Abstract: Brightness of a plurality of pixels in a digital image is adjusted directly in a luminance-chrominance color space. Luminance and saturation are adjusted concurrently without changing hue of the pixels.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating and using auxiliary information for reconstructing digital images that have processed through print-scan channels are described. Auxiliary information, including values of reference pixels, is extracted from an input image. Output image data containing a representation of the input image is generated. The auxiliary information is stored in association with the output image data. The auxiliary data structure is decoded to produce decoded auxiliary information. Scanned image data that is obtained from a hard copy of the output image data is registered and color-corrected based on the decoded auxiliary information to obtain an output image corresponding to a high-quality reconstruction of the input image. The auxiliary information may include coded transform coefficient data from which the input image may be reconstructed using the registered and color-corrected output image as side information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of denoising images are described. In one aspect, spatially-shifted forward transforms of the input image are computed. Each forward transform is computed based on a denoiser transform Z having an associated transpose Z?, wherein a matrix multiplication between Z and Z? produces a diagonal matrix ?, Z=F(D), F specifies a mapping from coefficients of D to coefficients of Z, and D substantially corresponds to a frequency-domain transform. The forward transforms are denoised based on nonlinear mappings derived from quantization values linked to the input image. Spatially-shifted inverse transforms of the denoised forward transforms are computed. Each inverse transform is computed based on Z and Z?. An output image is computed based on a combination of spatially-shifted inverse transforms.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine-readable media for processing an input image are described. In one aspect, respective visual features of local input image regions of an input image having a first pixel resolution are analyzed to produce a result. Based on the result of analyzing the visual features, reduced-resolution visual representations of corresponding ones of the local input image regions are derived from the input image. A thumbnail image that reflects the arrangements, proportions and local details of the input image having a second pixel resolution lower than the first pixel resolution is produced from the reduced-resolution visual representations. The thumbnail image is output.

Abstract: A method for reducing audio noise in an audio signal acquisition is described herein. The method includes: receiving an input audio signal; separating the input audio signal into a high-frequency portion and a low-frequency portion based on a threshold frequency; synthesizing the low-frequency portion to at least reduce any audio noise therein to generate a new low-frequency portion; combining the high-frequency portion and the new low-frequency portion to form a new audio signal representing the input audio signal; and outputting the new audio signal for the audio signal acquisition.

Abstract: A system for recording a real-time slide presentation to generate a low bit-rate multimedia data object including a plurality of synchronized overlayed replayable bitstreams including at least a bitstream corresponding to an image of each of a plurality of slides of the slide presentation, a bitstream corresponding to symbolic representations of presenter's interactions with points of interest within each slide, and a bitstream corresponding to a presenter's audio associated with each slide is described. The plurality of bitstreams can be linked so as to make the multimedia data object browsable on a presenter interaction event-by-event basis. Interaction events can be linked to the audio bitstream and/or to a video clip bitstream. Video clips can be recorded during the real-time presentation such that when replaying the multimedia data object, a video clip is synchronized and replayed dependent on presenter interaction events.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a warning condition and alerting a headphone wearer to the warning condition. One exemplary device includes a headphone configured to be worn by the user and a sensor in electronic communication with the headphone. The sensor is configured to monitor external signals in an external environment. The device further includes a processor in electronic communication with the sensor. The processor is configured to process the external signals monitored by the sensor; identify external signals indicative of an approaching object; and produce an alert responsive to identification of an approaching object.

Abstract: Various method and system embodiments of the present invention are directed to computational estimation of a tempo for a digitally encoded musical selection. In certain embodiments of the present invention, described below, a short portion of a musical selection is analyzed to determine the tempo of the musical selection. The digitally encoded musical selection sample is computationally transformed to produce a power spectrum corresponding to the sample, in turn transformed to produce a two-dimensional strength-of-onset matrix. The two-dimensional strength-of-onset matrix is then transformed into a set of strength-of-onset/time functions for each of a corresponding set of frequency bands. The strength-of-onset/time functions are then analyzed to find a most reliable onset interval that is transformed into an estimated tempo returned by the analysis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of and system for browsing of music. In an embodiment, a method of browsing recorded music comprises steps of: selecting a song from a library; playing at least a portion of the selected song for a user; while the portion of the selected song is playing, accepting input from the user, the input comprising an indication of the user's enjoyment of the at least a portion of the selected song; repeating said steps of selecting, playing and accepting to generate a sequence of song portions; and creating a record comprising an identification of each selected song portions and the indication for the song portions.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods are described. In one aspect, an imaging system includes a light source that is operable to generate a beam of light directed along a beam path and an optical element that is operable to rotate about a rotational axis. The optical element has two or more optical faces that are positionable to intersect the beam path over respective non-overlapping ranges of rotational positions of the optical element. At least two different optical faces are operable to scan the beam of light in different respective scan planes during rotation of the optical element. In an imaging method, a beam of light directed along a beam path is generated. The beam path is consecutively intersected with at least two different optical faces to scan the light beam in different respective scan planes.

Abstract: An image capture system and method for adjusting a focal length of a lens based on an amount of available light. The image capture system may include a lens assembly having a focal length, an image capture media capable of receiving light from the lens assembly, and a controller configured to adjust the focal length of the lens assembly and to access an amount of the image capture media to form an image of an object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the quality of MPEG video are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a group of pictures (GOP) is obtained and decompressed, producing an initial decompressed GOP. This initial decompressed GOP is spatially shifted to at least two shift positions. At each shift position, MPEG compression and decompression are applied, producing a resulting decompressed GOP for each shift position. The resulting decompressed GOPs are shifted back to their initial position and combined, preferably by averaging, to form an improved GOP.

Abstract: A “path-enhanced” presentation is automatically generated from previously recorded “path-enhanced” multimedia based on time and location information associated with the multimedia. The path based on the time and location information is rendered over a two-dimensional map. The presentation indicates position and progress along the path, and at the same time, previously recorded multimedia corresponding to points or segments of that path are automatically played. When the moving icon reaches a location that is associated with multimedia, that multimedia is automatically played.

Abstract: Methods, machines, systems and machine-readable instructions for processing input audio signals are described. In one aspect, an input audio signal has a noise period that includes a targeted noise signal and a noise-free period free of the targeted noise signal. The input audio signal in the noise-free period is divided into spectral time slices each having a respective spectrum. Ones of the spectral time slices of the input audio signal are selected based on the respective spectra of the spectral time slices. An output audio signal is composed for the noise period based at least in part on the selected ones of the spectral time slices of the input audio signal in the noise-free period.

Abstract: Methods, machines, systems and machine-readable instructions for processing an image are described. In one aspect, the image is divided into a population of image blocks. Frequency domain vectors are generated from respective ones of the image blocks. Each of the frequency domain vectors includes a respective set of values corresponding to a set of transform coefficients. Preliminary estimates of quantization parameter values are determined from frequency distributions of the transform coefficient values in a set of the frequency domain vectors corresponding to a variable sample of the population. The variable sample is determined at least in part by at least one threshold. Values of quantization parameters are estimated from the preliminary estimates.

Abstract: An exemplary method for providing an optimized digital image comprises obtaining digital image data by a digital image capture device, based on the digital image data, automatically determining at least two setting types, and a plurality of setting values therefor, for capturing a plurality of digital images, automatically capturing the plurality of digital images using the digital image capture device, each image being captured with at least one setting value different than another image, and providing an optimized digital image based on the plurality of digital images. In one exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is selected from the plurality of digital images. In another exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is synthesized based on the plurality of digital images.

Abstract: Brightness of a plurality of pixels in a digital image is adjusted directly in a luminance-chrominance color space. Luminance and saturation are adjusted concurrently without changing hue of the pixels.

Abstract: A system and method that allows users to find a song name, artist and performance without having to proceed through many false results. In one aspect, the system and method use signal matching to produce reliable matches. In another aspect, the system and method use a combination of signal and feature representation and an automatic decision rule together with a human-in-the-loop approach. A feature vector and a processed time signal are computed for each song in a database and extracted from a microphone-recorded sample of music. The database songs are first sorted by feature space distance with respect to the feature vector of the recorded sample. The processed time signals of the database songs and the processed time signal from the recorded sample are processed using signal matching. A decision rule presents likely matches to the user for confirmation.

Abstract: Systems and methods of interfacing with a machine are described. In one aspect, sets of contemporaneous images of an interactive space are acquired from multiple respective fields of view. An input target is detected in the acquired images. Coordinates of the input target detected in the acquired images are computed. A spatiotemporal input data structure linking input target coordinates computed from contemporaneous images to respective reference times is constructed. The spatiotemporal input data structure is processed to identify an input instruction. The identified input instruction is executed on a machine. In another aspect, an image is displayed at a display location disposed between a viewing space and an interactive space, wherein the displayed image is viewable from a perspective in the viewing space. Images of the interactive space are acquired from at least one field of view. An input target is detected in the acquired images.

Abstract: “Path-enhanced” multimedia (PEM) data may be viewed, modified, or interacted with according to user selected views which determine the manner in which at least a portion of the PEM data is displayed. The PEM data is stored in a data structure as a scrapbook object including first data object types corresponding to the PEM data and second object types corresponding to the different view types. The scrapbook object data structure lends itself to displaying portions of the PEM data according to selected views that correspond to a particular time and place or to a particular time ordered sequence of locations (i.e., a particular path segment) and/or can be enhanced with other multimedia content related to that time and place or to that path segment, thereby providing a more interesting and effective display of the “path-enhanced” recorded events.