Abstract: An apparatus for optically embedding hidden data in a source image, wherein the hidden data is updateable in real-time, the apparatus includes (a) optical masks bearing a data image and an encoding carrier image either or both of which may be updated in real-time; (b) optical components for convolving, the data image with the encoding carrier image to produce a spatially dispersed data image; and (c) optical beam combiner for combining the spatially dispersed data image with the source image to produce a source image containing embedded hidden data.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically embedding hidden data in a source image, wherein the hidden data is updateable in real-time, the apparatus includes (a) optical masks bearing a data image and an encoding carrier image either or both of which may be updated in real-time; (b) optical components for convolving, the data image with the encoding carrier image to produce a spatially dispersed data image; and (c) optical beam combiner for combining the spatially dispersed data image with the source image to produce a source image containing embedded hidden data.

Abstract: A method for extracting a watermark signal contained in a watermarked digital image sequence having two or more frames, including the steps of estimating correspondences between one or more pairs of frames in the watermarked digital image sequence; computing a displaced frame difference for one or more frames in the watermarked digital image sequence using the correspondences; and extracting the watermark signal from one or more displaced frame differences.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying an image, includes steps and means for: storing image data in a manner that enables retrieval of different spatial regions of an image at different fidelities; determining an viewer's point of gaze on a display; retrieving image data for each spatial region of an image at a fidelity that is a decreasing function of the distance of the regions from the point of gaze; and displaying the retrieved image data on the display;

Abstract: The horizontal and vertical offset for the M×N DCT block boundaries are determined for a decompressed image originally produced by a DCT-based compression system, regardless of the amount of compression and/or cropping that had been applied to the image.

Abstract: A system and method for securely embedding a watermark representing message data into movie data consisting of one or more frames of a digital image sequence, and displaying one or more frames of the digital image sequence containing the embedded watermark, includes providing a secure environment; combining the movie data with the watermark within the secure environment to produce watermarked movie data; and forming a displayed image from the watermarked movie data within the secure environment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for displaying a copy-deterrent pattern (104) within a digital motion picture in order to discourage recording of the motion picture using a video camera or other sampling recording device. A copy-deterrent pattern (104) could be, for example, one or more symbols, a random pattern, a digital watermark or a text message (106). The copy-deterrent pattern (104) comprises a plurality of pixels within each frame of the digital motion picture, and the displayed pixel intensities are modulated at a temporal frequency using modulation characteristics deliberately selected to be imperceptible to human observers while simultaneously producing objectionable aliasing in any copy made using a video camera.

Abstract: A method for embedding a watermark signal that contains message data in a digital image represented as a two-dimensional array of pixel values, includes the steps of: providing a dispersed message image having pixel values representative of the message data; modifying each pixel value of the dispersed message image as a function of the corresponding pixel value in the digital image; and combining the modified dispersed message image with the digital image to produce a watermarked image.

Abstract: A method for embedding message data in a digital image sequence having two or more frames, includes the steps of: providing a dispersed message image representative of the message data; and adding spatially shifted versions of the dispersed message image to successive frames of the digital image sequence.

Abstract: An efficient method for determining the compressed rate of a digital image with a given set of compression parameters, the method comprises the steps of forming a plurality of non-overlapping image regions, each of which includes a plurality of contiguous pixels, from the digital image where the total number of pixels contained in all of the contiguous regions is less than the total pixels in the digital image; compressing each region with the given set of compression parameters; and, combining the resulting rate from each region to form an estimate of the compressed rate of the digital image.

Abstract: A method of generating a plurality of quantization parameter sets for compressing a digital image to different rates, the method comprises the steps of providing characteristics of an intended display medium; specifying a plurality of threshold viewing distances from the display medium; generating a plurality of quantization parameter sets, one for each threshold viewing distance, using a human visual system model; and, indexing each quantization parameter set by the corresponding threshold viewing distance.

Abstract: The method and system embeds digital meta-data into an original image in such a way that the meta-data can be completely removed at a later time to allow loss less recovery of the original image. The loss less recovery of the original image allows for a digital signature of the image to be embedded in the image itself and later recovered and used to verify the authenticity of a received image.

Abstract: A method selecting a quality parameter for use in compressing a digital image, the method comprises the steps of creating a plurality of quantizer parameter sets, each having a corresponding quality parameter; compressing the digital image with the plurality of quantizer parameter sets for providing a corresponding plurality of compressed file sizes; creating a rate-distortion curve from the plurality of quantizer parameter sets and the corresponding compressed file sizes; providing a maximum and minimum quality parameters; providing a target compressed file size; and selecting a quality parameter based on the rate distortion curve, the maximum and minimum quality parameters and the target compressed file size.

Abstract: A system for the transmission of information between elements of a data processing complex and a method for establishing such a system. Two elements of a data processing system are connected by a physical link comprising multiple conductors attached to transceivers at channels in each data processing element. Once the transceivers have been synchronized, commands and responses are exchanged which ensure that all of the transceivers in a channel are connected to the same channel on the other end of the conductor. If the transceivers are considered configured an entry is made in a Configured-Transceiver table. A search is made of an Allowed-Operational-Link table which contains sets of transceivers which are allowed to become operational links. The set of transceivers thus found, is compared against the Configured-Transceiver-Table to verify that all of the members of the set have been configured. If a match is found, this set of transceivers becomes an Intended-Operational-Link.

Abstract: An method and associated apparatus for mapping received bits in a progressive bit plane scheme to output values which are derived by combining all previously received bits with the most recently received bits and appending additional bits to provide output values that are distributed across the output display range so as to improve recognizability of reconstructed images when only a few bit planes have been received.

Abstract: A device (20) for retaining the beads of a tire against the flanges of a rim. The bead retainer device (20) is capable of being manufally deformable in the axial direction. The bead retainer device is also capable of being manually deformable in the circumferential direction such as to be collapsible.

Abstract: An image processing method is described for the hierarchical storage and display of high resolution digital images in a multiuse environment. The method makes reduced resolution versions of the original image available for quick display on video monitors while providing access to the full resolution image for photographic quality hardcopies. This multiresolution method also provides for the efficient storage of this data via a hybrid coding scheme based on residuals. Several embodiments of this approach are described.

Abstract: An image processing method is described for the hierarchical storage and display of high resolution digital images in a multiuse environment. The method makes reduced resolution versions of the original image available for quick display on video monitors while providing access to the full resolution image for making photographic quality hardcopies. This multiresolution method also provides for the efficient storage of the data resulting from the use of this method via a hybrid coding scheme. Several embodiments of the method are described.

Abstract: A device (20) for retaining the beads of a tire against the flanges of a rim. The bead retainer device (20) is a non rubber and non metallic ring structure of a composite material. The bead retainer device (20) is capable of being manually deformable in the axial direction. The bead retainer device is also capable of being manually deformable in the circumferential direction such as to be collapsible.