Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a camera is provided. The camera comprises a lens and a sensor to record an image focused by the lens in N color bands, wherein N equals a number of color bands, with the number and respective locations and widths of the N color bands being selected to optimize the image for processing.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method for learning object recognition in an image is provided. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing a training set of standard images, calculating intrinsic images corresponding to the standard images and building a classifier as a function of the intrinsic images.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of, at a computer system, receiving an image recorded at and transmitted from a remote source, at the computer system, processing the transmitted image, for segregation of the transmitted image into a corresponding intrinsic image and, at the computer system, processing the corresponding intrinsic image to perform a preselected task, for a result. As a further feature of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the remote source comprises a cell phone or remote computer system.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for determining illumination information in an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of identifying depth information in the image, identifying spatio-spectral information for the image, as a function of the depth information and utilizing the spatio-spectral information to identify illumination flux in the image.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for image processing in which brightness boundaries of an image are identified and analyzed in at least two, and more preferably three or more, spectral bands to distinguish illumination boundaries from reflectance boundaries. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a brightness boundary of the image can be identified as an illumination boundary if at least two wavelength bands of the image exhibit a substantially common shift in brightness across the boundary.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for an automatic chromatic aberration correction. The method comprises the steps of setting a range of test correction factors, applying the test correction factors of the range, incrementally, to a test block of the image, measuring chromatic aberration error at the test block after application of each of the test correction factors, and selecting a test correction factor having a lowest chromatic aberration error.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method for learning object recognition in an image is provided. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing a training set of standard images, calculating intrinsic images corresponding to the standard images and building a classifier as a function of the intrinsic images.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, performing an image segregation operation on the image file to generate a set of intrinsic images corresponding to the image, modifying a preselected one of the set of intrinsic images according to a set of preselected operations and merging the modified one of the set of intrinsic images relative to the set of intrinsic images to provide a modified output image.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for classifying pixel values in a motion sequence of images. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of determining spectral information relevant to the sequence of images, and utilizing the spectral information to classify a pixel as one of background, shadow and object.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for determining illumination flux in an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of performing a computer learning technique to determine spatio-spectral information for the images, and utilizing the spatio-spectral information to identify illumination flux.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image, organizing spatio-spectral information for the image in a matrix equation expressed by: [A][x]=[b], wherein [A] expresses values determined by a constraining relationship imposed upon the spatio-spectral information, [b] expresses recorded information for the image, and [x] expresses an unknown material/illumination component of the image, and utilizing the matrix equation in an image segregation operation.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of generating spatio-spectral information for the image, defining a constraint as a function of the spatio-spectral information, and performing an optimization operation as a function of the constraint to generate an intrinsic image corresponding to the image.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method for manipulating an image is provided. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of selecting matched shadow/lit pairs of image portions from each of separate, different materials depicted in the image, utilizing the selected matched pairs to determine spectral ratio information for the image, calculating a correction term as a function of the spectral ratio information and utilizing the correction term to manipulate the image, to remove effects, such as, for example, path radiance.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for determining an illumination boundary in an image. The method comprises the steps of performing dynamic sampling in preselected local areas of the image to determine spectral ratio information for the image at each of the preselected local areas, and utilizing the spectral ratio information to identify an illumination boundary.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for classifying pixel values in a motion sequence of images. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of determining spectral information relevant to the sequence of images, and utilizing the spectral information to classify a pixel as one of background, shadow and object.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the step of performing a filter response technique to identify patches of uniform reflectance within the image. In a further exemplary embodiment, the method comprises the additional step of utilizing the identified patches of uniform material reflectance to generate single material token regions for use in processing material and illumination aspects of the image.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file, identifying a boundary in the image, calculating a representation of the boundary extending to segments of the image at either side of the boundary, performing feature calculations on the representation and classifying the boundary as caused by a material change, as a function of the feature calculations.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method for generating an illumination invariant, chromaticity representation of an image is provided. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of providing an image comprising an array of pixels, each pixel having N band color values, transforming the N bands to log color space values in a log color space, generating a bi-illuminant chromaticity plane in the log color space and projecting the log color space values to the chromaticity the plane to provide chromaticity representation values corresponding to the pixels of the image.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for classifying pixel values in a motion sequence of images. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of determining spectral information relevant to the sequence of images, and utilizing the spectral information to classify a pixel as one of background, shadow and object.

Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of identifying token regions in the image, each token region comprising a connected image region of similar color and intensity, and utilizing the identified token regions to generate single material token regions for use in processing material and illumination aspects of the image.