Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for refining image annotations. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, for each image in a set of images, a corresponding set of labels determined to be indicative of subject matter of the image. For each label, one or more confidence values are determined. Each confidence value is a measure of confidence that the label accurately describes the subject matter of a threshold number of respective images to which it corresponds. Labels for which each of the one or more confidence values meets a respective confidence threshold are identified as high confidence labels. For each image in the set of images, labels in its corresponding set of labels that are high confidence labels are identified. Images having a corresponding set of labels that include at least a respective threshold number of high confidence labels are identified as high confidence images.

Abstract: An image creation method of creating a filter image for removing a pseudo defect to inspect presence/absence of a defect on a substrate includes a filter image creation step of creating the filter image by replacing a picture element value of any one of picture elements located on a circumference of a circle about a center position of a registered image with a maximum value of picture element values of a plurality of picture elements selected from among the picture elements located on the circumference.

Abstract: A method of tracking an object in an input image stream, the method comprising iteratively applying the steps of: (a) rendering a three-dimensional object model according to a previously predicted state vector from a previous tracking loop or the state vector from an initialization step; (b) extracting a series of point features from the rendered object; (c) localizing corresponding point features in the input image stream; (d) deriving a new state vector from the point feature locations in the input image stream.

Abstract: A method of comparing two object poses, wherein each object pose is expressed in terms of position, orientation and scale with respect to a common coordinate system, the method comprising: calculating a distance between the two object poses, the distance being calculated using the distance function: d sRt ? ( X , Y ) = d s 2 ? ( X , Y ) ? s 2 + d r 2 ? ( X , Y ) ? r 2 + d t 2 ? ( X , Y ) ? t 2 .

Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus, a method, and a program capable of appropriately adjusting the stereoscopic effect in a stereoscopic image with a person. The attention point serving as the provisional cross point position is set to a person's eye, and the cross point position is shifted backwards from the attention point as the percentage of the image occupied by the face increases, thereby adjusting the stereoscopic effect so as to increase an area of the object which is projected forward from the cross point. Regarding the calculation of the back shift amount, the back shift amount is set to increase as the percentage of the face occupied in the standard image increases, and the coefficient is set to be smaller as the number of pixels of the positions nearer than the attention point increases, and the set coefficient kb is multiplied by the back shift amount.

Abstract: Computer-based techniques for grouping documents are described herein. Documents may be grouped, organized, named, and/or indexed by their document character features. Document character features may comprise character counts, character difference counts, missing character counts, and any combination thereof. The comparison of documents may use a comparison threshold value for grouping documents. Documents may be processed in any language.

Abstract: A method and system for statistical mapping between genetic information and facial image data including collecting a multiplicity of sets of genetic information and matching facial image data representing a multiplicity of individuals, representing the genetic information of each of the multiplicity of individuals as a first multidimensional representation, representing the facial image data of each of the multiplicity of individuals as a second multidimensional representation; and inferring correlative, non-causal, statistical relationships between the first multidimensional representations and the second multidimensional representations.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of encoding/decoding an image are provided. The method includes generating a bitmap table by mapping a quantized image, that is quantized according to a predetermined bit-depth, to a map table, and setting a bitmap index corresponding to each pixel location of the quantized image with reference to the bitmap table; setting a fixed filter index corresponding to an image of each pixel of the image by analyzing local characteristics of the image; generating bitmap data by adding the filter index to the bitmap index; extracting a bitmap index, a bitmap table, and a filter index from the bitmap data; extracting an encoded image mapped to the bitmap index from the bitmap table; and filtering the extracted encoded image based on a filter corresponding to the filter index.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for image encoding/decoding are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a block decomposer for decomposing a current block into a plurality of sub-blocks; and an intra prediction encoder for performing an intra prediction encoding by referring to already encoded and decoded adjacent pixel information of each sub-block, based on an intra prediction mode equal to an intra prediction mode of the current block, thereby generating a bit stream for the current block. In image encoding and image decoding, when a current block to be encoded or decoded is predicted, the disclosed method and apparatus can improve the accuracy of the prediction, which can provide an image with a satisfactory reproduction quality by improved coding efficiency.

Abstract: An authentication device including: a finger presenting unit to which a finger to be authenticated is presented; an opening formed on the finger presenting unit; a light source that irradiates light onto the finger; an image capture unit that captures a picture including a vein of the finger, by the light; and a finger placement table capable of placing a finger thereon, except the finger to be authenticated, wherein the finger placement table has a surface, a height of which is higher than the finger presenting unit, wherein the light source is placed inside the finger placement table, and wherein the finger placement table has a sidewall having a window that is used to allow an irradiation axis of the light from the light source upon the image capture unit.

Abstract: A user input method and apparatus may comprise a two line object imaging sensor having a primary line scan-sensor providing a primary line scan-sensor output and a secondary line scan-sensor providing a secondary line scan-sensor output, representing pixels in a current primary scan row and a current secondary scan row, and adapted to scan an object; storing for each scan time each current primary line scan-sensor output and each current secondary line scan-sensor output and a correlation unit correlating at least one of the current representations of pixels in a primary line sensor output with stored representations and the current representations of pixels in a secondary line sensor output with stored representations and, the correlation unit providing as an output a motion indicator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for identifying an individual provided with a portable communication device. In a system for identifying an individual using a portable communication device with a display, the display is a sensor-incorporated display, the sensor-incorporated display reads the biological information of a user, and, based on the read information, identifies an individual.

Abstract: A method of operating a pathology laboratory, which utilizes an ultrasound imaging device, adapted to automatically image tissue specimens, in the laboratory. Resected tissue specimens are received into the laboratory and the ultrasound imaging device is used to image some of the received tissue specimens, thereby creating 3-dimensional tissue specimen images of imaged tissue specimens. Locations on the imaged tissue specimens to take tissue sample, in order to make microscope slides, are determined in reliance on the tissue specimen images and the tissue samples are taken from the locations determined and the microscope slides are produced.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include systems and methods for generating an optical flow-based feature. In embodiments, to extract an optical flow feature, the optical flow at sparse interest points is obtained, and Locality-constrained Linear Coding (LLC) is applied to the sparse interest points to embed each flow into a higher-dimensional code. In embodiments, for an image frame, the multiple codes are combined together using a weighted pooling that is related to the distribution of the optical flows in the image frame. In embodiments, the feature may be used in training models to detect actions, in trained models for action detection, or both.

Abstract: [Problem] Provided is a method of processing image data capable of, at the time of measuring a wafer in a circumferential direction thereof using a surface inspection device employing a laser scattering method to create a Haze map, reducing or removing occurrence of a noise resulting from change in detection sensitivity of the device. Further, provided is a method of creating an image by using the method of processing an image data. [Solving Means] There is provided a method of processing image data, including the steps of: measuring a haze value corresponding to each position on a wafer surface by using a wafer surface inspection device; and, subjecting image data formed by the haze value corresponding to each position on the wafer surface to an image data process along a direction in which the haze value is measured, to remove a noise component.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of improving the usability in search by, for a person presumed to be difficult to be misidentified, improving the frequency of identifying the person. When calculated degree of similarity is equal to or greater than a threshold, it is identified that a face of the person corresponds to a face of any one of registered persons. The threshold is set to a second value greater than a first value, for the face of one of the registered persons who has not been identified when starting recording of the image, and the threshold is set to a third value between the first value and the second value, for the face of one of the registered persons who is already identified when starting the recording of the image, after the recording of the shot image to the nonvolatile recording medium is started.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus employ wide dynamic range imaging. The image processing method includes: providing a radiance map; decomposing a luminance value of the radiance map into a base layer and a detail layer; generating a weight using a ratio between the luminance value of the radiance map and the base layer; creating a compressed luminance using the base layer, the detail layer, and the weight; and generating a tone-mapped image using a color value of the radiance map, the luminance value of the radiance map, and the compressed luminance value. The image processing method provides a display image with enhanced local contrast and details.

Abstract: A number of novel watermarking applications, and improvements to watermarking methods, are disclosed. Included are techniques for encoding printed circuit boards and street signs with watermarks, deterring credit card fraud and controlling software licensing using watermarks, registering collectibles via watermarks, encoding the margins of printed pages with watermarks, and using watermarks to convey extra information in video by which fidelity of the rendered video may be improved. One particular arrangement is a method in which a PDA, wristwatch, or other portable device with a display screen presents a pattern that includes a machine-readable identifier. This image is sensed by a separate device, such as a webcam or a camera-equipped cell phone. The sensing device can then take an action based on the identifier. In some arrangements, the action is personalized to the user.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a surface, consisting of dividing the surface into pixels which are characterized by a parameter variation and defining blocks of the surface as respective groups of the pixels. The pixels are irradiated in multiple scans over the surface with radiation having different first polarization states. At least part of the radiation returning from the pixels is analyzed using second polarization states, to generate processed returning radiation. For each scan, block signatures of the blocks are constructed using the processed returning radiation from the group of pixels in each block. Also for each scan, a block signature variation is determined using the respective block signatures of the blocks, and, in response to the block signature variation, one of the first polarization states and at least one of the second polarization states are selected for use in subsequent examination of a test object.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a central-portion extracting unit, a classifying unit and a determining unit. The central-portion extracting unit extracts edges from an image area and extracts a plurality of central portions of areas each of which is sandwiched between the edges. The classifying unit groups the central portions by classifying adjacent central portions that have no edge therebetween into a single group. The determining unit determines an area of finger, the area of finger being surrounded by the central portions classified into a group by the classifying unit and peripheral edges of the central portion, the area of finger being an area where a ratio of a luminance gradient in a short side direction to a luminance gradient in a long side direction is within a predetermined threshold.