Abstract: Provided are an apparatus, method, and system for relaying trading of a distributed energy resource. A distributed energy resource trading relay method performed at a distributed energy resource trading relay apparatus may include receiving an auction request for a plurality of distributed energy resource chunks; calculating an availability probability and a trading probability of each of the auction-requested distributed energy resource chunks; assigning a weight to each of the distributed energy resource chunks based on the calculated availability probability and trading probability; and determining a purchaser having bid for distributed energy resource chunks corresponding to a greatest weight sum as a successful bidder in response to a plurality of purchasers bidding for the distributed energy resource chunks. Since a distributed energy resource may be divided based on a size available at a consumer and thereby traded, the availability of the distributed energy resource may be enhanced.

Abstract: A method using enabling technology and communications to facilitate and capture an individual's menu selections from a merchant within a group to form a consolidated group order which is to be presented to a merchant where the method implements dynamic routines influenced by personal preferences, location based services and other commonalities between the individuals forming the group.

Abstract: A system for handling automated messages from a travel supplier includes a messaging client configured to receive an automated message generated by a remote travel supplier. The message comprises a link to a web address for completing a travel action associated with the link. A parsing unit configured to extract the link from the automated message, identify the travel action associated with the link, and store the extracted link and a representation of the travel action in a non-volatile memory device.

Abstract: An itinerary comparing apparatus receives a designation of a plurality of sightseeing spots from a user or the like. After that, the itinerary comparing apparatus refers to an itinerary storage unit storing therein a plurality of pieces of travel package product information. Subsequently, the itinerary comparing apparatus extracts a piece of travel package product information including the plurality of sightseeing spots received from the user or the like as destinations, by referring to the itinerary storage unit. After that, the itinerary comparing apparatus presents the piece of travel package product information extracted from among the plurality of pieces of travel package product information stored in the itinerary storage unit, to the user or the like.

Abstract: An itinerary display device receives selection of a plurality of sightseeing spots via, for example, a web page displayed on a user terminal, and displays a list of the sightseeing spots together with images corresponding to the respective sightseeing spots. The itinerary determining device then allows one, some, or all of the sightseeing spots displayed in the list to be arranged at any position or positions within a time schedule field representing one day or a plurality of days. Thereafter, the itinerary determining device displays, in correspondence with the arranged sightseeing spot, a clock time that corresponds to the position at which the sightseeing spot has been arranged.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for facilitating travel preparation and reservations. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a monitoring system that may monitor travel sites based on input travel parameters, wherein the monitoring may allow a traveler to optimize a trip. The optimization may be based on a plurality of factors, such as price, location, and dates, as non-limiting examples. The present disclosure further relates to an offer system that develops offer terms for travel providers to extend to travelers, wherein offer terms may vary based on a plurality of factors, such as trends, sales, or demand, as non-limiting examples.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods to provide a prospective home buyer, an appointment with a real estate agent that is in close proximity to the prospective home buyer are described. A prospective home buyer can summon a real estate agent using her mobile device on an on-demand basis from near the home. Immediately thereafter, the appropriate real estate agent can be routed to the home buyer. Doing so home buyers to gain quick entry to tour a home without needing to make prior arrangements with a real estate agent. Real estate agents can be notified to meet a prospective home buyer interested in a home for sale that is in close vicinity at a point in time when the home buyer is available and willing to shop. A real estate agent that is best suited to show the home to the prospective buyer can be identified, thereby improving the buyer's home buying experience.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, a user profile of a plurality of user profiles associated with a profession, wherein the user profile may be associated with a user. The user profile may be analyzed. It may be determined that the user is eligible to receive an assessment based upon, at least in part, analyzing the user profile. The assessment may be administered to the user. Answers for the assessment provided by the user may be recorded. A score for the assessment may be generated based upon, at least in part, the answers for the assessment provided by the user. A recommended course of a plurality of courses for the user to receive may be identified based upon, at least in part, the score for the assessment.

Abstract: Methods and systems for facilitating analysis of travel routes are provided. The method comprising: obtaining addendum data associated with electronic transactions conducted in relation to travel segments, the addendum data comprising a traveller identity, a time, a date, an originating location and a destination location of each of the travel segments; identifying, using an analysis module, travel segments having a time and/or date within a pre-determined period for each traveller identity based on the addendum data; determining, using the analysis module, at least one transit location for each of the traveller identities based on the identified travel segments, wherein the transit location is defined as a location that is both an originating location of one of the identified travel segments and a destination location of another of the identified travel segments; and determining, using the analysis module, a number of traveller identities associated with each transit location.

Abstract: Groups of users of a social networking system are categorized based on their association with a type of malicious activity. A set of predetermined malicious groups is identified. Users associated with the malicious groups are selected based on their level of interactions with the malicious groups. Other groups associated with the selected users are identified as being potentially malicious groups. The potentially malicious groups are further analyzed based on occurrences of keywords associated with the type of malicious activity and manual verification by experts. The potentially malicious groups are either classified as being malicious or non-malicious or assigned a score based on their likelihood of being associated with the type of malicious activity. The methods and system disclosed can be used for categorizing other types of social network objects based on their association with a type of malicious activity, for example, users, events, and content.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for verifying a consumer's biometric communication device through a digital wallet for delivery of a product by a company. The system includes a database, a graphical user and plurality of modules comprising code that executes in the processor. The plurality of modules includes a consumer registration module, a delivery schedule module, a code module, a code retrieve module, a delivery person scan module and a verification module. The consumer registration module allows the companies to register a consumer on the database. The delivery schedule module allows the company to select a registered consumer, registered address of the consumer, date and time of delivery and a tracking number for scheduling the delivery. The code module allows the company to generate and send a code for placement in the digital wallet of the consumer's biometric communication device for the verification of the consumer at the time of delivery.

Abstract: Systems and methods for planning location-sensitive probabilistic behavior based evacuation paths, in a building, from source nodes to sink nodes in a network of routes including a plurality of vertices and edges are disclosed. For example, input parameters including layouts, number of evacuees at each source node, transit time, predetermined time period and maximum capacity associated with each edge and vertex are received. Further, weak evacuation schedules at a state of the evacuees are defined based on the layouts of the building, number of evacuees, transit time and predetermined time period. Furthermore, a strong evacuation schedule is defined based on the weak evacuation schedules and maximum capacity associated with each edge and vertex. Moreover, a mapping is defined from the strong evacuation schedule to the weak evacuation schedules to obtain a probabilistic behavior model. Also, an evacuation path is planned, in real-time, based on the probabilistic behavior model.

Abstract: A sequence of images depicting an object is captured, e.g., by a camera at a point-of-sale terminal in a retail store. The object is identified, such as by a barcode or watermark that is detected from one or more of the images. Once the object's identity is known, such information is used in training a classifier (e.g., a machine learning system) to recognize the object from others of the captured images, including images that may be degraded by blur, inferior lighting, etc. In another arrangement, such degraded images are processed to identify feature points useful in fingerprint-based identification of the object. Feature points extracted from such degraded imagery aid in fingerprint-based recognition of objects under real life circumstances, as contrasted with feature points extracted from pristine imagery (e.g., digital files containing label artwork for such objects).

Abstract: A variety of methods and systems involving sensor-equipped portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are described. One particular embodiment decodes a digital watermark from imagery captured by the device and, by reference to watermark payload data, obtains salient point data corresponding to an object depicted in the imagery. Other embodiments obtain salient point data for an object through use of other technologies (e.g., NFC chips). The salient point data enables the device to interact with the object in a spatially-dependent manner. Many other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A system, computer readable medium, and method for sub-frame scan-out are disclosed. The method includes the steps of dividing a frame into a plurality of slices. For each slice in the plurality of slices, the steps further include sampling a sensor associated with a head mounted display to generate sample data corresponding to the slice; adjusting one or more parameters associated with rendering operations for the slice based on the sample data; and rendering primitive data associated with a model according to the rendering operations to generate image data for the slice. Each slice is a portion of the frame and corresponds to different sample data from the sensor. Thus, adjusting of the parameters is different for each slice of the frame.

Abstract: A method for processing data in a graphics processing unit including receiving an indication that all threads of a warp in a graphics processing unit (GPU) are to execute a same branch in a first set of instructions, storing one or more predicate bits in a memory as a single set of predicate bits, wherein the single set of predicate bits applies to all of the threads in the warp, and executing a portion of the first set of instructions in accordance with the single set of predicate bits. Executing the first set of instructions may include executing the first set of instruction in accordance with the single set of predicate bits using a single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) processing core and/or executing the first set of instruction in accordance with the single set of predicate bits using a scalar processing unit.

Abstract: Disclosed are an image enhancement algorithm processing method and apparatus. The image enhancement algorithm processing method includes setting a plurality of different control registers, indexing and storing the set plurality of control registers, calling a first control register corresponding to a first index among the stored plurality of control registers by using the first index, and commanding a hardware accelerator to perform a first function defined by the called first control register.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for implement multiple frame buffers for a display system. The method and systems disclosed herein allow implementations where specific graphical assets may be rendered every frame, while other graphical assets may be rendered every other frame. The aspects disclosed herein allow existing graphical processors, including those implemented in the vehicular display space (i.e. instrument clusters) to be modified so as to allow for a display environment that is independent of lags and a non-smooth operation.

Abstract: A method of processing a frame in a data processing system is provided, in which the frame comprises one or more frame regions that together form the frame, and each frame region is represented as one or more data values, with each data value being represented by a set of data.

Abstract: An example technique may include performing a first time-warping of a scene of virtual reality content based on head pose information received during or after a rendering of the scene to obtain a time-warped scene, performing a second time-warping of an object based at least on object pose information received during or after a rendering of the object to obtain a time-warped object, and displaying on a display device a composite image based on the time-warped scene and the time-warped object.

Abstract: An image sensor includes first and second pixels to generate a first electric signal from white illumination light and second electric signals from narrow band illumination light, respectively. Density of the first pixels is higher than density of each color components of the second pixels. An image processing apparatus is configured to: interpolate the first electric signal based on the first pixels surrounding the second pixels to generate an interpolated electric signal; calculate a difference between the interpolated electric signal and the second electric signals to generate a color difference signal; discriminate an interpolation direction based on the color difference signal to interpolate a missing color difference signal at each pixel position, thereby generating an interpolated color difference signal; and generate the second electric signals to be generated by the second pixels, based on the interpolated color difference signal and the interpolated electric signal.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods are disclosed that use decimate image data to create smaller image frame size from the image size acquired from an imaging array. An imaging system includes an array of photodetectors configured to produce an array of intensity values corresponding to light intensity at the photodetectors. The imaging system can be configured to acquire a frame of intensity values, or an image frame, and reduce the size of the image frame for subsequent processing and display. The decimation process includes replacing a subframe or kernel of image date with few pixels than contained in the kernel, including replacing the pixels of the kernel with one decimated pixel. The decimated pixel values are derived from the pixels of the kernel and may also include replacement of bad pixels in the original image frame.

Abstract: In one aspect, a device includes a processor, a motion sensor accessible to the processor, a display accessible to the processor, and storage accessible to the processor. The storage bears instructions executable by the processor to identify one or more of an angular velocity of the device and an acceleration of the device based at least in part on input from the motion sensor, and determine whether to rotate content presented on the display based at least in part on the identification.

Abstract: An image-processing method of removing noise from an image includes: obtaining standard representative values for standard regions of a standard image and reference representative values for reference regions of a reference image, and obtaining a plurality of hierarchical images having different resolutions with respect to the standard image and the reference image based on the standard representative values and the reference representative values; obtaining the standard representative values for the standard regions of the standard image and the reference representative values for the reference regions of the reference image from the hierarchical images; determining a similarity between the standard regions and the reference regions from the standard representative values and the reference representative values; and removing noise by applying filtering to the standard image and the reference image depending on the determined similarity.

Abstract: Obfuscating a human or other subject in digital media preserves privacy. A user of a smartphone, for example, may enable a flag for obscuring her face in digital photos or movies. When any device captures digital media, the user's smartphone transmits the flag for receipt. The device capturing the digital media is thus informed of the user's desire to obscure her face or even entire image. The device capturing the digital media may thus perform an obscuration in response to the flag.

Abstract: A method of correcting an image obtained by an image acquisition device includes obtaining successive measurements, Gn, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. An integration range, idx, is selected in proportion to an exposure time, te, for each row of the image. Accumulated measurements, Cn, of device movement for each row of an image are averaged across the integration range to provide successive filtered measurements, G, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. The image is corrected for device movement using the filtered measurements G.

Abstract: A compensation method for a driving circuit of a display device includes generating a motion vector between a previous frame and a current frame subsequent to the previous frame; generating a first estimation frame according to the current frame and the motion vector; adjusting the first estimation frame according to the difference between the current frame and the first estimation frame, to generate a first overdrive frame; and inserting the first overdrive frame between the current frame and a next frame subsequent to the current frame.

Abstract: In a case where noise reduction processing is performed on an image acquired by radiography, the noise reduction processing is prevented from being influenced by other image processing performed in advance. A structure determination unit determines a structure present in a target pixel of a preprocessed captured image. A first image processing unit performs a predetermined image processing based on a determination result of the structure present in the target pixel of the preprocessed captured image. A second image processing unit performs image processing different from the predetermined image processing on an image acquired through the predetermined image processing performed by the first image processing unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed towards automatic selection of regions for blur kernel estimation. In one embodiment, a process divides a blurred image into a regions. From these regions a first region and a second region can be selected based on a number of edge orientations within the selected regions. A first blur kernel can then be estimated based on the first region and a second blur kernel can be estimated for the second region. The first and second blur kernel can then be utilized to respectively deblur a first and second portion of the image to produce a deblurred image. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A method and a system for reconstructing obstructed face portions are provided herein. The method may include the following steps: obtaining off-line 3D data, being 3D data of a head of a person not wearing a face-obstructing object, being an object which obstructs a portion of the face of the person; obtaining in real time, real-time 3D data, being 3D data of said head, wherein said person wears said face-obstructing object; applying a 3D transformation to at least a portion of the off-line 3D data, based on the real-time 3D data, to yield reconstructed real time 3D data, being real-time 3D data related to the obstructed face portions; and merging the reconstructed real time 3D data into the real-time 3D data. The system may implement the aforementioned steps over a computer processor.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for adjusting one or more images of a sample to correct geometric distortions and/or to properly align the one or more images using a pattern of dots, e.g., a quasiperiodic grid.

Abstract: Computer analysis of data sets representing images such as MRI images to achieve bias correction and image registration, each image including a bias in intensity within the image of unknown magnitude, is performed by: a) inputting a digital data set of a first image and a digital data set of a second image into a computer; b) calculating a deformation of said first image that transforms said first image into a transformed image that is an optimised approximation of said second image and c) simultaneously calculating and applying a bias correction which is applied to said first image and a bias correction which is applied to said transformed image such that each of the first image and the transformed image is individually corrected for bias therein. Generally, an average of the bias correction over the first image is equal and opposite to an average of the bias correction over said transformed image.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for operating a camera device (4) for a motor vehicle (3). An image sensor (5) of the camera device (4) provides a raw image (R) of an environment (8) of the camera device (4). An image processing device (6) generates an output image (I) from the raw image (R) by means of a spreading function (13) of a histogram spreading (12). The spreading function (13) generates from a respective input pixel value (Li) of each pixel of the raw image (R) each one output pixel value (Lo) of a corresponding pixel of the output image (I). It is the object of the invention to adapt the histogram spreading (12) to the capturing situation. At least one parameter value (S, G) of the camera device (4) depending on a brightness (B1, B2) of the environment (8) is acquired and a limit value (L) for the output pixel values (Lo) is set in the spreading function (13) depending on the at least one acquired parameter value (S, G).

Abstract: A method is provided for identifying an image type. The method includes acquiring a histogram of a channel in a preset color space of an image to be identified, calculating a ratio between a quantity of pixels of a gray-scale value and a quantity of pixels of an adjacent gray-scale value in the channel according to the histogram, and determining a type of the image according to the ratio.

Abstract: A fault diagnostic device comprises an arithmetic processing device configured to judge a fault on the basis of an image captured by the camera. The arithmetic processing device includes an imaging command part configured to transmit a command for capturing the image of a diagnosis portion and a judgement part configured to judge whether or not the diagnosis portion has the fault. A storage part stores a reference image when the diagnosis portion is in a normal state. The imaging command part transmits an imaging command so as to capture the image of the diagnosis portion after changing a position and a posture of the robot. The judgement part compares the image of the diagnosis portion captured by the camera with the reference image and judges the fault in the diagnosis portion.

Abstract: A system and method for determining at least one absolute color value for a target area. The method includes configuring a light source to emit light toward the target area, wherein the target area includes at least one crop; causing a capturing device to capture at least one artificial illumination multimedia content element showing the at least one crop in the target area while the light source emits the light; receiving, from the capturing device, the captured at least one artificial illumination multimedia content element; analyzing, via machine vision, the captured at least one artificial illumination multimedia content element; and determining, based on the analysis, at least one absolute color value of the at least one crop, wherein the at least one absolute color value is utilized to calibrate a plant monitoring system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an inspecting apparatus including an illuminating unit adapted to be positioned in the periphery of a transparent member for illuminating the transparent member from the outside of the circumference thereof, an imaging unit adapted to be opposed to the transparent member for imaging the transparent member illuminated by the illuminating unit, and a displaying monitor for displaying an image obtained by the imaging unit.

Abstract: A conductive film has a polygonal wiring pattern which allows an indicator of evaluation of noises to be equal to or less than an evaluation threshold value.

Abstract: A method for determining overlay between layers of a multilayer structure may include obtaining a given image representing the multilayer structure, obtaining expected images for layers of the multilayer structure, providing a combined expected image of the multilayer structure as a combination of the expected images of said layers, performing registration of the given image against the combined expected image, and providing segmentation of the given image, thereby producing a segmented image, and maps of the layers of said multilayered structure. The method may further include determining overlay between any two selected layers of the multilayer structure by processing the maps of the two selected layers together with the expected images of said two selected layers.

Abstract: Various aspects of a system and a method to provide assistance in a surgery in presence of tissue deformation are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes an electronic device that receives one or more tissue material properties of a plurality of surface structures of an anatomical portion. One or more boundary conditions associated with the anatomical portion may also be received. Surface displacement of the anatomical portion may be determined by matching a first surface of the anatomical portion before deformation with a corresponding second surface of the anatomical portion after the deformation. The volume displacement field of the anatomical portion may be computed based on the determined surface displacement, the received one or more tissue material properties, and the received one or more boundary conditions.

Abstract: A structure-preserving composite model for skin lesion segmentation includes partitioning a dermoscopic image into superpixels at a first scale. Each superpixel is a vertex on a graph defined by color coordinates and spatial coordinates, and represents a number of pixels of the dermoscopic image according to the first scale. Further, constructing a plurality of k background templates by k-means clustering selected ones of the superpixels in space and color. Additionally, generating sparse representations of the plurality of superpixels based on the plurality of background templates. Also, calculating a reconstruction error for each superpixel by comparison of its sparse representation to its original color coordinates and spatial coordinates. Furthermore, outputting a confidence map that identifies each pixel of the dermoscopic image as belonging or not belonging to a skin lesion, based on the reconstruction errors of the representative superpixels.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques might provide for implementing image-based physiological status determination of users, and, in particular embodiments, for implementing physiological status determination of users based on marker-less motion-capture and generating appropriate remediation plans. In various embodiments, one or more cameras may be used to capture views of a user (e.g., an athlete, a person trying to live a healthy life, or the like) as the user is performing one or more set of motions, and the captured images may be overlaid with a skeletal framework that is compared with similar skeletal framework overlaid images for the same one or more sets of motions. The system can automatically determine a physical condition of the user or a probability that the user will suffer a physical condition based at least in part on an analysis of the comparison, which may be difficult or impossible to observe with the naked human eye.

Abstract: Methods and systems for registering three-dimensional (3D) CT image data with two-dimensional (2D) fluoroscopic image data using a plurality of markers are disclosed. In the methods and systems, a lateral angle and a cranial angle are searched for and a roll angle is computed. 3D translation coordinates are also computed. The calculated roll angle and 3D translation coordinates are computed for a predetermined number of times successively. After performing the calculations, the 3D CT image data is overlaid on the 2D fluoroscopic image data based on the lateral angle, the cranial angle, the roll angle, and the 3D translation coordinates.

Abstract: An assistance apparatus for assisting creation of an interpretation report obtains a set of regions of interest, which are determined as regions that were observed, of medical image data of a subject that is displayed as an interpretation target, and a set of described regions, which are regions that correspond to description of an interpretation report about the medical image data of a subject. The assistance apparatus determines consistency between the set of regions of interest and the set of described regions, and lets a display unit display a result of the determination.

Abstract: A method for dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) image processing and kinetic modeling of an organ's region-of-interest is provided. The method includes deriving at least a contour of an exterior of the organ's region-of-interest from one or more of a plurality of images; generating a spline function in response to the derived contour of the exterior of the organ's region-of-interest from the one or more of the plurality of images; registering the plurality of images wherein the organ's region-of-interest has been segmented; deriving a tracer curve for the organ's region-of-interest in the registered images, the tracer curve indicating a change in concentration of a contrast agent flowing through the organ's region-of-interest over a time period; and kinetic modeling by fitting a kinetic model to the tracer curve to generate one or more maps of tissue physiological parameters associated with the kinetic model.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for estimating patient radiation exposure during computerized tomography (CT) scans. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide efficient approaches for generating a suitable patient model used to make such an estimate, to approaches for estimating patient dose by interpolating the results of multiple simulations, and to approaches for a service provider to host a dose estimation service made available to multiple CT scan providers.

Abstract: For selective local registration based on registration error, a method determines a first registration error between a template image and a source image. The method further warps the source image to compensate for camera motion in response to the first registration error exceeding a registration error threshold. In addition, the method determines a second registration error between the template image and the warped source image. The method generates a pixel difference mask using the template image. The method further selectively performs local registration for the source image based on the pixel difference mask in response to the second registration error exceeding the registration error threshold.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for 3D analysis of a scene including detection, segmentation and registration of objects within the scene. The analysis results may be used to implement augmented reality operations including removal and insertion of objects and the generation of blueprints. An example method may include receiving 3D image frames of the scene, each frame associated with a pose of a depth camera, and creating a 3D reconstruction of the scene based on depth pixels that are projected and accumulated into a global coordinate system. The method may also include detecting objects, and associated locations within the scene, based on the 3D reconstruction, the camera pose and the image frames. The method may further include segmenting the detected objects into points of the 3D reconstruction corresponding to contours of the object and registering the segmented objects to 3D models of the objects to determine their alignment.

Abstract: An object may be identified, if each measured value of a characteristic of the object is within a corresponding range of a set of characteristics. The object may then be classified as a true alarm or false alarm by a user. Next, the measured values of the object may be added as a data point to a set of data points. Each of data points is along a plurality of dimensions and each of the dimensions corresponds to one of the set of characteristics. Further, each of the data points has been classified as a true alarm or false alarm. The range of the set of characteristics may be updated to reduce a weighted score based on a number of the true alarms that are outside a region along the plurality of dimensions and a number of the false alarms inside the region for the set of data points. The region is defined based on numerical analysis of the set of data points. The weighted score may provide separate weights to the true alarms outside the region and the missed alarms inside the region.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for gait analysis of a subject includes obtaining visual data from an image capture device positioned in front of or behind the subject, the visual data comprising at least two image frames of the subject over a period of time walking toward or away from the image capture device, the at least two image frames capturing at least a portion of the gait of the subject, detecting within the at least two images body parts as two-dimensional landmarks using a pose estimation algorithm on each of the at least two frames, generating a joint model depicting the location of the at least one joint in each of the at least two frames, using the joint model to segment a gait cycle for the at least one joint, and comparing the gait cycle to a threshold value to detect abnormal gait.