Abstract: A table recognition apparatus for recognizing a table image wherein coexist characters and ruled lines. The apparatus comprises a character/ruled line separating part for separating characters from ruled lines in the table image; a character block extracting part for extracting character blocks from the character image separated by the character/ruled line separating part; and a character block extending part for extending the character blocks extracted by the character block extracting part in such a manner that the edges of the character blocks are aligned according to the positional relations between the blocks.

Abstract: An inclination detecting device includes a variable density image memory section for storing at least part of a variable density image obtained as a result of optically scanning a document image, a density varying direction detecting section for detecting density varying directions from the variable density image stored in the variable density image memory, and an inclination detecting section for detecting the inclination of an image constituting element from the distribution of density varying directions detected by the density varying direction detecting.

Abstract: A method for processing three-dimensional shape data includes steps of obtaining a plurality of point data along a surface of an object having a three-dimensional shape; taking out a point data from the obtained point data to be processed, approximating each specified number of point data in the to-be-processed point data adjacent the taken-out point data by a polynomial and then finding two unit vectors at the taken-out point data; finding an opening angle defined between the two found unit vectors; comparing the found opening angle with a predetermined threshold value of the opening angle, determining whether or not the found opening angle is not larger than the threshold value, and thinning the taken-out point data when the found opening angle is larger than the threshold value and not storing the taken-out point data in a storage unit, and leaving the taken-out point data without the thinning when the found opening angle is not larger than the threshold value and storing the taken-out point data in the st

Abstract: Input image data define an input image set that shows a graphical feature and editing marks indicating an editing operation to be performed on the graphical feature. The input image data are used to obtain operation category data indicating whether the editing operation would translate the graphical feature so that it is centered at a different position within the input image set. The operation category data are used to obtain output image data defining an output image that includes an edited version of the input image set. The output image shows the graphical feature centered at a different position only if the operation category data so indicate. The input image set can include an original image showing the graphical feature and an overlay image showing the editing marks. The editing marks can form a node-link structure with the graphical feature.

Abstract: The invention is a method for generating a still image, comprising the steps of producing a plurality of images, each of the plurality having been produced at a distinct focal length, scaling each of the images to a common focal length and combining each of the scaled images to a final image of a single focal length, portions of which are of a relatively high resolution, as compared to the images of the original sequence. The invention also includes combining a sequence of still images of varying fields of view into a panoramic image of an overall field of view, which overall field of view includes all of the fields of view of the sequence. In addition to combining images generated at different fields of view, the method of the invention can be used to combine images generated with respect to different fields of view of an overall scene, such as a panoramic scene into a combined panoramic field of view. This aspect of the invention may also be combined with the varying focal length aspect.

Abstract: An image processing method for preparing a document for printing or other further processing. Document images often contain information in several intensity levels. Detecting these levels will help separate logically separate regions in the image. A multithresholding process separates different significant intensity levels in a document image by recursively finding locally optimum threshold locations, and then selecting only the significant thresholds by studying the intensity transitions in the image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying object images displayed in a camera image, the method comprising the step of, comparing a predetermined point mapped in the camera image in a spherical polar coordinates with a position of the camera as an origin, with a plurality of cursor windows including the object images respectively in the camera image, in which vertexes and center point of each window are mapped in the camera image in a spherical polar coordinates with a position of the camera as an origin, so that an object included in a cursor window corresponding to the predetermined point is identified.

Abstract: Each pixel of a density reference area of a reference image is assigned a predetermined coefficient value in accordance with whether the pixel is located within a peripheral boundary of a to be detected shape, external the peripheral boundary of the to-be-detected shape, or on the peripheral boundary of the to-be-detected shape. An actual image of an object containing the to-be-detected shape is then obtained, and after setting a target pixel of the resultant image, the image density of each pixel is multiplied by the coefficient values of the density reference area of the reference image. The resultant products are transformed into a density correlation value for the target pixel. The location of the target pixel is then scanned to determine the location of a target pixel at which a maximum or a minimum density correlation value is obtained. The thus determined location is detected as the location of the to-be-detected shape within the object.

Abstract: Cell samples, stained with a fluorescent dye, taken up by DNA in the individual cells, are scanned with a cytometer, which measures the integrated value of fluorescent light/cell. The integrated values of all of the cells are compiled to create an histogram of cell counts versus integrated fluorescent light, representing a cell population of (a) cells having a complement of DNA, but not in the process of division (G.sub.0 phase), (b) cells having two full compliments of DNA, but which have not actually divided into two cells (G.sub.2 phase) and (c) cells which are in the process of replicating their DNA (S, separation phase). The percentages of cells in each of the phases, represented in the histogram as separated peaks of sizes proportional to the G.sub.0 and G.sub.2 populations, and separation S phase population, aids in the prognosis of a patient's cancer development. More serious malignancy is indicated by increased S and G.sub.2 phase populations. Errors, e.g.

Abstract: The invention is a process for inspecting chips and/or fragments of metal or metal alloy to eliminate from them inclusions of a more X-ray absorbent material than the metal or alloy, wherein a field that delimits a portion of these chips and/or fragments is X-rayed. The process produces an X-ray image which is then converted into an electronic image. This image is analyzed in order to detect the inclusion(s) having features. The features include a background correction of the degree of illumination of each pixel in the field in the absence of chips and/or fragments, a field is covered with the portion of chips and/or fragments, and the electronic image is corrected by subtracting the background correction from the degree of illumination of each of its pixels, and the portion of chips and/or fragments is rejected if this corrected image contains at least one relative pixel corresponding to a chosen condition.

Abstract: A character recognition apparatus for recognizing characters in a document by sequentially detecting one-character portions of images in a document image and by recognizing the character images of the one-character portions detected. The character recognition apparatus includes a character detecting section for detecting an image of one character from the document image; a character recognizing section for recognizing the detected image of one character and outputting a character code; and a control section for effecting control such that the character image of one character recognized by the character recognizing means is stored in correspondence with the character code obtained as a result of recognition, a comparison is made between the stored character image and the image of a newly detected character, and the character-code stored in correspondence with the relevant character image is read as a result of recognition in a case where the similarity of the images is sufficiently large.

Abstract: An adaptive learning type general purpose image measurement and recognition method includes the steps of extracting a large number of basic initial features having values which are invariant to parallel displacement of an object to be caught in an image frame and which have additivity with respect to the image frame and performing statistical feature extraction having a learning function on the basis of a multivariate analysis method applied to the extracted initial features to thereby adaptively enable use for various types of measurement.

Abstract: A camera system has a neural network for calibration of image distortion. The neural network learns the conversion from image coordinates with distortion to image coordinates with substantially reduced distortion, whereby the neural network provides image coordinates having substantially reduced distortion. In a learning process of the neural network, a relatively simple camera model is used to provide an instruction signal to the neural network according to sample data provided from the real camera.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus which obtains an image of an object to be inspected by an imaging optical system, and corrects the position of each part of the image. The position of the image depends on the relative disposition of the imaging optical system with respect to the object to be inspected at the time of obtaining the image to be inspected. By this arrangement, correct imaging of an eye fundus image can be performed regardless of imaging conditions which arise due to the difference in the distortion characteristics of the eye and an imaging optical system which images persons having far-sightedness and near-sightedness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer program product for a stylus-based user interface for computers. The invention is a process for separating a stylus-based application program from the procedures used to implement stylus-based, user driven error correction processes. This separation allows error correction procedures to be used by many applications, providing consistency in the user interface and saving application development costs through reuse of these procedures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for carrying out a variable scale magnification processing for contracting or enlarging an original image. The image processing apparatus including a variable scale moving unit for increasing pixels in accordance with a variable scale magnification in order to enlarge the original image includes a smoothing processing unit for smoothing pixel data. The smoothing processing unit detects the number of increased pixels for each pixel by an increased pixel number determining unit, so as to smooth image data output from the variable scale magnification moving unit by employing smoothing filters of a matrix size selected in accordance with the result of the detection. This results in an image processing apparatus that can prevent a degradation in image quality by an appropriate smoothing processing independently of whether a variable scale magnification in enlargement is integer or not.

Abstract: To relax the graphical constraints on the precision of the handwriting that is required for accurate computerized interpretation of handwritten text, the text that is to be interpreted is written in accordance with this invention using symbols that are exceptionally well separated from each other graphically. These symbols preferably define an orthographic alphabet to reduce the time and effort that is required to learn to write text with them at an acceptably high rate. Furthermore, to accommodate "eyes-free" writing of text and the writing of text in spatially constrained text entry fields, the symbols advantageously are defined by unistrokes (as used herein, a "unistroke" is a single, unbroken stroke).

Abstract: An "image information enhancement" technique for processing digital images objectively extracts basic image information classes which are intensity defined and produced by the contrast mediums used for the generation of the image. The technique has wide application in the general field of image enhancement and more particularly in the fields of microscopy, radiology, remote sensing, astronomy, robotics and machine vision and general image evaluation, quantitation and communication. The new image intensity processing technology of this invention makes possible a separation of the image intensity information into three objective distinct non-random spacial groups of "large image features/background" and small "spacial detail" and "intensity detail", and one group of random spacial information of the "image noise".

Abstract: Flash correlation instantaneously compares two or more patterns to determine whether they are the same or essentially the same, regardless of the complexity of the images, and in spite of the addition of noise, local changes, and variations in resolution and focus. Flash correlation artifacts also provide cues to quantitative assessment of relative movement, stretching, blurring, and warping of one image with respect to the other. Presence of a flash correlation artifact between two stacks of patterns is sufficient to identify the stacks as containing at least one pair of massively correlated patterns. Precise control of registration, image size and orientation is not required. An image may be combined with other images, either by overlays or concatenation, and still be identified. A Flash correlation engine may utilize optical, analog or digital processing to provide rapid sorting, classification, and identification functions with minimal computational complexity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving an ultra-small or compressed image buffer images at half the resolution and then scales by two to achieve the device resolution. Acceptable quality can be maintained by identifying edge and interior portions of the page image and using this information to scale intelligently. A split-level frame buffer provides this identification of the image components. Further, an extension of block-truncation coding can be used with the split-level frame buffer to provide up to a 16 to 1 compression for an overall compression of up to 64 to 1. Actual techniques to scale these encodings are described along with new encodings for graphics and text designed this high compression of the image.