Abstract: Methods, an apparatus, and software media are provided for removing unwanted information such as moving or temporary foreground objects from a video sequence. The method performs, for each pixel, a statistical analysis to create a background data model whose color values can be used to detect and remove the unwanted information. The method assumes that for each pixel the background is present in a majority of the frames. The camera that records the video sequence may move relative to the geometry of the video scene. A pixel in a first frame is matched to a location in the geometry. The method determines color values of pixels, matched to the location in the geometry, in successive frames and clusters color values to determine a background color value range. It may use quadratic or better interpolation and extrapolation to determine background color values for unavailable frames.

Abstract: Methods, an apparatus, and software media are provided for removing unwanted information such as moving or temporary foreground objects from a video sequence. The method performs, for each pixel, a statistical analysis to create a background data model whose color values can be used to detect and remove the unwanted information. This includes determining a prevalent color cluster from among k clusters of color values for the pixel in successive frames. The method uses k-means clustering. To replace the unwanted information, the method iterates frames to find frames in which a pixel's color value is not included in the prevalent color cluster. In those frames, it replaces the pixel's color value with a value from the prevalent color cluster.

Abstract: A method for coloring pixels of a pixelated display to present a simulated image of a view of objects illuminated by light from light sources and light reflected off the objects is used in an apparatus for coloring pixels to create an image. According to the method, a space is defined, along with objects and light sources in the space. A view point is taken and a view surface is divided into unit areas corresponding to pixels in the image. As the illumination of points on surfaces of objects in the space is found, a data structure is saved for that point indicating its location, its orientation, and the rays of illumination which reach the point, each ray described by a direction, source, color, propagator object, and propagator type.