Abstract: A method for automatically classifying a digital image as a dud, the method comprises the steps of receiving the digital image; determining individually or any combination of sharpness,;contrast, noise, and exposure of the digital image; determining a threshold individually for sharpness, contrast, noise, and exposure, or a threshold for any combination of sharpness, contrast, noise, and exposure which determined threshold or thresholds determines if the image is classified as a dud; and classifying the image as a dud based on the determination of the previous step.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a multichannel display device having an overall and individual channel adjustment for both gain and offset and an adjustment to provide a white point for the display, the white point including color temperature, chromaticity and luminance level, includes the steps of: displaying a first target using a low level code value for each channel of the display; sensing the luminance level of the displayed first target; adjusting the gain of the display so that the sensed luminance level matches a first predetermined aim value representing a luminance level at least 3 decades lower than a maximum luminance level; displaying a second target using intermediate code values for each channel of the display device; sensing the luminance level and chromaticities of the displayed second target; adjusting the individual channel offsets so that the luminance level matches a second predetermined aim value representing an intermediate luminance level and the chromaticities match a first set of predetermin

Abstract: An electronic camera for capturing, viewing and manipulating electronic image data includes a processor for operating the camera in a plurality of modes, a display device for generating image components including one or more captured images derived from the electronic image data and a set of graphical elements, and a single controller that intuitively allows the user to cycle through the available displayed choices and options with a minimum of hassle. The controller includes a control element separated into four directional components arranged around a central axis and operative with the display device for navigating among the image components and a mode dial coaxial with the control element for selecting one of the modes.

Abstract: A method, image recognition system, computer program, etc., for determining image orientation. The invention classifies potential sky pixels in the image by color, identifies spatially contiguous regions of the potential sky pixels, identifies actual sky regions by eliminating ones of the spatially contiguous regions that have a texture above a predetermined texture threshold, computes desaturation gradients of the actual sky regions, classifies the image as one of portrait and landscape based on average absolute values of horizontal and vertical desaturation gradient of pixels within each of the actual sky regions, determines orientation of the image based on a polarity of the average horizontal and vertical desaturation gradients, and confirms that the actual sky regions are true sky regions by comparing the desaturation gradients with a predetermined desaturation gradient for sky.

Abstract: A scannerless range imaging system includes an illumination system and an electromechanical light modulator. The illumination system illuminates objects in the scene with modulated illumination of a predetermined modulation frequency, and the modulated illumination reflected from objects in the scene incorporates a phase delay corresponding to the distance of the objects from the range imaging system. The electromechanical light modulator, which is positioned in an optical path of the reflected illumination, operates at a reference frequency that corresponds to the predetermined modulation frequency and accordingly modulates the modulated illumination reflected from the object, thereby generating a phase image from the interference between the reference frequency and the reflected modulated illumination.

Abstract: A technique of synthesizing a panoramic environment map containing intensity and range information of a scene, which includes estimation of orthographic range from a plurality of pairs of stereo images, transformation of orthographic range estimates to perspective or directional range estimates, transformation of planar intensity and range images to cylindrical images, registration of overlapping cylindrical images, and blending of intensity and range information.

Abstract: A method, image recognition system, computer program, etc., for detecting sky regions in an image comprise classifying potential sky pixels in the image by color, extracting connected components of the potential sky pixels, eliminating ones of the connected components that have a texture above a predetermined texture threshold, computing desaturation gradients of the connected components, and comparing the desaturation gradients of the connected components with a predetermined desaturation gradient for sky to identify true sky regions in the image.

Abstract: A method for including photographic calibration into digital color management having an abstract color transformation profile, the method comprises the steps of measuring a density from a patch of an optically created image; inputting the measured densities to a computer workstation; computing a density to colorimetry matrix that is received by the computer workstation; and interpolating the matrix based on the inputted density for creating the abstract profile for ultimately permitting modification of an image manipulated by the abstract profile.

Abstract: A user preference for a desired image is determined by using one or more examples and counterexamples of a desired image in order to define the user preference. A relative preference of a user for one or more image components or one or more depictive features is automatically extracted from the examples and counterexamples of the desired image. Then, a user subjective definition of a desired image is formulated using the relative preferences for either the image components or the depictive features.

Abstract: A pin-registered film transport assembly provides an interlacing motion for moving and guiding a photographic film through a film gate. The assembly includes a first carriage mounted for movement parallel to a direction of film travel and a first pin assembly including a first pair of registration pins which are engageable in oppositely disposed perforations of the film, where the first pin assembly is mounted on the first carriage for movement perpendicular to the direction of film travel for engaging and disengaging the film perforations. The assembly also includes a second carriage mounted for movement parallel to the direction of film travel and a second pin assembly including a second pair of registration pins which are engageable in oppositely disposed perforations of the film, where the second pin assembly is mounted on the second carriage for movement perpendicular to the direction of film travel.

Abstract: A color scannerless range imaging system includes an illumination system for illuminating the scene with modulated illumination of a predetermined modulation frequency and an image capture section positioned in an optical path of the reflected illumination from the scene for capturing a plurality of images including (a) at least one range image corresponding to the reflected modulated illumination and including a phase delay corresponding to the distance of objects in the scene from the range imaging system, and (b) at least one other image of reflected unmodulated illumination corresponding to color in the scene.

Abstract: A method for preserving spatial detail when adjusting the tone scale of a digital color image, the method comprises receiving a digital color image; providing a tone scale function for adjusting the tone scale of the digital color image; generating a luminance signal from the digital color image; using the tone scale function and the control signal applied to each color channel of the digital color image to produce an enhanced digital color image.

Abstract: A camera includes a microphone for generating audio signals, a memory separate from the film for storing the audio signals, a generator for generating for each film frame a unique identification signal that is synchronized to advance of the film in the camera, and a processor for embedding the unique identification signal with the audio signal in the memory. More specifically, the unique identification signal is a tone signal, and in particular a DTMF tone signal. Furthermore, a photofinishing system receives the audio signal together with the unique identification signal embedded in each audio signal that identifies the frame to which the audio signal pertains. A decoder decodes the unique signal embedded in each audio signal and a processor thereupon associates the audio signal with a particular frame of film by reference to the decoded unique tone signal. Finally, a transfer mechanism transfers the audio signal to an output product, such as a print, associated with each particular frame of film.

Abstract: A method of adjustment of the color saturation characteristics of a digital color image is performed in order to compensate for an applied luminance tone scale function. This method comprises of the steps of receiving a tone scale function, calculating a local slope of the tone scale function for each pixel of the digital color image, calculating a color saturation signal from the digital color image, and adjusting the color saturation signal of the digital color image for each of the pixels based on the calculated local slope.

Abstract: A perforated filmstrip transportation and registration system (100) and method provide a substrate in the form of a rotating drum (104) with vacuum holes (106) to allow an internally produced vacuum to act upon an engaged film-strip (102). The rotating drum (104) has a number of registration-tension pin pair assemblies (216) that register and subsequently advance a filmstrip (102) at the 3 o'clock position in a registration mode (FIGS. 2 and 3), and are ready to be inserted in filmstrip perforations (208) when they approach the 3 o'clock position in a load mode (FIG. 4). The registration-tension pin pair assemblies (216) each contain a registration pin (220) and a tension pin (230) which are sized small enough to fit into filmstrip perforations (208) without interference, and which move away and towards each other in the nature of scissors blades in the preferred embodiment.

Abstract: An eject interface for a removable peripheral used in an electronic device such as an electronic camera includes an eject mechanism for removably receiving the peripheral, a shield for enclosing at least part of the eject mechanism in order to isolate the peripheral from EMI generated by the camera, and a grounding connection on the shield for grounding the shield to a circuit ground on the camera.

Abstract: A method for preventing artifacts in an electronic image decoded from a block-transform coded representation of an image, the method comprises the steps of: receiving blocks of the electronic image decoded from the transform-coded representation of the image; determining whether a portion of the decoded image contains low detail pixels; determining boundary pixels as pixels within a predetermined area of a predetermined number of low detail pixels; filtering the boundary pixels with one of a plurality of directionally-oriented smoothing filters for obtaining one or more boundary replacement pixel values; and reconstructing the image by replacing one or more pixels in the boundary with one or more of the boundary replacement pixel values.

Abstract: An alignment method is provided for a color scannerless range imaging system whereby the separate optical paths of colored texture and monochromatic range images may be precisely aligned. The range imaging system includes an illumination system for illuminating a scene with modulated infrared illumination, image forming optics for forming an image of the scene, optical means for forming first and second optical paths between the image forming optics and an image sensor, a transponder subject to modulation located in the first optical path for amplifying and converting infrared light to visible light to form a range image on the image sensor.

Abstract: An electronic camera for capturing an image of an object from both hand-held and stationary positions comprises an imaging module containing an image sensor for capturing the image, a camera body capable of serving as a stand for the camera, an elongated arm for supporting the imaging module at one end and terminating at the other end in a connecting member for connecting with the camera body, and means for pivotally attaching the connecting member to the camera body such that the elongated arm and the imaging module may be seated against the camera in a first position for hand-held imaging and swung away from the camera through an arcuate path relative to the camera body, which serves as a stand, to a second position for stationary imaging. In a further variation, the imaging module is attached to the elongated arm with a flexible support that provides a wide range of imaging module adjustments.

Abstract: A method for selectively matching or automatically matching one or more items that is visually observable on a display of electronic devices to a selected language, the method comprises the steps of selecting a language for display on the display; and selectively or automatically matching the language to the one or more visually observable items.