Abstract: A block prediction search method includes at least following steps: utilizing a data buffer to store bit-depth reduced sample values of a plurality of samples in a first pixel line; detecting occurrence of an edge in the first pixel line according to restored sample values derived from stored sample values in the data buffer; and determining a block prediction vector for a pixel group in a second pixel line different from the first pixel line, wherein the block prediction vector is determined based at least partly on a last edge count value indicative of a number of samples in the first pixel line that have gone by since the edge occurs.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for multithreaded navigation assistance by acquired with a single camera on-board a vehicle, using 2D-3D correspondences for continuous pose estimation, and combining the pose estimation with 2D-2D epipolar search to replenish 3D points.

Abstract: A hand holdable, portable apparatus for imaging a portion of an anatomy of a person, without physical contact with the anatomy. The apparatus has a housing, a touchscreen display mounted in the housing, and a plurality of illumination modules disposed on the housing and configured to provide illumination beams at different wavelengths and having different polarizations. A camera is supported on the housing and forms an imaging subsystem for capturing a plurality of acquired images produced by illumination from the illumination modules. A processing subsystem analyzes the acquired images and generates a new image which has enhanced contrast of features associated with at least one of a surface biometric trait of the portion of the anatomy, and/or a subsurface biometric trait of the portion of the anatomy. This image(s) can be used for verification of the person's identity by software incorporated in the portable apparatus or by transmitting information generated by the images to a remote data base.

Abstract: A fiber optic shelving system includes a shelf including a plurality of holes, a plurality of fiber optic filaments, each of the plurality of fiber optic filaments having a first end and a second end, and the first end being coupled to one of the plurality of holes, a holder configured to hold the second ends and expose terminal surfaces of the plurality of fiber optic filaments, a first camera configured to capture an image of the terminal surfaces of the plurality of fiber optic filaments, and a second camera configured to capture an image of a side of one or more products on the shelf. The fiber optic shelving system determines a number of products on the shelf based on the captured image of the terminal surfaces of the plurality of fiber optic filaments and the captured image of the side of one or more products on the shelf.

Abstract: A method for noise shaping includes: reducing a bit-depth of an input signal to obtain a quantized input signal; feeding a quantization error corresponding to the bit-depth reduction of the input signal into a feedback loop to the input signal, the feedback loop comprising a first quantization stage, a second quantization stage and a correction stage, both the first and second quantization stages operating at the bit-depth of the input signal and the correction stage operating at a bit-depth of the quantization error; and generating a noise-shaped output signal at lower clock rate than the input signal based on the feedback loop.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling the quality of transparent objects, comprising at least one light source being adapted to illuminate the object, and at least one image capturing device, by means of which at least one image of the object can be detected, wherein the apparatus comprises further at least one reflector, wherein the reflector and the image capturing device define a beam path, wherein the reflector, the image capturing device, and the light source are arranged such that the object can be arranged between the reflector, on the one hand, and the image capturing device and the light source, on the other hand, such that a single sheet of material is located in the beam path. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method for controlling the quality of transparent objects.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a video signal decoding method for adding an intra prediction mode as a sub-macroblock type to prediction of a macroblock in coding a video signal. The present invention includes obtaining a macroblock type, obtaining a sub-macroblock type when a macroblock includes a plurality of coded sub-macroblocks according the macroblock type, obtaining flag information indicating a DC (discrete cosine) transform size, determining the DC transform size of the coded sub-macroblock based on the flag information, when the sub-macroblock is intra prediction coded based on the sub-macroblock type, determining a prediction size of the intra prediction coded sub-macroblock based on the determined DC transform size, obtaining prediction direction information from a block adjacent to the sub-macroblock based on the prediction size of the sub-macroblock, and obtaining a prediction value of the sub-macroblock based on the prediction direction information.

Abstract: An intraoperative, marker-less visualization system and method for visualizing three-dimensional surface structures and depth structures of a patient during an intervention. A C-arm carries a C-arm projection module and a camera, and visualization spectacles include an HMD (head-mounted device) projection module and a camera. The projection modules serve for projecting structured light. A processor computes a combined image data set in order to project the latter onto spectacle lenses of the visualization spectacles.

Abstract: A video encoder generates a network abstraction layer (NAL) unit that includes at least a first syntax element and a second syntax element. The first syntax element indicates that the NAL unit belongs to a particular NAL unit type. Coded slices of texture view components and depth view components are encapsulated within NAL units that belong to the particular NAL unit type. The second syntax element indicates whether a NAL unit header of the NAL unit includes an Advanced Video Coding (AVC)-compatible 3-dimensional video (3DV) header extension or includes a Multiview Video Coding (MVC)-compatible 3DV header extension. The video encoder outputs a bitstream that includes the NAL unit. A video decoder receives the NAL unit and determines whether the second syntax element indicates that the NAL unit header of the NAL unit includes the AVC-compatible 3DV header extension or the MVC-compatible 3DV header extension.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (1) for determining at least one spatial coordinate of a measurement point of an object (15) to be measured, comprising a base (5) and a drive mechanism, adapted to drive a probe head (13) in a manner such that the probe head (13) is capable to move relative to the base (5) for approaching a measurement point, characterized by a first range camera (3, 33) having a range image sensor with a sensor array, wherein the range camera (3, 33) is adapted to be directed to the object (15) for providing a range image (23) of the object (15), and wherein range pixels of the range image are used for creating a point cloud with 3D-positions of target points of the object (15), and a controller, adapted to control the drive mechanism on the basis of 3D-positions of the target points.

Abstract: A drawing apparatus includes an object insertion portion to which an object is inserted, the object being a finger or a toe having a nail; a light source unit configured to emit light to the nail of the object inserted into the object insertion portion; an image acquisition unit configured to acquire image data of the object with the nail illuminated by the light; and a control unit. The light source unit includes at least one light source disposed obliquely above the nail so that a shadow is formed near a border between the nail and a cuticle part on the root side of the nail by the light emitted from the light source. The control unit detects a position of the border based on the shadow and detects a region of the nail based on the position of the border.

Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system is provided having two base tower assemblies, each having a pedestal, a columnar tower removably attachable to the top of the pedestal, and a camera pod movable along a length of the tower; and a data processor with a wireless communication device for processing image data from the camera pods. Each camera pod includes a camera for capturing image data of a target mounted on a vehicle, and a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the data processor. One pod has a calibration target and the other pod has a calibration camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The pedestals each have a manually-operated clamp for removably fixedly attaching the tower to the pedestal in one of a plurality of positions such that the orientation of the camera pod to the pedestal is angularly adjustable, allowing horizontal rotation of the camera pod.

Abstract: A method corrects a captured image and includes the steps of determining an effect of atmosphere and a distance from an image capture device which is spaced relatively far from an area of interest. The method utilizes a transmission and reception device to identify the effect on a transmitted and reflected signal due to the atmosphere and distance. An image of the area of interest is captured. The image is corrected based upon the effect of the distance and atmosphere on the transmitted and reflected signal. An apparatus programmed to perform the method is also disclosed. An apparatus for capturing an image from a distance is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a method of processing video information, the method comprising encoding (430) received video information, the encoded video information having an encoded video bitrate (330), wherein the encoded video bitrate is variable in response to the complexity of the received video information. The method further comprises buffering (440) the encoded video information in a buffer (145), wherein the size of the buffer (145) is controlled in response to the complexity of the received video information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of binocular depth perception based on active structured light, adopting a coded pattern projector to project a coded pattern for structured light coding of the projective space or target object (characteristic calibration), then obtaining the coded pattern by means of two cameras on the same baseline and respectively located symmetrically on both sides of the coded pattern projector, after preprocessing and projection shadow detection, estimating the block matching movement in two modes based on the image blocks (binocular block matching and automatic matching) to obtain the offset of the optimal matching block, finally working out the depth value according to the formula for depth calculation and compensating the depth of the projection shadows to generate high-resolution and high-precision depth information.

Abstract: An RFID/object recognition system monitors the passage of an object through a portal into a space. An RFID reader adjacent the portal communicates with an RFID tag within a preselected distance from the RFID reader. A data processor processes data from the RFID reader. A 3-dimensional scanner has an RGB camera and a depth sensor with an infrared laser projector and a monochrome CMOS sensor. An infrared laser controller is electronically coupled with the infrared laser projector, and a monochrome CMOS processor is electronically coupled with the monochrome CMOS sensor. The infrared laser controller, monochrome CMOS processor, and RGB camera are electronically coupled with a processor. The RFID reader receives data from an RFID tag when an RFID-tagged object passes within the preselected distance from the RFID reader through the portal. The 3-dimensional object recognition assembly identifies where the RFID-tagged object is located within the defined space.

Abstract: In vision-based authentication platforms for secure resources such as computer systems, false positives and/or false negatives in the detection of walk-away events are reduced or eliminated by incorporating depth information into tracking authenticated system operators.

Abstract: A dual objective endoscope for insertion into a cavity of a body for providing a stereoscopic image of a region of interest inside of the body including an imaging device at the distal end for obtaining optical images of the region of interest (ROI), and processing the optical images for forming video signals for wired and/or wireless transmission and display of 3D images on a rendering device. The imaging device includes a focal plane detector array (FPA) for obtaining the optical images of the ROI, and processing circuits behind the FPA. The processing circuits convert the optical images into the video signals. The imaging device includes right and left pupil for receiving a right and left images through a right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters. Illuminators illuminate the ROI through a multi-band pass filter having three right and three left pass bands that are matched to the right and left conjugated multi-band pass filters.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus including a plurality of imaging units included in a stereo camera, the plurality of imaging units being configured to image a first chart pattern including a pattern that is a plurality of feature points and a mirror surface, and a correction parameter calculation unit configured to calculate a correction parameter that corrects a gap of the plurality of imaging units, based on the pattern included in the first chart pattern imaged by the plurality of imaging units and a pattern mirrored in the mirror surface.

Abstract: A image acquisition device including a connection section having an opening; an optical-path switching unit that changes an optical path of light entering from the opening; and two image acquisition elements. The optical-path switching unit includes two parallel reflective surfaces disposed with a distance therebetween and is swivelable about a swivel axis such that the reflective surface is insertable into and withdrawable from an incident optical axis. The first image acquisition element is disposed on the incident optical axis at the opposite side of the opening with the optical-path switching unit interposed therebetween. The second image acquisition element is disposed at a position where the second image acquisition element acquires an image of the light that has been deflected by the two reflective surfaces and is tilted about central axes of the two image acquisition elements relative to a straight line extending orthogonally to the central axes.