Abstract: A method for disseminating information regarding a problem and administering medical interventions comprises providing a mobile device wirelessly connectable to a network, receiving and storing contact information corresponding to a designated list of information recipients, receiving, via the mobile device and via the wireless trigger transmitting to the mobile device, a signal from a user indicating the problem, receiving, via the mobile device, information regarding the problem, transmitting an indication of the problem to a rescue clearinghouse via the network, prompting a participant of the rescue clearinghouse, different from the user, to make a decision about a course of action regarding the problem, and at least one of transmitting the information regarding the problem to the information recipients from the designated list and transmitting the information regarding the problem to a government rescue organization, based at least in part on the decision.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes an image sensor and objective optics, which are configured to collect and focus optical radiation over a range of wavelengths along a common optical axis toward a plane of the image sensor. A dispersive element is positioned to spread the optical radiation collected by the objective optics so that different wavelengths in the range are focused along different, respective optical axes toward the plane.

Abstract: A video system for coding a stream of video data that includes a stream of video frames divides each video frame into a matrix of a plurality of subblocks, wherein each subblock includes a plurality of pixels. The video system operates in accordance with nine prediction modes. Each prediction mode determines a prediction mode according to which a present subblock is to be coded. One of the nine prediction modes is selected to encode the present subblock, wherein the selected prediction mode provides for a minimum error value in the present subblock.

Abstract: In a vehicle closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera apparatus mounted on a vehicle to capture images of internal and external surroundings thereof and to transmit the captured images, the camera apparatus includes: a camera module; a holding device configured to hold the camera module in a manner that enables capturing angles of the camera module to be adjusted; a housing configured to house the camera module while having an inner bottom surface coupled to the holding device; and a shock-absorbing member interposed between the holding device and the housing to absorb shock by elastically supporting the holding device and the camera module.

Abstract: A video encoder (70) for coding moving pictures comprising a buffer (16c) with a plurality of memory areas capable of storing frames composed of top fields and bottom fields, a motion estimation unit (19) operable to code, field by field, inputted pictures performing moving estimation and moving compensation by referring, field by field, to the picture data stored in a memory area, a motion compensation unit (16d), a subtractor (11), a transformation unit (13) and a quantization unit (14), a memory management unit (71) operable to manage, frame by frame, a plurality of memory areas, an inverse quantization unit (16a) and inverse discrete cosine transform unit (16b) operable to decode picture data in coded fields and store the picture data in the decoded field in any of the plurality of memory areas under the management by the memory management unit (71).

Abstract: A field of view available for stereo measurement is expanded using a field of view other than a common field of view. To this end, a plane (plane e) including a corresponding point (xa) on a sensor plane of a first camera, which corresponds to a feature point (X), a focal position (F1) of the first camera, and a focal position (F2) of the second camera is calculated; a first line (straight line E) that is a line of intersection of the plane (plane e) and a plane including a sensor plane of the second camera is calculated; a second line (straight line G) including a corresponding point group on the sensor plane of the second camera, which corresponds to a feature point group, is calculated; an intersection of the first and second lines is calculated as a corresponding point (xb) on the plane including the sensor plane of the second camera, which corresponds to the feature point (X); and three-dimensional coordinates of the feature point (X) are calculated based on the corresponding points (xa, xb).

Abstract: A vision system includes a processor and a plurality of cameras, each of which is configured to be communicatively coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to select input from different combinations of the plurality of cameras based on a parameter that is associated with at least one of the status of a vehicle and a surrounding environment of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of performing motion vector prediction for a current block in a picture is provided which includes: deriving a candidate for a motion vector predictor to code a current motion vector of the current block, from a first motion vector of a first block that is spatially adjacent or temporally adjacent to the current block; adding the derived candidate to a list of candidates; and deriving at least one motion vector predictor based on a selected candidate from the list of candidates, wherein the deriving of the candidate includes determining whether to derive the candidate from the first motion vector, based on a type of a current reference picture and a type of a first reference picture, the current reference picture being referred to from the current block using the current motion vector, the first reference picture being referred to from the first block using the first motion vector.

Abstract: A video encoder (70) for coding moving pictures comprising a buffer (16c) with a plurality of memory areas capable of storing frames composed of top fields and bottom fields, a motion estimation unit (19) operable to code, field by field, inputted pictures performing moving estimation and moving compensation by referring, field by field, to the picture data stored in a memory area, a motion compensation unit (16d), a subtractor (11), a transformation unit (13) and a quantization unit (14), a memory management unit (71) operable to manage, frame by frame, a plurality of memory areas, an inverse quantization unit (16a) and inverse discrete cosine transform unit (16b) operable to decode picture data in coded fields and store the picture data in the decoded field in any of the plurality of memory areas under the management by the memory management unit (71).

Abstract: A video encoder (70) for coding moving pictures comprising a buffer (16c) with a plurality of memory areas capable of storing frames composed of top fields and bottom fields, a motion estimation unit (19) operable to code, field by field, inputted pictures performing moving estimation and moving compensation by referring, field by field, to the picture data stored in a memory area, a motion compensation unit (16d), a subtractor (11), a transformation unit (13) and a quantization unit (14), a memory management unit (71) operable to manage, frame by frame, a plurality of memory areas, an inverse quantization unit (16a) and inverse discrete cosine transform unit (16b) operable to decode picture data in coded fields and store the picture data in the decoded field in any of the plurality of memory areas under the management by the memory management unit (71).

Abstract: In embodiments of selective illumination, an illumination system includes light sources implemented for selective illumination of a target within a field of view of an imaging system. The illumination system also includes optics that can be positioned to direct light that is generated by a subset of the light sources to illuminate a region within the field of view. An imaging application can activate the subset of the light sources and position the optics to illuminate the region within the field of view that includes the target of the selective illumination.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for signaling and receiving a video signal for processing is disclosed. Methods for determining a most probable mode for predicting a current prediction block are provided as well as new methods for grouping intra prediction modes into prediction groups. Methods for predicting a prediction block of video data as well as signaling intra prediction modes are also provided.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes an inter-pixel filter having filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The inter-pixel filter includes filters having different filtering strengths. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A method for encoding an image having been cut up into partitions. The method includes: predicting data of a current partition based on an already encoded and then decoded reference partition, generating a predicted partition; determining residual data by comparing data relating to the current partition with the predicted partition, the residual data associated with various digital data items. Prior producing a signal containing the encoded information, performing the following steps: determining, from the predetermined residual data, a subset containing residual data capable of being modified; calculating the value of a function representative of the residual data; comparing the calculated value with a value of at least one of the digital data items; based on the comparison, modification or non-modification of at least one of the residual data items of the subset; and, in the event of a modification, entropy encoding the at least one modified residual data item.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are described to overcome the perception in viewed video or other presentations containing moving vehicles that the apparent rotation rate of their wheels is frequently inappropriate for the vehicle speeds, which is caused by the stroboscopic interaction between the wheel spokes and the rate at which the images are presented. A currently preferred embodiment operates off-line under human control on a previously recorded video, identifying the wheels and replacing them with suitably altered images which are perceived to rotate at rates appropriate to the vehicle speeds; or to suppress inappropriate perception of rotation. The apparatus and method results in a new recording of the original video in which the wheels appear to rotate at the correct rate for all vehicle speeds. Alternate embodiments implement a similar but automated process operating in near-real time for operating in-line on streaming videos; and variations achieving the same ends.

Abstract: Described are techniques in video coding and/or decoding that allow for selectively breaking prediction and/or in loop filtering across segment boundaries between different segments of a video picture. A high layer syntax element, such as a parameter set or a slice header, may contain one or more indications signalling to an encoder and/or decoder whether an associated prediction or loop filtering tool may be applied across the segment boundary. In response to such one or more indications, the encoder and/or decoder may then control the prediction or loop filtering tool accordingly.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an edge direction detection unit calculates an edge direction using a denoising target image. A search shape setting unit sets a search shape in which the number of search points along the direction perpendicular to the edge direction is smaller than the number of search points along the edge direction, using the calculated edge direction as an index used for limiting the search shape. When noise of a target pixel is removed with a weight in accordance with the degree of template similarity between a template for the target pixel and a template for each of search points within a search shape and the weighted sum of pixel values at the search points, a filter execution unit executes a process of performing template matching on only search points within the set search shape and removing the noise of the target pixel.

Abstract: A control unit is detachably coupled to a camera and receptive of the imaging data with a plurality of data processing instructions being stored on the camera and/or the control unit such that when the camera is coupled to the control unit, the plurality of data processing instructions transfer the imaging data from the camera to the control unit. The data processing instructions being field upgradeable with a portable upgrading module which may couple directly to either the camera and/or the control unit.

Abstract: The imaging apparatus includes: a multiband image sensor with a light receiving surface which includes two-dimensional arrays of at least three visible light pixels and an infrared pixels, the visible light pixels having sensitivity in different visible light wavelength ranges, the infrared pixels having sensitivity in the infrared wavelength range; a coded aperture which is disposed on the light receiving surface side of the multiband image sensor and serves as an aperture in a predetermined shape with respect to light in the wavelength range in which the infrared pixel has sensitivity while directly transmitting light in other wavelengths; and a processor for processing an image obtained by the multiband image sensor. The processor generates a depth map based on an image obtained by the multiband image sensor to thereby perform processing of a blurred image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to encoding and decoding a video signal by motion compensated temporal filtering. In one embodiment, a first sequence of frames are decoded by inverse motion compensated temporal filtering by selectively adding to a first image block in the first sequence image information, the image information being based on at least one of (1) a second image block from the first sequence and (2) a third image block from an auxiliary sequence of frames.