Patents by Inventor William Earle Clifton

William Earle Clifton 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: 9115990
    Abstract: A geospatial and image data collection system includes a laser source configured to direct laser radiation toward a geospatial area, and an image sensor. The image sensor is configured to be operable in a first sensing mode to sense reflected laser radiation from the geospatial area representative of three dimensional (3D) geospatial data, and a second sensing mode to sense ambient radiation from the geospatial area representative of two dimensional (2D) image data. In addition, a controller is configured to operate the image sensor in the first and second sensing modes to generate the 3D geospatial data and 2D image data registered therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventor: William Earle Clifton
  • Publication number: 20130182075
    Abstract: A geospatial and image data collection system includes a laser source configured to direct laser radiation toward a geospatial area, and an image sensor. The image sensor is configured to be operable in a first sensing mode to sense reflected laser radiation from the geospatial area representative of three dimensional (3D) geospatial data, and a second sensing mode to sense ambient radiation from the geospatial area representative of two dimensional (2D) image data. In addition, a controller is configured to operate the image sensor in the first and second sensing modes to generate the 3D geospatial data and 2D image data registered therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Harris Corporation, Corporation of the State of Delaware
    Inventor: William Earle CLIFTON
  • Patent number: 8379020
    Abstract: An image processing device may include a memory, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the memory for determining N nearest neighbors for each voxel among a plurality thereof, and determining a respective distance between each voxel and its N nearest neighboring voxels. The controller may also cooperate with the memory for selectively removing each given voxel if a respective distance to an Mth nearest neighboring voxel is greater than a first threshold, and with M being less than or equal to N. Optionally, the controller may also cooperate with the memory for selectively removing each other given voxel if a respective distance to an Lth nearest neighboring voxel is less than a second threshold, with the second threshold being less than the first threshold and with L being less than M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: William Earle Clifton
  • Publication number: 20100045674
    Abstract: An image processing device may include a memory, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the memory for determining N nearest neighbors for each voxel among a plurality thereof, and determining a respective distance between each voxel and its N nearest neighboring voxels. The controller may also cooperate with the memory for selectively removing each given voxel if a respective distance to an Mth nearest neighboring voxel is greater than a first threshold, and with M being less than or equal to N. Optionally, the controller may also cooperate with the memory for selectively removing each other given voxel if a respective distance to an Lth nearest neighboring voxel is less than a second threshold, with the second threshold being less than the first threshold and with L being less than M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Harris Corporation, Corporation of the State of Delaware
    Inventor: William Earle CLIFTON