Abstract: Smart selection and paste operations for image processing use a wide edge area for selection and masking of an object from a source image. The wide edge area, which can be designated with a brush tool, allows a user to select all of a desired object without requiring pixel-by-pixel identification of the objects edge. A masking unit operates on the edge area and designates each portion or pixel of the edge area as being foreground, background, or a combination of foreground and background. The mask unit constructs a mask and a pixel map for the selected object. The mask is an array of blending parameters, and the pixel map contains natural foreground colors generated by removing background contributions form portions designated as combinations of foreground and background. A paste operation uses the blending parameters from the mask to add background contributions from a target images to the portions of the object designated as combinations of foreground and background.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating three-dimensional models of an object use images having unmeasured camera parameters. Camera calibration determines the perspective of the camera from the content of the images. A background having a pattern with a known marks in each image can facilitate determination of the camera parameters. One background pattern includes separated marks having rectangular sections where corners of the rectangular sections provide calibrations points for the camera parameters. The camera parameters can also be determined by matching features of the object in different images and determining differences in perspective from differences in the appearance of the matched features in different images. A combination of projective and metric reconstructions provides robust reconstruction.

Abstract: A method for generating texture includes (1) selecting a target patch to be filled in a image, (2) selecting a sample patch as a candidate for filling the target patch, (3) determining a first difference between a first area surrounding the target patch and a corresponding first area surrounding the sample patch, and a second difference between a second area surrounding the target patch and a corresponding second area surrounding the sample patch, (4) multiplying a larger of the first difference and the second difference with a first weight factor, and a smaller of the first difference and the second difference with a second weight factor, and (5) summing the weighted first difference and the weighted second difference as a distance between the target patch and the sample patch.

Abstract: For a portable video player to encode MP3 audio, a first digital signal processor (DSP) encodes digital signals from an analog/digital (A/D) converter into MP3 data, and a controller reads the MP3 data into a nonvolatile memory. To decode MP3 or MP2 audio, the controller reads MP3/2 data from the nonvolatile memory into the first DSP, and the first DSP decodes the MP3/2 data into digital signals that are provided to a digital/analog (D/A) converter. For the portable video player to encode a different type of audio, the first DSP is bypassed and a second DSP encodes digital signals from the A/D converter into audio data and writes the audio data into the nonvolatile memory. To decode this different type of audio, the first DSP is bypassed and the second DSP decodes audio data from the nonvolatile memory into digital signals that are provided to the D/A converter.

Abstract: A method for detecting an image area in a digital image includes identifying in the digital image a first image region indicative of a background area and a second image region indicative of the image area, computing gradient values using the pixel values of the digital image, defining a list of strokes based on the gradient values, merging the list of strokes, defining a list of corners using the list of strokes, and defining an image area rectangle delimiting the image area using the list of corners and the list of strokes. The image area rectangle can be used to define a binding box for extracting the image area from the digital image. The method enables the automatic detection of multiple image areas in a digital image. Moreover, the method implements a robust algorithm for image area detection such that even imperfect image areas can be detected without errors.

Abstract: A method generates a composite image by painting unfilled regions between micro-objects with other micro-objects to create a multiple layer effect. Another method generates a composite image from as few as one micro-object by changing the average color and/or intensity of the micro-object to match that of an area on the source image. Yet another method quickly generates a preview image of a composite image by saving the micro-objects in multiple resolutions so that the micro-objects at the small resolution can be quickly scaled to build a preview image of the composite image.

Abstract: A method for determining areas of sub-pixel regions formed by edges in a pixel includes receiving a first fill style to a first side of an edge, a second fill style to a second side of the edge, and a projected area of the edge to the second side of the edge. The method further includes determining if there is a sub-pixel region in the cell having the first fill style. If so, the method further includes (1) incrementing an area of the sub-pixel region by the difference between the unit area of the pixel and the projected area, and (2) modularizing the area by the unit area of the pixel. If not, the method further includes saving in the cell a sub-pixel region having (1) the first fill style and (2) an area equal to a difference between a unit area of the pixel and the projected area.

Abstract: A file system for file sharing includes a web server that creates a temporary directory for each session between the web server and a client computer. When the client computer requests a file located in a file server, the web server creates a symbolic link to the file in the temporary directory and a web page including an URL to the symbolic link. The web server transmits the web page, and therefore the file, to the client computer. Client computer can also upload files to the web server. The web server saves the uploaded files to the temporary directory and then moves the files to the file server. At the end of the session, the web server deletes the temporary directory. Thus, files are not saved on the web server and therefore not accessible to others from the Internet. In this file system, file and directory names are orderly incremented in the file server to simplify the back up process of the file server.

Abstract: An image matching method for matching a first image and an overlapping second image includes generating a first set of working layers of the first image and a second set of working layers of the second image. The method determines an overlap between an initial working layer of the first image and an initial working layer of the second image where the initial working layers have a smaller pixel array size and a lower image resolution than the other working layers. The method selects a feature point in the working layer of the first image and determines a position in the working layer of the second image corresponding to the feature point. The method then determines the motion parameters based on the feature point and the position in the first and second images.

Abstract: An automated picture montage method (10) and associated apparatus computer system (12) for accepting an original image (40) and a picture database (28) for creating a montage image (58) from a plurality of pictures (46) to approximate the original image (40). In a pre-index database operation (36), the database (28) is indexed so as to minimize the computational power required. In order to maximize the quality of image, tile regions (42) are analyzed beginning at a center tile region (54) in an outward spiraling order of progression (48). In order to speed the process, analysis is accomplished in a first pass operation (44) and a second pass operation (50). Pictures in the picture database (28) are first selected based on the average color difference of the pictures and the tile region (42). A best match picture is found based on the RGB mean square difference between picture subregions and tile subregions.

Abstract: A method for video editing software to display a preview of a video in real-time includes (a) retrieving one or more frames to be displayed at a current time into a system RAM of a computer; (b) applying one or more effects to the one or more frames to form a new frame; (c) displaying the new frame on a monitor without saving the new frame on a storage medium of the computer; and (d) repeating the actions (a) to (c) for subsequent times. The method may include reducing the resolution of the one or more frames after retrieving the one or more frames. The displaying of the new frame on a screen may include using a multimedia programming interface, such as DirectX, to copy the new frame in the system RAM to a RAM of a display card of the computer and using the multimedia programming interface to refresh the display card to display on a monitor the new frame.

Abstract: A system and process for real-time rendering of video images. A computer processes a set of video clips, images, and stills and simultaneously displays them on a screen. At any given time, a program processes the set along with transition and special effect frames and displays them to an observer.