Abstract: A catadioptric camera having a perspective camera and multiple curved mirrors, images the multiple curved mirrors and uses the epsilon constraint to establish a vertical parallax between points in one mirror and their corresponding reflection in another. An ASIFT transform is applied to all the mirror images to establish a collection of corresponding feature points, and edge detection is applied on mirror images to identify edge pixels. A first edge pixel in a first imaged mirror is selected, its nearest feature points are identified, and a rigid transform is applied to them. The rigid transform is fitted to corresponding feature points in a second imaged mirror. The closest edge pixel to the expected location as determined by the fitted rigid transform is identified, and its distance to the vertical parallax is determined. If the distance is not greater than predefined maximum, then it is deemed correlate to the edge pixel in the first imaged mirror.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention comprise generating and using Multi-Order Contextual co-Occurrence (MOCO) descriptors to implicitly model the high level context using detection responses from a baseline object detector. In embodiments, a 1st-order context feature is computed as a set of randomized binary comparisons on a response map of the baseline object detector. The statistics of the 1st-order binary context features are further calculated to exercise construct a higher-order co-occurrence descriptor, which, in embodiments, may be combined with other features such as the 0th-order context features and/or the 1st-order features to form the MOCO. In embodiments, combining the MOCO feature with the original image feature, the baseline object detector may be evolved to a stronger context aware detector.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for identifying and locating an object in an image. In embodiments, an object in an image may be identified by segmenting a first image of an object into one or more superpixels; extracting local descriptors from the first image, each of the descriptors having an interest point with a location; correlating the local descriptors to the superpixels based on locations of the local descriptors and superpixels; determining a probability for an object label for each of a set of the superpixels; and assigning an object label to each of the set of the superpixels based on the probability and a smoothness factor that includes weighting in terms of one or more of spatial, colors, angular distances between superpixels. The superpixels of an image may be concatenated to predict an object label for the image and to determine the location of the image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object detection that consider background information are presented. Embodiments of the present invention utilizing a feature called Local Difference Pattern (LDP), which is more discriminative for modeling local background image features. In embodiments, the LDP feature is used to train detection models. In embodiments, the LDP feature may be used in detection to differentiate different image background conditions and adaptively adjust classification to yield higher detection rates.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention includes systems and methods for generating detection models that consider contextual information of an image patch and for using detection models that consider contextual information. In embodiments, a multi-scale image context descriptor is generated to represent the contextual cues in multiple parameters, such as spatial, scaling, and color spaces. In embodiments, a classification context is defined using the contextual features and is used in a contextual boost classification scheme. In embodiments, the contextual boost propagates contextual cues to larger coverage through iterations to improve the detection accuracy.

Abstract: A content-aware image retargeting technique uses an “importance filtering” technique to preserve important information in the resizing of an image. The image saliency is first filtered, guided by the image itself to achieve a structure-consistent importance map. The pixel importance is then used as the key constraint in computing the gradient map of pixel shifts from the original resolution to the target resolution. Finally the shift gradient is integrated across the image by a weighted filtering process to construct a smooth pixel shift-map and render the target image. The weight is again controlled by the pixel importance. The two filtering processes enforce the maintaining of structural consistency while preserving the important contents in the target image. The simple nature of the present filter operations allow for real-time applications and easy extension to video retargeting, as the structural constraints from the original image naturally convey the temporal coherence between frames.

Abstract: A catadioptric camera creates image light fields from a 3D scene by creating ray images defined as 2D arrays of ray-structure picture-elements (ray-xels). Each ray-xel captures light intensity, mirror-reflection location, and mirror-incident light ray direction. A 3D image is then rendered from the ray images by combining the corresponding ray-xels.

Abstract: A catadioptric camera creates images light fields from a 3D scene by creating ray images defined as 2D arrays of ray-structure picture-elements (ray-xels). Each ray-xel capture light intensity, mirror-reflection location, and mirror-incident light ray direction. A 3D image is then rendered from the ray images by combining the corresponding ray-xels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for developing and using adaptive threshold values for different input images for object detection are disclosed. In embodiments, detector response histogram-based systems and methods train models for predicting optimal threshold values for different images. In embodiments, when training the model, an optimal threshold value for an image is defined as the value that maximizes the reduction of false positive image patches while preserving as many true positive image patches as possible. Once trained, the model may be used to set different threshold values for different images by inputting a detector response histogram for the image patches of an image into the model to determine a threshold value for detection.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include systems and methods for recalibrating projector-camera systems. In embodiments, systems and methods are able to recalibrate automatically the projector with arbitrary intrinsic and pose, as well as render for arbitrarily desired viewing point. In contrast to previous methods, the methods disclosed herein use the observing camera and the projector to form a stereo pair. Structured light is used to perform pixel-level fine reconstruction of the display surface. In embodiments, the geometric warping is implemented as a direct texture mapping problem. As a result, re-calibration of the projector movement is performed by simply computing the new projection matrix and setting it as a camera matrix. For re-calibrating the new view point, the texture mapping is modified according to the new camera matrix.

Abstract: A catadioptric camera having a perspective camera and multiple curved mirrors, images the multiple curved mirrors and uses the epsilon constraint to establish a vertical parallax between points in one mirror and their corresponding reflection in another. An ASIFT transform is applied to all the mirror images to establish a collection of corresponding feature points, and edge detection is applied on mirror images to identify edge pixels. A first edge pixel in a first imaged mirror is selected, its 25 nearest feature points are identified, and a rigid transform is applied to them. The rigid transform is fitted to 25 corresponding feature points in a second imaged mirror. The closes edge pixel to the expected location as determined by the fitted rigid transform is identified, and its distance to the vertical parallax is determined. If the distance is not greater than predefined maximum, then it is deemed correlate to the edge pixel in the first imaged mirror.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object detection that consider background information are presented. Embodiments of the present invention utilizing a feature called Local Difference Pattern (LDP), which is more discriminative for modeling local background image features. In embodiments, the LDP feature is used to train detection models. In embodiments, the LDP feature may be used in detection to differentiate different image background conditions and adaptively adjust classification to yield higher detection rates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object detection are presented herein. Embodiments of the present invention utilizing a cascade feature, one or more features at different scales, one or more multi-scale features in combination with a perspective feature, or combinations thereof to detect an object of interest in an input image. In embodiments, the various features are used to train classifiers. In embodiments, the trained classifiers are used in detecting an object of interest in one or more input images.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention includes systems and methods for generating detection models that consider contextual information of an image patch and for using detection models that consider contextual information. In embodiments, a multi-scale image context descriptor is generated to represent the contextual cues in multiple parameters, such as spatial, scaling, and color spaces. In embodiments, a classification context is defined using the contextual features and is used in a contextual boost classification scheme. In embodiments, the contextual boost propagates contextual cues to larger coverage through iterations to improve the detection accuracy.

Abstract: Herein is presented a catadioptric projector by combining a commodity digital projector with additional optical units. By using specially shaped reflectors and/or refractors, a catadioptric projector can offer an unprecedented level of flexibility in aspect ratio, size, and field of view. Also presented, are methods to reduce projection artifacts in catadioptric projectors, such as distortions, scattering, and defocusing. By analysis of projection defocus of reflector and thin refractor based catadioptric projectors, it is shown that defocus blur can be interpreted as spatially-varying Gaussian blurs on an input image. Kernels are measured directly from a light transport matrix, T, and de-convolution is applied to optimize an input image. Practical uses of catadioptric projectors in panoramic and omni-directional projections are also demonstrated.

Abstract: A content-aware image retargeting technique uses an “importance filtering” technique to preserve important information in the resizing of an image. The image saliency is first filtered, guided by the image itself to achieve a structure-consistent importance map. The pixel importance is then used as the key constraint in computing the gradient map of pixel shifts from the original resolution to the target resolution. Finally the shift gradient is integrated across the image by a weighted filtering process to construct a smooth pixel shift-map and render the target image. The weight is again controlled by the pixel importance. The two filtering processes enforce the maintaining of structural consistency while preserving the important contents in the target image. The simple nature of the present filter operations allow for real-time applications and easy extension to video retargeting, as the structural constraints from the original image naturally convey the temporal coherence between frames.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include systems and methods for recalibrating projector-camera systems. In embodiments, systems and methods are able to recalibrate automatically the projector with arbitrary intrinsic and pose, as well as render for arbitrarily desired viewing point. In contrast to previous methods, the methods disclosed herein use the observing camera and the projector to form a stereo pair. Structured light is used to perform pixel-level fine reconstruction of the display surface. In embodiments, the geometric warping is implemented as a direct texture mapping problem. As a result, re-calibration of the projector movement is performed by simply computing the new projection matrix and setting it as a camera matrix. For re-calibrating the new view point, the texture mapping is modified according to the new camera matrix.

Abstract: A method and system for estimating motion blur of an image associated with a moving object. The direction of one-dimensional motion blur may be estimated by inspecting a power spectrum associated with the image. A radon transform with respect to the image power spectrum is computed in the direction of the motion blur. A family of kernels with respect to the one-dimensional motion blur may then be defined utilizing a shutter triggering sequence associated with an image capturing device. The family of kernels may be modeled utilizing a modulation transfer function (MTF). Each modulation transfer function may be compared with the radon transform of the power spectrum associated with the image via a correlation function. The kernel with highest correlation with respect to the radon transform of the image power spectrum may be employed for de-blurring the image.

Abstract: Herein is presented a catadioptric projector by combining a commodity digital projector with additional optical units. By using specially shaped reflectors and/or refractors, a catadioptric projector can offer an unprecedented level of flexibility in aspect ratio, size, and field of view. Also presented, are methods to reduce projection artifacts in catadioptric projectors, such as distortions, scattering, and defocusing. By analysis of projection defocus of reflector and thin refractor based catadioptric projectors, it is shown that defocus blur can be interpreted as spatially-varying Gaussian blurs on an input image. Kernels are measured directly from a light transport matrix, T, and de-convolution is applied to optimize an input image. Practical uses of catadioptric projectors in panoramic and omni-directional projections are also demonstrated.