Abstract: An apparatus for calculating a boundary strength on a macroblock basis to determine a filter condition area in a deblocking filter includes a memory unit for storing a table containing a filter condition area value for a boundary strength calculation, which correspond to each of a type value of a current macroblock and a type value of a neighbor macroblock, and storing a boundary strength calculation method per filter condition area, the deblocking filter for performing the boundary strength calculation according to a filter condition area with respect to an input macroblock, and a controller for determining a filter condition area value corresponding to a type value of a current macroblock input to the deblocking filter and a type value of its neighbor macroblock using the table when the boundary strength calculation is performed with respect to the current macroblock input to the deblocking filter.

Abstract: The method includes estimating a noise level in a reconstructed image using a total attenuation of the reconstructed image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus which acquires an image of quality desired for an object located in a biological body; sets up exposure values of a plurality of stages for an image pickup means; extracts the contour of an object in image signals output from the image pickup means; for the respective stages, generates first histograms for image signals before extraction and second histograms for image signals after extraction with a criterion representing the broadening of the distribution in the histograms set constant; calculates the amount of the kurtosis change between the first histograms and the second histograms; and selects, of the image signals after the extraction corresponding to the respective stages, an image signal after the extraction corresponding to one of the stages in which the amount of change is larger than a predetermined amount as an optimum image for an object.

Abstract: A method and system for representing stereoscopic motion imagery data having a right eye spatial data set and a left eye spatial data set. Each member of the left eye data set has a corresponding member in the right eye data set. The method determines correlated data and uncorrelated data between at least one left eye member and corresponding right eye member and compresses the correlated and the uncorrelated data. The method then forwards the compressed correlated and uncorrelated data at or below a predetermined channel capacity.

Abstract: A moving image is aligned with a fixed image by an initial gross alignment, followed by identification of particular regions or blobs in the moving image. The blobs may be selected based upon particular features in regions of the image, such as anatomical features in a medical image. Blob matching is performed between the selected blobs and the fixed image, and transforms are developed for displacement of the matched blobs. Certain blobs may be dropped from the selection to enhance performance. Individual transformations for individual pixels or voxels in the moving image are then interpolated from the transforms for the blobs.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes a mosaic image sensor, which is configured to generate a stream of input pixel values belonging to a plurality of input sub-images, each sub-image responsive to light of a different, respective color that is incident on the mosaic image sensor. An image restoration engine (IRE) is coupled to receive and digitally filter the input pixel values in each of the input sub-images so as to generate a corresponding plurality of enhanced output sub-images, and to extract auxiliary information from the input sub-images prior to digitally filtering the input pixel values. An image signal processor (ISP) is coupled to receive the plurality of the output sub-images and the auxiliary information from the IRE, and to combine the output sub-images in order to generate a color video output image while enhancing the color video output image using the auxiliary information.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus consists of multiple miniaturized microscopes arranged into an array capable of simultaneously imaging respective portions of an object. A continuous linear translation approach is followed to scan the object and generate multiple image swaths of the object. In order to improve the quality of the composite image produced by concatenation of the image swaths, the performance of each microscope is normalized to the same base reference for each relevant optical-system property. Correction factors are developed through calibration to equalize the spectral response measured at each detector, to similarly balance the gains and offsets of the detector/light-source combinations associated with the various objectives, to correct for geometric misalignments between microscopes, and to correct optical and chromatic aberrations in each objective.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for representing a two-dimensional digital image on a projection surface, whereby at least one projector projects the content of an image buffer onto the projection surface. The aim of the invention is to provide a method and a device which allow to project a digital image onto a background having any surface structure and/or color in such a manner that any influences on the image caused by the background are compensated to the last pixel for at least one special observer perspective. In a special embodiment, definition of the representation is optimized to the last pixel even on an uneven background. For this purpose, the digital image is processed during a rendering step by geometrically distorting it using a two-dimensional pixel-offset field which contains information on the projection surface, and by manipulating the color of the image by means of a two-dimensional surface texture of the projection surface.

Abstract: A method for rotating and scaling at least a portion of an image is provided. The method consists of determining symbolically an inverse matrix of a rotation and scaling matrix, using one or more entries in the inverse matrix as variables in a scaling and rotation routine, evaluating the variables with an angle factor and a scaling factor, and using the evaluated variables to specify a location of a screen pixel corresponding to the portion of the image.

Abstract: A method for auto-resizing an original digital image from an original image to a resized image. The method comprises separating the foreground elements from the background elements, determining an original aspect ratio of the foreground elements and creating resized foreground elements by scaling the foreground elements while maintaining the original aspect ratio. The method further comprises creating resized background elements by stretching or shrinking the background elements to fit the dimensions of the resized image and repositioning the resized foreground and background elements on the resized image while maintaining the design intention of the original image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for interpolating chroma signals while minimizing the calculation overhead. To this end, multiplication requiring a large operation is removed when obtaining a fractional-pel value through chroma interpolation, and a simple linear interpolation method is used in order to reduce the number of operations including addition, subtraction, etc. In this way, it is possible to considerably reduce the operation amount for an ME and an MC which normally consume more than about 30% of H.264 system processing power.

Abstract: A method of generating a pick packet for use by a web browser. The pick packet has secondary string buffer that assigns a unique token to each unique object or unique combination of objects and a primary string buffer that associates a token with each pixel in the source image. A description or legend is associated with the tokens in the secondary string buffer. When a pointer device hovers over a pixel in the source image, the browser looks in the primary buffer for the toke associated with that pixel, then retrieves the legend associated with that token, if any, from the secondary buffer.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wavelet transformation-based image encoder, decoder and method for generating a thumbnail image. In the present invention, an original image is tiled according to a preset tiling scheme, and wavelet transformation is performed for each tiled image. An LL image is extracted from the tiled image and range mapping is performed for the color values of each pixel of the extracted LL images. After the range mapping of the color values according to the pixels, a thumbnail image is generated by reconstructing the LL images according to the predetermined tiling scheme. According to the present invention as described above, when an encoder using a wavelet transformation method encodes the original image into a wavelet image or a decoder using wavelet transformation method decodes the wavelet encoded image into the original image, the thumbnail image can be easily generated.

Abstract: In a multi-sectional air enclosure, an air filling passageway is formed between two outer films folded together and in the meantime, a plurality of air cylinders are formed by adhering the two outer films to each other by means of hot sealing, each air cylinder is adhered to form into a plurality of air chambers in series by means of hot sealing. Furthermore, air inlets are formed between the inner film and the outer film to communicate the air filling passageway with the air cylinders, and a plurality of air passageways are formed to connect to the air inlets. Besides, each air passageway is connected to a plurality of branch air passageways, and an opening is disposed at the end of each branch air passageway.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a vacuum hanger bag having a bag with an airtight closure, a one-way valve installed to the bag, and a hook disposed on the top end of the bag. The hook secured to an outer side of the bag, it consists of a hook with a jut projected downward from its bottom end to penetrate into an inner side of the bag. A base secured to the inner side of the bag with an axial hole for said jut embedding into. An impervious stopper is hidden from view retained at a bottom end of the axial hole. A nut is threaded to a bottom end of the base. And a hook ring with a jut projected upward from its top end is embedded into the nut.

Abstract: A packaging pouch (10) made from a flexible film material and having at least one sealing zone arranged along a pouch edge and an outer sealing seam (18) as permanent closure element is such that, in order to increase the shock-absorbing capacity of the sealing zone, a region (22) of the sealing zone bordering the interior (20) of the pouch exhibits lower bond strength than that of the outer sealing seam (18).

Abstract: A packaging bag made of resin includes a bag-shaped film made of resin and an easy-fracture part. The bag-shaped film made of resin is a laminate film made of a front layer having an adhesive layer and a resin laminated thereon. The easy-fracture part is formed near an outer circumferential end of the bag-shaped film made of resin. On the surface layer, a non-adhesive part is formed toward a site of fracture from the easy-fracture part. Thus, the surface layer can be easily peeled off from this non-adhesive layer.

Abstract: An elastomer bush bearing with hydraulic damping, which is simultaneously configured for acoustic decoupling. The proposed hydro-bush bearing includes, in a conventional manner, a tubular metallic inner part (1) and an elastomer bearing body (2) which encompasses the inner part (1) and is connected with the inner part (1) by vulcanization. The corresponding rubber-metal part is formed of metal or plastic and adapted for insertion into an outer sleeve. At least two chambers (3, 4) adapted to receive a liquid damping means are formed in the bearing body (2) and connected by a damping channel (5) which is open in an unloaded state. An additional channel (6) is arranged between the chambers (3, 4), which in the unloaded state of the bearing is closed for the damping means by a sealing lip (7). The sealing lip is constructed so as to oscillate with an amplitude in excess of 0.025 mm at high-frequency loads.

Abstract: A linear motion guide device includes a magnetic member disposed on a guide rail, a slider slidably attached onto the guide rail for moving along the guide rail, and a detecting device includes a housing detachably secured to the slider and has a chamber for receiving a detecting member, and a casing detachably coupled to the housing for retaining the detecting member in the housing. The detecting device may be easily and readily attached to the linear motion guide device without changing the arrangement of the linear motion guide device. Other casings may be changeably coupled to the housing of different structure.

Abstract: A fluid dynamic pressure bearing device includes a shaft member (5) and a bearing member (41), at least one of the shaft member or the bearing member being rotatable with respect to the other A shaft member-side annular member (13) is fixed with respect to the shaft member. The shaft member-side annular member includes a large-diameter rim portion and a small-diameter outer circumferential surface portion. A bearing member-side annular member (14) is fixed with respect to the bearing member. The bearing member-side annular member includes an inner circumferential large-diameter step portion, and a small-diameter inner circumferential surface portion.

Abstract: A differential wheel mounting for replacing a standard railroad axle assembly having a wheel seat portion which includes a sleeve, a railroad wheel with a running surface for contacting a rail and a rolling bearing assembly detachably mounted to the sleeve and railroad wheel. The sleeve may include a shoulder and removable keeper for retaining the rolling bearing assembly. The wheel may also include a shoulder and removable keeper for retaining the rolling bearing assembly. The rolling bearing assembly sustains both radial and thrust loads during normal operation of a railroad car. The wheel may also include a removable tire section.

Abstract: A tilting pad journal bearing, an annular housing for an array of arcuate bearing pads resiliently mounted by spring means which biases the pads against heads of restraining bosses that limit radial displacement and cause the bearing pads to define a shaft space. The pads have associated therewith support pegs secured to housing or pad at one end and movable relative to the pad or housing at the other, and the spring means comprises stacks of individually deflectable elements mounted between relatively moving pad, housing or peg and pre-loaded by adjusting the effective gap with the pads against the bosses. Relative_movement between springs provide friction damping. The_restraining bosses may be displaceable together to eliminate the shaft space clearance if the magnetic suspension fails or shows signs of failing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing comprising at least one system for determining the amplitude A of pseudo-sinusoidal deformations induced during rotation of a fixed ring (1) area (7), wherein said system comprises four stress gauges (8), a device for measuring four signals Vi based on time variations of a signal emitted by each gauge (8) and for forming two signals SIN and COS for the same angle and amplitude and a device for computing the time-dependent amplitude A of the area (7) deformations for calculating a SIN2+COS2 expression in such a way that the amplitude A is derived therefrom.

Abstract: A center bearing support providing improved impact harshness, load capacity, and long term fatigue durability through the introduction of a tunable stopper element which allows greater control as the excitation levels of a supported shaft are increased, including an inner element installed on the inner periphery surface of an outer element fixed to a body side through an elastic body made of elastomer material and a center bearing or bushing installed on the inner peripheral surface of the inner element, wherein a stopper extending convergently is formed at the end part of the flexible main body of the elastic body, and a rib is formed between the stopper and the end part of the flexible main body at a specific phase interval, whereby, because a deformation force given by the contact of the stopper with the outer ring when an excessive displacement is input is absorbed by the displacement of the end part of the flexible main body, an abrupt rise of a spring constant can be suppressed.

Abstract: To reduce wavelength chirp and produce multi-valued signal light that can be readily demodulated on a receiver side, a Mach-Zehnder type optical modulator includes an incident waveguide that branches input light, a pair of optical waveguides that respectively transmit the branched light and exhibit an electro-optic effect, a pair of signal electrodes arranged along the optical waveguides, and an exit waveguide that outputs an interfered light of the light transmitted through the optical waveguides. Furthermore, at a boundary, the polarity of each of the optical waveguides reverses, and either the optical waveguides or the signal electrodes cross each other.

Abstract: An optical modulator is formed to include a plurality of separate electrodes disposed along one arm, the electrodes having different lengths and driven with different signals to provide for multi-level signaling (e.g., PAM-4 signaling). By using separate drivers to energize the different sections, the number of sections energized at a given point in time will define the net phase shift introduced to the optical signal. The total length of the combined modulator sections is associated with a ? phase shift (180°). Each section is driven by either a digital “one” or “zero”, so as to create the multi-level modulation. An essentially equal change in power between adjacent transmitted symbols is accomplished by properly adjusting the lengths of each individual section.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises transmitting an optical signal via the optical line, measuring a relative change in spectral intensity of the optical signal near a clock frequency (or half of that frequency) while varying a polarization of the optical signal between a first state of polarization and a second state of polarization, and using the relative change in spectral intensity of the optical signal to determine and correct the DGD of the optical line. Another method comprises splitting an optical signal traveling through the optical line into a first and second portions having a first and second principal states of polarization of the optical line, converting the first and second portions into a first and second electrical signals, delaying the second electrical signal to create a delayed electrical signal that compensates for a DGD of the optical line, and combining the delayed electrical signal with the first electrical signal to produce a fixed output electrical signal.

Abstract: Substrates, including zero mode waveguide substrates that have been fabricated to provide additional functional elements and/or components including increased volumes for positioning of active surfaces and/or components for the mitigation of negative electrochemical properties of the underlying substrates.

Abstract: An optical reader system is described herein which has a single mode (SM) optical fiber launch/receive system that uses one or more SM optical fibers to interrogate a biosensor and does not use multimode (MM) optical fibers to interrogate the biosensor. The use of the SM optical fiber launch/receive system effectively reduces angular sensitivity, reduces unwanted system reflections, improves overall angular tolerance, and improves resonant peak reflectivity and resonant peak width. Two specific embodiments of the SM optical fiber launch/receive system are described herein which include: (1) a dual fiber collimator launch/receive system; and (2) a single fiber launch/receive system that interrogates the biosensor at a normal incidence.

Abstract: A polymer waveguide resonator device for high-frequency ultrasound detection having a optical resonator coupled to a straight optical waveguide which serves as input and output ports. Acoustic waves irradiating the waveguide induce strain modifying the waveguide cross-section or other design property. As a consequence, the effective refractive index of optical waves propagating along the ring is modified. The sharp wavelength dependence of the high Q-factor resonator enhances the optical response to acoustic strain. High sensitivity is demonstrated experimentally in detecting broadband ultrasound pulses from a 10 MHz transducer.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated optical network device (20). The device comprises: a bipolar transistor (10) realized in a silicon substrate (11) that can be biased into an avalanche condition to emit photons; and a photonic bandgap (PBG) structure (22) monolithically integrated with the bipolar transistor (10) to act as an optical wave guide (16) for the photons generated by the bipolar transistor (10).

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor opto-electronic device that may comprise an active layer including a quantum well and a barrier layer on a substrate, upper and lower waveguide layers on and underneath the active layer, respectively, and upper and lower clad layers on and underneath the upper and lower waveguide layers, respectively. The semiconductor opto-electronic device may further comprise an upper optical confinement layer (OCL) between the active layer and the upper waveguide layer and having an energy gap smaller than the energy gap of the upper waveguide layer and equal to or larger than the energy gap of the barrier layer, and a lower OCL between the active layer and the lower waveguide layer and having an energy gap smaller than the energy gap of the lower waveguide layer and equal to or smaller than the energy gap of the barrier layer. Also provided is a method of fabricating the semiconductor opto-electronic device.

Abstract: A variety of structures, methods, systems, and configurations can support plasmons for logic.

Abstract: Uniaxially patterned (UAP) dielectric layers have an optical anisotropy that can be dynamically controlled. In a three-layer optical waveguide structure, the pattern can be included in the core or in a cladding layer. The pattern influences the polarization properties of radiation propagating in the structure. Predicated on the effect are devices such as a polarization-insensitive amplifier, a polarizer, an optically controlled polarization switch, and an optically controlled modal coupler.

Abstract: Method and apparatus enable optical evanescent sensing utilizing a waveguide with an annular core. The annular core can provide detectable sensitivity to a measurand due to optical interactions with contents along an inside surface of the annular core since optical properties of the contents vary with changes in the measurand.

Abstract: Fiber optic sensors commonly require a 180 degree turnaround to form a continuous optical circuit. Methods and apparatus for providing 180 degree turnarounds in a fiber optic system that include a shorter radius turnaround then provided by micro-bending the optic fiber are desired. An embodiment of a turnaround apparatus includes a first optic fiber pigtail, a second optic fiber pigtail, and an optical waveguide forming a U-shaped path having an input end optically connected to a first end of the first pigtail and an output end optically connected to a first end of the second pigtail.

Abstract: A coupling apparatus includes a lens disposed between a port, such as a photodetector, and a light source, such as a fiber. The lens is aligned such that light emitted from the light source is focused by the lens onto the port. Between the lens and light source and/or lens and port, a low contrast medium is disposed to reduce reflection that could degrade signal strength.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device comprising a container having an inner wall, said container enclosing a first liquid (A) and an electrically susceptible second liquid (B), said liquids (A; B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), said interface (14) having a contact angle with the inner wall; and an electrode arrangement (2; 12) for controlling the shape of the interface (14) by means of a voltage; the optical device having an operational range in between a first value of the contact angle and a second value of the contact angle, the first value being in a range of 50-110° and the second value being in a range of 70°-130°, the second value being larger than the first value. It has been discovered that the response speed of the interface (14) to a change in position is a function of the contact angle (?), with a response speed reaching a maximum value around (?)=90° and at least 75% of this maximum value in the given interval.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a submount on which at least one optical component is mounted. The submount has a mounted portion that is mounted onto a substrate or base, and a protruding portion that protrudes out from the substrate or the base when the mounted portion is mounted to the substrate or base. The gripped portion is formed to enable gripping thereof. Wiring, to enable active alignment, is provided to the gripped portion, and active alignment can be carried out by powering up the optical component mounted on the submount.

Abstract: A downhole optic fiber wet-connect system includes first and second matable portions of a tool body; first and second matable portions of a connector. Further included is a first magnet associated with one of the first and second matable portions and a second magnet associated with the other of the first and second matable portions, the first and second magnets being oriented to attract one another; a first opening in one of the first and second matable portions of the tool body; a second opening in the other of the first and second matable portions of the tool body; and at least one of the first and second openings in the first and second matable portions of the tool body configured and dimensioned to loosely receive one of the first and second matable portions of the connector therein and a method for wet-connecting an optic fiber in a downhole environment.

Abstract: The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with one side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be stacked one atop the other inside of the receptacle in a relatively rigid stack. The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with the other side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be held in slots that are slightly separated from one another by air gaps to allow them to “float” in the receptacle. By floating the connector modules in one side of the receptacle while having a relative rigid stack of connector modules in the other side of the receptacle, it is ensured that very precise optical alignment will be maintained between the respective lenses in the connector modules that face each other in the receptacle.

Abstract: The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with one side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be stacked one atop the other inside of the receptacle in a relatively rigid stack. The connector modules that are designed and shaped to mate with the other side of the receptacle of the panel have mating devices that enable them to be held in slots that are slightly separated from one another by air gaps to allow them to “float” in the receptacle. By floating the connector modules in one side of the receptacle while having a relative rigid stack of connector modules in the other side of the receptacle, it is ensured that very precise optical alignment will be maintained between the respective lenses in the connector modules that face each other in the receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical wave guide and a ferrule. The optical wave guide has a prespecified horizontal-positioning surface and a prespecified vertical-positioning surface. The ferrule is to precisely couple with the optical wave guide. The ferrule defines a first datum plane mating with the prespecified vertical-positioning surface of the optical wave guide to precisely mechanically vertically position the optical wave guide within the ferrule. The ferrule defines a second datum plane mating with the prespecified horizontal-positioning surface of the optical wave guide to precisely mechanically horizontally position the optical wave guide within the ferrule.

Abstract: To provide a fusion-spliced optical connector capable of easily performing a fusion-splicing operation at an actual site in a short time, without need to perform additional special operations. An optical connector component is configured to attach a short-length optical fiber to a ferrule including a capillary and a flange. The capillary comprises a minute through hole and a coated-portion storage hole formed in the capillary, the minute through hole to be stored therein the bare optical fiber portion of the short-length optical fiber and the coated-portion storage hole to be stored therein a part of a coated optical fiber portion of the short-length optical fiber continuous to the bare optical fiber portion. The flange includes a coated-portion penetrating hole formed in the flange to be penetrated therein a very short portion continuous to the part of the coated optical fiber portion stored in the coated-portion storage hole.

Abstract: A photoelectric coupling assembly and manufacturing method thereof enabling a three dimensional electrical wiring pattern is provided. The assembly includes a photoelectric conversion unit equipped with a photoelectric conversion element and a molded article. The molded article has a hole configured and arranged to have an optical fiber inserted there-through such that a distal end of the fiber faces an active layer of the conversion element, a front surface on which the conversion unit is mounted, and a side surface being contiguous to the front surface. The lead being insert molded into the molded article has a first surface being exposed at the front surface and electrically connected to the conversion element, a second surface being exposed at the side surface, and an engaging portion having a width increasing in a direction away from the front surface. At least a portion of the engaging portion is contained inside the resin forming the molded article.

Abstract: A multi-fiber connector module for optical communications is provided that receives collimated beams of light from a transceiver module and focuses the collimated beams to respective focal points that coincide with the ends of respective transmit fibers. Because the inputs to the connector module are collimated light beams, movements of one or more parts of the connector and/or transceiver module will not result in optical losses as long as the movements are not so great as to prevent the collimated light beams from falling fully on the lenses of the optics system of the connector module. The lenses then focus the collimated light beams onto the ends of the transmit fibers.

Abstract: The invention relates to high-strength, abrasion-resistant optical fiber cable having a supplemental layer consisting essentially of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to enhance the cable's tensile strength and hermetically seal it, and an outermost encasing layer to protect the LCP supplemental layer from damage that could otherwise diminish the tensile strength or destroy the moisture barrier properties of the cable gained by adding the supplemental liquid crystal polymer layer. The encasing layer is preferably a thin layer of a smooth, non-crystalline thermoplastic that can be easily removed with chemicals that do not affect the properties of the supplemental layer so that the supplemental layer can be made accessible for promoting the formation of hermetically sealed interfaces between the cable and other structures. Cross-head extrusion methods for coating optical fibers with LCP and encasing layers are described along with laser and ultrasonic bonding techniques for fabricating hermetic packages.

Abstract: A method includes incorporating an optical fiber into a buffer tube, wherein the buffer tube has a first length. The buffer tube contains the optical fiber and a filler compound to create a buffer tube assembly. The buffer tube assembly is heated to an elevated temperature for a period of time, wherein the first length of the buffer tube decreases to a second length, such that extra optical fiber length is created relative to the second length. The buffer tube assembly is cooled to stabilize the second length and to retain the excess fiber length in the buffer tube.

Abstract: Periodically poled crystals and a hydrothermal growth method for making such are disclosed. Electronically periodically poled crystals are employed as seed crystals in a hydrothermal growth process in order to produce novel crystals having deep ferroelectric domains.

Abstract: A fiber tray is provided for installing fiber optic cable and other types of cable that are vulnerable to performance losses if a certain minimum bend radius is not maintained. The fiber tray allows a user to create a subassembly that maintains bend radius control while easing assembly. The construction of the fiber tray also minimizes the depth of the tray and gives freedom to the user to vary the routing patterns of the cable so that a component that is attached to the end of the cable can be located at a predetermined spot on the tray.