Abstract: A comprehensive, multi-dimensional graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata provides for multiple methods and displays for browsing and retrieving pictures in a picture database. The main level display 100, which is linked to other level displays has in the preferred embodiment, a hierarchical picture grouping iconic region (104) with directories and files containing pictures in the database, a main display area (102) for displaying pictures, thumbnails and graphical browsers, a picture content iconic region (106) according to predefined content categories and picture metadata, and a graphical browser region (108) having indicia of the graphical browsers utilized by the GUI. In addition to the main level (100), the present-inventive GUI also has a number of display levels linked to the main display level (100) via one or more icons (104, 106, 108 and 110) in the main display level.

Abstract: A three-dimensional model of a scene is obtained from a plurality of three-dimensional panoramic images of a scene, wherein each three-dimensional panoramic image is derived from a plurality of range images captured from a distinct spatial position. Transformations are determined that align the plurality of three-dimensional panoramic images, and spatial information is integrated from the plurality of three-dimensional panoramic images to form a spatial three-dimensional model of the scene. Finally, intensity and texture information is integrated from the plurality of three-dimensional panoramic images onto the spatial three-dimensional model to form a three-dimensional model of the scene containing both spatial and intensity information.

Abstract: A digital image production and display method and apparatus produce digital images (102) that include at least one iconic region (104) having one or more location icons (106) with a likeness corresponding to the geographic location at which a digital image was captured. The capture location iconic region (104) contains several hierarchical layers of linked icons (106.1–106.n) varying from a general geographic location to a more specific one. A click on a thumbnail button in an icon displays a new icon with greater specificity of the geographic location of where the image was captured, culminating in one or more user-chosen icons representing very specific locations (106.1–106.5), and in the preferred embodiment, a hyperlink to a sponsor-chosen web site (106.n) on the World Wide Web. The icons are chosen from an icon library (432) to correspond to Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) information generated by a GPS receiver (424) integrated with or proximate with a digital camera (402) when an image is captured.

Abstract: A sequence of motion images, captured by an image capture system such as a digital camera, are converted into a sequence of modified motion images providing the appearance of motion images captured by the same capture system and subsequently rendered in a post-processing stage to simulate a particular look. The method involves capturing a sequence of motion images using a full resolution image sensor system, then recording the full resolution unprocessed image signals, and providing the recorded full resolution unprocessed image signals to the post-production process, where the images will be subsequently rendered in a post-processing stage to simulate a particular look. Meanwhile, one or more image processing algorithms are applied in the image capture system to the unprocessed image signals to simulate the particular look rendered in the post-processing stage, and the simulated image signals are displayed as a sequence of modified images.

Abstract: A method of automated content-based grouping of digital images without using auxiliary metadata and training data set, comprises the steps of computing a color correlogram from image pixel values for each of the digital images, grouping the color correlograms into groups within a hierarchical structure based on relative similarities of the color correlograms, and assigning the images to the groups based on the hierarchical structure of the color correlograms.

Abstract: A method for encoding rate-distortion information associated with the compression of an input digital image includes the steps of: computing rate and distortion-reduction values associated with each coding pass of each compressed codeblock bit-stream, and encoding rate and distortion-reduction values associated with coding passes contained in the final compressed bit-stream. A method for using encoded rate-distortion information associated with a compressed digital image bit-stream during transcoding of said compressed digital image bitstream includes the steps of: parsing the compressed digital image bit-stream to obtain compressed codeblock bit-streams, decoding the encoded RD information to obtain rate and distortion-reduction values associated with codeblock coding passes, and using such rate-distortion information to optimally transcode such compressed digital image bit-stream to form a new compressed digital image bit-stream at a given bit-rate, resolution, and for given visual weights.

Abstract: A system is described that uses [device>PCS] transformations for a source and destination device along with user preference information to create a composite [device>device] transformation which is used to convert a color in a source space from a source device into a color in a destination space provided to a destination device. The user preference information can be a default or extracted from an image or from the profiles involved or from a GUI. The system modifies the domain of the [device>PCS] transform from a destination device profile through the use of an ink manifold such that there are three input dimensions. The inking manifold can be an identity transform. The system also modifies the range of the [device>PCS] transform from a source device profile such that the PCS coordinates are all within the range of the modified [device>PCS] transform. The modified destination transform is inverted for values in the source transform domain to produce the [device>device] transform.

Abstract: Duplicate images are detected by providing at least two images captured at determinable times; computing an indication of the image content for each image; determining the time of capture of each of the images; and evaluating the indication of image content and the time of capture to determine whether the images are duplicate images. The images are divided into blocks and the indication of image content is computed from a histogram for each block. Thereafter, the step of evaluating the indication of image content and the time of capture comprises comparing one or more blocks of one image, using a histogram intersection metric, to corresponding blocks of another image and using the time difference between capture of the two images to determine whether the images are duplicate images.

Abstract: A portable intra-oral capture and display system includes (a) a handpiece elongated for insertion into an oral cavity, the handpiece including a light emitter on a distal end thereof for illuminating an object in the cavity and an image sensor for capturing an image of the object and generating an image signal therefrom; (b) a portable, hand-cradled base containing, in a single integral enclosure, electronics for processing the image for display and a display monitor for displaying the image; (c) an electrical interface for communicating the image signal from the image sensor in the camera to the electronics in the base; and (d) a contamination control device for the portable, hand-cradled base comprising a pouch enclosing the single integral enclosure and having a transparent front panel that is positioned adjacent the display monitor. In addition, the electronics includes a touch screen interface for providing a plurality of touch screen controls that appear on the screen of the display monitor.

Abstract: A multi-layer graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata, provides for timeline metaphoric representations (100A, 100B, 200A, 200B, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900) of pictures in a digital picture database. Icons (104A, 106B, 204A, 208B, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, 804, 904) representing the points of time by which all of the pictures are categorized are sized according to the relative number of corresponding pictures. The most general view is in the form of a timeline (102A, 102B, 202A, 206B, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802, 902) using either years or decades (when the pictures were taken) as the measuring units. Views linked to the general view further refine the general view with icons (104A, 106B, 204A, 208B, 304, 404, 504, 604, 704, 804, 904) proportionately sized according to the number of pictures corresponding to the categorization represented by the particular icon.

Abstract: A novel graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata, generates three-dimensional scatter plots (100, 200, 300, 400) for the efficient and aesthetic navigation and retrieval of pictures in a picture database. The first and second dimensions (102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 402, 404) represent abscissas and ordinates corresponding to two picture characteristics chosen by the user. Distinguishing characteristics of icons (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430) in the scatter plot (100, 200, 300, 400), which icons represent groups of pictures, indicate the third dimension, also chosen by the user. In the preferred embodiment, the third dimension is indicated by the color of the icon (108-126, 208-230, 308-326, 408-430). Along with many other possibilities, the three dimensions of a scatter plot (100, 200, 300, 400) can represent combinations of “Who,” “What,” “When,” “Where,” and “Why” picture characteristic information contained in the picture metadata.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence of a face from image data includes a face detection algorithm having two separate algorithmic steps: a first step of prescreening image data with a first component of the algorithm to find one or more face candidate regions of the image based on a comparison between facial shape models and facial probabilities assigned to image pixels within the region; and a second step of operating on the face candidate regions with a second component of the algorithm using a pattern matching technique to examine each face candidate region of the image and thereby confirm a facial presence in the region, whereby the combination of these components provides higher performance in terms of detection levels than either component individually.

Abstract: An image processing method for compensating for light falloff in a digital image provides individual compensation values to correct light falloff in the image pixels of an input digital image; however, the individual compensation values induce a balance change in the digital image. Therefore, a balance value is determined for correcting the balance change of the digital image and the individual compensation values and the balance value are applied to the pixels of the input digital image to provide a corrected image having compensation for light falloff with minimal change to the light balance.

Abstract: An image processing system includes an image collector and a light falloff correction system. The light falloff correction system comprises a polar transformer that converts an image into radial traces and a falloff fitter that fits the radial traces to a model of falloff to determine a light falloff correction for the image.

Abstract: A method of adjusting the balance of a digital image including a plurality of pixel values inverts the pixel values and applies a gamma value (?) individually to each inverted pixel value to raise each inverted pixel value to the power of the gamma value. The gamma value is related to an exposure adjustment amount (A) indicating a desired exposure adjustment of the original scene. Then the inverted pixel values are themselves inverted after application of the gamma value, thereby providing modified pixel values representative of a modified digital image that is adjusted for exposure.

Abstract: A method for generating a stabilized three-dimensional image from a scannerless range imaging system comprises the steps of acquiring a bundle of three or more phase offset images corresponding to modulated illumination reflected from a scene, whereby one or more of the phase offset images includes image motion relative to another phase offset image; searching for a stable chain of phase offset images in the image bundle, wherein a stable chain is a collection of images that is obtained by testing the phase offset images against a confidence measure that separates less severe correctable image motion from more severe image motion and then populating the stable chain only with those phase offset images that meet the confidence measure for correctable image motion; correcting for the image motion in the stable chain of images if a stable chain of at least three phase offset images is found to exist; and computing a stabilized three-dimensional image using the phase offset images from the stable chain of phase o

Abstract: An event clustering method uses foreground and background segmentation for clustering images from a group into similar events. Initially, each image is divided into a plurality of blocks, thereby providing block-based images. Utilizing a block-by-block comparison, each block-based image is segmented into a plurality of regions comprising at least a foreground and a background. One or more luminosity, color, position or size features are extracted from the regions and the extracted features are utilized to estimate and compare the similarity of the regions comprising the foreground and background in successive images in the group. Then, a measure of the total similarity between successive images is computed, thereby providing image distance between successive images, and event clusters are delimited from the image distances.

Abstract: A method for compensating a digital image for the effects of flare light in order to generate an enhanced digital image operates upon a source digital image derived from an original scene affected by imaged flare light, wherein the source digital image includes a plurality of pixels with a known relationship to the intensity of light corresponding to the original scene. A first flare control parameter relating to the intensity of imaged flare light and a second flare control parameter relating to the average intensity level of imaged light in the original scene are derived from the source digital image, and a flare compensation function is calculated using the first and second flare control parameters. An enhanced digital image is then generated from the flare compensation function and the source digital image.

Abstract: An image capture system generates an extended effective dynamic range from a signal provided by an image sensor by utilizing an image sensing device having standard photosites with a predetermined response to a light exposure and non-standard photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure. An optical section exposes the image sensing device to image light, thereby causing the image sensing device to generate an image signal and a processing section expands the response of the standard photosites to increased light exposures by utilizing the image signals from neighboring non-standard photosites. Furthermore, the processing section may expand the response of the non-standard photosites to decreased light exposures by utilizing the image signals from neighboring standard photosites.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a digital image channel comprising the steps of providing a digital image channel, extracting a signal from the digital image channel, and using the extracted signal to determine whether the digital image channel is an interpolated digital image channel or a non-interpolated digital image channel. More specifically, the extracted signal comprises a signal related to differences between the values of neighboring pixels of the digital image channel, and the periodicity of the extracted signal is analyzed by computing a Fourier Transform signal of the extracted signal and looking for peaks in the Fourier Transform signal.