Abstract: An image processing system includes a processing device having a memory device for storing computer-executable instructions. The processing device is programmed to define a first descriptor in a first image, generate a mask from the first descriptor, and define a second descriptor in a second image. The processing device is further programmed to compare the first descriptor to the second descriptor to define a first error vector, determine a second error vector by applying a mask, and compute the total error of the second error vector to determine an error between the first descriptor and the second descriptor.

Abstract: A method of performing image processing on an image synthesized from a natural image and a computer graphic (CG) image. In this method, the synthesized image is separated into a natural-image region and a CG-image region. Based on the natural-image region, an image-processing parameter for the image processing is computed. Next, an intermediate image is acquired by performing the image processing on the synthesized image, based on the image-processing parameter. And a processed image is acquired by synthesizing the natural-image region contained in the intermediate image and the CG-image region contained in the synthesized image.

Abstract: A motion image processing apparatus is disclosed. In the apparatus, a decoding part decodes frame data separated by a frame separating part based on the quality parameter. That is, a quality parameter calculating part calculates the frame data number possible to further store in a frame buffer obtained from an accumulated data volume detecting part, and a decode quality updating part updates the quality parameter for the decoding part. Moreover, a frame location determining part determines a next frame location to process based on the frame data number, and the frame location updating part indicates the next frame location to a frame separating part.

Abstract: A data processing system is provided for setting a value of a performance controlling parameter during processing of a data stream comprising a plurality of data blocks. The performance controlling parameter is set by deriving a complexity measure for at least one data block by performing an initial processing stage on the at least one data block. The performance controlling parameter is set to a predicted value in dependence upon the complexity measure and at least one further processing stage is performed on the at least one data block at the predicted value of the performance controlling parameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device of novel construction, in which a fingerprint recognition device is integrally formed with the liquid crystal display device, thereby minimizing the increase in the price and size of a final product. The liquid crystal display device comprises an image display panel and a fingerprint recognition panel which are integrally formed, wherein the image display panel comprises a scan drive unit which sequentially turns on rows formed in the image display panel for each frame in order to display images, and a data drive unit which outputs data signals to a turned-on row provided in the image display panel, and wherein the fingerprint recognition panel comprises a switch control unit which sequentially turns on rows formed in the fingerprint recognition panel for each frame in order to perform fingerprint recognition, and a reading unit, to which fingerprint information recognized from a turned-on row is outputted.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting the corners of a region in an image.

Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus that extracts a body present in the surroundings of a vehicle as an object, based on an image captured by an infrared imaging device, includes: a binarized object extraction device that extracts a binarized object from image data obtained by binarizing a gray scale images of the image; a search region setting device that sets a search region including a bottom end of the binarized object extracted by the binarized object extraction device, on the gray scale image; a horizontal edge detection device that detects a horizontal edge in the search region; a horizontal edge width calculation device that calculates a width of the horizontal edge or a status quantity related to the width; and an object type determination device that determines a type of the object based on the width of the horizontal edge or the status quantity related to the width.

Abstract: A system and method 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: In a method of determining the region of interest in images of skin impressions, the skin having ridges and valleys and the images taking the form of image data, values within a first value range being assigned to the ridges and values within a second value range of the image data being assigned to the valleys, the values of the overall image are shifted in the direction of the first value range. The overall image is split into tiles. Mean values of the shifted values for the individual tiles are compared with a reference value. Those tiles whose mean value deviates relative to the reference value in the direction of the first value range are considered at least on a preliminary basis as belonging to the region of interest.

Abstract: In a method of encoding lines in a print from the skin and particularly a fingerprint, one line at a time is encoded by means of vertices, which include the starting point and the end point, that are situated on the line, in which case segments of connecting line between adjacent vertices are no more than a preset distance away from the line.

Abstract: Provided is an automatic tracking method for a golf swing, the following steps of: attaching colored marks onto a golfer and a golf club; adopting a specific still image as a reference image to store reference color information and coordinate data of each of the marks; setting, on a search range, which is a region including the position of the mark predicted on the next image and setting a color range of each mark that is an allowable range, in which colors can be regarded as the same as reference color information regarding a pixel, as a position of a mark, in a case where the absolute value of a difference between the still image being considered on which a differential processing has been conducted with the background image in the search range and the reference color information falls within the color range and is the minimum.

Abstract: A method for identifying of tokens in a video sequence is described. First, the video sequence is scanned for boundaries between consecutive parts of the sequence where the appearance of the tokens is expected. After that step, candidate regions are pre-selected and classified in parts of the video sequence adjacent to detected boundaries, and tokens are located in the candidate regions. Information carried on the tokens is located, interpreted, and merged into consistent sets of information after passing a confidence analysis. In parallel a change in the visual appearance of a token, signaling a special event, is detected.

Abstract: A method of lung lobe segmentation having the steps of: providing of three dimensional first image data of a lung; segmentation of a tubular structure to identify first voxels of the first image data belonging to the tubular structure and to identify second voxels of the first image data which do not belong to the tubular structure; determining a distance measure for each one of the second voxels, by determining a minimum distance between each one of the second voxels to one of the first voxels to provide second image data; and performing a lobe segmentation based on the second image data.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provides the ability to process image data. Image data is output as picture screen elements to a display. In response to selecting a sample of the picture screen elements, a reference co-ordinate system is generated. The reference co-ordinate system is used to process each of the picture screen elements. An axis of the reference co-ordinate system defines a distance. The picture screen elements are discriminated and processed according to the distance by proportionally averaging the co-ordinates.

Abstract: A method for defining image quality characteristics of X-ray based medical projection imaging devices is provided. A spatial frequency-dependent signal-to-noise ratio function includes image quality parameters of spatial resolution, object contrast and noise. The detectability of an object embedded into a defined background, such as a cardiac guide wire in a patient is determined. An X-ray system may be defined and set up for obtaining an optimized image quality to determine the best object detectability for a given patient dose.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for medical imaging, particularly for mammography, wherein a body organ, such as a breast, is exposed to X-rays and the X-rays are collected after attenuation through the object. The recorded attenuations are processed and displaying a result of this processing in the form of a representation of an image of the object. The processing of the recorded attenuations form includes automatic classification of zones of the breast into pathological or non-pathological classes. The automatic classification takes into account at least one classification input into the apparatus in advance in association with data that can be collected by the apparatus, and using this prior classification as a reference in order to produce a classification of the same type if there is similarity between the collected data and the data associated with this reference classification.

Abstract: A lane recognizing image processing system for recognizing lane markings laid on a driving road for motor vehicles includes a lane marking candidate point extraction means (20) for extracting lane marking candidate points (C) from an image (G) taken by an image pickup means (10) mounted on the motor vehicle, and a lane recognizing means (30) for recognizing a lane defined on the road on the basis of set of the lane marking candidate points (C). The lane recognizing means (30) includes a lane marking candidate point position converting means (31) for recognizing as lane marking candidate point positions the positions of the lane marking candidate points (C) transformed onto a straight line extending toward a null point.

Abstract: A method for aligning an image to be recorded by a direct image scanner on an upper layer of a printed circuit board with an image recorded on a lower layer thereof, the method comprising: visually imaging a portion of the image on the lower layer; and recording a pattern on the upper layer, referenced to coordinates of the visual image of the portion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for feature selection are described. In particular, methods and systems for feature selection for data classification, retrieval, and segmentation are described. Certain embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and systems for complement sort-merge tree (CSMT), fast-converging sort-merge tree (FSMT), and multi-level (ML) feature selection. Accurate and fast results may be obtained by the feature selection methods and systems described herein.

Abstract: A first image producing program perspectively transforms each polygon in a virtual space onto a plane on the basis of a view position in order to produce a first image, and a second image producing program deteriorates a quality of the first image to produce the second image having the same size as the first image. A synthetic image producing program produces a display image with combination of the first and second images by applying semi-transparentizing processing to at least one of both first and second images so that each polygon of the first image can be displayed around a depth position of a gaze position and each polygon of the second image can be displayed as the polygon approaches at least one side of both front and rear sides concerning the gaze point.