Abstract: A method and application specific integrated circuit for determining focus for an image capture system using scene content within an image, including the steps of: acquiring, from the image, image data having different focus positions; dividing the image data into sub-images; calculating a sub-image sharpness value for each sub-image; calculating an image sharpness value for each focus position using the sub-image sharpness values; plotting the sharpness values versus the focus position; fitting a curve to the plot of the image sharpness values versus the focus position, wherein the curve has a peak sharpness value; and determining the focus of the image capture system from a point on the curve.

Abstract: A method for facilitating orders for image services, including the steps of: storing at least one high resolution digital image file and an associated identifier on a photofinisher's image storage device; storing the at least one high resolution digital image file and the associated identifier to a memory device; delivering the memory device to the user; selecting the at least one high resolution digital image file for display and at least one image service with user selection creating at least one image service order using the user selection software; the photofinisher receiving the at least one image service order from the user over a communication network; and fulfilling the at least one image service order using the at least one stored high resolution digital image file in the photofinisher's image storage device to fulfill the at least one image service order.

Abstract: A method for correlating asynchronously captured event data associated with a timed activity and images associated with the events comprises the steps of: (a) capturing a plurality of images and storing the images and data corresponding to the images, including a time of image capture for each image, in an image database; (b) gathering data from one or more events associated with the timed activity and storing event data, including a time of occurrence of each event, in an event database; and (c) correlating the images and the event data in the databases by generating a time-based window that interrelates event data in the event database having a time of occurrence within the window with images in the image database having a time of capture within the window.

Abstract: A polishing tool that includes: an arbor with a shank having a first cylindrical axis; an offset cylinder extending from the shank, the offset cylinder having a second cylindrical axis, the first cylindrical axis being offset from the second cylindrical axis and parallel thereto, the offset cylinder terminating at a distal end thereof with a support surface that is angled in a range of from about 1° to about 20° from perpendicular to the first and second cylindrical axes; and a toroidal polishing head supported on the support surface, rotation of the shank causing an oscillating rotational movement of the toroidal polishing head.

Abstract: A high speed pulse width modulation system for driving a linear array spatial light modulator, including: a pixel-serial data source that provides at least one or more pixel-serial input data streams; a fundamental system clock signal; phase-shifted versions of the fundamental system clock signal; and a serial-to-parallel converter for converting the at least one or more pixel-serial input data streams into one or more pixel-parallel data streams. Also included is a decoder for decoding data of a single input pixel into at least two or more related pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, and a circuit for combining the at least two or more PWM signals into a single PWM signal capable of driving one of a plurality of inputs on a linear array spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A method for rating images to facitilate image retrival that includes, storing a plurality of digital image files in a digital memory; displaying the plurality of stored digital image files; permitting a user to select ratings for each of the plurality of displayed images, wherein the rating indicates how much the user likes each displayed image. Whereupon being responsive to the user ratings, user image values are provided for each of the the plurality of displayed images. Additionally, the user image values are stored as metadata in each of the plurality of stored digital image files corresponding to the plurality of displayed images, wherein the user image value uses a multi-point scale and wherein a maximum point value corresponds to a best rating.

Abstract: A display system (10) with reduced speckle has a light source (70) providing an illumination beam and a linear light modulator (85) having at least one linear array of light modulating devices for forming a modulated beam. The modulated beam has a plurality of orders of diffracted light. An obstructing element (82r,82g,82b) blocks a zeroeth order reflected light from the modulated beam. An angle-transforming optical assembly (30) anamorphically conditions the modulated beam. A scanning element (77) scans the modulated beam toward a display surface (90) for forming a two-dimensional image thereon.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing diamond coatings, at low temperature and low pressure on a substrate utilizing chemical vapor transport (CVT) comprising the steps of: providing a wire-wrapped graphite assembly component and the substrate into a chamber; filling the chamber with hydrogen; reducing ambient pressure in the chamber to a vacuum and backfilling with hydrogen; sealing the chamber containing hydrogen at a pressure less than 1 atmosphere; and passing electric current through the graphite rod until the substrate is heated within a range of 125° C.–750° C. to produce high-quality diamond at temperatures with exceptional properties.

Abstract: A display apparatus for providing an image on a curved display surface includes a line image generation apparatus for generating a modulated line image, where the line image generation apparatus includes a laser light source for providing an illumination beam, a linear spatial light modulator for modulating the illumination beam to provide a modulated line image as at least one diffracted order of the illumination beam, a projection lens for directing the modulated line image toward a line image scanner for scanning the modulated light beam to form a two-dimensional image on the curved display surface, wherein the line image scanner is optically disposed near the center of curvature of the curved display surface.

Abstract: A method for generating an enhanced compressed digital image, including the steps of: capturing a digital image; generating additional information relating to the importance of photographed subject and corresponding background regions of the digital image; compressing the digital image to form a compressed digital image; associating the additional information with the compressed digital image to generate the enhanced compressed digital image; and storing the enhanced compressed digital image in a data storage device.

Abstract: A method for digitally processing motion image signals comprises the steps of: (a) obtaining digital motion image signals that originated from a sequence of motion picture frames; (b) using a frame averaging technique to reduce noise in the digital motion image signals, thereby producing noise-processed motion image signals; and (c) producing output digital motion image signals by sharpening the noise-processed motion image signals with a sharpening filter designed in the spatial domain with a 2D kernel that increases the noise in order to provide a desired grain response.

Abstract: A digital camera for capturing images to be provided to a lenticular apparatus, including: a digital camera that can capture digital images; a memory that stores the captured digital images; a processor for processing the captured digital images, a display for displaying a motion sequence of captured images, and a user interface on the digital camera that enables a user to select a subset of the captured digital images and store the selected subset of the captured digital images in the memory prior to transmitting to a lenticular apparatus for constructing a lenticular hardcopy of the subset of the captured digital images, wherein the processor is used to produce a processed motion sequence including the adjacency effects that will be visible in the lenticular hardcopy, and the display is used to display the processed motion sequence.

Abstract: A porous optical switching film is situated between at least two plates that have an electrical bias between them.

Abstract: A system for laser light delivery from an organic fiber laser, including a multi-layered vertical cavity film structure, wherein the multi-layered vertical cavity film structure is excited by an energy source; and an optical fiber integrated with the multi-layered vertical cavity film structure, such that the multi-layered vertical cavity film structure is deposited on the optical fiber; and wherein the delivery of laser light occurs at an end of the optical fiber as emitted laser

Abstract: A molding assembly, that includes: a plurality of support pillars fixedly attached to a support structure, wherein each support pillar includes a recessed seat; a mold support member, and; a flexible ring for holding a mold in contact with the mold support member, wherein the flexible ring, while holding the mold, rests upon the recessed seat of the support pillar.

Abstract: A thin-film organic laser, that includes: a substrate; a bottom mirror provided on the substrate; at least one active region deposited on the bottom mirror, wherein the at least one active region includes organic gain material; an external mirror provided at a predetermined distance from the at least one active region such that the bottom mirror combined with the external mirror forms a laser resonator; and an optical pumping means for exciting the organic gain material to produce a laser beam with a wavelength ? and at least one lateral laser mode in the laser resonator and an output of laser light.

Abstract: An electromechanical display panel that includes at least two spatially separated plates. Between the at least two spatially separated plates is a suspended porous movable film having a pore area, wherein the pore area comprises less than 50% of surface area of the porous movable film. The electromechanical display panel also includes a means for moving the porous movable film between the at least two spatially separated plates to cause selective light modulation.

Abstract: A digital mastering system for processing digital image signals originating from scanned motion picture film includes a film scanner for scanning motion picture film and generating a stream of digital image signals corresponding to motion picture images, a color grading channel that pre-visualizes a certain “look” that can be applied to the digital image signals and a digital rendering channel that renders the digital image signals pre-visualized for a certain “look” into a digital master. The “look” includes the appearances produced by either a standard motion picture print film and/or adjustments applied to a standard appearance to obtain a creative effect. The color grading channel includes a parameter generator for storing parameters for a plurality of “looks”, a digital color grading processor for applying one or more selected parameters to impart a pre-visualized “look” to the digital image signals and a display device capable of reproducing the color graded signals.

Abstract: An electronic color image capture system includes an optical section for separating an input image into its separate color content and directing the separate color content toward an imaging section, which generates a plurality of color image signals from the input image. The spectral responses of the optical section and the imaging section are selected so as to cascade together to provide all-positive, symmetrical system curves modeled upon red, green and blue color matching functions representative of the human visual system. The color matching functions are derived from three monochromatic light sources and contain no more than three positive lobes as well as one or more negative lobes, wherein the areas under the color matching functions determined by (a) summation of all negative lobes and (b) overlap between the green and red color matching functions are minimized.

Abstract: A method for displaying an image including: forming at least three light beams by diffraction at a single linear light modulator, wherein the at least three light beams have substantially equal intensity and are substantially the same color; projecting the at least three light beams toward a display surface to form an image line; and, scanning the image line across the display surface to form an image thereby.