Abstract: Phase contrast and dark-field X-ray imaging enable imaging of objects that absorb or reflect very little X-ray light. Disclosed is a method and systems for performing coded-mask-based multi-contrast imaging (CMMI). The method includes providing radiation to a coded mask that has a known phase and absorption profile according to a pre-determined pattern. The radiation is then impingent upon a sample, and the radiation is detected to perform phase-reconstruction and image processing. The method and associated systems allow for the use of maximum-likelihood and machine learning methods for reconstruction images of the sample from the detected radiation.

Abstract: An out-of-stock detection system notifies store management that a product is out of stock. The system captures images of a shelf and determines the position product labels thereon. For each product label, a bounding box is generated based on the position of each product label on the shelf. The system then identifies a product for each product label based on information within each product label and, for each product label, stores a product identified for each bounding box. Accordingly, the system performs an out-of-stock detection process that includes capturing additional image data of the shelf periodically that includes each bounding box, providing a portion of the additional image data for each bounding box to a model trained to determine whether the bounding box contains products, sending a notification for a product determined to be out of stock to a store client device based on output from the model.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including a motion vector detection portion that performs comparison of a substantially spherical photographic subject such that, among a plurality of captured images including the photographic subject, an image as a processing target and another image as a comparison target are compared using each of the plurality of captured images as the processing target, and which detects a motion vector of a whole three-dimensional spherical model with respect to the processing target, a motion compensation portion that performs motion compensation on the processing target, based on the motion vector of each of the plurality of captured images that is detected by the motion vector detection portion, and a synthesis portion that synthesizes each of the captured images that are obtained as a result of the motion compensation performed by the motion compensation portion.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image pixel arrays with image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. Each pixel column may be coupled to column readout circuitry through column randomizing circuitry. The column readout circuitry may include a column circuit associated with each pixel column and at least one reserve column circuit. The column randomizing circuitry may randomize the distribution of image signals from the pixel columns to the column readout circuitry. The column randomizing circuitry may distribute the randomized image signals from at least one of the pixel columns to a reserve column circuit when any of the column circuits associated with the pixel columns has failed. The column randomizing circuitry may include an output column line for each column circuit and first and second transistors coupled in parallel to each output column line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing image data for generating an image of a region of a target object. The method includes the steps of providing incident radiation, focusing the radiation downstream or upstream of a target object and via at least one detector located downstream of a focusing element, detecting an intensity of radiation scattered by the target object at an observation plane offset from a back focal plane associated with the focusing element.

Abstract: A signal processing method is presented. The method includes acquiring undersampled data corresponding to an object, initializing a first image solution and a second image solution, determining a linear combination solution based upon the first image solution and the second image solution, generating a plurality of selected coefficients by iteratively updating the first image solution, the second image solution and the linear combination solution and adaptively thresholding one or more transform coefficients utilizing the undersampled data, an updated first image solution, an updated second image solution and an updated linear combination solution, and reconstructing a data signal using the plurality of selected coefficients.

Abstract: A camera includes: an image-capturing unit that captures images of a photographic subject by image sensors and creates image data of a plurality of shot images based on an instruction for continuous shooting by a user; an identification unit that performs, each time when image data of one shot image from among the plurality of shot images is created, a state judgment whether or not eyes of a person included in the photographic subject appearing in the one shot image are open and identifies image data of the one shot image as identified image data when a result of the state judgment is YES; and a recording unit that records the identified image data in a nonvolatile storage medium.

Abstract: An authentication apparatus includes an imaging device having at least one of a macro imaging function, an auto focusing function and a zoom imaging function, an authentication device for authenticating a user through a face image picked up by the imaging device, and an authentication limiting device for canceling the specified function of the imaging device in picking up an image for the user authentication.

Abstract: A card identifying apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention has a light-receiving portion that reads a card on a pixel basis of a predetermined area as a unit including color information having brightness, RAM that stores image data comprised of a plurality of pixels read by the light-receiving portion, a pixel data increasing/decreasing processing section that increases/decreases the number of pixels of the image data, and card identifying means for identifying authentication of the card based on the image data increased/decreased by the pixel data increasing/decreasing processing section.

Abstract: An iris recognition method is provided. In the iris recognition method, binary image data is obtained by receiving eye image data and filtering the received eye image data using a predetermined threshold value. Then, candidate center search regions are searched for finding a pupil center using profile information of rows and columns of the binarized image. a pupil boundary and a center point are detected by performing a mask operation using 8 pupil boundary mask templates for each of concentric circles formed of pointes in the searched candidate center search regions as candidate pupil centers and different radiuses. An iris boundary region is detected by performing a masking operation using 6 iris boundary mask templates corresponding to 6 locations for concentric circles formed of the pupil center as an origin and different radiuses.

Abstract: A CMOS imager in which a CMOS image sensor, a color image processing module and an image compression module are all provided on a single die. Both the color image processing module and the image compression module incorporate pipelined architectures to process the image data at a video rate in a massively parallel fashion.

Abstract: A system and method of providing alignment of the top surface of the substrate to alignment marks on the back side of the substrate on a lithographic projection system. A back-side optical alignment system is integrated under a movable substrate stage of the projection system. Alignment marks on the mask, which correspond to the location and separation of the substrate back side alignment marks are projected directly using UV illumination to the back-side optical alignment system, processed by a pattern recognition optical system, and stored. With a substrate on the movable stage, the substrate back-side alignment marks are positioned to correspond with the stored co-ordinate data. The projection system images the front side of the wafer after it has been aligned to the back side alignment marks.

Abstract: A signal is temporally compressively sampled. A plurality of analog to digital converters are assembled to sample the signal. Each analog to digital converter of the plurality of analog to digital converters is configured to sample the signal at a time step determined by a temporal sampling function. The signal is sampled over a period of time using the plurality of analog to digital converters. Each analog to digital converter of the plurality of analog to digital converters produces a measurement resulting in a number of measurements for the period of time. A number of estimated signal values are calculated from the number of measurements and the temporal sampling function. The temporal sampling function is selected so that the number of measurements is less than the number of estimated signal values.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to improve iris recognition success ratio and speed by registering the iris code on location of illuminator. In the present invention, iris codes for a single iris generated as many as the number of a plurality of illuminators are registered on an iris database every area corresponding to the location of the illuminator. The iris codes generated one by one whenever the plurality of illuminators are turned on one by one for recognition are searched on the corresponding areas of the iris database to determine the recognition.

Abstract: Each unit pixel has a photodiode PD, an amplifying MOS transistor T1 having its gate connected to the cathode of the photodiode PD, and a MOS transistor T2 having its source connected to the node between the photodiode PD and the gate of the MOS transistor T1. Forming only two MOS transistors other than a photodiode PD functioning as a photoelectric converter helps improve the open-area ratio.

Abstract: A device for recording hand-written information in the form of characters, symbols, graphs, drawings, calligraphy and similar hand-written information defined by a hand movement, comprises recording means (3) which are adapted to be moved by a hand which carries out the hand movement and to record a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents while the recording means are being moved. The device further comprises image-processing means (4) which are adapted to determine the relative position of the images with the aid of the partially overlapping contents for providing a description in digital format of how the unit has been moved and, in this way, a digital representation of the hand-written representation. A method of recording hand-written information is also disclosed.

Abstract: A transaction method, a service center, and a device for carrying out the transaction method. In the transaction method object picture data relating to a transaction object, for example a product or a service, are made visible to a user, for instance by projecting image signals corresponding to the object picture data directly on the retina of the user. Eye features of the user are determined while the object picture data, made visible, are viewed by him/her, for example by the light being captured that is reflected by the retina owing to the projected image signals and retina patterns of the user being determined from the determined reflection data and the associated object picture data. The determined eye features with object data relating to the transaction object are linked in a transaction record and the transaction record is forwarded to a processing unit.

Abstract: An artificial vision system includes means (12, 14) for generating an image percept vector, means (16) for transforming this image percept vector into a feature vector, and means (16) for generating a response vector by multiplying the feature vector by a corresponding trained linkage matrix modeling a percept-response system.

Abstract: Control to read signals from a sensor unit having a plurality of pixels by pixel blocks of a predetermined size, and the read signals are processed into pseudo luminance and color signals by pixel blocks of the predetermined size.

Abstract: A method for producing interpolated signal values between sampled signal values in a sampled image signal produced by a checkerboard sampling pattern is accomplished by extracting a block of 2N-by-2N signal values that correspond to a block of sampling locations of the checkerboard sampling pattern, providing a set of frequency coefficients by a discrete cosine transform with the block of 2N-by-2N signal values, and providing at least a interpolated signal value that corresponds to the interpolation location by an inverse discrete cosine transform with the set of frequency coefficients. Here, a block of 2N-by-2N signal values is extracted so that sampled signal values exist in all the pixel locations of the block.

Abstract: An iris recognition system capable of remarkably reducing time taking from an image pickup of an iris image to generation of an iris code and of simplifying the construction is implemented. A sensor 10 comprises a group of pixels arranged in polar coordinates. An iris image is controlled so that the iris image is correctly formed on the sensor 10, particularly, the center of the iris image matches. The inner and outer diameters of the iris are detected according to the iris image formed on the sensor 10, and the difference between the inner diameter and the outer diameter in the radial direction is detected. The number i of pixels of each ring in the case of division into the predetermined number of concentric ring bands is calculated according to the difference. A weighted mean processing part 13 performs a weighted mean operation according to the number i of pixels.

Abstract: A system and method for reading a two-dimensional image, and for comparing the two-dimensional image to stored data representative of a known image. The optical scanning device comprises a sensor for capturing the two-dimensional image, which sensor includes an LED array for projecting an emitted light towards the two-dimensional image. The sensor also includes a lens disposed forward of the LED array for focussing the emitted light and thereby framing the two-dimensional image. The sensor further includes an optical assembly for focussing an ambient light reflected from the framed two-dimensional image. And the sensor includes a CMOS (or CCD) detector for detecting the focussed ambient light, the CMOS detector including a photodiode array for sensing the focussed ambient light and a processor for processing the ambient light to obtain an electrical image signal. The optical scanning device also compresses the electrical image signal.

Abstract: A system for reading a two-dimensional image, and for comparing the two-dimensional image to stored data representative of a known image. The optical scanning device comprises a sensor for capturing the two-dimensional image, which sensor includes a light source for projecting an emitted light towards the two-dimensional image and an optical assembly for focussing light, which may be ambient and or emitted light from the light source, reflected from the framed two-dimensional image onto a CMOS or CCD detector for detecting the focussed light, the detector including a photodiode array for sensing the focussed light and generating a signal therefrom.

Abstract: An artificial retina chip in a camera unit of an image processor according to the present invention converts an input image taken by the camera unit to analog signals, and outputs an image signal differential between each dot in a sensor-cell array in the artificial retina chip and a specific standard dot, as an analog signal. A signal converter converts the analog signal to binary digit, and stores the converted signals. When converted signals for one input image are stored, the signal converter outputs the converted signal to an identification unit as a digital signal. Namely, the data output from the camera unit is represented by the analog signal indicating the image signal differential between the dots, and the data output from the signal converter is represented by binary digit which is converted from the analog signal. Accordingly, the amount of the transmitted data is decreased.

Abstract: An illuminator apparatus for a scanner device includes a support structure that extends along the longitudinal axis and an array of light emitting elements that are disposed on and supported by the support structure. The array of light emitting elements are arranged on the support structure in at least three longitudinal rows. The at least three rows of light emitting elements are associated with a respective one of blue, green and red colored light emitting elements. A color image sensor apparatus for a scanner device capable of scanning a multi-colored document and a method for illuminating a colored document being scanned in a scanning device are also described.

Abstract: A computer vision system is disclosed that utilizes a spinning array of photodetectors. The array is rotated about the focal plane of a lens and scans all the possible orientations and positions of the edges of the unknown object. In one embodiment, the photodetectors are elongated so as to provide for maximum light gathering ability along the direction of elongation and a minimum light gathering ability in the direction perpendicular to the direction of elongation. In other embodiments, optical means are used to focus the image onto conventional photodetectors while still having the ability to more efficiently determine edge segments of unknown objects. The system efficiently and rapidly implements the wavelet projection transform to characterize-multi-scale edge segment features of an image of an unknown object. An imaging radar system that utilizes a spinning antenna system having frequency scanning provisions is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image sensor has a light receiving section having a number of outputs along one dimension that is the same as the number of inputs along a dimension of a block serving as a unit for image processing, thereby eliminating the need for a buffer memory.

Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus, an array of two-dimensional matrix of photosensitive devices is used to detect an image. Each photosensitive device comprises a photosensor accumulating carriers when exposed to a light, control terminals, and an output terminal. A signal generator supplies a vector or a one-dimensional data to the control terminals in the array to output pixel data of the two-dimensional matrix, and the pixel signal is output through the output terminal. The control terminals of the photosensors arranged along each line are connected commonly, while the output terminals thereof arranged along each column are connected commonly. A controller supplies control signals to the control terminals. Then, pixel signal for columns designated by a control signal are output through an output circuit connected to the control terminals.

Abstract: An image processing system which reads, in pixel units, an image on an original document using a scanner, processes the read image data, and outputs the processed image data. The image processing system includes a system for recognizing a circular image of a specific color.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus for converting an optical image of an object into a digital representation of this optical image is described. The apparatus comprises a cartridge having a first portion through which light emitted from a visible image of an object enters into the cartridge, which comprises a two-dimensional array of focusing elements, each of which having a field of vision intersecting a given area of the visible image. Adjacent ones of these focusing elements have fields of vision intersecting common portions of the visible image, whereby substantially the entirety of the visible image is covered by combined fields of vision of the focusing elements. The cartridge further comprises a two-dimensional array of optical sensors arrays, each of which being optically associated with a respective one of the focusing elements. These optical sensors arrays produce groups of analog pixel signals representing partial images associated with corresponding areas of the visible image.

Abstract: A figure processing apparatus includes a pointing device or keyboard for extracting an outline figure from image data, a memory for storing the outline figure as shape and position data of a primitive figure and displacement data from the primitive figure, and a figure operation device for changing the displacement data to modify the outline figure to create a new outline figure.