Cisco Technology, Inc.

Cognex Corporation

Robert Drisko

David R Oran

Ivan A Bachelder

Joshua B Gahm

William C VerSteeg

Atif Faheem

Kapil Sharma

Toshimitsu Motoyama

In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a stream of transport packets encapsulating media packets, and generating a reference to the point-of-interest media packet relative to the location of the point-of-interest within the transport packet stream. The reference is generated for each media packet that is identified as a point-of-interest.

Locating points of interest using references to media frames within a packet flow

A technique is provided for rapid channel change (RCC) processing in a programming distribution network. The RCC process herein is configured to transmit unicast stream of packets ('RCC burst') during a 'fast-fill' interval for up to a full duration of the multicast join window, or until it is stopped by a an explicit message sent from the user terminal. The unicast stream of packets is transmitted at a full rate of an access link (i.e., the bottleneck link) on a path to the user terminal beyond an earliest time when the user terminal could join a multicast stream of packets for a new channel requested by the user terminal.

Bandwidth optimized rapid channel change in IP-TV network

In one embodiment, a separate surrogate monitor stream provides real-time media monitoring statistics for non-media savvy protocols. The surrogate monitor stream contains packet transmission parameters, such as sequence numbers and time stamps, for associated media packets in the non-savvy media stream. The surrogate monitor stream also contains checksums derived from the media packets. The checksums are used to correlate the packets in the surrogate monitor stream with the media packets in the media stream. The information in the surrogate monitor stream is then used in conjunction with the non-savvy media stream to provide real-time media monitoring without having to modify existing infrastructure. For example, head-end video servers do not have to add Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) support or deal with protocol upgrades like RTP/UDP co-existence.

Surrogate stream for monitoring realtime media

A method and apparatus subsamples, in a constraint satisfying manner, an image for subsequent processing of the subsampled image. The subsampling is based on constraints provided for the subsequent image processing. A subsampling factor or pair of factors are determined for the image and the image is subsampled by the subsampling factor(s). The constraints comprise at least time constraints, uncertainty constraints, accuracy constraints or implementation constraints. When time constraints are given, the constraints specify a function of the time needed for the subsequent image processing along with at least a maximum and a minimum time that the subsequent image processing should take. When uncertainty constraints are specified, the constraints give a function of the uncertainty in the subsequent image processing and at least a maximum and a minimum uncertainty required from the subsequent image processing. When the constraints specify accuracy constraints, the constraints specify a function of the accuracy of the subsequent image processing at least a maximum and a minimum accuracy required from the subsequent image processing.

Image processing system and method using subsampling with constraints such as time and uncertainty constraints

Image processing system and method using subsampling with constraints

An automated object inspection system involving locating an object in an input image obtains a digital representation of an image including the object. Expected geometric parameters representing expected geometric features of the object are obtained. A set of pixels required for input to an object locating process is selected. A subsampling factor is defined based upon at least the expected geometric parameters. The subsampling factor defines a reduction in resolution of the set of pixels. The set of pixels is subsampled in accordance with the defined subsampling factor. The object locating process is run on the subsampled set of pixels. In defining the subsampling factor based upon at least the expected geometric parameters, the system takes into account constraints such as time an uncertainty constraints.

Determining the position of a generally rectangular device is achieved by performing subsampling of image data, thresholding of the subsampled data, extraction of boundary features based on the output of the thresholding, calculation of correspondence between extracted boundary features and the generally rectangular device, and a final fit against a model of the generally rectangular device. Correspondence between the boundary features of the image and the generally rectangular device is performed by locating points in the extracted boundary feature which may correspond to corners of the generally rectangular device, removing those points which correspond to known objects other than the generally rectangular device, removing those points likely to belong to unknown objects, and fitting the points to an input model of the generally rectangular device to determine its position.

Growing community of inventors

Concord, MA, United States of America

Robert Drisko