Abstract: A wearable electronic device comprises a housing, a feedback device, a depth sensor, and a processing element. The feedback device is located in the housing and configured to generate a vibration. The depth sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a current depth of the housing. The processing element is in electronic communication with the feedback device and the depth sensor. The processing element is configured to determine the current depth based on the signal indicative of a current depth and control the feedback device to generate the vibration in a pattern indicative of a rate of change in depth based at least in part on the current depth.

Abstract: A heart rate variability or heart rate variation can be identified using sensed and/or paced heart beats. One or more patient metrics, such as a variability index or a variation index, can correspond to the identified heart rate variability or heart rate variation. The patient metrics can be used to identify a need for a particular therapy, such as a rate-responsive pacing therapy. The patient metrics can be used to identify patients at an elevated risk of death. Methods and systems to identify therapy indications or at-risk patients are provided. In an example, a patient risk profile can be adjusted, such as in response to an identified patient heart rate variability or heart rate variation. In an example, a rate-responsive pacing mode can be used to adjust the patient risk profile.

Abstract: A heart rate variability or heart rate variation can be identified using sensed and/or paced heart beats. One or more patient metrics, such as a variability index or a variation index, can correspond to the identified heart rate variability or heart rate variation. The patient metrics can be used to identify a need for a particular therapy, such as a rate-responsive pacing therapy. The patient metrics can be used to identify patients at an elevated risk of death. Methods and systems to identify therapy indications or at-risk patients are provided. In an example, a patient risk profile can be adjusted, such as in response to an identified patient heart rate variability or heart rate variation. In an example, a rate-responsive pacing mode can be used to adjust the patient risk profile.

Abstract: A ballmark repair tool. In one embodiment, the device comprises a handle assembly to allow the user to stand upright when repairing a ballmark on a putting green and a twistable prong assembly. The twistable prong assemble may include a plurality of planetary gears and a pinion gear that is engaged with the planetary gears. The result is a device and method of repairing a putting green that allows uniform and properly repaired ballmarks.

Abstract: A method for producing an assured image acquires image data and segments the image data into one or more spatial regions. One or more quality measures is calculated from the image data that is within the one or more spatial regions. Secure assurance data is produced that is representative of the one or more quality measures and the image data. The secure assurance data is associated with the image data to produce the assured image.

Abstract: A heart rate variability or heart rate variation can be identified using sensed and/or paced heart beats. One or more patient metrics, such as a variability index or a variation index, can correspond to the identified heart rate variability or heart rate variation. The patient metrics can be used to identify a need for a particular therapy, such as a rate-responsive pacing therapy. The patient metrics can be used to identify patients at an elevated risk of death. Methods and systems to identify therapy indications or at-risk patients are provided. In an example, a patient risk profile can be adjusted, such as in response to an identified patient heart rate variability or heart rate variation. In an example, a rate-responsive pacing mode can be used to adjust the patient risk profile.

Abstract: A heart rate variability or heart rate variation can be identified using sensed and/or paced heart beats. One or more patient metrics, such as a variability index or a variation index, can correspond to the identified heart rate variability or heart rate variation. The patient metrics can be used to identify a need for a particular therapy, such as a rate-responsive pacing therapy. The patient metrics can be used to identify patients at an elevated risk of death. Methods and systems to identify therapy indications or at-risk patients are provided. In an example, a patient risk profile can be adjusted, such as in response to an identified patient heart rate variability or heart rate variation. In an example, a rate-responsive pacing mode can be used to adjust the patient risk profile.

Abstract: A method for calculating a skew angle of an original image, executed at least in part on a computer system stores image data for the original image in an electronic memory, then forms an energy-normalized image according to the relative contrast amplitude of image features over each of a plurality of local image regions within the stored image data. A partitioned image is formed by partitioning the energy-normalized image into a number of sub-regions. A summed region is formed as a combination of image pixel data from the sub-regions. A Fourier magnitude spectrum is obtained by performing a Fourier transform on the summed region. The skew angle is calculated according to the peak value of a radial line integration function that is formed by integrating the Fourier magnitude spectrum along each of a plurality of lines of constant radial angles. An output signal indicates the calculated skew angle.

Abstract: A method for assessing the image quality of image data acquires image data, segments the image data into at least one spatial region, obtains a plurality of image quality measures for the at least one spatial region, and forms at least one quality vector that has two or more quality measures for the at least one spatial region. The at least one quality vector is classified into one of a plurality of predefined quality classes.

Abstract: A method for processing scanned image data, executed at least in part by a computer system, obtains scanned image data, obtains a predetermined image quality profile that has one or more image quality requirement values, and generates processed image data by applying one or more image processing operations to the image data in accordance with a processing script. The method calculates image quality metrics from the processed image data and compares the calculated image quality metrics to the one or more image quality requirement values from the predetermined quality profile. Results of the image quality comparison are displayed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for compressing a set of digital images to achieve an average compressed data rate over the entire set. A subset of images are selected from the set of images. A threshold viewing distance and a desired average compressed data rate are specified, and compression parameters are determined from the threshold viewing distance. The subset of images is compressed with the compression parameters to produce compressed data, and an average compressed data rate is calculated for the compressed data from the subset of images. The average compressed data rate for the subset of images is compared to the desired average data rate. If the average compressed data rate for the subset of images is less than or equal to the desired average compressed data rate, remaining images from the image sequence that are not in the subset of images are compressed using the compression parameters that were used for the subset of images.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) forms a latent indicium onto a sensitized medium, using an area energy source (26) for applying a substantially uniform sensitizing energy over an area of the sensitized medium and a pixel exposure source (30) for applying radiant energy to expose a pattern of pixels (14) onto the area of the sensitized medium for forming the indicium.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the amount of compressed data. One or more viewing condition parameters are specified, and a quantizer step size for each frequency subband is determined that minimizes an amount of data that must be encoded for a compressed representation of the image by using one or more viewing condition parameters and a model that characterizes the human visual system. The image is compressed using the quantizer step size for each frequency subband to produce an amount of compressed data. The presence of a pre-specified maximum amount of compression data is determined. The amount of compressed data is compared to the pre-specified maximum amount. Subsequent discarding of least visually relevant compressed data reduces the amount of compressed data.

Abstract: A method for calculating a skew angle of an original image, executed at least in part on a computer system stores image data for the original image in an electronic memory, then forms an energy-normalized image according to the relative contrast amplitude of image features over each of a plurality of local image regions within the stored image data. A partitioned image is formed by partitioning the energy-normalized image into a number of sub-regions. A summed region is formed as a combination of image pixel data from the sub-regions. A Fourier magnitude spectrum is obtained by performing a Fourier transform on the summed region. The skew angle is calculated according to the peak value of a radial line integration function that is formed by integrating the Fourier magnitude spectrum along each of a plurality of lines of constant radial angles. An output signal indicates the calculated skew angle.

Abstract: A method for producing an assured image acquires image data and segments the image data into one or more spatial regions. One or more quality measures is calculated from the image data that is within the one or more spatial regions. Secure assurance data is produced that is representative of the one or more quality measures and the image data. The secure assurance data is associated with the image data to produce the assured image.

Abstract: A method for producing an assured image from image data that is transferred from a first entity to a second entity acquires image data, transfers the acquired image data from the first entity to the second entity, forms secure assurance data according to image quality measurements obtained from the acquired image data, and forms an assured image that includes the acquired image data and the secure assurance data. At least one image quality message is generated that indicates the transfer of the acquired image data from the first entity to the second entity and is representative of the image quality measurements. The at least one image quality message is presented to at least one of the first entity and the second entity.

Abstract: A method for assessing the image quality of image data acquires image data, segments the image data into at least one spatial region, obtains a plurality of image quality measures for the at least one spatial region, and forms at least one quality vector that has two or more quality measures for the at least one spatial region. The at least one quality vector is classified into one of a plurality of predefined quality classes.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for compressing a set of digital images to achieve an average compressed data rate over the entire set. A subset of images are selected from the set of images. A threshold viewing distance and a desired average compressed data rate are specified, and compression parameters are determined from the threshold viewing distance. The subset of images is compressed with the compression parameters to produce compressed data, and an average compressed data rate is calculated for the compressed data from the subset of images. The average compressed data rate for the subset of images is compared to the desired average data rate. If the average compressed data rate for the subset of images is less than or equal to the desired average compressed data rate, remaining images from the image sequence that are not in the subset of images are compressed using the compression parameters that were used for the subset of images.

Abstract: A method for tracking a segment of an image-recording medium and an image-recording medium are provided. In a first aspect of the invention what is provided is a method for distributing an image-recording medium. In accordance with the method, an identifying mark is encoded within a recorded image area on the image-recording medium. A tracking memory is associated with the image-recording medium with the tracking memory having information stored therein. The image-recording medium is distributed to users of the image-recording medium and tracking information from the tracking memory is read and stored in a database that associates the users to whom the image-recording medium has been distributed with the identifying mark recorded in the image area.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the amount of compressed data. One or more viewing condition parameters are specified, and a quantizer step size for each frequency subband is determined that minimizes an amount of data that must be encoded for a compressed representation of the image by using one or more viewing condition parameters and a model that characterizes the human visual system. The image is compressed using the quantizer step size for each frequency subband to produce an amount of compressed data. The presence of a pre-specified maximum amount of compression data is determined. The amount of compressed data is compared to the pre-specified maximum amount. Subsequent discarding of least visually relevant compressed data reduces the amount of compressed data.