Abstract: An image compression method and a device thereof are provided. In the image compression method, a block image having a plurality of pixels is received. In the block image, an adjusted value of a first pixel is compared with a threshold value, and the adjusted value of the first pixel is accordingly quantized as a first parameter value or a second parameter value so as to obtain a quantized value of the first pixel. Next, an error value between the adjusted value of the first pixel and the quantized value of the first pixel is distributed to at least one second pixel adjacent to the first pixel according to an error diffusion kernel. The first pixel and the second pixel are respectively one of the above pixels. Therefore, the quality of the compressed image is improved and the influence of the blocking effect is reduced.

Abstract: A blind wavelet-based watermarking method is provided to extract one or more embedded watermarks form one or more high subbands of a watermarked image generated by 1-level or 2 level wavelet transform. One or more least-mean-square (LMS) filters are trained to predict the data sets in the high subbands of an original image by converting a low subband of the watermarked image. Therefore, the one or more embedded watermarks could be extracted by comparing the predicted data sets in the high subbands with data sets in corresponding subbands of the watermarked image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a digital halftoning method. The method comprises steps of: (a1) dividing an original image into non-overlapping blocks; (a2) obtaining a Least-Mean-Square trained (LMS-trained) filter by comparing at least a training image and a halftone result corresponding to the training image (a3) optimizing a class matrix with the LMS-trained filter, which involves the diffused area and the diffused weightings; and (a4) processing the non-overlapping blocks by performing a dot diffusion procedure with the optimized class matrix and the diffused weightings to generate a halftone image corresponding to the original image. A detailed class matrix optimizing method as in the above-mentioned step (a3) is also disclosed.

Abstract: An object detection method and an apparatus thereof are provided. In the object detection method, a plurality of images in an image sequence is sequentially received. When a current image is received, a latest background image is established by referring to the current image and the M images previous to the current image, so as to update one of N background images, wherein M and N are positive integers. Next, color models of the current image and the background images are analyzed to determine whether a pixel in the current image belongs to a foreground object. Accordingly, the accuracy in object detection is increased by instantly updating the background images.

Abstract: The invention relates to a command device (13) of a fixed capacity compressor (9) associated with an evaporator through which an air flow passes in an air flow direction (6). The compressor (9) and the evaporator (12) are participating to an A/C loop (8) of an heating, ventilating and/or air conditioning device of a vehicle. The said command device (13) comprises a sensor (15,16) for the measurement of a measured value VM of a characteristic C of a fluid FR,A and comparison means (14) of the measured value VM of the characteristic C of the fluid FR,A with at least two step-values VSmin, VSmax of the characteristic C. The said command device (13) comprises an upstream temperature sensor (20) to be positioned upstream the evaporator (12) according to the air flow direction (6) to measure an upstream temperature T2 of the air flow (3) and give an information (18) which is taken into account by the said command device (13) in order to determine the said step-values VSmin, VSmax of the characteristic C.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are presented in which the balance between image resolution and frame rate (Res/Speed) and the balance between image resolution and penetration (Pen/Gen/Res) are automatically adjusted in response to image content. A motion detector analyzes the relative motion between successive images. If the motion content is relatively high, the imaging parameters are changed in favor of relatively greater frame rate and reduced resolution. A low motion content causes the opposite adjustment. The electronic noise between successive images is also computed with a relatively high noise content (low correlation) in the far field resulting in an adjustment to penetration as by lowering the transmit frequency. A relatively low noise content causes an adjustment in favor of increased resolution.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a chip antenna is invented, which comprises forming multiple meandered lines, folding the meandered line set, and forming a package to encapsulate a three-dimensional antenna structure. The material of the package is a dielectric composite formed with polymers and ceramic powders, which has a dielectric constant designed for the antenna. The characteristics of the chip antenna are determined by the structures of the antenna body and the dielectric constant of the package. Thus, a requirement for miniature structures in antenna applications can be satisfied.

Abstract: A cathodal material for lithium cells comprises a porous lithium oxide microparticle is provided. The porous lithium oxide microparticle comprises a plurality of porous lithium oxide nanoparticles formed with a first conductive layer therein, a pore defined by connecting the lithium oxide nanoparticles, a second conductive layer covering at least a surface of one of the lithium oxide nanoparticles contacting the first conductive layer and forming a three-dimensional conductive network between the lithium oxide nanoparticles, and a conductive fiber connecting with the second conductive layer.

Abstract: An ink saving and tone correction printing technique using error diffusion (EDF) includes receiving a first pixel value vi,j and comparing the first pixel value vi,j with a threshold value to produce a second pixel value bi,j and a reference value pi,j. When the first pixel value vi,j is less than a threshold value, not outputting the second pixel value bi,j and the reference value pi,j is the area of actual non-blank region within a pixel region. When the first pixel value vi,j is greater than the threshold value, outputting the second pixel value bi,j for printing on the pixel region, and the reference value pi,j is the area of actually increased non-blank region within the pixel region and the adjacent pixel regions in which a processing prior to printing has been conducted to decide whether or not to print.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are presented in which the balance between image resolution and frame rate (Res/Speed) and the balance between image resolution and penetration (Pen/Gen/Res) are automatically adjusted in response to image content. A motion detector analyzes the relative motion between successive images. If the motion content is relatively high, the imaging parameters are changed in favor of relatively greater frame rate and reduced resolution. A low motion content causes the opposite adjustment. The electronic noise between successive images is also computed with a relatively high noise content (low correlation) in the far field resulting in an adjustment to penetration as by lowering the transmit frequency. A relatively low noise content causes an adjustment in favor of increased resolution.

Abstract: A chip antenna has an antenna body and a package. The antenna body has multiple meandered metal lines and is encapsulated with the package. The material of the package is a dielectric composite formed with polymers and ceramic powders, which has a dielectric constant designed for the antenna. The characteristics of the chip antenna are determined by the structures of the antenna body and the dielectric constant of the package. Thus, a requirement for tiny structures in antenna applications can be satisfied.

Abstract: A chip antenna has an antenna body and a package. The antenna body has multiple meandered metal lines and is encapsulated with the package. The material of the package is a dielectric composite formed with polymers and ceramic powders, which has a dielectric constant designed for the antenna. The characteristics of the chip antenna are determined by the structures of the antenna body and the dielectric constant of the package. Thus, a requirement for tiny structures in antenna applications can be satisfied.

Abstract: A multi-chip package is provided. A first die pad has a first chip attaching surface and a first unoccupied surface. A second die pad has a second chip attaching surface and a second unoccupied surface. The connecting structures are used for connecting the first die pad and the second die pad. The inner leads has wire connecting surfaces. The wire connecting surfaces, the first chip attaching surface and the second unoccupied surface face the same direction. A first chip has a first active surface and a first inactive surface. The first inactive surface is attached to the first chip attaching surface. A second chip has a second active surface and a second inactive surface. Part of the second active surface is attached to the second chip attaching surface. The wires are used for electrically connecting the first active surface and the second active surface to the wire connecting surfaces.

Abstract: A multi-chip package is provided. A first die pad has a first chip attaching surface and a first unoccupied surface. A second die pad has a second chip attaching surface and a second unoccupied surface. The connecting structures are used for connecting the first die pad and the second die pad. The inner leads has wire connecting surfaces. The wire connecting surfaces, the first chip attaching surface and the second unoccupied surface face the same direction. A first chip has a first active surface and a first inactive surface. The first inactive surface is attached to the first chip attaching surface. A second chip has a second active surface and a second inactive surface. Part of the second active surface is attached to the second chip attaching surface. The wires are used for electrically connecting the first active surface and the second active surface to the wire connecting surfaces.

Abstract: A chip antenna has an antenna body and a package. The antenna body has multiple meandered metal lines and is encapsulated with the package. The material of the package is a dielectric composite formed with polymers and ceramic powders, which has a dielectric constant designed for the antenna. The characteristics of the chip antenna are determined by the structures of the antenna body and the dielectric constant of the package. Thus, a requirement for tiny structures in antenna applications can be satisfied.

Abstract: Three dimensional ultrasonic images are formed by volume rendering using a 3D ultrasonic image data set. The data set may be acquired by rocking, sweeping, fanning or rotating a 2D image plane through the volume being scanned, or by steering beams in different angular directions from a two dimensional array of transducer elements. The polar data is volume rendered to form a 3D image by means of projected raylines which are warped to account for the angular geometry of the acquisition.

Abstract: Three dimensional ultrasonic images are formed by volume rendering using a 3D ultrasonic image data set. The data set may be acquired by rocking, sweeping, fanning or rotating a 2D image plane through the volume being scanned, or by steering beams in different angular directions from a two dimensional array of transducer elements. The polar data is volume rendered to form a 3D image by means of projected raylines which are warped to account for the angular geometry of the acquisition.

Abstract: A 3-D ultrasound imaging system acquires partially complete image volumes interspersed with substantially complete image volumes. The partially complete image volumes contain speckle that is processed by a cross-correlation algorithm to track the movement of an ultrasound scanhead. By tracking the movement of the scanhead, the substantially complete image volumes can be properly registered with each other and combined to create a 3-D extended field of view image. The partially complete image volumes contain significantly less data than the substantially complete image volumes. Therefore, the partially complete image volumes can be acquired more quickly than the substantially complete image volumes to allow the scanhead to be scanned at a relatively fast speed.

Abstract: A 3-D ultrasound imaging system acquires partially complete image volumes interspersed with substantially complete image volumes. The partially complete image volumes contain speckle that is processed by a cross-correlation algorithm to track the movement of an ultrasound scanhead. By tracking the movement of the scanhead, the substantially complete image volumes can be properly registered with each other and combined to create a 3-D extended field of view image. The partially complete image volumes contain significantly less data than the substantially complete image volumes. Therefore, the partially complete image volumes can be acquired more quickly than the substantially complete image volumes to allow the scanhead to be scanned at a relatively fast speed.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system (1) comprises a transducer probe (2) for supplying ultrasound waves to a subject area (A), for receiving ultrasound waves reflecting from the subject area (A), and for converting the reflecting waves into a first electrical signal, at least one position sensor (3) provided in the transducer probe (2) for detecting positional information on the transducer probe (2) relative to the subject area (A) during operation, and for generating a second electrical signal corresponding to the detected positional information, a processing unit (41) for controlling the transducer probe (2) and for processing the first and second electrical signals into an image. The position sensor (3) comprises a unit (23) for optically acquiring images of a surface of the subject area (A) during operation, for acquiring information from said images, and for processing said information into positional information on the transducer probe (2) relative to the subject area (A).