Patents by Inventor Willard P. Foster

Willard P. Foster 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 for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
    Patent number: 8363972
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matthew L. Hill, Nigel J. Foster, Sanjay Nichani, Willard P. Foster, Adam Wagman
  • Method for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
    Patent number: 8363956
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matthew L. Hill, Nigel J. Foster, Sanjay Nichani, Willard P. Foster, Adam Wagman
  • Method for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
    Patent number: 7016539
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Silver, E. John McGarry, Matthew L. Hill, Nigel Foster, Sanjay Nichani, Willard P. Foster, Adam Wagman