Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing two-dimensional video alignment onto three-dimensional point clouds. The system recovers camera pose from camera video, determines a depth map, converts the depth map to a Euclidean video point cloud, and registers two-dimensional video to the three-dimensional point clouds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing two-dimensional video alignment onto three-dimensional point clouds. The system recovers camera pose from camera video, determines a depth map, converts the depth map to a Euclidean video point cloud, and registers two-dimensional video to the three-dimensional point clouds.

Abstract: In an embedded DCT-based (EDCT) image coding method, decoded images which give better PSNR over earlier JPEG and DCT-based coders are obtained by a scanning order starting, for each bitplane, from the upper left corner of a DCT block (corresponding to the DC coefficient) and transmitting the coefficients in an order of importance. An embedded bit-stream is produced by the encoder. The decoder can cut the bit-stream at any point and therefore reconstruct an image at a lower bitrate. The quality of the reconstructed image at this lower rate is the same as if the image was coder directly at that rate. Near lossless reconstruction of the image is possible, up to the accuracy of the DCT coefficients. The algorithm is very useful in various applications, like WWW, fast browsing of databases, medical imaging, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining camera pose characterized by six degrees of freedom (e.g., for use in computer vision systems) is disclosed. In one embodiment an image captured by the camera is received, and at least two constraints on the potential pose are enforced in accordance with known relations of the image to the camera, such that the potential pose is constrained to two remaining degrees of freedom. At least one potential pose is then determined in accordance with the remaining two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: In a method and a device for transmission of S+P transform coded digitized images a mask is calculated by means of which a region of interest (ROI) can be transmitted lossless whereby the ROI can be transmitted and received lossless and still maintaining a good compression ratio for the image as a whole. This is possible since no or very few bits can be used for the remaining part of the image. The calculated mask can also be used for transmitting the coefficients needed for a lossless region of interest during any stage of the transmission.

Abstract: A preprocessing mechanism automatically processes a video sequence in order to obtain a set of views suitable for structure from motion (SaM) processing. The preprocessor employs a frame decimation algorithm which removes redundant frames within the video sequence based on motion estimation between frames and a sharpness measure. The motion estimation can be performed either globally or locally. The preprocessor can be configured to process static video sequences (i.e., previously acquired/captured) to select a minimal subsequence of sharp views form the video sequence, or to process the frames of a video sequence as they are being captured to discard frames which are redundant. In either configuration, the goal of the preprocessor is to select a minimal sequence of sharp views tailored for SaM processing.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward providing a system for constructing a graphical representation of an image, as perceived from a desired view, from a plurality of calibrated views. An optimum, median fused depth map of a new, desired view of an object or a scene is constructed from a plurality of depth maps of the object or scene, utilizing median values for each of the image pixels within the image domain of the new view. Each of the known depth maps are rendered into the new view, and the pixels of the rendered image are processed one at a time until a median value for each pixel in the new view of the image of the object or scene is calculated. The calculated median values are then assembled into a median fused depth map of the new view of the object or scene, with the median fused depth map available to construct a new two or three dimension images and models of the object or scene as perceived from the new view.

Abstract: In an embedded DCT-based (EDCT) image coding method, decoded images which give better PSNR over earlier JPEG and DCT-based coders are obtained by a scanning order starting, for each bitplane, from the upper left corner of a DCT block (corresponding to the DC coefficient) and transmitting the coefficients in an order of importance. An embedded bit-stream is produced by the encoder. The decoder can cut the bit-stream at any point and therefore reconstruct an image at a lower bitrate. The quality of the reconstructed image at this lower rate is the same as if the image was coder directly at that rate. Near lossless reconstruction of the image is possible, up to the accuracy of the DCT coefficients. The algorithm is very useful in various applications, like WWW, fast browsing of databases, medical imaging, etc.

Abstract: In a method and a device for transmission of S+P transform coded digitized images a mask is calculated by means of which a region of interest (ROI) can be transmitted lossless whereby the ROI can be transmitted and received lossless and still maintaining a good compression ratio for the image as a whole. This is possible since no or very few bits can be used for the remaining part of the image. The calculated mask can also be used for transmitting the coefficients needed for a lossless region of interest during any stage of the transmission.

Abstract: In an embedded DCT-based (EDCT) image coding method, decoded images which give better PSNR over earlier JPEG and DCT-based coders are obtained by a scanning order starting, for each bitplane, from the upper left corner of a DCT block (corresponding to the DC coefficient) and transmitting the coefficients in an order of importance. An embedded bit-stream is produced by the encoder. The decoder can cut the bit-stream at any point and therefore reconstruct an image at a lower bitrate. The quality of the reconstructed image at this lower rate is the same as if the image were coded directly at that rate. Near lossless reconstruction of the image is possible, up to the accuracy of the DCT coefficients. The method is very useful in various applications, like WWW, fast browsing of databases, medical imaging, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining camera pose from point correspondences. Specifically, an efficient solution to the classical five-point relative pose problem is presented. The problem is to find the possible solutions for relative camera motion between two calibrated views given five corresponding points. The method consists of computing the coefficients of a tenth degree polynomial and subsequently finding its roots. The method is well suited for numerical implementation that also corresponds to the inherent complexity of the problem. The method is used in a robust hypothesize- and-test framework to estimate structure and motion in real-time.

Abstract: In a method and a device for transmission of S+P transform coded digitized images a mask is calculated by means of which a region of interest (ROI) can be transmitted lossless whereby the ROI can be transmitted and received lossless and still maintaining a good compression ratio for the image as a whole. This is possible since no or very few bits can be used for the remaining part of the image. The calculated mask can also be used for transmitting the coefficients needed for a lossless region of interest during any stage of the transmission.

Abstract: The invention relates to reconstruction of 3-dimensional scenes from uncalibrated images, and provides a robust and systematic strategy for using cheirality in scene reconstruction and camera calibration. In particular, the invention is directed towards upgrading a general projective reconstruction to a quasi-affine reconstruction. The idea according to the invention is to deduce a number of cheirality constraints with regard to the cameras by statistical use of the scene points in a voting procedure. The deduced cheirality constraints act as constraints on the position of the plane at infinity, and by using linear programming a tentative plane at infinity can be determined. Based on this tentative plane at infinity, the initial projective reconstruction can be transformed into a reconstruction that is quasi-affine with respect to the cameras, a so-called QUARC reconstruction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the recording of moving images by means of a portable communication device, such as a videophone. The communication device includes a main device (101), comprising a video camera (105). Furthermore, an accessory device (102), such as a headset, is also associated with the main device (101) and co-located with a relevant object (103). The video camera (105) records an original image of the relevant object (103). At least one tracking point (107a) is located on the accessory device (102) and at least one automatic tracking sensor (108a-108c) responsive to the at least one tracking point is located on the main device (101). The main device (101) further comprises a tracking data generator, which receives signals from the automatic tracking sensor(s) (108a-108c) and generates in response thereto tracking data representing a target direction (104) between the main device (101) and the accessory device (102).

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a system and method for creation of an optimized depth map through iterative blending of a plurality of hypothetical depth maps in a Bayesian framework of probabilities. The system begins with an estimate of a depth map for a reference image, the estimated depth map becoming the current depth map. The system also has available to it a plurality of hypothetical depth maps of the reference image, derived from any of several known depth map generation methods and algorithms. The current depth map and each hypothetical depth map are compared iteratively, a pixel or pixel pair at a time, relying on minimizing reprojection and discontinuity energies through a graph cut process within a Bayesian probability framework to calculate the optimum assignment of depth map values to the reference image pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing immersive surveillance wherein a remote security guard may monitor a scene using a variety of imagery sources that are rendered upon a model to provide a three-dimensional conceptual view of the scene. Using a view selector, the security guard may dynamically select a camera view to be displayed on his conceptual model, perform a walk through of the scene, identify moving objects and select the best view of those moving objects and so on.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward providing a system for constructing a graphical representation of an image, as perceived from a desired view, from a plurality of calibrated views. An optimum, median fused depth map of a new, desired view of an object or a scene is constructed from a plurality of depth maps of the object or scene, utilizing median values for each of the image pixels within the image domain of the new view. Each of the known depth maps are rendered into the new view, and the pixels of the rendered image are processed one at a time until a median value for each pixel in the new view of the image of the object or scene is calculated. The calculated median values are then assembled into a median fused depth map of the new view of the object or scene, with the median fused depth map available to construct a new two or three dimension images and models of the object or scene as perceived from the new view.

Abstract: A preprocessing mechanism automatically processes a video sequence in order to obtain a set of views suitable for structure from motion (SaM) processing. The preprocessor employs a frame decimation algorithm which removes redundant frames within the video sequence based on motion estimation between frames and a sharpness measure. The motion estimation can be performed either globally or locally. The preprocessor can be configured to process static video sequences (i.e., previously acquired/captured) to select a minimal subsequence of sharp views form the video sequence, or to process the frames of a video sequence as they are being captured to discard frames which are redundant. In either configuration, the goal of the preprocessor is to select a minimal sequence of sharp views tailored for SaM processing.