Patents by Inventor Earl Quong Wong

Earl Quong Wong 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).

  • Method and apparatus for super-resolution imaging using digital imaging devices
    Patent number: 8553093
    Abstract: A super-resolution image is generated from a sequence of low resolution images. In one embodiment, the image shift information is measured for each of the low resolution images using an image stabilization component of an imaging device. The shift information is used to generate the super-resolution image. In another embodiment, the blurs are calculated for each of the low resolution images and are used to generate the super-resolution image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Yoshihiro Murakami, Pingshan Li, Eric D. Edwards, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura, Mamoru Sugiura
  • Reduced hardware implementation for a two-picture depth map algorithm
    Patent number: 8280194
    Abstract: An imaging system generates a picture depth map from a pair of reduced resolution images. The system captures two full resolution images, receives image reduction image information and creates two reduced resolution images. The system computes a blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. The system calculates the depth map based on the blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Pingshan Li, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura, Yoshihiro Murakami
  • Fast camera auto-focus
    Patent number: 8194995
    Abstract: A camera auto-focuses using computed blur differences between images of a three-dimensional scene. The camera computes the blur difference between two images of the scene acquired at two different picture numbers. The camera uses the computed blur difference to predict a third picture number, where the camera uses the third picture number to auto-focus a camera lens on the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Makibi Nakamura, Hidenori Kushida, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Yoshihiro Murakami, Pingshan Li, Mamoru Sugiura
  • Simple method for calculating camera defocus from an image scene
    Patent number: 7990462
    Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura
  • Depth information for auto focus using two pictures and two-dimensional Gaussian scale space theory
    Patent number: 7929801
    Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a depth map from two pictures of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. According to one aspect of the invention, the system generates the depth map based on the relative blur between the two pictures and the absolute blur contributed by the system. According to another aspect of the invention, the system calculates the depth map directly from the relative blur between the two pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Makibi Nakamura, Earl Quong Wong
  • Method And Apparatus For Super-Resolution Imaging Using Digital Imaging Devices
    Publication number: 20100079608
    Abstract: A super-resolution image is generated from a sequence of low resolution images. In one embodiment, the image shift information is measured for each of the low resolution images using an image stabilization component of an imaging device. The shift information is used to generate the super-resolution image. In another embodiment, the blurs are calculated for each of the low resolution images and are used to generate the super-resolution image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Yoshihiro Murakami, Pingshan Li, Eric D. Edwards, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura, Mamoru Sugiura
  • Fast Camera Auto-Focus
    Publication number: 20100080482
    Abstract: A camera auto-focuses using computed blur differences between images of a three-dimensional scene. The camera computes the blur difference between two images of the scene acquired at two different picture numbers. The camera uses the computed blur difference to predict a third picture number, where the camera uses the third picture number to auto-focus a camera lens on the scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Makibi Nakamura, Hidenori Kushida, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Yoshihiro Murakami, Pingshan Li, Mamoru Sugiura
  • SIMPLE METHOD FOR CALCULATING CAMERA DEFOCUS FROM AN IMAGE SCENE
    Publication number: 20100033618
    Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura
  • Simple method for calculating camera defocus from an image scene
    Patent number: 7616254
    Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura
  • Reduced Hardware Implementation For A Two-Picture Depth Map Algorithm
    Publication number: 20090268985
    Abstract: An imaging system generates a picture depth map from a pair of reduced resolution images. The system captures two full resolution images, receives image reduction image information and creates two reduced resolution images. The system computes a blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. The system calculates the depth map based on the blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Earl Quong Wong, Pingshan Li, Soroj Triteyaprasert, Hidenori Kushida, Makibi Nakamura, Yoshihiro Murakami