Abstract: A method is for correcting inhomogeneities in an image that is recorded from an examination object. The method includes recording an image to be corrected, calculating a correction image from the image to be corrected and correcting the recorded image with the aid of the correction image in order to produce a normalized image by multiplying the correction image by the image to be corrected. When calculating the correction images, the pixels in the vicinity of the imaged examination object are identified with the aid of a signal intensity that is lower than a limiting value. Further, these pixels are allocated signal intensities that in each case are a function of the signal intensity of the pixels in the respective neighborhood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to steganography and digital watermarking. In one implementation, we provide a method to analyze a digital image to determine whether the digital image will be a suitable host to receive steganographic encoding or digital watermarking. Suitability is determined, at least in part, by analyzing the digital image relative to an expected workflow process through which a watermarked version of the digital image is expected to flow through. Our methods and systems determine whether the digital image forms a suitable host to receive digital watermarking relative to the expected workflow process. If the digital image is not suitable, the digital image is modified to better receive digital watermarking in anticipation of the expected workflow process.

Abstract: A color balance correction device includes a histogram generating unit that generates histograms of a gradation level of pixels for R, G, and B; a decreasing-tendency-area identifying unit that identifies a range that the frequency tends to decrease first from a highlight side of each of histograms generated by the histogram generating unit as the catch light area; and a correction-amount calculating unit that calculates a correction amount of the color balance using data of pixels except for those in the catch light area specified by the decreasing-tendency-area identifying unit.

Abstract: Output from a video camera is monitored. Input data is analyzed to produce a model of a background image and incoming image data is compared with said background model to identify images having a high level of activity created by the introduction of a foreground object. A period of activity, composed of a plurality of consecutive images having a high level of activity, is identified, and an exemplar image is generated.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to diagnostic imaging of small pulmonary nodules. There are two main stages in the evaluation of pulmonary nodules from Computed Tomography (CT) scans: detection, in which the locations of possible nodules are identified, and characterization, in which a nodule is represented by measured features that may be used to evaluate the probability that the nodule is cancer. Currently, the most useful prediction feature is growth rate, which requires the comparison of size estimates from two CT scans recorded at different times. The present invention includes methods for detection and feature extraction for size characterization. The invention focuses the analysis of small pulmonary nodules that are less than 1 centimeter in size, but is also suitable for larger nodules as well.

Abstract: Automatic calibration of an eye tracking system involves capturing a plurality of eye measurements, wherein each eye measurement relates to a corresponding eye gaze position of a human eye; determining a set of statistics data from the plurality of eye gaze measurements; comparing the set of statistics of eye gaze measurements with a set of statistics relating to a plurality of pre-measured eye gaze positions of at least one person; and as a result of the comparison, determining a calibration correction factor which, when applied to the statistics of eye gaze measurements, gives an optimum match between the statistics of eye gaze measurements and the statistics of predetermined eye gaze positions.

Abstract: A gesture detecting apparatus prepares time series data of coordinates of specific part of object gesturing, calculates velocity vector of the specific part from the time series data of coordinates, to obtain time-series velocity vectors, detects dynamic periods when displacement per unit time of the specific part is larger than predetermined value, based on the time-series velocity vectors, acquires each representative velocity vector from velocity vectors in each dynamic period, stores the each representative velocity vector corresponding to the each dynamic period in memory, calculates first intersection angle of two representative velocity vectors stored in the memory, the two representative velocity vectors corresponding to two successive dynamic periods, and detects that the motion of the specific part is reciprocating motion when the first intersection angle is larger than first threshold value.

Abstract: A digital watermark embedding apparatus comprises an acquisition unit configured to acquire a topological invariant as digital watermark information, key information corresponding to the digital watermark information, and a target content in which the digital watermark information is to be embedded, function generation unit configured to generate a topological function corresponding to the topological invariant, a randomizing-function generation unit configured to generate a randomizing function based on the key information, and compute a composite function by composition of the randomizing function and the topological function, and a function-embedding unit configured to embed the composite function in the target content.

Abstract: A method of scoring Oestrogen and Progesterone Receptors expression (ER and PR) from histological images determines the percentage of brown image blob area in total blob area and derives percentage thresholds to quantify scoring. Brown blob area proportion is then compared with the thresholds to provide a first contribution to scoring of ER or PR. The number of relatively dark pixels is then counted, pixel number thresholds are determined to quantify scoring, and the number of relatively dark pixels is compared with the thresholds to provide a second contribution scoring of ER or PR. The two contributions are then added to provide an overall scoring in the range 0 to 8 which may be taken as a final score or it may be scaled to a conventional range 0 to 3.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for on-road vehicle detection. A video sequence is received that is comprised of a plurality of image frames. A potential vehicle appearance is identified in an image frame. Known vehicle appearance information and scene geometry information are used to formulate initial hypotheses about vehicle appearance. The potential vehicle appearance is tracked over multiple successive image frames. Potential motion trajectories for the potential vehicle appearance are identified over the multiple image frames. Knowledge fusion of appearance, scene geometry and motion information models are applied to each image frame containing the trajectories. A confidence score is calculated for each trajectory. A trajectory with a high confidence score is determined to represent a vehicle appearance.

Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring a target with a narrow field-of-view gimbaled imaging sensor. The system includes a target-detection subsystem including one or more target-detection imaging sensor with a first field-of-view, a target-tracking subsystem and a processing system in communication with the target-detection subsystem and the target-tracking imaging subsystem. The target-tracking subsystem includes a target-tracking imaging sensor with a second field-of-view smaller than the first field-of-view, and a gimbal mechanism for controlling a viewing direction of the target-tracking imaging sensor.

Abstract: Enhanced portal security is provided through stereoscopy, including a stereo door sensor for detecting and optionally preventing access violations, such as piggybacking and tailgating. A portal security system can include a 3D imaging system that generates a target volume from plural 2D images of a field of view about a portal; and a processor that detects and tracks people candidates moving through the target volume to detect a portal access event.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing transmission of content created by a content generation device embedded in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) by determining what type of watermarks should be applied to the content and incorporating the watermarks in the content. The WTRU includes a content generation unit, a watermark incorporation unit, and a communication subsystem. The content generation unit is embedded in the WTRU and generates content, such as audio, video, image, text or a combination thereof. The watermark incorporation unit determines the type of watermarks that should be incorporated in the content and incorporates the watermarks in the content. The communication subsystem transmits the watermarked content.

Abstract: A conventional medical image processing apparatus is capable of forming a section perpendicular to a reference plane, but has a drawback that a section intersecting the reference plane at a desired angle other than the right angle cannot be formed. A sectional line is defined in a three-dimensional image viewed perpendicularly to a reference plane. Then, the displayed image is switched to an image viewed along the sectional line, and a line indicative of the reference plane and a line indicative of a sectional plane based on the sectional line are displayed in the image. In turn, the line indicative of the displayed sectional plane is inclined with respect to the line indicative of the reference plane. Then, a sectional image taken along the sectional plane defined by the inclined line is displayed.

Abstract: Film-based images can be scanned in a conventional manner, then digitally designated and “cut” from the digital file resulting from the scan. These selected images can then be collated and registered as individual images, or slices in certain contexts, allowing them to be assembled in various presentations, such as in stack mode with digitally-acquired images. The resulting collated files can then be stored by the user as a new series of images. The technique thus greatly facilitates the access and comparison of the images regardless of the originating medium.

Abstract: A method and device for automatically identifying sperm cells in a smear on a microscope slide, including capturing a first digital color image within an area of interest on the microscope slide. The first digital color image is split into a plurality of component color space images and stored into a plurality of memory spaces. The component color space images are manipulated by mathematical functions, logical functions or a combination of mathematical and logical functions to produce a result image. Thresholding the result image creates a binary result image which is processed with particle (blob) analysis. A set of blob factors is applied to identify probable sperm cells; and a list of universal coordinate system positions of the probable sperm cells is created.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a memory that stores a background image and a character image that is separate from the background image and overlaps the background image; a processing target area determining unit that determines a processing target area in the background image, the processing target area being in a prescribed positional relation with the character image; a background feature parameter extracting unit that extracts from the processing target area a background feature parameter that includes a feature frequency showing a frequency characteristics of the processing target area; a character feature parameter extracting unit that extracts from the character image a character feature parameter that includes a feature frequency showing a frequency characteristics of the character image; a parameter determining unit that determines a parameter for use in image processing performed on the processing target area, according to a combination of the background feature parameter and the character

Abstract: The ability to remove a watermark from an encoded image by reversible watermarking opens the possibility of various novel applications. Several such applications are detailed. One permits different classes of consumers to gain access to different versions of an image. A pristine image is intentionally degraded in some fashion, and distributed to consumers. By reference to one or more watermarks in the degraded image, some or all of the degradation can be removed, or transformed to a less-objectionable state. Through such arrangements, image consumers with different needs can gain access to versions of the image having differing qualities.

Abstract: A system for determining the image resolution of a check image using MICR characters. The disclosed system includes an extracting system for extracting a magnetic ink code recognition (MICR) code line from the document image, wherein the extracting system provides coordinate values for each of a plurality of MICR characters in the MICR code line; a calculating system for calculating a set of resolution values based on the coordinate values of the MICR characters; and a statistical analysis system that calculates a representative resolution value from the set of resolution values.

Abstract: Broadly speaking the present invention is directed to a system for calculating a volume of fluid that is disposed within a container. The system includes (1) an imaging device that captures and stores an image of at least the volume of fluid in the container; (2) a background disposed behind the container so that at least the volume of fluid in the container is disposed in front of the background; and (3) a processor that performs at least one operation on the stored image to calculate the volume of the fluid within the container.