Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A resolution enhancing method of a video includes reducing a training video, extracting a high-frequency component from the training video, calculating a first feature vector including a feature amount of a first spatio-temporal box in the reduced video, storing pairs of the first feature vectors and second spatio-temporal boxes in the high-frequency component videos at the same positions as those of the first spatio-temporal boxes, expanding an input video, retrieving a first feature vector similar to a second feature vector including a feature amount of a third spatio-temporal box of an object of the input video to be processed, as an element, and adding a second spatio-temporal box making a pair with the retrieved first feature vector to a fourth spatio-temporal box in the expanded video at the same position as that of the third spatio-temporal box in order to generate an output video.

Abstract: An image resolution increasing method includes reducing an input image, calculating a first feature vector having a feature quantity of a first block of a reduced image, extracting a high-frequency component image from the input image, storing pairs each having the first feature vector and a second block of the high-frequency component image that is located at the same position as the first block as a look-up table, enlarging the input image, calculating a second feature vector having a feature quantity of a third block of an object in the input image, searching the look-up table for the first feature vector similar to the second feature vector, and adding a fourth block of the look-up table which pairs with the first feature vector and a fifth block of the temporal enlarged image that is located at the same position as the third block.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a capturing unit that captures a motion picture at one of a plurality of frame rates; a buffer that temporary stores the motion picture captured by the capturing unit; a signal generation unit that generates a signal used for specifying a core frame that is to be subjected to a resolution enhancement processing, while the capturing unit captures the motion picture at a first frame rate; a capturing control unit that controls the capturing unit to capture the motion picture, after the core frame specified by the signal, at a second frame rate that is higher than the first frame rate; a reference frame determination unit that determines a frame stored in the buffering unit at the second frame rate as a reference frame; and an image processing unit that performs the resolution enhancement processing by converting the core frame into a high-resolution frame by reference to the reference frame determined by the reference frame determination unit.

Abstract: Target-region detection apparatus includes unit receiving image frame, unit detecting a position of first target in the image frame, unit acquiring at least one combination of reference image as image of reference frame and a position of second target in the reference frame, unit selecting the reference frame from the combination, based on estimation criterion for reducing overlapping area of the first target and the second target, unit detecting from the reference frame at least one difference region in which pixel value of the selected reference frame included in the combination differs from pixel value of the image frame, unit specifying target region of the image frame, in which the first target exists, based on the difference region, and unit storing, as reference frame information, the image frame and the position of the first target in the image frame.

Abstract: A method to detect a given pattern in an image, as for obtaining, by a computer, transformation parameters that facilitate transformation of a template as to be overlapped with the object, comprising: inputting the template having contour points and region distinguishing information for each points; inputting contour candidate points and region distinguishing information for each points; transforming a position or a shape of the template by using each of transformation parameter set candidates; obtaining an evaluation value, or similarity of a distribution of the object and background regions, on each overlapping pair between one of the contour candidate points in the image and one of the contour points of the template; obtaining sum of the evaluation values only for those not smaller than a threshold evaluation value, for the each of the transformation parameter set candidates; and outputting a transformation parameter set having largest sum of the evaluation values.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method, apparatus, computer, and program product for generating a strobe composite image from a plurality of frames of a moving image. A first frame is selected from the plurality of frames of the moving image. A plurality of second frames relating to the first frame are determined. Then, a strobe composite image is generated by superposing the plurality of second frames in accordance with a superposing manner.

Abstract: Image processing method includes acquiring image including object and background, acquiring initial region including object region containing object and background region containing background, setting target region including initial region in image, setting local region containing pixel of interest, calculating local object reliability indicating a degree that pixel of interest seems to belong to object region and local background reliability indicating degree that pixel of interest seems to belong to background region by using information of luminance or color of local object region and information of luminance or color of local background region, respectively, local object region including object region and local region and local background region including background region and local region, deciding that pixel of interest belongs to one of object region and background region, based on local object reliability and local background reliability, and outputting region information representing one of object r

Abstract: There are disclosed a method, apparatus, computer, and program product for generating a strobe composite image from a plurality of frames of a moving image. A first frame is selected from the plurality of frames of the moving image. A plurality of second frames relating to the first frame are determined. Then, a strobe composite image is generated by superposing the plurality of second frames in accordance with a superposing manner.

Abstract: An image editing method comprises storing original images, storing alpha masks corresponding to the original images, respectively, superposing in turn object images that are extracted from the original images by the alpha masks, to display a composite image on a first display region of a display screen, modifying selectively the alpha masks on a second display region of the display screen to modify the composite image as necessary, and displaying the composite image reflecting modification of at least one of the alpha masks on the second display region.

Abstract: An image editing method comprises storing original images, storing alpha masks corresponding to the original images, respectively, superposing in turn object images that are extracted from the original images by the alpha masks, to display a composite image on a first display region of a display screen, modifying selectively the alpha masks on a second display region of the display screen to modify the composite image as necessary, and displaying the composite image reflecting modification of at least one of the alpha masks on the second display region.

Abstract: There is provided a structure of metadata in which an operation at a time of object designation can be changed according to the kind of an input interface used for input or a method of an input operation. The metadata relevant to a moving image has a stream data structure including one or more access units each being a data unit which can be independently processed, and each of the access units includes first data to specify an effective period defined with respect to a time axis of the moving image, object area data describing a spatio-temporal region in the moving image, plural second data each specifying processing to be performed when the spatio-temporal region is designated, and third data to cause the respective second data to correspond to kinds of input interfaces or operation methods by which a user designates the object.

Abstract: In order to assist a viewer in understanding the contents of a moving image, it is desired to plainly represent the contents of metadata to the viewer. The metadata relevant to the moving image has a stream data structure including one or more access units each being a data unit which can be independently processed. Each of the access units includes first data to specify an effective period defined with respect to a time axis of the moving image, object area data describing a spatio-temporal region in the moving image, and balloon data to display relevant data of the object by a balloon. The balloon data includes text data to be displayed in the inside of the balloon and to express the contents of the object and position specifying data to specify a display position of the balloon.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: A video object clipping method includes storing, in a storage unit, original images each including a video object to be clipped and reference alpha images representing objects prepared, determining a criteria original image and a criteria reference alpha image from the original images and the reference alpha images, determining a deformation parameter by deforming the criteria reference alpha image to correspond to the criteria original image, and deforming remaining ones of the reference alpha images according to the determined deformation parameter to generate output alpha images corresponding to the original images.

Abstract: There is provided an invention in which in a moving image hypermedia including moving image data and its metadata, when a viewer specifies an object, it is easy to confirm that the specification has been successfully made, and the specified object can be easily confirmed. Metadata relevant to a moving image has a stream data structure including one or more access units each being a data unit which can be independently processed, and each of the access units includes first data to specify an effective period defined with respect to a time axis of the moving image, object area data describing a spatio-temporal region in the moving image, second data to specify a processing to be performed when the spatio-temporal region is specified, third data including a display method for causing the spatio-temporal region to be recognized, and fourth data to specify, in a case where an event relevant to the spatio-temporal region is generated by a cursor operated by a user, calling the third data.