Abstract: The present invention performs coding with little deterioration in the image quality of a character image when block coding is performed by synthesizing the character image on an image. To achieve this object, an image processing apparatus of this invention includes a generating unit for generating character image data, an image synthesizing unit for synthesizing the character image data and another image data, and a coding unit for block-coding the image data synthesized by the synthesizing unit. In generating the character image data by the generating unit, a size of a unit pixel for forming character image data is a fraction of an even number or an integer multiple of a block size to be block-coded by the coding unit. The synthesizing unit synthesizes the image data such that each unit pixel does not cross a plurality of blocks.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for processing an image to identify the position of a linear pattern--for example, a line or a cross-hair comprising a plurality of intersecting lines. The system performs a first processing step for generating a projection of the image along axes aligned with an expected position of the linear patterns. A second processing step performs a mirror symmetry filtering on the projection to bring out a single peak corresponding to the center of the linear pattern. To further isolate that peak, the system performs a further filtering operation to remove peaks of lesser slope angle, so that only a highly sloped spike corresponding to the linear pattern will remain. The position of the center that peak corresponds to the center of the linear pattern in the original input signal.

Abstract: A moving direction measuring device includes a collation Fourier pattern data generating section, a registration Fourier pattern data generating section, a pattern processing section, and a moving direction measuring section. The collation Fourier pattern data generating section generates collation Fourier two-dimensional pattern data by performing two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform for two-dimensional pattern data input at time T.sub.n. The registration Fourier pattern data generating section generates registration Fourier two-dimensional pattern data by performing two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform for two-dimensional pattern data input at time T.sub.n+1. The pattern processing section synthesizes these Fourier two-dimensional pattern data, and performs either two-dimensional discrete Fourier transform or two-dimensional discrete inverse Fourier transform for the resultant data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting objects in computed tomography (CT) data are disclosed. Erosion of the data can be performed by identifying a neighborhood of voxels surrounding a voxel of interest. If the number of voxels having densities below a predetermined threshold exceeds a predetermined number, then it is assumed that the voxel of interest is a surface voxel of an object and is removed from the object. A connectivity process is then applied to remaining voxels to combine them into objects. A dilation function can then be performed on the eroded object to replace surface voxels removed by erosion. This morphological connected components labeling (CCL) approach separates adjacent objects in the data such that they can be individually labeled and analyzed.

Abstract: For providing an efficient image pattern matching system, an image feature extractor (11) of the invention comprises a feature vector extraction means (101) for extracting a feature vector from the pattern image, a quality index extraction means (106) for extracting quality index information of the pattern image, an error distribution information storing means (105) wherein error distribution information representing correlation between error distribution of the feature vector and the quality index information is prepared, and a confidence attribution means (107) for obtaining confidence estimation information referring to the error distribution information retrieved with the quality index information. The image feature analyzer (51) prepares the error distribution information. An image feature matching system collates feature information of an image pattern extracted by the image feature extractor (11) by comparing it to registered feature information.

Abstract: A method of correction of a mask pattern in which the mask pattern of a photomask to be used in a photolithographic step is deformed so that a transfer image near a desired design pattern is obtained, including an evaluation point arrangement step for arranging a plurality of evaluation points along an outer periphery of the desired design pattern; a simulation step for simulating the transfer image to be obtained where exposure is carried out under predetermined transfer conditions by using a photomask of a design pattern given the evaluation points; a comparison step for comparing a difference between the simulated transfer image and the design pattern for every evaluation point; and a deformation step for deforming the design pattern according to the difference compared for every evaluation point so that the difference becomes smaller and a correction apparatus for the same.

Abstract: A method for rigorously reshaping a pair of overlapping digital images using a Digital Photogrammetric Workstation (DPW) is disclosed. The overlapping images are imported into the DPW as a pair of originally distorted images having an associated sensor model. The original images are triangulated to adjust sensor parameters. Orthophotos are created with a flat digital terrain matrix (DTM) to leave terrain displacements within themselves, and according to a sensor model and formula for exact projective computations. The orthophotos are aligned by rotation, and interior orientation coordinates of the equivalent vertical frame images are determined. The orthophotos are imported as a pair of overlapping equivalent vertical frame images according to the interior orientation coordinates. A digital terrain model is generated in the DPW using the overlapping equivalent vertical frame images. Another orthophoto is produced using the digital terrain model to remove the measured terrain displacements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embedding and retrieving an additional data bitstream in an encoded data stream, such as MPEG. The embedded data is processed and a choice parameter in the header portion of the encoded data stream is varied according to the embedded information bit pattern. Optimization of the encoded data stream is not significantly affected. The embedded information is robust in that the encoded data stream would need to be decoded and re-encoded in order to change a bit of the embedded information. As relevant portions of the header are not scrambled to facilitate searching and navigation through the encoded data stream, the embedded data can generally be retrieved even when the encoded data stream is scrambled.

Abstract: A system to align oriented (unaligned) objects in an image to permit such operations as dimensional gauging or measurements to be performed. Using the angle of rotation of the object in the unaligned image, the system creates a destination image having rows and columns of pixels aligned with a specified axis. The unaligned image is then aligned by finding a first pixel location in a first column in the destination image; locating a first whole pixel location nearest to the first pixel area in the unaligned image; copying the actual pixel value of the first whole pixel location in the unaligned image to the first pixel location in the destination image; locating a next whole pixel location in the unaligned image; copying the actual pixel value of the next whole pixel location to a next pixel location in the destination image until all pixels in a first column of the window have been copied to the first column of the destination image; locating the next column, and continuing until a last column is located.

Abstract: A radiation image signal, which has been obtained by reading out a radiation image having been recorded by use of an irradiation field stop and having an irradiation field thereon, is thinned out at a predetermined rate, and a thinned-out image signal is thereby obtained. The shape and location of the irradiation field are determined in accordance with the thinned-out image signal, and a range of a blackening process is set in accordance with the results of the determination. A blackening process is carried out on the thinned-out image signal with respect to the set blackening process range, and a visible image is reproduced from the thinned-out image signal., which has been obtained from the blackening process. The blackening process range is corrected in accordance with the visible image reproduced from the thinned-out image signal, which has been obtained from the blackening process.

Abstract: An improved method and mechanism for recognizing chirographs (handwritten characters) input into a computer system. A primary recognizer is provided for converting chirographs to code points, and secondary recognizers such as binary CART trees are developed and trained to differentiate chirographs which produce certain code points at the primary recognizer. Each such secondary recognizer is associated with each selected code point. When a chirograph is received, the chirograph is provided to the primary recognizer whereby a code point corresponding thereto is received. If the code point corresponds to one of the secondary recognizers, the chirograph is passed to the secondary recognizer, and a code point is returned from the secondary recognizer. If not, the code point provided by the primary recognizer is returned.

Abstract: A process for the automatic detection of defects in a complexe part comprises segmenting a radioscopic image of the part into two classes of zone in such a way as to obtain a binary images referred to as a mask, in which the assessable zones and the non-assessable zones respectively assume the values 1 and 0, and applying to the radioscopic image conditional morphological transformations formulated from a conditional formative element obtained by intersection between a conventional formative element and the mask. The process is particularly applicable to the radioscopic inspection and evaluation of blade castings.

Abstract: A method of correction of a mask pattern in which the mask pattern of a photomask to be used in a photolithographic step is deformed so that a transfer image near a desired design pattern is obtained, including an evaluation point arrangement step for arranging a plurality of evaluation points along an outer periphery of the desired design pattern; a simulation step for simulating the transfer image to be obtained where exposure is carried out under predetermined transfer conditions by using a photomask of a design pattern given the evaluation points; a comparison step for comparing a difference between the simulated transfer image and the design pattern for every evaluation point; and a deformation step for deforming the design pattern according to the difference compared for every evaluation point so that the difference becomes smaller and a correction apparatus for the same.

Abstract: In a method of interpolating the motion vectors at all pixel positions in a frame on the basis of the motion vectors at plural predetermined representative points to perform motion compensated prediction of moving pictures, there is adaptively selected one of a method for dividing the frame into plural areas and interpolating the motion vector every area is selected from a conventional method of linearly interpolating a motion vector by using all the surrounding representative points, a method of separately detecting motion vectors for an area, a method of further dividing an area into plural subareas, a method of temporarily converting the values of the motion vectors at the representative points into values to be used for the motion vector interpolation, and a method of setting a fixed value as a prediction value.

Abstract: A pattern recognition device having modifiable feature detectors (28) which respond to a transduced input signal (26) and communicate a feature activity signal (30) to allow classification and an appropriate output action (70). A memory (40) stores a set of comparison patterns, and is used by an assigner (66) to find likely features, or parts, in the current input signal (26). Each part is assigned to a feature detector (28[m]) judged to be responsible for it. An updater (42) modifies each responsible feature detector (28[m]) so as to make its preferred feature more similar to its assigned part. The modification embodies a strong constraint on the feature learning process, in particular an assumption that the ideal features for describing the pattern domain occur independently. This constraint allows improved learning speed and potentially improved scaling properties.

Abstract: A method is described for selective color correction of an original color image. In one embodiment, a color is selected by picking a colored pixel from the color image and a changed color, having a restricted color change, is associated with the selected color. All original colors, situated within a local color gamut, comprising the selected color, undergo a color modification according to the color change. The effect of the modification decreases as the original color reaches the boundary of the local color gamut. The selected color and changed color may be defined in the native color space, the local color gamut is preferentially defined by an action radius related to a psychometric color space. Two or more selective color corrections may be combined by a weighted mean modification, by choosing for each color change a weight value, which decreases as the selected color is more different from the original color.

Abstract: A color correction device for correcting colors in a color image, comprising: standard point registration means for registering coordinates of a standard point on a color space for at least one color to be used as a standard for color correction; object point registration means for registering coordinates of an object point on the color space which corresponds to a standard point and which is a desired color after color correction; and coordinate conversion means for determining a mapping function based on the standard point and the object point, and for generating a corrected color image by using the mapping function to convert pre-correction points on the color space which are equivalent to a color of each pixel in an inputted pre-correction image. By means of the construction described above, all of the colors in a color space can be converted based on at least one pair of standard point and object point. As a result, precise color correction can be easily achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for compressing digital data, such as the digital representation of a colored image. A scanning routine is described which aims to maintain the integrity of regions of the image that the human visual system also finds important. Pixel data from the image data includes color components, e.g., intensities of three or more colors such as red, green and blue or cyan, magenta and yellow. When the color components of the pixels are represented in color space, the axes of which are the three color components with the intensities thereof as variables, it has been found experimentally, particularly for artificial or synthetic images, that significant regions in the image tend to produce clusters of points in color space. In accordance with the invention, the color space is scanned by a space filling curve to convert the coordinates in color space into a one dimensional matrix such as a histogram. If certain types of space filling curves are used, e.g.

Abstract: A conversion parameter for a (N)th image data is read from the information table (201) while converting a (N-1)th image data, which is inputted one clock prior to the (N)th image data. The (N)th image data is converted in accordance with the previously read conversion parameter when the conversion of the (N-1)th image data is completed.

Abstract: An acquired arrangement of object locations is analyzed. The acquired arrangement imperfectly conforms to an ideal arrangement of points. Sets of vectors are found in the acquired arrangement. A composite set of vectors is derived from the sets of vectors.