Abstract: A method for processing image data comprises determining a set of parameters based on a binary digital image) such that said set of parameters comprises information about the density of white and/or black pixels of a first group of pixels of said binary digital image), and information about the density of white and/or black pixels of a second group of pixels of said binary digital image.

Abstract: An apparatus for document conversion that are capable of facilitating conversion of document image data to an electronic document having table of contents data even with a limited storage resource. The document image analysis section 302 extracts character regions from a document image 301. The contents/index/footer conversion section 307 generates table of contents data based on the extracted character regions and page numbers of the character regions. An electronic document having a table of contents is generated based on the document image 301 and the generated table of contents data. Link information is added to respective ones of items in the generated table of contents data for linking the items in the generated table of contents data with corresponding positions in the electronic document in which the items are described.

Abstract: A networked system for face recognition, the system comprising: a face verifier, configured to verify compliance of a face in an image with at least one predefined criterion, and upon successful verification of the compliance, to forward the image for feature extraction, a feature extractor, associated with the face verifier, configured to extract a feature from the forwarded image; and a face identifier, communicating with the feature extractor over a network, configured to receive the extracted feature and identify the face in the forwarded image, using the extracted feature.

Abstract: An image processing program, which is executable by a computer and is stored in a recording medium readable by the computer, includes: storing one or more features of a plurality of images, each image having a shape defined by a central angle whose origin is a center of a certain image; setting at least one representative shape defined by a central angle whose origin is a center of a search window for scanning a target image; extracting a first value of the one or more features of the representative shape; extracting a second value of the one or more features of one of the plurality of images; and comparing the extracted first value and the extracted second value and determining an image in the search window as an image candidate for the certain image based on a comparison result.

Abstract: A facility is provided for recognizing blank and nearly blank images. In various embodiments, the facility receives an indication of an image, creates an analysis image based on the received image by detecting edges, determines an edge ratio for the analysis image, determines whether the edge ratio exceeds a threshold and, when the edge ratio does not exceed the threshold, identifies the received image as a blank image. The facility can include an edge detector component that creates an analysis image based on a selected image by detecting edges in the selected image, a calculator component that calculates an edge ratio for the analysis image, and an analysis component that determines whether the calculated edge ratio exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A method for registering a source image of an object with a target image of the object includes generating a mask image delineating a structure of interest from the source image, determining a distance map for the mask image, determining a shape representation by identifying an iso-value on the distance map such that level curves correspond to the characteristics of a desired shape, iteratively calculating a similarity metric corresponding to a region of overlap between the level curve based shape representation and the second image resulting in a registration transform, applying the registration transform to the target image to co-register the source image with the target image, and displaying the co-registered source image and the target image on a display device.

Abstract: A processor executing a display driver receives a new image object that has one or more identifiers. The processor makes a first determination as to whether the new image object matches one of a plurality of previously received image objects based on the one or more identifiers. If no match is found, the processor makes a second determination as to whether the new image object matches one of the plurality of previously received image objects based on comparing a hash of the new image object to hashes of the plurality of previously received image objects. If a matching previously received image object is found from either the first determination or the second determination, a reference to the matching previously received image object is sent to a client. If no matching previously received image object is found, the new image object is sent to the client.

Abstract: A display test apparatus includes a determination information storage unit that stores a determination information for use in determining correctness of content displaying, a file acquisition unit that acquires a file, a content image creation unit that creates an image of content to be displayed on the basis of the file, a content image analysis unit that analyzes a displaying of the content on the basis of the image of content, a determination unit that determines whether the content is correctly displayed on the basis of the determination information and a result of the analysis by the content image analysis unit, and an output unit that outputs a determination result information indicating a result of the determination by the determination unit.

Abstract: A system and method for indexing and retrieval of document images in an MMR system having repeated content is described. The system provides one or more hierarchical shared content indices that produce faster and/or more accurate search results. The system is also advantageous because the number and configuration of the hierarchical shared content indices is automated, scalable and efficient for processing documents with partially repeated content. In particular, the MMR matching unit includes a hierarchical shared content index (HSCI) and associated methods of use for processing images where the MMR system includes repeated content.

Abstract: A method for dating photographic prints comprising scanning a front side of a photographic print forming an image scan; scanning a back side of the photographic print forming a back scan; defining a database of photographic print watermarks, each photographic print watermark comprising a representation of a watermark pattern and an associated date range; analyzing the back scan using a cross-correlation process between the back scan and the watermark patterns in the database of photographic print watermarks to identify a matching photographic print watermark; determining a date range for the image scan responsive to the identified matching photographic print watermark; and associating the determined date range with the image scan.

Abstract: A document alteration detection method compares a target image with an original image using a two-step process. In the first step, the original and target images are divided into connected image components and their centroids are obtained, and the centroids of the image components in the original and target images are compared. Each centroid in the target image that is not in the original image is deemed to represent an addition, and each centroid in the original image that is not in the target image is deemed to represent a deletion. In the second step, sub-images containing the image components corresponding to each pair of matching centroids in the original and target images are compared to detect any alterations.

Abstract: An image processor includes: a memory storing format information about a format of a document varying in type; a memory storing, based on the format, extraction-portion determination information to determine which of plural configuration portions is extracted from the document; a unit acquiring placement information about where the configuration portion extracted from the document is placed; a unit acquiring image data of the document; a unit acquiring format information about a format of the document of the image data through an analysis of the acquired image data, and determining the format of the document as compared with the stored format information; a unit reading, from the extraction-portion determination information memory, the extraction-portion determination information corresponding to the determined format, and extracting the determined configuration portion from the image data; a unit generating an alternative image derived by placing the extracted configuration portion at the position found in t

Abstract: A image processing apparatus includes a first image converting section for converting an original image into an output resolution image, a second image converting section for converting the original image into an intermediate resolution image, a similarity information generating section for detecting a plurality of similar areas, in a block in the intermediate resolution image corresponding to a predetermined partial area in the output resolution image, that resemble the partial area, and for generating similarity information including a position of each of the plurality of similar areas in the intermediate resolution image and a weight of the position, a texture generating section for generating a texture image by combining high-frequency components of the intermediate resolution image at the position according to the weight, and a texture blending section for blending the output resolution image and the texture image to generate output image.

Abstract: A method of compressing and decompressing an image dataset. The method includes providing an image dataset to be compressed and defining a compression factor, selecting a block size than 15 and a block overlap of two or more grid points, compressing said image dataset using said block size and said defined compression factor to obtain a compressed image dataset, and decompressing said compressed image dataset and performing grid point interpolation at or near said block overlap to obtain a decompressed image dataset.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus sequentially performing image processing on multiple pieces of band data composing image data. The image processing apparatus includes a RAM and a JPEG encoding circuit. The RAM has a buffer area of a fixed length. The JPEG encoding circuit sequentially performs variable-length encoding on multiple pieces of band data, sequentially writes the band data subjected to the encoding from the beginning of the buffer area, and writes subsequent band data subjected to the encoding from the beginning of the buffer area if the end of the band data subjected to the encoding is positioned in a boundary area having a certain length including an ending part of the buffer area.

Abstract: Provided is an image sharpening processing device capable of performing image sharpening processing by changing only luminance without changing a hue.

Abstract: An adaptive motion estimation and deblurring technique for acquired digital images includes acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device that includes an image sensor, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image. Anb initial approximate point spread function (PSF) is estimated corresponding to the moving of the device. A different DC offset point is determined and a second PSF is calculated based on the different DC offset point.

Abstract: Correction of spatial nonuniformities among detectors in a focal plane array. Incoming image data is incident on the array, and the resulting image signals are corrected with a bilateral filter. The bilateral filter accounts for edge effects by filtering based both on spatial separation between image points and photometric separation between image points.

Abstract: A first exemplary aspect of the present invention is an image processing device that executes image processing including first image processing and second image processing by using a pipeline mechanism, the image processing device including: a first processing unit that executes the first image processing on an input image data, generates history information recording specifics of processing executed in the first image processing, and outputs the history information to the first processing unit; and a second processing unit that executes the second image processing on the image data obtained in the first image processing according to the output history information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods for the measurement and/or for the specification of the perceptual intensity of a visual image, or the perceptual distance between a pair of images. Grayscale test and reference images are processed to produce test and reference luminance images. A luminance filter function is convolved with the reference luminance image to produce a local mean luminance reference image. Test and reference contrast images are produced from the local mean luminance reference image and the test and reference luminance images respectively, followed by application of a contrast sensitivity filter. The resulting images are combined according to mathematical prescriptions to produce a Just Noticeable Difference, JND value, indicative of a Spatial Standard Observer, SSO. Some embodiments include masking functions, window functions, special treatment for images lying on or near borders and pre-processing of test images.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for creating an image from a device. In one embodiment, the method comprises acquiring first and second images from the device, said first and second images having overlapping portions, and estimating said overlapping portions to obtain an approximate shift amount to align approximately said first and second images. This method further comprises analyzing the overlapping portions, using a defined cross-correlation algorithm, to calculate a precise shift amount to align the first and second images; and using said precise shift amount to join the first and second images together. In one embodiment, an optical system is used to acquire the images, a stage is used to move either the device or the optical system to acquire the first and second images, and the estimating includes using movement of the stage to estimate the overlapping areas.

Abstract: A method for merging separated pixel blocks into an integral image of an object is provided. The method performs binary image processing on an obtained image to obtain a binary image, finds pixel blocks in the binary image whose area is greater than a first preset value, and stores a position and a size of each found pixel block in a data structure. The method further merges two pixel blocks in the data structure if a distance between the two pixel blocks is less than a second preset value, so as to generate the integral image of the object.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for manipulating acquired digital images in a computer system, comprising creating a crop cost array for each of a set of input images with a set of associated aspect ratios, wherein the cost crop array operates and is stored on the computer system and wherein each element of the array holds a lowest crop cost of an input image for a predetermined aspect ratio, generating plural possible candidate combinations of aspect ratios for the images, wherein one aspect ratio is generated for each image, creating an arrangement of the images for each candidate combination in which each image is cropped to its associated aspect ratio in the candidate combination, evaluating each possible arrangement using a combination of a crop cost of each of the images at their selected aspect ratio and a measure of an aesthetic quality of the layout arrangement, selecting a layout combination with a lowest combined crop cost and layout evaluation score, cropping each image according to a respective

Abstract: An air-cushioning material comprises a first air chamber that constitutes a bottom portion of a storage portion for storing a packaging object, and a second air chamber that constitutes a peripheral wall portion of the storage portion. The first air chamber comprises a valve capable of injecting and evacuating air, and an upper face portion in which a vent hole is formed, the first air chamber and the second air chamber are communicated each other via the vent hole. The second air chamber bulges into the storage portion, when the second air chamber is filled, via the vent hole, with air injected into the first air chamber via the valve. Thereby, sufficient air can fill the portion that constitutes the bottom portion of a storage portion where the packaging object is stored, and the cushioning effect of air can be effectively exerted, so that the packaging object can be effectively prevented from being damaged or the like on account of, for instance, external impacts.

Abstract: Bags for granular material with a closure on top of the bag and a vertical handle on the lower end of the bag and having suitable dimensions, static coefficient of friction, creep resistance and containing granular materials of limited flow properties can be vertically stacked without support, for example on a pallet. One such suitable granular material is cat litter.

Abstract: A standing-pouch liquid storage bag in which a bottom forming film folded in half is disposed with a crease provided on the upper end of the bottom forming film at a predetermined position of a bag sheet material folded in half with one side, a bottom side and an other side of the liquid storage bag are closed by heat sealing, and heat sealing is performed on a portion of the one side except for a given length from the upper end of the liquid storage bag to construct a bag main part, wherein at least the one side is cut so as to align one end of the bottom forming film with the side portion of the bag main part, so that the lower part of the liquid storage bag is narrower than the upper part of the liquid storage bag.

Abstract: A composite or so-called “half and half” bag has a first side wall formed from a synthetic resin mesh material and a second side formed from a synthetic resin film material. A reinforcing strip extends horizontally along the upper end portion of the mesh side wall of the bag. The reinforcing strip overlaps the upper edge of the first side wall such that it is joined to the first side wall through a horizontal seam positioned well beneath the top edge of the reinforcing strip to form an extension that protrudes well above (e.g., ½ inch to 1½ inches or even more) the upper edge of the mesh side wall. In order to strengthen the seam at the sides of the bag, the side edges of the reinforcing strip are joined to the second film side wall along at least most of the vertical extent of the extension. This film-to-film bond is considerably stronger than a bond through an intermediate mesh layer, as occurs along the remainder of the side seams of the bag.

Abstract: Hydrostatic support for large structures, particularly suitable for large telescopes, wherein is present a hydraulic preloading chamber and a restraining shaft to obtain high static, dynamic rigidity and allow the tilt movements without sliding surfaces, and wherein are present solutions suitable for allowing high supply pressures and reduced oil consumption.

Abstract: Large structure lateral hydrostatic guidance system, particularly suitable for realising the lateral guidance system of the elevation axis of a large telescope made with at least two guide rings, characterised in that all the hydrostatic supports are tilting and floating and have a hydraulic preloading chamber acting between the base and the runner, connected together so as to achieve an isostatic and uniform sharing out of the loads acting on the structure.

Abstract: The sliding mechanism including rolling elements 3 as a main element is protected against entry of foreign substances. First, second auxiliary lips 14, 15 are formed in positions on inclined faces 9b formed on lips 9 of end seals S facing and making contact with end faces of sealing members 4, 5. Gaps 10, 11 formed between different levels of the end faces of the sealing members 4, 5 and the inclined faces 9b of the lips 9 are filled with the first, second auxiliary lips 14, 15. Since the gaps 10, 11 are thus filled, foreign substances do not enter the sliding mechanism M through the gaps 10, 11.

Abstract: An apparatus including a slider part and a base assembly slidingly movable in relation to each other with the aid of a first guide rail and a second guide rail in the base assembly. The distance between the first guide rail and the second guide rail is adjustable while the apparatus is being assembled. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A rolling bearing arrangement with at least one outer bearing ring and at least one inner bearing ring and with rolling bodies guided in raceways between the bearing rings. At least one damping body is provided for mechanical vibration damping. The damping body reduces the vibration transmission to at least one component following in the force flux. At least one damping body is materially bonded to at least one of the bearing rings.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member, an inner member, double row rolling elements, and a constant velocity universal joint connected to a wheel hub of the inner member. A cap, formed as a low friction member, is interposed between a caulked portion and a shoulder portion of the constant velocity joint. The cap has a disc shaped abutting portion, a cylindrical portion and an anchoring portion. The disc shaped abutting portion is adapted to abut against the caulked portion and the shoulder portion. The cylindrical portion extends axially from the radially outermost portion of the abutting portion. The anchoring portion extends radially inward from a free end of the cylindrical portion. The radially inner diameter of the anchoring portion is formed slightly smaller than the radially outer diameter of the caulked portion so that the cap can be mounted on the caulked portion in a snap-fitting manner.

Abstract: A roller bearing cage includes the following features: The cage comprises an annular circumferential element, from which bridge elements branch off, roller bodies of the roller bearing being disposable between the bridge elements, the circumferential element comprises a plurality of uniform section elements, and the initially-loose section elements and bridge elements are connected with each other to form the cage.

Abstract: In an optical waveguide device, in a cross direction intersecting an extension direction of waveguide sections, one or more bridge portions of a ground electrode closer to a center of stress distribution of a stress due to a support member, and one or more bridge portions of a ground electrode farther from the center of stress distribution are formed with different shapes. The structure of the ground electrodes is devised so that a stress negating the difference in stress characteristics between the plurality of waveguide sections, generated by the stress applied from the support member to a substrate, is applied from the ground electrode to the substrate.

Abstract: An optical waveguide device includes a substrate of a ferroelectric material, at least a pair of electrodes 4A, 4B provided on one main face of the substrate, and a channel-type optical waveguide 5A formed in a gap 1 of the pair of the electrodes. The optical waveguide 5A has a curved part 15. A central line C of the gap 1 is provided outside of a center line WC of the optical waveguide with respect to the center O of curvature of the curved part 15.

Abstract: A measurement device including a fastener for use in attaching a first member to a second member, in which the fastener has an aperture extending through a length of the fastener, and a first optical fiber located within the aperture, in which the first optical fiber includes at least one fiber Bragg grating sensor. At least a portion of the first optical fiber can be secured within the aperture. A first end of the first optical fiber can be connected to an associated first optical connector and a second end of the first optical fiber can be connected to an associated second optical connector.

Abstract: An integrated optical circuit including an operational submicronic waveguide associated with an operational grating intended for the coupling with an optical fiber, further including an alignment grating, identical to the operational grating, associated with a blind waveguide and arranged at a known distance from the operational grating.

Abstract: An optical connector that requires no complicated fabrication operation such as highly accurate optical axis alignment and that permits an efficient pick up of part of the communication signal light being on-propagation along an optical transmission line, is provided.

Abstract: An optical subassembly for low-feedback coupling of light from a light source into an optical waveguide such as an optical fiber is described. The optical subassembly has an aspherical lens with surface sag having a rotationally symmetrical sag component without having a cone sag component, and a rotationally asymmetrical helical component for reducing coupling of light reflected from the optical fiber tip back into the laser aperture by causing a significant portion of the reflected light to encircle the laser aperture. The lens shape and the height of the helix are selected so that tight focusing onto the fiber tip is preserved, while the optical feedback is reduced.

Abstract: A lateral guide optical fiber is revealed. The lateral guide optical fiber includes a transparent optical fiber body covered by a refraction layer and a reflector connected with one side of the optical fiber body. Thereby after light emitted into the optical fiber body from one end thereof, it is projected onto the refraction layer and then is refracted downward to be gathered onto the reflector. Then the light gathered is reflected by the reflector and is projected out. Thus the light intensity and uniformity of the optical fiber are increased dramatically by the light gathering and light reflection.

Abstract: An optical connector is described. This optical connector spatially segregates optical coupling between an optical fiber and an optical component, which relaxes the associated mechanical-alignment requirements. In particular, the optical connector includes an optical spreader component disposed on a substrate. This optical spreader component is optically coupled to the optical fiber at a first coupling region, and is configured to optically couple to the optical component at a second coupling region that is at a different location on the substrate than the first coupling region. Moreover, the first coupling region and the second coupling region are optically coupled by an optical waveguide.

Abstract: There is provided a planar optical waveguide element comprises a core of an optical waveguide; and first Bragg grating pattern and second Bragg grating pattern that are provided on the core, wherein the first Bragg grating pattern and the second Bragg grating pattern are mutually parallel along a propagation direction of guided light.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector has a first ferrule holding an end of a first optical fiber, a first fiber stub connected to the first ferrule, a second ferrule holding an end of a second optical fiber, and a second fiber stub connected to the second ferrule. The first fiber stub enlarges the beam diameter of light transmitted through the first optical fiber, and produces the collimated light. The second fiber stub reduces the beam diameter of the collimated light, and leads the converging light into the second optical fiber. The first and second fiber stubs are detachably connected inside a connection sleeve across a predetermined gap. First and second GI fibers contained in the first and second fiber stubs satisfy L1?L2 and L1+L2?½ pitch, wherein L1 and L2 represent the lengths of the first and second GI fibers, and one pitch is a sinusoidal period of the light transmitted therethrough.

Abstract: A connector enclosure for enclosing a cable assembly includes a main body that has a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion is adapted for selective releasable engagement with the second body portion. Each of the first and second body portions defines a cavity having a first connector portion and a second connector portion. The cavity of each of the first and second body portions cooperatively defines a passage through the main body. The passage is configured to retain a cable assembly.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector assembly includes a coupling interface component, a connector housing, and an optical fiber connector. The coupling interface component extends along a center axis from a back end to a coupling end and includes an interior chamber. The connector housing is disposed within the interior chamber of the coupling interface component. The optical fiber connector is joined to an optical fiber and is interconnected with the connector housing. The optical fiber connector is configured to optically couple the optical fiber with a mating connector. The coupling interface component engages the connector housing and the mating connector and prevents movement of the connector housing relative to the coupling interface component and the mating connector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical connector for use in a fibre optic communications system, and particularly an expanded beam optical connector (20) for connecting optical fibres. The connector (20) comprises a housing (6), a port (48) within the housing for receiving an end (35) of an optical fibre (38), a cylindrical ferrule (32) within the housing (6) having opposite first and second ends (33, 35), and an optical fibre stub held axially (14) within the ferrule (32) and extending between said ferrule ends (33, 35). The connector (20) also has a lens (8) for projecting and/or receiving an expanded beam (40) optically coupled with the optical fibre stub at the first ferrule end (33). A sleeve (34) surrounds the ferrule (32) and extends towards the port (48) axially away from the second ferrule end (35) to present an open end to the sleeve for receiving a termination ferrule (36) of an optical fibre (38) inserted into the port.

Abstract: A field-installable multi-fiber ferrule has two portions and one portion has optical fibers already secured therein. The second portion receives optical fibers to mate with the secured optical fibers. A tool is provided to assist in inserting the optical fibers into the multi-fiber ferrule by aligning and holding the optical fibers while they are secured in the multi-fiber ferrule.

Abstract: A composite cable includes at least two optical fiber components and at least one additional component. An irradiated crosslinked jacket surrounds the optical fiber component and the at least one additional component. A shield encloses at least the two optical fiber components within the jacket, where the shield protects the optical fibers from irradiation of the crosslinked jacket.

Abstract: Micromodule subunit cables are constructed to allow for ease of identification between optical fibers in differing groups of optical fibers. In one cable, a first group of fibers is located within a buffer tube core while a second group of fibers is located within the cable jacket, but outside of the core. The fibers in the first and second groups can accordingly use the same color coding sequence without requiring additional indicia such as stripes or binding.