Patents Examined by Wes Tucker
  • Patent number: 7302118
    Abstract: This present invention provides a system and method for transforming a main image of a digital image, such as one stored in the Exchangeable Image File (“EXIF”) format, updating the metadata, including the thumbnail image, to correspond to the transformed main image. The transformed main image and updated metadata are stored together in a file using the EXIF format so that the transformed main image may be viewed using a digital camera or viewer software compatible with a properly formatted EXIF file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Min Liu, Michael Stokes, Gilman K. Wong, Takashi Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 7298921
    Abstract: A document scanning method comprises causing relative movement between a document and first and second imaging elements, such that each of a succession of scan lines of the document is exposed in turn to the imaging elements; generating first and second image data words representative of overlapping portions of each scan line; and concatenating at least a portion of the words to generate a third word representative of the scan line, the method being characterised by the steps of cross-correlating at least a portion of each of the words to identify a portion of the second word that is included in the first word; discarding a portion of at least one of words; concatenating the first word or remainder thereof with the second word or remainder thereof to form the third word; and, if necessary, compressing or expanding the third word by linear interpolation so as to obtain a word of a predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Colortrac Limited
    Inventors: Graham James Ohn Tinn, Andrew Roy Cullum, Andrew John Melvin
  • Patent number: 7295691
    Abstract: A method, system, and storage medium for computer aided processing of an image set includes employing a data source, the data source including an image set acquired from X-ray projection imaging, x-ray computed tomography, or x-ray tomosynthesis, defining a region of interest within one or more images from the image set, extracting feature measures from the region of interest, and reporting at least one of the feature measures on the region of interest. The method may be employed for identifying bone fractures, disease, obstruction, or any other medical condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Renuka Uppaluri, Amber Elaine Rader, Gopal B. Avinash, Carson Hale Thomas, John Michael Sabol, Kadri Nizar Jabri
  • Patent number: 7292738
    Abstract: A method and system for image resample by spatial interpolation. The method and system allow more than simple angle interpolation by allowing spatial interpolation to be performed on small angle edges. Multiple interpolation directions are established. Once an interpolation direction is selected, verifications are performed on the selected interpolation direction in order to rule out erroneous selection. If the selected interpolation direction passes all verifications, then spatial interpolation will be performed along the selected interpolation direction. Otherwise, a default interpolation direction is used as the interpolation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: NDSP Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Ma, Hongmin Zhang
  • Patent number: 7286723
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for organizing images. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to analyzing images, detecting attributes of the images, comparing the detected attributes to identify images having a similar attribute, and associating images having the similar attribute to automatically generate an attribute-based album.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Nathaniel Taugher, Paul William Martin
  • Patent number: 7286687
    Abstract: In the present invention information is first defined as a complete description of the meaning of the content, in addition to the required layout of the characters, words, delivery addresses or images of the entire delivery surface, which contains the delivery addresses, as sample elements. The images of the sample elements belonging to the defined reference information are then generated with the aid of type libraries for the defined character fonts and languages and said images are then stored, after having been assigned to the reference information, in the form of a pixel representation for the sample. The images of the sample elements that have been generated in the previous step are subsequently varied by means of known image processing algorithms to create at least one statistical variation corresponding to the previously collected, grouped deliveries, according to the defined sample scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Rainer Lindwurm, Udo Miletzki, Gerd Gierszewski
  • Patent number: 7283683
    Abstract: In an image processing device, in order to display an image on a display device having nonlinear gradation characteristics, first, a contrast estimation unit (37) estimates the contrast of the image represented by the image data (51) input from an image input device. Next, a luminance correction unit (38) subjects the pixel data constituting the image data (51) to a luminance conversion process on the basis of the estimated contrast and the gradation characteristics. Furthermore, the pixel data may sometimes be subjected to a sharpening process. The level of the sharpening performed for one or a plurality of character regions in the image represented by the image data (51) is higher than that for the pixel data of the pixels in remaining regions other than the character regions in the image. The image data (52) comprising the pixel data subjected to these processes is supplied to the display device. Therefore, the visibility of the image displayed on the display device can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Nakamura, Keisuke Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7277594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging system for obtaining an image correctable for the presence of a gravity induced image error. The imaging system includes an imager to obtain an image of an object and a position measurement device to obtain position data indicative of a gravity-induced deformation of the imager. The position data may include gravity vector data indicative of an orientation of a gravity vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: AO Technology AG
    Inventors: Robert Hofstetter, Nicolas Guggenheim, José L. Scherrer
  • Patent number: 7274833
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a control unit, a first storing zone, a frame buffer register, a first buffering zone and a first image processor. The first storing zone is electrically connected to the control unit and storing therein a first image frame. The frame buffer register is electrically connected to the control unit and the first storing zone, and performing a first image processing operation on the first image frame in response to a first control signal from the control unit so as to form a first processed frame. The first buffering zone receives and stores the first processed frame from the frame buffer register. The first image processor is electrically connected to the first buffering zone and processing the first processed frame into a first image signal in response to a second control signal from the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pingo Chia, Titan Sun
  • Patent number: 7269294
    Abstract: A foreground erosion method is used to meet thin (but unbroken) text requirements using linear YCC segmentation. The method uses a fixed value subtracted from a gray selector signal, thereby thinning/eroding the foreground. In cases where the pixel would be converted from foreground to background, this is only done if a neighborhood test verifies that the thinning won't result in broken lines. The foreground erosion method attempts to match a couple of templates wherein if a match is found, then the adjustment is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Curry, Doron Kletter, Asghar Nafarieh
  • Patent number: 7269303
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for remotely enhancing digital images by communication of the digital images over a network to a remote processing facility. More particularly, the digital image routing method includes steps of receiving a digital image packet that includes a digital image and a customer preference parameter and transmitting the digital image packet to a remote digital image editing system selected according to the customer preference parameter. In addition, the digital image routing method may include the steps of enhancing the digital image based on the customer preference parameter, and transmitting an enhanced digital image packet that includes an enhanced digital image and an enhancement description packet that describes the enhancements made for each of the digital images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Jeffrey Miller, Jefferson Patrick Ward
  • Patent number: 7260240
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring the delivery of workpieces to a position by: storing a digital reference image of the position prior to the delivery of workpieces; storing a digital operating image of the position during delivery of workpieces; performing image arithmetic on the reference image and the operating image to produce a digital evaluation image comprised of a plurality of pixels establishing a threshold image condition for the evaluation image that correlates to the existence of an operating condition relevant to the control of the delivery of workpieces; and examining the pixels in the evaluation image to determine whether the threshold image condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Enegry and Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Don A. Tran, Kevin Duffey
  • Patent number: 7245742
    Abstract: A surveillance system looks through the atmosphere along a horizontal or slant path. Turbulence along the path causes blurring. The blurring is corrected by speckle processing short exposure images recorded with a camera. The exposures are short enough to effectively freeze the atmospheric turbulence. Speckle processing is used to recover a better quality image of the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Carmen J. Carrano, James M. Brase
  • Patent number: 7236642
    Abstract: A method for generating output data for a transparent object in a digital image creates a plurality of image areas. The plurality of image areas covers a total area of the transparent object in the digital image. Each image area covers a different portion of the transparent object. The method combines information of the transparent object covered by an image area with information of a background image of the digital image also covered by the image area. The background image does not include the transparent object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Ahrens, Dieter Loeschky
  • Patent number: 7233691
    Abstract: Recorded images having an overlapping scene transformed into a Quantitative Cylispheric Stereo Pair (QCSP) of images. Pixels corresponding to a common scene object point are located in the same or nearly the same horizontal lines in the QCSP of images. The QCSP's produced can take a number of different formats, including traditional stereo pairs, radial stereo pairs, and general case cylispheric stereo pairs. The QCSP's can be used for various three-dimensional imaging processes, including passive volumetric surveying and the production of three-dimensional visualization models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Geospan Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Setterholm
  • Patent number: 7231098
    Abstract: A shading correction is employed for a scanner to correct shading distortion. However, an image corrected with the shading corrective curve has shading noise lines due to the effects of various factors in the producing process of the shading corrective curve. The characteristic of the shading noise is that the each value of any primary color channel, of each pixel in a line is higher or lower than of the adjacent two pixels in other lines, wherein a color channel is one of red, green, or blue channel. Hence, the quality of the image is improved by removing the shading noise detected from the characteristic described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Inventor: Kuo-Jeng Wang
  • Patent number: 7221776
    Abstract: A video stabilization system processes a video segment to remove unwanted motion, resulting in a stabilized video segment. The video stabilization system tracks one or more features through multiple frames, identifies ideal positions for the features, and then generates information (e.g., rotation, scaling, shearing, and/or translation) to transform all pixels in each frame to ideal positions based on the ideal positions of the features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: ArcSoft, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 7218795
    Abstract: Line defects are removed from an image by providing image data in digital form, analyzing segments of the image data as groups of pixels, detecting line defects in the image by application of a line detector, such as a local radial angular transform, and adjusting the image data to correct the detected line defects within the determined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Corel Corporation
    Inventors: Mikhail Ivanovich Trifonov, Olga Vadimovna Sharonova, Kryzstof Antoni Zaklika
  • Patent number: 7215833
    Abstract: The invention is a method for correlating and assigning digital camera images to a database file. The method enables a photographer to keep track of large numbers of subjects and items. The method uses a timestamp from a bar code reader to synchronize recorded swipes of bar codes with the digital images created produced by the camera. The bar code reader is used to swipe identifying bar code on items or subjects that are to be tracked, such as on a student's camera card, a police investigation report or a catalogue item. The time and the bar code serve as a means to cross-reference any item or subject to the digital images. The photographs and bar code scans are downloaded into a computer, and then by inspection of the recorded times of when the scans were made and the pictures were taken, the images can be assigned to the appropriate file. The images can then be loaded into the item's or subject's file, secure in the knowledge that the images are appropriately assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Digital Photography Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Ed J. Tepera, Benjamin L. Gatti
  • Patent number: 7215828
    Abstract: A method for determining the orientation of a digital image, includes the steps of: employing a semantic object detection method to detect the presence and orientation of a semantic object; employing a scene layout detection method to detect the orientation of a scene layout; and employing an arbitration method to produce an estimate of the image orientation from the orientation of the detected semantic object and the detected orientation of the scene layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jiebo Luo