Abstract: A binarization processing unit generates a binary image by comparing the visual feature of each pixel of an input image with a predetermined binarization threshold and binarizing the value of each pixel of the input image based on the comparison result. The binarization processing unit performs this process while changing the binarization threshold, thereby generating a plurality of binary images. A contour detecting unit calculates the area of a closed region having an overlap between the plurality of binary images, and determines the binarization threshold to be used for detecting a boundary of the corresponding closed region as a contour of an object, based on the area change rate of the corresponding closed region caused by changing the binarization threshold.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a display device and a computer configured to execute a program to cause the computer to serve as a display controlling part. The display part displays a first CT image and a second CT image simultaneously. The first CT image and the second CT image represent the same object but taken in different time periods. The display controlling part performs: displaying the first and second CT images simultaneously on the display device according to a first display mode; determining a target portion designated in the first CT image; and changing a display mode of a corresponding portion of the second CT image from the first display mode into a second display mode, the corresponding portion corresponding to the target portion designated in the first CT image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus receives an input specifying a target in a first captured image group that is obtained by slicing a three-dimensional body into captured images at a first point in time, extracts feature points surrounding the specified target from the captured images of the first captured image group, specifies slice positions of each of the feature points that are extracted in captured images of a second captured image group that is obtained by slicing the three-dimensional body into the captured images at a second point in time, and outputs an image corresponding to a slice position range specified based on the specified slice positions of each of the extracted feature points, and corresponding to a range on a first plane specified based on positions of each of the extracted feature points on a second plane.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a procedure for managing a system that retrieves a image corresponding to a first type specified by a retrieval request received from a terminal device and another image corresponding to a second type associated with the first type, from an image database storing a plurality of images associated with at least a number of a plurality of types, the procedure includes: referring to a learning state representing whether feature values of images corresponding to each of the plurality of the types have been obtained; retrieving an unlearned type in which the feature value has not been obtained, among the plurality of types; specifying an association type associated with the unlearned type; and outputting the unlearned type in accordance with the learning state of the association type.

Abstract: A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an image accumulating procedure, the procedure includes: specifying a second image similar to a first image that is associated with text information; displaying the second image in an identifiable manner, and the text information on a display device; and storing the text information associated with image information that is related to the second image, based on instruction information that instructs a use of the text information with respect to the second image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a storage configured to store, for a plurality of areas in a target image, attributes and patterns associated with the attributes, each the attributes being assigned to each the plurality of areas, and each the pattern being created from areas having an identical attribute among the attributes; and a processor configured to: obtain an area that is specified in the target image and an attribute that is assigned to the specified area, search the storage for a pattern based on similarity between the pattern and a pattern created from a certain number of areas having the assigned attribute; and search for an area in the target image based on similarity between the area and the certain number of areas in accordance with the searched pattern.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a display device and a computer configured to execute a program to cause the computer to serve as a display controlling part. The display part displays a first CT image and a second CT image simultaneously. The first CT image and the second CT image represent the same object but taken in different time periods. The display controlling part performs: displaying the first and second CT images simultaneously on the display device according to a first display mode; determining a target portion designated in the first CT image; and changing a display mode of a corresponding portion of the second CT image from the first display mode into a second display mode, the corresponding portion corresponding to the target portion designated in the first CT image.

Abstract: A binarization processing unit generates a binary image by comparing the visual feature of each pixel of an input image with a predetermined binarization threshold and binarizing the value of each pixel of the input image based on the comparison result. The binarization processing unit performs this process while changing the binarization threshold, thereby generating a plurality of binary images. A contour detecting unit calculates the area of a closed region having an overlap between the plurality of binary images, and determines the binarization threshold to be used for detecting a boundary of the corresponding closed region as a contour of an object, based on the area change rate of the corresponding closed region caused by changing the binarization threshold.

Abstract: An image identifying device includes: a setting unit which sets a section having at least one image in a video; a first recognizing unit which calculates a plurality of feature amounts related to at least the one image and which acquires a plurality of identification results corresponding to each of the feature amounts from an identifier which may identify a plurality of objects belonging to a first category; a selecting unit which selects, based on the identification results, a second category of a third category; and a second recognizing unit which calculates another feature amount related to an image included in another section and acquires another identification result corresponding to the feature amount from another identifier which may identify the objects included in the second category.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images and an image matching method. The method for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images includes: performing a feature point detection with respect to each image of the plurality of images, so as to obtain a plurality of feature points of each image; acquiring 0-level descriptive information of the plurality of images; and the following steps are performed for each image: performing a division of the image for the (n?1)th time, so as to obtain a plurality of (n?1)-level sub-images of the image; and (n?1)-level descriptive information of the image is generated in accordance with a plurality of nth local feature descriptors for the image and a plurality of nth visual words, where n=2,3, . . . , K+1, and K is a positive integer.

Abstract: An image identifying device includes: a setting unit which sets a section having at least one image in a video; a first recognizing unit which calculates a plurality of feature amounts related to at least the one image and which acquires a plurality of identification results corresponding to each of the feature amounts from an identifier which may identify a plurality of objects belonging to a first category; a selecting unit which selects, based on the identification results, a second category of a third category; and a second recognizing unit which calculates another feature amount related to an image included in another section and acquires another identification result corresponding to the feature amount from another identifier which may identify the objects included in the second category.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium storing an image processing program that causes a computer to execute a process includes acquiring the same object identification information included in a plurality of image data items by referring to a storage unit that stores each of the image data items, object identification information that identifies an object included in the image data item, and a location information item that identifies a location of the object in the image data item in association with one another; acquiring the location of the object identified by the acquired object identification information in each of the image data items by referring to the storage unit; computing a difference between the acquired location information items; comparing the difference between the location information items with a predetermined location threshold value; and determining whether the image data items are to be in the same group.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a storage configured to store, for a plurality of areas in a target image, attributes and patterns associated with the attributes, each the attributes being assigned to each the plurality of areas, and each the pattern being created from areas having an identical attribute among the attributes; and a processor configured to: obtain an area that is specified in the target image and an attribute that is assigned to the specified area, search the storage for a pattern based on similarity between the pattern and a pattern created from a certain number of areas having the assigned attribute; and search for an area in the target image based on similarity between the area and the certain number of areas in accordance with the searched pattern.

Abstract: An image identifying device includes: a setting unit which sets a section having at least one image in a video; a first recognizing unit which calculates a plurality of feature amounts related to at least the one image and which acquires a plurality of identification results corresponding to each of the feature amounts from an identifier which may identify a plurality of objects belonging to a first category; a selecting unit which selects, based on the identification results, a second category of a third category ; and a second recognizing unit which calculates another feature amount related to an image included in another section and acquires another identification result corresponding to the feature amount from another identifier which may identify the objects included in the second category.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images and an image matching method. The method for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images includes: performing a feature point detection with respect to each image of the plurality of images, so as to obtain a plurality of feature points of each image; acquiring 0-level descriptive information of the plurality of images; and the following steps are performed for each image: performing a division of the image for the (n?1)th time, so as to obtain a plurality of (n?1)-level sub-images of the image; and (n?1)-level descriptive information of the image is generated in accordance with a plurality of nth local feature descriptors for the image and a plurality of nth visual words, where n=2,3, . . . , K+1, and K is a positive integer.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium storing an image processing program that causes a computer to execute a process includes acquiring the same object identification information included in a plurality of image data items by referring to a storage unit that stores each of the image data items, object identification information that identifies an object included in the image data item, and a location information item that identifies a location of the object in the image data item in association with one another; acquiring the location of the object identified by the acquired object identification information in each of the image data items by referring to the storage unit; computing a difference between the acquired location information items; comparing the difference between the location information items with a predetermined location threshold value; and determining whether the image data items are to be in the same group.

Abstract: This invention provides a material for a multi-layer circuit board, excellent in insulating property and burying properties and free from occurrence of cracks, a production method, and a multi-layer circuit board using the insulating material. The invention provides an insulating material having a curable composition layer wherein the curable composition layer contains 0 to 50 pieces/cm2 of foreign matter having particle sizes falling within a range of 30 to 50 ?m, a production method, and a production method for a multi-layer circuit board using the insulating material.

Abstract: A website construction support system includes: an input section that enables input of a goal page among webpages; an access log acquisition section that acquires access log information; a calculation section that calculates an access frequency and an arrival frequency based on the access log information; a page judgment section that makes a judgment so that a webpage with the access frequency larger than a boundary condition is a customer-collecting page and a webpage with the arrival frequency larger than a boundary condition is a conversion page; a link decision section that generates, based on the judgment result, notice link including a customer-collecting page as a link source and a conversion page as a link target; and a page generation section that inserts the generated notice link in the customer-collecting page as the link source.

Abstract: A website analysis system is provided, which is capable of digitizing an effect of “attractiveness of contents or functions for collecting customers” on an access tendency of a user, separately from effects of other elements, based on aggregation results of an access log. The website analysis system includes an aggregating part for dividing log data during an aggregation period in an access log into log data groups in accordance with an aggregation granularity, and obtaining at least an access frequency and an access amount as an index value representing an access state on a user basis with respect to each of the log data groups; and a determining part for comparing the index value obtained by the aggregating part with a boundary condition, thereby calculating an index analysis value representing an effect of contents or functions for collecting customers of a website on an access tendency of a user.

Abstract: A window picture (robust window picture) is selected as a model window picture, which is unlikely to be influenced by the variations in an environment and selected irrespective of the variations in an environment of pictures assumed to be inputted in a recognition phase. Alternatively, a window picture (stable window picture) is selected as a model window picture, in which the changes in a feature value are small even though an environment is varied. For example, a tracking window picture group is obtained from a registered picture group in which an environment is continuously varied, by tracking window pictures of a basic registered picture. Then, a static extraction window picture is obtained by extracting window pictures as independent pictures from a series of pictures. Then, a window picture selected both in the tracking window picture group and in the static extraction window picture is set as a robust window picture, and picture matching is conducted using the robust window picture.