Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a computer program for transferring scan geometry between a first region and a second region, similar to the first region includes identifying the first and second regions in an overview image, followed by determining of the first scan geometry corresponding to the first region. Then, the first scan geometry is transferred into the second scan geometry corresponding to the second region using information on geometrical correspondence between the first and second regions. The transferring includes establishing corresponding mappings between similar regions and their respective scan geometries.

Abstract: Processing of a pixel of a digital image includes mapping intensity of the pixel as a smooth, non-linear continuous function of the intensity and minimum and maximum intensities of a local pixel neighborhood of the pixel.

Abstract: An FFT analysis is performed on the decoded image data of one frame, and a cutoff frequency based on the assumption that the original signal has first-order attenuation characteristics is obtained in both the horizontal and vertical directions. A sampled-data H? filter (digital filter), previously designed to have different parameters corresponding to different cutoff frequencies is selected. By using this filter, a filtering process is performed on the image data decoded both in the horizontal and vertical directions. Since the variety of the analog frequency characteristics of the original image is taken into account for every frame of the image, the information that seems to be noise in the original image is less likely to be removed, and mosquito noise and block noise associated with a coding/decoding process can be efficiently removed.

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 have pixels of a first and second color. A method of evaluating an imager includes generating an image with a hand-held imaging device, the image having pixels of a first color and a second color. The image is analyzed to determine information about particles of the first and second color contained in the image. Each particle comprises contiguous pixels of the same color. The particle information is information on particle size and count of particles of the first and second colors. The image is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable based on predetermined objective criteria and the particle information.

Abstract: Encoding and decoding methods are provided to improve the coding efficiency when implementing random access. A recovery point is defined. The encoding method includes: encoding an I-frame to obtain a first reconstructed image; encoding a reference image between the I-frame and the recovery point to obtain a second reconstructed image; refreshing the second reconstructed image to obtain a first refreshed image; using at least one of the first reconstructed image and the first refreshed image as a reference image to encode the corresponding frame at the recovery point. When random access occurs at the I-frame, from the recovery point correct decoding starts at the decoder and the decoded image is consistent with the coded image at the encoder. An encoder, a decoder, and an image processing system are also provided herein.

Abstract: Data to be embedded is divided and thus embedded in areas internal to a block corresponding to a predetermined region of a scanned image. Of the areas, a defined area has the embedded data's identification information embedded therein. A detection apparatus includes a counter including a region including a region storing identification information and a region storing a count value corresponding to embedded data divided that is detected in an area other than the defined area, and classifies a count value corresponding to embedded data divided that is detected from a scanned image for each identification information detected in the block, and stores it to the counter. The detection apparatus identifies data stored for each identification information that has the largest count value for each area as data embedded in that area, and reconstructs the embedded data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating an imager that produces bi-chrome images from a scanner or a digital imaging device. A method of evaluating an imager includes generating an image with a hand-held imaging device, the image having pixels of a first color and a second color. The generated image may be analyzed to determine information about particles of the first and second color contained in the image. Each particle comprises contiguous pixels of the same color, and the determined particle information comprises information on the size and count of the particles of the first and second color. The method may further include determining if the image is unacceptable based on predetermined objective criteria and the particle information.

Abstract: An automated batch identifier registration and embedding system for media signals, such as image, video and audio files. A batch identifier registration system enables a user to submit a request for a batch of unique identifiers to be embedded in media signals. The user submits a request for a batch of IDs. The batch registration system verifies the accuracy of the request, sends a confirmation, allocates IDs, creates corresponding entries in a registration database, and creates embedder files used in a batch embedding process. The user may then submit a request for embedder files. To perform automated batch embedding, a watermark embedder takes the embedder files and corresponding list of media signal files as input and automatically embeds identifiers supplied in the embedder files into corresponding media signal files.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, assembling a feature vector for the image file, the feature vector containing information regarding a likelihood that a selected region of the image file is specular, providing a classifier derived from a computer learning technique, computing a classification score for the selected region of the image file, as a function of the feature vector and the classifier and classifying the region as being specular, as a function of the classification score.

Abstract: Methods and systems are for evaluating an imager that produces bi-chrome images from a scanner or a digital imaging device. A method includes generating an image with a hand-held imaging device. The image from the hand-held imaging device has pixels of a first color and a second color. The image is analyzed 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 includes information on first and second color particle size and count. The image is determined to be acceptable or unacceptable based on predetermined objective criteria and the particle information.

Abstract: An optical system for reading encoded microbeads. The microbeads provide output light signals onto a Fourier plane when illuminated by an incident light. The system includes an input light source that is configured to illuminate the microbeads thereby providing the output light signals. The output light signals are configured to be projected onto the Fourier plane in a readable manner. The system also includes a reading device that is positioned to detect the output light signals from the Fourier plane. The system also includes a processor that is configured to perform Fourier plane analysis of the optical light signals to determine corresponding codes of the microbeads.

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 for evaluating an imager includes generating an image that contains pixels of a first color and a second color. The image may be analyzed to determine information about particles of the first and second color. The particles may be described as contiguous pixels of the same color, and the particle information may relate to the size and quantity of the particles of each color. The method may further include determining if the image is unacceptable based on the particle information compared to predefined objective criteria.

Abstract: An image processing method of processing image portrayal information used for rendering by attaching textures includes separating a texture area to which the texture is attached and a non-texture area to which the texture is not attached in a coordinate system of a rendering-completed image represented by the image portrayal information, compressing the image portrayal information of the non-texture area by a first compression method, and compressing the image portrayal information of the texture area by a second compression method different from the first compression method.

Abstract: A defocus calibration module is applied in a light-sensing system for sensing a measured object to generate a sensed image. The light-sensing system contains a light-emitting component, a focusing component, and an image sensor. The light-emitting component emits a detecting light to the measured object so that the measured object generates a reflecting light. The focusing component focuses the reflecting light to the image sensor, and the image sensor generates the sensed image according to the reflecting light. The defocus calibration module has a calibrating object for blocking a part of the detecting light and the reflecting light for forming images at a first and a second calibration imaging locations in the sensed image. In this way, the defocus calibration module calculates a defocus parameter representing the defocus level of the light-sensing system according to the first and the second calibration imaging locations, and accordingly calibrates the sensed image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses for segmenting multi-view images into foreground and background based on a codebook. For example, in some embodiments, an apparatus is provided that includes: (a) a background model generation unit for extracting a codebook from multi-view background images and generating codeword mapping tables operating in conjunction with the codebook; and (b) a foreground and background segmentation unit for segmenting multi-view images into foreground and background using the codebook and the codeword mapping tables.

Abstract: A system and method for managing image storage size. The invention uses reduction criteria to determine how much to reduce the storage size of an image over time. In one embodiment, reduction of data storage size includes degrading the quality of the image. The reduced-size image replaces the image from the previous iteration. The smaller storage allows longer access to the information in quick access storage and quicker transmission time.

Abstract: This invention provides a technique of speeding up decoding processing by omitting several processes while reducing the influence of omission of processes on image quality in accordance with the variable magnification ratios at which images are to be decoded and displayed. For this purpose, an apparatus according to the invention analyzes the header of decoding target encoded image data. The apparatus then obtains information indicating how many times distortion suppression processing has been executed at the time of the generation of the encoded image data. The apparatus decides which process can be omitted, based on the set variable magnification ratio and the information extracted from the header, and generates an image on which an output is based, by executing the processes which are not to be omitted. The apparatus then re-sizes the image in accordance with the set magnification ratio.

Abstract: A method of encoding an image includes checking a storage status of a buffer storing encoded data, at every data unit equal to or less than at least one macroblock; rearranging information about a macroblock so that encoded data of the macroblock is reduced, based on the storage status of the buffer; and storing data encoded by using data of the image and the information about the macroblock, which is rearranged based on the storage status of the buffer, in the buffer.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses, computer readable storage media with instructions that carry out methods, and methods of (a) coding quantized transform coefficients as occur in image compression to form codewords, and (b) decoding a bitstream comprising the codewords. The coding combines a position identifying method to identify the relative position of clusters of consecutive non-zero-valued quantized transform coefficients, an amplitude event identifying method to identify amplitude events in the clusters of non-zero-valued quantized transform coefficients, and a coding method to code the position events, amplitude events, and signs of the amplitudes in the clusters. The coding method is particularly applicable to an ordered series of quantized transform coefficients where clusters are likely-to-occur.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for compressing image data with high contrast between pixels within a tile and between samples within pixels without any data loss. Partial coverage layers are generated and written to a tile that includes multiple pixels without reading the existing image data that is stored for the tile. A partial coverage layer encodes image data, such as colors, and sub-pixel coverage information for each covered pixel in a tile. The use of partial coverage layers reduces the bandwidth used to store image data when a tile is not fully covered.