensity of the pixel; a flat-weight setter that sets a flat weight for the pixel; an edge-weight setter that sets an edge weight for the pixel; an attenuator that attenuates components in a predetermined frequency band of the first image to form a second image; a first combiner that combines the first and second images to form a third image using weights based on the flat weight; an edge enhancer that enhances edges in the third image to form a fourth image; and a second combiner that combines the first and fourth images using weights based on the edge weight.

Abstract: Myocardial tissue tracking techniques are used to project or guide a single manually-defined set of myocardial contours through time. Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE), harmonic phase (HARP) and speckle tracking is used to encode tissue displacement into the phase of complex MRI images, providing a time series of these images, and facilitating the non-invasive study of myocardial kinematics. Epicardial and endocardial contours need to be defined at each frame on cine DENSE images for the quantification of regional displacement and strain as a function of time. The disclosed method presents a novel and effective two dimensional semi-automated segmentation technique that uses the encoded motion to project a manually defined region of interest through time. Contours can then easily be extracted for each cardiac phase.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for managing documents. The system includes a document manager that is configured to search for application services providers (ASPS) over a network and based on a user input. The document manager can search documents within the ASPs, retrieve documents and URLs, store documents, and data, format documents, generate and issue unified bills from a plurality of bills from a plurality ASPs. The document manager can also manage, e.g. create, receive, transmit, store, merge, watermark information for documents managed by the document manager. The document manager can request that a document be merged with a corresponding watermark information so that the document be printed with an embedded watermark. Alternatively, the document manager can merge the watermark information with the document and can transmit the merged document data to a printing entity.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for enhancing a CT image composed of a plurality of elements, each having an intensity value indicative of a tissue type. The method comprises receiving (101) a first CT image, providing, by enhancement processing (103) based on said first CT image, a plurality of copies of said first CT image, and combining (104) said copies with said first CT image, whereby an enhanced CT image is provided. The combining is based on a classification with respect to intensity values of regions within said first and said copies of said first CT image. The enhancement processing (103) is performed with respect to predetermined intensity value ranges. The method may be implemented as a computer program product or as a device.