Determining The Position Of An Object Patents (Class 382/291)
  • Patent number: 8369931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of determining the position of a deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrode which finds the position of the DBS electrode with respect to a deep brain target region, by using a first volume data set containing information on the deep brain target region and a second volume data set containing information on the DBS electrode implanted toward the deep brain target region, and which includes: a first step of generating a subvolume of the deep brain target region from the first volume data set, and also generating a subvolume of the DBS electrode from the second volume data set; and a second step of overlapping and displaying the subvolume of the deep brain target region and the subvolume of the DBS electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Cybermed, Inc., Seoul National University Industry Foundation
    Inventors: Sun Ha Paek, Yong Hoon Lim, Hyun Jae Kang, Se Ho Shin, Eun Ju Choi, Cheol Young Kim
  • Patent number: 8369578
    Abstract: A method and system of position determination using image deformation is provided. One implementation involves storing an actual tag in a reference data module, receiving an image of a visual tag, the image captured by an image capturing device, comparing properties of the visual tag with properties of the actual tag; and based the comparison, determining a position of the image capturing device relative to the visual tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Arnaud, Philippe Gregoire, Dominique Picard, Alexandre Van Gent
  • Patent number: 8368965
    Abstract: An image cropping process of a multifunction peripheral is provided. Firstly, a top edge endpoint of an object image is searched from a band image of an original image. Then, each band image of the original image is read to search the object endpoint coordinate of a to-be-printed object image zone. The object image zone is outputted to be printed. The image cropping process further provides a strategy for detecting spots in order to enhance the accuracy of searching the object image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiung-Sheng Wang, Sung-Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 8363903
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the topography or optical properties of a moving surface of a subject are disclosed. Taking images of the moving surface at different moment in time by aiming different illuminations at the subject. Taking images of a reference area located near the moving surface synchronously with the images of the moving surface, in such a way that, in each image of the reference area, illumination of substantially the same type is aimed at the reference area, wherein the images created of the reference area are used to position image areas corresponding to the same area of the subject in the images of the moving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
    Inventor: Heimo Keranen
  • Patent number: 8363937
    Abstract: A first aberration correcting unit respectively correcting, for the first wavelength and the second wavelength, amount of distortion by a correction value for a chromatic aberration of magnification at the image height, and a first position calculating unit estimating, for respective pixels corresponding to the reference wavelength, amount of displacement of an image location due to a distortion by using a basic equation expressing a relation between amount of distortion at the image height and amount of displacement, and estimating, for respective pixels corresponding to the first wavelength and the second wavelength, amount of displacement of an image location due to a distortion including a correction for the chromatic aberration of magnification by replacing the amount of distortion in the basic equation with the amount of corrected distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Tsukasa Murata
  • Patent number: 8363979
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining the axis of rotation of a vehicle wheel in which a light pattern is projected at least onto the wheel during the rotation of the wheel and the light pattern reflected from the wheel is detected by a calibrated imaging sensor system and analyzed in an analyzer device. Accurate and robust measurement of the axis of rotation and, optionally, of the axis and wheel geometry, in particular when the vehicle is passing by, is achieved in that a 3D point cloud with respect to the wheel is determined in the analysis and a parametric surface model of the wheel is adapted thereto; normal vectors of the wheel are calculated for different rotational positions of the wheel for obtaining the axes of rotation; and the axis of rotation vector is calculated as the axis of rotation from the spatial movement of the normal vector of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Abraham, Andreas Haja, Christian Knoll, Ulrich Kallmann, Walter Happold
  • Patent number: 8358808
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting and tracking objects, such as motor vehicles, within video data. The systems and method analyze video data, for example, to count objects, determine object speeds, and track the path of objects without relying on the detection and identification of background data within the captured video data. The detection system uses one or more scan lines to generate a spatio-temporal map. A spatio-temporal map is a time progression of a slice of video data representing a history of pixel data corresponding to a scan line. The detection system detects objects in the video data based on intersections of lines within the spatio-temporal map. Once the detection system has detected an object, the detection system may record the detection for counting purposes, display an indication of the object in association with the video data, determine the speed of the object, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Yegor Malinovskiy, Yinhai Wang, Yao-Jan Wu
  • Patent number: 8358872
    Abstract: Structure and function for inputting information preferably includes a display device having two cameras in respective corners thereof. At least one computer readable medium preferably has program instructions configured to cause at least one processing structure to: (i) extract an object located on a plane of the display device from an image that includes the plane of the object, (ii) determine whether the object is a writing implement by determining, when a plurality of objects are extracted from the image, that one of the plurality of objects that satisfies a prescribed condition is the writing implement, (iii) calculate a position of a contact point between the writing implement and the plane as information to be input if the object has been determined as the writing implement, and (iv) input the information representing a position on the plane indicated by the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMART Technologies ULC
    Inventor: Susumu Fujioka
  • Patent number: 8355574
    Abstract: A CPU 411 splits selected image data GD into a plurality of areas (pixel data groups), analyzing the image data GD in terms of area units, and determining the color range of the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 determines color range areas by associating adjacent areas of the same color range when determining the color range for the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 acquires position data for the color range areas that have been determined. The CPU 411 acquires position conditions (main object conditions) from ROM/HDD 413, and narrows the main object candidates to “sky, green, or people.” The CPU 411 finally determines the main object by comparing the position data of the color range color areas and the position conditions corresponding to the narrowed main object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshie Imai
  • Patent number: 8355600
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for displaying an area of wireless-telecommunications coverage of a geographic region by a plurality of images is provided. In embodiments, an image representing an amount of wireless-telecommunications coverage for a geographic region is referenced. A plurality of image data points, including corners, are mapped to real-world geographic coordinates to create a registered image. A plurality of colors, each representing a different wireless-telecommunications coverage area, are identified. A second image is created that includes only pixels associated with selected colors and, thus, only represents the wireless-telecommunications coverage areas associated with the selected colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Rickey Jack Haught, John Patrick Kullman, Mark Anthony Martin, Scott D. Boxberger
  • Patent number: 8351652
    Abstract: An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and a model of a user in the depth image may be generated. The background of a received depth image may be removed to isolate a human target in the received depth image. A model may then be adjusted to fit within the isolated human target in the received depth image. To adjust the model, a joint or a bone may be magnetized to the closest pixel of the isolated human target. The joint or the bone may then be refined such that the joint or the bone may be further adjusted to a pixel equidistant between two edges the body part of the isolated human target where the joint or bone may have been magnetized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Zsolt Mathe
  • Patent number: 8351659
    Abstract: An eye detection system, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The eye detection apparatus includes illuminator, receiver, processor, and memory elements. The illuminator emits radiation at predetermined wavelengths from the eye detection apparatus toward an area of interest. Radiation from the area of interest is detected at the receiver which, in turn, provides sensor data to the processor. The processor is coupled to the illuminator and receiver and controls their respective operations. The processor detects a pattern representative of a human eye in the sensor data and determines coordinates of an object corresponding to the pattern. The memory stores the coordinates of the object. Optionally, the eye detection apparatus communicates the coordinates of the object to a wireless device and directs countermeasures to the object's coordinates in response to commands from the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Cubic Corporation
    Inventors: Clark D'Souza, Irene Chen, Shinhak Lee, Allen E. Ripingill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8351651
    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 when the initial estimate moves by less than a threshold level from frame to frame, while little or no smoothing is performed 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: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Johnny Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 8345925
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including: a data storage unit that stores object identification data for identifying an object operable by a user and feature data indicating a feature of appearance of each object; an environment map storage unit that stores an environment map representing a position of one or more objects existing in a real space and generated based on an input image obtained by imaging the real space using an imaging device and the feature data stored in the data storage unit; and a selecting unit that selects at least one object recognized as being operable based on the object identification data, out of the objects included in the environment map stored in the environment map storage unit, as a candidate object being a possible operation target by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Fukuchi, Kouichi Matsuda, Yasuhiro Suto, Kenichiro Oi, Jingjing Guo
  • Patent number: 8340901
    Abstract: A mobile robot and a path planning method are provided for the mobile robot to manipulate the target objects in a space, wherein the space consists of a periphery area and a central area. With the present method, an initial position is defined and the mobile robot is controlled to move within the periphery area from the initial position. Next, the latest image is captured when the mobile robot moves, and a manipulating order is arranged according to the distances estimated between the mobile robot and each of target objects in the image. The mobile robot is controlled to move and perform a manipulating action on each of the target object in the image according to the manipulating order. The steps of obtaining the image, planning the manipulating order, and controlling the mobile robot to perform the manipulating action are repeated until the mobile robot returns to the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Chin-Shyurng Fahn, Chien-Hsin Wu
  • Patent number: 8340430
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for determining image characteristics in a digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard John Campbell
  • Patent number: 8335364
    Abstract: In one example, a two points on a medical image can be identified. In this example, three or more anatomical features can be identified and labeled. For example, these labels can be displayed with other medical images that show the same anatomical features. For example, points in the L1 and L5 vertebrae can be identified, and labels for the L1-L5 vertebrae can be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Virtual Radiologic Corporation
    Inventors: Sarah Osmundson, Wade J. Steigauf
  • Patent number: 8331697
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and a method for a computerized automatic placement of objects in media files in post-production. Embodiments of the present invention enable the automatic placement of objects which appear in a media file, such as a digital video file. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the disclosed system and method allow the replacement of a specific pattern which appears in a given video file with a new image, in a fully transparent manner. According to embodiments of the present invention the makers of the media file place a designated pattern in the media file, such as a sticker on an object. Embodiments of the present invention enable the replacing of a new image on the designated pattern on the sticker with a new image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventors: Jacob Samboursky, Uri Rotshtein
  • Patent number: 8331760
    Abstract: Adaptive video zoom is provided by a method of providing a video content item for viewing by one or more viewers. The method includes identifying one or more objects within the video content item. The method further includes, for each identified object, assigning a searchable descriptor for the object, creating a time stamp indicating one or more time periods within the video content item during which the object occurs, and creating a bounding window defining a region of the video content item within which the object occurs. The searchable descriptor, time stamp, and bounding window are then packaged into metadata associated with the video content item. The method further includes delivering the video content item and the metadata associated with the video content item to a client computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Butcher
  • Patent number: 8331653
    Abstract: An object position area is calculated according to a position in the space of a detected truck. A template corresponding to the object position area recorded at the previous time is then called. The template is moved to a position on a reference image Ib where the similarity is highest. Overlap rate of the object position area and the template is calculated. A decision is made whether the object is identical to that detected in the past by using the overlap rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihito Seki, Masatoshi Okutomi
  • Patent number: 8331696
    Abstract: To provide an update region detection device capable of accurately detecting an update region from plot data on a computer screen. In an update region detection unit (125), a pixel comparison unit (601) compares a difference between values of pixels at the same position in each of a reference frame and a current frame, with a first threshold and a second threshold, the second threshold being a value greater than the first threshold. An update region extraction unit (602) extracts, an update region, a group including a pixel where a difference greater than the second threshold has been detected, from among a group of pixels where a difference greater than the first threshold has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Takada
  • Patent number: 8325980
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing indications of object attributes to users via image capturing devices are provided. In one embodiment, scene data associated with a detectable area is obtained. The scene data is utilized to identify an object attribute associated with a set of objects, such as faces, within the detectable area. An indication of the object attribute is provided via an image capturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventor: Woo Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 8320709
    Abstract: From a sequence of images captured by an image pickup unit, images necessary for measuring placement information regarding markers and/or a sensor are automatically determined and obtained. To this end, using position and orientation information regarding the image pickup unit at the time the image pickup unit has captured an obtained image and placement information regarding detected markers, whether to use the captured image corresponding to the position and orientation is determined. Using the captured image determined to be used, the marker placement information, placement information regarding a measurement target, or the position and orientation of the image pickup unit serving as an unknown parameter is obtained so as to minimize the error between the measured image coordinates and theoretical image coordinates of each marker, which are estimated on the basis of a rough value of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Aratani, Daisuke Kotake, Shinji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8320623
    Abstract: A target is imaged in a three-dimensional real space using two or more video cameras. A three-dimensional image space combined from two video cameras of the two or more video cameras is displayed to a user using a stereoscopic display. A right eye and a left eye of the user are imaged as the user is observing the target in the stereoscopic video display, a right gaze line of the right eye and a left gaze line of the left eye are calculated in the three-dimensional image space, and a gazepoint in the three-dimensional image space is calculated as the intersection of the right gaze line and the left gaze line using a binocular eyetracker. A real target location is determined by translating the gazepoint in the three-dimensional image space to the real target location in the three-dimensional real space from the locations and the positions of the two video cameras using a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: LC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Dixon Cleveland
  • Patent number: 8320631
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a movement detection apparatus includes an arithmetic module, an edge-storing filter, a determination module, and a control module. The arithmetic module calculates a difference signal between an input image signal and an image signal of the previous frame. The filter performs smoothing processing for a signal falling within a level range provided as threshold value, among difference signals calculated by the arithmetic module. The determination module determines levels of a movement component and a noise component of the signal output from the filter. The control module controls a level range supplied as threshold value to the filter in accordance with an amplitude level of the noise component overlying the input image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiaki Utsumi, Tetsuo Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8320711
    Abstract: A method of medical imaging includes creating an anatomical map of an inner wall of a cavity in a body of a subject by inserting a probe into the body and collecting data using the probe. A three dimensional (3-D) contour is delineated in a 3-D image of the cavity based on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Biosense Webster, Inc.
    Inventors: Andres Claudio Altmann, Assaf Govari
  • Patent number: 8320622
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for color gradient object tracking. A tracking area is illuminated with a chromatic light source. A color value is measured, defined by at least three attributes, reflected from an object in the tracking area, and analyzed with respect to chromatic light source characteristics. A lookup table (LUT) is accessed that cross-references color values to positions in the tracking area, and in response to accessing the LUT, the object position in the tracking area is determined. The LUT is initially built by illuminating the tracking area with the light source. A test object is inserted into the tracking area in a plurality of determined positions, and the reflected color value is measured at each determined position. The color value measurements are correlated to determined positions. As a result, a color gradient can be measured between a first determined position and a second determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Dana S. Smith
  • Patent number: 8320619
    Abstract: An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device and a model of a user in the depth image may be generated. The background of a received depth image may be removed to isolate a human target in the received depth image. A model may then be adjusted to fit with in the isolated human target in the received depth image. To adjust the model, a joint or a bone may be magnetized to the closest pixel of the isolated human target. The joint or the bone may then be refined such that the joint or the bone may be further adjusted to a pixels equidistant between two edges the body part of the isolated human target where the joint or bone may have been magnetized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Zsolt Mathe
  • Patent number: 8320710
    Abstract: The device includes: bearing element (55) for the lens (100); element (53) for acquiring a global image (90) of the drill hole (110) of the lens (100) in a lighting direction (D51, A52), or image acquisition direction (A53); element (54) for processing the image when the lens is carried by the carrier element (55). The processing element (54) designed for determining, from the global image of the drill hole (110) the position of center (C1) of the opening of the drill hole (110) that gives onto one of the faces (98) of the lens (100) and/or the transverse dimension of the opening of the drill hole (110) that corresponds to the desired transverse dimension (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventor: Philippe Pinault
  • Patent number: 8314842
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image capturing unit including an image sensor capable of photoelectrically converting a subject image and configured to generate moving image data based on an output signal of the image sensor, a storage unit configured to store foreign substance information including information relating to at least a position and a size of a foreign substance adhered to an optical element disposed on a front side of the image sensor, a detection unit configured to detect a shake amount of the image sensor, a control unit configured to control an image clipping position on an entire screen of the image sensor according to the shake amount of the image sensor detected by the detection unit, and a recording unit configured to record the foreign substance information and information indicating the image clipping position in association with the moving image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisuke Kudo
  • Patent number: 8315481
    Abstract: An image transmitting apparatus includes a region detecting unit detecting, in an image, a region of interest matching a predetermined condition; a resolution converting unit selecting, for reducing resolution of the image, an image passed through a low-pass filter as an image outside the detected region of interest and an image not passed through the low-pass filter as an image inside the region of interest; and a transmitting unit transmitting the image with reduced resolution and positional information of the region of interest. An image receiving apparatus includes a resolution restoring unit performing image quality improvement processing on the region of interest obtained from the positional information and included in the image transmitted from the image transmitting apparatus so as to increase resolution in the region of interest; and a combining unit combining the image inside the processed region of interest with the image outside the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120288216
    Abstract: From a sequence of images captured by an image pickup unit, images necessary for measuring placement information regarding markers and/or a sensor are automatically determined and obtained. To this end, using position and orientation information regarding the image pickup unit at the time the image pickup unit has captured an obtained image and placement information regarding detected markers, whether to use the captured image corresponding to the position and orientation is determined. Using the captured image determined to be used, the marker placement information, placement information regarding a measurement target, or the position and orientation of the image pickup unit serving as an unknown parameter is obtained so as to minimize the error between the measured image coordinates and theoretical image coordinates of each marker, which are estimated on the basis of a rough value of the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Aratani, Daisuke Kotake, Shinji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8311270
    Abstract: A vessel block arranging device extracts image information on a vessel block loaded on a transporter, and determines whether to arrange the vessel block in an area in which the vessel block will be arranged by using location information of the arranged vessel block in the area and extracted image information, thereby reducing errors caused by determining the vessel block arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jeong-Ho Park, Jong-Hyun Park, Wan Sik Choi, Gwang Ja Jin, Inhak Joo, Seung Yong Lee, Kyong Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 8311291
    Abstract: An extraction-pattern storing unit stores therein information related to a plurality of different extraction patterns for extracting a predetermined number of pixels from pixels surrounding a pixel that is a target for detecting a face part image. A face-part-image detecting unit extracts a pixel using the different extraction patterns stored in the extraction-pattern storing unit, and detects the face part image included in an image using a feature amount of an extracted pixel. A face-image detecting unit detects a face image from the image based on the face part image detected by the face-part-image detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Glory Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Yonezawa, Kozo Kawata
  • Patent number: 8306274
    Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating peak location on a sampled surface (e.g., a correlation surface generated from pixilated images) utilize one or more processing techniques to determine multiple peak location estimates for at least one sampled data set at a resolution smaller than the spacing of the data elements. Estimates selected from the multiple peak location estimates are combined (e.g., a group of estimates is combined by determining a weighted average of the estimates selected for the group) to provide one or more refined estimates. In example embodiments, multiple refined estimates are combined to provide an estimate of overall displacement (e.g., of an image or other sampled data representation of an object).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas J Grycewicz
  • Patent number: 8300989
    Abstract: A storage unit stores a plurality of pieces of image information and a plurality of pieces of position information corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of images individually. The storage unit correlates the plurality of pieces of image information with respective ones of the plurality of pieces of position information individually. The plurality of images is displayed on the display based on the plurality of pieces of image information and the plurality of pieces of position information, respectively. An image selection unit selects at least a first image and a second image from the plurality of images. An information interchange unit interchanges first image information of the first image with second image information of the second image, or interchanges first position information of the first image with second position information of the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Watari, Tatsuya Sato
  • Patent number: 8300983
    Abstract: Method of determining the position of a target drill hole to be drilled in a target corrective lens having an expected target outline after shaping, the position being determined from a reference lens having a reference outline and at least one reference drill hole, the method includes: acquiring an image and at least one characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens; determining, in the acquisition plane, the reference distance in projection between the projection of a reference anchor point of the associated reference lens and the reference lens and the projection of a reference drilling point of the reference drill hole calculating the three-dimensional reference distance between the reference anchor point and the reference drilling point as a function of the characteristic of the curvature of the reference lens (100) and of the determined reference distance; and determining the position of the target drilling point for the target drill hole of the target corrective lens as a function of the calcul
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventor: Philippe Pinault
  • Patent number: 8295547
    Abstract: A feature tracker for tracking a target includes an imaging sensor for imaging the target and a Kalman filter for generating predicted position, velocity and acceleration of the imaging sensor with respect to the target. The Kalman filter includes a state vector estimate of the position, velocity and acceleration of the imaging sensor, and a model for characterizing the target. The model characterizes the target by using at least one bivariate Gaussian function for the target. The Kalman filter includes a Jacobian matrix defined as a partial derivative of the model with respect to the state vector estimate. The Kalman filter includes a gain matrix generated from the Jacobian matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Exelis, Inc
    Inventor: Gene L. Cangiani
  • Patent number: 8295548
    Abstract: Detection and tracking of an object by exploiting its unique reflectance signature. This is done by examining every image pixel and computing how closely that pixel's spectrum matches a known object spectral signature. The measured radiance spectra of the object can be used to estimate its intrinsic reflectance properties that are invariant to a wide range of illumination effects. This is achieved by incorporating radiative transfer theory to compute the mapping between the observed radiance spectra to the object's reflectance spectra. The consistency of the reflectance spectra allows for object tracking through spatial and temporal gaps in coverage. Tracking an object then uses a prediction process followed by a correction process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Amit Banerjee, Phillippe M. Burlina, Joshua B. Broadwater
  • Patent number: 8295643
    Abstract: While a view angle is switched between wide and narrow view angles, images with the wide view angle and images with the narrow view angle are alternately taken. Based on images taken with the narrow view angle, movements of corresponding points in images in correspondence between the narrow-angle images are detected. Based on the images taken with the wide view angle, a translational vector and a rotation matrix that represent changes in the position and posture between the wide-angle images are calculated. By linearly interpolating the translational vector and the rotation matrix between the wide-angle images, a translational vector and a rotation matrix that represent changes in the position and posture between the narrow-angle images are estimated. Based on movements of corresponding points in the images and the translational vector and the rotational matrix between the narrow-angle images, three-dimensional coordinates of the corresponding points on the measurement object are highly accurately measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Yamaguchi, Naoya Chujo, Kenichi Ohue
  • Patent number: 8285028
    Abstract: Aims to provide an inspection apparatus which precisely detects an amount of misalignment of a component mounted on a panel through an adhesive which contains conductive particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Iwahashi, Toshihiko Tsujikawa, Atsushi Katayama
  • Patent number: 8284994
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus that performs tracking processing based on a correlation between frame images, when an object that is a tracking target is missed and a frame indicating the tracking target is set to a uniform background during tracking processing, a display of the frame may blur. An image processing apparatus is provided which detects a tracking target candidate region which has a highest correlation with a set tracking target region, calculates a difference between an evaluation value acquired in the tracking target candidate region and an evaluation value acquired in a peripheral region of the tracking target candidate region, and stops tracking if the difference is less than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8284255
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a feature quantity extraction part for extracting a feature quantity of a subject from video captured by plural cameras, an In/Out point extraction part for extracting In/Out points indicating points in which a subject appears and disappears in each video captured, an In/Out region formation part for forming In/Out regions based on the In/Out points extracted, a correlation value calculation part for calculating a correlation value by obtaining the total sum of similarities every feature quantity of the subject in each of the plural combinations of In/Out points included in the In/Out regions, a frequency histogram creation part for creating a frequency histogram based on the correlation value, and a link relation information generation part for extracting a peak of the frequency histogram and estimating the presence or absence of a link relation between the plural cameras and generating link relation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Sumio Yokomitsu
  • Patent number: 8284429
    Abstract: A facsimile machine is provided. The facsimile machine includes a first reading unit which reads an image of an original placed on a platen; a second reading unit which reads an image of an original while feeding the original; a transmitting unit which is configured to execute a first transmission operation to transmit the image of the original read by the first reading unit as facsimile data and a second transmission operation to transmit the image of the original read by the second reading unit as facsimile data; a transmission inhibition unit which inhibits the first transmission operation by the transmitting unit; and a release unit which releases the inhibition of the first transmission operation by the transmission inhibition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiko Asai
  • Patent number: 8280113
    Abstract: A passive electro-optical tracker uses a two-band IR intensity ratio to discriminate high-speed projectiles and obtain a time-varying speed estimate from their time-varying temperature, as well as determining the trajectory back to the source of fire. In an omnidirectional system a hemispheric imager with an MWIR spectrum splitter forms two CCD images of the environment. Various methods are given to determine the azimuth and range of a projectile, both for clear atmospheric conditions and for nonhomogeneous atmospheric conditions. One approach uses the relative intensity of the image of the projectile on the pixels of a CCD camera to determine the azimuthal angle of trajectory with respect to the ground, and its range. A second uses a least squares optimization over multiple frames based on a triangle representation of the smeared image to yield a real-time trajectory estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
    Inventors: Ilya Agurok, Waqidi Falicoff
  • Patent number: 8280112
    Abstract: A system for predicting object location includes a video capture system for capturing a plurality of video frames, each of the video frames having a first area, an object isolation element for locating an object in each of the plurality of video frames, the object being located at a first actual position in a first video frame and being located at a second actual position in a second video frame, and a trajectory calculation element configured to analyze the first actual position and the second actual position to determine an object trajectory, the object trajectory comprising past trajectory and predicted future trajectory, wherein the predicted future trajectory is used to determine a second area in a subsequent video frame in which to search for the object, wherein the second area is different in size than the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Casamona, Christopher C. Pond, Anthony J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 8274535
    Abstract: A method of using stereo vision to interface with a computer is provided. The method includes capturing a stereo image, and processing the stereo image to determine position information of an object in the stereo image. The object is controlled by a user. The method also includes communicating the position information to the computer to allow the user to interact with a computer application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Evan Hildreth, Francis MacDougall
  • Patent number: 8270771
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a method for iterative seam selection in an image resizing system utilizing a seam carving technique. In one embodiment, an importance map is generated for a received source image. Seams are carved through the image from one edge to an opposite edge. An energy is computed for each seam based on pixel importance values. A distance is computed from each seam to a previously selected seam. A weighting for each seam is computed using a defined weighting function and the calculated seam distances. The weighting is applied to the energy of each seam produce a revised energy for each seam. A seam is selected based on the produced revised energy. The image is resized at a location of the selected seam. The process repeats until the image has been resized to a desired target output dimension. In such a manner, unnatural image resizing results are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Claude S. Fillion, Vishal Monga, Ramesh Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 8270044
    Abstract: A scanning apparatus includes a scanning head that scans an image of a document positioned on a stage glass, but varying in its distance therefrom. A boundary line is detected to determine an amount of skew therein. A skew line is compared with an established reference line, and a correction factor is calculated based on the result of the comparison. The original image processed to map the boundary line to the reference line and image data inside of the boundary line is similarly mapped based on the calculated correction factor. Beneficially, skews of an image produced when a thick book is scanned can be corrected simply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon-seok Seo
  • Patent number: 8265425
    Abstract: Objects having a flat surface such as a table are detected by processing a depth image and a color image. A mask indicating an area likely to include an object having the flat surface is generated by processing a depth image including the depth information. A color image corresponding to the depth image is then cropped using the mask to detect a portion of the color image that likely include the object having the flat surface. Geometric features of the cropped color image such as lines are then detected to determine the location and orientation of the object having the flat surface. A subset of the detected geometric features is selected as outlines of the flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Victor Ng-Thow-Hing, Jingyu Yan