Patents by Inventor Luc Vincent

Luc Vincent 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: 8509499
    Abstract: A method and system of identity masking to obscure identities corresponding to face regions in an image is disclosed. A face detector is applied to detect a set of possible face regions in the image. Then an identity masker is used to process the detected face regions by identity masking techniques in order to obscure identities corresponding to the regions. For example, a detected face region can be blurred as if it is in motion by a motion blur algorithm, such that the blurred region can not be recognized as the original identity. Or the detected face region can be replaced by a substitute facial image by a face replacement algorithm to obscure the corresponding identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Ioffe, Lance Williams, Dennis Strelow, Andrea Frome, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8503782
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus including computer program products for using extracted image text are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving an input of one or more image search terms and identifying keywords from the received one or more image search terms. The method also includes searching a collection of keywords including keywords extracted from image text, retrieving an image associated with extracted image text corresponding to one or more of the image search terms, and presenting the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Adrian Ulges
  • Patent number: 8428873
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable displaying a plurality of driving direction steps that form a driving directions path between a start address and a destination address; receiving input selecting a driving direction step of said plurality of driving direction steps; and displaying a panoramic image of a geographic area where a driving action associated with said selected driving direction step would be performed by a driver. In other embodiments, the panoramic image is replaced and/or complemented with one or more of 3D models, full-motion video, full-motion video of 360 degrees images, and live feeds from video cameras to provide enhanced driving directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chau, Stephane Lafon, Jie Shao, Andrew Timothy Szybalski, Luc Vincent
  • Publication number: 20130039570
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus including computer program products for using extracted image text are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving an input of one or more image search terms and identifying keywords from the received one or more image search terms. The method also includes searching a collection of keywords including keywords extracted from image text, retrieving an image associated with extracted image text corresponding to one or more of the image search terms, and presenting the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Adrian Ulges
  • Patent number: 8345921
    Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to detecting and blurring images. In an embodiment, a system detects objects in a photographic image. The system includes an object detector module configured to detect regions of the photographic image that include objects of a particular type at least based on the content of the photographic image. The system further includes a false positive detector module configured to determine whether each region detected by the object detector module includes an object of the particular type at least based on information about the context in which the photographic image was taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Frome, German Cheung, Ahmad Abdulkader, Marco Zennaro, Bo Wu, Alessandro Bissacco, Hartmut Neven, Luc Vincent, Hartwig Adam
  • Publication number: 20120327184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajun ZHU, Daniel Filip, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8320939
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to using crowd sourced information to generate walkable paths through indoor spaces. More specifically, aspects relate to recording data such as accelerometer readings, wireless network or other beacon signal information, and timestamps while a client device moves within an indoor space. If the user reaches a destination within the indoor space, the client device may prompt the user for information about the destination. The information received and recorded by the client device may be sent to a server computer for further processing. The server may use the information to identify walkable paths within the indoor space. This information in turn may be used in various ways, such as to provide navigation assistance to users though the indoor space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Luc Vincent
  • Publication number: 20120114241
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus including computer program products for using extracted image text are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving an input of one or more image search terms and identifying keywords from the received one or more image search terms. The method also includes searching a collection of keywords including keywords extracted from image text, retrieving an image associated with extracted image text corresponding to one or more of the image search terms, and presenting the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Adrian Ulges
  • Publication number: 20120114243
    Abstract: Techniques for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8175394
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products on storage devices for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. The output of an OCR process is classified into a plurality of clusters of clip images and a representative image for each cluster is generated to identify clusters whose clip images were incorrectly assigned character codes by the OCR process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8170351
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products on storage devices for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. The output of an OCR process is classified into a plurality of clusters of clip images and a representative image for each cluster is generated to identify clusters whose clip images were incorrectly assigned character codes by the OCR process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120070042
    Abstract: A method and system of identity masking to obscure identities corresponding to face regions in an image is disclosed. A face detector is applied to detect a set of possible face regions in the image. Then an identity masker is used to process the detected face regions by identity masking techniques in order to obscure identities corresponding to the regions. For example, a detected face region can be blurred as if it is in motion by a motion blur algorithm, such that the blurred region can not be recognized as the original identity. Or the detected face region can be replaced by a substitute facial image by a face replacement algorithm to obscure the corresponding identity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey IOFFE, Lance Williams, Dennis Strelow, Andrea Frome, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8131085
    Abstract: Techniques for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. The output of an OCR process is classified into a plurality of clusters of clip images and a representative image for each cluster is generated to identify clusters whose clip images were incorrectly assigned character codes by the OCR process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120038638
    Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajun Zhu, Daniel Filip, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8111927
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. Clip images defined in a received OCR output are classified into a plurality of clusters of clip images. Clip images in each of the plurality of clusters are processed to generate a cluster image for each cluster. Shape differences between the cluster images of a first cluster and a second cluster and between the cluster images of the first cluster and a third cluster are used to determine a level of confidence in one or more first OCR character codes assigned to the first cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20120020564
    Abstract: Techniques for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. The output of an OCR process is classified into a plurality of clusters of clip images and a representative image for each cluster is generated to identify clusters whose clip images were incorrectly assigned character codes by the OCR process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith
  • Patent number: 8098934
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus including computer program products for using extracted image text are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving an input of one or more image search terms and identifying keywords from the received one or more image search terms. The method also includes searching a collection of keywords including keywords extracted from image text, retrieving an image associated with extracted image text corresponding to one or more of the image search terms, and presenting the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Adrian Ulges
  • Patent number: 8098904
    Abstract: A method and system of identity masking to obscure identities corresponding to face regions in an image is disclosed. A face detector is applied to detect a set of possible face regions in the image. Then an identity masker is used to process the detected face regions by identity masking techniques in order to obscure identities corresponding to the regions. For example, a detected face region can be blurred as if it is in motion by a motion blur algorithm, such that the blurred region can not be recognized as the original identity. Or the detected face region can be replaced by a substitute facial image by a face replacement algorithm to obscure the corresponding identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Ioffe, Lance Williams, Dennis Strelow, Andrea Frome, Luc Vincent
  • Patent number: 8072448
    Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jiajun Zhu, Daniel Filip, Luc Vincent
  • Publication number: 20110280483
    Abstract: Techniques for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Luc Vincent, Raymond W. Smith