Patents by Inventor Heather Underwood

Heather Underwood 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: 10803275
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 10380174
    Abstract: A method for template based recognition of food product information includes capturing an image of food product packaging and extracting an attribute from the image. The attribute is used to find a matching template in a template database. The matching template is then used to extract food product information from the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20190042817
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 10140495
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20170024594
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 9508116
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20160154823
    Abstract: A method for template based recognition of food product information includes capturing an image of food product packaging and extracting an attribute from the image. The attribute is used to find a matching template in a template database. The matching template is then used to extract food product information from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: VARUN BHAGWAN, JUSTIN ORMONT, HEATHER UNDERWOOD
  • Patent number: 9292565
    Abstract: A method for template based recognition of food product information includes capturing an image of food product packaging and extracting an attribute from the image. The attribute is used to find a matching template in a template-database. The matching template is then used to extract food product information from the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20140226878
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 8792748
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 8505823
    Abstract: A method for noise removal from color barcode images includes acquiring a barcode image using a color imaging array and separating the barcode image into color channels. Weighting factors are associated with the color channels and at least one weighting factor is reduced. The weighting factors are applied to the color channels to produce a first transformed image. A portion of the first transformed image is analyzed to produce a first set of decoded data from the barcode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20120087551
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20120000983
    Abstract: A method for noise removal from color barcode images includes acquiring a barcode image using a color imaging array and separating the barcode image into color channels. Weighting factors are associated with the color channels and at least one weighting factor is reduced. The weighting factors are applied to the color channels to produce a first transformed image. A portion of the first transformed image is analyzed to produce a first set of decoded data from the barcode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Publication number: 20120005222
    Abstract: A method for template based recognition of food product information includes capturing an image of food product packaging and extracting an attribute from the image. The attribute is used to find a matching template in a template-database. The matching template is then used to extract food product information from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood