Abstract: A method aligns a character to a sampling grid of an image, where an outline of the character is specified by input pen commands. Points and contours of the input pen commands are determined. An orientation of each contour is determined. A first directed acyclic graph (DAG) is constructed indicating a hierarchical relationship of related contours. Radicals are determined using the first DAG. Simple segments of the contours are determined and merged independently for each radical. Segment pairs and their hinted coordinates are determined. The segment pairs are sorted and a second DAG is constructed for the sorted segment pairs. Collisions between the segment pairs are resolved using the second DAG. The segments pairs, x-free points, and y-free points are fitted to the sampling grid independently for each radical and a result of the fitting is stored in output pen commands.

Abstract: An image taking apparatus including a plurality of imaging units each including a lens with a variable focal distance and an image sensing device is provided. The plurality of imaging units are disposed such that their viewpoints are substantially coincident with each other and image areas partially overlap each other so as to allow it obtain a wide angle image by connecting a plurality of images obtained by the imaging units. Each imaging unit includes a set of mapping tables each of which represents the correspondence, for a particular focal distance, between a particular coordinate system and a coordinate system in which an image taken by each image sensing device is represented. Each imaging unit further includes a controller adapted to select a mapping table corresponding to the focal distance, and a mapping unit adapted to map the image into the particular coordinate system according to the selected mapping table.

Abstract: A portion of a digital image is displayed. A change associated with a mask is received, where the mask is associated with a displayed portion of the digital image. A transformation to be applied is determined based at least in part on the received change. A new portion of the digital image is displayed based at least in part on the received change and the transformation, where the new portion that is displayed has the same center point as the previously displayed portion.

Abstract: Method for producing a rotation-compensated image sequence allowing simplified reconstruction of the translation of a camera by real time rotation compensation of images recorded sequentially by an electronic camera randomly displaced in a scene and provided with a rotation sensor resulting from an association of color and/or brightness values of the pixels of a camera pixel field indicated by rectangular coordinates.

Abstract: The present invention enables dust removal to be effectively performed even when using the operation history on images containing different pictures. An image editing apparatus includes a storage unit for storing a plurality of image data to be edited and a display unit for displaying the image data to be edited, an image processing unit adapted to perform image processing on the image data to be edited, a history storage unit adapted to store information regarding the processing history of image data to be edited which have previously undergone image processing, a position obtaining unit adapted to obtain position information regarding a position at which the image processing had been applied from the processing history information, and a display controller adapted to cause a portion, to which the image processing would be applied among the images to be edited, to be displayed on a display area for images to be edited on the display unit, based on the position information.

Abstract: An image processing method of arranging orientation detection information for detecting an image orientation in an image includes arranging the orientation detection information in at least two positions that are symmetric with respect to a center of the image.

Abstract: A similar-image detecting part detects similar image regions similar to one another in a plurality of frame images captured by rolling shutter type exposure. A displacement-vector detecting part detects a displacement vector of each of the similar image regions with respect to a reference position in each of the plurality of frame images. An average calculating part calculates an average of displacement vectors in the plurality of frame images. A correcting part shifts a similar image region in one of the plurality of frame images such that the displacement vector of the similar image region becomes the average calculated by the average calculating part.

Abstract: A method for multimodal image registration includes providing a pair of images acquired from differing imaging modalities, defining an intensity correction function that corrects the intensities of a first image in terms of the intensities of the second image, defining a registration transformation function that registers the second image with the first image, wherein said intensity correction function and transformation function are functions of a plurality of parameters, obtaining corrections to the plurality of parameters by minimizing an energy functional of a square difference of the intensity corrected first image and the registration transformed second image, and updating the intensity correction function and the registration transformation function based on the corrected plurality of parameters.

Abstract: The user assistance system provides a system and method for capturing images of a document and interaction of a primary user with the document in an interaction session. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises an image capture means adapted to capture an initial image of the document and at least one subsequent, additional image of the document during an interaction session, the image being mapped to a known co-ordinate system, interaction capture means for capturing the interaction of a user with the document whereby to determine at least one co-ordinate of a pointer used for the interaction relative to the same co-ordinate system defined for the initial captured image, and processing means for determining an appropriate transform that maps the additional image onto the original image.

Abstract: An object plane is set, and appropriate image processing is performed according to the setting of the object plane. An image processing apparatus has a controller (7). The controller (7) receives image data for a captured image and distance information on the distance to a designated point in the captured image, sets an object plane (100) containing the designated point, converts the distance information to the information on the distance from the object plane, and performs predetermined image processing according to the converted distance information.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the position of a structure on a carrier, relative to a reference point of the carrier, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an image including a reference structure; b) recording an image of the structure on the carrier by means of a recording device, with a known recording position relative to the reference points; c) superimposing the two images to form one superimposed image; d) determining the image distance of the two structures in the superimposed image; e) shifting the two structures in the superimposed image relative to one another, depending on the determined image distance; f) checking whether the determined image distance is below a predetermined maximum value; wherein, if the image distance is below the maximum value, the method is continued in step g), and, if the image distance is not below the maximum value, steps d)-f) are repeated, taking into account the determined image distance/distances: g) determining the position of the structure relati

Abstract: A method of processing an image includes selecting, for each of a plurality of picture element values in at least a portion of the image, one among a plurality of offset values. For each of the plurality of picture element values, an index value is obtained based on (A) the selected offset value and (B) a portion of the picture element value. For each of the plurality of picture element values, an entry is retrieved from a lookup table according to the corresponding index value.

Abstract: An identifying system is provided for identifying a geometrical element in an image automatically. The image may be retrieved from an image capturing apparatus and is imported in a coordinate system. The identifying system includes: a collecting module for collecting dots from the image as a dot muster and retrieving coordinates of all dots of the dot muster from the coordinate system; a curve fitting and geometrical element identifying module for curve fitting according to the coordinates of all the dots of the dot muster to identify what geometrical element the dot muster is; a storing module for storing the coordinates of all the dots of the dot muster, data produced during the curve fitting process, and result data of curve fitting and geometrical element identifying; and an outputting module for outputting the result data. A related identifying method is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for replacing the face of an actor in a video clip, with the one of a user (U) of an entertainment video system (4), consisting in: a preparation phase, taking one first fixed picture of the face of the user; building a 3D-model of that face; replacing a first video picture of the actor with a reproduction of the face of the user; and while the clip is going on, replacing the face of the actor in the successive pictures of the video clip with successive pictures reproducing the face of the user, the transitions of the face of the actor being followed by applying at least orientation, size and displacement vectors to the 3D-model of face of the user on the basis of orientation, size and displacement vectors calculated for the face of the actor in the clip.

Abstract: An image displaying apparatus and method thereof for displaying on a monitor an original image generated based on image data of an object acquired through an image radiography apparatus together with posture data for the original image that is acquired at a radiography time. The image displaying apparatus and method includes a function unit and/or a function configured to rotate the original image centering on an axis in order to dissolve a displacement between a first (reference) posture data that is acquired based on the image radiography apparatus and/or a bed unit for supporting the object, and actual posture of the original image. The function unit further displays a second (actual) posture data that is acquired by the rotation of the original image by replacing the first (reference) posture data.

Abstract: A method for depth sensing keystoning. The method of depth sensing keystoning may include an optical system and electrical devices. The method of depth sensing keystoning may correct for image distortion using depth measurements.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for recognizing a parking slot by using a bird's-eye view and a parking assist system using the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image display method for downloading an image of large longitudinal and transverse size and displaying it on a viewer with less latency time. The image display method may be used to divide an image larger than a display region of a viewer into a plurality of areas where each divided image is provided beforehand in a server. The viewer determines the plural divided images of which at least a part of each is contained in the display region of the viewer in accordance with a relative position between the image and the display region of the viewer and makes a preferential request of the viewer for the divided images. The viewer rearranges and displays the received divided images in their original form.

Abstract: A computer system including a processor, a display, and a graphics unit coupled between the processor and the display, in which the processor is configured to perform multi-display operations which generate multiple frames of display data for simultaneous display, and a graphics unit for use in such a system. Typically, the graphics unit includes graphics memory that includes at least two frame buffers, and the processor operates as if it were independently asserting multiple streams of display data to multiple frame buffers for driving multiple displays independently. Another aspect of the invention is a system that displays data from a frame buffer on a screen.

Abstract: A method for determining a translation of a three-dimensional pre-operative image data set to obtain a registration of the three-dimensional image data with a patient positioned in a projection imaging system. In one embodiment the user identifies an initial three-dimensional organ center from projections and extreme contour landmark points of the object on a set of projections. A set of contour points for the image object in each of a plurality of three-dimensional cross-section planes; is obtained and the points projecting nearest to the user-identified landmark points are selected. A three-dimensional grid having a predetermined number of intervals at a predetermined interval spacing centered at the user-identified organ center is defined. The three-dimensional image data contour points as centered onto each grid point are projected for evaluation and selection of the grid point leading to contour points projecting nearest to the user-identified landmark points.

Abstract: An information processing device for obtaining placement information regarding an imaging device of markers to be calibrated that are provided upon the imaging device, includes: a first image obtaining unit adapted to obtain a first image photographed with the imaging device; a second image obtaining unit adapted to obtain a second image obtained by photographing the imaging device from a bird's-eye view position; a first detecting unit adapted to detect information relating to image coordinates of reference markers placed in a scene, from the first image; a second detecting unit adapted to detect information relating to image coordinates of markers to be calibrated from the second image; and a calibration information calculating unit adapted to obtain the calibration information using information relating to image coordinates of the reference markers detected by the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image display method for downloading an image of large longitudinal and transverse size and displaying it on a viewer with less latency time. This image display method includes dividing an image larger than a display region of a viewer 12 into a plurality of areas longitudinally and transversely, each divided image being provided beforehand in a server. The viewer 12 determines plural divided images at least a part of each of which is contained in the display region of the viewer 12 in accordance with a relative position between the image and the display region of the viewer 12, and makes a preferential request to the server 10 for the divided images. The server 10 preferentially transmits the corresponding divided images in response to the request. The viewer 12 rearranges and displays the received divided images in an original state.

Abstract: A method of stabilizing a video image displayed in multiple video fields of a video sequence includes the steps of: subdividing a selected area of a first video field into nested pixel blocks; determining horizontal and vertical translation of each of the pixel blocks in each of the pixel block subdivision levels from the first video field to a second video field; and determining translation of the image from the first video field to the second video field by determining a change in magnification of the image from the first video field to the second video field in each of horizontal and vertical directions, and determining shear of the image from the first video field to the second video field in each of the horizontal and vertical directions.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a face direction estimating section that estimates a direction and a degree of swing of a face in a target image including a face image when a front direction of the face is used as a reference, and an image correcting section that transforms a correction target area to be corrected, which includes at least a part of the face image, in accordance with the degree of swing.

Abstract: A method of generating a synthetic perspective image that matches the viewing perspective and internal geometry of a known image sensor, for example, a forward-looking infrared sensor or a synthetic aperture radar sensor, without using specialized hardware and without the computational difficulty inherent in standard image generating means is provided. The synthetic perspective image is generated in a forward mapping process, which solves the problems of complete mapping of the perspective image and of hidden surfaces, in a manner that provides sufficient speed and adequate quality or accuracy for standard reference images to be used in registering with the sensor images.

Abstract: A calibration method of image planar coordinate system for a high-precision image measurement system comprises: at each time an X-Y coordinate of a measurement platform is moved, rotating and finely adjusting a two-dimension coordinate system of a calibration board or a workpiece and a projection plane coordinate system of a CCD camera so as to make the both coincide with the X-Y coordinate system.

Abstract: An image transformation method to be implemented by a computer carries out an image transformation process, by transforming a picked up image that is picked up by a pickup unit having an optical axis tilted by an arbitrary angle with respect to a reference plane into an image substantially equivalent to a picked up image that is picked up by the pickup unit in a state where the optical axis of the pickup unit is perpendicular to the reference plane, and substituting luminance values of coordinates before the transformation as luminance values corresponding to coordinate values after the transformation.

Abstract: An image vision system (8) for calibrating two cameras (17) mounted on respective side rear view mirror housings (5) of a motor vehicle (1) for correcting for offset of the cameras (17) from ideal positions relative to the vehicle (1). The cameras (17) capture plan view images of the ground on respective opposite sides of the vehicle for display as images (10,11) along with a plan view image (14) of the vehicle (1) on an in-vehicle visual display unit (13), for assisting a driver parking or manoeuvring the vehicle (1) in a confined space. Calibration of the cameras (17) is carried out as the side mirror housings (5) are swivelled from a rest position to an operative position in response to activation of the ignition system of the vehicle (1). The calibration requires determining the offset of the actual position of a reference point (34) on the vehicle (1) captured in an image by the corresponding camera (17) from the ideal position of the reference point (34a) in an ideal image frame.

Abstract: An image transformation method to be implemented by a computer carries out an image transformation process, by transforming a picked up image that is picked up by a pickup unit having an optical axis tilted by an arbitrary angle with respect to a reference plane into an image substantially equivalent to a picked up image that is picked up by the pickup unit in a state where the optical axis of the pickup unit is perpendicular to the reference plane, and substituting luminance values of coordinates before the transformation as luminance values corresponding to coordinate values after the transformation.

Abstract: The moving images under reproduction are displayed in a main screen and a plurality of thumbnail images that serve as indexes by which to search for a desired scene are displayed. Moreover, the thus displayed thumbnail images are updated at a predetermined timing according as the moving images progress.

Abstract: A method of controlling an image processing apparatus, the method includes inputting a plurality of images; acquiring additional information added to each of the plurality of images; setting control information used to control a layout of the plurality of images in accordance with the additional information; and generating an output image on which each of the plurality of images is configured to have an image size according to the control information of the respective image.

Abstract: The present invention enables dust removal to be effectively performed even when using the operation history on images containing different pictures. An image editing apparatus includes a storage unit for storing a plurality of image data to be edited and a display unit for displaying the image data to be edited, an image processing unit adapted to perform image processing on the image data to be edited, a history storage unit adapted to store information regarding the processing history of image data to be edited which have previously undergone image processing, a position obtaining unit adapted to obtain position information regarding a position at which the image processing had been applied from the processing history information, and a display controller adapted to cause a portion, to which the image processing would be applied among the images to be edited, to be displayed on a display area for images to be edited on the display unit, based on the position information.

Abstract: A table is allocated indexes corresponding to display positions on a monitor screen, respectively, and data indicating an unexposed part at each of the display positions is stored in each index of the table. Focal position information is acquired from Exif header information on image data of an image, and a location of one of the indexes in the table at which no image data is registered is searched in an ascending order of the indexes. According to the table, the images are arranged so that the focal position of each image differs from the unexposed part at the display position of the image.

Abstract: A method of generating a matching key for an image is disclosed. The matching key is substantially invariant to rotation, scale and translation. The method starts by forming a spatial domain representation of the image that is substantially invariant to translation of the image. Rotation and/or scaling in the spatial domain representation is next transformed into translation to form a transformed image. A representation of the transformed image is then formed that is substantially invariant to translation of the transformed image. The representation of the transformed image is the matching key for the image.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates planar processing of round earth data by employing a tiled projection is provided. The tiled projection is a two-step projection from the surface of the earth to a common plane that preserves polygons and polygonal paths. During the first step, the system performs a gnomonic projection to the facets of a circumscribed platonic solid, which maps spherical polygons to spatial polygons on the facets of the solid. During the second step, the system performs a polygon-preserving projection from the facets of the platonic solid to tiles in common plane. Thus, projections from multiple facets of the platonic solid on the common plane are processed by employing a planar algorithm.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus enables one or more further users to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists. A first stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section. A second stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section. An image is selected from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user. The selected image is presented to the further user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus prints images on print sheets, and insets tab-index sheets between the printed print sheets. The image forming apparatus includes an orientation detecting unit which detects an orientation of a print sheet being supplied, a rotation-angle selecting unit which selects a rotation angle of an image such that the image is arranged in an orientation matching the detected orientation of the print sheet and in a predetermined positional relationship with a tab of the tab-index sheets, and a printing unit which prints the image being rotated by the selected rotation angle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for creating three-dimensional models of objects from sets of arbitrary three-dimensional entities obtained from target surfaces. It also provides an efficient method for individually refining the alignment of curves to improve the accuracy of the surface model with a linear complexity with respect to the number of curves. The principle behind the invention is that a set of three-dimensional entities, at their approximate positions, creates a field from which the surface can be extracted. The field is constructed in a manner such that the three-dimensional entities are attracted toward the extracted surface. This attraction is used to accurately register each three-dimensional entity with respect to extracted surface. Through iterations, both the field and the entity positions are refined.

Abstract: A method of registering two images using a graphics processing unit includes providing a pair of images with a first and second image, calculating a gradient of the second image, initializing a displacement field on the grid point domain of the pair of images, generating textures for the first image, the second image, the gradient, and the displacement field, and loading said textures into the graphics processing unit. A pixel buffer is created and initialized with the texture containing the displacement field. The displacement field is updated from the first image, the second image, and the gradient for one or more iterations in one or more rendering passes performed by the graphics processing unit.

Abstract: A method for copying objects smaller than a background defined by a scanner of an apparatus includes scanning a plurality of objects to acquire image data associated with the plurality of objects and the background; cropping the image data to remove object data for each object of the plurality of objects from the background; determining a size associated with each object of the plurality of objects, based on the object data; and formatting a page to produce a compact arrangement of multiple objects of the plurality of objects on the page, the page receiving the multiple objects in accordance with the size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a degraded character image at various levels of degradation automatically is presented in this invention. The method comprises rendering the character image on a scene plane; translating and rotating the scene plane according to various parameters; determining a projection region of the character image on an image plane according to various parameters; generating a pixel region mask; and generating a final degraded image by super-sampling. Thus various degraded character images are generated on various conditions of degradation. The generated synthetic characters can be used for performance evaluation and training data augmentation in optical character recognition (OCR).

Abstract: Determining a minimum condition and a maximum condition of an assembly of parts includes determining a subset of the assembly of parts, constructing a tolerance chain comprised of tolerance features associated with the parts and that have tolerances that can assume maximum and minimum values, setting at least one tolerance to a minimum value or a maximum value, and calculating the minimum condition and the maximum condition of the assembly based on the setting of the tolerance.

Abstract: Techniques for printing an image on a print medium. Information regarding the actual size of the medium, or the actual placement of the medium at a print zone, is used to shift the image to properly align the image on the medium. The image can be shifted digitally, or by movement of the medium relative to the printing element.

Abstract: Producing complicated effects based on image processing operations. The image processing operations are defined for a processor which may be different than the processor which is actually used. The processor that is actually used runs an interpreter that interprets the information into its own language, and then runs the image processing. The actual information is formed according to a plurality of layers which are combined in some way so that each layer can effect the layers below it. For example, the layers may add to, subtract from, or form transparency to the layer below it or make color filtering the layer below it. This enables many different effects computed and precompiled for a hypothetical processor, and a different processor can be used to combine and render those effects.

Abstract: Block-based image processing methods and apparatus that provide a reduction in block-transform image coding artifacts are described. In various embodiments, the invention is directly incorporated into a decoding process. In such embodiments, transform coefficients are modified in simple but particularly effective ways that reduce or eliminate many of the artifacts that were caused by the quantization of the transform coefficients during encoding and/or by independent block processing during encoding. In other embodiments, the invention is used on an image that has already been decoded. In such embodiments image data values are directly modified in a block-based fashion or a forward block transform is applied and then the methods of the invention for processing transform coefficient blocks are used, followed by an inverse transform operation to generate pixel values from the resulting processed transform coefficient blocks.

Abstract: A generalized Hough transform is used to acquire and track vehicular targets for missile guidance. This is accomplished by recognizing that most vehicles have silhouettes that may be described as a “rounded rectangle”. The position and shape of such rounded rectangles is described in terms of 5 parameters (xc, yc, a, b, ?) where xc, yc are the center coordinates, a,b are the major and minor axis and ? is the orientation. The computation of a five dimensional Hough transform on an image including such a target will produce the five parameters that provide the “best fit” rounded rectangle to the target. These parameters are then passed to a missile tracker. This capability can be used to improve track gate handoff from the automatic target recognizer (ATR) to the missile tracker, changing aspect ratios of maneuvering targets, limited lock-on after launch (LOAL), aimpoint designation and fire control system to missile seeker handover.

Abstract: The invention teaches a method of positioning a first image having a first image format into a second image comprising multiple image blocks and having a second image format. A straight boundary of at least one image block in the second image is identified. The first image is positioned into the second image by aligning an edge of the first image with the identified straight boundary. Alternatively, a block row or column of the first image can be aligned with the straight boundary but then in such a way that an edge of the first image parallel to the block row or column is aligned with a boundary of a row or column of image blocks in the second image. This image positioning reduces any bleeding artifacts and the number of bits required for representing the image during encoding.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, to provide an image editing application including a perspective editing tool for performing edits in regions of an image having perspective. The perspective editing tool enables the user to identify one or more regions having perspective, i.e., perspective areas. The user can perform various editing operations on an object such that the edited object conforms to the perspective of the perspective area. The image editing application can also automatically create a perspective area from an existing perspective area. The editing tool enables the user to move objects from a source perspective area to a destination perspective area such that the edited object conforms to the perspective of the destination perspective area.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that transforms offline maps into interactive online maps. In the system, geo-coordinate relationships are determined between geo-coordinates on a source map and geo-coordinates on an online reference map. An image of the source map is transformed to form an image of a modified source map having geo-coordinates that substantially align with corresponding geo-coordinates on the reference map. Modified source tiles are formed with the image of the modified source map and displayed on a portion of the reference map.

Abstract: An electronic ink object is preprocessed for improving handwriting recognition results. An electronic ink object, possibly having multiple lines of non-horizontal ink, is preprocessed by segmenting or separating the electronic ink object into one or more lines, computing a writing angle of each line, and rotating each line so that it is horizontal.