Patents Represented by Attorney Andrew J. Curtin
  • Patent number: 7532474
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing configured to enclose an electronic component mounted to an inner portion of the housing. A thermally conductive gap-filler is in thermal contact with the electronic component. A heat sink is in thermal contact with the thermally conductive gap-filler and a thermally conductive plate is in thermal contact, at a first side, with the heat sink through an opening in the housing, and affixed, at the first side, to an outer portion of the housing surrounding the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Bryce Xiaobo Xue, Dale G. Robertson
  • Patent number: 6933952
    Abstract: A method and apparatus antialias a region of a set of objects. The set of objects is represented by a set of two-dimensional distance fields. Each distance field is partitioned into cells, where each cell is associated with a method for reconstructing the distance field within the cell. For each distance field, a set of cells associated with the region is identified. A set of pixels associated with the region is located and a set of components is specified for each pixel. For each component of each pixel, a corresponding distance for the component is determined for each distance field using the corresponding set of cells and the corresponding distances are combined to determine a combined distance. The combined distance is mapped to an antialiased intensity of the component of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah F. Frisken, Ronald N. Perry
  • Patent number: 6836562
    Abstract: A method is described for determining a 2D gradient magnitude image from a range image of an object. The range image includes intensity values at pixel locations. The intensity values correspond to distances to a surface of the object. For each pixel (i,j) in the range image, a horizontal central difference dx value and a vertical central difference dy value are determined. Then, the 2D gradient magnitude image value at each pixel (i,j) is set to 0.5*sqrt(dx2+dy2+4). The range image can be scaled so that a unit intensity value at each pixel corresponds to a unit distance value. The magnitude of a gradient at a 3D point p can then be determined from the scaled range image and the gradient magnitude image. First, a perpendicular projection (x,y) of p onto the scaled range image is computed. Next, a gradient magnitude at (x,y) is interpolated from the corresponding values of the 2D gradient magnitude image near the location (x,y).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah F. Frisken, Ronald N. Perry
  • Patent number: 6831641
    Abstract: A method models a three-dimensional object by first acquiring alpha mattes of the object for multiple viewpoints. The alpha mattes are then projected onto a surface hull completely enclosing the object to construct an opacity hull storing opacity values of the surface of the object. The object is illuminated for various lighting conditions while images are acquired. The images are projected onto the opacity hull to render the object under arbitrary lighting conditions for arbitrary viewpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Wojciech Matusik, Hanspeter Pfister, Wai Kit Addy Ngan, Leonard McMillan, Jr., Remo Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6828965
    Abstract: A method regularizes a distance field of a graphics model or object. The distance field includes variable scalar values and a set of fixed zero values. The zero values define a boundary or surface of the object. The distance field is evaluated by a cost function, optimized according predetermined parameters, to determine a cost of the distance field. The variable scalar values are then randomly perturbed while holding the zero values fixed. The evaluating, determining, perturbing steps are repeated until the cost is less than a predetermined threshold. The distance field can be in the form of a non-differentiable implicial field. A surface of the graphics model can be textured or stenciled by following streamlines along the gradients of the regularized distance field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Alyn Rockwood
  • Patent number: 6823011
    Abstract: A method detects an unusual event in a video. Motion vectors are extracted from each frame in a video acquired by a camera of a scene. Zero run-length parameters are determined for each frame from the motion vectors. The zero run-length parameters are summed over predetermined time intervals of the video, and a distance is determined between the sum of the zero run-lengths of a current time interval and the sum of the zero run-lengths of a previous time interval. Then, the unusual event is detected if the distance is greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Divakaran, Regunathan Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 6813313
    Abstract: A system and method analyzes a compressed video including a sequence of frames. The amount of a dominant feature in each frame of the compressed video is measured. A label is associated with each frame according the measured amount of the dominant feature. Views in the video are identified according to the labels, and the video is segmented into actions according to the views. The video can then be analyzed according to the action to determine significant events in the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Peng Xu, Shih-Fu Chang, Ajay Divakaran
  • Patent number: 6808049
    Abstract: A method controls the distribution of free cars in an elevator system. First, the number of free cars in the elevator system are counted whenever this number changes. At the same time, the arrival/destination rates of passengers at each of the floor is determined. The rates are used to identify up-peak and down-peak traffic patterns. The floors of the building are then assigned to zones. The number of floors in each zone is determined according to the arrival rates, and the free cars are then parked in the zones so that the expected waiting time of the next arriving passenger is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew E. Brand, Daniel N. Nikovski
  • Patent number: 6810429
    Abstract: An enterprise integration system is coupled to a number of legacy data sources. The data sources each use different data formats and different access methods. The integration system includes a back-end interface configured to convert input data source information to input XML documents and to convert output XML document to output data source information. A front-end interface converts the output XML documents to output HTML forms and the input HTML forms to the XML documents. A middle tier includes a rules engine and a rules database. Design tools are used to define the conversion and the XML documents. A network couples the back-end interface, the front-end interface, the middle tier, the design tools, and the data sources. Mobile agents are configured to communicate the XML documents over the network and to process the XML documents according to the rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Walsh, Michael J. Young, Joseph J. DiCelie, David W. H. Wong, Alan W. Esenther
  • Patent number: 6793350
    Abstract: A method projects one or more image onto a curved display surface. First, a predetermined structured light pattern is projected onto the display surface. A stereo pair of images is acquired of the projected images on the display surface. Then, a quadric transfer function between the predetermined images and the stereo pair of images, via the display surface, is determined. Thus, an arbitrary output image can be warped according to the quadric transfer function so that when it is projected onto the display surface it appears correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Raskar, Jeroen van Baar, Srinivasa G. Rao, Thomas H. Willwacher
  • Patent number: 6795069
    Abstract: An input device is used to generate input strokes on a display device. The input strokes are acquired and resampled to be evenly spaced. Then, depth values are assigned to the resampled 2D points to form 3D contours. Variational implicit surfaces are fitted to the 3D contours to generate 3D blobs forming the 3D model to be rendered on an output device. The blobs can be merged by guidance strokes, and modified by target strokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Raskar, Olga Karpenko, John F. Hughes
  • Patent number: 6792434
    Abstract: A method for visualizing multimedia objects assigns a feature vector to each multimedia object. The feature vector of each multimedia object is reduced to a location vector having a dimensionality of a display device. A cost function is evaluated to determine an optimal location vector for each multimedia object, and each multimedia object is displayed on a display device according to the optimal location vector. The reducing can use principle component analysis. In addition, a relevance score can be determined for each displayed multimedia object, and the multimedia objects can than be visually enhanced according to the relevance score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Baback Moghaddam, Qi Tian, Xiang S. Zhou
  • Patent number: 6792049
    Abstract: A digital transceiver system includes a downlink channel and an uplink channel. In the system, a transmitter transmits signals on the downlink channel and receives signals on the uplink channel. The transmitter includes a pre-coder having a plurality of filters. Each filter has a corresponding filter coefficient. The transmitter also includes a filter coefficient updater coupled to the pre-coder. A receiver of the system receives signals on the downlink channel and transmits signals on the uplink channel. The receiver includes linear equalizers having a plurality of taps. Each tap has a corresponding tap coefficient. The coefficient updater is configured to dynamically update the filter coefficients according to the tap coefficients which are indicative of the frequency response of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Bao, Daqing Gu
  • Patent number: 6792034
    Abstract: A method reduces interference adaptively in a CDMA receiver. A baseband signal is demodulated to determine target symbols. The baseband signal is also demodulated to estimate interfering symbols. The interfering symbols are modulated to generate a cancellation signal, and the cancellation signal is subtracted from the base band signal to reduce interference in the target symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoyang Lee, Jay Bao, Jyhchau Horng
  • Patent number: 6792205
    Abstract: A method generates a textured range image by first acquiring a first image of a scene illuminated with ambient light, and acquiring a second image of the scene illuminated with direct light. The first and second images are combined to determine the textured range image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah F. Frisken, Ronald N. Perry
  • Patent number: 6781618
    Abstract: A 3D model of a scene is constructed by acquiring first images of a scene having unknown characteristics with a first camera. Corresponding second images of a another scene having known characteristics are acquired by a second camera. The first and second cameras have a fixed physical relationship to each other. Only the second images are analyzed to determine corresponding positions of the second camera while acquiring the first images. Then, the first images are assembled into the 3D model using the corresponding positions and the fixed physical relationship of the first and second camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Beardsley
  • Patent number: 6778708
    Abstract: A compressed bit-stream represents a corresponding sequence having intra-coded frames and inter-coded frames. The compressed bit-stream includes bits associated with each of the inter-coded frames representing a displacement from the associated inter-coded frame to a closest matching of the intra-coded frames. A magnitude of the displacement of a first of the inter-coded frames is determined based on the bits in the compressed bit-stream associated with that inter-coded frame. The inter-coded frame is then identified based on the determined displacement magnitude. The inter-coded frame includes macro-blocks. Each macro-block is associated with a respective portion of the inter-coded frame bits which represent the displacement from that macro-block to the closest matching intra-coded frame. The displacement magnitude is an average of the displacement magnitudes of all the macro-blocks associated with the inter-coded frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Divakaran, Huifang Sun
  • Patent number: 6771768
    Abstract: A telephone handset dynamically buffers a real-time audio signal. The handset includes a microphone and a speaker connected to a telephone network interface. A proximity sensor is located near the speaker of the handset. The proximity sensor is connected to a circuit for measuring a coupling between the handset and an ear of a user. A buffer continuously records the real-time audio signal. The recorded signal can than be played back after the handset is first removed from the ear of the user, and second re-applied with the ear of the user using a time-compressed audio signal, until the playback signal is resynchronized with the real-time audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul H. Dietz, William S. Yerazunis
  • Patent number: 6763069
    Abstract: A method extracts high-level features from a video including a sequence of frames. Low-level features are extracted from each frame of the video. Each frame of the video is labeled according to the extracted low-level features to generate sequences of labels. Each sequence of labels is associated with one of the extracted low-level feature. The sequences of labels are analyzed using learning machine learning techniques to extract high-level features of the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc
    Inventors: Ajay Divakaran, Anthony Vetro, Huifang Sun, Peng Xu, Shih-Fu Chang
  • Patent number: 6763276
    Abstract: A method optimizes a system. Performances of design parameters of an objective function modeling the system are represented in a multi-dimensional search space. A set of vertices are positioned in the search space. Each vertex has an associated one of the performances. The vertices in the set are sorted in a worst to best performance order. Each vertex in the ordered set is moved to a next position if the performance at the next position is better than a current performance of the vertex. The sorting and moving are repeated in a cycle until a termination condition is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald N. Perry