Abstract: A series of image data sets of a region of an organism is acquired while the acquired region of the organism moves dependent on breathing and heartbeat, and supplied to a processor. The processor determines a first contour that moves depending on the breathing in the acquired image data sets. The acquired image data sets are distorted elastically in the processor into singly distorted image data sets such that the first contours of the singly distorted image data sets spatially correspond with one another. A second contour is determined in the processor in the acquired image data sets or in the singly distorted image data sets, this second contour moves depending on the heartbeat. The singly distorted image data sets are distorted elastically into doubly distorted image data sets such that the second contours of the doubly distorted image data sets spatially correspond with one another.

Abstract: Various embodiments create a source image from a web page and then process the source image effective to remove left and/or right border areas so that a reduced-size web page image created from the source image has a better chance of capturing relevant content for a viewer. In at least some embodiments, image processing techniques are utilized to identify repeating patterns of pixels along left and/or right border areas of a source image. The image processing techniques can process individual rows of pixels looking for patterns of pixel color values. Identified patterns of pixel color values are noted and then subsequently used to remove regions of the source image in which repeating patterns occur. Having removed these regions from a source image, the source image can be reduced in a manner directed to improving information density contained in a reduced-size web page image created from the source image.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing at least one digital photographic image is presented, the system and method comprising at least one capturing device and at least one receiving device disposed in a communicative relation with one another via at least one wireless network. In particular, the capturing device is structured to capture the at least one digital photographic image via, for example, a capture assembly, whereas the receiving device is cooperatively structured to receive the digital photographic image via, for example, the at least one wireless network. In addition, the capturing device(s) and receiving device(s) may be disposed in a selectively paired relationship via one or more common pre-defined pairing criteria. Further, the at least one digital photographic image may be filtered via at least one pre-defined transfer criteria disposed on the capturing device and/or receiving device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying candidates for trapping in a frame buffer by correlating display list object information stored in an object-ID plane with pixel data in the frame buffer. In some embodiments, the display list of objects may be generated from the PDL description of a document. In some embodiments, object boundaries may be computed by assigning unique identifiers to objects in the object-ID plane and using morphological techniques to identify object boundaries. Object boundary information may then be utilized to perform trapping on pixels in the frame buffer. The methods described may be performed on a computer and/or a printing device and implemented using one or more of combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a dynamic re-configuration with a DFE imager and caching modules to optimize RIP performance by analyzing pages within the job that collect page with job heuristics and statistics. Enabling the functionality to assess the information, thereby re-configuring a digital printer's imager and caching module dynamically during the job RIP to achieve improved overall RIP performance. Accordingly, a system collects and assesses job statistics across multiple jobs to enable optimum performance over time.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a land planning tool that maybe used to perform a variety of land planning tasks. The land planning tool may interpret global information systems (GIS) electronic data in conjunction with user-specified constraints to analyze and display a development site, visually indicating developable areas. The user may then use a pen-based device to sketch outlines of land planning objects. As the user sketches, the land planning tool may generate vector geometry stored in an electronic database for use by a variety of computer aided design tools.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: a thinning process unit which extracts a core line by applying a thinning process; a line width estimation unit which estimates an original line width of each pixel of the core line; a core line division unit which divides the core line; a monospaced line determination unit which determines, based on line width information, whether or not each of core lines divided by the core line division unit is a monospaced line; a connection relation information generation unit which generates connection relation information with another core line in association with each of the core lines; and a core line modification unit which modifies the core lines, based on pieces of line width information of core line pixels, a monospaced line determination result, and pieces of connection relation information generated.

Abstract: A method for resizing an input digital image having input pixel values to produce an output digital image having output pixel values, wherein the output digital image has a lower resolution and wherein single pixel width details in the input digital image are preserved, the method being performed by a processor and comprising: determining an output pixel value for the output digital image by interpolating within a corresponding neighborhood of image pixels in the input digital image; detecting whether the input digital image contains a fine detail within the corresponding neighborhood of image pixels; adjusting the output pixel value when a fine detail is detected; and repeating steps a)-c) for a plurality of output pixels.

Abstract: A system and method for recognizing and labeling anatomical structures in an image includes creating a list of objects such that one or more objects on the list appear before a target object and setting the image as a context for a first object on the list. The first object is detected and labeled by subtracting a background of the image. A local context is set for a next object on the list using the first object. The next object is detected and labeled by registration using the local context. Setting a local context and detecting and labeling the next object are repeated until the target object is detected and labeled. Labeling of the target object is refined using region growing.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting objects and background in digital images using range information includes receiving the digital image representing a scene; identifying range information associated with the digital image and including distances of pixels in the scene from a known reference location; generating a cluster map based at least upon an analysis of the range information and the digital image, the cluster map grouping pixels of the digital image by their distances from a viewpoint; identifying objects in the digital image based at least upon an analysis of the cluster map and the digital image; and storing an indication of the identified objects in a processor-accessible memory system.

Abstract: An image cropping process of a multifunction peripheral is provided. Firstly, a top edge endpoint of an object image is searched from a band image of an original image. Then, each band image of the original image is read to search the object endpoint coordinate of a to-be-printed object image zone. The object image zone is outputted to be printed. The image cropping process further provides a strategy for detecting spots in order to enhance the accuracy of searching the object image.

Abstract: A technique for segmenting a ribcage, e.g., in a chest radiograph, may involve determining whether or not the top of the image cuts through the lungs. The process may then proceed to segment the top and the sides of the ribcage. A dynamic programming technique may be used to perform the segmentation.

Abstract: Adaptive video zoom is provided by a method of providing a video content item for viewing by one or more viewers. The method includes identifying one or more objects within the video content item. The method further includes, for each identified object, assigning a searchable descriptor for the object, creating a time stamp indicating one or more time periods within the video content item during which the object occurs, and creating a bounding window defining a region of the video content item within which the object occurs. The searchable descriptor, time stamp, and bounding window are then packaged into metadata associated with the video content item. The method further includes delivering the video content item and the metadata associated with the video content item to a client computing device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a subject region detection unit detecting regions of subjects included in an input image; a cropped region setting unit setting a region including all of the regions of the detected subjects as a cropped region; an expansion region addition unit adding an expansion region to expand an end of the cropped region only by a predetermined width; a cutting unit cutting a cut image formed from a cut region including the cropped region and the expansion region from the input image; a subject adaptation size change unit changing a size of an image formed from the cut region by deleting a region where an influence on the subjects is small in the cut image; and an entire image size changing unit changing the size of the entire image changed in size by the subject adaptation size change unit at a predetermined ratio.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for removing artifacts from a digitized document.

Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of extracting edges from each of a plurality of original images, thereby obtaining edge images; extracting straight lines from the edge images, thereby obtaining line images; assuming extensions of the straight lines constituting the line images and setting vanishing points on the basis of the extensions; and trimming the plurality of original images so that positions of the vanishing points in the respective original images mutually match, thereby obtaining final images.

Abstract: By sequentially scanning pixel lines of an image signal that has been received as input linear interpolation application regions, which are regions in which gray-level changes are to be smoothed, are detected for each line of the input signal, and the detected linear interpolation application regions are then subjected to an gray-level extension process. The regions that have been subjected to the gray-level extension process are further subjected to a process of limiting, to within prescribed values, gray-level changes in a second direction that differs from the direction in which the linear interpolation application region detection process was carried out.

Abstract: A system creates three-dimensional computer models of physical objects by displaying illumination patterns on a display device to incidentally illuminate a physical object. A video camera acquires images of the object illuminated by the patterns. The patterns can include motion and multiple colors for acquiring images with large variations in surface shading of the object. Shading values from acquired images of the object are analyzed to determine the orientations of points on the object's surface. The system evaluates the quality of acquired images and selects patterns tailored to specific attributes of objects. The points' orientations are determined by comparing the points' shading values with an illumination model or shading values acquired from a calibration shading object. A model surface is fitted to the points' orientations. Applications may utilize the model for any purpose, including creating and exchanging customized virtual objects, enhanced object tracking, and videoconferencing applications.

Abstract: The boundaries of a scanned digital document are determined by identifying the largest connected component in the received digital document and assigning the boundaries of the largest connected component as the boundaries of the received digital document or by using a row by row and column by column analysis of the received digital document to identify horizontal and vertical bands in the digital image having pixels with a value opposite to the value of pixels of a background of the received digital document and assigning the horizontal and vertical bands to be the boundaries of the received digital document. These processes may be performed in series or parallel by a processor associated with a scanner that creates the digital document.

Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of extracting edges from each of a plurality of original images, thereby obtaining edge images; extracting straight lines from the edge images, thereby obtaining line images; assuming extensions of the straight lines constituting the line images and setting vanishing points on the basis of the extensions; and trimming the plurality of original images so that positions of the vanishing points in the respective original images mutually match, thereby obtaining final images.

Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent a problem that an image on a document sheet is erased due to misdetection of a line-shaped noise. A copy machine 1 compares RGB values of a target pixel with averaged RGB values (Step S103). If only one of the RGB values has a difference that is greater than a prescribed value Ref2 (Step S103: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to a line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in a line-shaped noise address storing area 49b. If two of the RGB values have differences (Step S103: NO, Step S104: YES) and a difference between these two of the RGB values is no greater than a prescribed value Ref3 (Step S105: YES), the copy machine 1 extracts the target pixel as a line-shaped noise pixel, and moves to the line-shaped noise correction (Step S108) while holding the address of the target pixel in the line-shaped noise address storing area 49b.

Abstract: Embodiments of an image processing system and methods for aligning features suitable for use in early skin-cancer detection systems are described herein. Corresponding skin features between a reference image and a later-captured image are precisely aligned. Curvatures are used to align body outlines of corresponding images using body-background masks. An initial-displacement flowfield map, generated from the aligned body outlines, may be applied to a filtered version of the later-captured image to generate a pre-warped image. The pre-warped image and a filtered version of the reference image are divided into a plurality of overlapping chips and a correlation is performed between corresponding chips. A transformation map may be generated based on the chip correlations.

Abstract: A method up-samples images in a reduced resolution video, wherein each image I(x, y) stores depths d at pixel locations (x, y). each depth image is scaled up to produce a corresponding up-scaled image. Then, image dilation, a median filter, image erosion, and a min-max filter are applied in order to produce a corresponding up-sampled image.

Abstract: Representing high-resolution media content in a lower resolution system is disclosed. For a first portion of a high-resolution media content which is associated with a content boundary that does not align with an interval boundary of the lower resolution system, a new media content file that includes at least said first portion of the high-resolution media content is created. The new media content file and a second file comprising at least a second portion of the original media content file, which second portion begins at a first interval boundary and ends at a second interval boundary of the lower resolution system, are provided to the lower resolution system.

Abstract: Object detection in an image using an image processing approach in which the image is updated based on an energy function. In one aspect, the exemplary image update process attempts to homogenize each region by associating each pixel with a particular region such that the total level of energy for the image based on the pixel located in that region is minimized with respect to the energy function. For example, the method of object detection in an image having a plurality of pixels by image segmentation includes dividing the image into a plurality of regions; assigning each pixel to one of the plurality of regions based on a characteristic; performing an energy reduction on the image based on a region reassignment of at least one pixel; and producing an output image based on the energy reduction.

Abstract: Digital blurring of an image is carried out by blurring using a linear or piecewise continuous blurring function. The blurring function blurs a rectangular portion of an image so that the blurring can be embodied by vertical blurring followed by halls on pull blow. Blurring is done by getting on portion of the line of pixels, adding and dividing by the number of pixels. All the columns are blurred, followed by all of the rows being blurred. The columns and rows can be blurred at the same time to maximize the number of cache hits.

Abstract: A system to collect and analyze medical image data is applicable for multi-modality medical imaging systems, such as x-ray, MRI, and the like. Medical image data is collected and analyzed to determine one or more regions of interest. A selected region of interest is further analyzed to determine morphological characteristics. A feature library, which may be in the form of a data base, is used to analyze the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis to determine the degree to which the region of interest matches selected morphological characteristics, such as shape or margin. The resultant data is used to generate a map indicating a continuum over which the region of interest matches the morphological characteristics. A display receives the map data and applies it to the video image to thereby provide the user with a visualization of the degree to which the region of interest matches the morphological characteristics.

Abstract: Representing high-resolution media content in a lower resolution system is disclosed. For a first portion of a high-resolution media content which is associated with a content boundary that does not align with an interval boundary of the lower resolution system, a new media content file that includes at least said first portion of the high-resolution media content is created. The new media content file and a second file comprising at least a second portion of the original media content file, which second portion begins at a first interval boundary and ends at a second interval boundary of the lower resolution system, are provided to the lower resolution system.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating three-dimensional models from two-dimensional images are provided. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method of creating a polygon-based three-dimensional (3D) model from a two-dimensional (2D) pixel-based image involves creating an inflatable polygon-based 3D image and extruding the inflatable polygon-based 3D image. The inflatable polygon-based 3D image is created based on a 2D pixel-based input image by representing pixels making up the 2D pixel-based input image as polygons. The inflatable polygon-based 3D image is extruded by generating z-coordinate values for reference points associated with the polygons based upon a biased diffusion process.

Abstract: A micro light interface assembly for a microscopic machine vision inspection system includes a micro light assembly. The micro light assembly provides addressable light emitting elements arranged around the periphery of an aperture having an aperture dimension DAPMIN that is smaller than a barrel dimension DBAR of the inspection system objective lens. The aperture may be located along the optical axis and within the working distance of the objective lens such that the light emitting elements are closely arranged around a field of view. The micro light interface assembly may be held and operated through a connection element that may be used for the interchanging the micro light interface assembly with a touch probe, in some embodiments.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an extraction unit, a counting unit and an information embedding unit. The extraction unit extracts a circumscribed figure of a pixel block in an image. The counting unit counts contact portions between the circumscribed figure extracted by the extraction unit and the pixel block. The information embedding unit embeds information to be embedded by adjusting a number of the contact portions between the pixel block and the circumscribed figure extracted by the extraction unit based on the number of contact portions counted by the counting unit and the information to be embedded.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention utilize a variational framework for computing curve skeletons (CS) of objects whose cross section is not necessary tubular. Embodiments utilize an energy function, which is proportional to some medialness function, such that the minimum cost path between any two medial voxels in the shape is a curve skeleton. Different medialness functions include the Euclidean distance field and a modified version of the magnitude of the gradient vector flow (GVF), which results in two different energy functions. The first energy function controls the identification of the topological nodes of the shape from which curve skeletons start, while the second one controls the extraction of the curve skeletons. Preferred embodiments are completely automated since all parameters are analytically estimated.

Abstract: When a user instructs photographing by operating an operating unit, an image captured by an image sensor is stored as a photographed image in a memory. When a mode for performing color fading correction is set, the CPU instructs an image processing device to extract, from the photographed image, areas in which there are photographic print images which are supposed to bring about color fading. The image processing device generates a binary image by detecting edges of the photographed image, erases edges contacting an outermost edge of the photographed image, and extracts the areas based on the binary image from which some of the edges are erased.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating three-dimensional models from two-dimensional images are provided. According to one embodiment, a method of creating an inflatable icon involves a vectorizing module polygonizing an input image to produce an inflatable image by representing a set of pixels making up the input image as polygons. The inflatable image is then extruded by an extrusion module by generating appropriate z-coordinate values for a reference point associated with each polygon of the inflatable image based upon a biased diffusion process. End-user controlled pressure modulation is supported by an interface module by (i) adjusting one or more modulation functions employed by the biased diffusion process based upon end-user input regarding relative modulation bias for a selected set of one or more pixels associated with the inflatable image or (ii) applying the biased diffusion process to only the selected set of one or more pixels.

Abstract: A system and method for improving both coding efficiency and decoding accuracy in scalable video coding involving discardable lower layer adaptations, where applications can omit transmission of unused data for inter-layer prediction for all layers below an operation point of receivers. Indicator flags are utilized to avoid transmitting syntax elements that must be set to fixed values. In addition, padding algorithms or additional encoding constraints are applied to the encoding process.

Abstract: A method for generating an image includes accessing data of a scan of an object, using at least one characteristic of the accessed data to delineate at least one item of interest in the data and generating a 3D visualization image wherein transparency levels for at least some pixels not representing the item of interest are set according to a first set of rules, and transparency levels for at least some pixels representing an interior portion of the item of interest are set according to a second set of rules different than the first set of rules, and at least some pixels representative of a transition area are set according to a third set of rules different than the first and second sets of rules.

Abstract: Edges are detected in a raster image and generate parametric curves from the detected edges. The parametric curves are used to render a scaled version of the raster image. Some embodiments may allow edge locations within a raster image to retain a satisfactory level of sharpness when the raster image is scaled to a larger size.

Abstract: In image processing, parallel and synchronous pixel processing elements have a pixel value register, a neighbor value register, and a processor receiving adjacent pixel and neighbor values for four adjacent pixels. In a series of iterations, the neighbor value register is updated with—in one mode—the maximum and—in another mode—the minimum of: the current value; the pixel value from any adjacent pixel whose pixel value is different from the current pixel value and the neighbor value from an adjacent pixel whose pixel value is the same as the current pixel value. The pixel value is then replaced by the minimum or maximum (depending on the mode) of the current pixel and neighbor values. The modes may alternate with the number of iterations in each series remaining constant or growing.

Abstract: According to the image processing apparatus, method and program of the present invention, images to be used can be automatically selected from inputted images for the number of images designated by a user. Moreover, a user can easily manually add an image to be used so that the number of images to be used is equal to or less than the number previously designated by the user.

Abstract: A display apparatus and a displaying method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes image quality improvement unit which performs image quality improvement with respect to video signals, a display unit which displays general video signals and video signals of which image quality is improved by the image quality improvement unit, and a control unit which controls the display unit to move a boundary between a first area on which the general video signals are displayed and a second area on which the video signals of improved image quality are displayed in a specific pattern. Accordingly, the boundary between the first area to which image quality improvement is not applied and the second area to which image quality improvement is applied is movable so that the display apparatus can stimulate the customer's buying interests.

Abstract: A fisheye correction with perspective distortion reduction method used for saving memory space and reducing perspective distortion includes a coordinate transformation function, a fisheye distorted image and a fisheye corrected image, the fisheye corrected image includes a plurality of pixels, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, orderly calculating a coordinate value in the fisheye distorted image, and according to the coordinate value, calculating a pixel value of the fisheye corrected image via an interpolation method, wherein the coordinate transformation function includes a fisheye correction coordinate transformation, a perspective distortion reduction coordinate transformation and an image crop and scale coordinate transformation.

Abstract: A part object which forms a model object is disposed by receiving a disposition direction for the part object and updating slot state data indicating a disposition state of the part object in a part slot provided corresponding to each part object. When another part object has been disposed in the part slot corresponding to the part object for which the disposition direction has been issued, whether or not to update the slot state data of the part slot is determined based on priority information which determines disposition priority of each part object, and the slot state data is updated based on the determination result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating the boundary of an object. An electronic image of the object is formed, having a plurality of image pixels. Groups of the image pixels are identified that represent edge segments of the object. Patches are formed around the image pixel groups, where each patch is dimensioned and positioned to entirely contain one of the image pixel groups. A patch merge process is preformed that merges any two of the patches together that overlap each other by a predetermined amount, to form a merged patch that is dimensioned and positioned to entirely contain the two merged patches. The merge process continues for any overlapping patches and merged patches until none of the patches and the merged patches overlap each other by the predetermined amount. All the edge segments contained within one of the merged patches are associated as representing the boundary of the object.

Abstract: An image monitoring system uses wireless communications to transmit images for security monitoring. The system includes a central controller (105) and a plurality of digital still camera units (110) operatively connected to the central controller (105). At least one of the camera units (110) includes an image sensor (215), a motion detector (220) that causes the image sensor (215) to receive image data when motion is detected, a micro controller (205), and a first nonvolatile memory operatively connected to or included in the micro controller (205). The micro controller (205) determines whether received image data should be transmitted to the central controller (105), and the central controller (105) determines whether received image data should be transmitted to a monitoring station (115). The camera units (110) may further be used as standalone units as replacements for motion detectors in existing security systems.

Abstract: An ultrasonic image processing apparatus allowing an ultrasonic image of an inspection object to be displayed using echo data in a three-dimensional region constructs a three-dimensional image based on the echo data by an image construction section. An image operation input section performs an operation for changing the display state of the constructed three-dimensional image. Also, an image display state changing section changes the display state of the three-dimensional image that has been constructed based on input information inputted by the image operation input section.

Abstract: A noise removal circuit in an image signal includes a boundary determination unit configured to determine a position of a light-dark boundary on the basis of, or as a function of, a pixel value of a plurality of surrounding pixels, and a selection filter configured to perform filtering in a range of the plurality of surrounding pixels which belong to a range which does not cross a boundary determined by the boundary determination unit.

Abstract: A method for contour reduction in a digital picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering a plurality of luma samples in a current line of the digital picture, each of the luma samples having a respective input value, (B) calculating a plurality of horizontal sum-of-signs along the current line, wherein each of the horizontal sum-of-signs comprises a sum of a plurality of amplitude differences between pairs the luma samples from the current line and (C) generating a plurality of output value based on the horizontal sum-of-signs, one of the output values for each one of the luma samples.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in a borderless printing mode, a printing region is determined from an original image, a region expanded outward is determined for borderless printing based on the determined region. When the thus determined region exceeds the region of the original image, an image in the surplus portion is extrapolated based on an image at end portions of the original image, and printing data is formed based on the extrapolated image and image data of the expanded region.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an area setting unit, an image deformation unit, and a face deformation unit. The area setting unit sets, in a target image that includes a face image, an area including the face image as a compression area. The image deformation unit compresses the compression area in a specific direction at a predetermined compression rate. The face deformation unit deforms the face image by expansion amount determined on the basis of the compression rate in such a manner that at least a part of the face image is expanded in the specific direction.

Abstract: A method of processing an image to form an image pyramid having multiple image levels includes receiving a base level image comprising pixel values at pixel locations arranged in rows and columns; determining sample locations for a next level image in the pyramid such that the sample locations are arranged in a regular pattern and the sample locations exceed the range of the pixel locations of the base level image; determining the pixel values of the next level image by interpolating the pixel values of the base level image using an interpolation filter at the sample locations; and treating the next level image as the base level image and repeating steps of determining sample locations and pixel values until a predetermined number of pyramid image levels are generated, or until a predetermined condition is met.