Abstract: Data compression and reconstruction methods and apparatuses for a hard copy device are provided. The data compression method of compressing source image data, which is used for hard copying a bilevel screened image and stored in a memory in units of bytes, for a hard copy device, includes the steps of transposing bytes at each column to bytes at each row in the source image data; and entropy encoding sequential chains, which include a current chain to be compressed and a chain or chains succeeding the current chain, or the current chain depending on whether a chain having the same value as that of the current chain exists in a dictionary composed of previous chains compressed before, and determining the result of the entropy encoding as the result of the compression. Neighboring bytes at each row have neighboring memory addresses. The offset of neighboring bytes at each column corresponds to the row width of the source image data.

Abstract: A process and device for coding video images using a non object-based coding standard that extracts at least one video object from an image originating from a sequence of images, by the construction of a segmentation key defining the contours of the object in the image. The video object is coded according to the MPEG 2 standard so as to form an elementary stream (ES). The segmentation key relating to the video object is coded according to the MPEG 2 standard, so as to form an elementary stream. A background image into which the object is to be inserted is coded according to the MPEG 2 standard, so as to form an elementary stream. The elementary streams relating to one or more objects and to the background image are multiplexed so as to provide a program stream (PS) or transport stream (TS) according to the MPEG 2 standard.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of supplementing a digital picture with a shorter delay time and less calculations. The padding method is applied to a picture having a great motion, and results in producing a prediction signal with small errors. The present invention also provides an apparatus using the same method. To be more specific about the method, in a digital picture data including picture information indicating an object, a picture is resolved into a plurality of regions adjoining with each other, and each of the insignificant sample value of a region containing the boundary of the object shape is supplemented (padded) by the values obtained from transforming of the significant pixels near to the insignificant pixels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for identifying diffe rences between a stored pattern and a matching image subset, where variations in pattern position, orientation, and size do not give rise to false differences. The invention is also a system for analyzing an object image with respect to a model pattern so as to detect flaws in the object image. The system includes extracting pattern features from the model pattern; generating a vector-valued function using the pattern features to provide a pattern field; extracting image features from the object image; evaluating each image feature, using the pattern field and an n-dimensional transformation that associates image features with pattern features, so as to determine at least one associated feature characteristic; and using at least one feature characteristic to identify at least one flaw in the object image. The invention can find at least two distinct kinds of flaws: missing features, and extra features.

Abstract: A two-dimensional (2-D) machine-vision safety method and apparatus performs high-integrity, high efficiency machine vision. The system digitally filters a configurable number of time-sequenced camera images of a viewed area to create a filtered image. Objects within view in a training phase are detected and compared to objects detected in a runtime phase. Each new image is then compared to the previously created model and a pixel-oriented difference image is calculated. The difference image is then processed for segmentation features attributable to an intruder object. Alarm conditions are determined from threshold parameters related to location of the intruder objects. For segmentation results that exceed a predetermined threshold, an alarm condition is set. Setup parameters are automatically generated by analysis of distinctively marked physical boundaries in an image.

Abstract: An image segmenter uses one or more techniques to accurately segment an image, including the use of a progressive flood fill to fill incompletely bounded segments, the use of a plurality of scaled transformations and guiding segmentation at one scale with segmentation results from another scale, detecting edges using a composite image that is a composite of multiple color planes, generating edge chains using multiple classes of edge pixels, generating edge chains using the plurality of scaled transformations, and/or filtering spurious edges at one scale based on edges detected at another scale.

Abstract: In the case where an output signal of an image pickup device is compressed and is transmitted through a transmission path with band limitation, when a conventional compression and expansion technique is directly applied, there is a lot of waste and a circuit scale becomes large, so that the cost of the system is raised. In an image processing system or a camera system of the invention in which an output signal of an image pickup device is compressed and is transmitted, the output signal of the image pickup device is made to pass through a luminance signal forming portion and a contour correcting signal forming portion, so that the signal is divided into a luminance signal and a contour correcting signal. These signals are separately compressed by compression processing portions, and multiplexed by a multiplexing portion, and then transmitted through a transmission path with band limitation such as a USB.

Abstract: System and method for generating video frames. The system includes a frame generator which generates one or more intermediate frames based upon one base frames. Each of the base frames are comprised of a plurality of macroblocks. Furthermore, one or more of the macroblocks have a motion vector. The macroblocks are comprised of a plurality of pixels. In the frame generation process, the frame generator performs a number of steps such as: (i) determines whether frame generation is appropriate, (ii) examines the first and second base frames to check for the presence of textual characters, (iii) selects a frame generation method based upon information in the first and second frames, (iv) filters the generated frames. In one embodiment, the system includes a server computer having an encoder, a client computer having a decoder, and a network connecting the server computer to the client computer.

Abstract: Image data for an image frame are allocated among three groups. In one group are image data which are part of a derived motion boundary, along with image data which differ by at least a threshold amount from a corresponding point among normalized background data. In another group are image data which closely correspond to the normalized background image data. A third group includes the remaining pixels. An initial estimate for the object boundary is adjusted iteratively based on the groupings, followed by application of an active contour model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-the-fly coding digital images using a line scanner, a boundary matcher/follower and a coder, and utilizing a small amount of processing and memory is disclosed. In an on-the-fly digital image coding method and apparatus feature points determining boundaries of regions of adjacent pixels of similar characteristics in each successive scanning line are sequentially detected and efficiently encoded in a chain-link manner, based on information concerned with feature points detected on a preceding scanning line. By this method, additional improvement in compression can be achieved with the use of predictive coding based on spatial stochastic correlation between successive feature points associated with a continuous boundary line.

Abstract: The MPEG-4 video standard includes a predictive coding scheme. When a scene-cut occurs in the sequence processed by said coding scheme, the first video object plane (VOP) which follows it is coded as an I-VOP, instead of predicting it from the previous VOP, completely different. In case of temporal scalability, when the scene-cut occurs between two VOPs of the enhancement layer, specific rules for selecting the temporal reference(s) during the prediction operations in said enhancement layer are defined.

Abstract: A vector block information indicating a plurality of line segment rows is read out from a block map. Each line segment row divides an area of a block from an area of a road in an image drawing region. Each point at which one end of a line segment row contacts with a boundary line of the image drawing region is set as a boundary point. In this case, a road crossing the boundary line of the image drawing region is indicated by a pair of line segment rows having a pair of boundary points close to each other. To determine an area of the road, the pair of boundary points are connected with each other through a connecting line segment. Therefore, a road area in the image drawing region can be automatically extracted from the block map.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of decoding coded signals corresponding to successive segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions to which specific labels are respectively associated. The partitions have been previously coded by means of a coding method comprising, for each partition to be coded, the steps of translating the picture of labels into a chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each cell each contour from its initial point to its end by storing symbols corresponding both to the elements of said cell and to priorities between them, and repeating these two steps up to the end of each contour of the partition and coding the information corresponding to the chains of movements.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically determining the font of text in a captured document image. Sequences of turns (left, right, straight) around the boundaries of connected components of black pixels in the captured document image are determined. The probabilities of the sequences of turns have come from a particular font within a library of known fonts can be determined using training set statistics. Using these probabilities, the most probable source font is selected.

Abstract: A method and device for coding, decoding and/or transmitting location data is proposed, a path and a main path encompassing points; the at least one path being provided as a subpath with respect to the main path; at least one path point, as a branching point, being identical to a main point and the location data being arranged according to the data format in the sequence of the main points.

Abstract: A printer forms an approximate of a Bezier curve as a sequence of line segments. Two parametric equations, X(t) and Y(t), are employed. Two methods can be used to evaluate the parametric equations. Both use fixed point integer arithmetic to directly calculate points along the curve which are the values of the X(t) and Y(t) equations. The first method sets the number of steps of the parametric variable are equal to an integral power of 2. This gives a predictable execution time and uses line segments to connect the points as a piecewise straight line approximation to the curve. The number of steps is set as the next higher power of 2 than an estimated length of the curve. The second method allows Y(t), the scan line variable, to change only in predetermined integer steps. The value of X(t) is evaluated for each t corresponding to the integer step in Y(t). This second method has a natural advantage, if a closed path is being decomposed as a run array rather than a collection of trapezoids.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for image-compression encoding and decoding using an adaptive transform in which, where different transform coefficients are outputted in accordance with a change of the transform direction order for an input image signal block, encoding and decoding procedures are conducted, based on the transform direction order selected in accordance with the characteristics of the input image signal block. In accordance with the present invention, an orthogonal transform and a inverse orthogonal transform for blocks are controlled, based on a determination made about whether signals within a block, to be currently encoded, have a higher correlation in a vertical direction or in a horizontal direction, using information about blocks encoded or both information about blocks encoded and information about the current block.

Abstract: A moving picture encoding/decoding system includes a moving picture encoding apparatus and moving picture decoding apparatus. The moving picture encoding apparatus has an input image encoding unit, first storage unit, shape information encoding unit, second storage unit, and padding unit. The moving picture decoding apparatus has an image decoding unit, first storage unit, shape information decoding unit, second storage unit, and padding unit. The input image encoding unit encodes an input image signal including an image object. The shape information encoding unit encodes shape information to generate encoded shape information, and generates boundary information. The padding unit identifies the outer region of the image object, calculates a pixel value, and substitutes the pixel value into the outer region. The image decoding unit refers to a reference image, and decodes encoded image data including an image object to generate an image signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for locating objects within a content stream, by transforming prospective objects and evaluating the results to identify meaningful semantic values. Transformation is accomplished using various contour transformations, possibly in combination with other tools and techniques. The semantic values produced by contour transformation can be efficiently searched and classified against a dictionary of archetypes to identify objects and object features in the content stream. Contour transformations may be scale-invariant and/or rotationally invariant or otherwise symmetric, so that distinctions between content objects based on their scale or orientation are avoided.

Abstract: System and method for re-sampling discrete curves, thereby efficiently characterizing point sets or curves in a space. The method may also provide improved means for mapping point sets or curves to new point sets or curves for curve matching. A weight vector or function is determined based on a plurality of discrete curves, e.g., from one or more template data sets or images. The weight function enhances differences between weighted discrete curves. A set of orthonormal polynomials is determined based on the computed weight function, where the set of orthonormal polynomials comprises a set of orthogonal eigenfunctions of a Sturm-Liouville differential equation. Values for a plurality of zeros for one of the set of orthonormal polynomials is determined that comprise resampling points for the plurality of discrete curves. Each of the plurality of discrete curves is resampled based on the determined values of the plurality of zeros.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for the compression of characters with a predetermined size. Initially, a plurality of characters are received. Thereafter, the characters are compressed. Information is stored with the compression. Such information is capable of being used to modify the characters upon the characters being displayed with a predetermined size.

Abstract: A system encodes a separate assist channel that carries only a small amount of additional information in a hardcopy document to compensate for failure of an OCR system to accurately reconstruct a scanned electronic version of the hardcopy document. The assist channel protects symbols printed on the hardcopy document by computing guard values that are derived from a hash of the character code of each character on the hardcopy document. Template match searches that are performed during decoding are limited to those interpretations that produce matching guard values.

Abstract: An encoding method efficiently encodes information relating to a multivalue image having an arbitrary shape, i.e., a rectangular or non-rectangular shape. An image processing apparatus includes an input unit for inputting a multivalue image, a first transformation unit for transforming the multivalue image input by the input unit with a first transformation method and for generating first transformation coefficients, a second transformation unit for transforming shape information indicating a shape of the multivalue image transformed by the first transformation unit with a second transformation method different from the first transformation method and for generating second transformation coefficients, and an encoding unit for encoding each of blocks configured by the first transformation coefficients and blocks configured by the second transformation coefficients using a common encoding method.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for compression of characters. Upon receipt of a plurality of characters, at least one test is performed on the characters to determine if an outline of the characters is capable of being approximated by a mathematical approximation. If the outline of the characters is capable of being approximated, the characters are approximated using the mathematical approximation.

Abstract: Image segments are not subjected to any residual error encoding when the coincidence of the encoding information of an image segment to be encoded with encoding information of a predicted image segment determined in the motion estimation is adequately great.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions. Said method, called intra-mode coding process, comprises, for each successive partition, the steps of translating the picture of the labels associated to the regions into a description in terms of a contour element chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each successive cell each contour from its initial contour point, previously extracted, to its end by storing chain symbols corresponding both to input, internal and output contour elements of said cell and to priorities between possible multiple outputs elements, and repeating these steps up to the end of each successive contour segment of the concerned partition.

Abstract: According to a method for compressing electronic handwriting, the handwriting is converted into digital data representing a sequence of points along a writing movement carried out by a writing tool. A given point is defined, for storage, relative to at least one previous point in the sequence. The given point is defined in a coordinate system, the orientation of which is dependent upon at least one previous point in the sequence.

Abstract: A method for supplementing a digital image with picture elements, by which prediction signals having small errors can be generated for a digital image in which objects move greatly through a process which does not cause a long delay time and does not need a large quantity of calculation. In the method, the image is divided into areas. The insignificant sampled values of the areas containing the boundary of the shape of an object are transformed with a function of significant picture element values near insignificant picture element values and used to supplement the digital image. A digital image encoder and a digital image decoder both using the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a coding method and a coding apparatus for efficiently coding both a pixel value signal and a shape signal which are included in an image signal to be coded, wherein a prediction changing unit outputs a reference pixel value changing signal and a reference shape signal to a switching circuit which selects a reference pixel value signal and to a switching circuit which selects a reference shape signal, respectively, so as to control the switching circuit in a way that appropriate reference signals are to be selected.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a way of compressing an initial data structure that defines an image as an array of pixel elements. The method includes generating a new data structure that defines contours at least some of which are contours having a constant color value to within a tolerance.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a coding method and a coding apparatus for efficiently coding both a pixel value signal and a shape signal which are included in an image signal to be coded, wherein a prediction changing unit outputs a reference pixel value changing signal and a reference shape signal to a switching circuit which selects a reference pixel value signal and to a switching circuit which selects a reference shape signal, respectively, so as to control the switching circuit in a way that appropriate reference signals are to be selected.

Abstract: An emboldened font is simulated from a regular font by moving the outline that describes the font along a vector normal to the direction of the outline a predetermined distance. A new emboldened location is calculated for each control point that defines the font outline. The new location for each control point is determined by calculating a vector perpendicular to the outline at the location of the control point. The control point is then moved a predetermined distance along the perpendicular vector. The predetermined distance controls how much emboldening is applied to the font. The greater the predetermined distance, the more emboldened the font will appear. By moving all of the control points that define a font outline a predetermined distance along a vector perpendicular to the outline, a new outline is created that defines the emboldened version of the font.

Abstract: A vector block information indicating a plurality of line segment rows is read out from a block map. Each line segment row divides an area of a block from an area of a road in an image drawing region. Each point at which one end of a line segment row contacts with a boundary line of the image drawing region is set as a boundary point. In this case, a road crossing the boundary line of the image drawing region is indicated by a pair of line segment rows having a pair of boundary points close to each other. To determine an area of the road, the pair of boundary points are connected with each other through a connecting line segment. Therefore, a road area in the image drawing region can be automatically extracted from the block map.

Abstract: A system and method for dramatically reducing the number of vertices defining a polygon on a grid, without significantly changing its effective enclosed area is disclosed. A smoothing process is executed on any general purpose computer system to operate on one or more representations of one or more curves. Each of the curves has a set of a plurality of vertices. The smoothing process first selects a first vertex, a third vertex, and a second middle vertex, the first, second, and third vertices being sequential but not necessarily consecutive on the curve. Then the smoothing process determines the area of a triangle formed by the first, second, and third vertices. This triangular area is compared to a threshold area. If the area is less than the threshold, new vertices are selected along the curve and the process is repeated. However if the area of the triangle is greater than or equal to the threshold, the second (middle) vertex is marked as an important vertex before a new set of vertices is selected.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus for image processing. The apparatus includes a candidate edge chain identifier for identifying candidate edge chains in an image being processed, means for calculating a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed, and a threshold applicator for applying the dynamic chain-based threshold function to the candidate edge chains. The characteristic of the image being processed may be global in that it is determined from the overall image being processed. A system may include an encoder or a decoder, both of which include the above apparatus. Another embodiment relates to a method for image processing. The method determines a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed and applies the dynamic threshold to a candidate edge chain.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus for image processing. The apparatus includes a candidate edge chain identifier for identifying candidate edge chains in an image being processed, means for calculating a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed, and a threshold applicator for applying the dynamic chain-based threshold function to the candidate edge chains. The characteristic of the image being processed may be local in that it is calculated from the vicinity of each candidate chain. A system may include an encoder or a decoder, both of which include the above apparatus. Another embodiment relates to a method for image processing. The method determines a dynamic chain-based threshold function that is dependent on at least one characteristic of the image being processed and applies the dynamic threshold to a candidate edge chain.

Abstract: A method infers a target path in a target system from a cue path. The method learns a target state machine, target probability density functions and an occupancy matrix of the state machine from training target paths. Cue probability density functions are learned from a training cue path and the target occupancy matrix. A cue path is analyzed using the cue probability density functions and the target state machine to produce hidden states of the cue path. The target path is synthesized from the hidden states of the cue path and the target probability density functions.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for locating objects within a content stream, by transforming prospective objects and evaluating the results to identify meaningful semantic values. Transformation is accomplished using various contour transformations, possibly in combination with other tools and techniques. The semantic values produced by contour transformation can be efficiently searched and classified against a dictionary of archetypes to identify objects and object features in the content stream. Contour transformations may be scale-invariant and/or rotationally invariant or otherwise symmetric, so that distinctions between content objects based on their scale or orientation are avoided.

Abstract: One embodiment comprises a method for image processing. The method includes identifying an uncovered region in an image, determining at least one trivalent point, and extrapolating from the trivalent point to extend an edge of at least one of the image segments into the uncovered region. Another embodiment comprises an apparatus for image processing. The apparatus includes a predictor for predicting higher-frequency boundary information in newly uncovered regions. Another embodiment comprises a system for efficiently communicating video information. The system includes an encoder that encodes a video frame into an encoded frame, and a decoder that receives and decodes the encoded frame, wherein the encoder and decoder are both configured to identify uncovered regions and to extend edges from neighboring image segments into the uncovered region.

Abstract: A method determines a surface of an object in a sequence of images. The method begins by estimating a boundary of the object in each image of the sequence using motion information of adjacent images of the sequence. Then, portions of each image of the sequence are ordered to produce an ordered sequence of images. The ordered portions are exterior to the estimated object boundary. Edges in each ordered image are filtered using the motion information, and each ordered image of the sequence is searched to locate the filtered edges to form a new boundary outside the estimated boundary. The filtering and searching are repeated, while projecting the new object boundaries over the sequence of images, until the new object boundaries converges to a surface of the object.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for converting a raster image comprising a plurality of pixels into a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in the raster image.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for defining non-axial line surfaces in border string sequences representing a raster image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing thinning, or skeletonization, of binary images or figures are provided. More particularly, a method is implemented in a system for encoding a figure using a mid-crack boundary representation to identify the boundary contour of the figure. Then, the boundary contour of the figure is traversed while the boundary is selectively displaced inward. The boundary contour is also concurrently re-encoded based on the selectively displaced boundary.

Abstract: An image processing method for processing a grayscale image, by which grayscale images of color or monochrome photographs characters and so on are processed by being converted into digital signals, and by which the data amount of image signals are compressed and grayscale images are restored from the compressed signal data.

Abstract: Encoding/decoding apparatus includes an encoding device having a picture memory for storing input picture data and having a search range determining unit for determining a range of a picture to be iteratively coded. A coded bit stream is generated from the picture data that is iterative coded within the determined range. A decoding device has a picture memory for storing picture data obtained from the coded bit stream received from the encoding device. The decoding device also has maximum allowable memory capacity determining unit for calculating maximum decodable capacity of the picture memory to carry out iterated function decoding on the coded bit stream and to output the decoded data as decoded picture data. The encoding/decoding apparatus provides high coding efficiency by using small memory capacity and a picture of high quality.

Abstract: A method for inserting coded information into an image comprising the steps of analyzing the image, identifying the edge regions within the image, determining the strength of the edge region, and producing an edge function which is dependent on the strength of the edge. The edge function is added to the image in order to represent coded information.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus and method characterized by inputting successive image data, detecting a change in the image data, generating initial contour information for extracting an object present in the image data in accordance with the detection result, and extracting object image data corresponding to the object on the basis of the generated initial contour information.

Abstract: The invention of the present application relates to an image coding method comprising a step of extracting a feature signal expressing a feature of an input image signal, such as density, contour and edge, a coding step for performing different image coding processes depending on each one of feature information of extracted feature signals, and a step of coding an identification signal for identifying each one of said plural coding processes, its decoding method, and an image coding and decoding apparatus using such method, and therefore if the input image signal has a sharp density change before after the shape boundary as in computer graphics, if there are uniform density and discrete density in every region, an efficient coding step is selected adaptively, so that an efficient coding is achieved, while a correct decoding is realized.

Abstract: In a method for image encoding of a digitalized image, in a method for image decoding of a digitalized image, and in an arrangement for the implementation of the methods, both in motion estimating as well as in motion compensation, a padding is implemented only for picture elements of an object edge image block that are located within an image object. No padding is implemented for other picture elements located outside the image object.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a coding method and a coding apparatus for efficiently coding both a pixel value signal and a shape signal which are included in an image signal to be coded, wherein a prediction changing unit outputs a reference pixel value changing signal and a reference shape signal to a switching circuit which selects a reference pixel value signal and to a switching circuit which selects a reference shape signal, respectively, so as to control the switching circuit in a way that appropriate reference signals are to be selected.