Abstract: A digital image processing method is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: (A) capturing a digital image; (B) selecting at least a target pixel within the digital image according to a predetermined rule; (C) performing a first filtering on a graphic region including the target pixel and its neighboring pixels within the digital image, to generate a set of first filtered values; and (D) performing a second filtering on the set of first filtered values to generate a set of second filtered values, and performing a digital image adjustment process on the digital image according to the set of second filtered values.

Abstract: A displacement estimation device includes a vector calculator and a displacement calculator, for use in estimating a displacement vector from a pattern in a first original image to a pattern in a second original image. The vector calculator calculates a parameter for each pixel in the first original image and the second original image. The parameter of a pixel integrates the information of the intensities of all the pixels in a region of interest (ROI) surrounding the pixel, and the relative distances from all the pixels in the ROI to the pixel. The displacement calculator calculates the displacement vector from a pattern in the first original image to a pattern in the second original image based on the parameters calculated by the vector calculator for the first original image and the second original image.

Abstract: A method for audio encoding includes: analyzing an audio frame using a psychoacoustic model to obtain a corresponding masking curve and window information; transforming the audio frame according to the window information to obtain a spectrum, and dividing the spectrum into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; estimating a scale factor for each frequency sub-band; quantizing the frequency sub-bands; encoding the quantized frequency sub-bands; and packing the encoded frequency sub-bands and side information into an audio stream. Each scale factor is estimated based on a quantizable audio intensity of each frequency sub-band, which is adjusted according to a cumulative total amount of buffer space used for storing the encoded frequency sub-bands and an amount of buffer space used for storing a previously encoded audio frame, and a mean of intensities of all signals in the corresponding frequency sub-band and spectrum position of the corresponding frequency sub-band.

Abstract: A pixel compensation method is implemented by an image-capturing device having an image sensor for obtaining a pixel pattern of a plurality of pixels, in which each of the pixels has a response intensity. The pixel compensation method includes: a) selecting a first block of a predetermined number of pixels from the pixel pattern obtained by the image sensor; b) designating at least one pixel from the pixels of the first block as a stand-by compensation pixel; c) determining a first compensation value according to the response intensities of the pixels of the first block; and d) adjusting the response intensity of the stand-by compensation pixel according to the first compensation value.

Abstract: A method for coordinate generation to be implemented using an orientation device includes the steps of: providing at least three reference marks on a target; aiming the orientation device at an initial point on the target, and operating the orientation device such that the sensor is able to capture an image of the target that contains at least one of the reference marks; correlating a coordinate space of the orientation device with a coordinate space of the target; aiming the orientation device at a target point on the target, and operating the orientation device such that the sensor is able to capture an image of the target that contains the reference marks; and determining relative coordinates of the target point with reference to the established coordinate space relation and the captured image. An orientation device that performs the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A characteristics-based image recognition method for recognizing objects in an image is implemented using an image sensor and a register. The image sensor has a plurality of pixel sensing elements. The method includes: setting a grayscale threshold value of the image; acquiring pixel values of each row sequentially in the image; identifying a background region and linear image segments of the objects in the image according to the grayscale threshold value; identifying the objects to which the linear image segments belong according to a spatial correlation between a newly detected linear image segment and a previously detected linear image segment; associating collected information of the linear image segments with the identified objects to which the linear image segments belong; and distinguishing the identified objects from each other based on solid, ring-shaped, long and short characteristics.

Abstract: A motion estimation method for a succession of frames in a digital coding system includes: a) with reference to a first block in a first frame, searching a second frame for a second block that corresponds to the first block; and b) estimating a motion vector of the first block on the basis of the second block in the second frame; wherein step a) includes: a1) forming a first initial search range including a virtual rhombus-shaped pattern substantially centered at a pre-determined block, and a2) expanding progressively outward a second initial search range based on the virtual rhombus-shaped pattern.

Abstract: A motion estimation method for a succession of frames in a digital coding system includes: with reference to a first block in a first frame, searching a second frame for a second block that corresponds to the first block; and estimating a motion vector of the first block with respect to the second block in the second frame. Blocks in the second frame are searched according to a distance-weighted search sequence starting from a candidate origin block. In view of the radiating characteristics of motion vectors, the distance-weighted search sequence can save unnecessary search time.

Abstract: An interactive device includes an image sensor for generating a plurality of pixel signals, and a processor for determining a static parameter of at least one image object of the image based on the plurality of pixel signals. A transmission interface is used for outputting a control signal based on the static parameter determined by the processor.

Abstract: A video image capturing and displaying method for a web camera is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: capturing a video image consisting of a time series of image frames, at an adaptive frame rate, each image frame comprising a plurality of sequential lines of pixels; compressing the captured video image with one of at least a first compressing mode and a second compressing mode; decompressing the compressed video image corresponding to the compressing mode; storing, in a buffer, the decompressed video image which is not displayed in time; and displaying the video image based on the stored video image and the decompressed video image, wherein the adaptive frame rate in the capturing step is determined according to the display quality of the video image being displayed in the displaying step.

Abstract: A video image capturing and displaying system and related method is disclosed. The system includes an imaging module for capturing a video image consisting of a time series of image frames, each image frame comprising a plurality of sequential lines of pixels; a video image compressing module, comprising at least a first compressing engine and a second compressing engine, for compressing the captured video image; a control unit for actuating one of at least the first compressing engine and the second compressing engine for compressing each specific sequential line; a video image decompressing module for decompressing the compressed video image corresponding to the compressing engine; a first buffer for storing the decompressed video image which is not displayed in time; and a display for displaying the video image based on the stored video image and the decompressed video image.

Abstract: A video image capturing and displaying method includes capturing a video image having a time series of image frames; compressing the video image with each sequential line of the image frame as the basic compression unit; decompressing the compressed video image in the buffer; and displaying the decompressed video image.

Abstract: An interactive device of improving image processing. The interactive device includes a processing module and a control circuit. The processing module includes a substrate, an image sensor for generating a plurality of pixel signals, and an estimation unit for determining a static parameter of at least one image object of the image based on the plurality of pixel signals. A transmission interface is used for serially outputting a control signal based on the static parameter determined by the estimation unit. The interactive device also includes a controller for controlling operation of the interactive device based on the control signal based on the static parameters corresponding to each image object. The image sensor, the estimation unit, and the transmission interface are all formed on the substrate.

Abstract: An automatic-packaging apparatus which can package an optical sensing module with a preferred distance between a lens and an optical sensor includes a base, an image-analyzing module, a distance-adjusting module, and a stain-detecting module. The automatic-packaging apparatus packages a lens and an optical sensor separated in a preferred distance into an optical sensing module, and is able to detect if there are stains on the lens or there are flaws in the optical sensor. The advantages of the automatic-packaging apparatus are to package and detect optical modules quickly, efficiently and accurately.

Abstract: In a method and buffer device for data stream transformation, a buffer memory is configured into addressable locations for writing an input data stream therein, a label memory is used for storing write and read labeled positions, and a buffer controller is connected to the buffer memory and the label memory. The buffer controller controls the writing of the input data stream into the addressable locations of the buffer memory according to the write labeled positions and a write data sequence, calculates the read labeled positions corresponding to the write labeled positions in accordance with the write data sequence and a read data sequence, updates the read labeled positions stored in the label memory, and reads data from the addressable locations of the buffer memory with reference to the read labeled positions stored in the label memory so as to generate an output data stream.

Abstract: In a method and buffer device for data stream transformation, a buffer memory is configured into addressable locations for writing an input data stream therein, a label memory is used for storing write and read labeled positions, and a buffer controller is connected to the buffer memory and the label memory. The buffer controller controls the writing of the input data stream into the addressable locations of the buffer memory according to the write labeled positions and a write data sequence, calculates the read labeled positions corresponding to the write labeled positions in accordance with the write data sequence and a read data sequence, updates the read labeled positions stored in the label memory, and reads data from the addressable locations of the buffer memory with reference to the read labeled positions stored in the label memory so as to generate an output data stream.