Abstract: A bonding apparatus with an optical detecting device that detects any positional discrepancy between first and second parts which are to be bonded together, the optical detecting device including an optical probe that comprises: first and second image acquisition prisms which respectively reflect, in different directions, first and second images of the first and second parts respectively; a first optical system introduction prism (or mirrors) which causes the first image of the first part that passes through the first image acquisition prism to be reflected an even number of times and then sends this first image to a first image pick-up device through a first focusing device; and a second optical system introduction prism which causes the second image of the second part that passes through the second image acquisition prism to be reflected an odd number of times and then sends this second image to a second image pick-up device through a second focusing device.

Abstract: Novel methods for generating a projection of an image according to the invention concurrently rotate, scale, translate, skew, shear, or otherwise transform the image via a sequence of two one-dimensional transformations. A first intermediate image is generated via affine transformation of the source along a first axis. The intermediate image is then subjected to affine transformation along a second axis, e.g., perpendicular to the first. A projection of the resultant image is generated along a selected one of the first or second axes by summing pixel intensities in corresponding rows (or columns) or by summing counts of pixels whose intensities are above or below a threshold.

Abstract: An alignment system for an imaging apparatus is disclosed. The alignment system aligns the image beam associated with the imaging apparatus relative to predetermined reference points, such as the vertex and base of a right triangle. The base of the right triangle may be normal to the image beam and the vertex of the right triangle may be located at a fixed and predetermined location relative to the imaging apparatus. The image beam may intersect a hypotenuse point on the hypotenuse of the right triangle and the image beam may intersect a base point on the base of the right triangle. The alignment system measures the distance between the base point and the hypotenuse point. The distance between the base point and the hypotenuse point corresponds to a single location on the base relative to the vertex. The alignment systems, thus, references the transverse position of the image beam relative to the vertex.

Abstract: When a spectrally spread additional information signal, obtained by spectrum spreading additional information such as an anti-duplication control signal or copyright information, is superimposed on a video signal, the level of the spectrally spread additional information signal is controlled according to the scatter of pixel values in each block comprising plural pixels. The sensitivity of detecting additional information from the spectrally spread additional information signal is therefore improved, and the visual effect of the spectrally spread additional information signal on a reproduced image is suppressed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of performing image formation by automatically discriminating and correcting the direction of an original without sorting originals including both portrait and landscape ones. Image data is read, and the direction of the read image is discriminated. In accordance with the discrimination result, a synthesis image to be synthesized suited to the direction of the image is selected. The synthesis image is rotated, where necessary, so that the synthesis image points in the same direction as the read image, and the two images having the same direction are synthesized and output.

Abstract: An image processor in which image information is read from a recording medium, such as a film used in a camera, with color-processing or filter-processing being efficiently performed in accordance with the contents of the image information. Focus information is also recorded on the recording medium by a method different from the method used for recording the image information. Using the focus information, the image processor suitably switches operation between color processing and filter processing.

Abstract: An event-driven GUI-based image acquisition interface for the IDL programming environment designed for CCD camera control and image acquisition directly into the IDL environment where image manipulation and data analysis can be performed, and a toolbox of real-time analysis applications. Running the image acquisition hardware directly from IDL removes the necessity of first saving images in one program and then importing the data into IDL for analysis in a second step. Bringing the data directly into IDL creates an opportunity for the implementation of IDL image processing and display functions in real-time. program allows control over the available charge coupled device (CCD) detector parameters, data acquisition, file saving and loading, and image manipulation and processing, all from within IDL. The program is built using IDL's widget libraries to control the on-screen display and user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for enabling easy characterization, storage and retrieval of multi-dimensional data structures involving use of a translation, rotation and scaling invariant index which results from concatenating a series of Eigenvalue calculation mediated index elements determined at a plurality of hierarchical data depth levels.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for measuring an imaged printing plate which enables the user to assess the ratio of imaged to non-imaged surface area. According to the method light is projected from a light source (3) over that area of the imaged plate to be measured, the area is enlarged by magnifying means (2), an image of the enlarged area is obtained via a c.c.d. camera (1), electronic signals are captured and red from the camera via an electronic framegrabber (7) to provide an electronic image representing the enlarged area, and the captured image is fed to an electronic circuit for analysis to determine said ratio of surface area.

Abstract: An automated method for evaluating the amount of residual protein levels following treatment of cellular specimens. Particular methods include the measurement of maternal neutrophil alkaline phosphatase after treatment with or without urea or heat, measurement of leukocyte acid phosphatase after treatment with or without tartrate, and measurement of leukocyte esterase after treatment with &agr;-naphthol butyrate with or without fluoride.

Abstract: A method for processing time-resolved optical emission data (“waveforms”) comprises processing both a first and a second waveform, and analyzing the results. The processing uses a substantial portion of the waveform and not merely the peaks of the waveform. A system which implements the method, and a computer readable medium which contains instructions for implementing the method, are also disclosed. The embodiments disclose methods for analyzing time-resolved optical emission data using correlation and/or transform techniques on the optical waveforms to extract timing information. The techniques offer more accurate results than direct examination of the waveforms and are additionally useful in tests having high noise or low numbers of detected photons. The techniques allow significant automation and the results lend themselves to graphic display.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a pixel number transforming section for processing input image data composed of a plurality of regions, each being represented by a plurality of pixels with a pixel number transformation, by performing an interpolation or a decrimation on a pixel. It further includes a region decision value extracting section for extracting a region decision value of a region that a target pixel belongs to, based on characteristic amounts representing characteristics of a block composed of the target pixel and a plurality of pixels around the target pixel, each pixel of the image data being considered to be the target pixel. A controller controls a sequential order of a filtering process and pixel number transformation process to be applied to a region, based upon the transformation increasing or reducing a number of pixels in a region.

Abstract: An anti-aliasing technique for sampling an image for display on a pixel based display is presented. The image, or set of objects forming an image, is sampled at a resolution higher than the pixel spatial resolution. The resultant multiple sampled values for each pixel are accumulated, and the accumulated value is used to determine an average pixel value that is used for the display of the pixel. To minimize memory requirements, the rendering plane is used to temporarily store a portion of the accumulated value for each pixel. To minimize processing, the multiple of samples per pixel is a power of 2, and the portion of the accumulated value that is stored in the rendering plane is the most significant bits (MSB) of the accumulated value. Because of the use of a power of 2 as the number of samples, the MSB of the accumulated value is equal to the average of the accumulated value, and therefore the need for an explicit computation of an average for each pixel is eliminated.

Abstract: A multiplexing optical system capable of processing input information at high speed and with high accuracy and having an easy-to-align simplified arrangement. A parallel-beam generating device (11, 12, 13) generates an approximately parallel light beam. An input image display device has a grating member (222) which is latticed both vertically and horizontally, and a display device (22) which displays an input image. A Fourier transform lens (31) reproduces Fourier transformed images (311) of the input image by each order of diffracted light produced by reading the input image displayed on the display device (22) by the approximately parallel light beam from the parallel-beam generating device. The Fourier transformed images (311) are reproduced on a Fourier transform plane (F2) at an approximately constant pitch (p). A filter array (322) filters the reproduced Fourier transformed images (311). A lens array (33) performs an inverse Fourier transform on each filtered light beam.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a process which determines a location of a product in three dimensional space with respect to a process monitoring system. This is accomplished by generating a rotation and translation transform which enables the process monitoring system to define the location of the product placed in a field of view of the process monitoring system, applying the transform to three dimensional CAD data defining the process being performed with respect to the product to provide transformed CAD data representative of three dimensional information in a two dimensional pattern of the process with respect to the process monitoring system. Utilizing the above, a determination is made whether the two dimensional pattern of the process is present within a range of acceptable images of the process performed with respect to the product. If the product is processed properly the two dimensional pattern of the process is present within the range of acceptable images.

Abstract: A one-dimensional image synthesizing unit 3 images an subject, and produces a plurality of image-to-be-combined signals expressing images-to-be-combined having overlapped regions. A central processing unit 5 first obtains matching of images of the subject for each of adjacent images-to-be-combined for all image-to-be-combined signals by center and large block matching processes, and detects the deviations of overlapped regions from the obtained matching. Next, in a small block matching process, on the basis of the deviations of the overlapped regions, a plurality of reference blocks and search regions are made to correspond to each other and are set in the respective overlapped regions, and the deviations of the images of the subject are detected in a unit of each search region in more detail than the deviations detected by the large block matching process.

Abstract: The invention corrects for rotational misalignment of images having a prominent periodic structure in a preferred direction, particularly imaged text pages. It preferably also finds the degree of correlation between different images. First the rotational misalignment of an imaged page is detected and corrected, bringing the page into alignment with an axis. The angle of rotation of the page is detected by performing a linear regression analysis on filtered, two-dimensional power spectral density distribution of the page, to find the angular orientation of the periodic components. In the preferred embodiment, two imaged pages are then cross-correlated, preferably by an optical correlator, to find the degree of correlation between the pages.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer system and method for determining the closest point on a shape (2 dimensional or 3 dimensional surface) to any general query point. The system has one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more memories, and one or more geometric model portions stored in one or more of the memories. The geometric model portions have a plurality of line segments (polygons), each of the line segments (polygons) being between a first and a second endpoint (having a polygon boundary). The line segments and end points (polygons and polygon boundaries) are connected to form a shape (in 3 dimensions, a surface) with one or more parameters. Parameters can include geometric position, time, temperature, pressure, flow, color, texture, or any other descriptive value. A multiresolution process that creates one or more models of the shape (surface). The models having a hierarchy of resolutions.

Abstract: A storage apparatus and a storage method for storing data of an input image so that an image formed by enlarging the input image can be immediately obtained. In an input image memory 2, an input image is sequentially stored with addresses designated by horizontal and vertical addresses corresponding to positions of pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. After pixels of the input image necessary for forming a pixel-multiplied image which is an image formed of a number of pixels greater than the number of pixels forming the input image have been stored in the input image memory, these pixels are read to a pixel-multiplied image forming circuit and are used to form pixels of the pixel-multiplied image. This pixel-multiplied image is stored in a pixel-multiplied image memory with addresses designated by the horizontal and vertical addresses.

Abstract: An image rotation system (205) allows for rotating an image between a first image position and a second image position. The image rotation system (205) includes an orientation module (220), a partition module (portions of 225, 235, 240), a rotation module (235), and a concatenation module (portions of 225, 235, 240, 245). The orientation module (220) is disposed to receive the image to identify the initial image orientation. The partition module is disposed to receive the oriented image to partition the image into at least one sub-image. The rotation module (235) is disposed to receive each sub-image of the partitioned image to rotate the pixels of each sub-image. The concatenation module is disposed to receive each rotated sub-image to concatenate the rotated sub-images to produce the image in the final image position. A method for rotating images in a limited memory environment is also disclosed.