Abstract: A hybrid depth estimation system includes a switchable projector that controllably projects either dot light or surface light onto an object; a sensor that receives reflected dot light or reflected surface light from the object to capture a first image or a second image respectively; a dot time-of-flight (ToF) depth generator that generates a dot depth map and an associated dot confidence map according to the first image; a surface ToF depth generator that generates a surface depth map according to the second image; and a denoise processor that processes the surface depth map according to a plurality of points on the dot depth map with high confidence, thereby generating a denoised depth map.

Abstract: A hybrid depth estimation system includes a switchable projector that controllably projects either dot light or surface light onto an object; a sensor that receives reflected dot light or reflected surface light from the object to capture a first image or a second image respectively; a dot time-of-flight (ToF) depth generator that generates a dot depth map and an associated dot confidence map according to the first image; a surface ToF depth generator that generates a surface depth map according to the second image; and a denoise processor that processes the surface depth map according to a plurality of points on the dot depth map with high confidence, thereby generating a denoised depth map.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of auto focusing for a camera based on analysis of the image content in a target window are disclosed. According to the present invention, image content in a target window is analyzed to determine a state, a state change or both associated with the target window. The information associated with the state, the state change or both is provided to update the camera parameters. The state may be size, position, pose, behavior or gesture of one or more objects, or areas associated with one or more regions in the target window. The state may correspond to the motion field or optical flow associated with the target window. The state may correspond to object motion, extracted features or scales of the objects in the target window. The state may correspond to image content description of the segmented regions or deformable object contour in the target window.

Abstract: A digital video target moving object segmentation method and system is designed for processing a digital video stream for segmentation of every target moving object that appears in the video content. The proposed method and system is characterized by the operations of a multiple background imagery extraction process and a background imagery updating process for extracting characteristic background imagery whose content includes the motional background objects in addition to the static background scenes; and wherein the multiple background imagery extraction process is based on a background difference threshold comparison method, while the background imagery updating process is based on a background-matching and weight-counting method. This feature allows an object mask to be defined based on the characteristic background imagery, which can mask both the motional background objects as well as the static background scenes.

Abstract: A digital video target moving object segmentation method and system is designed for processing a digital video stream for segmentation of every target moving object that appears in the video content. The proposed method and system is characterized by the operations of a multiple background imagery extraction process and a background imagery updating process for extracting characteristic background imagery whose content includes the motional background objects in addition to the static background scenes; and wherein the multiple background imagery extraction process is based on a background difference threshold comparison method, while the background imagery updating process is based on a background-matching and weight-counting method. This feature allows an object mask to be defined based on the characteristic background imagery, which can mask both the motional background objects as well as the static background scenes.