Abstract: A value of a selection parameter is sequentially set from among a plurality of parameters included in a modeling equation to derive a quantization matrix. A value of each of the parameters is sequentially derived based on a code amount and an encoding distortion obtained from an encoding using a quantization matrix generated from an updated parameter set.

Abstract: A character string recognition method for recognizing a character string may include a first step in which a first projection data of image data are calculated in a direction of the character string and a second step in which a position of the character string is detected on the basis of the first projection data. In the first step, the image data are divided into a plurality of segments in the direction of the character string and projection in the segment is calculated. The method may further include a third step in which a second projection data in the segment are calculated on the basis of the position of the character string and a fourth step in which a position where the second projection data exceeds a threshold value is detected as a boundary position of a character, and the threshold value may be changed according to pixel number between both ends of the character string.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for extending regions in two-dimensional (2-D) image space or volumes in three-dimensional (3-D) image space that are generated by a test area-based region growing mechanism. Embodiments of a dilation mechanism may perform post-processing of a region or volume generated by the test area-based region growing mechanism to correct for an edge inset resulting from a radius used to define the test area. The dilation mechanism may perform a morphological dilate to expand the region or volume to the proper edge of the desired object in the image data within the tolerance range of the threshold, and thus corrects for the inset error introduced by the test area radius used by the region growing mechanism. The dilation mechanism may be limited to extending the region or volume to the radius distance from the edge of the original region or volume generated by the region growing mechanism.

Abstract: A method for efficiently calculating signal thresholds for use in signal processing is described. The method computes and stores a cumulative histogram and a weighted cumulative histogram. The method then provides a first estimate for a threshold based on a single ratio. The method next performs an iterative computation to get to the ultimate threshold result. Method iterations only require multiplication and addition operations on the stored values making the method well suited for implementation in fixed-point digital signal processors.

Abstract: A system and method for performing integral histogram convolution for filtering image data is disclosed. The method may include generating an initial histogram for a kernel region of an input image comprising two or more column histograms. Each histogram may include a plurality of bucket values, each representing a sum of weights associated with pixels having the same value or a count of pixels having the same value. The method may include incrementally generating a region histogram for each successive region of the image as the kernel is passed over the image and applying a convolution operation to it. Generating the new region histogram may involve merging an additional column histogram with the initial or current region histogram, and may also involve subtracting values of a preceding column histogram from the initial or current histogram. The methods may be implemented by program instructions executing in parallel on CPU(s) or GPUs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for segmenting an image into at least two layers, a foreground and a background layer include rough labeling or segmenting at least a portion of the image into foreground and background pixels. The rough labeled pixels may be refined by using local classifications. Additional processes may be performed on the image including, but not limited to, filtering, image enhancing, shape refining, image compression, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for vertebrae and intervertebral disc localization in magnetic resonance (MR) images is disclosed. In this method, a target spine MR image is segmented by generating a binary segmentation. A spinal cord line is then estimated on the segmented image. Neighboring vertebrae in a region of interest around the estimated spinal cord line are then localized by labeling vertebral regions based on characteristics, such as size and shape, of regions of connected segmented pixels within the regions of interest. A center point of an intervertebral disc between the neighboring vertebrae is then calculated by finding a point halfway between respective borders of the vertebral regions on a line connecting the centers of mass of the vertebral regions.

Abstract: A color management unit is architected to achieve higher-quality appearance used in various video formats and to enable improvements in picture contrast and colorfulness. The color management unit comprises an optional input color space converter to convert the input digital video to a desired color space, an adaptive contrast enhancer to apply contrast improvement algorithms in response to different scenes in either manual or automatic modes, intelligent color remapping for enhancing selected colors, sRGB compliance to produce a video display that is uniform over different monitors, global color and brightness controls to combine global processing and color conversion, gamut compression to maintain pixel validity in color space conversion, and gamma correction to compensate for nonlinear characteristics of an output display.

Abstract: Even an image in which a gradation character/line image having variations in pixel values to a certain degree and a natural image are mixed can be reproduced with sufficient quality in the gradation character/line image and high encoding efficiency, and further, encoded data can be generated with high encoding efficiency. An extraction unit binarizes pixel values in an input block with a predetermined threshold, thereby generates identification information identifying pixels to be substituted and pixels not to be substituted. An average differential value generation unit calculates a differential value between an average value of the pixels to be substituted and an average value of the pixels not to be substituted. A substitute color generation unit subtracts the differential value from the pixels to be substituted. An encoding unit encodes the identification information, the differential value and pixel values of the block after substitution.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus including a unit which generates index image data, a unit which obtains a position of thumbnail image data in the index image data, a unit which divides the index image data so as to prevent overlap of the thumbnail image data, a unit which calculates a histogram of a luminance value of image data corresponding to each partial area including the thumbnail image data, a unit which determines image correction characteristics of each piece of image data based on the histogram and performing image correction, and a unit which reconfiguring the index image data using the corrected image data to output the reconfigured index image data.

Abstract: A system and method for improving FIB milling endpointing operations. The methods involve generating real-time images of the area being milled and real-time graphical plots of pixel intensities with an increased sensitivity over native FIB system generated images and plots. The images and plots are generated with raw signal data obtained from the native FIB system. More specifically, the raw signal data is processed according to specific algorithms for generating images and corresponding intensity graphs which can be reliably used for accurate endpointing. In particular, the displayed images will display more visual information regarding changes in milled material, while the intensity graphs will plot aggregate pixel intensity data on a dynamically adjusting scale to dramatically highlight relative changes in milled material.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and classifying anomalies in a medical image. During anomaly detection, once the intensity of an image pixel crosses a detection threshold, the pixel is detected and linking inputs are provided to its nearest-neighbor pixels. The linking inputs increase the intensities of the neighbor pixels, which may result in the detection of these nearest-neighbor pixels if their linked intensities are above the threshold. Each detected anomaly is classified by determining a genetic response surface methodology (GRSM) model for the detected anomaly, determining a cancerous GRSM model from a database of cancerous anomalies, and comparing the cancerous GRSM model to the GRSM model for the detected anomaly to classify the detected anomaly as cancerous or non-cancerous.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus to enhance the image contrast of a digital image device while simultaneously compensating for image intensity inhomogeneity, regardless of the source. The present invention corrects intensity inhomogeneities producing a more uniform image appearance. Also, the image is enhanced through increased contrast, e.g., tissue contrast in a medical image. The method makes no assumptions as to the source of the inhomogeneities, e.g., physical device characteristics or positioning of the object being imaged. In the method, the error between the histogram of the spatially-weighted original image and a specified histogram is minimized. The specified histogram may be selected to increase contrast generally or particularly for accentuation, e.g., on localized regions of interest. The weighting is preferably achieved by two-dimensional interpolation of a sparse grid of control points overlaying the image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for detection of image regions of various content types using a masking condition and an entropy measure.

Abstract: A fast and robust segmentation model for piecewise smooth images is provided. Local statistics in an energy formulation are provided as a functional. The shape gradient of this new functional gives a contour evolution controlled by local averaging of image intensities inside and outside the contour. Fast computation is realized by expressing terms as the result of convolutions implemented via recursive filters. Results are similar to the general Mumford-Shah model but realized faster without having to solve a Poisson partial differential equation at each iteration. Examples are provided. A system to implement segmentation methods is also provided.

Abstract: A method for segmenting an anatomical structure of interest within an image is disclosed. The anatomical structure of interest is compared to a database of images of like anatomical structures. Those database images of like anatomical structures that are similar to the anatomical structure of interest are identified. The identified database images are used to detect the anatomical structure of interest in the image. The identified database images are also used to determine the shape of the anatomical structure of interest. The anatomical structure of interest is segmented from the image.

Abstract: A method for automatically tracking multiple objects from a sequence of video images that may extract raw data about participating elements in a sporting, or other event, in a way that does not interfere with the actual participating elements in the event. The raw data may include the position and velocity of the players, the referees, and the puck, as well as the team affiliation of the players. These data may be collected in real time and may include accounting for players moving fast and unpredictably, colliding with and occluding each other, and getting in and out of the playing field. The video sequence, captured by a suitable sensor, may be processed by a suitably programmed general purpose computing device.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for segmenting a digital image into regions. A frequency-of-occurrence of image values may be determined excluding a portion of pixels in a digital image. An image value associated with a peak in the frequency-of-occurrence of image values may be identified and associated with an image label. Pixel locations may be labeled based on the associated labels and image values. Additionally, unreliable pixels may be determined and labeled based on the associated labels and image values.

Abstract: A method of segmenting regions of an image wherein a number of partitions are determined based on a range of an image histogram in a logarithmic luminance domain. Regions are defined by the partitions. A mean value of each region is calculated by K-means clustering wherein the clustering is initialized, data is assigned and centroids are updated. Anchor points are determined based on the centroids and a weight of each pixel is computed based on the anchor points.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for correcting the exposure of a digital image. An exposure predictor may be generated based on a set of images for which ground truth data are known. After identifying an optimal set of features, the exposure of the digital image may be corrected by extracting values of the selected optimal features from the image, using the predictor to predict a desired exposure correction for the image, and correcting the exposure of the image by the predicted desired amount. Exposure correction is based on a model that relates intensity of light in the world to the RGB digits of the digital image. The model comprises a gamma function that models the response of a typical monitor and a S-shaped curve that compresses the large dynamic range of the world to the small dynamic range of the RGB digit space.

Abstract: A pixel-value detecting circuit (1) detects RGB values of each pixel of an input image and outputs the detected RGB values to a connection weight determining circuit (2). When both of two adjacent pixels have achromatic color, the connection weight determining circuit (2) determines a first connection weight, which is a connection weight between the two pixels, by using only the RGB values. When one of the two pixels has achromatic color, the connection weight determining circuit (2) determines, as a connection weight, a second connection weight that is smaller than the first connection weight, by using the RGB values and saturations. When both of the two pixels have chromatic color, the connection weight determining circuit (2) determines, as a connection weight, a third connection weight that is greater than or equal to the first connection weight, by using the RGB values and hues.

Abstract: Processes for compressing images with sparse histograms are disclosed. The image is divided into blocks, and a bit budget is assigned for each block. The pixels of a block are converted and coded bit-plane by bit-plane, starting from the Most Significant Bit (MSB) and going towards the Least Significant Bit (LSB). The pixels of the block are partitioned into groups. Each group contains pixels that have same value. Moving from the MSB to the LSB, the groups in each bit-plane are processed. When processing a group, the encoder sends a “0” if all group members have same bit value at the current bit-plane being processed, followed by the bit value; otherwise, the encoder sends a “1”, followed by refinement bits for each pixel of the group, and the encoder splits the group.

Abstract: An image-based technique for shredded document reconstruction includes the steps of: employing an image processing process to obtain shred images of the shredded document, and then extracting several features of shred images for reconstruction with two similarity measures, and then employing an algorithm using the shred coding scheme and average word length that is insensitive to the shredding noise on image boundaries, and then a weighted digraph is then carried out to derive the optimal shred sorting result for document reconstruction in terms of the shortest path. Experiments are presented for both the synthetic and real data sets. The results show that the proposed method has correctly merged the majority of the shredded document.

Abstract: An algorithm for finding regions of interest (ROI) in synthetic images based on an information driven approach in which sub-blocks of a set of synthetic image are analyzed for information content or compressibility based on textural and color features. A DCT may be used to analyze the textural features of a set of images and a color histogram may be used to analyze the color features of the set of images. Sub-blocks of low compressibility are grouped into ROIs using a type of morphological technique. Unlike other algorithms that are geared for highly specific types of ROI (e.g. OCR text detection), the method of the present invention is generally applicable to arbitrary synthetic images. The present invention can be used with several other image applications, including Stained-Glass collages presentations.

Abstract: Video data is segmented by representing the pixel location, RGB values and other features such as motion vectors, as points in a multidimensional segmentation space. Initialized segments are represented as locations in the segmentation space and segment membership then determined by the distance in segmentation space from the data point representing the pixel to the location of the segment. The distance measure takes into consideration the covariance of the data, for the segment or for the picture.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a dividing unit which divides a brightness histogram of an input image into a plurality of value regions according to gradation, a ratio computing unit which computes the number of pixels of each value region divided by the dividing unit and the number of pixels of the input image, respectively, and computes a ratio or a magnitude relation of the number of pixels of each value region with respect to the number of pixels of the input image, and a control-point computing unit which computes a control point, which specifies a shape of a correction curve for image correction according to a feature of the input image, based on the ratio or the magnitude relation of each value region computed by the ratio computing unit.

Abstract: A method for transforming Video-To-Text is disclosed that automatically generates text descriptions of the content of a video. The present invention first segments an input video sequence according to predefined semantic classes using a Mixture-of-Experts blob segmentation algorithm. The resulting segmentation is coerced into a semantic concept graph and based on domain knowledge and a semantic concept hierarchy. Then, the initial semantic concept graph is summarized and pruned. Finally, according to the summarized semantic concept graph and its changes over time, text and/or speech descriptions are automatically generated using one of the three description schemes: key-frame, key-object and key-change descriptions.

Abstract: A method for image separating, said method being applied to an electronic apparatus to separate a foreground and a background of an image displayed on said apparatus, comprising the steps of scanning pixels in said image, applying arithmetic algorithm on said pixels and forming a plurality of segments on said image by defining pixels adjacent to each other and similar in color as one segment; examining foreground label and background label marked by an user; merging segments labeled by said foreground label into a foreground region and segments labeled by said background label into a background region, and applying arithmetic algorithm on an unlabeled segment to merge with an adjacent segment, foreground region or background region having the least difference in color; repeating said merging step until all segments are merged into a foreground region or a background region, thereby separating said image into a foreground region and a background region.

Abstract: Mechanisms for displaying text or image over a background such as a video display frame that automatically improve legibility of text or image displayed against a background by increasing the contrast between text or image and background. The display frame may be a single image, but may also be an image within a dynamic sequence of recorded images such as a movie or other video media, or sequence of images captured in real-time by a camera or other device. In one embodiment, color component values are selected, and complementing and filtering applied to achieve contrast. In another embodiment, selecting a minimally used value for color components in the frame achieves contrast. In some cases both text or image, and background, may be altered to achieve contrast. Another embodiment provides background intensity modulation to achieve varying contrast within altered backgrounds, and smoothing over many frames in dynamic material.

Abstract: A desired area, a desired resolution of the desired area, and a desired reduction ratio of an area other than the desired area are specified. An image data of the desired area is extracted from an image data of a document read at the desired resolution. A changed image data is created by changing the image data of the document based on the desired reduction ratio. The image data of the desired area and the changed image data are subjected to multi-page filing and saved as one file.

Abstract: The AC and/or PC landmarks are identified in a midsagittal MRI image by firstly identifying structures in the brain (specifically the fornix and/or brainstem) as groups of pixels in a radiological image which have an intensity in ranges defined by one or more thresholds and which obey predefined geometrical criteria. The thresholds are varied until the predefined geometrical criteria are met. Initial estimates of the position of the AC and/or PC are derived from the identified structures. These estimates can be improved in various ways, especially by making use of axial and/or corona/radiological images in planes including, and/or proximate to, the initial estimated position of the AC and/or PC.

Abstract: A method and a system for image editing are provided. The method includes the following steps: firstly, search for characteristic curves of an image; next, approximate the characteristic curves with spline functions; then, when editing the image, manipulate the characteristic curves through control points of the corresponding spline functions; and then, reconstruct the image according to the manipulated characteristic curves.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for video object generation and selective encoding is provided. The apparatus includes a detection module for detecting a first object in at least one image frame of a series of image frames; a tracking module for tracking the first object in successive image frames and segmenting the first object from a background, the background being a second object; and an encoder for encoding the first and second objects to be transmitted to a receiver, wherein the first object is compressed at a high compression rate and the second object is compressed at a low compression rate. The receiver merges the first and second object to form a composite image frame. The method provides for detecting, tracking and segmenting one or more objects, such as a face, from a background to be encoded at the same or different compression rates to conserve bandwidth.

Abstract: Certain imaging systems, such as automatic explosives detection systems, employ techniques that utilize image processing, feature extraction and decision making steps to detect threats in images. Such techniques use segmentation as a first algorithmic step, which extracts data representing objects from image data. Some of the extracted objects are actually composed of multiple distinct physical objects. For these compound objects discrimination becomes difficult because computed object properties are less specific than properties computed for a single physical object. A technique is described which includes splitting such compound objects by separating the data of each component from the rest of the data and using properties of density histograms based on voxel distributions in both density and spatial domains.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the generation of a background mask from an intensity-value-coded image with a noisy background area. The method includes generating an intensity value histogram of the image; fitting a model curve to a subarea of the intensity value histogram; calculating a threshold value in the intensity value histogram from the fit parameters of the model curve; and generating the background mask starting from at least one defined image area that belongs to the background noise by adding all the pixels whose intensities are below the threshold value to the background mask when connected to the image area via pixels whose intensities are also below the threshold value.

Abstract: Background images are removed and only desired payment information is extracted from a grayscale image of a check or similar financial instrument. A density distribution improvement process applied to grayscale raw image data 40 acquired by scanning a check corrects the density distribution of the raw image data 40 to separate the density range of the desired payment information from the density range of the background image. A threshold level 44 for clearly separating the payment information from the background image is then calculated from the characteristics of the density distribution of the grayscale improved image data 42 acquired by the density distribution improvement process. Histograms of the density distributions are used to determine the characteristics of the density distribution. The improved image data 42 is then converted to binary image data 46 using the threshold level 44.

Abstract: In some embodiments, image spam is identified by comparing color histograms of suspected spam images with color histograms of reference (known) images. The histogram comparison includes comparing a first color content in a query image with a range of similar color contents in the reference image. For example, a pixel count for a given color in the query image may be compared to pixel counts for a range of similar colors in the reference image. A histogram distance between two images may be determined according to a computed pixel count difference between the given query histogram color and a selected color in the range of similar reference histogram colors.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include a method of adding color to a monochrome (single color printing) document that begins by inputting/creating colorization rules relating to the previously printed monochromatic document and scanning the previously printed monochromatic document to locate rasterized data. After the scanning, the method performs optical character recognition on the rasterized data to search for text corresponding to the previously printed monochromatic document. After the rules are input and the rasterized data is produced, the method automatically colorizes portions of rasterized content according to the colorization rules and this generates a colorized electronic document.

Abstract: Described herein is a method and system for facilitating segmentation of images. A difference image is received and processed to extract at least one histogram (402). A noise component is determined by fitting a symmetric Gaussian distribution to the extracted histogram such that the negative portion of the Gaussian distribution coincides with the negative portion of the histogram (403). The noise component is then subtracted from the histogram to generate a probability distribution function (404), which may be converted to a cumulative distribution function (406) and applied to the difference image to generate a probabilistic representation of contrast enhancement (408).

Abstract: A color management unit is architected to achieve higher-quality appearance used in various video formats and to enable improvements in picture contrast and colorfulness. The color management unit comprises an optional input color space converter to convert the input digital video to a desired color space, an adaptive contrast enhancer to apply contrast improvement algorithms in response to different scenes in either manual or automatic modes, intelligent color remapping for enhancing selected colors, sRGB compliance to produce a video display that is uniform over different monitors, global color and brightness controls to combine global processing and color conversion, gamut compression to maintain pixel validity in color space conversion, and gamma correction to compensate for nonlinear characteristics of an output display.

Abstract: A system and method for adding decorative images to a plurality of input images allows the decorative images to be easily selected. An image processing device includes a decorative image storage unit configured to store a plurality of decorative images, and a representative color acquisition unit configured to acquire a representative color for each of the input images by analyzing the input images. A decorative image selecting unit selects a decorative image to be added to each of the input images based on the representative color of the input image. An output image generating unit generates an output image by individually synthesizing the decorative images with a same pattern and the input images.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for separating a foreground and a background. The apparatus includes a background model creation unit for creating a code book including a plurality of code words in order to separate the foreground and the background, and a foreground/background separation unit for separating the foreground and the background using the created code book. The method includes the steps of creating a code book including a plurality of code words in order to separate the foreground and the background, rearranging the cord words of the created code book on the basis of the number of sample data that belong to each of the code words, and separating the foreground and the background using the code book.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method include providing a same label number to adjacent black pixels that form a group of black pixels, the label number provided to each group of black pixels being unique, the black pixels being included in binary read data, determining, when the number of black pixels in a group of black pixels counted on the basis of the unique label number is less than a predetermined number, that the black pixels with the unique label number are noise and removing the black pixels from targets to be processed, acquiring coordinate information on at least one of black pixels that remain after noise has been removed, and extracting a document area on the basis of the acquired coordinate information.

Abstract: The present invention deals with text comprising image parsed to graphemes. A result of character recognition is creation of one or more versions of characters for each grapheme. All possible words versions are obtained using all characters versions, and all parsing versions are examined. A supplementary data of several types is applied successively in the preliminarily prescribed order to the examined words. The processing with the use of supplemental data may be represented as a three times repeated processing of the same text fragment with the use of supplementary information becoming available at each time. The examination comprises three steps. 1) A set of chains LPG is built using all obtained recognized grapheme-to-character versions. 2) All obtained versions are analyzed with the successive application of subsequent supplemental data types in connection with the preliminarily assigned order or with a joint application thereof. 3) A supplementary space recognition correction.

Abstract: A method for estimating at least one elastic-wave-related property of a porous material from a sample thereof includes making a three dimensional tomographic image of the sample of the material. The image is segmented into pixels each representing pore space or rock grain. Bulk modulus and shear modulus of the porous material are determined from the segmented image at a frequency corresponding to mobile fluid. Bulk modulus and shear modulus of the porous material are determined from the segmented image at a frequency corresponding to immobile fluid. The at least one elastic-wave-related property is determined from the mobile fluid and immobile fluid moduli. The method includes at least one of storing and displaying the at least one elastic-wave-related property so determined.

Abstract: A method of removing unwanted coating material from cooling passages of a turbine component includes determining coordinates of the position and orientation of cooling passages at the surface of the turbine component and determining reference points in the region of the cooling passages. After coating of the turbine component, the reference points are measured once again and the thickness of the coating is calculated. In a basic processing program, the data for the position, passage orientation and coating thicknesses and also CAD data for the cooling passages are interlinked and a laser processing program is automatically adapted for each individual cooling passage. Using the laser processing program, a pulsed laser is guided over disk-shaped volume segments of the unwanted coating material and the material is removed in the process.

Abstract: A method for segmentation of an image interactively with a user utilizes level set segmentation and includes selecting by user input respective areas of object and of background; initializing an embedding function implementing a segmentation boundary according to the selecting; computing intensity distributions and for the respective areas of object and of background; and performing repeatedly the steps below until convergence is reached: (a) evolving the embedding function, (b) recomputing the intensity distributions, and (c) checking for new user input and, if so: (d) updating labeling of the areas of object and background.

Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus, comprises frontal information detecting means for detecting solid object information in front of an own vehicle, preceding vehicle recognizing means for recognizing a preceding vehicle based on the solid object information, traveling path estimating means for estimating a traveling path of the own vehicle, first evacuation possibility judging means for judging a first possibility of relative evacuation between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle according to positions of the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle, second evacuation possibility judging means for judging a second possibility of relative evacuation between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle according to information of solid objects other than the preceding vehicle, and preceding vehicle evacuation possibility judging means for judging a final possibility of relative evacuation between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle based on the first possibility and the second possibility.

Abstract: A method to detect anchorperson segment in news reporting by using visual characteristics to provide the basis to divide news into various categories includes steps of providing news image for skin color detection on the image with color space; applying morphology depending on whether the object in the image subject to skin color detection is moving to eliminate noise surrounding the image of the face to solve the region of the face of the anchorperson; and performing anchorperson detection once again by detecting the probable anchorperson segment.

Abstract: A PC board inspecting method capable of detecting deviation of an IC component at high speed with small storage capacity utilizes inspection logic particular to a component to be inspected. The inspection logic includes a color condition for specifying a color appearing in the body of the component to be inspected. The component is radiated with a plurality of color rays at different angles of incidence. An image formed by reflection light of the color rays is captured, and an inspection image including at least part of an edge of the body of the component to be inspected is captured. By using the color condition, a component body area satisfying the color condition is extracted from the inspection image by an image process.