Determining The Position Of An Object Patents (Class 382/291)
  • Patent number: 8497841
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method that includes capturing images of a working area that includes indicia of a virtual keyboard having a plurality of keys and detecting a selected key of the plurality of keys. The detecting of the selected key includes detecting an object in the working area by analyzing the captured images for variations in light intensity in the captured images. The detecting of the object includes generating a first row histogram based on the light intensity in each of the rows in each of the captured images, generating a first column histogram based on the light intensity in each of the columns in each of the captured images, and determining an identification of the selected key based on the first row histogram and the first column histogram. The method also includes outputting the identification of the selected key to a host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Celluon, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng-Feng Sze, Raymyung Cha, Jae Eul Koo, Koang Hui Jeong
  • Patent number: 8494219
    Abstract: An image extraction device for extracting an image showing a document from an image of the document shot by an imaging device includes a document table on which a document is placed, a side detection unit, an opposing side estimator, and an image extraction unit. The side detection unit detects a side of the document on the document table based on the shot image of the document. The opposing side estimator estimates a position of a side opposite the side detected by the side detection unit. The image extraction unit segments the image of the document from the shot image of the document based on the side detected by the side detection unit and the opposite side estimated by the opposing side estimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuji Kasuya, Tadashi Araki, Keiji Ohmura, Yusuke Shibata
  • Patent number: 8488841
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a searchlight using a control apparatus, images of a target area are captured in real-time using an image capturing device when the searchlight is powered on. The captured images are analyzed to detect whether a moving object is in the target area, and position information of the moving object in a current image of the target area are calculated when the moving object is detected. The searchlight is controlled to aim at and illuminate the moving object using an actuating device according to the position information of the moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hou-Hsien Lee, Chang-Jung Lee, Chih-Ping Lo
  • Patent number: 8483435
    Abstract: A situation data obtaining unit obtains situation data describing a situation of an image capturing target of which image is captured by an image capturing device for producing an image to be output. Based on the situation data, a simulation process executing unit carries out a simulation process for simulating a behavior of the image capturing target after the situation of the image capturing target, described by the situation data. A combined screen image output unit outputs a result of the simulation process by the simulation process executing unit. The simulation process executing unit changes the behavior of the image capturing target in the simulation process in response to an operation received from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Horie
  • Patent number: 8483425
    Abstract: To be precisely extracted a house footprint. There is provided a geospatial information creating system for extracting a footprint of a house from an aerial photograph, comprising a processor for executing a program, a memory for storing data required for executing the program, and a storage unit for storing the aerial photograph. The processor detects edges of an image based on a characteristic quantity of neighboring pixels in the aerial photograph stored in the storage unit; extracts an orientation of the house by analyzing directions of the detected edges; and generates a polygon of an outline of the house by using linear lines of the extracted orientation of the house.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao Guo, Yoriko Kazama, Takashi Hino, Yoshiaki Kagawa
  • Patent number: 8483512
    Abstract: The invention relates to a position determination method for a geodetic device having a distance and angle measuring functionality, such as a total station (1), a determination being made of the relative location of the geodetic device and reference points (2) marked with reflectors (P1-Pn) of a quantity of reference points, by measuring the distance (D1-Dn) and at least one angle (?i-?n, ?1-?n) from the geodetic device to the reference points as reference variables, the reference variables being determined in a device-based reference system. For the reference point quantity formed by the reference points (P1-Pn) and a reference point quantity of measurable reference points (A-G), the positions of which are known in an external reference system, common elements are identified, the relative location of the reference points (P1-Pn) being derived from the reference variables and the common elements being identified and associated based on the relative location of the reference points (P1-Pn).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Bernd Moeller
  • Patent number: 8478073
    Abstract: A method for determining a position of an area of an object within the complete object, wherein the image of the area of the object is contained within a field of view of a microscope. The method comprises acquiring high magnification image data representing an image of the field of view of the microscope, typically from a digital camera attached to the microscope; processing the high magnification image data to reduce the resolution thereof; comparing the processed high magnification image data with portions of the low magnification image data, and determining said position based on the results of said comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventor: John R. Maddison
  • Patent number: 8477198
    Abstract: A method for controlling a host apparatus, includes steps of the followings. First, a pattern is projected to a detection region. Second, images of the detection region are captured and image information stream is generated based on the images. Third, an image information associated with the pattern is identified to be a background image information. Fourth, a currently captured image information is subtracted to the background image information to identify if an object appears in the detection region. Fifth, a motion of the identified object is determined based on a variation of the pattern reflected from the identified object to generate a control instruction to the host apparatus. A host apparatus, an interaction control system and a method for detecting a motion of an object are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Pixart Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Lu, Hsin-Chia Chen, Shu-Sian Yang, Ren-Hau Gu, Ching-Lin Chung
  • Patent number: 8477099
    Abstract: A portable data processing apparatus is provided. It has at least one data processing function which depends on detected motion of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a video camera operable to capture successive images of a part of the real environment around the apparatus; a video motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus by analysis of image motion between pairs of captured images; a hardware motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus, whereby the data processing function depends on motion detected by the hardware motion detector; and a controller operable to adjust the operation of the hardware motion detector if the motion detected by the video motion detector and the motion detected by the hardware motion detector differ by at least a threshold difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Webb, Matthew Brooks, Greame Ankers, Peter John Marshall
  • Patent number: 8478074
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to providing multiple and native representations of an image. According to an example embodiment, multiple realizations of an image may be generated and provided, rather than only a single realization, for example. Also, in another embodiment, the generation and output of multiple realizations may use one or more native objects to natively perform the transforms or image processing to provide the images or realizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Rajat Goel, Margaret L. Goodwin, Radu C. Margarint, Robert A. Wlodarczyk, Thomas W. Olsen, Wei-Chung Jones Wang
  • Patent number: 8472751
    Abstract: An image processing device that executes deformation of an image. A candidate area setting unit sets candidate areas, each of which includes a specific image, on a target image used as a target for a deformation process. An exclusion determination unit, when there is a candidate area that partially extends off a cropped image that is clipped from the target image through predetermined cropping, excludes the candidate area, which at least partially extends off the cropped image, from the target for the deformation process. A deformation processing unit performs deformation of an image on the candidate areas other than the excluded candidate areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Yamazaki, Goro Ishida, Kosuke Shingai
  • Patent number: 8467614
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system providing recognition of characters that are partly hidden by crossing outs due to for example an imprint of a stamp, handwritten signatures, etc. The method establishes a set of template images of certainly recognized characters from the image of the text being processed by the OCR system, wherein the effect of the crossed out section is modelled into the template images before comparing these images with the image of a visually impaired crossed out character. The modelled template image having the highest similarity with the visually impaired crossed out character is the correct identification for the visually impaired character instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Lumex AS
    Inventors: Knut Tharald Fosseide, Hans Christian Meyer
  • Patent number: 8458329
    Abstract: A user interface (UI) is accessible on a display to depict and control a plurality of smart racks in a data center is disclosed. The UI includes first, second and third graphical displays. The first graphical display depicts smart racks in the data center so as to mimic a physical arrangement of the smart racks. The second graphical display depicts a plurality of blade hosts in a smart rack in the plurality of smart racks, so as to mimic a physical arrangement of the plurality of blade hosts. The first and second graphical display may include visual indicators to depict error and warning conditions. The third graphical display depicts blade information about a blade host in the plurality of blade hosts. The blade information includes system information, a list of virtual machines hosted on the blade host, and a physical location of the blade host in the data center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Trevor Kolin, Eric Marshall Rider
  • Patent number: 8457432
    Abstract: Various embodiments create a source image from a web page and then process the source image effective to remove left and/or right border areas so that a reduced-size web page image created from the source image has a better chance of capturing relevant content for a viewer. In at least some embodiments, image processing techniques are utilized to identify repeating patterns of pixels along left and/or right border areas of a source image. The image processing techniques can process individual rows of pixels looking for patterns of pixel color values. Identified patterns of pixel color values are noted and then subsequently used to remove regions of the source image in which repeating patterns occur. Having removed these regions from a source image, the source image can be reduced in a manner directed to improving information density contained in a reduced-size web page image created from the source image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karim T. Farouki, Radu C. Margarint, Timothy R. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8452051
    Abstract: A tracking system having a depth camera tracks a user's body in a physical space and derives a model of the body, including an initial estimate of a hand position. Temporal smoothing is performed in which some latency is imposed when the initial estimate moves by less than a threshold level from frame to frame, while little or no latency is imposed when the movement is more than the threshold. The smoothed estimate is used to define a local volume for searching for a hand extremity to define a new hand position. Another process generates stabilized upper body points that can be used as reliable reference positions, such as by detecting and accounting for occlusions. The upper body points and a prior estimated hand position are used to define an arm vector. A search is made along the vector to detect a hand extremity to define a new hand position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Johnny Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 8446432
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for presenting image data to include a graphic element. In one embodiment a method includes acquiring image data from a display buffer of a device, analyzing the image data to identify active and passive regions of the image data and ranking passive regions to determine a confidence measure for each passive region. The method may further include modifying the image data for display on the device to include a graphic element, wherein the graphic element is presented in a passive region based on the ranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Suranjit Adhikari, Steven Friedlander
  • Patent number: 8447073
    Abstract: For the automatic longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle having a longitudinally guiding driver assistance system with a stop-and-go function, at least starting from a point-in-time wherein the motor vehicle is stopped, the vehicle apron is continuously monitored for possible obstacles by a monitoring device having a camera which supplies a sequence of individual images of the vehicle apron. For the detection of obstacles in the vehicle apron, characteristic image features are extracted from the individual images and are tracked with respect to time within the sequence of individual images, and an appearance and/or disappearance of one or more characteristic image features taking place in the course of the sequence is determined and evaluated. Additionally or alternatively, a change of a spatial distribution of one or more characteristic image features taking place in the course of the sequence in the respective individual image or in a cutout of the latter is determined and evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Seyffarth, Marc Walessa
  • Patent number: 8447139
    Abstract: A system and method to detect objects in a digital image. At least one image representing at least one frame of a video sequence is received. A sliding window of different window sizes at different locations is placed in the image. A cascaded classifier including a plurality of increasingly accurate layers is applied to each window size and each location. Each layer includes a plurality of classifiers. An area of the image within a current sliding window is evaluated using one or more weak classifiers in the plurality of classifiers based on at least one of Haar features and Histograms of Oriented Gradients features. An output of each weak classifier is a weak decision as to whether the area of the image includes an instance of an object of a desired object type. A location of the zero or more images associated with the desired object type is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Weiguang Guan, Norman Haas, Ying Li, Sharathchandra Pankanti
  • Patent number: 8433105
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for acquiring region-of-interest and/or cognitive information from an eye image, comprising the steps of: preprocessing, standardizing, and coding the group of eye images for region-of-interest information or cognitive information to create eye image codes and to build a characteristic eye library in a memory in order to improve an iris recognition rate; grouping and partitioning or covering eye codes for eye images stored in the characteristic eye library into a plurality of groups, and obtaining a representative eye code of each of the eye code groups, preprocessing, standardizing, and coding a new eye image not assigned region-of-interest information or cognitive information in the same way as the above-described step to create a test eye code, matching the test eye image to the most similar eye image in the characteristic eye library, and transferring the region-of-interest information or cognitive information assigned to the matched eye image to the test eye image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Iritech Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeong In Choi, Dae Hoon Kim, Sung Jin Lee, Hwan Pyo Moon, Seung Min Paik, Song Hwa Kwon, Jung Kyo Sohn
  • Patent number: 8433094
    Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for detecting collisions or any other type of interactions between video images and an object depicted on a display. First, video images generated by a camera are received. Upon receipt, a first collision detection operation is executed for generating a first confidence value representative of a confidence that the received video images have collided with an object depicted on a display. Also executed is a second collision detection operation for generating a second confidence value representative of a confidence that the received video images have collided with the object depicted on the display. The first confidence value and the second confidence value are then made available for various applications. Such applications may depict an interaction between the video images and the object depicted on the display based on the first confidence value and the second confidence value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Katerina H. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8428393
    Abstract: A system and method of non-linear grid fitting and coordinate system mapping may employ data processing techniques for fitting a set of measured fiducial data to an ideal set of fiducials; the fiducials may be arranged in a known (e.g., Cartesian grid) pattern on a substrate imaged by an imaging apparatus. Exemplary embodiments may model the non-linear transformation to and from imaged coordinates (i.e., coordinates derived from acquired image data) and artifact coordinates on the fiducial plate (i.e., actual coordinates of the fiducial relative to a reference point on the fiducial plate).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond H. Kraft
  • Patent number: 8428392
    Abstract: An improvement of measuring geometry parameters of a geometry object from an image with a reference object whose thickness can not be ignored. A hidden point on the plane with which geometry object contacts is computed from visible points. The computed hidden point combined with other points in the same plane is used to compute a homography matrix between a known size shape and its projection in the image. With the computed homography matrix and enough valid points in the image, the geometry parameters of the geometry object are determined. With the geometry parameters of the geometry objects, useful information can be calculated from.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Inventors: Xiagen Feng, Jing Han
  • Patent number: 8428308
    Abstract: A method for determining image capture settings for an electronic image capture device, comprising: capturing at least two preview images of a scene; analyzing the preview images to determine a combined motion velocity; determining one or more image capture settings responsive to the combined motion velocity; and capturing an archival image according to the determined image capture settings. The determination of the combined motion velocity includes: defining a plurality image regions; determining local motion velocities for each of the image regions; and combining the local motion velocities to determine the combined motion velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: David Wayne Jasinski, Bruce Harold Pillman
  • Patent number: 8428394
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for resolving complete free space orientation of an active receiving device at high speed using simple optics, trigonometry, simple circuitry, and using minimal processing power. The rapid triangulation of distance from the emitters, as well as resolution of rotational orientation, are determined by changing the contrast level in an infrared spectrum and by using wide angle lenses with greater than 180 degree hemispherical viewing angles. Furthermore, the system consists of an optional accelerometer, resident on the receiver, to dynamically adjust the image sensor frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Inventor: Marcus Krieter
  • Patent number: 8422740
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for determining a liquid front position of a liquid on a surface of an assay test strip placing a liquid on the surface of the test strip; and acquiring one or more signals from the surface of the test strip at one or more times, comparing the one or more acquired signals to a threshold, wherein the liquid front position is a position on the surface of the test strip where a signal is greater than or less than a threshold (e.g., fixed or dynamic threshold). Such methods may be used to determine the liquid front velocity of a liquid on a surface of an assay test strip and the transit time of a liquid sample to traverse the one or more positions on the surface of the assay test strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventor: Scott Dylewski
  • Patent number: 8417061
    Abstract: The invention provides consumers, private enterprises, government agencies, contractors and third party vendors with tools and resources for gathering site specific information related to purchase and installation of energy systems. A system according to one embodiment of the invention remotely determines the measurements of a roof. An exemplary system comprises a computer including an input means, a display means and a working memory. An aerial image file database contains a plurality of aerial images of roofs of buildings in a selected region. A roof estimating software program receives location information of a building in the selected region and then presents the aerial image files showing roof sections of building located at the location information. Some embodiments of the system include a sizing tool for determining the size, geometry, and pitch of the roof sections of a building being displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sungevity Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Ian Kennedy, Adam Pryor, Andrew Birch
  • Patent number: 8416296
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for detecting the occurrence of unusual events in a sequence of video frames Importantly, what is determined as unusual need not be defined in advance, but can be determined over time by observing a stream of primitive events and a stream of context events. A mapper component may be configured to parse the event streams and supply input data sets to multiple adaptive resonance theory (ART) networks. Each individual ART network may generate clusters from the set of inputs data supplied to that ART network. Each cluster represents an observed statistical distribution of a particular thing or event being observed that ART network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Behavioral Recognition Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Kenneth Cobb, Ming-Jung Seow
  • Patent number: 8411995
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing images in a structured light system which may be used to determine the correspondences in a camera-projector system. Those correspondences can later be used to construct a 3D model, to calibrate a projector or for other purposes. The optical and geometric characteristics of the system are initially determined. The capability of establishing correspondences is affected by the limitations of the system and the properties of the surfaces. Once images of the patterns projected on the surface are acquired, they are iteratively segmented and deconvolved using the known characteristics of the system. The result is a set of correspondences with a reduction of artifacts introduced by the limitations of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Marc-Antoine Drouin, Guy Godin
  • Patent number: 8411999
    Abstract: A calibrating apparatus includes a first reproducer which reproduces a reference image representing a state in which a plane is overlooked, along an X axis and a Y axis orthogonal to each other. A second reproducer reproduces a scene image outputted from a camera that captures the plane, along a U axis and a V axis orthogonal to each other. An acceptor accepts a designating manipulation of designating a first area of an X-Y coordinate system, in association with a reproducing process of the first reproducer. A first calculator calculates a second area of a U-V coordinate system corresponding to the first area designated by the designating manipulation, by referring to a calibration parameter indicating a corresponding relationship between the X-Y coordinate system and the U-V coordinate system. A definer defines the second area calculated by the first calculator, in association with a reproducing process of the second reproducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Ishii, Keisuke Asari
  • Patent number: 8411319
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for rendering graphical objects in a printing system. According to one aspect of the present invention a graphic list may be partitioned, and the graphic-list partitions may be rendered “out-of-order” or concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Uoc H. Nguyen, James E. Owen, Paul R. Henerlau
  • Patent number: 8406472
    Abstract: A method for processing image data representing a segmentation mask, comprises generating two-dimensional shape representations of a three-dimensional object on the basis of a plurality of parameter sets; and matching motion blocks of the segmentation mask with the two-dimensional shape representations to obtain a best fit parameter set. Thereby, for example, a distance between the three-dimensional object and a camera position may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis Harres, Christian Unruh
  • Patent number: 8405884
    Abstract: A scanner including: a transparent plate; a light emitting unit that emits light to an object on the transparent plate; a sensor to form an image of the object; a focusing lens unit that is arranged on a light path between the transparent plate and the sensor, to focus light from the object onto the sensor; and a controller to determine whether a foreign substance is disposed in the light path, using the image, calculates a position of the foreign substance, and corrects the image on the basis of the calculated position of the foreign substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-kyung Hong, Jonghyon Yi
  • Patent number: 8401338
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus for performing image processing of image data in which information specifying, on a first coordinate system, a position of a portion of interest in an image is recorded, including an image processing unit configured to perform rotation processing of the image data using a second coordinate system having an origin different from that of the first coordinate system, and a change unit configured to change the information specifying the position of the portion of interest in accordance with a rotation amount of the image data by the rotation processing such that an image of the portion of interest specified by the information specifying the position of the portion of interest after the rotation processing matches that before the rotation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuhei Konno
  • Patent number: 8401241
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for estimating camera motion and structure reconstruction of a scene using lines. The system includes a line detection module, a line correspondence module, a temporal line tracking module and structure and motion module. The line detection module is configured to detect lines in visual input data comprising a plurality of image frames. The line correspondence module is configured to find line correspondence between detected lines in the visual input data. The temporal line tracking module is configured to track the detected lines temporally across the plurality of the image frames. The structure and motion module is configured to estimate the camera motion using the detected lines in the visual input data and to reconstruct three-dimensional lines from the estimated camera motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manmohan Chandraker, Jongwoo Lim
  • Patent number: 8401307
    Abstract: A plate solving methodology determines celestial coordinates of an image. Star locations are extracted from the image in terms of pixel coordinates. A group of four stars, referred to as a “test quad”, is identified. A signature for the test quad is generated. In one embodiment, this test signature is derived by determining the separations of the four stars in the test quad, normalized by the largest separation. In one embodiment, the signature also includes the sum of these normalized separations. A query is performed, using the generated signature, against a database of reference signatures for known groups of stars (referred to as “reference quads”). A geometric transform is determined, establishing the relationship between the test quad and a reference quad that matches within a specified tolerance. This geometric transform defines the celestial coordinates of the image. Additional verification steps can be performed to confirm the accuracy of the match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Celestron, LLC
    Inventors: David Rowe, Danyal Medley
  • Patent number: 8401234
    Abstract: An object position correction apparatus is provided with an observing device that detects an object to be observed to obtain an observed value, an observation history data base that records an observation history of the object, a position estimation history data base that records the estimated history of the position of the object, a prediction distribution forming unit that forms a prediction distribution that represents an existence probability at the position of the object, an object position estimation unit that estimates the ID and the position of the object, a center-of-gravity position calculation unit that calculates the center-of-gravity position of the observed values, an object position correction unit that carries out a correction on the estimated position of the object, and a display unit that displays the corrected position of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Tanigawa
  • Patent number: 8396254
    Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating a location of a robot are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises a robot capturing range images indicating distances from the robot to a plurality of objects in an environment. The method further comprises transmitting to a server a query based on the range images, receiving from the server a mapping of the environment and, based on the distances and the mapping, estimating a location of the robot. In another embodiment, the method comprises receiving from a robot range images of an environment and, based on the range images, determining an inventory of objects in the environment. The method further comprises, based on the inventory, identifying the environment and transmitting to the robot a mapping of the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 8396326
    Abstract: A method for producing a photo album includes providing a library of page layouts, selecting a first group of one or more images to be placed in the first page of the photo album, selecting a second group of one or more images to be placed in the second page of the photo album, graphically displaying the first group of one or more images within a first border that represents a first page, graphically displaying the second group of one or more images within a second border that represents a second page, automatically selecting a first page layout from the library of page layouts, and automatically placing the first group of one or more images into the one or more image receiving areas in the first page layout to produce the first page in the photo album.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Shutterfly, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Chen, Trynne Anne Miller, Su Mien Quek
  • Patent number: 8391589
    Abstract: Three pieces of candidate position information are calculated based on a plurality of pieces of sensing position information, and three pieces of candidate orientation information are calculated based on a plurality of pieces of sensing orientation information. Sets each of which combines one candidate position information and one candidate orientation information are prepared for all combinations. For each set, the candidate position information and candidate orientation information which configure that set are corrected. An evaluation value is calculated for each corrected set, and one of the sets is selected based on the calculated evaluation values. The candidate position information and candidate orientation information which configure the selected set are respectively recorded in a memory as sensing position information and sensing orientation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kotake, Shinji Uchiyama, Hirokazu Kato
  • Patent number: 8391553
    Abstract: A system includes an Interferometric radar that transmits a first detection signal over a first spatial region and a second detection signal over a second spatial region. The second region has a first sub-region in common with the first region. The system further includes a processing device that assigns a first occupancy value to a first cell in an evidence grid. The first cell represents the first sub-region, and the first occupancy value characterizes whether an object has been detected by the first detection signal as being present in the first sub-region. The processing device calculates, based on the first and second detection signals, the probability that the first occupancy value accurately characterizes the presence of the object in the first sub-region, and generates a data representation of the first sub-region based on the probability calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: John B. McKitterick
  • Patent number: 8385690
    Abstract: Automated electronic document design systems and methods for appropriately sizing and positioning uploaded user images into predefined image areas in a product design being created in a Web environment. For an image that is not to be cropped when incorporated into the design, the image is sized to fit within the selected image area and positioned in the image area according to a predefined anchor location. The aspect ratio of the original image is maintained. For an image that is available for cropping when incorporated into the design, the image is sized and cropped to create a version of the image that fills the image container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Vistaprint Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Eliza H. Royal, Brian D. Hanechak, Robert L. Dulaney
  • Patent number: 8384946
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus prints images of different document sizes on paper having a predetermined paper size. The image forming apparatus includes a computation processing part to compute a print position of the image with respect to the paper, based on the document size, the paper size and moving amount computation information that is input thereto, and a print processing part to arrange and print the image on the paper, based on the print position computed by the computation processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Yamamoto, Hozumi Yonezawa, Takahiro Hirakawa, Takeshi Yoshizumi, Hiroshi Gotoh, Minako Kazume
  • Patent number: 8385597
    Abstract: A tracking device includes: an image sensor that obtains image information of an image present within an image plane formed via an optical system; a tracking unit that tracks a target within the image plane based upon the image information; a focus detection unit that detects a focus adjustment state of the optical system over at least one focus detection area set in the image plane; a focus adjustment unit that executes focus adjustment for the optical system based upon the focus adjustment state detected in the focus detection area corresponding to a position of the target; a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the target is being tracked based upon results of tracking operation executed by the tracking unit; and a control unit that bans the focus adjustment based upon results of the decision made by the decision-making unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Keiko Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8379921
    Abstract: A video system for determining a region of interest in a video comprising a video source and a video processing system is provided. The video processing system is configured to receive the video from the video source and identify at least one object in the video which is in contact with the floor. The video processing system is further configured to determine a contact point between the object and the floor in a frame of the video and identify at least one polygon representing the floor in the frame, wherein the polygon includes the contact point. The video processing system is further configured to identify a three dimensional volume representing a space above the polygon extending to a designated height and select the region of interest by identifying a two dimensional area of the frame based on the three dimensional volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Verint Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Oren Golan, Shmuel Kiro, Itshak Horovitz, Amir Sole, Zvi Figov
  • Patent number: 8379712
    Abstract: An image search method may include: determining a quadrant of a predicted motion vector; calculating a tilt value of a first reference frame and a tilt value of a second reference frame using the predicted motion vector; deciding a search area for uneven hexagon search in response to the quadrant of the predicted motion vector and the calculated tilt values; performing the uneven hexagon search with respect to the decided search area; and/or comparing a result of the performed uneven hexagon search with a threshold value to determine termination of the uneven hexagon search. The second reference frame is earlier-in-time relative to the first reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gi-ho Park, Shin-dug Kim, Cheong-ghil Kim, In-jik Lee, Sung-bae Park
  • Patent number: 8379986
    Abstract: An image processing device for recognizing an object corresponding to a registered image registered beforehand from an imaged image, comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain the imaged image; a recognizing unit configured to recognize an object corresponding to the registered image from the imaged image; and a detecting unit configured to detect, based on a registered image corresponding to an object recognized from the imaged image thereof, an area where another object is overlapped with the object corresponding to the registered image thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Tsurumi
  • Patent number: 8374461
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for facilitating the automatic identification, sorting, and positioning of radiographic images. According to one embodiment of the subject invention, phosphorous plates for intra-oral imaging are encoded for automated image set identification, location, and orientation. In certain embodiments, a processing system is able to process encoded identifiers on the phosphorous plates with digitized images depicted on the phosphorous plates to automatically identify, sort, and rotate the digitized images into proper orientations for user viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Smartplates, LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey Humphreys, Chad Lacour
  • Patent number: 8374391
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying visibility of targets. A first function is selected to indicate whether locations in an environment are at a surface for objects in the environment, outside the surface, or inside the surface. First volumes are formed for the environment. Each volume in the first volumes has a size selected such that a difference between first interpolated values for each volume and first values generated using the first function for each volume is within a threshold. Second volumes are formed for the environment. Each of the second volumes has a size selected such that a difference between second interpolated values for each volume and second values generated using a second function for each volume is within a threshold. The second values are minimum values along lines from each volume in the second number of volumes to a target in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Charles A. Erignac
  • Patent number: 8374420
    Abstract: A learning control device performs a positioning process, a first image capturing process, and a first deviation amount calculating process in which a reference position deviation amount in the horizontal direction between the imaging reference position and a detection mark is derived based on image information captured in the first image capturing process to derive a position adjustment amount from the derived reference position deviation amount, and the learning control device further includes a positioning correcting process in which the position adjustment device is operated to adjust a position of the second learn assist member based on the derived movement adjustment amount when the reference position deviation amount derived in the first deviation amount calculating process falls outside a set tolerance range. A second image capturing process, and a second deviation amount calculating process may be further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuya Murakami
  • Patent number: 8369577
    Abstract: A vehicle position recognition system calculates an estimated position of a vehicle based on satellite positioning and dead reckoning navigation, and calculates a basic error range in which there is a possibility that the vehicle exists. The system calculates an estimated error amount regarding a directional error factor. The directional error factor is an error factor that tends to cause an error in a specific direction with respect to a vehicle traveling direction. The estimated error amount is an estimated amount of the error that is caused by the directional error factor. The system adjusts the basic error range based on (1) a direction in which the error tends to be caused by the directional error factor and (2) the estimated error amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Miyajima