Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for deriving from an arbitrary local image descriptor a descriptor that is invariant under arbitrary mirror symmetries. For a point of interest, pi, for which the descriptor is to be determined a direction, ODi is determined. The local patch from which the descriptor is to be extracted is mirrored along ODi if a “smaller than” relation does not hold a feature extracted from the left half of the local image patch, in regard of ODi, compared to the right half of the local image patch. Thereby, the local patch is brought into a normalized intrinsic orientation. Thereafter, the descriptor is extracted. Examples include a mirror symmetry invariant version of Lowe's SIFT.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for deriving from an arbitrary local image descriptor a descriptor that is invariant under arbitrary mirror symmetries. For a point of interest, pi, for which the descriptor is to be determined a direction, ODi is determined. The local patch from which the descriptor is to be extracted is mirrored along ODi if a “smaller than” relation does not hold a feature extracted from the left half of the local image patch, in regard of ODi, compared to the right half of the local image patch. Thereby, the local patch is brought into a normalized intrinsic orientation. Thereafter, the descriptor is extracted. Examples include a mirror symmetry invariant version of Lowe's SIFT.

Abstract: A method for identifying videos within a corpus of reference videos that match a query video is presented. The method includes receiving an input search criteria including search and matching parameters. The method includes indexing each reference video frame by frame and determining a visual signature based on visual signatures of all frames or a subset of frames. The method also includes determining a visual signature of the query video and comparing the visual signatures of each reference video to the query video and identifying matches. In one embodiment, indexing includes determining subsets of frames within each reference video including anchor, heart beat and key frames. A primary visual signature is based on the visual signatures of all frames within the reference video. A secondary visual signature is based on the visual signatures of at least one of the subsets within the reference video.

Abstract: A lighter for heating-up a smokeless cigarette comprises a housing having a fuel reservoir connected with a burner nozzle via a valve. An igniting device is disposed near the burner nozzle. The valve is openable by an actuator provided on the housing, whereby a flame is ignited by the igniting device. A receptacle is disposed adjacent to the burner nozzle and the igniting device, is accessible through a hole in the housing and is formed in the interior of the housing. The end of a cigarette body facing away from a mouthpiece is inserted into the receptacle so that the corresponding end of a heating pipe, which faces towards the burner nozzle, is heated by the flame in order to vaporize a stimulant in the cigarette. The cigarette can be removed from the receptacle after the stimulant begins to vaporize.

Abstract: A Cigarette body for a smoke-free cigarette, the cigarette body (12) of which has a cylindrical body with an air inlet at one end and an air outlet at the other end, an air channel linking the air inlet with the air outlet and a heating device (26) to warm the air passing through the channel, with the end designed with an air outlet attachable to the end of a cylindrical mouthpiece (10) containing a deposit for a pleasure-giving stimulant (58) and designed with a suction opening (18), so that following the application of negative pressure to the suction opening, the pleasure-giving stimulant is evaporated by the warmed air flowing through the channel and exits together with the air via the suction opening, with this characterized by the fact that the surface of the body (24) facing radially outwards contains thermal material which insulates it from the inside and encloses a structuring heat conductor (26) made from thermally conducting material, which is accessible through the air inlet and for which the end