Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a fiber, such as flexibility, collapsibility and moment of inertia. A fiber is wetted and deformed in its wet state, and an optical section image of the deformed fiber is taken. A measurement is made on the image and the desired property is calculated using the measurement.

Abstract: Removal of the effects of dust or other impurities on image data is described. In one example, a model of artifact formation from sensor dust is determined. From the model of artifact formation, contextual information in the image and a color consistency constraint may be applied on the dust to remove the dust artifacts. Artifacts may also be removed from multiple images from the same or different cameras or camera settings.

Abstract: In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method, executable computer program, and apparatus to provide operations including logically separating into a plurality of parts at least one sub-window of interest of a plurality of sub-windows of interest arranged in a grid formation in an autofocus window of interest, assigning a focus value mask to each of the plurality of parts of the at least one sub-window, and executing an autofocus algorithm using the assigned focus value masks.

Abstract: A method to encode and decode a halftone image such that the halftone image is efficiently compressed and decoded by using pattern characteristics of the halftone image includes determining different template shapes according to characteristics of the halftone image, compressing the halftone image based on determined template shape information, compressing the template shape information, and generating the compressed halftone image and the compressed template shape information as a bitstream.

Abstract: A method for detecting a shadow of an object in an image is provided. A moving object in a plurality of continuous images is detected. A histogram of a color variation of the moving object in each of the images is calculated. The histograms of the color variation are accumulated to obtain a cumulative histogram. A distribution of the color variation in the cumulative histogram is estimated to obtain a shadow distribution function. Whether each pixel in a received image belongs to the shadow is determined by using the shadow distribution function.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic imaging apparatus which has different drive modes of an image pickup device for image shooting between an image for detecting the face of a subject and an image for detecting a feature value for specifying an individual based on the detected face area. For example, the image for detecting the face of the subject can be shot in a drive mode for a low-resolution image and an image for detecting a feature value can be shot in a drive mode for a high-resolution image. For example, the drive mode for a low-resolution image can be a drive mode for live view display, while the drive mode for a high-resolution image can be a drive mode for shooting a still image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating an imager that produces bi-chrome images from a scanner or a digital imaging device, the bi-chrome images having pixels of a first and second color. In one embodiment, a method includes generating an image with a hand-held imaging device, the image having pixels of a first color and a second color, analyzing the image to determine information about particles of the first and second color contained in the image, each particle comprising contiguous pixels of the same color, the particle information comprising information on first and second color particle size and count, and determining if the image is unacceptable based on predetermined objective criteria and the particle information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus generating a thin line binary image and extracting vectors includes: a vector extracting unit configured to raster-scan the thin line binary image by using a pixel matrix including a plurality of pixels to extract a vector to which contour point information is added in accordance with a predetermined pattern of black and white pixels in the pixel matrix; and a coordinate correcting unit configured to detect that the vector has been extracted from a set of black pixels in 2 pixels×2 pixels in the pixel matrix by referring to the contour point information added to the vector and correct a coordinate of a core-line vector in accordance with coordinate correction information included in the contour point information, the core-line vector being produced by reducing the vector to a core line.

Abstract: System and method for embedding and concealing data within a video signal such that the embedded data is displayed within an unused portion of a video display area such that the embedded data is not visually offensive. In one embodiment the encoding of metadata may be executed by translating or adjusting pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area, such that the pixel values are repurposed to contain the metadata and wherein the metadata is visually imperceptible.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for accelerating computation of a Hough transform of a plurality of digital images of known width and height dimensions. The method includes determining a plurality of Hough values for each pixel location based on the width and height dimensions. The method further includes generating a lookup table comprising an array of Hough values corresponding to one or more Hough parameters of at least one geometric shape in at least one digital image. Each element in the array of Hough values may be based on a value of one or more Hough parameters and at least one of a height value or a width value. The method may include receiving a plurality of digital images having known width and height dimensions. The method may further include selecting, for at least one nonzero pixel of at least one of the plurality of digital images, the Hough values from the lookup table.

Abstract: A method for high dynamic range compression uses a modified cumulative histogram as a compression curve. This curve is computed from the cumulative histogram of the image with constraints that the local derivative on the curve does not exceed a certain limit. The limit is fixed along the curve or the limit is variable, taking into account noise characteristics at various pixel values. To provide appropriate detail preservation, a smoothing filter is used to separate the image into an illumination image, referred to as a base image, and a detail image, and the compression curve is applied to the base image only. The compression method provides high dynamic range compression of the image while preserving the global contrast perception. Conventional global algorithms for high dynamic range compression are not capable of achieving this result. The proposed high dynamic range compression method also minimizes noise amplification while lightening the dark areas during image compression.

Abstract: A method and system for nano-encoding and decoding information related to printed texts and images on paper and other surfaces is provided. The system and method includes a nano-encoder for encoding information related to printed texts and images; and then collocating the encoded information with the related printed texts and/or images. The system also includes a nano-decoder for decoding information encoded by the nano-encoder. The nano-decoder includes a text processing database having a translator database. The translator database includes a definition database; and a summary database. In addition, the system and method includes detecting luminescent nano particles and/or magnetic nano particles; and determining invariant properties of the detected nano particles. The invariant properties are then matched with coded information.

Abstract: A face recognition system based on adaptive learning includes a specific person detection and tracking unit for detecting and tracking a specific person from a moving image. A facial feature extraction unit extracts a plurality of facial feature vectors from the detected and tracked specific person. A face recognition unit searches for a given registration model by comparing the extracted facial feature vectors with facial feature vectors of the registration models previously stored in a user registration model database. A learning target selection unit selects a facial feature vector to be added to a record of the given registration model from among the extracted facial feature vectors. A registration model learning unit adds and updates the selected facial feature vector to the record of the given registration model.

Abstract: A human tracking system for tracking a plurality of humans in motion, in a video of the humans in motion, includes a human detection subsystem, and a combined tracker. The human detection subsystem is configured to generate a detection output by detecting the plurality of humans in a part-based representation, in each one of a sequence of static frames in the video. The human detection subsystem is further configured to account for partial occlusion of one or more of the humans in the image. The combined tracker is configured to receive and combine the detection responses generated by the human detection subsystem, and to track the humans in response to the received detection responses and image appearance properties.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which enables reduction of memory size required for image modification is provided. The image processing apparatus establishes a target block of the modification process; generates an image within the target block by storing an image within a referent block into a source memory area, and by referring the referent block image in the source memory area; generates entirety of the post-modification image by sequentially shifting the target block to a different position within the image modification area and by generating an image within the target block after each shift; computes a maximum block size of the referent block associated with the target block situated any available position prior to generation of the image; and allocates the source memory area capable of storing an image of a size equal to the maximum block size.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques of up-scaling an input image represented by an input video signal in an image up-scaling system, especially to a method and an image up-scaling system for up-scaling an input image represented by an input video signal, the method comprising steps of receiving and processing the input video signal in an up-scaling device (21, 23), providing a linear up-scaled video signal generated by the up-scaling device (21, 23) to a signal combining device (24), receiving and processing the input video signal in a harmonics generation device (22, 25, 26, . . . , 30), generating an up-scaled output image represented by an up-scaled output video signal by combing the up-scaled video signal with a higher harmonics video output signal provided by the harmonics generation device (22, 25, 26, . . . , 30) in the signal combining device (24), and providing the up-scaled output video signal to an output of the combining device (24).

Abstract: An fixed form image reading apparatus includes an imaging portion for taking an image of a fixed form image formed in accordance with a predetermined rule so as to deliver image data, a luminance detecting portion that detects an accumulated value of luminance of a plurality of predetermined areas in the fixed form image as reference luminance data, an interpolation coefficient generating portion that generates an interpolation coefficient for performing interpolation so that luminance of the image data of the fixed form image becomes a predetermined level by using the reference luminance data, and a luminance correcting portion that corrects luminance of the image data of the fixed form image based on the interpolation coefficient.

Abstract: An audio photograph data storage system stores a printed image and a plurality of audio segments associated with the printed image. The audio segments are arranged in a plurality of audio layers.

Abstract: The systems and methods enhance, or increase the strength of, signals collected from a target object, to facilitate identification of the object, by removing or suppressing signal variations or aberrations associated with the object or its surroundings.

Abstract: A method of generating and recovering three-dimensional (3D) compression data and an apparatus to perform the method is described. The method includes generating configuration information of a 3D compression data sequence, generating a plurality of pieces of individual 3D compression data to be included in the 3D compression data sequence, and generating the 3D compression data sequence by combining the plurality of pieces of the individual 3D compression data, combining the 3D compression data sequence with the configuration information, and outputting the combined result. The generating of each of the plurality of pieces of individual 3D compression data includes generating individual configuration information of the piece of individual 3D compression data, generating a start code according to a data type of the piece of individual 3D compression data, and generating the 3D compression data according to the data type.