Abstract: Computerized aesthetic judgment of images is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method inputs a training set of images, where each image has a corresponding set of aesthetic scores. The method trains a classifier based on the training set, and outputs the classifier. An image can then be input into the classifier, such that an aesthetic score for the image is generated by the classifier and output. Furthermore, recommendations can be generated to improve the aesthetic score for the image, which are also output.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for dynamically adjusting data values and preventing conflicts in response to remote user input. Namely, the system and method provides a remote user with real time interaction of data values, such as a set of results, associated sub-items or dependencies, and rules of enforcement of sub-item combinations produced by a host system. Adjustment of conflicting sub-items is prevented with the rules of enforcement and predefined interactive options. As such, the user can dynamically adjust the set of results and sub-items from a remote location. The system and method of the present invention preferably utilizes client-side processing to achieve real time interaction.

Abstract: A system and a method for optically communicating information between a display and a camera that is observing the display. In general, the transmission of information is unidirectional in a direction from the display to the camera. The display transmits information to the camera that is observing the display by displaying a series of symbols and images (such as an alphabet) on the display. Information (such as a network address of the display or camera) may be transmitted to the camera without any prior shared knowledge between the two. The present invention also is capable of determining a spatial location (or pose) of the display (relative to a camera observing the display) by observing a pattern presented on the display and using well-known correlation techniques.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in an absolute and relative coordinate based format description system and method for displaying information, such as text, graphics, audio/visual multimedia, hyperlinks, etc. within a computer environment. Multimedia information including text, graphics, audio media, visual media and hyperlinks, is effectively presented and displayed within the computer environment. The multimedia information is contained within geometrical objects, which can be located anywhere within a working area with absolute or relative positioning and properties. Each object can be independent of other objects (absolute values) or dependent on other objects (relative values).

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for detecting a face within an image using a relational template over a geometric distribution of a non-intensity image property. In general, the system of the present invention includes a hypothesis module for defining a sub-region in which to search for a face, a feature extraction module for extracting image feature values image based on a non-intensity image property, an averaging module for grouping the extracted image feature values into geometrically distributed facial regions, and a relational template module that uses a relational template and facial regions to determine whether a face has been detected. In a preferred embodiment the image property used is edge density, although other suitable properties (such as pixel color) may also be used.

Abstract: A method and a system for measuring a relative position and orientation of range cameras using a movement of an object within a scene. In general, the present invention determines the relative pose between two cameras by measuring a path the movement of the object makes within a scene and calculating transformation parameters based on these measurements. These transformation parameters are used to determine the relative position of each camera with respect to a base camera. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention also includes other novel features such as a data synchronization feature that uses a time offset between cameras to obtain the transformation parameters. In addition, the present invention includes a technique that improves the robustness and accuracy of solving for the transformation parameters and an interpolation process that interpolates between sampled points if there is no data at a particular instant in time.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for compressing image data using a lapped biorthogonal transform (LBT). The present invention encodes data by generating coefficients using a hierarchical LBT, reorders the coefficients in a data-independent manner into groups of similar data, and encodes the reordered coefficients using adaptive run-length encoding. The hierarchical LBT computes multiresolution representations. The use of the LBT allows the present invention to encode image data in a single pass at any desired compression ratio and to make use of existing discrete cosine transform (DCT) software and hardware modules for fast processing and easy implementation.

Abstract: A system and method for performing trainable nonlinear prediction of transform coefficients in data compression such that the number of bits required to represent the data is reduced. The nonlinear prediction data compression system includes a nonlinear predictor for generating predicted transform coefficients, a nonlinear prediction encoder that uses the predicted transform coefficients to encode original data, and a nonlinear prediction decoder that uses the predicted transform coefficients to decode the encoded bitstream and reconstruct the original data. The nonlinear predictor may be trained using training techniques, including a novel in-loop training technique of the present invention. The present invention also includes a method for using a nonlinear predictor to encode and decode data. The method also includes improving the performance of the nonlinear prediction data compression and decompression using several novel speedup techniques.

Abstract: The table tennis ball distribution and storage apparatus and method described herein stores a plurality of table tennis balls and automatically projects a single ball on command. The apparatus includes an integrated timing system that simultaneously loads a single ball from a storage unit into a firing cavity, cuts power to a motor to keep the ball within the firing cavity, and arms a flipper system. The integrated timing system includes an integrated ball support/feeder system, a flipper system, and an actuator system. The integrated ball support/feeder system both supports the stored balls and loads a single ball into the firing cavity. The flipper system is used on the apparatus to propel the ball in an exact and proper trajectory. An actuator system controls the timing of the flipper system. The table tennis ball distribution and storage method uses the apparatus to store and distribute table tennis balls.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for digitally tracking objects in real time. The present invention visually tracks three-dimensional (3-D) objects in dense disparity maps in real time. Tracking of the human body is achieved by digitally segmenting and modeling different body parts using statistical models defined by multiple size parameters, position and orientation. In addition, the present invention is embodied in a system and method for recognizing mutual occlusions of body parts and filling in data for the occluded parts while tracking a human body. The body parts are preferably tracked from frame to frame in image sequences as an articulated structure in which the body parts are connected at the joints instead of as individual objects moving and changing shape and orientation freely.

Abstract: A system and method for locating and tracking people and non-stationary objects of interest in a scene using a series of range images of the scene taken over time. The system and process generally entails first generating the series of range images which are preferably a continuous temporal sequence of depth maps of the scene. A background model is computed from a block of the range images. Once the background model has been computed, a range image generated subsequent to the block of range images is selected for processing. The background is then subtracted from this currently selected range image based on the background model to produce a foreground image. The foreground image is next segmented into regions, each of which represents a different person or object of interest in the scene captured by the currently selected range image. The locating process continues by projecting the segmented regions of the foreground image onto a ground plane of the scene.

Abstract: A system and method for computer network testing using a production machine and client to playback edited network information to a target machine. In general, the system of the present invention includes a target machine, a production machine, a playback file, a playback machine, a playback controller and a network information editor. The playback file includes network information collected by the production machine in a production environment and edited by the network information editor. The playback machine reads the playback file and send the edited network information (such as network requests) contained in the playback file to the target machine. The playback controller initiates and coordinates the playback of the playback file on the playback machine. The present invention can also perform stress testing of the target machine by altering the amount of network information sent to the target machine within a given time.

Abstract: A method and a system for obtaining visual information from an image sequence using a visual tunnel analysis are described. The present invention determines the position and orientation of rays captured in the image sequence and uses these rays to provide visual information. This visual information includes, for example, visual prediction information (whereby the extent of visibility and appearance of a virtual camera at arbitrary locations are determined) and visual planning (whereby a minimum number of images that need to be captured to visualize a desired region is determined). Generally, the visual tunnel analysis uses a subset of the plenoptic function to determine the position and orientation of every light ray passing through each point of images in the sequence. A visual tunnel associated with an input image sequence is a volume in visibility space that represents that portion of the visibility space occupied by the input image sequence.

Abstract: The invention relates to manifold mosaic hopping for image-base rendering (IBR). In one embodiment, a set of manifold mosaics is constructed. Depending on the desired application, the mosaics can be concentric mosaics, parallel mosaics, as well as other types of mosaics. Each mosaic represents a number of unique viewpoints that different from one another in only one direction. From a current camera or viewing position within the set of mosaics, a new position can be moved to, such that the movement is continuous over any one mosaic, and is discrete across the mosaics. An image is rendered by local warping, without interpolation of more than one mosaic.

Abstract: A method and a system for progressive stereo matching of digital images representing a scene. In general, the present invention uses a progressive iterative technique that includes a disparity gradient limit principle and a least commitment strategy. The progressive iterative technique finds generally unambiguous pixel matches by beginning with a few reliable pixel matches and finding progressively more unambiguous pixel matches. Unambiguous pixel matches found in the previous iteration are used to define the search ranges for each pixel to guide matching in the current iteration. Unambiguous pixel matches in the current iteration then are found using a novel correlation technique and based on a correlation score associated with a pixel match. The search range is capable of being rotated, and is part of a novel correlation technique of the present invention that provides a more robust estimate of pixel match reliability.

Abstract: A system and a method for encoding, transmitting, decoding and storing a high-resolution video sequence using a low-resolution base layer and a higher-resolution enhancement layer. The base layer contains low-resolution video information and is compressed in a manner such that it can be decoded independently of the enhancement layer. The base layer may be encoded in an existing standard video format (such as MPEG-2). The enhancement layer, which contains high-resolution information, provides a variable amount of enhancement to the base layer. The compressed video sequence is transmitted in two layers and uses a minimum amount of bit rate by using information transmitted in the base layer in the decoding of both the base layer and the enhancement layer. In an enhanced decoder, both the base layer and the enhancement layer use this information that has been transmitted in the base layer.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for fast computation of a spatial transform of an input signal. The computation system includes a window processor having a window function and an operator having a first set of weights. The window processor receives the input signal as sample blocks and the operator is adapted to apply butterfly coefficients determined by the window function to produce resulting vectors. Also, the window processor maps the input signal to a cascade of butterflies using the first set of weights and reorders the cascade of butterflies. A transform processor having a transform module computes a spatial transform from the reordered cascade of butterflies to produce transform coefficient. A coefficient combination operator combines the transform coefficients to produce an encoded output corresponding to the input signal.

Abstract: The coder/decoder (codec) system of the present invention includes a coder and a decoder. The coder includes a multi-resolution transform processor, such as a modulated lapped transform (MLT) transform processor, a weighting processor, a uniform quantizer, a masking threshold spectrum processor, an entropy encoder, and a communication device, such as a multiplexor (MUX) for multiplexing (combining) signals received from the above components for transmission over a single medium. The decoder comprises inverse components of the encoder, such as an inverse multi-resolution transform processor, an inverse weighting processor, an inverse uniform quantizer, an inverse masking threshold spectrum processor, an inverse entropy encoder, and an inverse MUX. With these components, the present invention is capable of performing resolution switching, spectral weighting, digital encoding, and parametric modeling.

Abstract: The coder/decoder (codec) system of the present invention includes a coder and a decoder. The coder includes a multi-resolution transform processor, such as a modulated lapped transform (MLT) transform processor, a weighting processor, a uniform quantizer, a masking threshold spectrum processor, an entropy encoder, and a communication device, such as a multiplexor (MUX) for multiplexing (combining) signals received from the above components for transmission over a single medium. The decoder comprises inverse components of the encoder, such as an inverse multi-resolution transform processor, an inverse weighting processor, an inverse uniform quantizer, an inverse masking threshold spectrum processor, an inverse entropy encoder, and an inverse MUX. With these components, the present invention is capable of performing resolution switching, spectral weighting, digital encoding, and parametric modeling.

Abstract: The coder/decoder (codec) system of the present invention includes a coder and a decoder. The coder includes a multi-resolution transform processor, such as a modulated lapped transform (MLT) transform processor, a weighting processor, a uniform quantizer, a masking threshold spectrum processor, an entropy encoder, and a communication device, such as a multiplexor (MUX) for multiplexing (combining) signals received from the above components for transmission over a single medium. The decoder comprises inverse components of the encoder, such as an inverse multi-resolution transform processor, an inverse weighting processor, an inverse uniform quantizer, an inverse masking threshold spectrum processor, an inverse entropy encoder, and an inverse MUX. With these components, the present invention is capable of performing resolution switching, spectral weighting, digital encoding, and parametric modeling.