Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus is provided. The image processing method includes steps of: generating a first scale binary image from an image, wherein the first scale is smaller than the original scale of the image; detecting at least one text line in the image based on the first scale binary image; generating a second scale binary image from the image, wherein the second scale is larger than the first scale; for each text line, calculating a similarity between corresponding sections in the first scale binary image and the second scale binary image, and removing the text line for which the similarity is lower than a predetermined level; for one or more of the remaining text line(s), performing OCR on corresponding section(s) in the second scale binary image to determine character orientation(s) of corresponding text line(s); and determining the orientation of the image according to the determined character orientation(s).

Abstract: An image decoder includes a base layer to decode at least a portion of an encoded video stream into a first image having a first image format. The image decoder can generate a color space prediction by scaling a color space of the first image from the first image format into a color space corresponding to a second image format. The image decoder includes an enhancement layer to decode the encoded video stream to generate a second image in the second image format based, at least in part, on the color space prediction.

Abstract: Architecture that enables optical character recognition (OCR) of text in video frames at the rate at which the frames are received. Additionally, conflation is performed on multiple text recognition results in the frame sequence. The architecture comprises an OCR text recognition engine and a tracker system; the tracker system establishes a common coordinate system in which OCR results from different frames may be compared and/or combined. From a set of sequential video frames, a keyframe is chosen from which the reference coordinate system is established. An estimated transformation from keyframe coordinates to subsequent video frames is computed using the tracker system. When text recognition is completed for any subsequent frame, the result coordinates can be related to the keyframe using the inverse transformation from the processed frame to the reference keyframe. The results can be rendered for viewing as the results are obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for communicating content includes an image capturing module that captures a rendering of at least a portion of a first still image. The first still image includes a shot from a sequence of images of a video. The first still image includes an embedded cryptographic representation of a code. The code corresponds to the sequence of still images comprising the video. The apparatus includes a decoding module that decodes the embedded cryptographic representation of the code to identify the code, a content retrieval module that retrieves the sequence of still images of the video corresponding to the code, and a display module that displays the sequence of still images of the video. A first displayed shot of the video includes the first still image and a remainder of the video includes a remaining series of images from the sequence of images of the video displayed in chronological order.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pipe inspection system includes a push-cable, a sonde coupled to the push-cable, a locator configured to receive signals from the sonde and generate positional information associated with the pipe based at least in part on the received sonde signals, a processing element configured to generate mapping information from the position information, and a non-transitory memory for storing the generated mapping information.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for automatic upright adjustment of digital images. An automatic upright adjustment technique is described that may provide an automated approach for straightening up slanted features in an input image to improve its perceptual quality. This correction may be referred to as upright adjustment. A set of criteria based on human perception may be used in the upright adjustment. A reprojection technique that implements an optimization framework is described that yields an optimal homography for adjustment based on the criteria and adjusts the image according to new camera parameters generated by the optimization. An optimization-based camera calibration technique is described that simultaneously estimates vanishing lines and points as well as camera parameters for an image; the calibration technique may, for example, be used to generate estimates of camera parameters and vanishing points and lines that are input to the reprojection technique.

Abstract: An image processing device may include a control unit. The control unit may be operable, in a first mode, to control display on a display screen of a representative image of a group of images and, in a second mode, to control display on the display screen of an image of the group of images corresponding to a posture of the device. In addition, the control unit may be operable to switch between operation in the first mode and the second mode.

Abstract: Biometric matching technology, in which a watch list is managed, multiple images of a potential suspect are accessed, and parallel pre-processing of the multiple images is controlled. Based on the pre-processing, an image of the potential suspect to use in matching against the watch list is determined and the determined image is used to search sorted biometric data included in the watch list. A subset of persons from the watch list is identified based on the search and parallel analysis of the determined image of the potential suspect against detailed biometric data associated with the subset of persons in the watch list is controlled. Based on the parallel analysis, it is determined whether the potential suspect matches a person in the watch list and a result is outputted based on the determination.

Abstract: A system helps filter and correct video captured and streamed from a mobile device. In particular, the system detects and streams content shown on screens, allowing anyone to stream screen content immediately without needing to develop hooks into external software (i.e. without installing a screen recorder software in the computer). The system can use a variety of user-selectable techniques to detect the screen, and utilizes the mobile device's touchscreen to allow users to manually override detected corners. However, some of these approaches could potentially be applied to other types of content, such as identifying TV screens, appliance LCD screens, other mobile devices' screens, multifunction devices. (e.g. a remote technician could help troubleshoot a malfunctioning MFD by having the end-user point his cellphone to the LCD screen of the MFD).

Abstract: Laser scanning microscope and its operating method in which at least two first and second light distributions activated independently of each other and that can move in at least one direction illuminate a sample with the help of a beam-combining element, and the light is detected by the sample as it comes in, characterized by the fact that the scanning fields created by the light distributions on the sample are made to overlap mutually such that a reference pattern is created on the sample with one of the light distributions, which is then captured and used to create the overlap with the help of the second light distribution (correction values are determined) and/or a reference pattern arranged in the sample plane or in an intermediate image plane is captured by both scanning fields and used to create the overlap (correction values are determined) and/or structural characteristics of the sample are captured by the two scanning fields as reference pattern and used to create the overlap in which correction valu

Abstract: An image evaluation device includes: a partial area extracting section extracting plural partial areas from an original image; an extracted image generating section generating an extracted image corresponding to each of the partial areas and having pixels whose pixel values correspond to a gradient of pixel values in the image; an autocorrelation calculating section calculating plural autocorrelation coefficients for each extracted images; a representative coefficient value calculating section calculating a representative coefficient value for each of the autocorrelation coefficients among the partial areas; and a checking section checking the quality of the image based on a distribution of the representative coefficient values.

Abstract: An image processing system in which the georeferencing of at least one digital image is achieved by means of at least one picture model of the said digital image and of a digital reference relief form. The digital image is obtained from a pair of digital images acquired in the same focal plane. An intermediate digital relief form is produced from said pair of digital images. The intermediate digital relief form and said digital reference relief form are processed to refine the said picture model of the said digital image to be georeferenced. A final digital relief form is generated and said final digital relief form and said digital image are projected in a geographical or cartographic system, for the purpose of their georeferencing. The pair of digital images in the same focal plane are acquired in a small stereoscopic base configuration by sensors located in the same focal plane.

Abstract: In a method for aligning a part of a product (moving object) with a reference object, triangle data of the moving object is acquired, and feature elements of the moving object is fitted according to the triangle data. Feature elements of the reference object which match the feature elements of the moving object are determined, and the moving object is moved from a position of a center point of the feature elements of the moving object to a position of a center point of the matched feature elements of the reference object. A moving-and-rotating matrix of the moving object is obtained according to Quasi-Newton methods, and the moving object and the reference object are aligned by moving and rotating the moving object according to the moving-and-rotating matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus for performing image processing of image data in which information specifying, on a first coordinate system, a position of a portion of interest in an image is recorded, including an image processing unit configured to perform rotation processing of the image data using a second coordinate system having an origin different from that of the first coordinate system, and a change unit configured to change the information specifying the position of the portion of interest in accordance with a rotation amount of the image data by the rotation processing such that an image of the portion of interest specified by the information specifying the position of the portion of interest after the rotation processing matches that before the rotation processing.

Abstract: An electronic device and method use a camera to capture an image of an environment outside the electronic device followed by identification of regions, based on pixel intensities in the image. At least one processor automatically computes multiple values of an indicator of skew in multiple regions in the image respectively. The multiple values are specific to the multiple regions, and thereafter used to determine whether unacceptable skew is present across the regions, e.g. globally in the image as a whole. When skew is determined to be unacceptable, user input is requested to correct the skew, e.g. by displaying on a screen, a symbol and receiving user input (e.g. by rotating an area of touch or rotating the electronic device) to align a direction of the symbol with a direction of the image, and then the process may repeat (e.g. capture image, detect skew, and if necessary request user input).

Abstract: A “Camera Calibrator” provides various techniques for recovering intrinsic camera parameters and distortion characteristics by processing a set of one or more input images. These techniques are based on extracting “Transform Invariant Low-Rank Textures” (TILT) from input images using high-dimensional convex optimization tools for matrix rank minimization and sparse signal recovery. The Camera Calibrator provides a simple, accurate, and flexible method to calibrate intrinsic parameters of a camera even with significant lens distortion, noise, errors, partial occlusions, illumination and viewpoint change, etc. Distortions caused by the camera can then be automatically corrected or removed from images. Calibration is achieved under a wide range of practical scenarios, including using multiple images of a known pattern, multiple images of an unknown pattern, single or multiple images of multiple patterns, etc.

Abstract: A method for image processing in which an area of a platen on which a document is placed is read and the platen image is processed includes extracting an object included in the platen image, detecting an area of the object and inclination of the area of the object with respect to the platen image, determining the minimum rectangular area which includes the area of the object, and is surrounded with four sides parallel to four sides of the platen image respectively, comparing an extent to which a pixel group constituting an edge of each area includes pixels constituting an edge of the platen image between the area of the object and the minimum rectangular area, and determining a minimum rectangular area as the area of the document if a pixel group includes a larger number of pixels based on the comparing or if the inclination is small.

Abstract: A biometric authentication apparatus includes an image shooting unit to capture a vessel image of a person to be authenticated and an authentication unit to verify verification vessel position information of the captured vessel image of the person to be authenticated against registered vessel position information of a registered vessel image registered in advance. When the verification vessel position information is not identical with the registered vessel position information, the authentication unit performs authentication using vessel size information of the registered vessel image registered in advance.

Abstract: The present embodiments disclose a method of and device for identifying the direction of characters in an image block. The method includes: performing optical character recognition processing on the image block by assuming various directions as assumed character directions to obtain sub image blocks, recognized characters corresponding to the sub image blocks and correctness measures thereof in each assumed character directions; in sub image blocks in the assumed character directions with 180° mutual relation, searching for a minimum matching pair of the sub image blocks; adjusting the sub image blocks in the searched minimum matching pair to eliminate the effect, on an identification result, of different numbers of sub image blocks in various assumed character directions; calculating an accumulative correctness measure in each assumed character directions based on the adjusted sub image blocks; and identifying the direction of characters in the image block according to the accumulative correctness measures.

Abstract: An image processing device including: a motion amount estimating unit estimating a first motion amount indicating a displacement amount of a second picture with respect to a first picture; an area setting unit setting an area to be used for post-processing for each of the first picture and a first corrected picture, using feature points extracted from the first picture and the second picture; a post-processing unit generating a first cutout picture from the first picture and a second cutout picture from the first corrected picture and estimating a second motion amount indicating a displacement amount of the second cutout picture with respect to the first cutout picture; and a motion amount obtaining unit obtaining a motion amount indicating a displacement amount between the first picture and the second picture, from the estimated first motion amount and the estimated second motion amount.

Abstract: A portion within an image in which a plurality of objects (21 and 22) overlap is partitioned into a plurality of small regions (31a and 32a), each of the units of identification information for the plurality of objects (21 and 22) is assigned to a dot corresponding to the plurality of small regions (31a and 32a), and thereby, identification-use layout information is generated, whereby even if a plurality of objects overlap upon a layout of a display image, upon the layout of the identification-use layout information that has been generated for identifying the plurality of objects, the identification information corresponding to each object does not overlap. As a result, it is possible to identify each object by the identification information acquired from the position of the cursor.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a conveying unit, reading unit, detecting unit, and control unit. The conveying unit conveys two sheets of the original one by one. The reading unit reads a sheet passing past a reading position. The detecting unit detects a sheet passing past a detection position upstream of the reading position in a conveying direction. The control unit controls the reading unit to start a reading process when a leading edge of sheet reaching a position upstream of the reading position by a first distance, controls the reading unit to stop the reading process when a trailing edge of sheet reaching a position downstream of the reading position by a second distance, determines an interspace between the trailing edge of sheet and a leading edge of a subsequently-conveyed sheet, and updates the first distance and the second distance based on the interspace.

Abstract: A new optical imaging process for how to best fuse information from multiple target images into a single target image is described. The process has two primary components. First, rotating, translating and scaling each target image to register or calibrate them against a reference image and, second, determining weighing factors for each thus registered target image to select those images which add value to a final target image. The first component determines optimal rotational and translation matrices by a least squares measure using singular value decomposition. The second component determines weighing factors using correlations and statistical signal analysis techniques.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and an information processing method including a deformation shape model generation unit configured to generate, from information about a first shape and a first position of a feature region in a target object under a first deformation condition, a deformation of the first shape with the position of the feature region as a reference as a model, and a deformation estimation unit configured to, based on information about a second shape and a second position corresponding to the feature region in the target object under the second deformation condition, align the first position with the second position to estimate deformation from the first shape to the second shape using the model.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing navigation in pathology stain images includes (a) downscaling the pathology stain images, (b) estimating rotation of the downscaled images, (c) aligning the downscaled images to generate aligned coordinates, and (d) transforming the aligned coordinates to original image coordinates in the pathology stain images to thereby generate alignment data. Also provided is a system for synchronized navigation in pathology stain images having original resolutions comprising a downscaler, a rotation estimator, an alignment module, and a coordinate transformer. The system may also include an image display system to display corresponding areas of the pathology stain images.

Abstract: A perimeter around a detected object in a frame of image data can be generated in a first coordinate system. The perimeter can be converted from the first coordinate system into a second coordinate system having the same aspect ratio as the first coordinate system. A first metadata entry can include dimensions of image data in the second coordinate system. A second metadata entry can provide a location and dimensions of the converted perimeter in the second coordinate space. Additional metadata can indicate matching objects between frames, position of an object relative to other objects in a frame, a probability that an object is correctly detected, and a total number of objects detected across multiple frames of image data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of detecting document orientation includes capturing a document image, binarizing each subimage of the document image to retain textual content and eliminate graphic and noise content from the document image, detecting portrait or landscape orientation based on values computed from strip-based projection profiles, and detecting up or down text orientation based on a text-asymmetry ratio computed from strip-based projection profiles.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method by which image data are prepared for performing image processing at high speed and while saving memory. Vector data are generated from data scanned by a scanning unit. In this process, a printing direction is determined from a content input from an operating unit or information on an outputting device. If the printing direction and the scanning direction differ, control of an order of the data is performed to prepare a document after rotation.

Abstract: A measure of frame-to-frame rotation is determined. Integral projection vector gradients are determined and normalized for a pair of images. Locations of primary maximum and minimum peaks of the integral projection vector gradients are determined. Based on normalized distances between the primary maximum and minimum peaks, a global image rotation is determined.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method may include receiving, over a network, an image from an image capture device, determining an image adjustment to the image, and communicating, over the network, the image adjustment to the image capture device.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing technique that can detect the rotation of an observation image of a specimen with high accuracy. An image processing apparatus according to the present invention indirectly corrects a rotation gap between measurement image data and reference image data through wide-angle image data including a measurement part of a specimen (FIG. 1).

Abstract: An information processing method includes acquiring an image of an object captured by an imaging apparatus, acquiring an angle of inclination measured by an inclination sensor mounted on the object or the imaging apparatus, detecting a straight line from the captured image, and calculating a position and orientation of the object or the imaging apparatus, on which the inclination sensor is mounted, based on the angle of inclination, an equation of the detected straight line on the captured image, and an equation of a straight line in a virtual three-dimensional space that corresponds to the detected straight line.

Abstract: A detection device of a planar area is provided. The detection device includes an image obtaining section for obtaining a left image and a right image; a planar area aligning section for setting given regions of interest to the obtained left image and the right image, and through use of a geometric transform function that matches the region of interest of the right image with the region of interest of the left image, performing geometric transform to generate a geometric transform image; and a planar area detecting section for detecting a planar area based on the geometric transform image and the region of interest of the right image. The planar area aligning section sets the planar area detected by the planar area detecting section as a given region of interest.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for detecting page boundaries which are capable of accurately detecting complete page boundaries and dealing with many kinds of complex conditions. The method comprises: an edge image detecting step for detecting an edge image from the book document image; a horizontal page boundary detecting step for detecting top page boundaries and bottom page boundaries on the edge image; a binding center line detecting step for detecting the binding center line by searching an intersection point of the left page and the right page on the top page boundaries and the bottom page boundaries; a page width determining step for determining the page width of the book document image; and a vertical page boundary determining step for determining the left page boundary and the right page boundary by using the top page boundaries, the bottom page boundaries, the binding center line and the page width.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a transporter transporting a document to a reading position, a first corrector correcting a skew of the document by coming into contact with a leading edge thereof, a radiating unit radiating light to the document, an image-information acquiring unit acquiring image information of the document based on information of light reflected therefrom, a reflector reflecting the radiated light, a leading-edge detector comparing a quantity of light reflected by the reflector with a quantity of light reflected by the document so as to detect the leading edge, a skew-amount calculator calculating a skew amount of the leading edge, and a second corrector correcting a skew of the image information based on the skew amount. The device switches between the skew correction by the first corrector and the skew correction by the second corrector based on document information, the skew amount, or user's selection.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve identifying text in an electronic document. An electronic document that includes an image object is received. In a first region of the image object, a first set of text characters having a first orientation are recognized. In a second region of the image object, a second set of text characters having a second orientation are recognized. The electronic document is modified to include a first text object identifying the first set of text characters and a second text object identifying the second set of text characters. Each identification of text characters includes a set of values that each represent an individual text character recognized in the corresponding region.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for determining a skew angle associated with a document image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated for at least one layer in a vertical-edge buffer and a horizontal-edge buffer. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated directly from the vertical-edge buffer and the horizontal-edge buffer using a fixed-sized, progressively constrained histogram.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and computer readable media for performing image orientation detection using image processing techniques are described. In one implementation, an image processing method is disclosed that obtains image data from a first image captured by an image sensor (e.g., from any image capture electronic device). Positional sensor data captured by the device and corresponding to the image data may also be acquired (e.g., through an accelerometer). If the orientation of the device is not reliably discernible from the positional sensor data, the method may attempt to use rotationally invariant character detection metrics to determine the most likely orientation of the image, e.g., by using a decision forest algorithm. Face detection information may be used in conjunction with, or as a substitute for, the character detection data based on one or more priority parameters. Image orientation information may then be included within the image's metadata.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus which derives an angle of inclination of an image and includes: an edge angle calculation unit which calculates a plurality of edge angles corresponding to a plurality of pixels in the image by calculating, in each of the pixels, an edge angle that is an angle of an edge; a use angle identification unit which identifies one or more use angles that are each the edge angle and are each a candidate for the angle of inclination, using the edge angles and a plurality of depth values that correspond to the pixels and each indicate a depth of a corresponding one of the pixels; and an inclination angle derivation unit which derives the angle of inclination from the one or more use angles.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an image data acquiring part that acquires the first and second image data, an edge characteristic extraction part that extracts first edges and second edges forming the shapes of the rectangular regions contained in the first and second image data, a rectangular characteristic calculating part that extracts both a first calculated rectangular region formed by the first edges and a second calculated rectangular region formed by the second edges, a position adjustment parameter calculating part that calculates parameters indicating a separation distance and a separation angle between the first calculated rectangular region and the second calculated rectangular region when the first image data and the second image data are overlapped, and an image data correction part that corrects at least one of the first image data and the second image data by shifting and rotating based upon the parameters.

Abstract: A method and device identify from plural sets of pixels of a digital image, a set of pixels whose values are to be used in image processing to determine a target-pixel value. The method and device: obtain a pixel set comprising solely the target pixel and first and second pixel subsets extending along only first and second directions, respectively, each pixel of the pixel set being contiguous with another pixel of the set; obtaining first and second measures being, respectively, measures of an angle difference between the first direction and the gradient of a pixel of the first subset, and of an angle difference between the second direction and the gradient of a pixel of the second subset; and determining whether the obtained set of pixels is the pixel set whose values determine the value of the target pixel, in accordance with the first and second measures.

Abstract: A display device and a control method thereof are provided. The display device includes a camera obtaining an image and a controller obtaining the direction of a user included in the obtained image and correcting the image such that the direction of the user is synchronized with the photographing direction of the camera. Even when the direction of the user does not correspond to the photographing direction of the camera, an image of the user can be corrected to correctly recognize a user's gesture.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for generating a reference line or a virtual level enables tilt correction of an image. A user is able to utilize the reference line to see how an image should be oriented for the objects within the image to be level. The user is able to then correct the tilt of the image as desired using the reference line for assistance.

Abstract: A de-skew method of an image forming apparatus is provided which includes reading an image on a print medium fed through an automatic document feeder (ADF); detecting a leading edge of the print medium and calculating a skew angle of the read image; comparing the calculated skew angle to a first threshold and determining whether to perform a de-skew operation; and setting skew compensation levels based on the calculated skew angle and performing different de-skew operations according to the set skew compensation levels to output a de-skewed image when the absolute value of the calculated skew angle is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a scanning unit for generating a scan image by scanning a document; a first determination unit to determine whether the scan image has a skew; a second determination unit to determine a type of the skew according to a determination result; and an image correction unit to perform a different type of correction on the scan image according to the type of the skew.

Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for automatic upright adjustment of digital images. An automatic upright adjustment technique is described that may provide an automated approach for straightening up slanted features in an input image to improve its perceptual quality. This correction may be referred to as upright adjustment. A set of criteria based on human perception may be used in the upright adjustment. A reprojection technique that implements an optimization framework is described that yields an optimal homography for adjustment based on the criteria and adjusts the image according to new camera parameters generated by the optimization. An optimization-based camera calibration technique is described that simultaneously estimates vanishing lines and points as well as camera parameters for an image; the calibration technique may, for example, be used to generate estimates of camera parameters and vanishing points and lines that are input to the reprojection technique.

Abstract: An image processing device is provided including: an acquiring unit that acquires position data expressing a position of plural reference images provided on a reference medium; a scanning unit that scans the plural reference images; and a determination unit. The determination unit derives the sum of positional misalignment amounts of corresponding reference images, between the position of reference images expressed by image data obtained by the scanning unit, and the position of reference images expressed by position data acquired by the acquiring unit. The determination unit executes alignment of the reference images using a common correction coefficient predetermined so as to give the smallest sum of the positional misalignment amounts. Then the determination unit determines a dilation amount for image dilation on image data such that the dilation amount increases as the sum of the positional misalignment amounts increases.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for determining a skew angle associated with a document image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated for at least one layer in a vertical-edge buffer and a horizontal-edge buffer. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated directly from the vertical-edge buffer and the horizontal-edge buffer using a fixed-sized, progressively constrained histogram.

Abstract: A sheet of a document is scanned, character objects are extracted from a scan image, the extracted character objects are divided line by line, and the direction of the document is set on the basis of a blank percentage determined according to start and end positions of lines. If the direction of the document is different from that of a previous document, an image processing unit rotates the scan image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an orientation sensor that detects orientation representing the direction in which the imaging apparatus is oriented; a controller that produces data formed of a captured image and attribute information associated with the captured image and records the data in a recording section; and the recording section that stores a captured image and attribute information, wherein the controller successively records an entry in a memory, the entry relating orientation information calculated by successively receiving a value detected with the orientation sensor to a time stamp representing the time at which the detected value is inputted from the orientation sensor, extracts a plurality of entries having time stamps close to the time at which the image was captured from the entries recorded in the memory, and calculates orientation information representing the direction in which the image was captured by using the plurality of pieces of orientation information in the extracted entries.