Abstract: An image and message encoding system, encoding method, decoding system and decoding method are provided. The encoding method includes the following steps. An original image having a first resolution is provided. A message data is provided. The original image and the message data are combined to be an integrated image having a second resolution. The second resolution is greater than the first resolution.

Abstract: An image and message encoding system, encoding method, decoding system and decoding method are provided. The encoding method includes the following steps. An original image having a first resolution is provided. A message data is provided. The original image and the message data are combined to be an integrated image having a second resolution. The second resolution is greater than the first resolution.

Abstract: A device for compressing a feature descriptor includes a non-uniform quantizer and a run-length encoder. The non-uniform quantizer accesses a source feature descriptor from a storage device, and non-uniformly quantizes the source feature descriptor having source vectors into an intermediate feature descriptor having intermediate vectors according to a vector default value. The run-length encoder executes run-length coding for the intermediate feature descriptor to generate a compressed feature descriptor.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for constructing an image blur pyramid, and an image feature extracting circuit are disclosed. The image blur pyramid construction apparatus comprises a first image blur circuit, a second image blur circuit and an image sub-sampler. The first image blur circuit and the second image blur circuit simultaneously generate a first interval and a second interval in the same octave according to an input image, a first filter and a second filter. The dimension of the second filter is greater than that of the first filter. The image sub-sampler couples with the second image blur circuit and down samples the second interval to generate a sub-sample image.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing image feature descriptor are disclosed. The image feature descriptor processing apparatus comprises a header storing unit, a vector storing unit, a feature capture unit, a distribute unit, and a memory controller. The feature capture unit captures image feature descriptors. The distribute unit generates a header base address, a vector base address, headers, and vectors according to the image feature descriptors. The memory controller continuously writes the headers to the header storage unit according to the header base address and continuously writes the vectors to the vector storage unit according to the vector base address.

Abstract: A method and a device for compressing a feature descriptor are disclosed. The device includes a non-uniform quantizer and a run-length encoder. The non-uniform quantizer accesses a source feature descriptor from a storage device, and non-uniformly quantizes the source feature descriptor having source vectors into an intermediate feature descriptor having intermediate vectors according to a vector default value. The run-length encoder executes run-length coding for the intermediate feature descriptor to generate a compressed feature descriptor.

Abstract: A foot-actuated faucet includes a valve having a body, a bonnet attached to the body and a diaphragm mounted between the body and the bonnet to define a chamber in the bonnet. The body includes an inlet adapted to connect to a water source and an outlet to a spigot. A vertical outlet channel is formed in the body, connects to the outlet near the lower end and has a seat formed at the upper end. The seat is higher than the outlet. An actuating hole is defined in and extends through the bonnet, and an actuating tube connected to the actuating hole to communicate with the chamber. A hole with a diameter smaller than the actuating hole is defined in the diaphragm. An actuating device communicates with the chamber in the valve via the actuating tube and including an actuating valve movably received in the actuating device. The actuating valve includes a shank partially extending out of the actuating device and adapted to be stepped on by a user to selectively release pressure in the chamber.