Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing system for processing an input image containing an object image of a predetermined pattern which may have been magnified, the image processing system. The image processing system comprises: one or more characteristic quantity computing means 51A to 51D, 52 and 53 for computing a characteristic quantity representative of a characteristic of an object image possibly contained in an input image; and a plurality of magnification estimating means 61 to 63 for computing a magnification on the basis of one or more characteristic quantities computed by and output from the one or more characteristic quantity computing means 51A to 51D, 52 and 53.

Abstract: A vision system that forms a map of a scene proximate a platform, e.g., a vehicle, that determines the actual ground plane form the map, and that corrects the map for differences between the actual ground plane and an assumed ground plane. The vision system may remove the actual ground plane from the map to prevent false positives. The vision system can further identify and classify objects and, if appropriate, take evasive action.

Abstract: Digitized mapping of a three dimensional area includes dividing the area into a plurality of primary regions having defined closed contours which are considered flat. Within selected primary regions, one or more secondary regions having defined closed flat contours are identified. Plan coordinate information for the contours of each primary and secondary region is then determined and stored in a file in a hierarchical fashion, where each selected primary region has stored thereunder identified secondary regions thereof. Certain primary and/or secondary regions are also designated for which elevation information is additionally desired. An imaginary grid of lines is defined on each of the designated regions, so that three dimensional coordinate information for each line intersection point of each grid is determined. This intersection point three dimensional coordinate information is stored in a file, whereby elevation information about each of the designated regions is available.

Abstract: We propose methods for generating a halftone image, in which each pixel takes one of two tone values. The generated image contains hidden data, which is present at data storage pixels chosen using a pseudo-random number generator. In a first case, the data is hidden within an existing halftone image by reversing the tone value at certain of the data storage pixels, and at pixels neighboring the data storage pixels. In a second case, the halftone image is generated from a grey-scale image, and data is hidden during this conversion process.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for constructing a composite image having an extended depth of focus from a plurality of spatially congruent source images of lesser depth of focus. The systems and methods are relatively fast, preserve detail, provide robust results on a variety of unpredictable workpiece features and configurations, and tend to suppress or reduce out-of-focus artifacts. The composite image is constructed by edge and/or boundary analysis to identify well-focused edges or boundaries in the source images. Each particular edge or boundary in the composite image is determined based on the source image containing the best-focused instance of each particular edge or boundary. The composite image is constructed outside of the previously constructed portions by surface analysis to identify well-focused surfaces in the source images, Each particular surface portion in the composite image is determined based on the source image with the best-focused instance of each particular surface portion.

Abstract: The resolution of an image is converted effectively using a simple process which needs a small amount of calculation. Local energy is determined from the differences between pixel values of N pixels lying at diagonal locations in an upper and lower rows. When the local energy is greater than a threshold value, a diagonal line given by two pixels having the smallest difference is employed as an edge direction. An image is interpolated between the two pixels in the edge direction by employing the mean value of the two pixel values of those two pixels. Thereafter, it is determined whether consistency is achieved between the interpolated image and the upper and lower pixels. If consistency is not achieved, linear interpolation is performed as in the case where the energy is lower than the threshold value.

Abstract: Based on image data taken and acquired by any one of a plurality of cameras, a predetermined object included in the image is recognized by pattern matching. A plurality of databases associated with a plurality of cameras is provided and a database to be used is changed according to the camera to be used. The plurality of databases can also be changed according to conditions such as weather and environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus and a method for forming an X-ray image by means of a processing unit (2) for the correction of image data. In order to achieve automatic correction of imaging defects that are caused by imperfections in the imaging and processing chain, the processing unit (2) is succeeded by a defect detection unit (3) for the detection of image defects that can be detected on the basis of image parameters that can be extracted from image data acquired during clinical examinations, and is suitable for adapting processing parameters (15–21) that are used in the processing unit (2) in dependence on the detected image defects.

Abstract: An image processing device of the present invention is provided with four kinds of sub masks in total including two kinds in a main scanning direction and two kinds in a sub scanning direction, in a main mask constituted by a plurality of pixels including a target pixel. In the image display device, when determining a target pixel of an inputted image data, a difference in a total density of the two kinds of sub masks in a main scanning direction is added to a normalized difference in total density of the two kinds of sub masks in a sub scanning direction, and a resultant value is compared with a threshold value so as to determine if the target pixel is an edge area or not.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are described for aligning multiple images of arrays of biological materials. One method includes aligning a grid with a first image, generating grid alignment data based on the alignment of the grid with the first image, storing the grid alignment data in memory, retrieving the grid alignment data responsive to an indication to align a second image, and analyzing the second image based on the retrieved grid alignment data. In some implementations, the first image and second images are generated by scanning the same array of biological materials. The array may be a spotted array, a synthesized array, or other type of parallel biological assay.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and process for automatically learning a reliable color-based tracking system. The tracking system is learned by using information produced by an initial object model in combination with an initial tracking function to probabilistically determine the configuration of one or more target objects in a temporal sequence of images, and a data acquisition function for gathering observations relating to color in each image. The observations gathered by the data acquisition function include information that is relevant to parameters desired for a final color-based object model. A learning function then uses probabilistic methods to determine conditional probabilistic relationships between the observations and probabilistic target configuration information to learn a color-based object model automatically tailored to specific target objects.

Abstract: This invention produces a realistic defocused image, without using traditional ray tracing technique, by correctly converting the scale of original pixels to the linear scale of amount of light and summing up defocused disks of every pixel in an original image. The result of this process is bright and sparking defocused disks of bright spots previously only possible with rays tracing technique and completely missing in conventional imaging software. This invention enables a personal user to create defocused images in order to create and increase the sense of field depth, which is an important part of daily photographic and imaging work. The input image can be scanned data from photographic films, data from digital cameras, or computer generated images after three-dimensional rendering.

Abstract: A method and system for prefetching of data, such as, image data of medical images, for example, digital radiographic images, into a cache. The prefetching relies on workflow information. The method and system is particularly advantageous for use in screening programs where a large number of individuals are screened for a disease, such as cancer, in particular, breast cancer.

Abstract: A method of producing a simulated 3-dimensional image, the method comprising: assimilating 2-dimensional image data, e.g. from MR image slices; assigning a feature, e.g. gray scale value to each datum; reducing the resolution of each gray scale value of the data; generating a histogram of the reduced resolution gray scale data; performing a fast fuzzy c-means clustering on the histogram data. The resolution of each pixel object in the images may be reduced from 12 bit to 8 bit resolution, and the histogram may be generated from these. Subsequently a value may be assigned for each entry in the histogram, each entry value being equal to the number of objects of any given feature (e.g. gray scale) in the reduced resolution (8 bit) image. The image may be displayed using a novel color blending technique. A 3D image is produced quickly and without supervisory intervention and can be used in endoscopic surgery and in diagnostic methods as well as in understanding healthy anatomical features better.

Abstract: A flying sphere is photographed twice at a predetermined time interval and two static images thus obtained are used to measure a rotation of the sphere through an image processing based on a recognition mark of a surface of the sphere. The recognition mark includes a central mark having a directivity and a rotating angle calculating mark provided to surround the central mark. The central mark includes a rectangle and a circle provided apart from the rectangle adjacent to one of short sides of the rectangle. Three or more rotating angle calculating marks are provided. Respective center positions of the rotating angle calculating marks are present in a region provided apart from a center position of the central mark by 13 mm to 17 mm.

Abstract: A method of prefiltering is applied before data compression of scanned image data to better preserve important information. Before prefiltering, the image is segmented and tagged as belonging in a first region, such as a Lineart region, in which edges are the most important information, or a second region, such as a Contone or Halftone Region, in which pixel level is the most important information. For prefiltering, dynamic filters condition the image data passing into the two compressors. Each filter attempts to suppress noise associated with its particular channel by applying a smoothing filter, no filter or a sharpening filter based on segmentation tags and other characteristics of the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for color image processing using gamut mapping reduces halo artifacts by correcting terms in a gamut mapping algorithm. The color image may be represented by f, the in gamut image by g, the target gamut by C, and the gamut constraint by c. The method for reducing halo artifacts includes two correction steps. First a color distance term L2 in the gamut mapping algorithm is corrected. Second, a distance measure of an image gradient in the gamut mapping algorithm is corrected. The first correcting step comprises computing a function u=projectC(ƒ). The second correcting step comprises computing a scaled down function for f. Next, a function g(x,y) is determined that minimizes a functional comprising the color distance term and the image gradient term. The solution may be determined by iteration using a gradient descent operation by first initializing g0=projectC(ƒ), and then performing one or more iteration steps to compute g(x,y).

Abstract: An image data preservation method wherein, when converting imaged in which date information is photographed into image data, information about the date is read and preserved to be correlated with the image data, as additional information.

Abstract: If graphics data is imported into and then exported from a nonlinear editing system several times, image quality tends to degrade due to multiple filtering operations applied to the graphics data on import. Sometimes, a portion of graphics data imported into a nonlinear editing system has been processed by a nonlinear editing system, whereas another portion has not. To avoid such degradation of image quality, portions of graphics data that have been previously filtered and decimated are identified and not filtered prior to decimation. Other portions of graphics data are filtered and decimated.