Abstract: Shadow is an inseparable aspect of all natural scenes. When there are multiple light sources or multiple reflections several different shadows may overlap at the same location and create complicated patterns. Shadows are a potentially good source of information about a scene if the shadow regions can be properly identified and segmented. However, shadow region identification and segmentation is a difficult task and improperly identified shadows often interfere with machine vision tasks like object recognition and tracking. A shadow separation and contrast enhancement method based on the polarization of light is provided. Polarization information of scenes is captured by a polarization-sensitive camera and the scenes are processed to effectively separate shadows from different light sources.

Abstract: When an area in a first image is specified, an amounts of characteristics of image data included in the area and a neighboring area are detected and it is determined based on the amount of the characteristics whether or not a notification display indicating that the area is likely not to be a target area needs to be presented. If it is determined that the notification display needs to be displayed, a notification image that enables the area to be identified is generated for the first image and is combined with a second image to generate a composite image and the composite image is displayed on a display unit. On the other hand, if it is determined that the specified area is likely to be a target area, the second image based on the image data included in the area is displayed over the full screen of the display unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus reads a unit of first image data corresponding to a first region, a unit of pixels at a time, from a first memory storing image data in a band area and reads second image data to be used in processing of multiple processing object pixels corresponding to the first region from a second memory. The image processing apparatus processes each of the multiple processing object pixels by using pixels in a second region containing each of the multiple processing object pixels and stores data of pixels contained in the first image data to be used in processing of other multiple pixels in the second memory.

Abstract: A method for merging separated pixel blocks into an integral image of an object is provided. The method performs binary image processing on an obtained image to obtain a binary image, finds pixel blocks in the binary image whose area is greater than a first preset value, and stores a position and a size of each found pixel block in a data structure. The method further merges two pixel blocks in the data structure if a distance between the two pixel blocks is less than a second preset value, so as to generate the integral image of the object.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved system and method for image file header configuration. Certain embodiments of the method include retrieving one or more criterion for configuration of an image orientation parameter, configuring the image orientation parameter based on the one or more criterion, obtaining image data, and storing the image data in an image file. The image file has a header portion including the image orientation parameter. In an embodiment, the image orientation parameter may be modified from a default configuration. The one or more criterion may include user preference, modality restriction, system preference, and/or rule, for example. The method may further include saving the image file with the configured image orientation parameter. Additionally, the method may include displaying an image according to the configured image orientation parameter. The image may be automatically oriented for display based on the configured image orientation parameter.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a determining unit configured to determine whether processing-target image data has image content matching a previously set motion pattern; and a validating unit configured to validate image data that is determined to match the motion pattern by the determining unit.

Abstract: The intelligent saturation controller calculates the exact maximum saturation any valid YCbCr pixel can undergo before it becomes invalid in ROB space. The controller models the saturation operation in RGB color space and calculates the maximum saturation level at which the RGB values falls outside the valid range. The saturation operation is performed independently for every pixel of the incoming video frame and ensures that each output pixel is a valid. The controller finds the maximum saturation for each input pixel and checks whether it is less than the input saturation factor. If so, then this calculated maximum saturation value is applied. If not, the input saturation factor is applied. Accordingly, the output RGB pixels are valid and no clamping is necessary if no other video processing is done in YCbCr space. Increasing the saturation of the video signal results in a more vivid and more colorful picture.

Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus, device, method, and computer program product. In an embodiment, a device includes a handheld writing device that includes a writing element, and a writing detector module operable to generate information indicative of a handwriting movement of the writing element. The device also includes a context detector module operable to generate information indicative of a content portion of a document proximate to the handwriting movement of the writing element.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, system and computer program product for detecting and recognizing text in the images captured by cameras and scanners. First, a series of image-processing techniques is applied to detect text regions in the image. Subsequently, the detected text regions pass through different processing stages that reduce blurring and the negative effects of variable lighting. This results in the creation of multiple images that are versions of the same text region. Some of these multiple versions are sent to a character-recognition system. The resulting texts from each of the versions of the image sent to the character-recognition system are then combined to a single result, wherein the single result is detected text.

Abstract: Satellite image fusion method and system are provided. The satellite image fusion method includes matching sizes of a panchromatic image and a multispectral image captured from a satellite image; dividing the panchromatic image and the multispectral image into a plurality of blocks; calculating coefficients to acquire Intensity (I) component image data using pixel values of each block of the multispectral image; and generating fused multispectral image data by applying the acquired I component image data to a fusion algorithm. In the multispectral image fusion, the distortion of the color information can be minimized and the multispectral image data of the high resolution can be attained. In addition, the present invention is applicable to not only the IKONOS images but also other satellite images, and the present image fusion can be carried out fast.

Abstract: The device includes: bearing element (55) for the lens (100); element (53) for acquiring a global image (90) of the drill hole (110) of the lens (100) in a lighting direction (D51, A52), or image acquisition direction (A53); element (54) for processing the image when the lens is carried by the carrier element (55). The processing element (54) designed for determining, from the global image of the drill hole (110) the position of center (C1) of the opening of the drill hole (110) that gives onto one of the faces (98) of the lens (100) and/or the transverse dimension of the opening of the drill hole (110) that corresponds to the desired transverse dimension (D).

Abstract: System and method for distinguishing colors of illuminated objects using machine vision. A color-balanced image that includes at least one lit area is received, as well as an indication of a region of interest that includes one of the one or more lit areas. A mask image is generated based on the region of interest. A color-balanced image of the region of interest is generated by masking the color-balanced image with the mask image, and a plurality of image attributes for the region of interest is determined by analyzing the color-balanced image of the region of interest. A color is determined based on the plurality of image attributes using a trained classifier, and the determined color stored, e.g., in a memory medium.

Abstract: A method and system for recognizing a character affected by a noise or an obstruction is disclosed. After receiving an image with characters, a character being affected by a noise or an obstruction is determined. Then, areas in the character where the noise or obstruction affected are precisely located. Templates representing every possible character in the image are updated by removing equivalent areas to the areas in the character being affected by the noise or obstruction. Then, the character is classified in a template among the updated templates by finding the template having the highest number of matching pixels with the character.

Abstract: Method of determining the position of a target drill hole to be drilled in a target corrective lens having an expected target outline after shaping, the position being determined from a reference lens having a reference outline and at least one reference drill hole, the method includes: acquiring an image and at least one characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens; determining, in the acquisition plane, the reference distance in projection between the projection of a reference anchor point of the associated reference lens and the reference lens and the projection of a reference drilling point of the reference drill hole calculating the three-dimensional reference distance between the reference anchor point and the reference drilling point as a function of the characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens (100) and of the determined reference distance; and determining the position of the target drilling point for the target drill hole of the target corrective lens as a function of the calcul

Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus, device, method, and computer program product. In an embodiment, a device includes a handheld writing device that includes a writing element, and a writing detector module operable to generate information indicative of a handwriting movement of the writing element. The device also includes a context detector module operable to generate information indicative of a content portion of a document proximate to the handwriting movement of the writing element.

Abstract: A method of de-skewing a digital image is described. An input camera image is initially received, and text within the input camera image is identified. A text direction of the identified text is determined to determine text lines within the camera image. A three-dimensional de-skewing transformation is determined of the text lines to make the text lines horizontal. Then the de-skewing transformation is applied to the input camera image to form a de-skewed output image. An unwarping transformation may also be applied to the input camera image for straightening text lines that are curved.

Abstract: A handwriting detection sheet includes a handwriting layer, a code layer and an optical layer. The handwriting layer can display handwriting. The code layer is placed on a rear-face side of the handwriting layer. The code layer includes plural code images arranged in a matrix manner. In the code images, position codes are encoded with a light absorption material that absorbs infrared light. The optical layer is placed on a rear-face side of the code layer. The optical layer reflects infrared light and allows visible light to pass through.

Abstract: A method for correcting the signal in an image having a plurality of regions of interest, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an image having a plurality of regions of interest, these regions of interest having areas between them; (b) determining a region of correction between at least two regions of interest; (c) calculating a correction signal from the region of correction; and (d) using the correction signal to correct a measured signal from one or more regions of interest.

Abstract: Methods and systems for correcting skew in digital images are disclosed according to embodiments of the invention. Embodiments may include receiving the endpoints of the skew-line, calculating the sine and cosine of the skew-angle from the endpoints and rotating the image using the sine and cosine of the skew-angle. Embodiments of the invention may also include various ways for a user to provide a skew-line and/or endpoints.

Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus, device, method, and computer program product. In an embodiment, a device includes a handheld writing device that includes a writing element, and a writing detector module operable to generate information indicative of a handwriting movement of the writing element. The device also includes a context detector module operable to generate information indicative of a content portion of a document proximate to the handwriting movement of the writing element.