31st week of 2014 patent applcation highlights part 36 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140211976 | AUDIO LISTENING SYSTEM - An audio listening device having a damped ball joint type interface between an ear-cup assembly and a headband assembly is provided. For example, the audio listening device can include a headband assembly comprising at least one end; an ear-cup assembly pivotably engaged to the at least one end of the headband assembly by an engagement structure, the engagement structure comprising at least two cooperatively coupled curved surfaces; and a damper rim coupled to the ear-cup assembly and to the at least one end of the headband assembly, wherein the damper rim is configured to at least partially constrict movement of the ear-cup assembly relative to the headband assembly. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211977 | OVER/UNDER DUAL-FIT WEARING OPTION EARPHONES - The invention relates to an earphone that can be worn so that the cord attached to the earphone can be worn either over the wearer's ear or under the wearer's ear because of an angled earphone tip and angled strain relief. The angled earphone tip and angled strain relief serve to provide a customizable secure fit that maximizes the sound coming through the earphones and minimizes discomfort from wearing the earphone. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211978 | System and Method to Detect Video Piracy - System and Method to detect video piracy. This embodiment relates to management of video files, and more particularly to detecting piracy in video files. The embodiments herein achieve a system and method to detect video piracy by using unique identifiers embedded in escape frames in a video. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211979 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - Pattern information of a color filter array and algorithm information of color interpolation processing used in photography of input image data are obtained. Comparative image data is generated from the input image data using the pattern information and algorithm information. The comparative image data and input image data are compared to detect alteration of the input image data. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211980 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING X-RAY INSPECTION OF A LIQUID PRODUCT AT A SECURITY CHECKPOINT - A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. Generally, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In some examples presented, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle and an estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product, the length of the path being derived in part based on the location information. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211981 | IMAGE ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING AND TRACKING MAIL PIECES - An image acquisition system for processing and tracking mail pieces in a mailing system ( | 2014-07-31 |
20140211982 | ENROLLMENT APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD - An apparatus for enrolling a package is disclosed including: a receiving surface for receiving the package; at least one weight sensor in communication with the receiving surface which generates a weight signal indicative of the weight of the package; at least one video camera which generates a video signal indicative of an image of the package on the receiving surface; and a processor in communication with the at least one weight sensor and the at least one video camera. The processor includes: a weight module which produces, in response to the weight signal, weight data indicative of the weight of the package; and a dimension capture module which produces, in response to the video signal, dimension data indicative of the size of the package. In some embodiments, the processor further includes a recognition module which produces, in response to the video signal, character data indicative of one or more characters present on the package. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211983 | Information Technology Asset Location Using Visual Detectors - Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211984 | Information Technology Asset Location Using Visual Detectors - Mechanisms are provided for determining the physical location of a physical asset in a physical area. A plurality of physical assets are controlled to cause each physical asset to output a visual output pattern on visual output elements of the physical asset. An image of a target physical asset is captured that has the current state of the visual output elements. An identification of the target physical asset is determined based on the current state of the visual output elements. A physical location of the target physical asset is determined based on a physical location of the image capture device when the image was captured. Location data identifying the determined physical location of the target physical asset is stored in an asset database in association with configuration information for the physical asset. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211985 | Image-Based Occupancy Sensor - An image-based occupancy sensor includes a motion detection module that receives and processes an image signal to generate a motion detection signal, a people detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a people detection signal, a face detection module that receives the image signal and processes the image signal to generate a face detection signal, and a sensor integration module that receives the motion detection signal from the motion detection module, receives the people detection signal from the people detection module, receives the face detection signal from the face detection module, and generates an occupancy signal using the motion detection signal, the people detection signal, and the face detection signal, with the occupancy signal indicating vacancy or occupancy, with an occupancy indication specifying that one or more people are detected within the monitored volume. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211986 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND COUNTING TRAFFIC - A method and apparatus to monitor and document movement of bodies along or through selected regions is described for the directional counting of such bodies. The reduction of the consideration to selected regions avoids excessive calculation and allows the use of an inexpensive image acquisition and processor. Methods for the determining the direction of movement are described. A record is created for counting events for recording or downloading to a server for further manipulation. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211987 | SUMMARIZING SALIENT EVENTS IN UNMANNED AERIAL VIDEOS - A method for summarizing image content from video images received from a moving camera includes detecting foreground objects in the images, determining moving objects of interest from the foreground objects, tracking the moving objects, rating movements of the tracked objects, and generating a list of highly rated segments within the video images based on the ratings. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211988 | ATTRIBUTE-BASED ALERT RANKING FOR ALERT ADJUDICATION - Alerts to object behaviors are prioritized for adjudication as a function of relative values of abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attributes. The attributes are determined from feature data extracted from video frame image data. The abandonment attribute indicates a level of likelihood of abandonment of an object. The foregroundness attribute quantifies a level of separation of foreground image data of the object from a background model of the image scene. The staticness attribute quantifies a level of stability of dimensions of a bounding box of the object over time. Alerts are also prioritized according to an importance or relevance value that is learned and generated from the relative abandonment, foregroundness and staticness attribute strengths. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211989 | Component Based Correspondence Matching for Reconstructing Cables - In a stereoscopic pair of images, global homography at the image level is applied to feature points extracted from connected components (CC) to identify corresponding CC's and feature points, and to discard any CC's that do not have a corresponding pair in the stereoscopic pair of images. Local homography at the CC level is then applied to individual footprint areas of the previously identified paired CC to further clean feature point correspondence. Any CC or feature point or pixel within a paired CC footprint not satisfying local homography constraint is discarded. A correspondence is also extrapolated between unknown pixels within a paired CC footprint using a weighing mechanism and the unknown pixel's surrounding pixels that do have a known correspondence. This provides a dense correspondence of pixels, or feature points, which is then used to create a dense 3D point cloud of identified objects within a 3D space. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211990 | POSITION-SETUP FOR GESTURE-BASED GAME SYSTEM - Technologies are generally described for position-setup for gesture-based game. In some examples, a method performed under control of a gesture-based game system includes capturing, by an image capture unit, an image of a first player and an image of a second player, cropping, from the image of the first player and the image of the second player, a first sub-image of at least part of the first player and a second sub-image of at least part of the second player, respectively, determining whether to adjust the first sub-image and the second sub-image, if it is determined to adjust the first sub-image and second sub-image, adjusting the first sub-image and the second sub-image, and merging the first adjusted sub-image and the second adjusted sub-image into an output image. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211991 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INITIALIZING MOTION TRACKING OF HUMAN HANDS - Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands are disclosed. One embodiment includes a processor; a reference camera; and memory containing: a hand tracking application; and a plurality of edge feature templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. The hand tracking application configures the processor to: determine whether any pixels in a frame of video are part of a human hand, where a part of a human hand is identified by searching the frame of video data for a grouping of pixels that have image gradient orientations that match the edge features of one of the plurality of edge feature templates; track the motion of the part of the human hand visible in a sequence of frames of video; confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to an initialization gesture; and commence tracking the human hand as part of a gesture based interactive session. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211992 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INITIALIZING MOTION TRACKING OF HUMAN HANDS USING TEMPLATE MATCHING WITHIN BOUNDED REGIONS - Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands within bounded regions are disclosed. One embodiment includes: a processor; reference and alternate view cameras; and memory containing a plurality of templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. In addition, a hand tracking application configures the processor to: obtain reference and alternate view frames of video data; generate a depth map; identify at least one bounded region within the reference frame of video data containing pixels having distances from the reference camera that are within a specific range of distances; determine whether any of the pixels within the at least one bounded region are part of a human hand; track the motion of the part of the human hand in a sequence of frames of video data obtained from the reference camera; and confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to a predetermined initialization gesture. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211993 | IMAGE-PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE-CAPTURING DEVICE, AND IMAGE-PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing device includes: a reference area setting unit which sets a reference area including an indicated segment; an extraction unit which extracts an interest object feature quantity indicating a first feature from the reference area; an interest area setting unit which sets an area of interest in a third image, based on a relationship between a position of a feature point extracted from a feature area which is an area corresponding to an object of interest and included in a second image and a position of a feature point in the third image corresponding to the extracted feature point; and a tracking unit which determines for each of two or more of plural segments included in the area of interest with use of the interest object feature quantity whether the segment is a segment corresponding to the object of interest. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211994 | HUMAN DETECTION AND TRACKING APPARATUS, HUMAN DETECTION AND TRACKING METHOD, AND HUMAN DETECTION AND TRACKING PROGRAM - A human detection and tracking apparatus prevents errors in a size of a person and a location of body parts between actual image data and a tracking result. Human frame detecting section detects, from first image data, a human frame as a region having high possibility of presence of a human, based on human feature data representing a feature of an entire human body. Body part frame location determining section determines a body part frame in the first image data, based on part feature data illustrating a feature of a body part of the human and a part frame determined as a region having high possibility of presence of a body part of the human in second image data previous to the first image data. Body part frame location correcting section corrects, based on the human frame, a location of the part frame determined in the first image data. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211995 | POINT-OF-GAZE ESTIMATION ROBUST TO HEAD ROTATIONS AND/OR ESTIMATION DEVICE ROTATIONS - Point-of-gaze of a user looking at a display is estimated, taking into account rotation of the user's head or rotation of the display. An image of an eye of the user is captured. The image is processed to determine coordinates in the image of defined eye features, sufficient to determine the eye's optical axis. At least one angle is determined, the at least one angle proportional to an angle between (i) a line coincident with an edge of the display and (ii) an intersection of the sagittal plane of the user's head with a plane of the display. An intersection of the eye's line-of-sight with the plane of the display is estimated using the eye's optical axis, and using the at least one angle to account for rotation of the user's head or the display. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211996 | Image Capture and Identification System and Process - A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211997 | TRACKING-FRAME INITIAL-POSITION SETTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING OPERATION OF SAME - An image obtained by imaging a subject is displayed and a tracking frame is displayed at the central portion of a display screen. A target area is set surrounding the tracking frame and a high-frequency-component image is generated. A distance image indicating the distance to the subject image within an imaging zone is generated. An area, which represents a subject at a distance identical with that of the subject portion specified by the tracking frame displayed at the reference position, is decided upon as a search area. While a moving frame is moved within the search area of the high-frequency-component image, amounts of high-frequency component are calculated. The position of the moving frame at which the calculated amount of high-frequency component is maximized is adopted as the initial position of the tracking frame. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211998 | METHOD FOR LOCATING AN OBJECT USING A REFERENCE GRID - A method for locating an object by a reference grid, the object moving in a plane parallel to or identical to that of the grid. When crossing of a line of the grid is detected by the object, its heading is determined and, as a function of the detection, probabilities of the thus crossed line being a horizontal line and a vertical line respectively are obtained. Displacement of the object is assessed from the probabilities obtained and a horizontal and vertical pitch of the grid. A position of the object is then updated from a position of the object determined during a last line crossing of the grid and the displacement thus assessed. | 2014-07-31 |
20140211999 | MEASURING DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE SPATIAL POSITION OF AN AUXILIARY MEASURING INSTRUMENT - A positioning method continuously determines the spatial position of an auxiliary measuring instrument having several auxiliary-point markings in a fixed, known spatial distribution relative to one another. Camera images of the auxiliary-point markings are continually recorded using a camera having a surface sensor that includes pixels, and read-out processes are continually performed by reading out the pixels with regard to a respective current exposure value. Image positions of the imaged auxiliary-point markings in the respective current camera image are determined, with which the current spatial position of the auxiliary measuring instrument is derived. Respective current areas of interest on the surface sensor are continually set using image positions determined in at least one previously recorded camera image. The current image positions are determined using exclusively only at most those current exposure values that are received by pixels of the surface sensor lying within the currently set areas of interest. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212000 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING TRACKER SYSTEM - The present invention relates to the field of computation and simulation and covers methods to optimize the fiducial marker positions in optical object tracking systems, by simulating the visibility. The method for optimizing tracker system which is realized to simulate camera and fiducial positions and pose estimation algorithm parameters to optimize the system comprises the steps of; acquire mesh data representing possible active marker positions and orientations on a tracked object, pose data representing possible poses of tracked object, camera positions and orientations; compute visibility of each node from all camera viewports and generate a visibility value list; select the node with highest visibility count as a marker placement node; remove nodes closer to the selected node than a threshold; remove the pose(s) having a predetermined number of selected nodes; does percentage of all poses have predetermined number of selected nodes?; project selected node positions on the image plane of each camera viewport and calculate the pose of the mesh using the tracker algorithm to be optimized; calculate pose error and pose coverage by comparing algorithm results with initial data; record and output results; and select among the results a parameter set satisfying at least one constraint. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212001 | Visual odometry - Visual odometry is achieved via various approaches. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212002 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSOR AIDED EXTRACTION OF SPATIO-TEMPORTAL FEATURES - A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for extracting spatio-temporal features with the aid of sensor information. An exemplary method comprises receiving video data and auxiliary sensor data and associating the two with timestamp information. The method may also include segmenting an input data stream into stable segments and extracting temporal features from the associated video data. The method may further include extracting temporal features either form the whole video or only from the video data where little or no stable segments are detected and performing camera view motion compensation by using information provided by the auxiliary sensors for modifying the feature-descriptors. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212003 | VEHICLE SPEED CALCULATOR, AND VEHICLE INCLUDING SAME - A vehicle speed calculator includes a vehicle speed calculation unit for calculating a vehicle speed from a traveled distance per unit time of a feature point in a captured image shot by a camera for capturing a road surface, a reference distance mark irradiation unit and an image reference distance detection unit. The reference distance mark irradiation unit irradiates a reference distance mark to the road surface in parallel with an optical axis of the camera. The reference distance mark is formed in such a manner as to have a reference distance in a longitudinal direction of a motorcycle. The image reference distance detection unit detects an image reference distance, the longitudinal length of the reference distance mark in the shot image. The vehicle speed calculation unit calculates the vehicle speed from the traveled distance using the image reference distance and the reference distance. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212004 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MOVING SUBJECT BY MEANS OF CAMERA, AND ACQUIRING ACTUAL MOVEMENT TRAJECTORY OF SUBJECT BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHED IMAGE - The present invention relates to a system and method for photographing a moving subject by means of a camera, and acquiring the actual movement trajectory of the subject on the basis of the photographed image. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for acquiring the movement trajectory of a subject, the method comprising: a step for photographing a moving subject by means of a camera; a step for collecting, from the camera, information on multiple images of the subject and the positions of the images on a camera image frame, and collecting information on the size of the images; and a step for acquiring the movement trajectory of the subject on the basis of the information collected. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212005 | Texture Identification - Technologies are generally described for determining a texture of an object. In some examples, a method for determining a texture of an object includes receiving a two-dimensional image representative of a surface of the object, estimating a three-dimensional (3D) projection of the image, transforming the 3D projection into a frequency domain, projecting the 3D projection in the frequency domain onto a spherical co-ordinate system, and determining the texture of the surface by analyzing spectral signatures extracted from the 3D projection on the spherical co-ordinate system. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212006 | METHOD FOR QUANTITATIVE PREDICTION OF MATRIX ACIDIZING TREATMENT OUTCOMES - In one embodiment, the current application discloses a method comprising: performing a computed tomography (CT) porosity scan on a core sample, the core sample comprising a portion of a formation of interest; in response to the CT porosity scan, interpreting a porosity profile of the core sample; and in response to the porosity profile, modeling a response of a formation of interest to a predetermined treatment to determine a reacted formation configuration, wherein the predetermined treatment comprises an acid fluid treatment schedule, and wherein the modeling further comprises modeling acid fluid flow through the formation of interest having the porosity profile, and wherein the modeling further comprises accounting for acid reaction products during the predetermined treatment and shut-in period. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212007 | COMMUNICATION USING HANDWRITTEN INPUT - Technologies are generally described for transmitting a handwritten input. In some examples, a method performed under control of a handwriting device may include receiving a handwritten input including a first part including a text message, recognizing the text message, identifying a user of the handwritten input, determining an emotion attribute of the identified user based on the handwritten input, determining a font information regarding a font of the first part based on the emotion attribute, generating a data file including the text message and the font information and transmitting the data file to a receiving device. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212008 | TOUCHLESS FINGERPRINTING ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING APPLICATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES - This disclosure is of a biometric authentication system and method. The system includes a mobile device having a camera and a screen, and a database. The system is programmed to superimpose on the screen an overlay of a finger over a real-time image seen by the camera, capture an image of a fingerprint of a user with the camera, compare the captured image with an authenticated fingerprint image that is stored in the database, and return a positive result if the compared images match. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212009 | BIOMETRIC SENSING - An novel sensor is provided having a plurality of substantially parallel drive lines configured to transmit a signal into a surface of a proximally located object, and also a plurality of substantially parallel pickup lines oriented proximate the drive lines and electrically separated from the pickup lines to form intrinsic electrode pairs that are impedance sensitive at each of the drive and pickup proximal locations. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212010 | Fingerprint Sensing and Enrollment - A sequence of biometric data images is received, such as, for example, a sequence of fingerprint images, and a set of biometric data images is selected from the sequence of images. The set of images can include one or more segments of at least one image in the sequence of images. One or more portions of at least one image of biometric data in the set of images can be selected to be included in the unified image of biometric data. The unified image of biometric data can be constructed using the one or more portions of the at least one image of biometric data. If the unified image of biometric data is not complete, a user can be prompted for one or more additional images of biometric data. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212011 | SPECT MOTION-CORRECTION - A nuclear camera acquires projections which are iteratively reconstructed by a reconstruction processor into an motion-artifacted image and stored in an image memory. The motion-artifacted image is forward-projected by a forward-projector to create forward-projections which are compensated for image degrading factors, such as resolution recovery, scatter and attenuation, and are compared with the acquired projections by a comparing unit to generate a motion-correction. A motion compensator operates on the acquired projections with the motion-correction to generate a motion-corrected projection data set in which each of the projections is in a common motion state. The motion-corrected projections are reconstructed into a motion-corrected image. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212012 | System and Method for Joint Reconstruction of Spatial and Spectral Imaging Data - A system and method for simultaneously generating spectral images and spatial images of a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes acquiring MR image data using a k-space sampling trajectory. The k-space sampling trajectory is designed to spatially oversample to elicit phase differences between oversampled points. The MR image data is jointly reconstructed into spatial and spectral images by resolving spatial information from spatial encoding associated with each of the oversampled points and resolving spectral information from the phase differences between the oversampled points. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212013 | Method and Apparatus for Generating a Derived Image Using Images of Different Types - Disclosed herein are techniques for translating a first image of a first type to a derived image of a second type. For example, a plurality of similarity indicators can be computed as between a plurality of patches of first image and a plurality of patches of a first atlas image, the first atlas image being of the first type. Weight factors can then be computed based on the computed similarity indicators. These weight factors can be applied to a plurality of data points of a second atlas image to compute a plurality of data points for the derived image such that each of at least a plurality of the data points for the derived image is a function of a plurality of the data points of the second atlas image. Such a technique can be used for pseudo-CT generation from an MR image. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212014 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEDICAL IMAGE REGISTRATION - Disclosed are a method and apparatus for registering images having different modalities. The medical image registration method includes performing, at an initial register, multi-modality registration of a reference image from a plurality of first images captured during a first breathing period and a second image; performing, at the initial register, single-modality registration of the reference image and each of the other first images; generating registration images between the plurality of first images and the second image based on the multi-modality registration and the single-modality registration; acquiring a third image captured after the first breathing period; and detecting an image corresponding to the third image from the registration images. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212015 | De-noising of Real-time Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Images by the Combined Application of Karhunen-Loeve Transform (KLT) and Wavelet Filtering - A hybrid filtering method called Karhunen Loeve Transform-Wavelet (KW) filtering is presented to de-noise dynamic cardiac magnetic resonance images that simultaneously takes advantage of the intrinsic spatial and temporal redundancies of real-time cardiac cine. This filtering technique combines a temporal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) and spatial adaptive wavelet filtering. KW filtering has four steps. The first is applying the KLT along the temporal direction, generating a series of “eigenimages”. The second is applying Marcenko-Pastur (MP) law to identify and discard the noise-only eigenimages. The third applying a 2-D spatial wavelet filter with adaptive threshold to each eigenimage to define the wavelet filter strength for each of the eigenimages based on the noise variance and standard deviation of the signal. Lastly, the inverse KLT is applied to the filtered eigenimages to generate a new series of cine images with reduced image noise. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212016 | X-RAY CT APPARATUS AND IMAGE CORRECTION METHOD - There is provided an X-ray CT apparatus capable of correcting the unevenness of the contrast concentration due to discontinuities in time between slices in contrast imaging using a Prospective Triggering method. In an X-ray CT apparatus | 2014-07-31 |
20140212017 | MRI DIFFUSION WEIGHTED IMAGING WITH ESTIMATED MOTION PROBING GRADIENT b-FACTORS BASED ON ACQUIRED APPARENT DIFFUSION COEFFICIENTS FOR EACH PIXEL - A magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus includes a derivation unit to derive an apparent diffusion coefficient regarding a pixel position for each pixel position included in a region of interest in at least two original images obtained by imaging a same imaging region of a same subject using at least two b-factors that are different from each other, respectively, based on pixel values of each of at least two original images regarding the pixel positions, and a first estimation unit to estimate a pixel value obtained by using a b-factor that is different from the at least two b-factors, regarding each pixel position included in the region of interest, based on the apparent diffusion coefficient derived for each pixel position. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212018 | SYSTEM OPTICS IN AT LEAST IN ONE OF BACKPROJECTION AND FORWARD PROJECTION FOR MODEL-BASED ITERATIVE RECONSTRUCTION - Iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms are advantageous over standard filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithms by improving resolution and noise performance. In this regard, model-based IR algorithms (MBIR) have been developed to incorporate accurate system models into IR and result in a better image quality than IR algorithms without a system model. System optics are included in both forward and backprojection (IR-SOM-FPBP). | 2014-07-31 |
20140212019 | METHOD FOR DETECTING ALIGNMENT FILM AND DEVICE FOR THE SAME - The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for detecting alignment film and device for the same. The method comprises: obtaining an image of an alignment film test region of a substrate; and analyzing continuity of the alignment film along an internal boundary of the alignment film test region in the image obtained. since the alignment film test region is located outside an active display area of the substrate, when the alignment film along the internal boundary of the alignment film test region is determined as continuous, it can be determined that all the edges of the alignment film are outside the active display area, then a Haro region which might appear on the edge of the alignment film may also be located outside the active display area, so as to ensure uniform thickness of the alignment film in the active display area of the substrate. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212020 | PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IMAGING OF DOPING VARIATIONS IN SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - Photoluminescence-based methods are presented for facilitating alignment of wafers during metallisation in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells with selective emitter structures, and in particular for visualising the selective emitter structure prior to metallisation. In preferred forms the method is performed in-line, with each wafer inspected after formation of the selective emitter structure to identify its location or orientation. The information gained can also be used to reject defective wafers from the process line or to identify a systematic fault or inaccuracy with the process used to form the patterned emitter structure. Each wafer can additionally be inspected via photoluminescence imaging after metallisation, to determine whether the metal contacts have been correctly positioned on the selective emitter structure. The information gained after metallisation can also be used to provide feedback to the upstream process steps. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212021 | SYSTEM, A METHOD AND A COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PATCH-BASED DEFECT DETECTION - A system capable of inspecting an article for defects, the system including: a patch comparator, configured to determine with respect to each of a plurality of reference patches in a reference image a similarity level, based on a predefined patch-similarity criterion and on a source patch defined in the reference image; an evaluation module, configured to rate each inspected pixel out of multiple inspected pixels of the inspection image with a representative score which is based on the similarity level of a reference patch associated with a reference pixel corresponding to the inspected pixel; a selection module, configured to select multiple selected inspected pixels based on the representative scores of the multiple inspected pixels; and a defect detection module, configured to determine a presence of a defect in the candidate pixel based on an inspected value of the candidate pixel and inspected values of the selected inspected pixels. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212022 | METHOD OF DESIGN-BASED DEFECT CLASSIFICATION AND SYSTEM THEREOF - There is provided an inspection method capable of classifying defects detected on a production layer of a specimen. The method comprises: obtaining input data related to the detected defects; processing the input data using a decision algorithm associated with the production layer and specifying two or more classification operations and a sequence thereof; and sorting the processed defects in accordance with predefined bins, wherein each bin is associated with at least one classification operation, wherein at least one classification operation sorts at least part of the processed defects to one or more classification bins to yield finally classified defects, and wherein each classification operation, excluding the last one, sorts at least part of the processed defects to be processed by one or more of the following classification operations. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212023 | PATTERN INSPECTION METHOD AND PATTERN INSPECTION APPARATUS - In accordance with an embodiment, a pattern inspection method includes applying a light to a substrate including an inspection target pattern in a plurality of optical conditions, detecting a reflected light from the substrate to acquire a pattern image for each of the optical conditions, outputting a gray value difference between the pattern image and a reference image for each of the optical conditions, and specifying a position of the defect in a stacking direction of the stacked film from a relation of the obtained gray value difference between the optical conditions. The pattern is formed by a stacked film, the optical conditions includes at least a first optical condition for detection of a defect on a surface of the stacked film. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212024 | CONTOUR-BASED ARRAY INSPECTION OF PATTERNED DEFECTS - One embodiment relates to a method of inspecting an array of cells on a substrate. A reference image is generated using a cell image that was previously determined to be defect free. A reference contour image which includes contours of the reference image is also generated. The reference contour image is used to detect defects in the array of cells on the substrate. Another embodiment relates to a system for detecting defects in an array on a substrate. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212025 | AUTOMATIC ONLINE REGISTRATION BETWEEN A ROBOT AND IMAGES - A registration system and method includes a configurable device ( | 2014-07-31 |
20140212026 | STATISTICAL POINT PATTERN MATCHING TECHNIQUE - A statistical point pattern matching technique is used to match corresponding points selected from two or more views of a roof of a building. The technique statistically selecting points from each of orthogonal and oblique aerial views of a roof. generating radial point patterns for each aerial view, calculating the origin of each point pattern, representing the shape of the point pattern as a radial function, and Fourier-transforming the radial function to produce a feature space plot. A feature profile correlation function can then be computed to relate the point match sets. From the correlation results, a vote occupancy table can be generated to help evaluate the variance of the point match sets, indicating, with high probability, which sets of points are most likely to match one another. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212027 | SINGLE IMAGE POSE ESTIMATION OF IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES - Methods for image based localization using an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: capturing a local image with an image capture device; associating metadata with the local image; causing the electronic computing device to receive the local image; causing the electronic computing device to match the local image with a database image, where the database image is three-dimensional (3D); and calculating a pose of the image capture device based on a pose of the database image and metadata associated with the local image. In some embodiments, the metadata includes at least pitch and roll data corresponding with the image capture device at a time of image capture. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212028 | STATISTICAL POINT PATTERN MATCHING TECHNIQUE - A statistical point pattern matching technique is used to match corresponding points selected from two or more views of a roof of a building. The technique entails statistically selecting points from each of orthogonal and oblique aerial views of a roof, generating radial point patterns for each aerial view, calculating the origin of each point pattern, representing the shape of the point pattern as a radial function, and Fourier-transforming the radial function to produce a feature space plot. A feature profile correlation function can then be computed to relate the point match sets. From the correlation results, a vote occupancy table can be generated to help evaluate the variance of the point match sets, indicating, with high probability, which sets of points are most likely to match one another. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212029 | Markup Language for Interactive Geographic Information System - Data-driven guarded evaluation of conditional-data associated with data objects is used to control activation and processing of the data objects in an interactive geographic information system. Methods of evaluating conditional-data to control activation of the data objects are disclosed herein. Data structures to specify conditional data are also disclosed herein. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212030 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR IMAGE MODEL CONSTRUCTION - A method for constructing an image model (M | 2014-07-31 |
20140212031 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR 3-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE MODEL ADAPTATION - Method for adapting a 3D model (m) of an object, said method comprising the steps of
| 2014-07-31 |
20140212032 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD AND IMAGING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus includes an extraction section that extracts a first high brightness region from a source image where brightness is a first threshold value or greater, a mask generation section that performs blur processing and binarization processing on the first high brightness region and generates a mask containing the first high brightness region, a mask application section that based on the mask performs elimination processing, thinning processing, or both on the first high brightness region, a bright line generation section that generates a bright line based on a second high brightness region contained in output of the mask application section, and a synthesizing section that synthesizes the bright line onto the source image. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212033 | IMAGE COMPRESSION MEHTOD, IMAGE COMPRESSION DEVICE AND MOBILE TERMINAL - The present invention provides an image compression method, comprising: determining non-edge portions of an image to be compressed by performing an image edge detection on the image to be compressed; dividing each of non-edge portions into a plurality of connected domains of pixels according to color similarity of the pixels in the non-edge portion, wherein each of the connected domains of pixels is composed of a pixel selected during the division into the connected domains of pixels and the pixels similar in color to and continuously adjacent to the selected pixel; setting the color of each of the connected domains of pixels to be the color of the selected pixel; merging the colors of a plurality of divided connected domains of pixels according to similarity of the colors of the connected domains of pixels; and compressing the image to be compressed by using the merged colors. According to the method, the number of colors used for image compression can be determined according to the characteristics of the image, thus the file size of the compressed image can be effectively reduced with the display effect thereof kept substantially unchanged. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212034 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCODING AND DECODING IMAGE - An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding an image are provided. The image decoding method includes decoding luma blocks according to a predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks, and decoding chroma blocks according to the predetermined decoding mode of each of the luma blocks. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212035 | Color space color value determination from digital image - A device captures a digital image of a color of interest and a physical color calibration chart. A corrected color value of the color of interest is determined based on the physical color calibration chart and the color of interest as captured within the digital image. A selected color value for the corrected color value is determined, as a closest color value within a predetermined color space or as a spot color value within the predetermined color space. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212036 | Pyramid collapse color interpolation - One exemplary embodiment involves receiving an image with a set of undefined pixels and a set of defined pixels and recursively modifying the image to generate a seamless composition comprising only defined pixels. Disclosed are embodiments for recursively modifying the image by recursively down sampling the image by a factor to generate a plurality of down sampled images until the down sampled image generated at each recursive down sampling lacks undefined pixels and then recursively up sampling each one of the down sampled images by the factor to generate an up sampled image from the respective down sampled image. Additionally, at each recursive up sampling instance, pasting the next recursively occurring down sampled image on the up sampled image to generate the next recursively occurring image for up sampling. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212037 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus includes a separating unit, an analyzing unit, a determining unit, and an image correcting unit. The separating unit separates a color image into a foreground image and a background image. The analyzing unit analyzes the foreground image and the background image to acquire a foreground attribute value and a background attribute value. The determining unit determines an image processing coefficient, based on the foreground attribute value and the background attribute value. The image correcting unit corrects the color image, in accordance with the image processing coefficient. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212038 | DETECTION OF NUMBERED CAPTIONS - A method of detection of numbered captions in a document includes receiving a document including a sequence of document pages and identifying illustrations on pages of the document. For each identified illustration, associated text is identified. An imitation page is generated for each of the identified illustrations, each imitation page comprising a single illustration and its associated text. For a sequence of the imitation pages, a sequence of terms is identified. Each term is derived from a text fragment of the associate text of a respective imitation page. The terms of a sequence complying with at least one predefined numbering scheme which defines a form and an incremental state of the terms in a sequence. The terms of the identified sequence of terms are construed as being at least a part of a numbered caption for a respective illustration in the document. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212039 | Efficient Verification or Disambiguation of Character Recognition Results - Machines, systems and methods for character recognition disambiguation are provided. The method comprises selecting a first set of characters that match a first visual profile based on results of a character recognition process applied to target content; selecting a subset of the first set based on criteria associated with at least one of confidence level with which characters grouped in the subset are recognized or fragmentation associated with the characters grouped in the subset; and disambiguating recognition results for the characters grouped in the subset by displaying the characters along with context information, wherein reviewing two or more of the characters on a display screen along with context information associated with said two or more characters allows a human operator to select one or more suspect characters from among the two or more characters. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212040 | Document Alteration Based on Native Text Analysis and OCR - Example embodiments relate to document alteration based on native text analysis and optical character recognition (OCR). In example embodiments, a system analyzes native text obtained from a native document to identify a text entity in the native document. At this stage, the system may use a native application interface to convert the native document to a document image and perform OCR on the document image to identify a text location of the text entity. The system may then generate an alteration box (e.g., redaction box, highlight box) at the text location in the document image to alter a presentation of the text entity. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212041 | Apparatus for Identifying Documents - An apparatus for document identification, having a capture device for capturing a document feature of a document, a processor that is designed to perform document identification locally using the document feature if a processing criterion for the local performance of document identification by means of the apparatus for document identification is satisfied, and a transmitter that is designed to send a data record that is dependent on the document feature via a communication network to a communication network address if the processing criterion for the local performance of document identification by means of the apparatus for document identification is not satisfied. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212042 | INPUT/OUTPUT APPARATUS - When a handwritten image is input using a handwriting input device while an image based on any general data stored in a storage unit is being displayed on a display unit, the input/output apparatus displays a handwritten image in addition to the displayed image, and creates handwritten data including data specifying information specifying general data which is a basis for the displayed image. The input/output apparatus terminates the display of the handwritten image when the display of the image superposed by the handwritten image is terminated, and displays the image based on the data specified by the data specifying information included in the handwritten data when the handwritten image is displayed. This allows the association between the displayed image and the handwritten image to be saved and to easily be reproduced. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212043 | CHARACTER DISPLAY APPARATUS, CHARACTER DISPLAY METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - Provided are a character display apparatus, a character display method and computer readable medium storing a character display program that are capable of automatically avoiding a handwriting character being illegible during input of the character. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212044 | Image Matching Using Subspace-Based Discrete Transform Encoded Local Binary Patterns - Determining a match between the subjects of first and second images as a function of decimal-number representations of regions of the first and second images. The decimal-number representations are generated by performing discrete transforms on the regions so as to obtain discrete-transform coefficients, performing local-bit-pattern encoding of the coefficients to create data streams, and converting the data streams to decimal numbers. In one embodiment, the first and second images depict periocular facial regions, and the disclosed techniques can be used for face recognition, even where a small portion of a person's face is captured in an image. Subspace modeling may be used to improve accuracy. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212045 | Characteristic Point Coordination System, Characteristic Point Coordination Method, And Recording Medium - Provided is a characteristic point associating system including: a set creating unit to receive a plurality of characteristic point groups to be compared, and to create a plurality of characteristic point pair sets by grouping together characteristic point pairs that are close to one another in terms of local conversion parameter into sets; a set selecting unit to select a characteristic point pair set that contains many elements out of the plurality of characteristic point pair sets; and a corresponding characteristic point determining unit to determine out of characteristic point pairs contained in the selected characteristic point pair set, a pair of characteristic points to be associated with each other as correct corresponding characteristic points so as to be output. Thus, the characteristic point associating system associates correct pairing combinations of characteristic points that exist between the compared groups of characteristic points. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212046 | BIT DEPTH REDUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR LOW COMPLEXITY IMAGE PATCH MATCHING - Two different approaches for reducing the bit depth of the image data so as to reduce the computation and hardware requirement of image patch matching, with minimal loss of matching accuracy are described. Patch matching is able to be implemented in many different ways, but generally involves matching one area of an image with another area of the same image or another area of a different image (e.g. another video frame) through the use of a matching cost function. Transforming the image data to lower bit depth, image processing techniques are able to be implemented to minimize the needed memory and other resources for patch-matching. The complexity/performance trade-off of the approaches are also adjustable so that they are able to be applied for applications with different quality requirements and hardware constraints. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212047 | Methods, Systems and Apparatus for Determining Orientation in a Document Image - Aspects of the present invention are related to systems, methods and apparatus for determining the orientation of a text line or a page in a document image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image of text blobs may be generated from a text mask associated with a document image. From the text-blob image, pixel-wise horizontal differences may be accumulated and compared to accumulated pixel-wise vertical differences. Text line orientation may be determined as horizontal when the accumulated pixel-wise horizontal differences are less than the accumulated pixel-wise vertical differences. According to a second aspect of the present invention, page orientation may be determined by reconciling an estimated text-line orientation with document language information. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212048 | System and Method for Identifying Scale Invariant Features of Object Outlines on Images - The present invention relates to a system and method for identifying scale invariant features of image outlines. The method comprises the steps of; receiving a parametric equation of a closed planar curve; choosing nodes on the closed planar curve with equal intervals; generating a continuous scale space of the nodes on the curve; calculating circle of curvature for every node on the closed curve for every scale in every octave; finding circle of curvature differences between plurality of adjacent scales; comparing each curvature difference value and choosing the nodes with a minimum or maximum curvature difference as feature points; representing the outline with a descriptor including all the feature points. The method further comprises the steps; eliminating the feature points which are closer to each other than a predetermined threshold; and comparing a descriptor with each previously recorded descriptor belonging to various outlines, finding at least one descriptor with a good match. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212049 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE, NON-TRANSITORY MEDIUM - Provided are an image processing apparatus, image processing method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can accurately detect document edges from a readout image. The image processing apparatus includes a first edge pixel detector for detecting a plurality of first edge pixels from an input image, a straight line detector for detecting a straight line from the first edge pixels, a classifying module for classifying the first edge pixels into on-line edge pixels and non-on-line edge pixels, a second edge pixel detector for detecting second edge pixels located between two of the on-line edge pixels, when there is any one of the non-on-line edge pixels between two of the on-line edge pixels, and a determining module for determining whether the non-on-line edge pixel represents a document edge, based on whether the two on-line edge pixels are connected by the second edge pixels via the non-on-line edge pixel. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212050 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING AN IMAGE - A method for processing an image is described. Mask bits are determined for a current pixel. The mask bits indicate intensity comparisons between the current pixel and multiple neighboring pixels. The mask bits also indicate whether each of the current pixel's neighboring pixels have been processed. A next pixel is selected for processing based on the mask bits. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212051 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING CONTENT CAPTURE OF PROHIBITED CONTENT - Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage mediums associated with controlling content capture of prohibited content on remote devices, are disclosed. In embodiments, components of a remote device may receive image data of an image captured by the remote device and analyze the image data to determine whether the image includes prohibited content. In embodiments, the remote device may conditionally display or persistently store the image data, based at least in part on a result of the analysis. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212052 | METHOD OF FAST IMAGE MATCHING - Disclosed herein is a method of fast image matching that includes the steps as follows. A template image with a predetermined angular orientation is compared with template images in the range from 0 to 360 degrees to create an angle prediction table. Next, a testing image is acquired and compared with the template image with the predetermined angular orientation to record the similarity at each position, and a plurality of angles corresponding to the similarity is found from the angle prediction table. Afterwards, the template images of the plurality of angles are respectively compared with the testing image to obtain the highest similarity as a comparison result of the position. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212053 | TRACKING CHANGES AMONG SIMILAR DOCUMENTS - In one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a calculation section, an identification section, and a notification section. The calculation section is configured to calculate similarity among a plurality of documents. The identification section is configured to identify, in response to a change made to a first document, a second document having a similarity greater than or equal to a first criterion as compared to the first document before the change. The notification section is configured to notify a user of the identified second document that the first document has been changed, in response to the change to the first document. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212054 | Image Classification for Adjustment - Image classification techniques are described for adjustment of an image. In one or more implementations, an image is classified by one or more computing device based on suitability of the image for adjustment to correct perspective distortion of the image. Responsive to a classification of the image as not suitable for the adjustment, suitability of the image is detected for processing by a different image adjustment technique by the one or more computing devices. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212055 | Automated Mapping of Land Cover Using Sequences of Aerial Imagery - A system has an aerial image database containing sensor data representing a plurality of aerial images of an area having multiple sub-areas. A processor applies a classifier to the sensor values to identify a label for each sub-area in each aerial image and to thereby generate an initial label sequence for each sub-area. The processor identifies a most likely land cover state for each sub-area based on the initial label sequence, a confusion matrix and a transition matrix. For each sub-area, the processor stores the most likely land cover state sequence for the sub-area. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212056 | Composite Label with History Feature - A code that stores a history of what has been done to it and where it has been. The history can be stored in a local memory. The code can be changed based on that history. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212057 | METHODS FOR VISUAL CONTENT PROCESSING , AND SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM CODES THERETO - Computer implemented methods, systems and computer program codes for creating visual content to be output. The methods and systems are applicable in content visualizations wherein the content to be output is to be formed in a layered manner. According to the method image content item or items are received and are categorized on a basis of content type to one or more categories. The image content item or items in the category or categories are rendered into one or more raster canvases, which represent image content data in the category. The image content data from the raster canvases are compressed, wherein the compression method for image content data in each of the raster canvases is selected on a basis of the categorization of image content items rendered in the raster canvas. The compressed image content data from the raster canvas is stored in a memory for further actions. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212058 | IMAGE ENCODING APPARATUS AND METHOD, IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - An image encoding apparatus includes an input unit that receives image data; a prediction unit that calculates a predicted pixel value of a pixel of interest to be processed in the image data; a prediction error calculating unit that calculates a prediction error value by using an actual pixel value and the predicted pixel value of the pixel of interest; a main encoder that encodes the prediction error value with information including a number of bits and an error value, the main encoder encoding, as the error value, only one or more most significant bits corresponding to a number of effective bits when the number of bits exceeds the number of effective bits; and an additional encoder that encodes one or more least significant bits of the prediction error value, excluding the one or more most significant bits corresponding to the number of effective bits, as an additional error value. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212059 | REDUCE EXTRAPOLATE - A method for removing boundary distortion includes receiving a one-dimensional input signal and determining whether the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements. If the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements, an extrapolation operation is performed on one of a first or second boundary of the one-dimensional input signal. The extrapolation operation produces one additional data element. The method may further include performing a mirroring operation on the signal data resulting from the extrapolation operation to produce a mirrored signal, and performing a transform operation the mirrored signal. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212060 | IMAGE CODING METHOD AND EMBEDDED SYSTEM USING THE SAME - An image coding method including constructing a plurality of edge models with a Forward Discrete Cosine Transform (FDCT) algorithm; creating adjustment equations each matching one of the edge models; capturing an image comprising pixels; selecting the pixels of the image to define image blocks; detecting by block-edge detection (BED) a pattern collectively exhibited by the pixels in the each of the image blocks and then comparing the detected pattern with patterns of the edge models; changing the patterns of the image blocks to the patterns of the edge models and adjusting the dominating coefficient by the adjustment factor after determining that the patterns of the image blocks approximate to the patterns of the edge models; and performing a coding process on the edge models by LLEC to generate a compressed image corresponding to the edge models. An embedded system is applicable to the image coding method. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212061 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ATMOSPHERIC PARAMETER ENHANCEMENT - System and method for enhancing at least one atmospheric parameter of interest provided in remotely-sensed data by detecting and suppressing false alarm data, including computer code to receive measurement data and background including false alarms, computer code to conduct detection tests for the atmospheric parameter, computer code to compute the strength of the tests, and computer code to weight the measurement data based on the strengths and enhance the measurement data based on the weighted data. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212062 | Detail Preserving Image Transfer Operations - Systems, methods, and computer readable media to approximate edge-preserving transformations with global transfer functions are described. In general, a first transfer function that approximates an edge-preserving operation can be found which, together with an enhancement filter (e.g., dynamic range compression) may be used to generate a global transfer function. Alternatively, a second transfer function may be found that approximates the behavior of the combined first transfer function and enhancement filter. Together the first and second transfer functions may generate a global transfer function. It has been determined that a down-sampled version of an input image may be used to develop the global transfer function. Application of global transfer functions in accordance with this disclosure can generate an output image that exhibits the same overall tonality of the input image without introducing the loss of detail and other artifacts attributable to local processing (e.g., the application of edge-preserving filters). | 2014-07-31 |
20140212063 | METHOD FOR NOISE REDUCTION IN IMAGES IN AN IMAGE SEQUENCE - The invention relates to a method for noise suppression in images of an image sequence. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212064 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING EDGE IN IMAGE - A method and apparatus for detecting an image edge that detects an edge area from an input image is disclosed. The method of detecting the image edge includes removing noise of an input image, generating an intermediate image in which an edge area is accentuated based on the input image and the input image from which the noise is removed, determining a threshold value to be applied to the intermediate image through clustering the pixels of the intermediate image, and detecting an edge area from the intermediate image based on the threshold value. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212065 | IMAGE COMPOSITING APPARATUS, IMAGE COMPOSITING METHOD, IMAGE COMPOSITING PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A device is provided that generates a composite image using a first image and a second image having different exposure conditions. The device includes an image input unit, a likelihood calculating unit, an exposure estimating unit, and a compositing unit. The image input unit inputs the first image and the second image. The likelihood calculating unit calculates a subject motion likelihood at each pixel based on a difference between the first image and the second image. The exposure estimating unit estimates an exposure transform function that conforms the exposure conditions of the first image and the second image to each other based on the subject motion likelihood. The compositing unit composites the first image and the second image by using the exposure transform function. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212066 | PIXEL CLUSTERING - A technique is described for combining several image sources into a single output image or video sequence. For a given pixel of the output image, pixel values are received from the image sources, and a matrix of distance measures between the pixel values (e.g. based on their colours) is computed. Clusters of pixel values are formed using the distance measures, and a score determined for each. One of the clusters is selected according to the scores, and used to derive an output pixel value. In an example, the clusters are formed using an iterative process where the closest pairs of pixel values or clusters are merged to form new clusters up to a size threshold. Examples are described for scoring the clusters based on model-based weighting or cluster size. Examples are also described for a rule-based cluster selection system. A composite image generator implementing the technique is also described. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212067 | CONVERTIBLE STORAGE BAG AND MARINE SIGNAL FLAG - A convertible device that is transformable from a storage bag to a marine signal flag by providing water permeable open mesh body of hollow material with stitched edges and an access opening. Rods on the interior of the body are attached to diagonally opposed corners. The rods disconnect to provide a bag form. The rods connect to provide a rigid brace between the diagonally opposed corners of the interior of the material to provide a flag form. Eyelets along a stitched edge of the material are used to attach the device to a flag pole. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212068 | High-Clarity, Cast Polypropylene Produce Pouch and Method - A high-clarity, cast polypropylene produce pouch with first and second sidewalls and a bottom panel joined to form a pouch wherein the first and second sidewalls and the bottom panel are formed from cast polypropylene. The bottom panel can be a bottom gusset panel. The first and second sidewalls and the bottom gusset panel can have edges joined by side welding or heat sealing. Zipper or slide closures can close the first and second sidewalls. A method for forming a high-clarity, cast polypropylene produce pouch comprises creating a polypropylene (PP) resin, passing the polypropylene (PP) resin through a cast extruding machine and extruding molten polypropylene (PP) to produced extruded polypropylene (PP), rolling the extruded polypropylene (PP) in a cooling roller, and applying a surface-modifying corona treatment to the extruded polypropylene (PP). | 2014-07-31 |
20140212069 | APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A POSITION OF AN ITEM - An apparatus includes a pouch, a flap, a stiffener, a magnet attracting material, and a magnetic member. A first panel is coupled to a second panel along a periphery of the first panel and the second panel with a portion of the panels uncoupled forming an opening. The flap is positionable in an engagement position wherein the flap is positioned parallel to the second panel with the second panel disposed between the flap and the first panel. The stiffener extends across a width of the pouch at a top edge. The magnet attracting material is coupled to one of the second panel and the flap with the magnetic member coupled to the other of the second panel and the flap. The magnetic member has a magnetic field sufficient to attract the magnet attracting material when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the second panel and the flap. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212070 | BULK BAG WITH LIFT LOOPS - A bulk bag and method of making the bulk bag uses lift hoops that are securely linked to eyelets of lift straps that are attached to a bulk bag body so that the bulk bag can be lifted by the lift hoops. The bulk bag body includes a top portion, a bottom portion and a side portion. The lift straps may be attached to the bulk bag body such that at least portions of the lift straps extend along the side portion of the bulk bag body at an angle from the top portion of the bulk bag body to the bottom portion of the bulk bag body. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212071 | ACCESSORY BAG HAVING REINFORCED SIDEWALLS AND VARIABLE LENGTH - An accessory bag includes a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall. The wall is made of flexible material. A pair of side walls extends between the front wall and back wall. A first pair of connection rails extends along the front wall. A second pair of connection rails extends along the back wall. A connection handle includes a first end and a second end. A first connector on the first end is configured to cooperate with the first pair of pair of connection rails. A second connector on the second end is configured to cooperate with the second pair of connection rails. In addition, the connection handle includes a handle. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212072 | CANINE WASTE CONTAINMENT SYSTEM - A canine waste containment system includes one or more pockets and a pouch with a liner. In embodiments, the canine waste containment system may be attached to a harness, collar, or leash via one or more retainer straps and worn on the back of the canine. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212073 | REFILLABLE FOOD POUCH - A reusable food pouch for holding solid, semi-solid and liquid foods. In one embodiment, the food pouch includes first and second flexible sheets joined together to form a container. A spout extends from the container and allows food to exit the spout when opened and prevents the food from exiting the spout when the spout is closed. A spout portion of the container secures the spout to the container. The spout portion extends further than all other portions of the container in a direction parallel to the length of the spout. A zipper portion of the container attaches and separates the flexible sheets along the length of a zipper. The length of the zipper is parallel to the length of the spout. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212074 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING A BALLOON - An apparatus and method is provided for sealing a balloon. The apparatus includes a body for placing in the balloon that is buoyant in water and which has an outer surface that can form a water-tight seal with the inside surface of the balloon. When the balloon is filled with water, the body floats to the top of the water and, if the balloon is filled sufficiently, seals against the opening of the balloon. | 2014-07-31 |
20140212075 | Baby food pouch with spout and zip lock - The invention relates to a disposable baby food pouch with spout and zip lock feature, having a function for storing, transporting, and serving baby food. The food pouch promotes expeditious storage and serving of baby food. | 2014-07-31 |