Abstract: A video compression framework based on parametric object and background compression is proposed. At the encoder, an object is detected and frames are segmented into regions corresponding to the foreground object and the background. The encoder generates object motion and appearance parameters. The motion or warping parameters may include at least two parameters for object translation; two parameters for object scaling in two primary axes and one object orientation parameter indicating a rotation of the object. Particle filtering may be employed to generate the object motion parameters. The proposed methodology is the formalization of the concept and usability for perceptual quality scalability layer for Region(s) of Interest. A coded video sequence format is proposed which aims at “network friendly” video representation supporting appearance and generalized motion of object(s).

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: An endoscope includes an insertion portion having an elongated shape, an imaging unit provided at a distal portion of the insertion portion and configured to acquire an image of a specimen, a lighting unit configured to illuminate an observation field of view of the imaging unit, and a pattern projector having a light source configured to emit projection light to project a light and dark pattern on the specimen. The pattern projector generates a region, in which the light and dark pattern is not projected, in at least one end of a direction in which stripes of the light and dark pattern are arranged in an imaging field of view of the imaging unit, in a state in which the light and dark pattern is projected on the specimen.

Abstract: A vision system for obtaining an image of a patterned retarder comprising first and second patterns having different optical axes is provided. The vision system comprises a camera, a ½ wavelength plate arranged in front of a lens of the camera, a rotatable ¼ wavelength plate arranged in front of the ½ wavelength plate.

Abstract: A method for correlating views of two or more video camera systems includes obtaining a plurality of data point coordinate sets to represent relative positioning between the camera systems and data point objects in the environment. The views may be correlated through Interpolation or extrapolation using the obtained data point coordinate sets. Devices such as lasers may also be used to correlate views of two or more video camera systems.

Abstract: A method is described for streaming video data within a network, wherein the video data includes a sequence of frames. The method includes encoding the sequence of frames and generating a plurality of substreams from the encoded frames in this embodiment. Each of the plurality of substreams is assigned an identifier, and each substream includes a common encoded frame and a non-overlapping portion of the encoded sequence. The non-overlapping portion of the encoded sequence of each substream is selected from the encoded frames based on the identifier of the respective substream. The method also includes transmitting the plurality of substreams to a receiver in an embodiment.

Abstract: A plurality of light sources to assist in image capturing is attached to a vehicle at low cost and simplicity. Three light sources that illuminate a side area in the same direction of the vehicle are fixed to and accommodated in the same housing in a state where light axes of the light sources are directed to different directions from each other. Through this, the three light sources are integrated into a side camera unit by the housing. Accordingly, by attaching the side camera unit only, the light sources can be attached to the vehicle at a time. As a result, the light sources for widely illuminating the side area of the vehicle can be mounted on the vehicle at low cost and simplicity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for parsing friendly and error resilient merge flag coding in video coding are provided. In some methods, in contrast to merging candidate list size dependent coding of the merge flag in the prior art, a merge flag is always encoded in the encoded bit stream for each inter-predicted prediction unit (PU) that is not encoded using skip mode. In some methods, in contrast to the prior art that allowed the merging candidate list to be empty, one or more zero motion vector merging candidates formatted according to the prediction type of the slice containing a PU are added to the merging candidate list if needed to ensure that the list is not empty and/or to ensure that the list contains a maximum number of merging candidates.

Abstract: A decision device for deciding whether an eye having a macula and an optical axis is real or false includes: lighting means emitting an infrared flux towards the eye along an entry axis; an infrared capture means for capturing an image of the eye along an exit axis, the entry and exit axes being aligned with the optical axis so that the macula illuminated by the lighting means under the incidence of the entry axis is seen by the capture means; processing means for detecting, on an image captured by the capture means, whether a peripheral zone representing the iris exists and whether a central zone in the peripheral zone, the color of which is representative of the macula existence, exists, and for delivering information representing this detection; and decision means for deciding whether the eye is real or false according to the information delivered by the processing means.

Abstract: A lens-free system for the three-dimensional imaging of objects contained within a sample places a sample holder between an image sensor and an illumination source, with the sample-sensor distance being much smaller than the sample-illumination source distance. Holographic images are taken at different angles as well as different lateral jogs within a single angle and are reconstructed into a three dimensional image of objects within the sample. The system may be a hand held, portable unit.

Abstract: An electronic imaging flow-microscope for remote environmental sensing, bioreactor process monitoring, and optical microscopic tomography applications is described. A fluid conduit has a port on each end of a thin flat transparent fluid transport region. A planar illumination surface contacts one flat side of the transparent fluid transport region and a planar image sensing surface contacts the other flat side. Light from the illumination surface travels through the transparent fluid transport region to the planar image sensing surface, producing a light field affected by the fluid and objects present. The planar image sensing surface creates electrical image signals responsive to the light field. The planar illumination surface can be light emitting elements such as LEDs, OLEDs, or OLET. whose illumination can be sequenced in an image formation process. The flow microscope can further comprise flow-restricting valves, pumps, energy harvesting arrangements, and power management.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for varying the size of the scanning field of a multifocal laser scanning microscope, said scanning field being scanned in X columns and Y lines, and n laser spots being arranged at a distance d from one another in the scanning field along the slow scanning axis in the sample plane, the distance between the scanned lines in the sample plane being a=d/K, where K?N, the size of the scanning field being varied by varying K. After scanning K lines, a vertical skip is made, e.g. a skip of (n?1)×K+1 lines in the scanning direction or (n+1)×K?1 lines against the scanning direction until at least Y lines have been scanned.

Abstract: A method of indicating a suitable pose for a camera for obtaining a stereoscopic image, with the camera comprising an imaging sensor. The method comprises obtaining and storing a first image of a scene using the imaging sensor when the camera is in a first pose; moving the camera to a second pose; and obtaining a second image of the scene when the camera is in the second pose. One or more disparity vectors are determined, each disparity vector being determined between a feature identified within the first image and a corresponding feature identified in the second image. On the basis of the one or more disparity vectors, a determination is made of whether the second image of the scene is suitable for use, together with the first image, as a stereoscopic image pair.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for automatically optimizing an efficiency of camera placement, numbers, and resolution in multi-camera monitoring and surveillance applications. In some examples, a fraction of a total area may be monitored at a higher resolution than the rest. Employing techniques such as combinatorial state Viterbi technique or combinatorial state trellis technique, a minimum number of cameras that provide the coverage at the needed resolution may be selected. Similarly, a number of points may be covered with at least a predefined number of cameras. For example, a subject of interest may be tracked in a public area, where specific camera(s) may be used to image the subject's face at a higher resolution than the background.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to code video information includes a memory unit and a processor in communication with the memory unit. The memory unit is configured to store video information associated with a reference layer (RL) and an enhancement layer, the RL comprising an RL picture having an output region that includes a portion of the RL picture. The processor is configured to determine whether a condition indicates that information outside of the output region is available to predict a current block in the enhancement layer. The processor may encode or decode the video information.

Abstract: A surgical telescope includes a front frame configured to be positioned in front of a use's eyes, and a camera coupled to the front frame. The camera is configured to generate image information of a scene viewed by the camera. The surgical telescope further includes a circuit coupled to the camera and is configured to receive the image information from the camera and process the image information for display. The surgical telescope further includes a virtual-imaging screen disposed in the front frame and coupled to the circuit. The virtual-imaging screen is configured to: be position in front of a user's eyes, receive the image information from the circuit, and display images from image information. The surgical telescope further includes a lens positioned over the virtual-imaging screen for creating virtual images of the images displayed on the virtual-imaging screen. The virtual images are behind the virtual-imaging screen.

Abstract: Techniques for generating robust depth maps from stereo images are described. A robust depth map is generated from a set of stereo images captured with and without flash illumination. The depth map is more robust than depth maps generated using conventional techniques because a pixel-matching algorithm is implemented that weights pixels in a matching window according to the ratio of light intensity captured using different flash illumination levels. The ratio map provides a rough estimate of depth relative to neighboring pixels that enables the flash/no-flash pixel-matching algorithm to devalue pixels that appear to be located at different depths than the central pixel in the matching window. In addition, the ratio map may be used to filter the generated depth map to generate a smooth estimate for the depth of objects within the stereo image.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object detection device has an image capturing unit, detection area setting unit, a three-dimensional object detection unit and a lens state assessment unit. The image capturing unit has a lens for capturing images behind a vehicle. The detection area setting unit sets a detection area behind the vehicle. The three-dimensional object detection unit detects a three-dimensional object that is present in the detection area based on the acquired images. The lens state assessment unit detects if the lens is in a wet state. When a determination is made by that the lens is in a wet state, the detection area setting unit changes a position of the detection area from a first detection area, which is first set as the detection area to a second detection area, in which a display area for a driving lane marker on a driving lane side of the vehicle is removed.

Abstract: A display device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed in which a threshold range for generating a panorama image is indicated in accordance with a bending angle of a bending portion provided between a first area of a body provided with a first camera and a second area of a body provided with a second camera, whereby the panorama image may be generated using the first camera and the second camera.

Abstract: A Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) method and apparatus including a QAM transmit modulator with at least one unbalanced mixer, which creates an asymmetric two-dimensional (2-D) QAM symbol constellation. The asymmetrical symbol constellation provides baseband symbol clock signal leakage sufficient to facilitate quick and simple baseband symbol clock recovery and signal channel compensation at the QAM receiver without significantly degrading the system bit-error rate (BER). While slightly degrading static BER, overall system performance is improved when considering baseband symbol clock recovery and received signal compensation for an imperfect signal channel. This allows QAM to be deployed in systems where QAM is otherwise prohibitively expensive and improves overall system performance for any existing QAM system application without additional bandwidth, cost or complexity.