Patents by Inventor Ajit Ninan

Ajit Ninan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20160057334
    Abstract: High dynamic range 3D images are generated with relatively narrow dynamic range image sensors. Input frames of different views may be set to different exposure settings. Pixels in the input frames may be normalized to a common range of luminance levels. Disparity between normalized pixels in the input frames may be computed and interpolated. The pixels in the different input frames may be shifted to, or stay in, a common reference frame. The pre-normalized luminance levels of the pixels may be used to create high dynamic range pixels that make up one, two or more output frames of different views. Further, a modulated synopter with electronic mirrors is combined with a stereoscopic camera to capture monoscopic HDR, alternating monoscopic HDR and stereoscopic LDR images, or stereoscopic HDR images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Scott Daly, Gregory John Ward, Robin Atkins
  • Patent number: 9269308
    Abstract: Display backlight units are controlled with a signal. A message has an address header specifying one of an array of backlight units, and instructions for individually controlling each of the backlight units, particularized accordingly. The message is routed from a controller to a first controllable backlight unit of the display, which controllably responds to its corresponding particularized instructions. The message is sequentially routed in order from each backlight unit to the next in a chained ring configuration. Data from the backlight units is similarly routed back to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Ajit Ninan
  • Patent number: 9271011
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to encode and decode image data comprising a tone mapped (TM) image with HDR reconstruction data in the form of luminance ratios and color residual values. In an example embodiment, luminance ratio values and residual values in color channels of a color space are generated on an individual pixel basis based on a high dynamic range (HDR) image and a derivative tone-mapped (TM) image that comprises one or more color alterations that would not be recoverable from the TM image with a luminance ratio image. The TM image with HDR reconstruction data derived from the luminance ratio values and the color-channel residual values may be outputted in an image file to a downstream device, for example, for decoding, rendering, and/or storing. The image file may be decoded to generate a restored HDR image free of the color alterations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Wenhui Jia, Ajit Ninan, Ten Arkady, Gregory John Ward
  • Patent number: 9262951
    Abstract: Techniques for stereoscopic 3D display systems with active shuttered glasses are provided which overcomes the real-world limitations of sample/load & hold displays, resulting in greater overall brightness, while reducing crosstalk between each eye perspective. In some embodiments, a first left-eye perspective frame and a first right-eye frame are determined from image data. A first composite frame of a first type is then created. This first composite frame of the first type comprises one or more left-eye pixel values from the first left-eye frame and one or more right-eye pixel values from the first right-eye frame. The first composite frame of the first type is outputted to the display area. This may also include use of scanning backlight synchronized to loading/hold of display in conjunction with the composite frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Matthew Chang
  • Patent number: 9222629
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to support a high dynamic range, high brightness, a wide color gamut, and high resolution in an imaging system. The imaging system may use a light source unit to sequentially emit light of different colors. Color-specific frames may be used to drive, directly or indirectly, multiple display panels that comprise at least one monochromatic display panel. Color bleeding and light bleeding may be prevented, or otherwise mitigated, in the imaging system by controlling the sequential emission of light by the light source unit and by controlling display portions of the display panels in the imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Ajit Ninan
  • Patent number: 9210322
    Abstract: High dynamic range 3D images are generated with relatively narrow dynamic range image sensors. Input frames of different views may be set to different exposure settings. Pixels in the input frames may be normalized to a common range of luminance levels. Disparity between normalized pixels in the input frames may be computed and interpolated. The pixels in the different input frames may be shifted to, or stay in, a common reference frame. The pre-normalized luminance levels of the pixels may be used to create high dynamic range pixels that make up one, two or more output frames of different views. Further, a modulated synopter with electronic mirrors is combined with a stereoscopic camera to capture monoscopic HDR, alternating monoscopic HDR and stereoscopic LDR images, or stereoscopic HDR images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Scott Daly, Gregory John Ward, Robin Atkins
  • Publication number: 20150302804
    Abstract: Techniques for operating a display system in a wide range of ambient light conditions are provided. An intensity of ambient light on a display panel may be detected. The display panel may be illuminated by light sources in addition to the ambient light. An individual light source may be individually settable to an individual light output level. If it is determined that the luminance level of the ambient light is above a minimum ambient luminance threshold, an ambient black level may be calculated using the intensity of ambient light. Light output levels of one or more of the light sources may be elevated to first light output levels. Here, the one or more light sources may be designated to illuminate one or more dark portions of an image. The first light output levels may create a new black level equaling the determined ambient black level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Wenhui Jia
  • Patent number: 9159270
    Abstract: Techniques for operating a display system in a wide range of ambient light conditions are provided. An intensity of ambient light on a display panel may be detected. The display panel may be illuminated by light sources in addition to the ambient light. An individual light source may be individually settable to an individual light output level. If it is determined that the luminance level of the ambient light is above a minimum ambient luminance threshold, an ambient black level may be calculated using the intensity of ambient light. Light output levels of one or more of the light sources may be elevated to first light output levels. Here, the one or more light sources may be designated to illuminate one or more dark portions of an image. The first light output levels may create a new black level equaling the determined ambient black level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Wenhui Jia
  • Publication number: 20150287368
    Abstract: Techniques for driving a dual modulation display include generating backlight drive signals to drive individually-controllable illumination sources. The illumination sources emit first light onto a light conversion layer. The light conversion layer converts the first light into second light. The light conversion layer can include quantum dots or phosphor materials. Modulation drive signals are generated to determine transmission of the second light through individual subpixels of the display. These modulation drive signals can be adjusted based on one or more light field simulations. The light field simulations can include: (i) a color shift for a pixel based on a point spread function of the illumination sources; (ii) binning difference of individual illumination sources; (iii) temperature dependence of display components on performance; or (iv) combinations thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Chun Chi Wan
  • Publication number: 20150277840
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a first display monitor communicates with a second display monitor to determine a common set of display capabilities that are supported by both the first display monitor and the second display monitor. One or more first color grading instructions for one or more first images are received from a first user. In response to receiving the one or more first color grading instructions, the one or more first images are color graded with the one or more first color grading instructions to generate one or more first color graded images. The one or more first color graded images are rendered on the first display monitor. In addition, the one or more first color graded images are caused to be rendered on the second display monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Ajit Ninan
  • Publication number: 20150256752
    Abstract: Techniques are described to combine image data from multiple images with different exposures into a relatively high dynamic range image. A first image of a scene may be generated with a first operational mode of an image processing system. A second image of the scene may be generated with a second different operational mode of the image processing system. The first image may be of a first spatial resolution, while the second image may be of a second spatial resolution. For example, the first spatial resolution may be higher than the second spatial resolution. The first image and the second image may be combined into an output image of the scene. The output image may be of a higher dynamic range than either of the first image and the second image and may be of a spatial resolution higher than the second spatial resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Gregory John Ward, Qifan Huang
  • Publication number: 20150249832
    Abstract: Image encoding and decoding are described. An input HDR image that includes a base image and a ratio image may be stored using two or more color description profiles. One profile defines the encoding color space of the base image and the second profile defines the encoding color space of the HDR metadata which may be different than the color space of the base image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arkady TEN, Ajit NINAN, Gaven WANG
  • Publication number: 20150227003
    Abstract: A light source includes a light reflector and multi-pixel light modulators. The light reflector is surrounded with reflective surfaces. Light can be injected into the light reflector and diffused throughout the light reflector. The multi-pixel light modulators have individual transmittance states based on image data to modulate light that illuminates multi-pixel portions of a light receiving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ajit Ninan
  • Patent number: 9107023
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to use near-field speakers to add depth information that may be missing, incomplete, or imperceptible in far-field sound waves from far-field speakers, and to remove the multi-channel cross talk and reflected sound waves that otherwise may be inherent in a listening space with the far-field speakers alone. In some possible embodiments, a calibration tone may be monitored at each of a listener's ears. The calibration tone may be emitted by two or more far-field speakers. One or more audio portions from two or more near-field speakers may be outputted based on results of monitoring the calibration tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Deon Poncini, Gregory Buschek
  • Publication number: 20150215634
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to encode and decode image data comprising a tone mapped (TM) image with HDR reconstruction data in the form of luminance ratios and color residual values. In an example embodiment, luminance ratio values and residual values in color channels of a color space are generated on an individual pixel basis based on a high dynamic range (HDR) image and a derivative tone-mapped (TM) image that comprises one or more color alterations that would not be recoverable from the TM image with a luminance ratio image. The TM image with HDR reconstruction data derived from the luminance ratio values and the color-channel residual values may be outputted in an image file to a downstream device, for example, for decoding, rendering, and/or storing. The image file may be decoded to generate a restored HDR image free of the color alterations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Wenhui JIA, Ajit NINAN, Ten ARKADY, Gregory John WARD
  • Publication number: 20150206295
    Abstract: Image encoding is described. Log-luminances in an HDR input image are histogrammed to generate a tone-map, along with which a log global tone-mapped luminance image is computed. The log global tone-mapped luminance image is downscaled. The log-luminances and the log global tone-mapped luminance image generate a log ratio image. Multi-scale resolution filtering the log ratio image generates a log multi-scale ratio image. The log multi-scale ratio image and the log luminances generate a second log tone-mapped image, which is normalized to output a tone-mapped image based on the downscaled log global tone-mapped luminance image and the normalized image. The HDR input image and the output tone-mapped image generate a second ratio image, which is quantized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ankur Shah, Ajit Ninan, Wenhui Jia, Huiming Tong, Qiaoli Yang
  • Patent number: 9077910
    Abstract: Techniques are described to combine image data from multiple images with different exposures into a relatively high dynamic range image. A first image of a scene may be generated with a first operational mode of an image processing system. A second image of the scene may be generated with a second different operational mode of the image processing system. The first image may be of a first spatial resolution, while the second image may be of a second spatial resolution. For example, the first spatial resolution may be higher than the second spatial resolution. The first image and the second image may be combined into an output image of the scene. The output image may be of a higher dynamic range than either of the first image and the second image and may be of a spatial resolution higher than the second spatial resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ajit Ninan, Gregory John Ward, Qifan Huang
  • Patent number: 9076224
    Abstract: Image encoding is described. Log-luminances in an HDR input image are histogrammed to generate a tone-map, along with which a log global tone-mapped luminance image is computed. The log global tone-mapped luminance image is downscaled. The log-luminances and the log global tone-mapped luminance image generate a log ratio image. Multi-scale resolution filtering the log ratio image generates a log multi-scale ratio image. The log multi-scale ratio image and the log luminances generate a second log tone-mapped image, which is normalized to output a tone-mapped image based on the downscaled log global tone-mapped luminance image and the normalized image. The HDR input image and the output tone-mapped image generate a second ratio image, which is quantized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur Shah, Ajit Ninan, Wenhui Jia, Huiming Tong, Qiaoli Yang
  • Publication number: 20150184814
    Abstract: Modulated light sources are described. A modulated light source may have first light sources that are configured to emit first light, which has first color components that occupy a range that is beyond one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. The modulated light source may also have a light converter that is configured to be illuminated by the first light. The light converter converts the first light into second light. The second light has one or more second color components that are within the one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. Strengths of the one or more second color components in the second light are monitored and regulated to produce a particular point within a specific color gamut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ajit Ninan
  • Patent number: 9036042
    Abstract: Techniques are provided to encode and decode image data comprising a tone mapped (TM) image with HDR reconstruction data in the form of luminance ratios and color residual values. In an example embodiment, luminance ratio values and residual values in color channels of a color space are generated on an individual pixel basis based on a high dynamic range (HDR) image and a derivative tone-mapped (TM) image that comprises one or more color alterations that would not be recoverable from the TM image with a luminance ratio image. The TM image with HDR reconstruction data derived from the luminance ratio values and the color-channel residual values may be outputted in an image file to a downstream device, for example, for decoding, rendering, and/or storing. The image file may be decoded to generate a restored HDR image free of the color alterations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Wenhui Jia, Ajit Ninan, Arkady Ten, Gregory John Ward