Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and systems related to watermark encoding via pixel spacing modulation. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method modulates the pixel spacing associated with an image to encode a watermark.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for banding defect detection and analysis in digital imaging systems. The present method utilizes the gray levels of image regions and a collection of sequence of user images to improve the banding analysis. One embodiment hereof includes: segmenting images into regions; determining banding information for each page over a given sequence of images and detecting problem banding defect frequencies; estimating the banding amplitude(s) and average gray levels for each segmented region for each identified banding frequency(ies); and determining, through a process of interpolation, the banding amplitude for the image or sequence of images based on the banding amplitude and average gray levels of each region. Thereafter, notification can be provided to a key operator when the amplitude(s) are expected to exceed pre-determined levels over the course of a production run. The method demonstrates advantages in banding detection over whole-page methods.

Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and systems related to watermark decoding via spectral analysis of an image. According to one exemplary method, spectral analysis is performed to decode a watermark within an image, where the pixel spacing associated with the image was modulated to encode the watermark.

Abstract: An upstream vehicle detection system captures images of a vehicle as it travels through a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane or high occupancy vehicle tolling (HOT) station and generates an hypothesis as to whether the vehicle is complying with HOV or HOT rules based on image analysis. A database of historical information about various vehicles' compliance with HOV or HOT rules is consulted to determine whether the vehicle has previously been identified as a potential violator and pulled over by law enforcement as a result. If the vehicle was previously pulled over by law enforcement and determined to be complying with HOV or HOT rules (a false positive), then the violation hypothesis may be weighted in favor of not pulling the vehicle over.

Abstract: Compensation for rendering device non-uniformities is provided for halftoned images. A spatially dependent tone reproduction curve (TRC) provides compensation values. Pixel location information is used to access TRC values. For example, the values are modification values. The modification values are added to the pixel values to generate combined values. Quantization is applied to the combined values to prepare compensated image data for rendering. For example, Rank Ordered Error Diffusion is applied to the combined values. The combined values may include diffused error from previously processed pixels. Gray values may be estimated for the respective pixels. The estimated gray values may be used to access compensation information from a TRC that is both spatially and gray value dependent. Mathematical basis decomposition is used to reduce TRC memory requirements.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods for lenticular printing devices, wherein both a lenticular lens sheet and an interlaced composite image can be formed using an imaging device to provide a precise registration translated from a color-to-color registration.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for image-based determination of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in exhaled breath. In one embodiment, an image of the exhaled airstream of a subject of interest is received. The image is captured using a mid-wave infrared camera system having an optical filter tuned to the infrared absorption band of CO2. The image is preprocessed to isolate a region of pixels containing the exhaled airstream and intensity values of pixels in the identified region are normalized by a value of a known radiance such as that of the subject's nose or face. The image is analyzed to determine CO2 concentration levels of the exhaled airstream using a calibration curve which relates pixel intensity to CO2 concentrations. The calibration curve is derived using a physics-based parameterized model. The CO2 concentration levels are determined and communicated to a computer workstation. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment generally relates to systems and methods for estimating heart rates of individuals using non-contact imaging. A processing module can process multi-spectral video images of individuals and detect skin blobs within different images of the multi-spectral video images. The skin blobs, can be converted into time series signals and processed with a band pass filter. Further, the time series signals can be processed to separate pulse signals from unnecessary signals. The heart rate of the individual can be estimated according to the resulting time series signal processing.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for recovering a patient's cardiac pulse rate from a sequence of video images recording of that patient. In one embodiment, a reference signal of a particular frequency is generated at predetermined frequency intervals and a constrained source separation is performed on the source data to obtain an estimation of the source signal intended to be recovered. The reference signal is updated and constrained source separation is again performed. These operations are repeated for all frequencies of the reference signal. The frequency at which a minimum error is achieved is determined to be the subject's recovered cardiac pulse frequency. In such a manner, the source signal is extracted and recovered reliably from captured multi-channel RGB signals or multispectral signals. The teachings hereof find their uses in a variety of medical solutions including various military, security and telemedicine applications. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a filter array for a multi-resolution multi-spectral camera system which not only captures 2D images at multiple wavelength bands simultaneously but also at a spatial resolution that meets the demand for spatial feature extraction. The present system optimizes filter bands that provide high image contrast at the highest possible resolution to enable spatial feature extraction and other wavelength bands at lower resolution to achieve maximum number of wavelength bands (e.g. spectral resolution) for multi-spectral analysis. After determining the required spatial resolution and number of wavelength bands for spectral analysis, multiple filters are arranged in a geometric pattern with each filter being designed to have specified wavelength and spatial resolution. Physical sizes of filters differ within each filter group. This maximizes the detector usage while optimizing the trade-off between spatial resolution and spectral resolution.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for identifying materials comprising an object captured in a video and for using the identified materials to track that object as it moves across the captured video scene. In one embodiment, a multi-spectral or hyper-spectral sensor is used to capture a spectral image of an object in an area of interest. Pixels in the spectral planes of the spectral images are analyzed to identify a material comprising objects in that area of interest. A location of each of the identified objects is provided to an imaging sensor which then proceeds to track the objects as they move through a scene. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An embodiment generally relates to systems and methods for determining cell phone usage automatically by individuals operating vehicles. A processing module can process multi-spectral images or videos of individuals and detect different regions in the image such as face regions, hand regions, and cell phone regions. Further, the processing module can analyze the regions based on locations and numbers of skin pixels and cell phone pixels to determine if the individual is holding his or her cell phone near his or her face. Based on the analysis, it can be determined whether the individual is operating the cell phone. Further, the analysis can yield a confidence level associated with the cell phone usage.

Abstract: Disclosed are FIFO type methods, systems and apparatus for electronically registering image data relative to a raster or other marking device. According to an exemplary method, a FIFO type data queuing configuration is provided, where the length of data memory segments associated with the FIFO are selected to correspond to the number of raster lines from the most upstream point of the physical raster to the point where the given pixel column intersects the physical raster.

Abstract: A method for automatically optimizing a parameter set for a tracking algorithm comprising receiving a series of image frames and processing the image frames using a tracking algorithm with an initialized parameter set. An updated parameter set is then created according to the processed image frames utilizing estimated tracking analytics. The parameters are validated using a performance metric that may be manually or automatically preformed using a GUI. The image frames are collected from a video camera with a fixed set-up at a fixed location. The image frames may include a training traffic video or a training video for tracking humans.

Abstract: A method enables the positions of inoperable inkjets in printheads to be corrected for positional changes arising from shifts in media, shrinkage of the media, thermal expansion of optical sensors that detect the inoperable inkjets, and other measurement errors. The measurement errors are detected with reference to image data corresponding to a reference pattern printed within a portion of a print job. Thus, reference marks do not need to be printed in areas outside of a print job as previously required.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for determining whether a front seat in a motor vehicle is occupied based on seat pattern recognition. The present invention takes advantage of the observation that an unoccupied seat of a motor vehicle exhibits features which are distinguishable from an occupied seat. An unoccupied motor vehicle seat typically features long contiguous horizontal line segments and curve segments, and substantially uniform areas encompassed by these segments which are not present in an occupied seat. The present method provides a long horizontal edge test which uses location information within a defined window of the image, edge linking, softness of the edge, number of lines, line/curve fitting, and other techniques to locate horizontal edges in the image which define a seat, and a uniformity step which determines whether the area bounded by the horizontal edges is relatively uniform indicating an unoccupied seat.

Abstract: A method enables the positions of inoperable inkjets in printheads to be corrected for positional changes arising from shifts in media, shrinkage of the media, thermal expansion of optical sensors that detect the inoperable inkjets, and other measurement errors. The measurement errors are detected with reference to image data corresponding to a reference pattern printed within a portion of a print job. Thus, reference marks do not need to be printed in areas outside of a print job as previously required.

Abstract: A method for determining local defocus distance in a scanned image of a non-planar original object is provided comprising scanning at least a portion of the non-planar original object to produce first scanned image data at a first focal plane and scanning same the at least a portion of the non-planar original object to produce at least second scanned image data at a second focal plane. The first scanned image data is different from the second scanned image data wherein a distance between the first focal plane and the second focal plane is a predetermined quantity. The method further comprises estimating an out-of-focus distance of the object from the first and the second scanned image data.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a personalized medical video story, comprising: at least a portion of a prerecorded stock tutorial video having stock information and one or more uncompleted segments for inserting personalized medical information onto a single recording medium. The personalized medical information includes personalized health information including vital health statistics. The at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video includes stock information on a variety of medical maladies combined with the personalized medical information. The stock tutorial video includes insertion points within the uncompleted segments for inserting the personalized medical information. The personalized medical information at the insertion points is merged with the at least a portion of the prerecorded stock tutorial video for producing at least a portion of the personalized medical video story.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a personalized record/video, and method to produce the record/video, that combines stock tutorial record/video information with personalized information. Personalized information can include data that is, for example, inserted, overlaid, or parameterized information (still images, video, audio, text or graphics, etc.); sorted sequence of images and sorted differences from one personalized script to another personalized script; and/or a personalized framework for creating a personalized script that generates an asynchronous video.