Patents by Inventor Douglas Ricard

Douglas Ricard 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).

  • Patent number: 7675652
    Abstract: A method is provided for correcting undesired eye color in a digital image. Color information from the digital image is used to identify an orthogonal color channel. The orthogonal color channel is a channel corresponding to a color that is orthogonal to the undesired color. Information from the orthogonal color channel is used to perform channel mixing. The channel mixing is selectively applied to the original digital image using a masking effect to retain certain portions of the original image and replace certain portions of the original image with the channel-mixed image. This method achieves natural-looking black pupils and preserves specular reflections to conceal the fact that the digital image has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Denis C. Demandolx, Douglas A. Ricard, Karthik G. Anbalagan, Sergei S. Shinkevich, Steve J. White
  • Publication number: 20100011288
    Abstract: Reformatting a previously formatted document. A unique interface allows preview and selection of a color set. A color set comprises a plurality of colors defining a color scheme. Once a color set is determined, the document is reformatted in such a way as to simultaneously apply multiple colors to text within a document, while otherwise maintaining the proportionality and integrity of its previous formatting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Truelove, Douglas A. Ricard, Wai On Lee, Christopher D. Williams
  • Patent number: 7594174
    Abstract: Reformatting a previously formatted document. A unique interface allows preview and selection of both a color set and a font set. A color set comprises a plurality of colors defining a color scheme. The font set comprises a plurality of fonts defining a font theme. A format set is defined by the selection of a color set and a font set. A format set comprises a plurality of formats, each format comprising a format font name, a format font size, a format font color, and other properties. Once a format set is determined, the document is reformatted in such a way as to largely maintain the proportionality and integrity of its previous formatting. In so doing, each discrete portion of text in the document is analyzed to determine its format properties. Each format in the format set is then compared to the text format. Points are added to a match quality value associated with the format when it is determined that a property of the format matches a property of the existing text format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Truelove, Douglas A. Ricard, Wai On Lee, Christopher D. Williams
  • Patent number: 7519233
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing, e.g., non-destructively processing, digital image data utilizing vertically-oriented Effect graphs are provided. In non-destructive processing where and when data is transformed is fairly important, both in terms of quality and performance. The further down the vertically-oriented Effect graph a transformation occurs, the better. As such, methods for pushing transformations down an Effect graph to the lowest point possible and applying them at that point rather than the location at which they may have been placed are provided. Systems for implementing the methods herein disclosed are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven James White, Donald M. Marsh, Denis Demandolx, Douglas A. Ricard, Jingyang Xu
  • Publication number: 20090060387
    Abstract: Optical blur architecture that provides a significant improvement in the computation processes required to create optical blur. The architecture can be applied to efficiently implement optical blur on an image where the radius may vary from pixel to pixel and when the radius does not vary at all. The solution includes a significant improvement in computational efficiency. A wide range of radiuses can be handled and any radius within that range without the need for an infinite number of masks or having to create masks on-the-fly. An infinite number of virtual radius tables can be generated from a small number of tables. A list of tables can be logarithmically generated and utilized for a wide range of radiuses the table sizes can be reduced by storing the weight information for the entire area of the mask and only storing the delta values from the previous radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Douglas A. Ricard
  • Publication number: 20070182997
    Abstract: A method is provided for correcting undesired eye color in a digital image. Color information from the digital image is used to identify an orthogonal color channel. The orthogonal color channel is a channel corresponding to a color that is orthogonal to the undesired color. Information from the orthogonal color channel is used to perform channel mixing. The channel mixing is selectively applied to the original digital image using a masking effect to retain certain portions of the original image and replace certain portions of the original image with the channel-mixed image. This method achieves natural-looking black pupils and preserves specular reflections to conceal the fact that the digital image has been corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Denis Demandolx, Douglas Ricard, Karthik Anbalagan, Sergei Shinkevich, Steve White
  • Publication number: 20070183683
    Abstract: A method is provided for applying a blur to an image using a graphic processing unit (“GPU”). The method includes instructing the GPU to scale an image down from an original size; instructing the GPU to blur the scaled down image; and instructing the GPU to return the blurred image to the original size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas Ricard, Denis Demandolx
  • Publication number: 20070008337
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing, e.g., non-destructively processing, digital image data utilizing vertically-oriented Effect graphs are provided. In non-destructive processing where and when data is transformed is fairly important, both in terms of quality and performance. The further down the vertically-oriented Effect graph a transformation occurs, the better. As such, methods for pushing transformations down an Effect graph to the lowest point possible and applying them at that point rather than the location at which they may have been placed are provided. Systems for implementing the methods herein disclosed are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven White, Donald Marsh, Denis Demandolx, Douglas Ricard, Jingyang Xu
  • Publication number: 20060290705
    Abstract: Methods for processing, e.g., non-destructively processing, digital image data utilizing an Effect graph are provided. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving an Effect graph including a plurality of Effect objects each having an image buffer associated therewith for storing digital image data, receiving digital image data to be processed utilizing the Effect graph, and performing a pre-rendering pass of the Effect graph prior to processing the digital image data. The pre-rendering pass may be utilized, for instance, to determine at which Effects a cache should be held to alleviate exponential rendering, and the like. Systems for performing the methods herein described are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven White, Donald Marsh, Douglas Ricard, Jingyang Xu
  • Publication number: 20060262353
    Abstract: A method and machine-readable medium for adjusting image saturation is disclosed. A designation of a change in a selected saturation distribution value of an image is received from a user. A saturation curve is automatically generated on a saturation histogram so that the saturation curve passes through the changed saturation distribution value. Saturation of the image is automatically adjusted based on the saturation curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karthik Anbalagan, Alexander Brodie, David Parlin, Douglas Ricard
  • Publication number: 20060066628
    Abstract: A system and related techniques generate and present a set of linked, dynamically interactive image processing controls for image editing and optimization tasks. In embodiments a user interface may present a set of global editing modes such as color manipulation, exposure correction or others. Each mode may contain a hierarchical set of basic, intermediate and advanced controls such as one-button automatic fixes, color or saturation sliders or editable histograms or other curves. When a user wishes, for instance, to achieve a warmer color balance or perform other color-correction tasks, the system may automatically detect adjustments in one or more parameters, such as CMYK values, and automatically adjust the values of other parameters to enhance the intended correction or action. For instance when the magenta content on a CMYK slider is increased, the color saturation may be slightly increased or color temperature may be slightly raised, to create a warmer appearance in the color cast of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Brodie, David Parlin, Douglas Ricard, Karthik Anbalagan
  • Patent number: 6892348
    Abstract: Reformatting a previously formatted document. A unique interface allows preview and selection of both a color set and a font set. A color set comprises a plurality of colors defining a color scheme. The font set comprises a plurality of fonts defining a font theme. A format set is defined by the selection of a color set and a font set. A format set comprises a plurality of formats, each format comprising a format font name, a format font size, a format font color, and other properties. Once a format set is determined, the document is reformatted in such a way as to largely maintain the proportionality and integrity of its previous formatting. In so doing, each discrete portion of text in the document is analyzed to determine its format properties. Each format in the format set is then compared to the text format. Points are added to a match quality value associated with the format when it is determined that a property of the format matches a property of the existing text format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Truelove, Douglas A. Ricard, Wai On Lee, Christopher D. Williams
  • Publication number: 20050010869
    Abstract: Reformatting a previously formatted document. A unique interface allows preview and selection of both a color set and a font set. A color set comprises a plurality of colors defining a color scheme. The font set comprises a plurality of fonts defining a font theme. A format set is defined by the selection of a color set and a font set. A format set comprises a plurality of formats, each format comprising a format font name, a format font size, a format font color, and other properties. Once a format set is determined, the document is reformatted in such a way as to largely maintain the proportionality and integrity of its previous formatting. In so doing, each discrete portion of text in the document is analyzed to determine its format properties. Each format in the format set is then compared to the text format. Points are added to a match quality value associated with the format when it is determined that a property of the format matches a property of the existing text format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Truelove, Douglas Ricard, Wai Lee, Christopher Williams
  • Patent number: 5903905
    Abstract: A method for simultaneously constructing and displaying a dynamic preview display of a document. The method provides an accurate representation of the preview of the document and of the customized document itself. An initial preview display of the document is drawn displaying actual text as opposed to symbolic representations of text. A user then changes the characteristics of the preview display of the document and an updated preview display of the document is drawn after changing the characteristics of the preview display of the document. The update of the preview display is performed by the same drawing method used to draw the initial preview display of the document. Finally, an accurate customized document is output to an application program when there are no more desired changes to the characteristics of the preview display of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis R. Andersen, Vikram Nigaraj, Douglas A. Ricard