Abstract: A method of representing an object appearing in a still or video image, by processing signals corresponding to the image, comprises deriving a plurality of numerical values associated with features appearing on the outline of an object starting from an arbitrary point on the outline and applying a predetermined ordering to said values to arrive at a representative of the outline.

Abstract: A method of estimating a transformation between a pair of images, comprises estimating local transformations for a plurality of regions of the images to derive a set of estimated transformations, and selecting a subset of said estimated local transformations as estimated global transformations for the image.

Abstract: A method of approximating a motion vector for an image block, the method comprising retrieving motion vectors for neighbouring blocks, identifying a predominant value of at least one motion vector characteristic from the motion vectors for the neighbouring blocks, selecting those motion vectors for the neighbouring blocks which have a value which is the same or similar to said predominant value to form a group, and deriving an approximation for the motion vector for the image block from the selected group of motion vectors.

Abstract: A method of representing a 2-dimensional image comprises deriving at least one 1-dimensional representation of the image by projecting the image onto at least one axis, and applying a Fourier transform to said 1-dimensional representation. The representation can be used for estimation of dominant motion between images.

Abstract: A method of representing at least one image comprises deriving at least one descriptor based on colour information and colour interrelation information for at least one region of the image, the descriptor having at least one descriptor element, derived using values of pixels in said region, wherein at least one descriptor element for a region is derived using a non-wavelet transform. The representations may be used for image comparisons.

Abstract: A method of encoding a sequence of frames for transmission comprises encoding a sequence of frames under different conditions to produce a plurality of encoded bit streams each representing the sequence of frames, for transmission at different bit rates, and storing each of the encoded bit streams in a respective buffer, and outputting a bit stream from a buffer for transmission, and the method further comprises switching between buffers to change the bit rate of the data for transmission, wherein at least one frame to be stored in one buffer is encoded with reference to a frame stored in another buffer.

Abstract: An entity is subjected to an interrogating signal, and the reflection from the entity is repeatedly sampled to obtain a first set of values each dependent on the intensity of the reflected signal. A logarithmic transformation is applied to the sample values to obtain a second set of values. A set of descriptor values is derived, the set comprising at least a first descriptor value (L) representing the difference between the mean and the median of the second set of values, and a second descriptor value (D) representing the mean of the absolute value of the deviation between each second set value and an average of the second set of values.

Abstract: A method of representing and analysing images comprises producing a plurality of descriptors of an image at one or more scales and for one ore more colour channels, said descriptors capturing colour content and interrelation information within the regions, and associating the descriptors in a plurality of ways based on their characteristics such as scale, colour channel, feature semantics, and region, and comparing such representations of images to assess the similarity of images.

Abstract: A face recognition method, apparatus and system uses an architecture comprising multiple dual Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) transformations applied to coefficients of a frequency-based transformation applied to the facial image and its components. This new method significantly reduces extraction complexity compared to prior art and also offers increased robustness to face pose, illumination conditions and other factors, thus improving the recognition or authentication performance.

Abstract: A method of detecting lines in an image comprises using one or more masks for detecting lines in one or more directions out of horizontal, vertical, left diagonal and right diagonal, and further comprises one or more additional masks for detecting lines in one or more additional directions.

Abstract: A method of identifying or tracking a line in an image comprises determining a start point that belongs to a line, and identifying a plurality of possible end points belonging to the line using a search window, and calculating values for a plurality of paths connecting the start point and the end points to determine an optimum end point and path, characterised in that the search window is non-rectangular.

Abstract: A method of representing an image or sequence of images using a depth map comprises transforming an n-bit depth map representation into an m-bit depth map representation, where m<n, using a non-linear transformation.

Abstract: A method of representing an object appearing in a still or video image, by processing signals corresponding to the image, comprises deriving the peak values in CSS space for the object outline and applying a non-linear transformation to said peak values to arrive at a representation of the outline.

Abstract: A method of representing an object appearing in a still or video image, by processing signals corresponding to the image, comprises deriving a plurality of numerical values associated with features appearing on the outline of an object starting from an arbitrary point on the outline and applying a predetermined ordering to said values to arrive at a representation of the outline.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for representing motion in a sequence of digitized images derives a dense motion vector field and vector quantizes the motion vector field.

Abstract: A method of representing an image comprises processing the image to produce a second image highlighting edges in the image (eg a intensity gradient image) and deriving a descriptor based on spatially integrated or rotationally invariant representations of regions of the second image.

Abstract: A seat occupant monitoring apparatus which includes a sensor reactive to a force distribution applied to the seat by the occupant, means for making a plurality of measurements of the force distribution and means for monitoring the occupant based on the measurements. The measurements are used to classify the occupant and on a basis of the classification, parameters of the occupant's environment such as a seat orientation, the rate of deployment of an air bag or control of a seat belt pre-tensioner are altered. A neural network or other learning based technique is used for the classification.

Abstract: A method of comparing images comprises comparing DCT coefficients for a pair of image regions to determine similarity between the image regions, wherein the comparison involves at least one AC coefficient and wherein the influence of at least one AC coefficient in the determination of similarity is weighted.

Abstract: A method of classifying an image, in particular the texture of an image, involves first deriving a feature vector representing the texture by mapping a two-dimensional representation of the image into a one-dimensional representation using a predetermined mapping function, and then determining (i) the rate at which the level of the representation crosses a threshold, (ii) the rate at which the level changes when a threshold is crossed, and (iii) the average duration for which the level remains above (or

Abstract: A method of representing a data distribution derived from an object or image by processing signals corresponding to the object or image comprising deriving an approximate representation of the data distribution and analysing the errors of the data elements when expressed in terms of the approximate representation.