Abstract: Projector and camera arrangements are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems. Specifically, the present invention provides projector and camera arrangements wherein the projector and camera share the same imaging optics. By sharing the same projection and camera optics, the distortions that affect the projection system are the same as those of the camera system. Thus, the calibration step required in conventional whiteboard systems where the projector and camera are separate, i.e., each having their own distinct optics and settings, is no longer needed. Further, the arrangements provided in accordance with the invention are self-aligning, even when lens distortions are large and even in the presence of strong perspective effects. The shared optics projector and camera arrangements of the invention also provide for dynamic zooming. In addition, various active and passive optical marker or lightpen designs are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of search fusion methods for querying multimedia databases and more specifically to a method and system for constructing a multi-modal query of a multimedia repository by forming multiple uni-modal searches and explicitly selecting fusion methods for combining their results. The present invention also relates to the integration of search methods for content-based retrieval, model-based retrieval, text-based retrieval, and metadata search, and the use of graphical user interfaces allowing the user to form queries fusing these search methods.

Abstract: Semantic indexing and retrieval of multimedia content requires that the content is sufficiently annotated. However, the great volumes of multimedia data and diversity of labels make annotation a difficult and costly process. Disclosed is an annotation framework in which supervised training with partially labeled data is facilitated using active learning. The system trains a classifier with a small set of labeled data and subsequently updates the classifier by selecting a subset of the available data-set according to optimization criteria. The process results in propagation of labels to unlabeled data and greatly facilitates the user in annotating large amounts of multimedia content.

Abstract: A manual annotation system of multi-modal characteristics in multimedia files. There is provided an arrangement for selection an observation modality of video with audio, video without audio, audio with video, or audio without video, to be used to annotate multimedia content. While annotating video or audio features in isolation results in less confidence in the identification of the features, observing both audio and video simultaneously and annotating that observation results in a higher confidence level.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for analyzing multimedia content to identify the presence of audio, visual and textual cues that together correspond to one or more high-level semantics are provided. The apparatus and method make use of one or more analysis models that are trained to analyze audio, visual and textual portions of multimedia content to generate scores associated with the audio, visual and textual portions with respect to various high-level semantic concepts. These scores are used to generate a vector of scores. The apparatus is trained with regard to relationships between audio, visual and textual scores to thereby take the vector of scores generated for the multimedia content and classify the multimedia content into one or more high-level semantic concepts. Based on the scores for the various audio, video and textual portions of the multimedia content, a level of certainty regarding the high-level semantic concepts may be generated.

Abstract: Projector and camera arrangements are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems. Specifically, the present invention provides projector and camera arrangements wherein the projector and camera share the same imaging optics. By sharing the same projection and camera optics, the distortions that affect the projection system are the same as those of the camera system. Thus, the calibration step required in conventional whiteboard systems where the projector and camera are separate, i.e., each having their own distinct optics and settings, is no longer needed. Further, the arrangements provided in accordance with the invention are self-aligning, even when lens distortions are large and even in the presence of strong perspective effects. The shared optics projector and camera arrangements of the invention also provide for dynamic zooming. In addition, various active and passive optical marker or lightpen designs are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems.

Abstract: The invention allows a user to construct a collection of resolutionally non-uniform, captured digital image views of static scene, thereby defining the more interesting sections of the scene for viewing. The invention provides a system and a method for continuous zooming and display of composite image representation having different levels of resolution at different locations. The invention discloses techniques for acquisition of multiple resolution and overlapping digital images, composite representation of those captured images, and the continuous zooming display of the complete image data.

Abstract: Projector and camera arrangements are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems. Specifically, the present invention provides projector and camera arrangements wherein the projector and camera share the same imaging optics. By sharing the same projection and camera optics, the distortions that affect the projection system are the same as those of the camera system. Thus, the calibration step required in conventional whiteboard systems where the projector and camera are separate, i.e., each having their own distinct optics and settings, is no longer needed. Further, the arrangements provided in accordance with the invention are self-aligning, even when lens distortions are large and even in the presence of strong perspective effects. The shared optics projector and camera arrangements of the invention also provide for dynamic zooming. In addition, various active and passive optical marker or lightpen designs are provided for use in electronic whiteboard systems.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for broadcasting history or coarse representations or both of stroke media and other media. Levels are created for media, and the levels are periodically broadcast. The levels segment the media and allow the media to be examined with details that range from coarse to fine or examined with varying importance or both. The periodic broadcast of the levels provides history of the media. In particular, for stroke data, levels of detail are determined through a certain method. Each level of detail is periodically broadcast. The levels of detail may be shown by themselves or combined at a receiver to create segmented views of the stroke data. A user can select a coarse view of the stroke data to quickly see the stroke history. Additionally, techniques are provided for quickly and repeatedly accessing data elements in already existing data structures. Generally, a description is created that describes data elements in a preexisting data structure.

Abstract: The multi-viewpoint video encoder disclosed herein comprises a depth estimator, a predictor connected to the depth estimator, and a comparator connected to the predictor. In addition, the multi-viewpoint video encoder has an output, preferably including a multiplexer for multiplexing the first image, the depth map, the second viewpoint vector and the prediction errors into a signal. The multi-viewpoint video encoder also includes a depth map encoder/compressor. The depth map is compressed according to a video compression standard, preferably compatible with the MPEG-2 standard. The multi-viewpoint video encoder further includes a first image encoder. The first image is encoded according to a video coding standard, preferably compatible with the MPEG-2 standard. In this manner, an MPEG-2 monitor can display the first image video without any further modifications. Many of the elements described above are already found in MPEG-2 encoders.