Abstract: One embodiment provides a counterbalancing arrangement, including: a pin arrangement attached to a monopole; the pin arrangement rotating with respect to the monopole such that roll movement of the monopole imparts yaw movement to the pin arrangement; the pin arrangement having a gimbal; a camera mounting platform having an upper and lower surface; the gimbal connecting to the lower surface of the camera mounting platform; the gimbal having a yaw degree of freedom locked with respect to the camera mounting platform; and a counterbalancing arm attached to the camera mounting platform. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: An audio listening device having a damped ball joint type interface between an ear-cup assembly and a headband assembly is provided. For example, the audio listening device can include a headband assembly comprising at least one end; an ear-cup assembly pivotably engaged to the at least one end of the headband assembly by an engagement structure, the engagement structure comprising at least two cooperatively coupled curved surfaces; and a damper rim coupled to the ear-cup assembly and to the at least one end of the headband assembly, wherein the damper rim is configured to at least partially constrict movement of the ear-cup assembly relative to the headband assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to an earphone that can be worn so that the cord attached to the earphone can be worn either over the wearer's ear or under the wearer's ear because of an angled earphone tip and angled strain relief. The angled earphone tip and angled strain relief serve to provide a customizable secure fit that maximizes the sound coming through the earphones and minimizes discomfort from wearing the earphone.

Abstract: System and Method to detect video piracy. This embodiment relates to management of video files, and more particularly to detecting piracy in video files. The embodiments herein achieve a system and method to detect video piracy by using unique identifiers embedded in escape frames in a video.

Abstract: Pattern information of a color filter array and algorithm information of color interpolation processing used in photography of input image data are obtained. Comparative image data is generated from the input image data using the pattern information and algorithm information. The comparative image data and input image data are compared to detect alteration of the input image data.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. Generally, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In some examples presented, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle and an estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product, the length of the path being derived in part based on the location information.

Abstract: An image acquisition system for processing and tracking mail pieces in a mailing system (2) of the type comprising at least one mail piece processing machine (4, 6, 8) comprising at least one accumulation device (14, 16) for producing mail pieces and generating electronic processing and tracking details for these mail pieces, at least one imaging device (10, 12) for acquiring images of the mail pieces, and a computer (24) coupled to the at least one imaging device and the at least one mail piece processing machine, the at least one imaging device acquiring the images of mail pieces for simultaneously providing both these processing and tracking details and a filling level of the at least one accumulation device.

Abstract: An apparatus for enrolling a package is disclosed including: a receiving surface for receiving the package; at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package; at least one video camera which generates a video signal indicative of an image of the package on the receiving surface; and a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera. The processor includes: a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package; and a dimension capture module which produces, in response to the video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package. In some embodiments, the processor further includes a recognition module which produces, in response to the video signal, character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset.

Abstract: An image-based occupancy sensor includes a motion detection module that receives and processes an image signal to generate a motion detection signal, a people detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a people detection signal, a face detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a face detection signal, and a sensor integration module that receives the motion detection signal from the motion detection module, receives the people detection signal from the people detection module, receives the face detection signal from the face detection module, and generates an occupancy signal using the motion detection signal, the people detection signal, and the face detection signal, with the occupancy signal indicating vacancy or occupancy, with an occupancy indication specifying that one or more people are detected within the monitored volume.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to monitor and document movement of bodies along or through selected regions is described for the directional counting of such bodies. The reduction of the consideration to selected regions avoids excessive calculation and allows the use of an inexpensive image acquisition and processor. Methods for the determining the direction of movement are described. A record is created for counting events for recording or downloading to a server for further manipulation.

Abstract: A method for summarizing image content from video images received from a moving camera includes detecting foreground objects in the images, determining moving objects of interest from the foreground objects, tracking the moving objects, rating movements of the tracked objects, and generating a list of highly rated segments within the video images based on the ratings.

Abstract: Alerts to object behaviors are prioritized for adjudication as a function of relative values of abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attributes. The attributes are determined from feature data extracted from video frame image data. The abandonment attribute indicates a level of likelihood of abandonment of an object. The foregroundness attribute quantifies a level of separation of foreground image data of the object from a background model of the image scene. The staticness attribute quantifies a level of stability of dimensions of a bounding box of the object over time. Alerts are also prioritized according to an importance or relevance value that is learned and generated from the relative abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attribute strengths.

Abstract: In a stereoscopic pair of images, global homography at the image level is applied to feature points extracted from connected components (CC) to identify corresponding CC's and feature points, and to discard any CC's that do not have a corresponding pair in the stereoscopic pair of images. Local homography at the CC level is then applied to individual footprint areas of the previously identified paired CC to further clean feature point correspondence. Any CC or feature point or pixel within a paired CC footprint not satisfying local homography constraint is discarded. A correspondence is also extrapolated between unknown pixels within a paired CC footprint using a weighing mechanism and the unknown pixel's surrounding pixels that do have a known correspondence. This provides a dense correspondence of pixels, or feature points, which is then used to create a dense 3D point cloud of identified objects within a 3D space.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for position-setup for gesture-based game. In some examples, a method performed under control of a gesture-based game system includes capturing, by an image capture unit, an image of a first player and an image of a second player, cropping, from the image of the first player and the image of the second player, a first sub-image of at least part of the first player and a second sub-image of at least part of the second player, respectively, determining whether to adjust the first sub-image and the second sub-image, if it is determined to adjust the first sub-image and second sub-image, adjusting the first sub-image and the second sub-image, and merging the first adjusted sub-image and the second adjusted sub-image into an output image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands are disclosed. One embodiment includes a processor; a reference camera; and memory containing: a hand tracking application; and a plurality of edge feature templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. The hand tracking application configures the processor to: determine whether any pixels in a frame of video are part of a human hand, where a part of a human hand is identified by searching the frame of video data for a grouping of pixels that have image gradient orientations that match the edge features of one of the plurality of edge feature templates; track the motion of the part of the human hand visible in a sequence of frames of video; confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to an initialization gesture; and commence tracking the human hand as part of a gesture based interactive session.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands within bounded regions are disclosed. One embodiment includes: a processor; reference and alternate view cameras; and memory containing a plurality of templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. In addition, a hand tracking application configures the processor to: obtain reference and alternate view frames of video data; generate a depth map; identify at least one bounded region within the reference frame of video data containing pixels having distances from the reference camera that are within a specific range of distances; determine whether any of the pixels within the at least one bounded region are part of a human hand; track the motion of the part of the human hand in a sequence of frames of video data obtained from the reference camera; and confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to a predetermined initialization gesture.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a reference area setting unit which sets a reference area including an indicated segment; an extraction unit which extracts an interest object feature quantity indicating a first feature from the reference area; an interest area setting unit which sets an area of interest in a third image, based on a relationship between a position of a feature point extracted from a feature area which is an area corresponding to an object of interest and included in a second image and a position of a feature point in the third image corresponding to the extracted feature point; and a tracking unit which determines for each of two or more of plural segments included in the area of interest with use of the interest object feature quantity whether the segment is a segment corresponding to the object of interest.

Abstract: A human detection and tracking apparatus prevents errors in a size of a person and a location of body parts between actual image data and a tracking result. Human frame detecting section detects, from first image data, a human frame as a region having high possibility of presence of a human, based on human feature data representing a feature of an entire human body. Body part frame location determining section determines a body part frame in the first image data, based on part feature data illustrating a feature of a body part of the human and a part frame determined as a region having high possibility of presence of a body part of the human in second image data previous to the first image data. Body part frame location correcting section corrects, based on the human frame, a location of the part frame determined in the first image data.

Abstract: Point-of-gaze of a user looking at a display is estimated, taking into account rotation of the user's head or rotation of the display. An image of an eye of the user is captured. The image is processed to determine coordinates in the image of defined eye features, sufficient to determine the eye's optical axis. At least one angle is determined, the at least one angle proportional to an angle between (i) a line coincident with an edge of the display and (ii) an intersection of the sagittal plane of the user's head with a plane of the display. An intersection of the eye's line-of-sight with the plane of the display is estimated using the eye's optical axis, and using the at least one angle to account for rotation of the user's head or the display.

Abstract: A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.

Abstract: An image obtained by imaging a subject is displayed and a tracking frame is displayed at the central portion of a display screen. A target area is set surrounding the tracking frame and a high-frequency-component image is generated. A distance image indicating the distance to the subject image within an imaging zone is generated. An area, which represents a subject at a distance identical with that of the subject portion specified by the tracking frame displayed at the reference position, is decided upon as a search area. While a moving frame is moved within the search area of the high-frequency-component image, amounts of high-frequency component are calculated. The position of the moving frame at which the calculated amount of high-frequency component is maximized is adopted as the initial position of the tracking frame.

Abstract: A method for locating an object by a reference grid, the object moving in a plane parallel to or identical to that of the grid. When crossing of a line of the grid is detected by the object, its heading is determined and, as a function of the detection, probabilities of the thus crossed line being a horizontal line and a vertical line respectively are obtained. Displacement of the object is assessed from the probabilities obtained and a horizontal and vertical pitch of the grid. A position of the object is then updated from a position of the object determined during a last line crossing of the grid and the displacement thus assessed.

Abstract: A positioning method continuously determines the spatial position of an auxiliary measuring instrument having several auxiliary-point markings in a fixed, known spatial distribution relative to one another. Camera images of the auxiliary-point markings are continually recorded using a camera having a surface sensor that includes pixels, and read-out processes are continually performed by reading out the pixels with regard to a respective current exposure value. Image positions of the imaged auxiliary-point markings in the respective current camera image are determined, with which the current spatial position of the auxiliary measuring instrument is derived. Respective current areas of interest on the surface sensor are continually set using image positions determined in at least one previously recorded camera image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of computation and simulation and covers methods to optimize the fiducial marker positions in optical object tracking systems, by simulating the visibility.

Abstract: Visual odometry is achieved via various approaches.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for extracting spatio-temporal features with the aid of sensor information. An exemplary method comprises receiving video data and auxiliary sensor data and associating the two with timestamp information. The method may also include segmenting an input data stream into stable segments and extracting temporal features from the associated video data. The method may further include extracting temporal features either form the whole video or only from the video data where little or no stable segments are detected and performing camera view motion compensation by using information provided by the auxiliary sensors for modifying the feature-descriptors.

Abstract: A vehicle speed calculator includes a vehicle speed calculation unit for calculating a vehicle speed from a traveled distance per unit time of a feature point in a captured image shot by a camera for capturing a road surface, a reference distance mark irradiation unit and an image reference distance detection unit. The reference distance mark irradiation unit irradiates a reference distance mark to the road surface in parallel with an optical axis of the camera. The reference distance mark is formed in such a manner as to have a reference distance in a longitudinal direction of a motorcycle. The image reference distance detection unit detects an image reference distance, the longitudinal length of the reference distance mark in the shot image. The vehicle speed calculation unit calculates the vehicle speed from the traveled distance using the image reference distance and the reference distance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for photographing a moving subject by means of a camera, and acquiring the actual movement trajectory of the subject on the basis of the photographed image. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for acquiring the movement trajectory of a subject, the method comprising: a step for photographing a moving subject by means of a camera; a step for collecting, from the camera, information on multiple images of the subject and the positions of the images on a camera image frame, and collecting information on the size of the images; and a step for acquiring the movement trajectory of the subject on the basis of the information collected.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for determining a texture of an object. In some examples, a method for determining a texture of an object includes receiving a two-dimensional image representative of a surface of the object, estimating a three-dimensional (3D) projection of the image, transforming the 3D projection into a frequency domain, projecting the 3D projection in the frequency domain onto a spherical co-ordinate system, and determining the texture of the surface by analyzing spectral signatures extracted from the 3D projection on the spherical co-ordinate system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the current application discloses a method comprising: performing a computed tomography (CT) porosity scan on a core sample, the core sample comprising a portion of a formation of interest; in response to the CT porosity scan, interpreting a porosity profile of the core sample; and in response to the porosity profile, modeling a response of a formation of interest to a predetermined treatment to determine a reacted formation configuration, wherein the predetermined treatment comprises an acid fluid treatment schedule, and wherein the modeling further comprises modeling acid fluid flow through the formation of interest having the porosity profile, and wherein the modeling further comprises accounting for acid reaction products during the predetermined treatment and shut-in period.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for transmitting a handwritten input. In some examples, a method performed under control of a handwriting device may include receiving a handwritten input including a first part including a text message, recognizing the text message, identifying a user of the handwritten input, determining an emotion attribute of the identified user based on the handwritten input, determining a font information regarding a font of the first part based on the emotion attribute, generating a data file including the text message and the font information and transmitting the data file to a receiving device.

Abstract: This disclosure is of a biometric authentication system and method. The system includes a mobile device having a camera and a screen, and a database. The system is programmed to superimpose on the screen an overlay of a finger over a real-time image seen by the camera, capture an image of a fingerprint of a user with the camera, compare the captured image with an authenticated fingerprint image that is stored in the database, and return a positive result if the compared images match.

Abstract: An novel sensor is provided having a plurality of substantially parallel drive lines configured to transmit a signal into a surface of a proximally located object, and also a plurality of substantially parallel pickup lines oriented proximate the drive lines and electrically separated from the pickup lines to form intrinsic electrode pairs that are impedance sensitive at each of the drive and pickup proximal locations.

Abstract: A sequence of biometric data images is received, such as, for example, a sequence of fingerprint images, and a set of biometric data images is selected from the sequence of images. The set of images can include one or more segments of at least one image in the sequence of images. One or more portions of at least one image of biometric data in the set of images can be selected to be included in the unified image of biometric data. The unified image of biometric data can be constructed using the one or more portions of the at least one image of biometric data. If the unified image of biometric data is not complete, a user can be prompted for one or more additional images of biometric data.

Abstract: A nuclear camera acquires projections which are iteratively reconstructed by a reconstruction processor into an motion-artifacted image and stored in an image memory. The motion-artifacted image is forward-projected by a forward-projector to create forward-projections which are compensated for image degrading factors, such as resolution recovery, scatter and attenuation, and are compared with the acquired projections by a comparing unit to generate a motion-correction. A motion compensator operates on the acquired projections with the motion-correction to generate a motion-corrected projection data set in which each of the projections is in a common motion state. The motion-corrected projections are reconstructed into a motion-corrected image.

Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously generating spectral images and spatial images of a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes acquiring MR image data using a k-space sampling trajectory. The k-space sampling trajectory is designed to spatially oversample to elicit phase differences between oversampled points. The MR image data is jointly reconstructed into spatial and spectral images by resolving spatial information from spatial encoding associated with each of the oversampled points and resolving spectral information from the phase differences between the oversampled points.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for translating a first image of a first type to a derived image of a second type. For example, a plurality of similarity indicators can be computed as between a plurality of patches of first image and a plurality of patches of a first atlas image, the first atlas image being of the first type. Weight factors can then be computed based on the computed similarity indicators. These weight factors can be applied to a plurality of data points of a second atlas image to compute a plurality of data points for the derived image such that each of at least a plurality of the data points for the derived image is a function of a plurality of the data points of the second atlas image. Such a technique can be used for pseudo-CT generation from an MR image.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for registering images having different modalities. The medical image registration method includes performing, at an initial register, multi-modality registration of a reference image from a plurality of first images captured during a first breathing period and a second image; performing, at the initial register, single-modality registration of the reference image and each of the other first images; generating registration images between the plurality of first images and the second image based on the multi-modality registration and the single-modality registration; acquiring a third image captured after the first breathing period; and detecting an image corresponding to the third image from the registration images.

Abstract: A hybrid filtering method called Karhunen Loeve Transform-Wavelet (KW) filtering is presented to de-noise dynamic cardiac magnetic resonance images that simultaneously takes advantage of the intrinsic spatial and temporal redundancies of real-time cardiac cine. This filtering technique combines a temporal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) and spatial adaptive wavelet filtering. KW filtering has four steps. The first is applying the KLT along the temporal direction, generating a series of “eigenimages”. The second is applying Marcenko-Pastur (MP) law to identify and discard the noise-only eigenimages. The third applying a 2-D spatial wavelet filter with adaptive threshold to each eigenimage to define the wavelet filter strength for each of the eigenimages based on the noise variance and standard deviation of the signal. Lastly, the inverse KLT is applied to the filtered eigenimages to generate a new series of cine images with reduced image noise.

Abstract: There is provided an X-ray CT apparatus capable of correcting the unevenness of the contrast concentration due to discontinuities in time between slices in contrast imaging using a Prospective Triggering method. In an X-ray CT apparatus 1, projection data in a specific phase of the heart is obtained by performing a scan by emitting X-rays after a predetermined time from the detection of the R wave of electrocardiogram information at each position of the heart in the body axis direction. An image processing device 4 reconstructs a tomographic image on the basis of collected projection data, calculates the projection data collection time in each scan from electrocardiogram information collected from an electrocardiograph 5, calculates the time between scans on the basis of the calculated projection data collection time, and corrects a concentration difference so as to change smoothly for an image of a position in the body axis direction in a range according to the time between scans.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus includes a derivation unit to derive an apparent diffusion coefficient regarding a pixel position for each pixel position included in a region of interest in at least two original images obtained by imaging a same imaging region of a same subject using at least two b-factors that are different from each other, respectively, based on pixel values of each of at least two original images regarding the pixel positions, and a first estimation unit to estimate a pixel value obtained by using a b-factor that is different from the at least two b-factors, regarding each pixel position included in the region of interest, based on the apparent diffusion coefficient derived for each pixel position.

Abstract: Iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms are advantageous over standard filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithms by improving resolution and noise performance. In this regard, model-based IR algorithms (MBIR) have been developed to incorporate accurate system models into IR and result in a better image quality than IR algorithms without a system model. System optics are included in both forward and backprojection (IR-SOM-FPBP).

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for detecting alignment film and device for the same. The method comprises: obtaining an image of an alignment film test region of a substrate; and analyzing continuity of the alignment film along an internal boundary of the alignment film test region in the image obtained. since the alignment film test region is located outside an active display area of the substrate, when the alignment film along the internal boundary of the alignment film test region is determined as continuous, it can be determined that all the edges of the alignment film are outside the active display area, then a Haro region which might appear on the edge of the alignment film may also be located outside the active display area, so as to ensure uniform thickness of the alignment film in the active display area of the substrate.

Abstract: Photoluminescence-based methods are presented for facilitating alignment of wafers during metallisation in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells with selective emitter structures, and in particular for visualising the selective emitter structure prior to metallisation. In preferred forms the method is performed in-line, with each wafer inspected after formation of the selective emitter structure to identify its location or orientation. The information gained can also be used to reject defective wafers from the process line or to identify a systematic fault or inaccuracy with the process used to form the patterned emitter structure. Each wafer can additionally be inspected via photoluminescence imaging after metallisation, to determine whether the metal contacts have been correctly positioned on the selective emitter structure. The information gained after metallisation can also be used to provide feedback to the upstream process steps.

Abstract: A system capable of inspecting an article for defects, the system including: a patch comparator, configured to determine with respect to each of a plurality of reference patches in a reference image a similarity level, based on a predefined patch-similarity criterion and on a source patch defined in the reference image; an evaluation module, configured to rate each inspected pixel out of multiple inspected pixels of the inspection image with a representative score which is based on the similarity level of a reference patch associated with a reference pixel corresponding to the inspected pixel; a selection module, configured to select multiple selected inspected pixels based on the representative scores of the multiple inspected pixels; and a defect detection module, configured to determine a presence of a defect in the candidate pixel based on an inspected value of the candidate pixel and inspected values of the selected inspected pixels.

Abstract: There is provided an inspection method capable of classifying defects detected on a production layer of a specimen. The method comprises: obtaining input data related to the detected defects; processing the input data using a decision algorithm associated with the production layer and specifying two or more classification operations and a sequence thereof; and sorting the processed defects in accordance with predefined bins, wherein each bin is associated with at least one classification operation, wherein at least one classification operation sorts at least part of the processed defects to one or more classification bins to yield finally classified defects, and wherein each classification operation, excluding the last one, sorts at least part of the processed defects to be processed by one or more of the following classification operations.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a pattern inspection method includes applying a light to a substrate including an inspection target pattern in a plurality of optical conditions, detecting a reflected light from the substrate to acquire a pattern image for each of the optical conditions, outputting a gray value difference between the pattern image and a reference image for each of the optical conditions, and specifying a position of the defect in a stacking direction of the stacked film from a relation of the obtained gray value difference between the optical conditions. The pattern is formed by a stacked film, the optical conditions includes at least a first optical condition for detection of a defect on a surface of the stacked film.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of inspecting an array of cells on a substrate. A reference image is generated using a cell image that was previously determined to be defect free. A reference contour image which includes contours of the reference image is also generated. The reference contour image is used to detect defects in the array of cells on the substrate. Another embodiment relates to a system for detecting defects in an array on a substrate. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.