Abstract: A digital image signal is watermarked by locally changing geometric features of the image. The watermark consists of a pseudo-random, dense subset of image pixels, e.g., a pattern of lines (20). A number of significant image pixels (21,22,23), i.e., pixels which give the highest response to a predetermined processing operation, is determined and then moved (24) to the vicinity (&dgr;) of the line pattern. As a result of this “warping”, the majority of significant image pixels (21,22) is eventually located within the vicinity of the line pattern. At the receiver end, the most significant pixels of an input image are again determined. The image is a watermarked image if a statistically high percentage lies within the vicinity of the line pattern.

Abstract: Method for generating intra-particle crystallographic parameter maps and histograms of a chemically pure crystalline particulate substance. Spectral imaging, in general, and focus-fusion multi-layer spectral imaging, in particular, combined with pattern recognition classification analysis are performed on individual particles for forming sets of single-particle spectral fingerprint data, characterized by single-particle spectral fingerprint spectra. Spectral shifts are identified in the single-particle spectral fingerprint data, for forming intra-particle crystallographic region groups each featuring sub-sets of intra-particle spectral fingerprint pattern data, where selected data elements in each sub-set are shifted relative to corresponding data elements in remaining sub-sets in the same intra-particle crystallographic region group.

Abstract: A controller allocates a bit size for a current frame in a group of pictures of a first compression-encoded digital video signal that is to be spliced following transmission of the group of pictures with a second compression-encoded digital video signal. The signals are spliced after a predetermined switching time. The spliced signals are buffered by a decoder buffer and then decoded by a decoder. When the second signal has a variable bit-encoding rate and the current frame is not decoded until after the predetermined switching time, the maximum bit size is determined in accordance with an estimate of the decoder buffer fullness at the predetermined switching time. When the second signal has a predetermined maximum variable bit-encoding rate and the current frame is not decoded until after the predetermined switching time, the minimum bit size is determined in accordance with the predetermined maximum bit-encoding rate of the second signal.

Abstract: An method for generating intra-particle morphological concentration/density maps and histograms of a chemically pure particulate substance. Spectral imaging, in general, and focus-fusion multi-layer spectral imaging, in particular, combined with pattern recognition classification analysis are performed on individual particles for forming sets of single-particle spectral fingerprint data, characterized by single-particle spectral fingerprint spectra. Spectral shifts are identified in the single-particle spectral fingerprint data, for forming intra-particle region groups featuring sub-sets of intra-particle spectral fingerprint pattern data, each characterized by an intra-particle spectral fingerprint pattern spectrum.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprising an image-sensing means for sensing an image of a subject, an extracting means for extracting predetermined feature data from the image sensed by the image-sensing means, a setting means for setting sound data to be reproduced and a reproducing means for reproducing the sound data set by the setting means according to the feature data extracted by the extracting means.

Abstract: Picture data of frames [−2] to [+2] of an input picture signal is stored to frame memories fm [−2] to fm [+2]. The picture data of the frame f [0] is supplied to an area extracting circuit. In addition, the picture data of each frame is supplied to a pixel extracting circuit. A horizontal direction DR calculating circuit and a vertical DR calculating circuit calculate a DR in the horizontal direction and a DR in the vertical direction, respectively, and determine the maximum values thereof. A voting range determining circuit and a voting range updating circuit perform a process for finally determining a voting range corresponding to the maximum value of the DR in the horizontal direction and the maximum value of the DR in the vertical direction and a process for designating a new area. A pixel extracting circuit extracts pixels on a straight line defined by straight line parameters.

Abstract: A decoding LSI adaptable to MPEG4 is provided with a padding means for performing padding on decoded texture data, an arithmetic decoding means for performing arithmetic decoding on coded shape data, and a composition means for compositing a plurality of texture data to generate composite image data. The padding means, the arithmetic decoding means, and the composition means are implemented by hardware circuits, i.e., a padding engine, an arithmetic decoding engine, and a composition engine, respectively. Therefore, the decoding LSI can perform high-speed decoding on a bitstream corresponding to plural objects, such as images, which are compressively coded by the MPEG4 coding method, with reduced cost of the hardware circuits performing the decoding process.

Abstract: A watermark embedder transforms a media signal from its perceptual domain to frequency domain regions and embeds a hash of data from one frequency domain region into a watermark in another frequency domain region. Alternatively, it encodes instances of the same message into the frequency domain regions. To detect alteration of the media signal, a watermark decoder transforms a suspect signal into the frequency domain regions, extracts the watermark message from a first frequency domain region and compares it with a reference derived from another frequency domain region. The reference signal is either a hash computed from the other frequency domain region of the watermarked signal, or another instance of the same message embedded into the other frequency domain region. The decoder can be used to detect alteration of the signal, such as alteration that occurs with reproduction (printing, scanning, copying, D/A-A/D conversion, etc.), compression, cropping or swapping of media signal content, etc.

Abstract: A method, system, computer readable medium and apparatus for computerized detection of lung nodules in computer tomography images, by which mask images are created such that subtractions of the mask image from a targeted CT section image reveal or highlight small lung nodules in the target CT section. The mask image is created utilizing the targeted CT section image along with other CT section images generated from the same CT scan. Based on these other section CT images and the targeted CT section image, a mask image can be created that is very similar to the target CT section image, but without the presence of small lung nodules. When the mask image is subtracted from the targeted CT section image, the differences between the mask images and the CT section images reveal small lung nodules. The mask image may be created by linear interpolation or a morphological filtered image.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for digitally tracking objects in real time. The present invention visually tracks three-dimensional (3-D) objects in dense disparity maps in real time. Tracking of the human body is achieved by digitally segmenting and modeling different body parts using statistical models defined by multiple size parameters, position and orientation. In addition, the present invention is embodied in a system and method for recognizing mutual occlusions of body parts and filling in data for the occluded parts while tracking a human body. The body parts are preferably tracked from frame to frame in image sequences as an articulated structure in which the body parts are connected at the joints instead of as individual objects moving and changing shape and orientation freely.

Abstract: Methods and systems for time-frequency domain watermarking of media signals, such as audio and video signals. An encoding method divides the media signal into segments, transforms each segment into a time-frequency representation, and computes a time-frequency domain watermark signal based on the time frequency representation. It then combines the time-frequency domain watermark signal with the media signal to produce a watermarked media signal. To embed a message using this method, one may use peak modulation, pseudorandom noise modulation, statistical feature modulation, etc. Watermarking in the time-frequency domain enables the encoder to perceptually model time and frequency attributes of the media signal simultaneously. A watermark decoder uses a calibration signal to detect the watermark signal in a potentially distorted version of the watermarked signal. The calibration signal may also be used to determine the watermark's alignment and scaling.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a digital watermark embedding technique for integratedly managing a plurality of kinds of contents such as still images, motion images, audio sound, and the like. To accomplish this object, the invention has, for example, an input device for inputting a first kind of data line and a second kind of data line, and an embedding device for embedding digital watermark information which is concerned with each other to each of the first and second data lines.

Abstract: A system for the automated determination of retroreflectivity values for reflective surfaces disposed along a roadway repeatedly illuminates an area along the roadway that includes at least one reflective surface using a strobing light source. Multiple light intensity values are measured over a field of view which includes at least a portion of the area illuminated by the light source. A computer processing system is used to identifying a portion of the light intensity values associated with a reflective surface and analyze the portion of the light intensity values to determine at least one retroreflectivity value for that reflective surface. Preferably, color images of the area and locational information are also generated by the system and are used together with a characterization profile of the light source to enhance the accuracy of the determination of retroreflectivity values.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking movement of a sports participant or a sports object associated with a sports activity, wherein in one example the system includes an article associated with the sports participant. The article provides a known spatial phase characteristic conveyed via electromagnetic energy. A receiver monitors the venue area within which the sports activity is occurring. Electromagnetic energy is received, wherein the received electromagnetic energy includes the electromagnetic energy from the article that conveys the spatial phase characteristic. The known spatial phase characteristic provided by said article is identified among the spatial phase characteristics of electromagnetic energy to locate the article. Physical movement of the sports participant is tracked by tracking the location of the article.

Abstract: A filter operation apparatus according to the present invention involves a vertical and horizontal half-pixel motion compensation and vertical and horizontal intra-loop filtering means 100 comprising a first pixel delay means 200, a second pixel delay means 201, a multiplication means 202, a left shift means 203, a first selection means 204, an addition means 205, a second selection means 206, a selection control signal generation means 207, a third pixel delay means 208, a right shift means 209, and a shift amount control means 210. The so-constructed operation apparatus can share an operation unit in a horizontal processing apparatus and a vertical processing apparatus in the processing of half-pixel motion compensation and intra-loop filtering for input pixel data, thereby reducing the scale of hardware.

Abstract: Imaging hardware, software, calibrants, and methods are provided to visualize and quantitate the amount of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) occurring between donor and acceptor molecules in epifluorescence microscopy. The MicroFRET system compensates for overlap among donor, acceptor, and FRET spectra using well characterized fluorescent beads as standards in conjunction with radiometrically calibrated image processing techniques. The MicroFRET system also provides precisely machined epifluorescence cubes to maintain proper image registration as the sample is illuminated at the donor and acceptor excitation wavelengths. Algorithms are described that pseudocolor the image to display pixels exhibiting radiometrically-corrected fluorescence emission from the donor (blue), the acceptor (green) and FRET (red).

Abstract: Apparatus for computational adaptive imaging comprises the following: an image information acquirer, which provides information relating to the refractive characteristics in a three-dimensional imaged volume; a ray tracer, which uses the information relating to the refractive characteristics to trace a multiplicity of rays from a multiplicity of locations in the three-dimensional imaged volume through the three-dimensional imaged volume, thereby providing a location dependent point spread function; and a deconvolver, which uses the location dependent point spread function, to provide an output image corrected for distortions due to variations in the refractive characteristics in the three-dimensional imaged volume.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for referencing the position of a moving component. The method includes generating a first signal in response to the relative movement between a first sensor and encoder strip having a repeating pattern of fiducial marks, the first signal including a plurality of transitions corresponding to the repeating pattern; generating a second signal in response to the relative movement of a second sensor and the encoder strip, the second signal including a plurality of transitions corresponding to the repeating pattern; estimating a position of the moving component based upon the transitions within the first sensor signal; and identifying a direction of movement of the moving component in response to the first and second signals.

Abstract: A mobile object combination detection apparatus includes a plurality of moving image input units, a plurality of mobile object detection units each connected to one of the moving image input units, and a combination determination unit. Each of the plurality of mobile object detection unit detects a mobile object at a predetermined position on a moving image inputted thereto from the moving image input unit, and sends detection information to the combination determination unit. The combination determination unit compares the detection information of the mobile object sent thereto from each of the mobile object detection unit with a predetermined condition to determine that a target mobile object is detected when the detection information satisfies the predetermined condition.

Abstract: A person's business card is steganographically encoded with plural-bit data. When presented to a computer system with an optical sensor, the plural-bit data is decoded and used to trigger various functionality. For example, the system can link to a remote data store containing updated contact information for the person—contact information that is updated during the day as the person's activities make different contact information appropriate at different times. A great variety of other arrangements, some employing other steganographically encoded objects, are also detailed.