Abstract: There is disclosed a method of processing a digital image, which includes assigning an image quality classification to the image on the basis of an analysis of at least a portion of the image to detect whether one or more defects exist in the image.

Abstract: Image processing methods, image management systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an image processing method includes accessing image data of a plurality of images, defining a plurality of regions in individual ones of the images, wherein the regions individually comprise a plurality of image forming elements having a common characteristic, comparing a region of one of the images with respect to regions of a plurality of others of the images, and providing information indicative of similarities of the one image relative to the others of the images using results of the comparing.

Abstract: In a method for image management, image data for an image containing objects is accessed. Graphical representations of the objects are generated and the centroids and the sizes of the graphical representations are determined. The locations of the centroids are determined and the morphologies of the graphical representations based upon the locations of the centroids are determined. Human readable lexical representations of the locations of the centroids, the sizes, the colors and morphologies of the graphical representations are assigned and are stored in a database, which is searchable through human readable lexicon.

Abstract: A method for generating a panoramic image that enables a user to obtain panoramic photographs with a digital camera without the aid of a computer system or specialized lenses. A digital camera according to the present techniques captures a series of image frames as a user pans the digital camera through a panoramic image scene and combines the captured image frames while the image frames are being captured.

Abstract: An exemplary method for determining quality of an image, includes segmenting the image into sections, generating quality measures for each section, and combining the quality measures of the sections to form a quality measure for the image. An exemplary system for determining quality of an image includes a memory for storing the image, and a processor for segmenting the image into sections, generating quality measures for each section, and combining the quality measures of the sections to form a quality measure for the image, and for storing the quality measure for the image in the memory.

Abstract: A computerized system for representing a digital media using both a bit stream and an associated metadata includes a codec configured to encode the digital media to the bit stream. The codec is further configured to generate a metadata representation stream of the bit stream that encapsulates information embedded in the bit stream and at least one type of media-related information. The system also includes a manager configured to assure synchronization between the bit stream and the metadata representation stream during streaming of the bit stream and the metadata representation stream.

Abstract: An exemplary method for providing an optimized digital image comprises obtaining digital image data by a digital image capture device, based on the digital image data, automatically determining at least two setting types, and a plurality of setting values therefor, for capturing a plurality of digital images, automatically capturing the plurality of digital images using the digital image capture device, each image being captured with at least one setting value different than another image, and providing an optimized digital image based on the plurality of digital images. In one exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is selected from the plurality of digital images. In another exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is synthesized based on the plurality of digital images.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide techniques which adjust the sampling scheme associated with an image sensor in order to provide high quality renditions, e.g., printed or displayed outputs. The sampling scheme can be varied on a frame by frame basis (or less frequently) to output more samples from the image sensor for regions which are predicted to contain more perceptually significant information and to output fewer samples for regions which are predicted to be less perceptually significant. Various parameters can be used as proxies for perceptual significance. For example, in images which contain people, faces can be characterized as more perceptually significant and regions which are predicted to contain faces can be sampled more densely than regions which are not predicted to contain faces. Alternatively, the spatial frequency content of data captured by an image sensor can be measured to identify regions of higher and lower spatial frequency content.

Abstract: Respective models of visual weight in images are determined. An image query is generated from a determined visual weight distribution. At least one of the images is retrieved from a database based on comparisons of the image query with respective ones of the visual weight models.

Abstract: For each image in a collection of images, a respective model of visual weight in the image and a respective model of color in the image are determined. An image query is generated from a target visual weight distribution and a target color template. For each of the images a respective score is calculated from the image query, the respective visual weight model, and the respective color model. At least one of the images is retrieved from a database based on the respective scores.

Abstract: A user provides a plurality of video frames for processing, and selects a cartoon color palette. The color of all selected pixels within all selected video frames is changed to that of the closest match in color within the cartoon color palette and is stored in a memory. Optionally, the user may create a custom cartoon color palette, and may select less than all of the pixels in any given video frame for processing.

Abstract: Using a joint video and still image pipeline technology, a network may be deployed through the Internet so that a user may acquire a remote high resolution photograph using a low resolution video streamed from a remote camera as a view-finder. The remote camera may enable the user to exercise control from a remote device through the network or other communication channels. A network server may store the video and the high resolution photograph, and either sends the video and the high resolution photograph to the user upon payment or posts the video and the high resolution photograph on a web page.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of indexing image data comprising the steps of acquiring image data representing a series of images, acquiring manually provided user cues for designating ones of the images, and indexing the image data in association with the manually provided user cues. The invention also relates to an apparatus for indexing image data comprising an image acquisition system operative for acquiring image data, a system operative for acquiring manually provided user cues, and an indexing device operative for indexing the acquired image data in association with the acquired manually provided user cues.

Abstract: An exemplary method for selecting a color of a border surrounding an image, includes segmenting the image into regions, selecting a region not containing any color that is present at an outer edge of the image in an amount exceeding a threshold value, and selecting a border color based on a color of the selected region. Another exemplary method includes segmenting the image into regions, selecting a region color not present at an outer edge of the image in an amount exceeding a threshold value, and selecting a border color based on the selected region color. An exemplary system includes a memory for storing the image, and a processor for segmenting the image into regions, selecting a region not containing any color that is present at an outer edge of the image in an amount exceeding a threshold value, and selecting a border color based on a color of the selected region.

Abstract: Image capture systems and methods are described. In one aspect, an image capture system includes an image sensor, an image frame generator, and an image region selector. The image sensor is operable to generate raw image data from a viewed scene. The image frame generator is operable to generate image frames from the raw image data. The image region selector is operable to cause a user-selected portion of an image frame to be captured as a still image in response to user input.

Abstract: In a method for image management, image data for an image containing objects is accessed. Graphical representations of the objects are generated and the centroids and the sizes of the graphical representations are determined. The locations of the centroids are determined and the morphologies of the graphical representations based upon the locations of the centroids are determined. Human readable lexical representations of the locations of the centroids, the sizes, the colors and morphologies of the graphical representations are assigned and are stored in a database, which is searchable through human readable lexicon.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for selecting an image for insertion into a document. A color harmony is received. A document color data of the document is accessed. An image color data of each of a plurality of images is accessed. A harmony measure is determined between the document color data and each of the image color data according to the color harmony.

Abstract: Image processing methods, image management systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an image processing method includes accessing image data of a plurality of images, defining a plurality of regions in individual ones of the images, wherein the regions individually comprise a plurality of image forming elements having a common characteristic, comparing a region of one of the images with respect to regions of a plurality of others of the images, and providing information indicative of similarities of the one image relative to the others of the images using results of the comparing.

Abstract: Image management methods, image management systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an image management method includes storing a plurality of images using storage circuitry, storing a plurality of representations for respective ones of the images, and the representations comprise data corresponding to a plurality of human comprehensible words of a human readable lexicon and descriptive of respective characteristics of content of the images, associating respective ones of the representations with respective ones of the respective one of the images, accessing search criteria, comparing the search criteria with the representations, identifying a selected one of the images responsive to the comparing, and accessing the selected one of the images from the storage circuitry responsive to the identifying.

Abstract: Systems and methods of automatically editing video data containing a sequence of video frames are described. Respective frame characterizing parameter values and respective camera motion parameter values are determined for each of the video frames. A respective frame score is computed for each of the video frames based on the determined frame characterizing parameter values. Segments of consecutive ones of the video frames are identified based at least in part on a thresholding of the frame scores. Shots of consecutive ones of the video frames having motion parameter values meeting a motion quality predicate are selected from the identified segments. An output video is generated from the selected shots.