Abstract: Methods to generate, and devices to use, an adaptive tone curve generation operation are disclosed. Tone curves so generated have been found to produce stable tone mapping in a wide range of operational environments, including during multi-exposure fused images (e.g., during high dynamic range image fusion). In general, techniques are disclosed that use a content-load histogram in combination with image capture device noise information to adaptively bound a tone curve's slope and, therefore, the resulting tone curve. As used here, a content-load histogram is a histogram that captures spatial, color or other information carried by an image's pixels at various gray levels.

Abstract: A method includes determining a target layout in which secondary images (504) are placed along an edge (506, 508) of a primary image (502), dividing each of the secondary images (504) into one of a horizontal group and a vertical group according to the target layout and dimensions of each of the secondary images (504), dividing any of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group into one of a top group (706) and a bottom group (708) according to the target layout and a width of each of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group, dividing any of the secondary images (504) of the vertical group into one of a left group and a right group according to the target layout and a height of each of the secondary images (504) in the vertical group, and placing each of the secondary images (504) adjacent to an edge (506, 508) of the primary image (502) according to an assigned group of each secondary image (504).

Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes an array of active pixels and an infrared cut filter formed over the sensor. Optionally, a slot in the infrared cut filter allows infrared illumination to reach the sensor to be detected by pixels covered by a visually opaque filter and surrounded by pixels of special types that limit charge leakage and enable high dynamic range sensing of infrared illumination. A ratio of average infrared signal to average brightness indicates an amount of infrared illumination reaching the imaging device.

Abstract: A novel chromaticity space is disclosed that may be used as a framework to implement an auto-white balance solution or other color image processing solutions that take advantage of the particular properties of the novel chromaticity space. The chromaticity space may be defined by using a series of mathematical transformations having parameters that are optimized to adapt to specific sensors' spectral sensitivities. The unique properties of the novel chromaticity space provide a conscious white point constraining strategy with clear physical meaning. In this chromaticity space, the ranges of possible white points under different kinds of lighting conditions can be defined by polygons. Because of the physical meaning the chromaticity space, the projection that is needed to bring an initially “out-of-bounds” white point back into the polygon also carries physical meaning, making the definition of projection behavior and its consequences conceptually clean and predictable.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer readable media for implementing a “selective gray world” approach for color balancing are described. The disclosed techniques involve the use of noise-optimized selection criteria and, more specifically, in some embodiments, the interpolation between corresponding values in noise-optimized weighting tables when calculating white balance gains. Estimated scene lux levels may provide a valuable indicator of expected scene noise levels. The image processing techniques described herein may be executed by an image capture device or a general purpose processor (e.g., personal computer) executing a user-level software application. The described color balancing techniques may be implemented by dedicated or general purpose hardware, general application software, or a combination of software and hardware in a computer system.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer readable media for implementing novel dominant color alleviation techniques for color balancing are described. The techniques take advantage of unique properties of 2D image data histograms accumulated in a chromaticity space, along with other factors such as estimated scene lux and knowledge of plausible scene illuminant white point values within the chromaticity space. The accumulated 2D image data histograms may be refined and “trimmed,” such that the resultant image data passed to an auto white balance solution has much less influence from the dominant colors in the image, even those that overlap the plausible scene illuminant color region. The described techniques provide for white point estimates that are much less prone to dominant color failures.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to devices, methods, and computer readable media for improved accuracy of color correction matrix (CCM) coefficient determination based on estimated white point, while maintaining a relatively smooth variation of CCM coefficients over the white point space. The techniques disclosed herein may be achieved via the storage of a limited number of determined CCM multiplier vectors and thus be effective in the camera image pipelines of real image capture devices. With the more accurate CCMs calculated with the disclosed techniques, visible improvement in rendered colors may be achieved as compared to using interpolation from a handful of corner CCMs. The color correction techniques described herein may be implemented by dedicated or general purpose hardware, general application software, or a combination of software and hardware in a computer system.

Abstract: In a method for dynamically scaling an original background layout having at least one element, an instruction to employ the original background layout in a new page that differs in at least one of size and aspect ratio from at least one of the size and aspect ratio of the original background layout is received. In addition, a type and a position of the at least one element is identified and one or more constraints are applied on at least one characteristic of the at least one element to modify the at least one characteristic of the at least one element for inclusion in the new page, in which the one or more constraints are based upon the type and position of the at least one element.

Abstract: An agent for inhibiting translesion DNA replication comprises a non-natural adenine ribose analog represented by those as set forth in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed that determine placement of a background image on a canvas and area for placement of foreground images. A system and method include receiving data indicative of an informative zone of a background image and computing an estimated foreground area on a canvas for each candidate placement of the background image on the canvas. The estimated foreground area is computed based on the data indicative of the informative zone and the number of images to be used as foreground images and does not include the informative zone. One of the candidate placements is determined as a selected background placement based on the computed values of estimated foreground area. A composite image can be generated from the background image positioned on the canvas according to the selected background placement and foreground images positioned outside of the informative zone.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed that determine the informative zone of an image. A system and method include receiving image data representative of an image, determining the non-redundant regions of the image based on analysis of patterns of the image data, and determining an area of the image that encompasses the non-redundant regions of the image as the informative zone of the image.

Abstract: An a data input system includes an encoded pad having position encoding and a data input device adapted to image a portion of the encoded pad to determine position and orientation of the data input device relative to the encoded pad. The encoding pad includes a plurality of correlation windows. Each correlation window includes a primary encoding marker in form of vertical line segment and a set of secondary encoding markers in form of diagonal line segments, at least one diagonal line segment intersecting the vertical line segment at an intersection angle. Spacing of the diagonal line segments encodes the X-axis position of the input device relative to the encoding pad. Intersection angle encodes the Y-axis position of the input device relative to the encoding pad. Angle of the primary encoding marker vertical line segment within the frame of the captured image encodes the angular orientation of the input device relative to the axes of the encoded pad.

Abstract: A method includes determining a target layout in which secondary images (504) are placed along an edge (506, 508) of a primary image (502), dividing each of the secondary images (504) into one of a horizontal group and a vertical group according to the target layout and dimensions of each of the secondary images (504), dividing any of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group into one of a top group (706) and a bottom group (708) according to the target layout and a width of each of the secondary images (504) in the horizontal group, dividing any of the secondary images (504) of the vertical group into one of a left group and a right group according to the target layout and a height of each of the secondary images (504) in the vertical group, and placing each of the secondary images (504) adjacent to an edge (506, 508) of the primary image (502) according to an assigned group of each secondary image (504).

Abstract: A method performed by a physical computing system for determining a layout of graphic objects (802) according to a layout density map (300) includes generating the layout density map (300), the layout density map (300) having low density regions (302) and high density regions (304); providing a set of candidate locations (402) within the layout density map (302), a number of the candidate locations (402) being equal to a number of the graphic objects (802), the candidate locations (402) being arranged away from the low density regions (302) and from other the candidate locations (402); and overlaying the layout density map (300) with the graphic objects (402), each graphic object (802) being disposed at one of the candidate locations (402).

Abstract: An image and theme artwork management method (98) for optimizing a presentation of images displayed in a design, in which each image comprises colors, content, and metadata, includes selecting an artwork theme (93) for the design as a function of the metadata of the images; and adjusting the colors of the artwork theme (94) as a function of the colors of the images such that the images and the artwork theme within the design comprise more complimentary, contrasting, or similar colors.

Abstract: A candidate layout of frames on a page is ascertained, where the frames define respective size dimensions and positions of respective views of the graphic objects (including at least one block of text) on the page. If the target size dimensions are not accommodated by the size dimensions of the frame of the text block presentation, the candidate layout is modified by changing the size dimensions of the frame of the text block presentation to accommodate the target size dimensions and adjusting the size dimensions of the other frames in the candidate layout based on the changed size dimensions of the frame of the text block presentation. Also, different layouts of the frames on a page are determined from a different respective set of aspect ratios and nominal sizes subject to a set of layout constraints.

Abstract: An agent for inhibiting translesion DNA replication comprises a non-natural adenine ribose analog represented by those as set forth in FIG. 1.

Abstract: Visual elements of a first image are changed in accordance with an image editing process to produce an edited high-resolution image and visual elements of a second image are modified in accordance with an emulator process to produce a modified low-resolution image. The emulator process produces the modified low-resolution image with visual changes relative to the second image that mimic perceived visual changes made to the visual elements of the first image by the image editing process to produce the edited high-resolution image. The emulator process is built from a set of one or more image enhancement processes in accordance with an optimization process.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring an audience participation distribution at an event comprising a speech activity module operable to generate speech data representing speech detected at the event, a speaker identification module operable to determine, using the speech data, a first speaker who has contributed to the detected speech, and a processing unit operable to generate speaker data representing a value for the time that the first speaker has contributed to the detected speech and to output distribution data based on the speaker data representing a measure of the participation for the first speaker at the event.

Abstract: The invention includes a method for predicting a scheduled downtime associated with a system. In one embodiment, a method includes determining a system model associated with the system according to a system type of the system, determining at least one scheduled system downtime event type associated with the system using the system model, selecting at least one scheduled system downtime event model according to the at least one scheduled system downtime event type, and predicting the scheduled system downtime using the at least one scheduled system downtime event model.