Abstract: A method for recognizing handwritten Chinese characters based on stroke recognition comprises steps of: recognizing handwritten strokes, updating stroke code sequences; retrieving in dictionaries/lexicons at least one corresponding character/phrase entry so as to obtain at least one candidate Chinese character/phrase; dynamically displaying the at least one candidate Chinese character/phrase; jumping to the step of recognizing strokes if it is judged that a next stroke is being written; inputting a displayed Chinese character/phrase into computers as the result of recognition if this character/phase is selected by the user.

Abstract: An image data compression technique includes division of an image data stream into a plurality of subregions and optimal compression of each subregion. The subregions may represent adjacent pixels in a reconstructed image, and may all be of the same length. The length of the subregions may be set to a default, and may be altered based upon image characteristics. The subregions are analyzed for selection of an optimal compression algorithm for each subregion from a set of candidate algorithms. Criteria for selection of the optimal algorithms may include the relative entropy levels of data within the subregions, and the length of compressed data code resulting from application of each of the candidate algorithms.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic component-recognizing device for taking an image of an electronic component brought to a component-sensing station, for recognition thereof. The component-sensing camera takes the image of the electronic component by utilizing reflected light from the electronic component. A lighting mechanism lights the electronic component. The lighting mechanism comprises a light-guiding element, a ring light guide, and a light source. The light-guiding element is arranged annularly such that the light-guiding element can diffuse illumination light and emit the diffused illumination light toward the electronic component obliquely from below. The ring light guide holds the light-guiding element. A light source supplies the illumination light to the light-guiding element.

Abstract: A novel image protection scheme named “cocktail watermarking” improves over current spread-spectrum watermarking approaches. Two watermarks, which play complementary roles, are simultaneously embedded into an original image. The new watermarking scheme has the characteristic that, no matter what an attack is, at least one watermark typically survives well and can be detected. Results of extensive experiments indicate that our cocktail watermarking scheme is effective in resisting various attacks.

Abstract: By automatically compensating for unwanted lighting effects caused by varying ambient light sources, digital still images and video are made to appear more naturally realistic. A set of correction factors based upon an ascertained ambient lighting conditions, such as color temperature, provides for selectively color correcting only those pixels requiring correction. In this way, only those portions of a digital image having excessive color due to ambient light conditions are improved without affecting those portions of the digital image not requiring correction.

Abstract: An image positional relation apparatus is provided, in which coordinate data of a real targed photographed by a CCD camera and coordinate data of a virtual target logically calculated from the predetermined position of the real target are transmitted to a superimpose circuit, and the real target and the virtual target are superimposed to be displayed on a monitor screen. A user operates a controller so that the real target coincides with the virtual target. An amount of such operation is transmitted to the superimpose circuit as a correction amount, and the positional relation between the real target and the virtual target, i.e., the positional relation between the real image and the virtual image can be properly corrected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transmission apparatus for video information that allows wireless transmission of video information at a low rate regardless of differences in OSs.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention includes a method of encoding coefficients of a subband decomposition, to prepare the coefficients for compression. Another aspect of the present invention includes an inverse method of decoding coefficients of a subband decomposition, after they have been decompressed. Particular features and other aspects of the present invention are indicated in the specification, including the drawings and claims.

Abstract: The document scanner system and method operates in conjunction with a document imprinted with data in a plurality of data image fields and a plurality of form documents adapted to have data imprinted thereon. The system output to a communications port is a delimited string of decoded characters. The method scans to obtain positional information of data fields or accepts topological form input by the operator. The operator identifies data descriptors, e.g. field size, data type, etc. The system and method scans the document imprinted with data and captures an image thereof. The scanned input document image is compared with the stored forms (particularly the stored data field descriptors, e.g., positional information, and data type). The system selects a stored form, extracts the data from each field, decodes or calculates the data, and validates the data and stores the decoded/calculated data in the output sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of analysis for three-dimensional (3D) physical phenomena. The physical phenomena may include any varying 3D phenomena such as time varying polar ice flows. A repesentation of the 3D phenomena is passed through a Hilbert transform to convert the data into complex form. A spatial variable is separated from the complex representation by producing a time based covariance matrix. The temporal parts of the principal components are produced by applying Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Based on the rapidity with which the eigenvalues decay, the first 3-10 complex principal components (CPC) are selected for Empirical Mode Decomposition into intrinsic modes. The intrinsic modes produced are filtered in order to reconstruct the spatial part of the CPC. Finally, a filtered time series may be reconstructed from the first 3-10 filtered complex principal components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for non-intrusive analysis and display of internal features of wooden objects are provided. In embodiments of the system, a log is passed through a CT scanner in one continuous motion. One or more x-ray sources revolve around the log generating x-ray beams that traverse contiguous cross-sections of the log. An array of x-ray detectors detects x-rays that traverse the log for variations in the attenuation of rays. The detected attenuation is converted into spiral scan data that corresponds to projections in different contiguous cross-sections traversed by the x-rays. An image processor reconstructs spiral scan data into two dimensional cross-sectional images of the log by processing and formatting scan data using a planar reconstruction technique. The system renders three-dimensional views based on two-dimensional images.

Abstract: A data sheet identification device of the invention includes: a character/graphics extracting section, an identical shape deciding section, a graphics collating section, an identification code/data sheet ID identifying section for collating characters that have been decided to have the same shape with an identification code/data sheet ID database in which a plurality of characters showing features of a plurality of data sheets respectively have been registered, and an identifying section for uniquely identifying the data sheet based on a result of the collation by the graphics collating section and a result of the collation by the identification code/data sheet ID identifying section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a digital image is disclosed. A difference is calculated between a first sample from a current scan line and a corresponding second sample from a previous scan line. A quantization table level is selected from a quantization table that includes at least one level, and information identifying the selected level is placed into an information stream. A quantizer is selected from the quantization table level based on the calculated difference and information corresponding to the selected quantizer is place into the information stream.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for estimating epipolar geometry, in terms of a fundamental matrix, between multiple images of an object for stereo vision processing. The fundamental matrix embodies the epipolar geometry between the images. In general, the present invention includes a method for estimating epipolar geometry between multiple images of an original space given an initial estimate of the fundamental matrix found using a standard linear estimation technique. Namely, the system and method of the present invention estimates the fundamental matrix by transforming image points of multiple images into projective space. After this transformation is performed, nonlinear optimization is used with one parameterization of the fundamental matrix. The images are then inverse transformed back to the original space with a final estimate of the fundamental matrix. In addition, the original noise information is preserved during the optimization in the projective space.

Abstract: In a situation where a data portion is considered as of higher importance in the course of preparation of original data, the designer is enabled to set the electronic watermark in a position that is judged appropriate by the designer. There are provided input means for setting and entering information to be added as the electronic watermark, area data preparation means for setting and preparing the area data of the electronic watermark, first display/reproduction means for displaying or reproducing the digital data in which the electronic watermark is to be applied, electronic watermark addition means for adding the electronic watermark to the digital data, and second display/reproduction means for displaying or reproducing the digital data to which the electronic watermark is added, thereby setting the electronic watermark in a specified area in the digital data and satisfactorily preventing the infringement of the copyright by tampering of the work.

Abstract: Perspective viewing inspection system comprises a stage for holding a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted with electronic parts, teaching means for teaching position data and pose data of the PCB during inspection and also part electrode's addresses on the PCB, means for making an inspection program including layout of inspection areas, means for imaging the inspection areas of the PCB, means for evaluating part-mounting and soldering quality or means for displaying images captured therewith, and means for coordinating the whole system operations. The means for imaging involves an active vision system consisting of an active mirror, an active objective, an ocular, a zoom leans, and an imaging device enabling gaze at solder joints and capture of bird's eye perspective view images thereof. The stage is equipped with a PCB pose controller to orient the PCB at directions wherewith the means for imaging obtains the solder joint's angular perspective view images.

Abstract: A document processing system and a method for classifying an input image or region thereof as either a synthetic graphic or a natural picture, is disclosed. The system includes an image input subsystem, a processing subsystem for processing image data provided by the image input subsystem, and software/firmware means operative on the processing subsystem for a) low-pass filtering image data representative of the input image or region thereof to produce low-pass filtered pixel values; b) determining a smoothness value for each of a plurality of low-pass filtered pixel values; c) generating histogram data from the smoothness values; d) determining a texture metric for the input image or region thereof from a subset of the histogram data; and e) thresholding the texture metric to classify the input image as either a synthetic graphic or a natural picture.

Abstract: A character display apparatus includes: a display device having a plurality of pixels; and a control section for controlling the display device, wherein: each of the pixels includes a plurality of sub-pixels arranged along a predetermined direction; a corresponding one of a plurality of color elements is pre-assigned to each of the sub-pixels; an intensity of each of the color elements is represented stepwise through a plurality of color element levels; the control section executes tasks of: setting each of the sub-pixels to one of the color element levels; according to a relationship between the plurality of color element levels and a plurality of brightness levels, converting the color element level for each of the sub-pixels to a corresponding brightness level among the plurality of brightness levels; and changing the relationship according to at least one of character color information which defines a color of a character to be displayed on the display device and background color information which defines

Abstract: A fingerprint recognition method includes iterative gamma correction that compensates moisture effect, feature extraction operations, directional morphological filtering that effectively links broken ridges and breaks smeared ridges, adaptive image alignment by local minutia matching, global matching by relaxed rigid transform, and statistical matching with Gaussian weighting functions.

Abstract: In an image recognition apparatus, a left camera and a right camera are provided so as to produce a parallax. A road surface indication recognizing section recognizes road surface indications contained in a left input image that is supplied from the left camera. An edge detecting section detects remaining edges other than the edges of the recognized road surface indications among all the edges in the left input image. A matching section extracts a reference pattern in the left input image that includes a detected edge, and conducts matching between the reference pattern and a right input image that is supplied from the right camera using a pattern matching method. Based on each matching result with the reference pattern, an object recognizing section recognizes an object in the visual fields and determines a distance from the recognized object to the image recognition apparatus.