Abstract: Described is a technology by which online recognition of handwritten input data is combined with offline recognition and processing to obtain a combined recognition result. In general, the combination improves overall recognition accuracy. In one aspect, online and offline recognition is separately performed to obtain online and offline character-level recognition scores for candidates (hypotheses). A statistical analysis-based combination algorithm, an AdaBoost algorithm, and/or a neural network-based combination may determine a combination function to combine the scores to produce a result set of one or more results. Online and offline radical-level recognition may be performed. For example, a HMM recognizer may generate online radical scores used to build a radical graph, which is then rescored using the offline radical recognition scores. Paths in the rescored graph are then searched to provide the combined recognition result, e.g., corresponding to the path with the highest score.

Abstract: Techniques for providing camera based code reading are disclosed. In some aspects, a camera-readable code is generated which may be read by a code reading device. The code reading device may capture an image of the code, process the image, and decode the code. The code includes symbols arranged to form a pattern. According to one or more embodiments, an image with the code is cropped to remove extraneous information. The code image is manipulated by exact binary segmentation to remove background information from the code. The code is oriented to a grid using an interval value defined between the symbols. The symbols are decoded by comparing unique aspects of the symbols using a statistical analysis. The decoded symbols may be converted to a message for a user or be used for other purposes.

Abstract: An exemplary method for online character recognition of East Asian characters includes acquiring time sequential, online ink data for a handwritten East Asian character, conditioning the ink data to produce conditioned ink data where the conditioned ink data includes information as to writing sequence of the handwritten East Asian character and extracting features from the conditioned ink data where the features include a tangent feature, a curvature feature, a local length feature, a connection point feature and an imaginary stroke feature. Such a method may determine neighborhoods for ink data and extract features for each neighborhood. An exemplary Hidden Markov Model based character recognition system may use various exemplary methods for training and character recognition.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which online recognition of handwritten input data is combined with offline recognition and processing to obtain a combined recognition result. In general, the combination improves overall recognition accuracy. In one aspect, online and offline recognition is separately performed to obtain online and offline character-level recognition scores for candidates (hypotheses). A statistical analysis-based combination algorithm, an AdaBoost algorithm, and/or a neural network-based combination may determine a combination function to combine the scores to produce a result set of one or more results. Online and offline radical-level recognition may be performed. For example, a HMM recognizer may generate online radical scores used to build a radical graph, which is then rescored using the offline radical recognition scores. Paths in the rescored graph are then searched to provide the combined recognition result, e.g., corresponding to the path with the highest score.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, systems, and computer-readable media for developing, training and/or using models for online handwriting recognition of characters are described. An exemplary method for building a trainable radical-based HMM for use in character recognition includes defining radical nodes, where a radical node represents a structural element of an character, and defining connection nodes, where a connection node represents a spatial relationship between two or more radicals. Such a method may include determining a number of paths in the radical-based HMM using subsequence direction histogram vector (SDHV) clustering and determining a number of states in the radical-based HMM using curvature scale space-based (CSS) corner detection.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing and an impeller. The housing has a main inlet and at least one secondary inlet. The impeller is disposed in the housing and has a hub, a plurality of blades and at least one annular plate. Those blades are disposed around the hub. The annular plate is connected to those blades and partially blocked the secondary inlet.

Abstract: Exemplary techniques are described for selecting radical sets for use in probabilistic East Asian character recognition algorithms. An exemplary technique includes applying a decomposition rule to each East Asian character of the set to generate a progressive splitting graph where the progressive splitting graph comprises radicals as nodes, formulating an optimization problem to find an optimal set of radicals to represent the set of East Asian characters using maximum likelihood and minimum description length and solving the optimization problem for the optimal set of radicals. Another exemplary technique includes selecting an optimal set of radicals by using a general function that characterizes a radical with respect to other East Asian characters and a complex function that characterizes complexity of a radical.

Abstract: A method for speech quality degradation estimation, a method for degradation measures calculation, and the apparatuses thereof are provided. The first method above estimates the speech quality of a speech signal that is modified by a pitch-synchronous prosody modification method, which comprises the following steps. First, extract at least one source pitchmark from the speech signal, and then maps the source pitchmark(s) to at least one target pitchmark(s). Finally, calculate at least one degradation measure based on the mapping between the source and the target pitchmarks. The degradation measures include several weighted pitch-related functions and duration-related functions, where the weighting functions can be calculated based on the speech signal or the pitchmark(s) mapping mentioned above.

Abstract: Systems and methods for 2-D barcode recognition are described. In one aspect, the systems and methods use a charge coupled camera capturing device to capture a digital image of a 3-D scene. The systems and methods evaluate the digital image to localize and segment a 2-D barcode from the digital image of the 3-D scene. The 2-D barcode is rectified to remove non-uniform lighting and correct any perspective distortion. The rectified 2-D barcode is divided into multiple uniform cells to generate a 2-D matrix array of symbols. A barcode processing application evaluates the 2-D matrix array of symbols to present data to the user.

Abstract: Described is a multi-path handwriting recognition framework based upon stroke segmentation, symbol recognition, two-dimensional structure analysis and semantic structure analysis. Electronic pen input corresponding to handwritten input (e.g., a chemical expression) is recognized and output via a data structure, which may include multiple recognition candidates. A recognition framework performs stroke segmentation and symbol recognition on the input, and analyzes the structure of the input to output the data structure corresponding to recognition results. For chemical expressions, the structural analysis may perform a conditional sub-expression analysis for inorganic expressions, or organic bond detection, connection relationship analysis, organic atom determination and/or conditional sub-expression analysis for organic expressions. The structural analysis also performs subscript, superscript analysis and character determination. Further analysis may be performed, e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for providing camera based code reading are disclosed. In some aspects, a camera-readable code is generated which may be read by a code reading device. The code reading device may capture an image of the code, process the image, and decode the code. The code includes symbols arranged to form a pattern. According to one or more embodiments, an image with the code is cropped to remove extraneous information. The code image is manipulated by exact binary segmentation to remove background information from the code. The code is oriented to a grid using an interval value defined between the symbols. The symbols are decoded by comparing unique aspects of the symbols using a statistical analysis. The decoded symbols may be converted to a message for a user or be used for other purposes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for 2-D barcode recognition are described. In one aspect, the systems and methods use a charge coupled camera capturing device to capture a digital image of a 3-D scene. The systems and methods evaluate the digital image to localize and segment a 2-D barcode from the digital image of the 3-D scene. The 2-D barcode is rectified to remove non-uniform lighting and correct any perspective distortion. The rectified 2-D barcode is divided into multiple uniform cells to generate a 2-D matrix array of symbols. A barcode processing application evaluates the 2-D matrix array of symbols to present data to the user.

Abstract: An exemplary method for online character recognition of East Asian characters includes acquiring time sequential, online ink data for a handwritten East Asian character, conditioning the ink data to produce conditioned ink data where the conditioned ink data includes information as to writing sequence of the handwritten East Asian character and extracting features from the conditioned ink data where the features include a tangent feature, a curvature feature, a local length feature, a connection point feature and an imaginary stroke feature. Such a method may determine neighborhoods for ink data and extract features for each neighborhood. An exemplary Hidden Markov Model based character recognition system may use various exemplary methods for training and character recognition.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which online recognition of handwritten input data is combined with offline recognition and processing to obtain a combined recognition result. In general, the combination improves overall recognition accuracy. In one aspect, online and offline recognition is separately performed to obtain online and offline character-level recognition scores for candidates (hypotheses). A statistical analysis-based combination algorithm, an AdaBoost algorithm, and/or a neural network-based combination may determine a combination function to combine the scores to produce a result set of one or more results. Online and offline radical-level recognition may be performed. For example, a HMM recognizer may generate online radical scores used to build a radical graph, which is then rescored using the offline radical recognition scores. Paths in the rescored graph are then searched to provide the combined recognition result, e.g., corresponding to the path with the highest score.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, systems, and computer-readable media for developing, training and/or using models for online handwriting recognition of characters are described. An exemplary method for building a trainable radical-based HMM for use in character recognition includes defining radical nodes, where a radical node represents a structural element of an character, and defining connection nodes, where a connection node represents a spatial relationship between two or more radicals. Such a method may include determining a number of paths in the radical-based HMM using subsequence direction histogram vector (SDHV) clustering and determining a number of states in the radical-based HMM using curvature scale space-based (CSS) corner detection.

Abstract: Exemplary techniques are described for selecting radical sets for use in probabilistic East Asian character recognition algorithms. An exemplary technique includes applying a decomposition rule to each East Asian character of the set to generate a progressive splitting graph where the progressive splitting graph comprises radicals as nodes, formulating an optimization problem to find an optimal set of radicals to represent the set of East Asian characters using maximum likelihood and minimum description length and solving the optimization problem for the optimal set of radicals. Another exemplary technique includes selecting an optimal set of radicals by using a general function that characterizes a radical with respect to other East Asian characters and a complex function that characterizes complexity of a radical.

Abstract: A blower includes a housing and an impeller. The housing has a main inlet and at least one secondary inlet. The impeller is disposed in the housing and has a hub, a plurality of blades and at least one annular plate. Those blades are disposed around the hub. The annular plate is connected to those blades and partially blocked the secondary inlet.

Abstract: A method for speech quality degradation estimation, a method for degradation measures calculation, and the apparatuses thereof are provided. The first method above estimates the speech quality of a speech signal that is modified by a pitch-synchronous prosody modification method, which comprises the following steps. First, extract at least one source pitchmark from the speech signal, and then maps the source pitchmark(s) to at least one target pitchmark(s). Finally, calculate at least one degradation measure based on the mapping between the source and the target pitchmarks. The degradation measures include several weighted pitch-related functions and duration-related functions, where the weighting functions can be calculated based on the speech signal or the pitchmark(s) mapping mentioned above.

Abstract: A scheme of allocating variable pulses for each frame is proposed to reduce the bit-rate of LP based AbS coders while maintaining the same speech quality. Since speech signal is not stationary, the required pulse count in a speech coder should be variable frame by frame. In this patent the optimal pulse count allocation is provided based on criterion of perceptual distortion analysis. The method comprises receiving source speech data and generating temporary encoded data according to the source speech data, and synthesized speech data according to the temporary encoded data, and adjusting the fixed codebook pulse allocation in temporary encoded data to a minimum required pulse count according to the perceptual disturbance values between the synthesized speech data and the source speech data, and outputting final encoded data accordingly.