Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting halftone modulations that are embedded in an image are described. The halftone modulations represent an ordered sequence of digital halftone microscreens that encodes information that has been embedded in the image. In one embodiment, the embedded information is detected by applying a respective matched filter to the image for each of two or more different halftone modulations to identify the ordered sequence of halftone modulations embedded in the image. This approach provides an effective, robust and efficient scheme for detecting such halftone modulations without knowledge of the original image before halftone modulation.

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting and correcting red-eye in a digital image are described. In one aspect, measures of pixel redness in the digital image are computed. A preliminary set of candidate red-eye pixel areas is identified based on the computed pixel redness measures. Each candidate red-eye pixel area having a computed redness contrast relative to at least one respective neighboring pixel area less than a prescribed redness contrast threshold is filtered from the preliminary set. In addition, each candidate red-eye pixel area located in an area of the digital image having a computed grayscale contrast relative to at least one respective neighboring pixel area less than a prescribed grayscale contrast threshold is filtered from the preliminary set. In another aspect, at least one candidate red-eye pixel area in the digital image is detected. Pixels in each candidate red-eye pixel area are classified based on redness and skin tone coloration.

Abstract: A barcode system for generating and decoding a barcode with visual significance. The barcode system of the present invention includes an encoding module for receiving a message and a logo and generating a visually significant barcode based on these inputs. A decoding module is also provided for receiving an acquired version of a visually significant barcode that may have been degraded in a typical document handling channel (e.g., through the printing, scanning, or copying process) and for recovering the message specified by the visually significant barcode.

Abstract: Fiducial mark patterns for graphical bar codes (i.e., images that contain inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) that are characterized by high detection robustness and good local deformation tracking are described. In one bar coding method, a base image is modulated with a graphical encoding of a message to produce a graphical bar code, and a fiducial mark pattern comprising a plurality of dots arranged to track one or more reference locations and local deformation across the graphical bar code is generated. In another bar coding method, fiducial mark candidates are identified in a fiducial mark pattern, a fiducial mark path is computed based upon one or more of the identified fiducial mark candidates, and one or more reference locations are identified based upon the computed fiducial mark path.

Abstract: A barcode system for generating and decoding a barcode with visual significance. The barcode system of the present invention includes an encoding module for receiving a message and a logo and generating a visually significant barcode based on these inputs. A decoding module is also provided for receiving an acquired version of a visually significant barcode that may have been degraded in a typical document handling channel (e.g., through the printing, scanning, or copying process) and for recovering the message specified by the visually significant barcode.

Abstract: A photo book system and method with associated multimedia is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention provides a photo book including an image and an electronically readable code associated with the image. The electronically readable code is used for retrieving a multimedia file that corresponds to the image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating and decoding a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) are described. In one aspect, an invertible graphical operation is applied between regions of a base image and information-encoding graphical templates that are selected from a predefined template set to produce a graphical bar code with regions from which graphical templates are recoverable by applying an inverse graphical operation between graphical bar code regions and corresponding base image regions. In another aspect, an invertible graphical operation is applied between regions of a graphical bar code and corresponding regions of a base image to produce a set of measurement blocks, and information-encoding graphical templates corresponding to the set of measurement blocks with the highest estimated probability is selected from a predefined template set.

Abstract: Systems and methods of correcting one or more defect pixels in a source image are described. The source image is formed from a plurality of pixels each having a respective value. In one scheme, a defect pixel is corrected based upon curvature information computed from pixel values located near the defect pixel. In another scheme, a median pixel value is determined from values of pixels located near a defect pixel, and the defect pixel is corrected based upon the median pixel value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) from an input image are described. In one aspect, estimates of position coordinates for a detected graphical bar code candidate are computed. An objective function is optimized based on the computed position coordinates to obtain final position coordinate estimates for the graphical bar code candidate. Non-graphical bar code regions are trimmed from the input image based on the final position coordinates for the graphical bar code candidate to produce a trimmed graphical bar code candidate for decoding.

Abstract: Systems and methods of graphically demodulating a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode information embedded in an original base image) are described. The graphical bar code may be graphically demodulated automatically without foreknowledge of the original unmodulated base image, but rather based upon a base image that is derived based upon intrinsic features of the graphical bar code.

Abstract: A system and method capable of performing language translation of a graphical representation of a first language character string within captured image data of a natural image by extracting image data corresponding to the graphical representation of the text from the captured image data. The extracted graphical representation is then converted into first language encoded character data that, in turn, is translated into a second language data. The translated text and the captured image can then be displayed together by overlaying the translated text over the graphical representation of the character string in the captured image.

Abstract: Systems and methods of graphically demodulating a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode information embedded in an original base image) are described. The graphical bar code may be graphically demodulated automatically without foreknowledge of the original unmodulated base image, but rather based upon a base image that is derived based upon intrinsic features of the graphical bar code.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating and decoding a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) are described. In one aspect, an invertible graphical operation is applied between regions of a base image and information-encoding graphical templates that are selected from a predefined template set to produce a graphical bar code with regions from which graphical templates are recoverable by applying an inverse graphical operation between graphical bar code regions and corresponding base image regions. In another aspect, an invertible graphical operation is applied between regions of a graphical bar code and corresponding regions of a base image to produce a set of measurement blocks, and information-encoding graphical templates corresponding to the set of measurement blocks with the highest estimated probability is selected from a predefined template set.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically extracting a graphical bar code (i.e., an image that contains inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) are described. In accordance with this automatic extraction scheme, a graphical bar code may be isolated from a composite image in a way that preserves the information-containing graphical modulations encoding the embedded information and avoids corrupting artifacts, such as markings contained in the composite image. The resulting extracted graphical bar code readily may be processed into a format that is tailored to the requirements of a decoding system that may be particularly sensitive to noise, such as extraneous markings and image corruption. In addition, this automatic extraction scheme robustly handles missed and incorrect detections.

Abstract: Fiducial mark patterns for graphical bar codes (i.e., images that contain inconspicuous graphical modulations that encode embedded information) that are characterized by high detection robustness and good local deformation tracking are described. In one bar coding method, a base image is modulated with a graphical encoding of a message to produce a graphical bar code, and a fiducial mark pattern comprising a plurality of dots arranged to track one or more reference locations and local deformation across the graphical bar code is generated. In another bar coding method, fiducial mark candidates are identified in a fiducial mark pattern, a fiducial mark path is computed based upon one or more of the identified fiducial mark candidates, and one or more reference locations are identified based upon the computed fiducial mark path.

Abstract: Systems and methods of detecting halftone modulations that are embedded in an image are described. The halftone modulations represent an ordered sequence of digital halftone microscreens that encodes information that has been embedded in the image. In one embodiment, the embedded information is detected by applying a respective matched filter to the image for each of two or more different halftone modulations to identify the ordered sequence of halftone modulations embedded in the image. This approach provides an effective, robust and efficient scheme for detecting such halftone modulations without knowledge of the original image before halftone modulation.

Abstract: Payment indicia generating schemes are described that enable users to customize the appearance of the payment indicium and to accommodate a wide variety of validation processing environments, while providing a substantial defense against fraudulent photocopy attack. In some embodiments, a corroborative digital token is generated from payment information, and a base image is modulated with a graphical encoding of the corroborative digital token to produce a payment indicium. In some embodiments, a payment indicium containing embedded payment information is rendered on a printing surface with a printing characteristic that degrades with photographic reproductions such that the embedded payment information is extractable from an original rendering of the payment indicium but is un-extractable from a photographic reproduction of an original rendering of the payment indicium.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and decoding authenticatable graphical bar codes are described. In one aspect, a corroborative signed message is generated from information to be encoded, and a base image is modulated with a graphical encoding of the signed message to produce a marked image. In another aspect, a signed message is extracted from a marked image based upon a comparison of the marked image and a base image. The extracted signed message is decoded to produce a decoded message. Information encoded in the marked image is extracted from the decoded message and authenticated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the complexity of two-dimensional linear convolutions. All possible pixel patterns for a row of a pixel array are determined and multiplied by a corresponding row in a convolution kernel matrix. The partial convolution results are stored in a lookup table. In a processing step, each row of an input pixel window is compared to the possible pixel rows. Partial results associated with a matching pixel row are accessed from the lookup table. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, each row of an input pixel window is stored in a line cache. In another, equally preferred embodiment, a hash function is optionally used to derive an index value for each possible pixel row. The partial result associated with an equal index value is accessed. In another, equally preferred embodiment, double buffer stores two consecutive input pixel windows for processing. After each row of the first buffer is processed, the double buffer is shifted by one pixel.

Abstract: A circuit for reducing the transmission delay of the SDRAM by using a cascade-amplifying scheme. The circuit principally encompasses a memory array core for storing data, a main amplifier for initially amplifying the data, an MO-pair receiving amplifier for recognizing and amplifying the data, and an output neighborhood for outputting the data when the data convey a log data path. When the required data output from the memory array core is amplified by the main amplifier, the differential level of the required data will appear at both the far end and the near end of the data path. Therefore, the transmitted data at the far end can be amplified again as long as the differential level is sufficient.