Patents Examined by Ishrat Sherali
  • Patent number: 7336836
    Abstract: A method, system, and program for transmitting and decoding compressed data. Compressed data is received and decoded. An error is detected while decoding a first location in the compressed data. A reentry data set is accessed having a pointer to a second location in the compressed data following the first location and decoding information that enables decoding to start from the second location. The second location in the compressed data is accessed and the decoding information in the accessed reentry data set is used to continue decoding the compressed data from the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joan La Verne Mitchell, Nenad Rijavec
  • Patent number: 7336831
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pseudo address decoder, a programmable logic array, a corresponding value calculation module, a storage element, a subtracter, and a multiplexer. The pseudo address decoder determines a block corresponding to an index of the compression encoding table. The programmable logic array calculates related data of the block determined by the pseudo address decoder. The corresponding value calculation module calculates the corresponding value in accordance with the related data of the block. Non-repeating or non-increasing data of the compression encoding table are stored in the storage element. The subtracter outputs a difference between the index and the address offset in order to read the storage element. The multiplexer selectively outputs the output values calculated by the corresponding value calculation module or the data read from the storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Cheerteck, Inc.
    Inventor: Chia-yow Yeh
  • Patent number: 7336835
    Abstract: A method, system, and program for decoding cached compressed data. Compressed data is received and decoded. An error is detected while decoding a first location in the compressed data. A reentry data set is accessed having a pointer to a second location in the compressed data following the first location and decoding information that enables decoding to start from the second location. The second location in the compressed data is accessed and the decoding information in the accessed reentry data set is used to continue decoding the compressed data from the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joan LaVerne Mitchell, Nenad Rijavec
  • Patent number: 7333654
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically altering an image having pixels is disclosed. An image is segmented into regions and various features of the regions are extracted and used to calculate a confidence factor, or belief value, that a particular region is a main subject of the image. The belief values are assembled into a belief map that is used to define how pixel values are to be altered. Various color and appearance values of the pixel are altered in a predetermined way to emphasize the main subject of the image. The emphasis is applied in a binary fashion or as in a gradient of values. Either the main subject can be emphasized, or the secondary or background subjects can be de-emphasized. The system can be implement on a variety of computer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiebo Luo, Robert T. Gray
  • Patent number: 7333657
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying and reproducing a background of a pixelmap. The method includes dividing the pixelmap into a grid of tiles, determining for each tile a background component and building a representation of a background in the pixelmap using the determined background component for each tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacob Y. Stolin, Shawn A. Gaither
  • Patent number: 7333655
    Abstract: Computer based method and apparatus for evaluating a graphic image file for the presence of objectionable visual content. The graphic image file comprises a number of pixels each having spectral components defined in accordance with a color model (such as RGB). Relative weighting of the spectral components of each pixel is performed to classify each pixel as either not representing human skin or as possibly representing human skin. For those sets of adjacent pixels that possibly represent human skin, a brightness test is performed to determine whether the set of pixels represents a curved surface. A statistical analysis evaluates the run length of each such set of pixels. Display of the graphic image file is allowed or disallowed based on the results of the foregoing analyses. Web pages available from the World Wide Web are further screened for objectionable terms in the associated URLs and text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Inventors: Dana B. Swift, Glenn A. Chalker
  • Patent number: 7330587
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of and apparatus for compressing and uncompressing image data. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method of compressing a color cell comprises the steps of: defining at least four luminance levels of the color cell; generating a bitmask for the color cell, the bitmask having a plurality of entries each corresponding to a respective one of the pixels, each of the entries for storing data identifying one of the luminance levels associated with a corresponding one of the pixels; calculating a first average color of pixels associated with a first one of the luminance levels; calculating a second average color of pixels associated with a second one of the luminance levels; and storing the bitmask in association with the first average color and the second average color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Drebin, David (Chi-Shung) Wang, Christopher J. Migdal
  • Patent number: 7330606
    Abstract: A method for evaluating an orientation of a molecular array having features arranged in a pattern. An image of the molecular array is obtained by scanning the molecular array to determine data signals emanating from discrete positions on a surface of the molecular array. An actual result of a function on pixels of the image which pixels lie in a second pattern, is calculated. This actual result is compared with an expected result which would be obtained if the second pattern had a predetermined orientation on the array. Array orientation can then be evaluated based on the result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zohar H. Yakhini, Cynthia Y. Enderwick, Glenda C. Delenstarr, Paul K. Wolber, Nicholas M. Sampas
  • Patent number: 7330588
    Abstract: Expression profiling using DNA microarrays is an important new method for analyzing cellular physiology. In “spotted” microarrays, fluorescently labeled cDNA from experimental and control cells is hybridized to arrayed target DNA and the arrays imaged at two or more wavelengths. Statistical analysis is performed on microarray images and show that non-additive background, high intensity fluctuations across spots, and fabrication artifacts interfere with the accurate determination of intensity information. The probability density distributions generated by pixel-by-pixel analysis of images can be used to measure the precision with which spot intensities are determined. Simple weighting schemes based on these probability distributions are effective in improving significantly the quality of microarray data as it accumulates in a multi-experiment database. Error estimates from image-based metrics should be one component in an explicitly probabilistic scheme for the analysis of DNA microarray data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Precision, LLC
    Inventors: Carl S. Brown, Paul C. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 7321698
    Abstract: According to the present invention, methods and apparatus for filtering transform coefficients are provided. Transform coefficients associated with an input bit sequence can be zeroed to provide modified transform coefficients associated with an output bit sequence. The transform coefficients may represent information in a portion of data such as a video frame, a picture, or an audio stream. In one example, the transform coefficients are DCT coefficients of an MPEG-2 video sequence. The transform coefficients are filtered to provide modified transform coefficients associated with an output bit sequence. The output bit sequence is a rescaled version of the input bit sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Fang Wu, Ke Shen, Yi Tong Tse, Sangeeta Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7321693
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are disclosed for generating coded data having a desired data size at a high speed. The image processing apparatus includes a coding part, two memories, a setting part and a data size adjustment part. The coding part partitions a wavelet coefficient of image data into bit-planes and generates coded data of the image data through entropy coding on the wavelet coefficient for each of the bit-planes. The data size adjustment part adjusts a size of the coded data such that the size falls within an acceptable range including the target size set by the setting part by sequentially discarding a portion of the coded data in a least significant order based on the size of the coded data portion corresponding to each of the bit-planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 7319796
    Abstract: A method is disclosed herein for compressing spectral data corresponding to an image comprising a plurality of pixels. The method includes the step of creating a set of potential endmembers. A first plurality of the potential endmembers are identified as a first set of endmembers based upon their respective correlations with a first spectral signature of a first of the plurality of pixels. The first pixel is then represented as a combination of the first set of endmembers. Processing of the image preferably continues by identifying a second plurality of the potential endmembers as a second set of endmembers based upon their respective correlations with a second spectral signature of a second of the plurality of pixels. The second pixel is then represented as a combination of the second set of endmembers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Mary Sharp
  • Patent number: 7319786
    Abstract: The inventive image processing apparatus takes steps of 1) dividing an image to be processed into numerals of blocks; 2) determining whether a block is a color block or not; 3) determining whether the image is a color image or not based on the rate of color blocks to the entire blocks. Thereby, valid color pixel rate can be obtained at blocks belonging to a color region even though an image is almost monochrome but partially colored. Accordingly, the inventive image processing apparatus can appropriately determine whether the image is a color image or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hirota, Katsuhisa Toyama, Shoji Imaizumi, Hideyuki Hashimoto, Kazuhiro Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 7317830
    Abstract: Segmentation of background and foreground objects in an image is based upon the joint use of range and color data. Range-based data is largely independent of color image data, and hence not adversely affected by the limitations associated with color-based segmentation, such as shadows and similarly colored objects. Furthermore, color segmentation is complementary to range measurement in those cases where reliable range data cannot be obtained. These complementary sets of data are used to provide a multidimensional background estimation. The segmentation of a foreground object in a given frame of an image sequence is carried out by comparing the image frames with background statistics relating to range and normalized color, using the sets of statistics in a complementary manner. A background model is determined by estimating using a multidimensional histogram, recording pixel values, configuring the pixel values into a cluster, and selecting a largest cluster as representing the background model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
    Inventors: Gaile Gordon, Trevor Darrell, Michael Harville, John Woodfill
  • Patent number: 7317826
    Abstract: A digital image that includes first and second regions is processed. An intrinsic color of a given pixel located in an area of interest that is adjacent to at least one of the first and second regions is estimated by extrapolating from colors of multiple pixels in one of the first and second regions and multiple pixels in the other of the two regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregg D. Wilensky, Martin E. Newell
  • Patent number: 7315654
    Abstract: A foreground extracting section extracts the foreground of each of the first to the N-th frames, and a foreground-accumulated-image configuration section configures a front accumulated image obtained by overlapping the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames viewed from the future side and a rear accumulated image obtained by overlapping them viewed from the past side. A learning section uses the front accumulated image and the rear accumulated image to obtain prediction coefficients used for predicting the foreground of each frame, and a multiplexer outputs the prediction coefficients, the front accumulated image, and the rear accumulated image as the result of encoding of the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7315653
    Abstract: A foreground extracting section extracts the foreground of each of the first to the N-th frames, and a foreground-accumulated-image configuration section configures a front accumulated image obtained by overlapping the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames viewed from the future side and a rear accumulated image obtained by overlapping them viewed from the past side. A learning section uses the front accumulated image and the rear accumulated image to obtain prediction coefficients used for predicting the foreground of each frame, and a multiplexer outputs the prediction coefficients, the front accumulated image, and the rear accumulated image as the result of encoding of the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7315647
    Abstract: A system is provided for selecting a foreground region of an image, given a set of pixels defining the boundary of the foreground region of the image. The system includes a component to determine a foreground value (F) and opacity value (?) for each pixel on the set wherein ? is determined via a subpixel edge-offset to facilitate a separation the foreground region from background portions of the image. The foreground value (F) and opacity value (?) are then employed to smoothly mix the foreground region of the image with a subsequent image background region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Kentaro Toyama
  • Patent number: 7315648
    Abstract: A method of dividing a digital signal representing physical quantities, including the step of determining an initial partitioning of the signal, displaying representation of the signal and the previously determined signal partitioning, acquiring at least one partitioning modification parameter, and modifying the partitioning of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Felix Henry
  • Patent number: 7315655
    Abstract: A data processing system includes a subband decomposition of a source signal by encoding of the significant pyramid-type subband representation. During the encoding process, M-array is used for initialization of set of arrays Si (arrays of solution bits), which define the order of creating output data streams. Output data streams contain an encoded significance map and values of (significant) non-zero subband decomposition coefficients adapted for successive quantization and entropy encoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Comet Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Andrey V. Zurov, Sergey V. Novikov, Alexander P. Tanchenko