Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.

Abstract: A median filtering apparatus and method for removing noise and improving an image quality with respect to all types of input images are provided. The median filtering apparatus may receive an input of N pieces of data, may form a data set including the N pieces of data, may calculate a difference array having an N×N size based on the N pieces of data in the data set, may sum component values for each column of the difference array, and may calculate an index of a column having a smallest value among sum values that are obtained by the summing operation and that are greater than or equal to a preset value.

Abstract: A method for image reconstruction that utilizes the benefits of compressed sensing (“CS”) while incorporating a priori knowledge of object spatial support into the image reconstruction is provided. Image data is acquired from a subject, for example, with a medical imaging system, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system or a computed tomography (“CT”) system. An estimate of the spatial support of the subject is produced, for example, using a low resolution image of the subject, or an image reconstructed from undersampled image data in a traditional sense. An estimate image of the subject is also produced by using traditional image reconstruction methods on the acquired image data. An image of the subject is then reconstructed using the produced estimate image and produced spatial support estimate. This method allows for the reconstruction of quality images from undersampled image data in a computationally efficient manner.

Abstract: A method for removing noise from an image includes receiving image data including a plurality of pixels. A graph including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges interconnecting the nodes is formulated. Each pixel of the image data is represented as a node of the graph and each edge of the graph is assigned a weight based on a penalty function applied to the nodes connected by the edge where the penalty function is less when a value of a given pixel of the plurality of pixels is between or equal to the values of two neighboring pixels than when the value of the given pixel is either greater than or less than the values of both of the two neighboring pixels. A total penalty of the graph is minimized. A denoised image is provided based on the total penalty-minimized graph.

Abstract: A computer-based method for the development of an image analysis protocol for analyzing image data, the image data containing images including image objects, in particular biological image objects such as biological cells. The image analysis protocol, once developed, is operable in an image analysis software system to report on one or more measurements conducted on selected ones of the image objects. The development process includes defining target identification settings to identify at least two different target sets of image objects, defining target identification settings to identify at least two different target sets of image objects, and defining one or more measurements to be performed using said pair-wise linking relationship(s).

Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.

Abstract: A method that, when an image is edited by moving objects, causes a display apparatus to display a layout image in which a plurality of objects is arranged, sets a region containing specified objects in the displayed layout image based on positions where each of the specified objects is arranged in the layout image, determines a position to which the object of the specified objects is to be moved in the layout image according to the set region, and moves the object of the specified objects to the determined position.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and program product for detecting an object in a digital image. In one embodiment, the invention includes: deriving an initial object indication mask based on pixel-wise differences between a first digital image and a second digital image, at least one of which includes the object; performing an edge finding operation on both the first and second digital images, wherein the edge finding operation includes marking added edges; generating a plurality of straight linear runs of pixels across an image containing the object, wherein each of the plurality of straight linear runs starts and ends on an added edge and is contained within the initial object indication mask; and forming a final object indication mask by retaining only pixels that are part of at least one of the plurality of straight linear runs.

Abstract: A method for reconstruction of a two-dimensional sectional image corresponding to a sectional plane through a recorded object from two-dimensional projection images recorded along a recording trajectory at different projection angles with an X-ray device is proposed. The sectional plane having at least two intersection points with the imaging trajectory is selected. After selection of the sectional plane, an intermediate function on the sectional plane is determined by backprojection of the projection images processed with a differentiation filter. The object densities forming the sectional image are determined from the intermediate function by a two-dimensional iterative deconvolution method.

Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a computer program for performing a color matching operation. The computer program identifies first and second images. Each image includes several pixels. Each pixel includes a luma component value. Based on analysis of the luma component values of the pixels of the first and second images, the computer program determines a set of transforms to modify pixel values of the first image so that the pixel values of the first image are similar to pixel values of the second image. The computer program applies the set of transforms to the first image such that the pixel values of the first image are similar to the pixel values of the second image.

Abstract: A method for removing defective pixels using a signal processing scheme with a Bayer pattern, by determining an output value of the inter-channel according to whether or not a difference between a center pixel and an average of neighboring pixels, which have the same color as that of the center pixel, is greater than or equal to a threshold value; and using values of neighboring pixels nearest to a center pixel as an input, obtaining an output value of the cross-channel by finding a median value among a median value of vertical and horizontal lines including the center pixel, a median value of diagonal lines including the center pixel, and a value of the center pixel. Then, a defective pixel is removed, through the use of the output value of the inter-channel, the output value of the cross-channel, and the value of the center pixel.

Abstract: An image processing method for boundary resolution enhancement is disclosed. Firstly, an image is transferred into an image layer. Noise of the image layer is removed by a bilateral filter and crisp edges are retained at the same time. Moreover, the image layer is interpolated by an interpolation filter for resolution enhancement. The image processing method of the present invention can lower the image blur degree substantially, enhance the image resolution and be widely implemented in all sorts of image/video processing hardware devices.

Abstract: A video image capture component includes a light source operable in a first spectrum, a first image detector operable in the first spectrum, a second light source operable in a second spectrum, and a second image detector operable in the second spectrum. A filtering component generates a combination image by filtering a first image obtained by the first image detector with a high-contrast filter, resulting in a high-contrast image, and masking a second image obtained by the second image detector using the high-contrast image. A compositing component creates a composite image from the combination image and a selected image. A display component displays the composite image. Alternative systems and methods for creating a combination image include techniques involving thermal imaging, laser detection, and narrow band frequency detection.

Abstract: Pseudo dual-energy material identification systems and methods with under-sampling are disclosed. The system comprises a ray generating device, a mechanic rotation control section, a data collecting subsystem comprising a first tier of detectors and a second tier of detectors, and a master control and data processing computer. The system utilizes a CT-imaging-based material identification method with under-sampled dual-energy projection data, in which only a few detectors at the second tier are used to perform dual-energy projection data sampling, and optimization is made on the procedure of solving an equation system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable storage media for tone mapping High Dynamic Range (HDR) images. An input HDR image is separated into luminance and color. Luminance is processed to obtain a base layer and a detail layer. The base layer is compressed according to a non-linear remapping function to reduce the dynamic range, and the detail layer is adjusted. The layers are combined to generate output luminance, and the output luminance and color are combined to generate an output image. A base layer compression technique may be used that analyzes the details and compresses the base layer accordingly to provide space at the top of the intensity scale where the details are displayed to thus generate output images that are visually better than images generated using conventional techniques. User interface elements may be provided via which a user may control one or more parameters of the tone mapping method.

Abstract: A fluoroscopy apparatus including: an illumination unit having a light source radiating illumination light and excitation light onto an observation target, a fluorescence-imaging unit acquiring a fluorescence image by imaging fluorescence generated at the observation target by the excitation light, a white-light-imaging unit acquiring a reference image by imaging light returning from the observation target by the illumination light, and an image-correction unit obtaining a correction fluorescence image by raising the luminance value of the fluorescence image to the power of a reciprocal of a first and second exponent obtained by a power approximation of a distance characteristic of luminance versus observation distance, for the fluorescence image, and that obtains a corrected fluorescence image by dividing the correction fluorescence image by the correction reference image.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are disclosed relating to skin-tone filtering for reducing the impact of lighting conditions, while providing a low-computation solution for effective face detection. In one aspect, methods include sampling a digital image frame from among a series of digital image frames. The methods further include analyzing pixels within the sampled digital image frame to determine whether pixels in the sampled digital image frame have a hue, independent of lightness, that is within a range of hues corresponding to human skin tone. Further, the methods include deciding whether the sampled digital image frame includes a depiction of human skin based on a result of the analyzing.

Abstract: A system for segregating handwritten information from typographic information on a document may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory stores an electronic document image of a document where the electronic document image includes pixels and each pixel has a characteristic. The processor may receive, via the interface, the electronic document image and may identify first, second and third most frequently occurring characteristics of the pixels of the electronic document image. The pixels having the first most frequently occurring characteristic represent a background of the document. The processor may determine the typographic information of the document as represented by pixels having the second most frequently occurring characteristic. The processor may determine the handwritten information of the document as represented by pixels having the third most frequently occurring characteristic.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of compensating a signal of an image of one screen for distortions in the horizontal and/or vertical directions of a screen of the image. The method includes the steps of: dividing one screen area of the image into a plurality of picture divisions; and detecting a movement vector of the image for each particular one of the picture divisions from information on a difference in image between the particular picture division on one of two screens and the particular division on the other of the two screens.