General Dynamics Decision Systems, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

General Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc.

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.

Arizona State University

Glen Patrick Abousleman

Jennie Si

John Eric Kleider

Bruce Alan Fette

Xiang Gao

Huibao Lin

Eric Munson

Chad Scott Bergstrom

Visar Berisha

Carl Steven Gifford

Katherine S Tyldesley

Lina J Karam

Richard James Pattison

Damien W Budge

Methods and systems are provided for detecting a defect in a solar panel. The method includes initially imaging, via an infrared camera, a group of solar panels. Then, identifying, via a computer system configured for solar panel defect detection, the individual solar panels in the group of solar panels. Finally, identifying, via evaluation of an infrared image obtained by the infrared camera, a defect in at least one of the group of solar panels.

System and methods for automatic solar panel recognition and defect detection using infrared imaging

Methods for generating an image mosaic are provided. In one respect, pixels saliency of a first image and a second image are determined. One salient pixel may be selected from the determined pixels saliency group of the first image and one salient pixel may be selected from the determined pixels saliency group of the second image. A mosaicking technique of the first and second image may be performed if the one salient pixel of the first image and the one salient pixel of the second image are registered successfully.

Methods for multi-point descriptors for image registrations

In a communication network (), a video encoder/decoder system () and an encoding method () facilitate transmission of video frames () over multiple low-data-rate channels (). Frame data () is generated for each video frame (). The frame data () is transformed () to obtain transform coefficients (), which are assembled () into quadtrees () and separately coded (). In addition, motion vectors () are split into coding blocks () and separately coded (). The quadtrees () and the motion vectors () are independently distributed among the multiple channels () for transmission. A decoding method () facilitates error resilient reception of transform coefficient packets () and motion vector packets () so that lost transform coefficients () and/or lost motion vectors () can be estimated at a receiving video encoder/decoder system () to reconstruct a received video frames

System and method for transmission of video signals using multiple channels

A multi-carrier communication system () groups subchannels () into different quality-of-signal (QoS) regions (). An unconstrained optimization process () is performed independently for the subchannels () of the different QoS regions () to allocate bit rates and power to the individual subchannels () so that the indicated QoS will result. Coders () partition and error-correction encode source information using encoding schemes matched to the different QoS regions (). A set () of only a few directed QoS partition vectors () direct the unconstrained optimization process () to attempt bit-rate and power allocations on only a few promising groupings of subchannels () and QoS regions (). An iterative process may take place between bit-rate and power allocation on one side and source information coding on the other for different directed QoS partition vectors () to identify the best solution. A coder () may use a dual allocation process () to iteratively combine a rate-allocation process () with a QoS-region-allocation process () to specify codebooks () for use by a codebook quantizer ().

Method and apparatus for encoding compressible data for transmission over variable quality communication channel

In a wireless communication system () configured for default communication of subsectional signals of a first transmit signal () over multiple wireless channels (), a signal selector () and method () detect an intent to convey a voice signal () over one of the wireless channels () from a handset (). The signal selector () and method () prevent communication of one of the subsectional signals (A) over the wireless channel () for a predetermined interval, and enable a transmission attempt of the voice signal (). When a complete dialed digits sequence is detected within the time interval, the handset () is enabled to utilize the wireless channel. However, when a transmission attempt of the voice signal () is unsuccessful or when transmission of the voice signal () terminates, the signal selector () and method () restore default communication of subsectional signals of the first transmit signal ().

System and method for satellite-based transmission of voice signals using an otherwise dedicated wireless channel

A multi-carrier communication system () groups subchannels () into different quality-of-signal (QoS) regions (). An unconstrained optimization process () is performed independently for the subchannels () of the different QoS regions () to allocate bit rates and power to the individual subchannels () so that the indicated QoS will result. Coders () partition and error-correction encode source information using encoding schemes matched to the different QoS regions (). A set () of only a few directed QoS partition vectors () direct the unconstrained optimization process () to attempt bit-rate and power allocations on only a few promising groupings of subchannels () and QoS regions (). An iterative process may take place between bit-rate and power allocation on one side and source information coding on the other for different directed QoS partition vectors () to identify the best solution.

Multi-carrier modulation with source information allocated over variable quality communication channel

A knowledge-based hierarchical method for detecting regions of interests (ROIs) uses prior knowledge of the targets and the image resolution in detecting ROIs. The result produces ROIs that contain only one target that is completely enclosed within the ROI. The detected ROI can conform to the shape of the target even if the target is of irregular shape. Furthermore, the method works well with images that contain connected targets or targets broken into pieces. The method is not sensitive to contrast levels and is robust to noise. Thus, this method effectively detects ROIs in common real world imagery that has a low resolution without costly processing while providing fast and robust results.

Knowledge-based hierarchical method for detecting regions of interest

Apparatus and methods are provided for object recognition and compression. The apparatus () comprises an object processor () configured to receive the image () and synthesize a contour () of an object within the image () and a classification engine () configured to receive the contour () of the image () and recognize the object within the image as a member of a first object class if the object substantially meets first object criteria of the first object class that is at least partially related to the target-specific utility of the image. The apparatus () also comprises a multi-rate encoder () configured to compress a first region of the image () having said object recognized as said member of said first object class at a first coding rate, said first coding rate providing a first coding resolution of said first region that is greater than a second coding resolution provided by a second coding rate for the image.

Methods and apparatus for object recognition and compression

A communication system ( ) employs fixed rate channel-optimized, trellis-coded quantization (COTCQ) at a plurality of diverse encoding bit rates. COTCQ is performed through a COTCQ encoder ( ) and COTCQ decoder ( ). The COTCQ encoder and decoder ( ) each include a codebook table ( ) having at least one codebook ( ) for each encoding bit rate. Each codebook ( ) is configured in response to the bit error probability of the channel ( ) through which the communication system ( ) communicates. The bit error probability influences codebooks through the calculation of channel transition probabilities for all combinations of codewords ( ) receivable from the channel ( ) given all combinations of codewords ( ) transmittable through the channel ( ). Channel transition probabilities are responsive to base channel transition probabilities and the hamming distances between indices for codewords within subsets of the transmittable and receivable codewords.

Communication system and method for multi-rate, channel-optimized trellis-coded quantization

Apparatus and methods are provided for encoding an input frame of a video sequence for transmission over a channel. The method and apparatus decompose the input frame into multiple subbands and divide the multiple subbands into multiple blocks corresponding to a region of the input frame. The blocks in the highest frequency subbands of the multiple blocks are selected based upon a luminance component of the input frame and the multiple blocks in the highest frequency subbands are classified into a multiple classes to provide a multiple class labels. The multiple class labels are collected to form a subband class map for each of the multiple blocks in the highest frequency subbands and a global class map is constructed from a majority evaluation of the subband map for each of the multiple blocks. The multiple blocks within the multiple subbands are grouped which have one of the class labels to form multiple subband class sequences.

Methods and apparatus for error-resilient video coding

A hyperspectral image encoder ( ) for compressing hyperspectral imagery includes a differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) loop ( ) to perform data decorrelation in the spectral domain and a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) processing means ( ) to perform decorrelation in the spatial domain. The DPCM loop ( ) determines an error image between a present image at the input of the encoder ( ) and a predicted image. The DWT processing means ( ) then divides the error image into a plurality of frequency subbands and quantizes information within the subbands in accordance with a plurality of predetermined quantization states to provide a coded output signal. In one embodiment, an interband predictor ( ) is provided to predict an image, for use in calculating the error image, using the coded output signal.

Adaptive wavelet coding of hyperspectral imagery

A system is presented for compression of hyperspectral imagery. Specifically, DPCM is used for spectral decorrelation, while an adaptive 2-D discrete cosine transform (DCT) ( ) coding scheme is used for spatial decorrelation. Trellis coded quantization ( ) is used to encode the transform coefficients. Side information and rate allocation strategies ( ) are discussed. Entropy-constrained codebooks are designed using a modified version of the generalized Lloyd algorithm

Image encoder method

A system (,) for digital processing of optical image data includes a wavelet decomposition unit (,) for decomposing an input image (,) into a plurality of frequency subbands. Each subband is then converted to a frequency domain representation, phase scrambled, and then converted back into a time domain representation in a phase scrambling unit (,). The subbands are then subject to trellis coded quantization (TCQ) in a trellis coded quantization encoding unit (,) before being transmitted into a channel (,). In one embodiment, fixed rate trellis coded quantization (FRTCQ) is used in a communications system having a relatively noiseless channel.

Wavelet image coder using trellis-coded quantization

An adaptive arrangement and method for the coded digital transmission of images includes an adaptive transmitter (101) having an image coder (109) which is operable at multiple image coding rates, a channel coder (111) which is operable at a plurality of channel coding rates, and is further operable to provide a plurality of power outputs, baud rates, and a plurality of image delivery rates. The transmitter (101) further includes a channel status monitor (115) which monitors the communication channel (105) connecting the transmitter (101) to a receiver (103). The channel status monitor (115) responds to changes in the quality of the communications channel by varying one or more of the image coding rate, the channel coding rate, the power, the baud rate, and the image delivery rate.

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Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

Glen Patrick Abousleman