13th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 34 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120076329 | COMB SENSE MICROPHONE - A miniature microphone, comprising a diaphragm, supported for displacement in response to acoustic waves, from which a plurality of projections extend; a plurality of projections extending from a surface; a body, supporting the surface to maintain the plurality of projections from the diaphragm and the plurality of projections from the surface in close proximity; and an electromagnetic sensor adapted to sense an electromagnetic interaction between the plurality of projections from the diaphragm and the plurality of projections from the surface and produce an electrical signal in response thereto. The interaction may be detected substantially without inducing a force which tends to substantially displace the diaphragm, since the electrostatic force is substantially parallel to the diaphragm surface. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076330 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING PRESSURE WAVES - Actuator apparatus for generating a physical effect, at least one attribute of which corresponds to at least one characteristic of a digital input signal sampled periodically in accordance with a clock, the apparatus comprising at least one array of moving elements each constrained to travel alternately back and forth along a respective axis in response to an alternating electromagnetic force applied to the array of moving elements, at least one latch operative to selectively latch at least one subset of said moving elements in at least one latching position thereby to prevent the individual moving elements from responding to the electromagnetic force, an electromagnetic field control system operative to receive the clock and, accordingly, to control application of the electromagnetic force to the array of moving elements, and a latch controller operative to receive the digital input signal and to control the latch accordingly. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076331 | METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING A SPEECH SIGNAL AND HEARING DEVICE - Speech intelligibility is to be improved in hearing devices and in particular in hearing aids. A method for reconstructing a speech signal is therefore proposed, wherein a predefined amplitude spectrum of a speech component is stored. The amplitude spectrum of an input signal containing the speech signal is acquired. At least one matching portion and one non-matching portion of the predefined amplitude spectrum with respect to the amplitude spectrum of the input signal is detected. Finally the gain of the input signal in the non-matching portion of the amplitude spectrum is varied such that a closer match with the predefined amplitude spectrum is achieved compared to the original gain. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076332 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FREQUENCY COMPRESSION WITH HARMONIC CORRECTION - Artifacts occurring during frequency compression, in particular in the case of hearing aids, are avoided or reduced. The method compresses the frequency of an audio signal having a fundamental frequency and at least one harmonic. The audio signal is provided in a plurality of frequency channels. The harmonic of the audio signal is shifted or mapped from a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels into a second frequency channel. In addition a frequency which is likewise harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency is estimated in the second frequency channel, the harmonic being shifted or mapped onto the estimated frequency. As a result the harmonic pattern is preserved in the compressed signal and the artifacts are reduced. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076333 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FREQUENCY COMPRESSION WITH SELECTIVE FREQUENCY SHIFTING - A method and device for frequency compression of audio signals to reduce the occurrence of artifacts. A component of the audio signal having a plurality of frequency channels is shifted from a first frequency channel into a second frequency channel. A dominant instantaneous frequency is determined in the first frequency channel. During shifting or mapping, first the entire first frequency channel, including the dominant instantaneous frequency, is shifted or mapped into the second frequency channel, wherein the dominant instantaneous frequency obtains an intermediate frequency position. A final frequency position for the dominant instantaneous frequency is determined using a predefined compression characteristic in the second frequency channel, starting from the frequency position of the dominant instantaneous frequency in the first frequency channel. Finally, the dominant instantaneous frequency is shifted or mapped from the intermediate frequency position to the final frequency position. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076334 | HEARING AID WITH OCCLUSION SUPPRESSION AND SUBSONIC ENERGY CONTROL - A hearing aid includes an ambient microphone configured to receive and convert environmental sound into an electronic input signal, a hearing loss processor configured to compensate the electronic input signal in accordance with a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid, and to generate an electronic output signal, a receiver, an ear canal microphone configured for converting ear canal sound pressure including subsonic energy into an ear canal signal, an occlusion suppressor connected for reception and processing of the ear canal signal, and for transmitting an occlusion suppression signal, a signal combiner configured for combining the occlusion suppression signal and the electronic output signal to form a combined signal, and for transmitting the combined signal to the receiver, and a subsonic filter for filtering subsonic energy, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the combined signal, and convert the combined signal into an acoustic output signal. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076335 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FREQUENCY COMPRESSION IN A HEARING AID - A hearing aid device suitable for executing a frequency compression is optimized to achieve a better assignment between channels of a source frequency range and channels of a target frequency range. A frequency range that can be transmitted by the hearing aid device is split into a number of frequency bands, after which a number of adjacent frequency bands are combined into at least one group of frequency bands and then one frequency band is selected from each group of frequency bands. The selected frequency bands are moved respectively into a target frequency band permanently assigned to the respective group. This prevents that a number of frequency bands from the source frequency range are shifted to the same target frequency band. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076336 | Hearing Aid Positioning System And Structure - A hearing aid includes a relatively rigid shell which holds hearing aid electronics and one or more flexible, shape-retaining filaments attached to the hearing aid shell. The filament(s) extend(s) out a proximal side of the hearing aid shell having a shape which interacts with the user's ear anatomy such as the conchae bowl. The shape determines an insertion depth of the hearing aid shell into the user's ear canal, and a spring action biases the hearing aid toward the desired insertion depth. The hearing aid supported by the filament(s) provides an open, unoccluding position in the ear canal. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076337 | Portable Audio Amplifier with Interchangeable Housing and Storage Compartment - A portable audio amplifier for a portable audio device or musical instrument that includes an internal housing and an exchangeable external housing and exchangeable cover, as well as a storage compartment is described. The storage compartment, which is contained in the internal housing, may contain a cord and other audio accessories such as picks, batteries, adapters, or personal items. The storage compartment can be opened through various methods, including translation, swiveling, pivoting, or sliding of a cover. The amplifier's external housing and/or cover may be customized by the user after purchase using exchangeable elements. Exchangeable external housing options, which act like a skin for the amplifier, include both manufactured housings (designed specifically as an external housing for the audio amplifier) and repurposed housings (designed for a primary purpose other than audio amplification). An adaptive structure may be used to adapt the dimensions of the internal housing to a larger, external housing. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076338 | Microphone Screen With Common Mode Interference Reduction - A microphone assembly includes a microphone composed of a case having an open end and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is disposed in the open case end. The microphone assembly further includes a metal screen coupled to the case over the printed circuit board for shielding the microphone from electromagnetic interference. The metal screen includes several apertures. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076339 | MICROPHONE COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME - A system and method are described for reducing the current consumption of a microphone component without adversely affecting performance. The system includes a micromechanical microphone capacitor, an acoustically inactive compensation capacitor, an arrangement for applying a high-frequency sampling signal to the microphone capacitor and for applying the inverted sampling signal to the compensation capacitor, an integrating operational amplifier which integrates the sum of the current flow through the microphone capacitor and the current flow through the compensation capacitor as a charge amplifier, a demodulator, which is synchronized with the sampling signal, for the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier, and a low-pass filter which uses the output signal of the demodulator to obtain a microphone signal that corresponds to the changes in capacitance of the microphone capacitor. The sampling signal is composed of a periodic sequence of sampling pulses and pause times. In addition, at least one first switching element is provided which reduces the current flow through the integrating operational amplifier during the pause times. The low-pass filter has a “sample-and-hold” characteristic so that during the pause times the low-pass filter in each case stores the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier averaged over the preceding sampling operation. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076340 | HEADPHONE - A headphone | 2012-03-29 |
20120076341 | EARPHONE - The earphone includes a driver unit; a housing accommodating the driver unit, the housing having a front face serving as a sound emitting surface and a bowl shaped rear face; a hollow casing provided separately from the housing, the casing being configured to increase an internal volume adjacent to the rear side of a vibrating plate and to reduce the back pressure of the vibrating plate; and a connecting channel connecting the rear face of the housing and the casing such that the housing is in communication with the internal space of the casing, in which the housing includes a sound emitting tube protruding from the front face thereof so as to be fitted into an external auditory meatus. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076342 | CABLES WITH INTERTWINED STRAIN RELIEF AND BIFURCATION STRUCTURES - An electrical device such as a headset may have a cable. Wires in the cable may be used to connect speakers in the headset to a connector such as an audio jack. The cable may have a tubular intertwined cable cover that covers the wires. Computer-controlled servo motors in fiber intertwining equipment may be adjusted in real time so that intertwined attributes such as intertwining density and intertwining tension are varied as a function of length along the intertwined cable cover. The fiber intertwining equipment may make these variations to locally increase the strength of the intertwined cable cover and the cable in the vicinity of a bifurcation in the cable and in the vicinity of the portion of the cable that terminates at the audio jack. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076343 | MOTOR DRIVE CIRCUIT - A motor-drive circuit includes: a filter circuit to attenuate a frequency band including a resonance frequency of an actuator in a target-current signal, which is a digital signal indicating a target value of a driving current to be supplied to a voice-coil motor that drives the actuator; a digital-analog converter to convert an output signal of the filter circuit into an analog signal, to be outputted as a current-control signal; and a driving circuit to supply the driving current to the motor in accordance with the current-control signal, the filter circuit including: a digital-notch filter to attenuate a frequency band around the resonance frequency in the target-current signal; and a digital-low-pass filter to attenuate a frequency band greater than or equal to a predetermined frequency in the output signal of the digital-notch filter, the digital-low-pass filter having a sampling frequency higher than a sampling frequency of the digital-notch filter. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076344 | Assessment of Camera Phone Distortion for Digital Watermarking - The present disclosure relates generally to cell phones and cameras, and to digital watermarking involving such cell phones and cameras. One claim recites a method comprising: measuring distortion introduced by a cell phone camera; using a programmed electronic processor, quantifying the distortion; and providing quantified distortion as feedback to adjust a digital watermark embedding process in view of the distortion introduced by the cell phone camera. The act of quantifying distortion may include, e.g., quantifying a spatial frequency response (SFR) of the cell phone camera. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076345 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIND TURBINE INSPECTION - A system and method for inspecting a wind turbine for indications is disclosed. The method includes providing an inspection system spaced from the wind turbine, appraise a rotor blade of the wind turbine, and inspecting the rotor blade for indications. The inspection system includes an observation system and an inspection device, the observation system including an appraisal device and an automated scanning device, the appraisal device configured to provide an image of at least a portion of the rotor blade, the automated scanning device configured to rotate about at least one axis, shifting the image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076346 | Message Encoding - The present invention relates to message encoding. One claim recites a method of providing information to transform a plural-bit message for steganographic encoding, said method comprising: providing a unique plural-bit number; altering the unique plural-bit number; error correction encoding the altered, unique plural-bit number, wherein the error correction encoded, altered, unique plural-bit number comprises information for transforming an independent message. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076347 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING IMAGE DATA IN CONNECTION WITH CONFIGURING A UNIVERSAL CONTROLLING DEVICE - Data indicative of topography of an object of interest is received at a recognition system having an associated database in which is stored topography data for a plurality of reference objects each of which is cross-referenced to configuration information for a universal controlling device. The reference system uses the received data and the topography data for the plurality of reference objects to discern one or more reference objects as being a match for the object of interest. At least a subset of the configuration information that has been cross-referenced to the one or more reference objects discerned by the recognition system as being a match for the object of interest is then used to configure the universal controlling device to enable the universal controlling device to communicate commands to one or more target appliances. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076348 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND PROGRAMS FOR GENERATING AND UTILIZING CONTENT SIGNATURES - The presently claimed invention generally relates to deriving and/or utilizing content signatures (e.g., so-called “fingerprints”). One claim recites a method of generating a fingerprint associated with a content item including: pseudo-randomly selecting a segment of the content item; and utilizing a processor or electronic processing circuitry, fingerprinting the selected segment of content item as at least an identifier of the content item. Of course, other claims and combination are provided as well. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076349 | FLOW TYPE PARTICLE IMAGE ANALYSIS METHOD AND DEVICE - At each of mutually different multiple focal positions, focal adjustment parameter values are obtained from images of standard particles made of the same substance. Each focal adjustment parameter value is figured out as any one of the ratio between the density value around the center of the standard particle image and the density value around the outline, the difference therebetween, and the density value around the center. The in-focus position is adjusted on the basis of the relationship between the obtained focal adjustment parameter values and the focal positions. Moreover, on the basis of the relationship between the focal adjustment parameter values and the focal positions, the parameter values are converted into focal positions, and the focal positions and dispersion thereof are used to check the displacement of the in-focus position and the thickness of the sample liquid. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076350 | COOKER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - Provided are a cooker and a method of controlling the cooker. An image of food scanned by an image sensor is corrected, and thus, can be free from distortion due to a lighting device. Accordingly, a user can more accurately recognize a cooking state of the food. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076351 | COOKER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - Provided is a cooker. An image of the inside of a cooking chamber scanned by an image sensor is displayed to the outside through a display part. Thus, a user may more easily and accurately recognize the inner state of the cooking chamber. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076352 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC SPEED CONTROL ON A MAIL PROCESSING SYSTEM - The present application relates to a mail processing system and related method containing dynamic speed control which uses real time and historical system parameters to dynamically control the cycle speed of an inserting or wrapping system to optimize system efficiency, and maximize throughput and performance. A document processing system with dynamic speed control analyzes system parameters. When the operational conditions are favorable the system will increase cycle speed of one or more of the mail processing components of the system in increments until an optimal speed is reached. Likewise, if conditions are unfavorable the system will decrease cycle speed of one or more of the mail processing components of the system in increments until an optimal speed is reached. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076353 | INTERACTIVE DISPLAY - Embodiments are disclosed herein that relate to the front-projection of an interactive display. One disclosed embodiment provides an interactive display system comprising a projector and a display screen configured to display an image projected by the projector, the display screen comprising a retroreflective layer and a diffuser layer covering the retroreflective layer, the diffuser layer being configured to diffusely reflect only a portion of light incident on the diffuser layer from the projector such that another portion of light passes through the diffuser layer and is reflected by the retroreflective layer back through the diffuser layer. The interactive display system also comprises a camera configured to capture images of the display screen via light reflected by the retroreflective layer to identify via the images a user gesture performed between the projector and the display screen. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076354 | IMAGE RECOGNITION BASED UPON A BROADCAST SIGNATURE - Methods and apparatus for processing image data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes capturing, via an image sensor, an image that includes a plurality of objects including a target object, and receiving, from the target object, via a medium other than the image sensor, distinguishing information that is broadcast by the target object. The distinguishing information distinguishes the target object from other objects, and is used to select, within the captured image, the target object from among the other objects. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076355 | 3D OBJECT TRACKING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A 3D object tracking method and apparatus in which a model of an object to be tracked is divided into a plurality of polygonal planes and the object is tracked using texture data of the respective planes and geometric data between the respective planes to enable more precise tracking. The 3D object tracking method includes modeling the object to be tracked to generate a plurality of planes, and tracking the plurality of planes, respectively. The modeling of the object includes selecting points from among the plurality of planes, respectively, and calculating projective invariants using the selected points. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076356 | ANOMALY DETECTION APPARATUS - Behavior authority may be changed depending on a behavior performed by a person. Therefore, it is necessary to change the judgment criteria whether the behavior is anomalous or normal, in association with the changed behavior authority. Herein, an anomaly detection apparatus is provided, which calculates the behavior authority information of which judgment criteria of the anomalous and normal behaviors are changed corresponding to the behavior performed by the person, detects whether the behavior shown by the person is anomalous or not, and issues an alarm when the anomalous behavior is detected. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076357 | VIDEO PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM - According to one embodiment, a video processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a first extraction unit, a generation unit, a second extraction unit, a computation unit and a selection unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire video streams. A first extraction unit is configured to analyze at least one of the moving pictures and the sounds for each video stream and to extract feature values. A generation unit is configured to generate segments by dividing each video stream, and to generate associated segment groups. A second extraction unit is configured to extract the associated segment groups that number of associated segments is greater than or equal to threshold as common video segment groups. A computation unit is configured to compute summarization score. A selection unit is configured to select segments used for a summarized video as summarization segments from the common video segment groups based on the summarization score. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076358 | Methods for and Apparatus for Generating a Continuum of Three-Dimensional Image Data - The present invention provides methods and apparatus for generating a continuum of image data sprayed over three-dimensional models. The three-dimensional models can be representative of features captured by the image data and based upon multiple image data sets capturing the features. The image data can be captured at multiple disparate points along another continuum. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076359 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A system for tracking a spatially manipulated user controlling object using a camera associated with a processor. While the user spatially manipulates the controlling object, an image of the controlling object is picked-up via a video camera, and the camera image is analyzed to isolate the part of the image pertaining to the controlling object for mapping the position and orientation of the device in a two-dimensional space. Robust data processing systems and computerized method employing calibration and tracking algorithms such that minimal user intervention is required for achieving and maintaining successful tracking of the controlling object in changing backgrounds and lighting conditions. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076360 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus includes a receiver, a registration section, a determination section, and a controller. The receiver receives broadcast waves including signals of a plurality of channels. The registration section registers a recognition target. The determination section determines whether or not the recognition target, registered in the registration section, exists in a frame of an image including the signals of the plurality of channels included in the broadcast waves received by the receiver. The controller sequentially switches, in accordance with a determination result obtained by the determination section, the plurality of channels received by the receiver. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076361 | OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE - A depth histogram is created for each of a plurality of local regions of the depth image by grouping, according to specified depths, the depth information for the individual pixels that are contained in the local regions. A degree of similarity between two of the depth histograms for two of the local regions at different positions in the depth image is calculated as a feature. A depth image for training that has a high degree of certainty is defined as a positive example, a depth image for training that has a low degree of certainty is defined as a negative example, a classifier that is suitable for classifying the positive example and the negative example is constructed, and an object that is a target of detection is detected in the depth image, using the classifier and based on the feature. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076362 | CODED APERTURE CAMERA WITH ADAPTIVE IMAGE PROCESSING - An image capture device is used to identify object range information, and includes: providing an image capture device, an image sensor, a coded aperture, and a lens; and using the image capture device to capture a digital image of the scene from light passing through the lens and the coded aperture, the scene having a plurality of objects. The method further includes: dividing the digital image into a set of blocks; assigning a point spread function (psf) value to each of the blocks; combining contiguous blocks in accordance with their psf values; producing a set of blur parameters based upon the psf values of the combined blocks and the psf values of the remaining blocks; producing a set of deblurred images based upon the captured image and each of the blur parameters; and using the set of deblurred images to determine the range information for the objects in the scene. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076363 | COMPONENT CONCENTRICITY - System and methods for determining a concentricity of a component mounted within an aperture of an electronic device housing. In particular, a method for determining concentricity of a camera includes obtaining an image of a camera mounted within the aperture of the housing and identifying a plurality of circular shapes within the image using a processor. One of the circular shapes represents the aperture in the housing and the other circular shape represents the camera. An offset between two of the plurality of circular shapes is calculated. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076364 | IMAGING METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DOWNHOLE FLUID ANALYSIS - An example system described herein to perform downhole fluid analysis includes an imaging processor to be positioned downhole in a geological formation, the imaging processor including a plurality of photo detectors to sense light that has contacted a formation fluid in the geological formation, each photo detector to determine respective image data for a respective portion of an image region supported by the imaging processor, and a plurality of processing elements, each processing element being associated with a respective photo detector and to process first image data obtained from the respective photo detector and second image data obtained from at least one neighbor photo detector, and a controller to report measurement data via a telemetry communication link to a receiver to be located outside the geological formation, the measurement data being based on processed data obtained from the plurality of processing elements. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076365 | BIOMETRIC KIT AND METHOD OF CREATING THE SAME - A biometric kit and method of using the same that includes the collection and verification of photographs, an animal nose print and DNA profile of a pet or animal along with a specific animal information profile. The collected and verified data is converted to a digital format and stored. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076366 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION | 2012-03-29 |
20120076367 | AUTO TAGGING IN GEO-SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a social networking system automatically tags one or more users to an image file by creating a list of potential matches, and selecting a subset of potential matches based on location, asking a first user to confirm the subset of potential matches, and tagging one or more matched users to the image file. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076368 | FACE IDENTIFICATION BASED ON FACIAL FEATURE CHANGES - A face is detected within a series of imaging frames. One or more changes to a facial feature of the face are detected in progressive frames of the series. The face is identified based on the detected changes. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076369 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTACTLESS MULTI-FINGERPRINT COLLECTION - A system and method for contactless multi-fingerprint collection is disclosed. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system includes an imaging volume, a user interface configured to provide feedback to the subject regarding a proximity of a hand to a desired imaging location within the imaging volume, and at least one image capture device to capture images of each of the plurality of fingerprints at each of at least two different depths from the fingerprints. The contactless multi-fingerprint collection system also includes a processor coupled to the at least one image capture device that is programmed to generate a composite image and a contour map of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the images captured at the at least two different depths and generate a two-dimensional rolled equivalent image of each of the plurality of fingerprints from the composite image and the contour map. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076370 | SECTIONAL IMAGE RECOGNITION METHOD AND ZONAL RECOGNITION DEVICE THEREOF - A sectional image recognition method and a zonal recognition device are applied in a zonal fingerprint recognition device with small storage capacity. The method includes setting an image selection frame; capturing a corresponding fingerprint image block according to the image selection frame; executing a minutiae conversion program on the fingerprint image block to generate a minutiae block image corresponding to the fingerprint image block; repeating the foregoing steps until minutiae block image corresponding to all fingerprint image blocks are obtained; then executing an image stitching program on the corresponding minutiae block images according to acquisition sequence of the fingerprint image blocks for generating a minutiae image corresponding to the fingerprint image; executing a fingerprint recognition program on the minutiae image; and according to a recognition result acquired by the fingerprint recognition program, sending, by a zonal fingerprint recognition device, a corresponding response message to inform users of the recognition result. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076371 | Phantom Identification - The invention relates to calibration phantoms used in connection with medical imaging devices such as PET, MR, etc., and particularly in connection with hybrid systems such as MR/PET systems. In some cases, the phantoms have distinguishable, machine-readable identification features that allow the imaging system to identify them automatically, without operator intervention. In other cases, even where the phantoms do not have such distinguishable, machine-readable identification features, if the imaging system is appropriately configured with cameras and/or appropriate image analysis software, the imaging system can still identify the phantoms automatically. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076372 | MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - A medical image processing apparatus is a medical image processing apparatus performing image segmentation processing for a medical image including: a feature value calculating unit that calculates at least one feature value from the medical image; a category setting unit that sets, on the basis of the feature value calculated by the feature value calculating unit, plural categories in the medical image; a parameter setting unit that sets, on the basis of the feature value calculated by the feature value calculating unit, a parameter for each of areas of the medical image respectively classified into the categories set by the category setting unit; and an image segmenting unit that performs the image segmentation processing for the medical image according to an arithmetic operation of employing a dynamic contour model specified according to the number of categories set by the category setting unit and parameters set by the parameter setting unit. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076373 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus of the invention includes a first feature value calculation unit adapted to calculate a first feature value for each pixel in an image picked up of living tissue, where the first feature value represents a value of an index which indicates what shape a local region; a second feature value calculation unit adapted to calculate a degree of concentration of a gradient vector as a second feature value based on the gradient vector for each pixel in the image; an evaluation value calculation unit adapted to calculate a geometric evaluation value for each pixel, based on calculation results of the first feature value and the second feature value; and a region extraction unit of separately extracting a candidate region of the linear structure and a candidate region of the massive structure based on a calculation result of the geometric evaluation value. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076374 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a pixel selection unit adapted to select a pixel of interest from an image; a contrast feature value calculation unit adapted to calculate, as a contrast feature value, a value which represents an amount of change in contrast in a local region including the pixel of interest; a geometric feature value calculation unit adapted to calculate, as a geometric feature value, a value of an index which indicates whether or not a linear or massive structure is contained in the local region; an evaluation value calculation unit adapted to calculate an evaluation value by weighting each of the contrast feature value and the geometric feature value; and a region extraction unit adapted to extract a candidate region estimated to contain the linear or massive structure from the image based on a calculation result of the evaluation value. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076375 | DETECTING DEVICE, DETECTING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A detecting device detecting a skin region of a subject. The detecting device comprising: a first irradiation section that irradiates the subject with light of a first wavelength; a second irradiation section that irradiates the subject with light of a second wavelength; a captured image creating section that creates a first image based on light reflected from the subject when the subject is irradiated with light of the first wavelength, creates a second image based on light reflected from the subject when the subject is irradiated with light of the second wavelength, and creates an external light image based on light reflected from the subject when the subject is not irradiated with any light of the first and second wavelengths; and a detecting section that detects the skin region on the basis of the first image, the second image, and the external light image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076376 | Controlling the Number of Iterations in Image Reconstruction - An iterative reconstruction method to reconstruct an object includes determining, in a series of iteration steps, updated objects, wherein each iteration step includes determining a data model from an input object, and determining a stop-criterion of the data model on the basis of a chi-square-gamma statistic. The method further includes determining that the stop-criterion of the data model has transitioned from being outside the limitation of a preset threshold value to being inside the limitation, ending the iterations, and selecting one of the updated objects to be the reconstructed object. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076377 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BLOOD VESSEL STENOSIS VISUALIZATION AND QUANTIFICATION USING SPECTRAL CT ANALYSIS - A system and method for dual energy CT spectral imaging that provides for accurate blood vessel stenosis visualization and quantification is disclosed. The CT system includes an x-ray source configured to project x-rays toward a region-of-interest of a patient that includes a blood vessel in a stenosed condition and having a plaque material therein. The CT system also includes an x-ray detector to receive x-rays emitted by the x-ray source and attenuated by the region-of-interest, a data acquisition system (DAS) operably connected to the x-ray detector, and a computer programmed to obtain a first set of CT image data for the region-of-interest at a first chromatic energy level, obtain a second set of CT image data for the region-of-interest at a second chromatic energy level that is higher than the first chromatic energy level, and identify plaque material in the region-of-interest by analyzing the second set of CT image data. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076378 | METHOD AND ASSEMBLY FOR CORRECTING A RELAXATION MAP FOR MEDICAL IMAGING APPLICATIONS - A method for correcting a relaxation map of an object scanned with a magnetic resonance imaging modality the object having a plurality of structure and/or tissue types. The method includes deriving a first relaxation map of a scanned object from at least two three-dimensional scans of the object acquired using a sequence of ultrashort echo time pulses adapted for distinguishing between the various types of a plurality of structure and/or tissue types of the object. Information is obtained on the type of structure and/or tissue type present in voxels in the first relaxation map and binarizing the obtained information. A corrected relaxation map is generated by combining the binarized information with the first relaxation map. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076379 | CORRECTION OF SATURATION BANDING ARTIFACTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING - Systems and methods for correcting saturation banding artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging in which artifact and reference calibration scans are used to create one dimensional or two dimensional correction profiles, which are subsequently applied to actual diagnostic imaging scans to correct the saturation banding artifacts. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076380 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BACKGROUND PHASE CORRECTION FOR PHASE CONTRAST FLOW IMAGES - A method for correcting the background phase in magnetic resonance phase contrast flow images includes providing a time series of velocity encoded magnetic resonance images of a patient, where the time series of velocity encoded images comprises for each time point a phase contrast image where a pixel intensity is proportional to a flow velocity, measuring a change of intensity for each pixel over the time series of phase contrast images, identifying pixels with a low measure of temporal change as stationary pixels, and calculating a correction field for the stationary pixels, where the correction field represents a background phase to be subtracted from the phase contrast image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076381 | MEDICAL SYSTEM - A medical system comprising a selection unit configured to select at least one of layers in a three-dimensional tomographic image of a retina, and a generation unit configured to generate an opacity function indicating an opacity of each of a plurality of voxels constituting the selected layer, based on a frequency distribution of luminance values of the plurality of voxels. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076382 | MOTION TRACKING FOR CLINICAL PARAMETER DERIVATION AND ADAPTIVE FLOW ACQUISITION IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING - A method for clinical parameter derivation and adaptive flow acquisition within a sequence of magnetic resonance images includes commencing an acquisition of a sequence of images. One or more landmarks are automatically detected from within one or more images of the sequence of images. The detected one or more landmarks are propagated across subsequent images of the sequence of images. A plane is fitted to the propagation of landmarks. The positions of landmarks or alternatively the position of the fitted plane within the sequence of images is used for derivation of clinical parameters such as tissue velocities and/or performing adaptive flow acquisitions to measure blood flow properties. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076383 | MAGNETIC RESONANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD TO AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE A SELECTIVE MR IMAGE - In a magnetic resonance method and system for automatic generation of a selective MR image from a first MR image (corresponding to raw data acquired at a first echo time after excitation pulses) and a second MR image (corresponding to raw data acquired at a second echo time after the same excitation pulses), for each image point of the MR images, a time constant is calculated for tissue to be imaged at the respective image point depending on the intensity values of the corresponding image points of the first and second MR images. The calculated time constant is compared with at least one threshold in order to associate a weighting factor with that image point. The selective MR image is generated by processing the intensity values of the image points of the first and/or second MR image with the associated weighting factors. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076384 | MAGNETIC RESONANCE METHOD AND SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE A SELECTIVE MR IMAGE - In a magnetic resonance method and system for automatic generation of a selective MR image from a first MR image (corresponding to raw data acquired at a first echo time after excitation pulses) and a second MR image (corresponding to raw data acquired at a second echo time after the same excitation pulses), wherein at least one raw data measurement point was measured in the absence of gradient fields, a time constant prevailing in the depicted imaging space is calculated from the measurement data measured during readout of the raw data measurement point measured in the absence of gradient fields. Weighting factors for the first and/or the second MR image are determined depending on this time constant. The selective MR image is generated by weighting the first and/or second MR image with the calculated weighting factors and subtraction of the weighted MR images from one another. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076385 | OPTIMAL ENERGY WINDOWING OF SCATTERED EVENTS IN RADIONUCLIDE IMAGING - An imaging system includes storage ( | 2012-03-29 |
20120076386 | SINGLE SCAN MULTI-PROCEDURE IMAGING - A method includes receiving imaging data generated by an imaging system ( | 2012-03-29 |
20120076387 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING BRAIN CHARACTERISTIC PARAMETERS, THROMBOLYSIS DECISION GUIDELINE SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF - Method and system for obtaining brain characteristic parameters, thrombolysis decision guideline system and method thereof, provide middle of reference data for early diagnosis and treatment of acute ischemic brain death, and provide effective reference data for thrombolytic therapy. The present invention uses diffusion-weighted imaging, comparing to the clinical programs of diffusion-weighted imaging and perfusion weighted imaging, perfusion weighted imaging can omitted and the degree of functional characterization of perfusion abnormalities is reflected without the perfusion weighted imaging, to provide middle data of brain tissue can be saved and the risk of thrombolytic therapy. The present invention based on ADC low signal constraint and DWI high signal constraint DWI binarization processing to obtain the core area and transition area, that is more accurate. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076388 | RADIOLOGICAL IMAGE DISPLAYING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided is a technique of displaying auxiliary lines so as to make it easy to catch the sense of depth when displaying a stereoscopic image using radiological images. Auxiliary lines are added on two radiological images for displaying a stereoscopic image, respectively. The auxiliary lines are made up of a plurality of grids appearing to be arranged in the depth direction, and the display modes of adjacent grids are different. For example, at least one of the colors, thicknesses, kinds, luminance levels, blinking methods, and directions of the lines of the adjacent grids are different. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076389 | Controlling the Number of Iterations in Image Reconstruction - An iterative reconstruction method to reconstruct an object includes determining, in a series of iteration steps, updated objects, wherein each iteration step includes determining a data model from an input object, and determining a stop-criterion of the data model on the basis of a chi-square-gamma statistic. The method further includes determining that the stop-criterion of the data model has transitioned from being outside the limitation of a preset threshold value to being inside the limitation, ending the iterations, and selecting one of the updated objects to be the reconstructed object. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076390 | METHODS FOR FEATURE ANALYSIS ON CONSECUTIVE TISSUE SECTIONS - Feature analysis on consecutive tissue sections (FACTS) includes obtaining a plurality of consecutive tissue sections from a tissue sample, staining the sections with at least one biomarker, obtaining a digital image thereof, and identifying one or more regions of interest within a middle of the consecutive tissue sections. The digital images of the consecutive tissue sections are registered for alignment and the one or more regions of interest are transferred from the image of the middle section to the images of the adjacent sections. Each image of the consecutive tissue sections is then analyzed and scored as appropriate. Using FACTS methods, pathologist time for annotation is reduced to a single slide. Optionally, multiple middle sections may be annotated for regions of interest and transferred accordingly. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076391 | DIGITAL MICROSCOPE SLIDE SCANNING SYSTEM AND METHODS - Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076392 | Fault Detection of a Printed Dot-Pattern Bitmap - Embodiments of the present invention enable fault detection in a printed dot-pattern image. Certain applications of the present invention are its use in various embodiments of a system for inspection of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate. In embodiments, a generated distortion map is based on a comparison of a reconstructed dot-pattern image, a simulated reference bitmap, and an error map representing differences between the reconstructed dot-pattern image and the reference bitmap. In embodiments, the pixels of the distortion map are color coded to identify the locations and types of aberrations that were discovered as a result of the comparison. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076393 | CD METROLOGY SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CLASSIFYING SIMILAR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS - A CD metrology system and method of classifying similar structural elements. The method includes: a) obtaining an image of the semiconductor structure; b) identifying sufficient numbers of structural elements belonging to first and second groups of similar structural elements, each group originating from a different manufacturing stage; c) assessing to each given structural element within the sufficient numbers of structural elements belonging to the first and second groups, one or more features indicative of a respective manufacturing stage, wherein values of the respective features are derived from the obtained image and; d) using results of the assessment for a classification decision related to manufacturing stages and, respectively, originating therefrom structural elements in the first and second groups of similar structural elements. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076394 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROGRAM FOR PROCESSING A CONTRAST PICTURE IMAGE OF A SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT - A method for processing a contrast picture image of a semiconductor element. The method comprises: a color grade number reducing processing that automatically reduces number of color grades of the contrast picture image of the semiconductor element, obtained from a device for analysis, in keeping with the contrast of the contrast picture image; an interconnect contrast extraction processing that classifies pixels contained in the contrast picture image, whose number of color grades has been reduced, in accordance with a preset contrast threshold value as reference, to extract an interconnect pattern fractionated into a plurality of number of contrasts; and a shift processing that removes noise contained in a contour portion of the interconnect pattern by shifting the contour portion; whereby an interconnect pattern contained in the contrast image of the semiconductor element obtained from the device for analysis is fractionated into a plurality of preset contrasts to be extracted. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076395 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC ORIENTATION OF A CHIP TO THE CAD LAYOUT WITH SUB-OPTICAL RESOLUTION - A method and system for aligning a DUT image for testing. The alignment is performed by obtaining an optical image of the DUT from an optical system; obtaining a computer aided design (CAD) data having CAD layers of the DUT; constructing a CAD image of the DUT by overlaying the CAD layers; operating on the CAD image to generate a synthetic image simulating an optical image of the DUT; generating a difference image by comparing the optical image to the synthetic image; and, varying parameters of the synthetic image so as to minimize the difference image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076396 | PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD AND ITS APPARATUS - A pattern inspection method and apparatus are provided for sequentially imaging plural chips formed on a substrate to be inspected to and obtaining inspection images and reference images, calculating a position gap between the inspection images and the reference images using a recipe created in advance by using another substrate of the same kind or type as the substrate, the recipe including information for determining which pattern sections are to be selected and discarded, aligning the inspection images and the reference images using information of the position gap from the calculating step, and comparing the inspection images with the reference images aligned by the aligning step and extracting a defect candidate. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076397 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING A DRONE DURING THE APPROACH PHASE TO A PLATFORM, IN PARTICULAR A NAVAL PLATFORM, WITH A VIEW TO LANDING SAME - This system for guiding a drone during the approach phase to a platform, particularly a naval platform, with a view to landing the same, is characterized in that the platform is equipped with a glide slope indicator installation emitting an array of optical guide beams over an angular sector predetermined from the horizontal, and in that the drone is equipped with a beam acquisition camera connected to image analysis means and to computing means of orders for commanding automatic piloting means of the drone to cause it to follow the guide beams. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076398 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE PASTING SYSTEM, AND METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF SAME - It is arranged so that stereoscopic images will not overlap one another. A stereoscopic image to be pasted in a free-layout electronic album is selected. The amount of parallax of the stereoscopic image to be pasted in this electronic album is set. When this is done, the selected stereoscopic image is enlarged or reduced in size so as to take on the set amount of parallax. Automatic layout for pasting enlarged or reduced stereoscopic images on each page of the electronic album in such a manner that these stereoscopic images will not overlap one another is carried out. The result of the layout is displayed. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076399 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE EDITING DEVICE AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE EDITING METHOD - Even when the size of a three-dimensional image is changed, the pop-out amount is automatically adjusted to one intended by the user. The pop-out amount is adjusted based on a conversion characteristic defining a relationship between the size and the pop-out amount of a three-dimensional image as the size of the three-dimensional image is changed, and therefore the pop-out amount of the three-dimensional image can be automatically adjusted to a given pop-out amount preferred by the user or intended by the user. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076400 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FAST THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING USING DEFOCUSING AND FEATURE RECOGNITION - Described is a method and system for fast three-dimensional imaging using defocusing and feature recognition is disclosed. The method comprises acts of capturing a plurality of defocused images of an object on a sensor, identifying segments of interest in each of the plurality of images using a feature recognition algorithm, and matching the segments with three-dimensional coordinates according to the positions of the images of the segments on the sensor to produce a three-dimensional position of each segment of interest. The disclosed imaging method is “aware” in that it uses a priori knowledge of a small number of object features to reduce computation time as compared with “dumb” methods known in the art which exhaustively calculate positions of a large number of marker points. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076401 | IMAGE CLASSIFICATION EMPLOYING IMAGE VECTORS COMPRESSED USING VECTOR QUANTIZATION - Local descriptors are extracted from an image. An image vector is generated having vector elements indicative of parameters of mixture model components of a mixture model representing the extracted local descriptors. The image vector is compressed using a vector quantization algorithm to generate a compressed image vector. Optionally, the compressing comprises splitting the image vector into a plurality of sub-vectors each including at least two vector elements, compressing each sub-vector independently using the vector quantization algorithm, and concatenating the compressed sub-vectors to generate the compressed image vector. Optionally, each sub-vector includes only vector elements indicative of parameters of a single mixture model component, and any sparse sub-vector whose vector elements are indicative of parameters of a mixture model component that does not represent any of the extracted local descriptors is not compressed. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076402 | Rich Color Transition Curve Tracking Method - A method of finding targets in a color image applies ratio space rich colored filtering to identify a band of pixels that form a transition zone from one rich color to another. This pixel band is reduced to a rich color transition curve. A set of transition curves with simple geometric and color properties for the entire image, can be compared to a database of target properties to identify a target in an image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076403 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALL-IN-FOCUS IMAGING FROM MULTIPLE IMAGES ACQUIRED WITH HAND-HELD CAMERA - Methods and systems to create an image in which objects at different focal depths all appear to be in focus. In an embodiment, all objects in the scene may appear in focus. Non-stationary cameras may be accommodated, so that variations in the scene resulting from camera jitter or other camera motion may be tolerated. An image alignment process may be used, and the aligned images may be blended using a process that may be implemented using logic that has relatively limited performance capability. The blending process may take a set of aligned input images and convert each image into a simplified Laplacian pyramid (LP). The LP is a data structure that includes several processed versions of the image, each version being of a different size. The set of aligned images is therefore converted into a corresponding set of LPs. The LPs may be combined into a composite LP, which may then undergo Laplacian pyramid reconstruction (LPR). The output of the LPR process is the final blended image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076404 | IMAGE COLOR ENHANCEMENT - Some embodiments of the invention provide a non-linear image-enhancement method to enhance an image that includes a number of picture elements. The non-linear enhancement method adjusts the brightness value of each pixel in the image and adjusts at least one chromatic value of each pixel in the image based on the adjustment to the brightness value of that pixel. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076405 | AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF CALIBRATION CHARTS IN IMAGES - Methods and apparatuses for locating an embedded color chart in an image are described. In one exemplary method, an image that includes an embedded color chart is located without the intervention of the user. The embedded color chart is verified and used to create a color profile of the image. Furthermore, the orientation angle of the color chart is determined and the image orientation is fixed based on this angle. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076406 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROGRESSIVE BAND SELECTION FOR HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGES - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for progressive band selection for hyperspectral images. A system having module configured to control a processor to practice the method calculates a virtual dimensionality of a hyperspectral image having multiple bands to determine a quantity Q of how many bands are needed for a threshold level of information, ranks each band based on a statistical measure, selects Q bands from the multiple bands to generate a subset of bands based on the virtual dimensionality, and generates a reduced image based on the subset of bands. This approach can create reduced datasets of full hyperspectral images tailored for individual applications. The system uses a metric specific to a target application to rank the image bands, and then selects the most useful bands. The number of bands selected can be specified manually or calculated from the hyperspectral image's virtual dimensionality. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076407 | BRIGHTNESS ENHANCEMENT METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR LOW POWER ARCHITECTURES - Embodiments are described for a brightness enhancement method, system and apparatus for low power architecture. A histogram of a contrast image may be generated. One or more parameters may be set based on the histogram. A tone mapping for the contrast image may be determined based on the one or more parameters. An output pixel may be determined based on the tone mapping. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076408 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING OBJECT - Provided are a system and method for detecting an object. The method includes selecting a macroscopic scan mode in which there are a small number of divided regions or a microscopic scan mode in which there are a large number of divided regions according to complexity of a background including an object to be detected, dividing an input image into one or more regions according to the selected scan mode, merging adjacent regions having similar characteristics among the divided regions, extracting a search region by excluding a region having a high probability that the object to be detected does not exist from the divided or merged regions, extracting feature data including a feature vector for detecting the object in the search region, and detecting the object in the search region using the extracted feature data. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076409 | COMPUTER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MATCHING FOR IMAGES AND GRAPHS - It is provided a computer system for matching between images/graphs comprising a processing unit, a storage unit, an input unit and a data recording unit, wherein the computer system includes a feature pattern generating unit for generating a set of feature patterns of the image and the graph from the received image and the received graph, segmenting each of the image and the graph into a plurality of regions centered on a sample point, and determining characteristics of the plurality of regions; a correspondence computing unit for computing correspondence between the image and the graph to be matched by comparing the generated feature patterns; a transform unit for transforming a coordinate system of at least one of the image and the graph to be matched; and a combination unit for combining the image and the graph that have been subjected to the transform of the coordinate system. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076410 | ALIGNMENT METHOD AND EXAMINATION APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, an alignment method includes setting a local area from an alignment target area, the local area being an execution target area of local alignment to be performed with precision equal to or higher than required alignment precision; performing the local alignment between a pattern image of an examination target and a reference pattern image of an examination reference, in the local area, to obtain a shift amount that is a result of local alignment; and shifting a whole of the reference pattern image by using the shift amount. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076411 | DIGITAL MICROSCOPE SLIDE SCANNING SYSTEM AND METHODS - Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076412 | IMAGE STITCHING FOR A MULTI-HEAD PRINTER - Techniques are disclosed for stitching images printed by a multi-head printer in a manner that is relatively insensitive to misregistration of the image segments. When a pair of overlapping print heads print a pair of adjacent image segments which meet in a stitching region, printing at each location in the stitching region is accomplished by both print heads with a weighting that depends on the location being printed within the stitching region. In one embodiment, for example, the output of each print head is weighted by a linear function of horizontal pixel position. Techniques are also disclosed for selecting screening patterns for use when stitching is performed with variable-dot printers. Such screening patterns are selected to minimize variations in density that may arise as the result of cross-web and/or down-web misregistration. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076413 | Methods and Systems for Automatic Extraction and Retrieval of Auxiliary Document Content - Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for automatically extracting, from a document image, references to relevant external content and automatically retrieving the external content associated with the references. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076414 | External Image Based Summarization Techniques - Techniques involve visually summarizing documents (e.g., search results, a collection of documents, etc.) using images which are visually representative of the documents for which the images represent. The images representing the documents may be external images obtained from sources other than the documents. The external images may be obtained from the sources other than the documents by performing a separate image based search using key phrases from the documents rather than extracting the images directly from within the documents themselves. Alternatively, an algorithm may be used to determine an image type, which may be chosen from a selection of external images, thumbnail images, or internal imaged taken directly from the collection of documents, that is suited to represent each document in the collection of documents. A snippet of the documents may be displayed along with the images which visually represent each of the documents. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076415 | COMPUTER AIDED VALIDATION OF PATENT DISCLOSURES - A method and system for analyzing a patent disclosure is disclosed. The method and system comprise a computerized cross-check of reference labels within drawings of a disclosure to reference labels found within the text of the disclosure, and generating warnings for reference labels that are missing from either the drawings or the text. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076416 | DETERMINING CORRELATIONS BETWEEN SLOW STREAM AND FAST STREAM INFORMATION - A collection of documents are correlated with information items in a fast stream of information using categorical hierarchical neighborhood trees (C-HNTs). First data entities extracted from the documents are inserted into corresponding C-HNTs. The first data entities that are neighbors in the C-HNTs of second data entities extracted from the fast stream items are identified. Similarities between the documents and the fast stream items are determined based on the location at which the neighbors are located. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076417 | IMAGE RECOGNITION METHOD AND IMAGE RECOGNITION APPARATUS - An image recognition apparatus is provided which comprises a first extracting means for extracting, from every registration image previously registered, a set of registration partial images of a predetermined size, and a second extracting means for extracting, from an input new image, a set of new partial images of a predetermined size. The apparatus further comprises a discriminating means for discriminating an attribute of the new partial image based on a rule formed by dividing the set of the registration partial images extracted by the first extracting means, and a collecting means for deriving a final recognition result of the new image by collecting discrimination results by the discriminating means at the time when the new partial images as elements of the set of the new partial images are input. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076418 | FACE ATTRIBUTE ESTIMATING APPARATUS AND METHOD - To provide a face attribute estimating apparatus capable of determining a face attribute with high precision. A scan region extracting part extracts, as a scan region, a region in which a specific face part can exist from a face region detected by a face detecting part. A region scanning part sets a small region in the scan region extracted by the scan region extracting part and, while scanning the scan region with the small region, sequentially outputs a pixel value in the small region. A pattern similarity calculating part sequentially calculates similarity between the pixel value output from the region scanning part and a specific pattern on the specific face part. A face attribute determining part determines a face attribute by comprehensively determining the similarities sequentially calculated by the pattern similarity calculating part. Therefore, a face attribute can be determined with high precision. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076419 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus includes a gradient magnitude calculating unit that calculates a gradient magnitude of each pixel on the basis of pixel values of a target image in which a predetermined target object is imaged; a candidate-edge detecting unit that detects contour-candidate edge positions on the basis of the gradient magnitude of each pixel; a reference-range setting unit that sets a reference range, which is to be referred to when a contour edge position is selected from among the contour-candidate edge positions, on the basis of the gradient magnitude of each pixel; and a contour-edge selecting unit that selects, as the contour edge position, one of the contour-candidate edge positions in the reference range. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076420 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE DEVICE - An image processing apparatus includes a contour-candidate-edge detecting unit that detects, as contour candidate edges, edges based on a gradient magnitude of each pixel in a target image; a contour-edge detecting unit that detect contour edges by performing thresholding on gradient magnitudes of the contour candidate edges; an interpolation-line generating unit that generates interpolation lines for connecting end points of respective end-point pairs based on gradients of pixel values between the end points while each of the end point pairs is made up of an end point of an identical contour edge as a connection base and an end point of a different contour edge as a connection destination; and a contour-edge interpolating unit that selects one of the interpolation lines based on the gradients of pixel values on the interpolation lines and interpolates a contour edge between the end points with the selected interpolation line. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076421 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ESTIMATING ILLUMINATION SOURCE CHARACTERISTICS FROM A SINGLE IMAGE - Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for determining light source characteristics from an image. An image having pixels is received that is affected by a light source. A silhouette boundary is received. The image may be filtered to decrease diffuse reflectivity. The presence of light sources is estimated by identifying a local maxima pixel around the silhouette boundary. The local maxima pixel may be associated with the light source. A slant angle that is associated with the light source is estimated using the silhouette boundary. A tilt angle associated with the light source is estimated using the slant angle and local maxima pixel intensity. The relative intensity of each light source may be determined. The ambient light intensity of the image may be determined. The characteristics, such as the slant angle and tilt angle, may be provided to a user. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076422 | System and Method for Image Authentication - In accordance with an embodiment, a method of authenticating images includes electronically receiving an anchor image and a query image, performing a feature point extraction of an anchor image, and performing a feature point extraction of a query image. The method also includes clustering feature points of the anchor image and feature points of the query image, where clustering includes determining matching feature points, determining outlier feature points, and excluding outlier feature points. Whether the anchor image is similar to the query image is determined based on a distance between the feature points of the anchor image and the feature points of the query image. If the anchor image is similar to the query image, possible tampered areas of the query image based on the outlier feature points are identified. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076423 | NEAR-DUPLICATE IMAGE DETECTION - A system and a method for near-duplicate image detection performed by a physical computing system includes applying a feature determining function to a number of images, a feature being defined by a geometric shape, comparing characteristics of said geometric shapes defining said features from at least two of said number of images, and characterizing said at least two of said number of images as a near-duplicate match if a predetermined percentage of said features of said at least two images match. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076424 | PATTERN SHAPE DETERMINING METHOD, PATTERN SHAPE VERIFYING METHOD, AND PATTERN CORRECTING METHOD - According to the pattern shape determining method of the embodiment, a first reference position of a pattern shape is set on a first pattern and a second reference position of a pattern shape is set on a second pattern. Moreover, an allowable dimensional difference between the first pattern and the second pattern is set to a value corresponding to a distance from the first reference position. Then, it is determined whether the second pattern has a pattern shape identical with the first pattern, based on whether a dimensional difference between the first pattern and the second pattern is within a range of an allowable dimensional difference set at a position at which the dimensional difference is calculated. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076425 | Locating a Feature in a Digital Image - Methods, systems, and computer program products used to locate a feature in an image. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076426 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MATCHING PANORAMIC IMAGES USING A GRAPH STRUCTURE, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - The present invention relates to a method for performing an image matching process for panoramic images. The method includes the steps of: (a) creating a connection(s) among images of a specific object respectively included in at least two panoramic images, if some objects included in the at least two panoramic images are recognized as the specific object by referring to information on shooting places of multiple panoramic images and information on directions of respective objects on the multiple panoramic images; and (b) matching an image of a certain object inputted as a query with at least one of images included in a specific connection and providing a search result for the query by referring to a result of the image matching process and the specific connection. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076427 | METHOD OF SELECTING IMPORTANT DIGITAL IMAGES - A method for selecting important digital images in a collection of digital images, comprising: analyzing the digital images in the collection of digital images to identify one or more sets of similar digital images; identifying one or more sets of similar digital images having the largest number of similar digital images; selecting one or more digital images from the identified largest sets of similar digital images to be important digital images; and storing an indication of the selected important digital image in a processor accessible memory. | 2012-03-29 |
20120076428 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An information processing device includes: a recognizer configured to recognize a predetermined part of a body of a person from an input image including the person; an evaluator configured to evaluate a difference between a recognized input part and a reference part serving as a basis; and a notifying unit configured to notify information relating to the difference of the input part from the reference part based on an evaluation result. | 2012-03-29 |