Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a wavelet transform unit that performs compression encoding in a hierarchical manner by performing discrete wavelet transform on pixel values for each of one or more rectangular regions dividing image data. A digital watermark obtaining unit obtains digital watermark data to be embedded into wavelet coefficients generated by the wavelet transform unit. A characteristics extracting unit extracts characteristics of the wavelet coefficients for each of the rectangular regions. An embedding specification determination unit determines an embedding specification of the digital watermark data with respect to the wavelet coefficients in accordance with the characteristics of the wavelet coefficients for each of the rectangular regions that are extracted by the characteristics extracting unit.

Abstract: According to an image de-noising method, an original image is corrected into an intermediate correction image. A differential image is determined between the original image and the intermediate correction image. Each pixel in the differential image has a differential pixel value equal to a difference between the pixel value of the corresponding pixel in the original image and the corrected pixel value of the corresponding pixel in the intermediate correction image. A pixel-dependent conversion parameter is determined at each pixel based on the differential pixel value at the each pixel in the differential image. The original image is corrected into a final correction image by using the pixel-dependent conversion parameter.

Abstract: Dots (14) are marked on the stage surface of a stage (13) beforehand, and when an original (5) is placed on that stage, a document camera (1) acquires stage specification information such as the number of pixels of an image of the dot (14) and that of a check area (82) of the image thereof, based on the resolution of a shot image obtained by shooting. Based on the acquired stage specification information, the document camera (1) identifies an area of an image of the stage (13), acquires a binarized image which represents the area of the image of the stage (13) in white, so that a boundary between an area of an image of the original (5) and the area of the image of the stage (13) becomes clarified. Based on the binarized image, the document camera (1) determines the outline of the image of the original (5), and acquires the image thereof.

Abstract: A decoding apparatus for decoding compression data has a reference value extracting unit and a decoded data generating unit. The reference value extracting unit extracts reference compression data to be referred for the compression data to be processed. The decoded data generating unit generates decoded data corresponding to the compression data based on the reference compression data extracted by the reference value extracting unit and the compression data.

Abstract: With the present invention, data continuity is used at the time of converting an input image into high-quality image data with higher quality than the input image data, to obtain processing results which are more accurate and have higher precision. A class tap extracting unit (902) and prediction tap extracting unit (906) extract a class tap and prediction tap based on data continuity of multiple perimeter pixels corresponding to a pixel of interest in the input image, detected by a data continuity detecting unit (901).

Abstract: In remote control systems (as in many other circumstances) the color representation of a bitmap is one of the heaviest factor in term of storage occupation and speed of transmission. Often, only a limited number of colors is actually used by a bitmap, so that the bit pattern of the single pixels is bigger than what is really needed to represent all the possible different colors. With the present invention, in case the number of colors does not exceed a predetermined thresholds, a palette table containing all the colors used in the bitmap is created. The pixel representations in the bitmap are then replaced by a pointer to the corresponding entry in the palette table. This allows to reduce the total size of the bitmap. The reduced bitmap is then transmitted together with the associated palette table. The receiving computer (the controller in a remote control system) is able to rebuild the original bitmap with the help of the palette table.

Abstract: A digital image processing system (134) receives a signal S(x,y,t,c) where (x,y) are pixel coordinates, t is time, and c is a color component. The system generates the signal S*(x,y,t,c) as a function of a linear combination of the values S(x?,y?,t?,c) over a set A of points (x?,y?,t?) with plural values (x?,y?) and plural values t?, wherein each value S(x?,y?,t?,c) in the linear combination is multiplied by a coefficient which is a function of the difference S(x,y,t,c)?S(x?,y?,t?,c). In some embodiments, one or more of the values S(x?,y?,t?,c) are replaced with previously calculated values S*(x?,y?,t?,c) to save memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically detecting breast tumors and lesions in images, including ultrasound, digital and analog mammograms, and MRI images, is provided. An image of a breast is acquired. The image is filtered and contrast of the image is enhanced. Intensity and texture classifiers are applied to each pixel in the image, the classifiers indicative of the probability of the pixel corresponding to a tumor. A seed point is identified within the image, and a region of interest is grown around the seed point. Directional gradients are calculated for each pixel of the image. Boundary points of the region of interest are identified. The boundary points are passed as inputs to a deformable model. The deformable model processes the boundary points to indicate the presence or absence of a tumor.

Abstract: An image resolution converting device for converting an original image into an image of a predetermined resolution includes: a pixel value storage section for storing the pixel values of the pixels included in the original image; a region determining section for successively determining regions, disposed newly generated pixels in accordance with a raster-scanned disposition order of the newly generated pixels; a pixel value read-out controlling section for generating output-control signals serving for outputting the pixel values of the pixels; and an interpolation-calculating section for calculating interpolations of pixel values of the newly generated pixels in accordance with the interpolated pixel values. It is possible to provide an image resolution converting device which can select the pixel groups of the original image, used for generating the new pixels after the resolution conversion while realizing small-size circuits used in the device.

Abstract: With the present invention, data continuity is used at the time of converting an input image into high-quality image data with higher quality than the input image data, to obtain processing results which are more accurate and have higher precision. A class tap extracting unit (902) and prediction tap extracting unit (906) extract a class tap and prediction tap based on data continuity of multiple perimeter pixels corresponding to a pixel of interest in the input image, detected by a data continuity detecting unit (901).

Abstract: A method is described for applying an image enhancement algorithm to input digital images represented in different input color spaces including identifying the input color space of an input digital image, and applying a color space transformation to the input digital image represented in the input color space to form a corresponding input digital image in a reference color space. The method also includes adjusting one or more algorithm parameters of the image enhancement algorithm in response to the identified input color space, and applying the image enhancement algorithm with the one or more adjusted algorithm parameters to the corresponding input digital image in the reference color space to produce an enhanced digital image in the reference color space.

Abstract: Systems and methods thereof for image correction are provided in an exemplary method, an image is received and pixels therein are read. A frequency value is calculated for each of the color scale values, representing how many pixels correspond to each of the color scale values. A color-scale threshold is acquired by limiting summation of frequency values from the brightest end to the color-scale threshold being a minimum value exceeding or equaling a ratio of pixels. Lower/upper limits are acquired by respectively adding/subtracting a range value to/from the color-scale threshold. A weighted value is acquired for the pixels with pixel values between the lower color-scale limit and the upper color-scale limit. The updated image is generated by replacing pixel values between the lower limit and upper limit with the weighted value.

Abstract: A method tracks a moving object in a video acquired of a scene with a camera. A background model is maintained for each frame, and moving objects are detected according to changes in the background model. An object model is maintained for the moving object, and kernels are generated for the moving object. A mean-shift process is applied to each kernel in each frame to determine a likelihood of an estimated location of the moving object in each frame, according to the background models, the object model, and the mean shift kernels to track the moving object in the video.

Abstract: The image data is analyzed to identify blobs having similar characteristics. Various blobs are gathered together and placed into a foreground plane based on one or more color characteristics and/or spatial characteristics. Each blob gathered onto a foreground plane has a color that is similar to a color associated with that foreground plane. One or more portions of the image data that is not mapped into any foreground plane may be mapped into a background plane.

Abstract: A symmetric type image filter processing apparatus having a symmetric type image filter composed of symmetric kernel coefficients, in which SIMD commands are utilized efficiently for making the filtering processes high speed, is provided. The symmetric type image filter processing apparatus provides a row-wise intermediate data generating section, a row-wise intermediate data utilizing section, and a memory. The row-wise intermediate data generating section multiplies each kernel coefficient of M pieces in each column of {(N+1)/2} columns at the right or left column by each pixel of M pieces in the column direction of image data having P pixels in one row, and cumulatively adds the multiplied results, by using SIMD commands that can process sequential data of Q pieces. This multiplication and addition operation is executed P/Q times, and intermediate data in one row of the image data are generated and stored in an intermediate data storing region in the memory.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to eliminate the need for any analytic function and maximize the contrast of an image resulting from gray level conversion of an original image. To accomplish this, an image processing apparatus which executes image processing for a radiographical image obtained by converting, into an electrical signal, an intensity distribution of radiation that is radiated to an object and has passed through at least the object, includes a defining unit for defining a gray level conversion curve to be used for gray level conversion on the basis of the contrast of the image resulting from gray level conversion of the original radiographical image, and a gray level conversion unit for converting the gray level of the radiographical image by using the gray level conversion curve defined by the defining unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique to improve reliability of area segmentation result of an image into a plurality of image areas. A plurality of representative colors and a weight associated with each of the representative colors are determined. A weighted color difference index values associated with the representative colors are calculated according to the weights, respectively, with respect to each pixel constituting the image. The weighted color difference represents difference in color between an individual color representing color of each pixel constituting the image and each of the representative colors. Then, according to the weighted color difference index values, color of each pixel is classified into one of representative color regions associated with the representative colors, to perform segmentation of the image into the plurality of image areas.

Abstract: In remote control systems (as in many other circumstances) the color representation of a bitmap is one of the heaviest factor in term of storage occupation and speed of transmission. Often, only a limited number of colors is actually used by a bitmap, so that the bit pattern of the single pixels is bigger than what is really needed to represent all the possible different colors. With the present invention, in case the number of colors does not exceed a predetermined thresholds, a palette table containing all the colors used in the bitmap is created. The pixel representations in the bitmap are then replaced by a pointer to the corresponding entry in the palette table. This allows to reduce the total size of the bitmap. The reduced bitmap is then transmitted together with the associated palette table. The receiving computer (the controller in a remote control system) is able to rebuild the original bitmap with the help of the palette table.

Abstract: A blob identifier uses edge continuity signal to analyze how to combine the current pixel into an existing blob or into the background image, or start a new blob. The blob identifier outputs a list of blob identifiers on a line-by-line basis.

Abstract: A simple and effective method is disclosed in the present invention to adjust the near natural colour of a satellite color composite to a visually more pleasing natural colour. This method includes two steps: (1) extracting vegetation “greenness” from available multispectral bands, and (2) adding (injecting) the “greenness” into the vegetation areas of the green band being displayed.