1042 results about "Digital image data" patented technology

An integrated system is described in which digital image data of a patient, obtained from a variety of image sources, including CT scanner, X-Ray, 2D or 3D scanners and color photographs, are combined into a common coordinate system to create a virtual three-dimensional patient model. Software tools are provided for manipulating the virtual patient model to simulation changes in position or orientation of craniofacial structures (e.g., jaw or teeth) and simulate their affect on the appearance of the patient. The simulation (which may be pure simulations or may be so-called “morphing” type simulations) enables a comprehensive approach to planning treatment for the patient. In one embodiment, the treatment may encompass orthodontic treatment. Similarly, surgical treatment plans can be created. Data is extracted from the virtual patient model or simulations thereof for purposes of manufacture of customized therapeutic devices for any component of the craniofacial structures, e.g., orthodontic appliances.

Array cameras and imager arrays configured to capture high dynamic range light field image data and methods of capturing high dynamic range light field image data in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Imager arrays in accordance with many embodiments of the invention include multiple focal planes with associated read out and sampling circuitry. The sampling circuitry controls the conversion of the analog image information into digital image data. In certain embodiments, the sampling circuitry includes an Analog Front End (AFE) and an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). In several embodiments, the AFE is used to apply different amplification gains to analog image information read out from pixels in a given focal plane to provide increased dynamic range to digital image data generated by digitizing the amplified analog image information. The different amplifications gains can be applied in a predetermined manner or on a pixel by pixel basis.

A processor-based system operating according to digitally-embedded programming instructions performs a method including identifying a group of pixels corresponding to a face region within digital image data acquired by an image acquisition device. A set of face analysis parameter values is extacted from said face region, including a faceprint associated with the face region. First and second reference faceprints are determined for a person using reference images captured respectively in predetermined face-portrait conditions and using ambient conditions. The faceprints are analyzed to determine a baseline faceprint and a range of variability from the baseline associated with the person. Results of the analyzing are stored and used in subsequent recognition of the person in a subsequent image acquired under ambient conditions.

A method for simultaneously recording motion and still images, includes the steps of: capturing a motion image sequence and accompanying audio of a scene with a digital video camera adapted to record both motion and higher resolution still images; simultaneously capturing a still image sequence having a higher resolution and lower frame rate than the motion capture sequence; compressing the motion image sequence using interframe compression and the accompanying audio and storing the compressed motion image and audio data; and compressing the still images using intraframe coding and storing the compressed still image data.

A method and an apparatus automatically recognize or verify objects in a digital image using probability models. According to a first aspect, a method and apparatus automatically recognize or verify objects in a digital image by: accessing digital image data including an object of interest therein; detecting an object of interest in the image; normalizing the object to generate a normalized object representation; extracting a plurality of features from the normalized object representation; and applying each feature to a previously-determined additive probability model to determine the likelihood that the object of interest belongs to an existing class. In one embodiment, the previously-determined additive probability model is an Additive Gaussian Model.

A database of faceprint data corresponding to detected face regions within images acquired with an image acquisition device and digitally-embedded within one or more digital storage media includes image, identity and face recognition data components. The image data component include acquired digital image data including content data and unique identifiers corresponding to individual acquired digital images or face regions therein, or both. The identity data component includes an identification listing of known identities to which identified face regions detected within the image data have been determined to correspond. The face recognition data component includes, for an individual known identity, one or more identity tables corresponding to one or more identity entries, and one or more face class tables corresponding to one or more face class entries of the one or more identity tables. Each face class table includes one or more faceprint entries corresponding to normalized face regions determined from the acquired digital image.

An apparatus and a method for processing checks and other negotiable instruments efficiently captures MICR data required for electronic payment and an image of the check or negotiable instrument enabling the amount, payee, and other information printed or written on the check face to be clearly read. The image reading unit 11 of the check processing apparatus 110 scans and outputs a gray scale image of the check. A threshold value determination unit 12 sets a threshold value for digitizing the image data based on the density level frequency distribution of primary gray scale image data obtained by the image data reading unit scanning a first scanning area T. This first scanning area contains part of a printed text area 127 where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of the background 49 of the negotiable instrument. A digital image processor 20 digitizes and converts secondary gray scale image data to digital image data based on the threshold value set by the threshold value determination unit 12. The secondary gray scale image data is generated by the image reading unit 11 scanning a predefined second scanning area of the negotiable instrument.

An automated system and / or method is disclosed for rapidly, accurately, and efficiently processing bulk three-dimensional digital image data of both path / corridor and area scenes to discriminate different structures or classifications of objects from within the image. The method first decomposes the three-dimensional digital imagery coordinate points into simple local structures and then extracts the globally complex structures from the local structures. The system and / or method incorporates procedures for sub-dividing the three-dimensional image data into rectilinear and / or ellipsoidal finite element cells, mathematically analyzing the contents (point coordinates) of each individual cell to classify / define the local structure, and extracting the globally complex structure or object from the image. The system and / or method applies accepted mathematical formulas to filter or classify large volumes of apparently random three-dimensional point coordinate spatial data into simpler structures and then to extract more globally complex objects generally encountered within the real world imagery scene being investigated.

An image file for storing a digital image and information related to the digital image includes digital image data; a user identifier; and affective information which relates to the feelings or emotions of the user toward the digital image.

A system is provided which would allow users, even though they have no digital camera, nor its peripheral device, nor personal computer, to be provide with digital image data and enjoy its features. The system includes: an image obtaining apparatus, adapted to be lent to a user, for obtaining image data by operation of the user; image manipulating means for manipulating the image data, which has been obtained by the image obtaining apparatus, by a predetermined manipulation process; and image data dispensing means for dispensing the resulting image data, which is the image data as the result of the predetermined manipulation process by the image manipulation means, to the customer for a consideration. The present system is employed in recreation facilities (amusement parks, theme parks, etc.), tourist attractions, and athletic races, so as to provide picture-taking / image-dispensing services.

In one form, an audience participation method and apparatus whereby mass audience members who are physically present in a venue can, upon being cued, convey quantitative data regarding their personal real-time individual and collective preferences, choices, opinions, and other personal responses concerning events taking place in the venue or otherwise, to digital image data processing systems, data bases and data transmission media by the act of posing passive, user-manipulated personal data-source devices, a multiplicity of such devices being visible within the Field of View (FOV) of one or more venue-associated digital imagers which can collect images of the devices and pass said images to image analysis computer programs with the analysis results being promptly available for uses by other venue systems such as those used for announcements and displays to the venue audiences as well as optionally being made available to information systems addressing audiences not within the venue.

A real-time thermal imaging apparatus and method includes multiple digital infrared cameras mounted to an automated composite material layup device to record digital infrared images of the composite material surface on a real-time basis during a composite material layup process. The digital infrared cameras are triggered periodically to produce digital images of the composite material. The digital image data is sent to an image analyzer which detects edges of and anomalies in the composite material and generates alarm and other process control signals. The image analyzer also aggregates the digital images from the multiple cameras and the digital images recorded over a sequence in time to produce a continuous virtual digital image of the composite material surface. The digital image data and associated analysis results are saved and may be displayed on a real-time basis or at a later time.

An augmented reality system with mobile and interactive functions for multiple users includes two major portions: a computer system for handling augmented reality functions, and a user system for each user. The computer system for handling augmented reality functions has very powerful functionality for processing digital image data and transforming the digital image data into a three-dimensional virtual image for each user system. The user system mainly includes a Head-Mounted Display (HMD), a microphone and a PDA. A user can see the virtual image from the HMD and use the microphone or the PDA for communication with other users.

An apparatus and a method for processing checks and other negotiable instruments efficiently captures MICR data required for electronic payment and an image of the check or negotiable instrument enabling the amount, payee, and other information printed or written on the check face to be clearly read. The image reading unit 11 of the check processing apparatus 110 scans and outputs a gray scale image of the check. A threshold value determination unit 12 sets a threshold value for digitizing the image data based on the density level frequency distribution of primary gray scale image data obtained by the image data reading unit scanning a first scanning area T. This first scanning area contains part of a printed text area 127 where text is printed on the negotiable instrument and part of the background 49 of the negotiable instrument. A digital image processor 20 digitizes and converts secondary gray scale image data to digital image data based on the threshold value set by the threshold value determination unit 12. The secondary gray scale image data is generated by the image reading unit 11 scanning a predefined second scanning area of the negotiable instrument.

The camera is equipped with a red-eye correction feature. The camera has an imaging unit for acquiring digital image data of a subject, a first folder for storing original image data that has undergone no image processing or default image processing alone on the digital image data, an automatic red-eye correction unit for automatically detecting red-eye on a photographed subject image in the original image data and automatically modifying the thus detected red-eye to obtain corrected digital image data, a second folder for storing at least one of the corrected digital image data and red-eye correction information related to the original image data and used to perform the automatic red-eye correction, the second folder being separate from the first folder.

Collection, access and management of controlled-access digital image data across disparate image data protocols from different sources, for example, clinical-quality and communicative-quality images of all types used in the practice of medicine, is achieved using a digital image collection and library system over a wide area network. The system includes a database connectivity module configured for automatic uploading of image data from image repositories employing data protocols of various types for image data, in association with subject data. A central library system manages distribution and control of collected images to qualified requesters.

Eight-bit digital image data of R, G and B output from an image data memory are corrected by conversion controllers to meet characteristics of a liquid crystal panel. The corrected data are input to a liquid crystal drive circuit as digital image data, and an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel. A LUT stored in a LUT reference processor stores data (addresses) by a number that makes it possible to refer to input image digital data at one to one. A random number generator is for generating random numbers and supplying the random numbers to a round-to-integer processor as threshold value data. The round-to-integer processor compares the data referred to by the LUT reference processor with the threshold data, and carries out a round-to-integer processing.

There is disclosed an electronic still camera that has a printer section in addition to a camera section. The printer section prints an image on a self-developing type instant photo film unit in accordance with digital image data picked up and memorized through the camera section. A film pack containing a stack of instant photo film units is loaded in a loading chamber of the electronic still camera, such that the instant photo film units of the film pack are successively exposed through the printer section. A connector device for connecting a battery pack to the electronic still camera is provided in the loading chamber, whereas a charging circuit for charging a main power source with the battery pack is provided in the electronic still camera.

An n-bit digital image data is converted to (n+m)-bit data with a g-correction table, and displayed by the use of a (n+m)-bit D / A converter. A peripheral-driver logic section is driven with a low-voltage common power source and countermeasures to noise are taken. Data input to the D / A converter is not reversed and the power to the D / A converter is made alternating to apply an AC voltage to aligned crystal layer. A circuit is provided in order to compensate for a delay time in the driver. With this configuration, the image quality of a liquid crystal display apparatus in which the D / A converter is built is improved.

A method is provided for arterial intervention on a patient that has the steps of obtaining digital image data of the patient's artery from a medical imaging system where the artery has lesions arising from arterial disease, generating a 3D model from this image data, registering the 3D model to an image of the artery that has been visualized in real-time upon an interventional system, navigating an angioplasty delivery system to the artery utilizing this registered 3D model, and using the angioplasty delivery system to treat the artery. Preferably, the digital image data is cardiac image data, the artery is a coronary artery, and the angioplasty delivery system is a stent and stent delivery system. In another aspect of this invention, it provides a system for arterial intervention that has a medical imaging system for obtaining digital image data of at least one of the patient's arteries, an image generation system for generating a 3D model from the image data, an interventional system for visualizing an image of the artery in real-time, a workstation for registering the 3D model to this image, and an angioplasty delivery system that can be navigated to the artery utilizing the registered 3D model.

A method of compressing digital image data is provided that includes, for each image data block in a plurality of image data blocks in the digital image data, transforming image data in the image data block to convert the image data to a low-frequency coefficient and a plurality of high-frequency coefficients, computing a predicted low-frequency coefficient for the image data block based on at least one neighboring image data block in the plurality of image data blocks, computing a residual low-frequency coefficient based on the predicted low-frequency coefficient and the low-frequency coefficient, quantizing the plurality of high-frequency coefficients, and entropy coding the residual low-frequency coefficient and the quantized high-frequency coefficients.

A system and method process non-linear image data, still or video, from a digital imager. Noise generated by analog-to-digital converters is filtered from a pixel of digital image data. Moreover, the effects of single pixel defects in the imager are eliminated by clamping a predetermined pixel of image data within the window when the value of the predetermined pixel is greater than a maximum value of the image data of neighboring pixels or less than a minimum value of the image data of neighboring pixels. Ripples in image data are reduced by eliminating the effects of single pixel defects before filtering for crosstalk caused by electrical crosstalk between sensor elements in an imager. Dark current is removed from image data generated by an imager by subtracting a fraction of a determined dark current value from all image data generated by the imager to compensate for nonlinearities in dark current across the imager. The image data is white balanced by creating a set of scalar color adjustments from determined average color values and constraining the set of scalar adjustments to plausible lighting conditions to prevent overcompensation on images having large regions of similar hue. Lastly, utilization of a fixed set of intensity levels is optimized by remapping and restreching the image data to create new luma values for each pixel.

The digital image shooting device is composed of an image forming lens, an image sensor element, a data processing unit for processing an output signal from the image sensor element into digital image data, an image memory for storing the digital image data; and a lens characteristic correction unit for performing a process of correcting a deterioration of an image quality derived from the image forming lens upon the digital image data by using a lens characteristic of the image forming lens and a position of a frame image photographed. The digital image shooting device is capable of obtaining the image quality which is high enough for the utilization even by using the comparatively low-price lens which does not exhibit a high performance.

The invention discloses a multifunctional intelligent blind guiding method. The multifunctional intelligent blind guiding method comprises the following steps of receiving a voice command, and navigating; obtaining image data of an obstacle; carrying out recognition processing on digital image data, judging that threat is formed by the obstacle if the recognized obstacle is a static body, generating an ultrasonic ranging control command, and generating and outputting voice alarm information or vibration prompt information according to a ranging result if the ranging result is within a preset alarm range; and generating an ultrasonic ranging control command if the recognized obstacle is a dynamic body, carrying out threat anticipation calculation according to a ranging result, and generating and outputting voice alarm information or vibration prompt information if the obstacle is within a preset alarm range. The invention also discloses a multifunctional intelligent blind guiding device and a processor. According to the multifunctional intelligent blind guiding method, the multifunctional intelligent blind guiding device and the processor, which are disclosed by the invention, the blind guiding service can be more safely, conveniently and reliably provided for the blind, the blind is prevented from walking more distance and meeting the obstacle, and thus the blind can quickly and safely arrive at the destination.

A deinterlacing method and apparatus for digital image data is disclosed. In the present invention, one of various interpolations appropriately performed according to a detected extent and direction of motion in a pixel to be interpolated. Thus, a screen quality can significantly be improved.

A digital image collection system and method includes an area scan camera that scans a region to obtain digital image data therefrom, the area scan camera having an optical scan axis. A specimen mounting unit receives a specimen that is mounted on a top surface thereof, for enabling the specimen to be scanned by the area scan camera. The top surface of the specimen mounting unit is slanted at an angle with respect to the area scan camera such that the optical scan axis is oblique to the top surface of the specimen mounting unit.

One particular automatic parameter estimation method and apparatus estimates low level filtering parameters from one or more user controlled high-level filtering parameters. The high level filtering parameters are strength and quality, where strength indicates how much noise reduction will be performed, and quality indicates a tolerance which controls the balance between filtering uniformity and loss of detail. The low level filtering parameters that can be estimated include the spatial neighborhood and / or temporal neighborhood size from which pixel candidates are selected, and thresholds used to verify the “goodness” of the spatially or temporally predicted candidate pixels. More generally, a criterion for filtering digital image data is accessed, and a value is determined for a parameter for use in filtering digital image data, the value being determined based on whether the value results in the criterion being satisfied for at least a portion of a digital image.

A system and a method is disclosed for consistently and verifiably optimizing computed tomography (CT) radiation dose in the clinical setting. Mathematical models allow for estimation of patient size, image noise, size-specific radiation dose, and image quality targets based on digital image data and radiologists preferences. A prediction model estimates the scanner's tube current modulation and predicts image noise and size-specific radiation dose over a range of patient sizes. An optimization model calculates specific scanner settings needed to attain target image quality at the minimum radiation dose possible. An automated system processes the image and dose data according to the mathematical models and stores and displays the information, enabling verification and ongoing monitoring of consistent dose optimization.