Patents Assigned to Conversion Works, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120313940
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The systems and methods fill in light among image frames when object have been removed or otherwise changed. In one embodiment, light is treated as an object and can be removed during image processing. The light is added back during the rendering process using the created light object. In other embodiments, light from other frames is filled in using weighted averaging of the light depending upon temporal distance from a particular frame and a base frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120280989
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D images. The system and method includes a procedure for optimizing occlusion and/or texturing by creating tolerances in which such texturing need not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120275652
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion and/or generation. The methods and systems use auto-fitting techniques to create a mask based upon tracking features from frame to frame. When features are determined to be missing they are added prior to auto-fitting the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120275687
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a three dimensional model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20120274638
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. In one embodiment, a mask is generated from an object model of the image. The mask is then used to from a 2-D mesh which is then converted to a 3-D volume mesh. The 3-D volume mesh is then used to produce 3-D image conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120275689
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes receiving an image and masking the objects in the image using segmentation layers Each segmentation layer can have weighted values for static and dynamic features. Iterations are used to form the final image which, if desired, can be formed using less than all of the segmentation layers. A final iteration can be run with the weighted values equal for static and dynamic features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe, Jonathan Adelman
  • Patent number: 8274530
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes erode filling when an object has been removed from an image. In one embodiment, a target binary t image mask of the removed object is used for comparison with a binary source mask of the image. In an iterative process, color differences between pixels in the target mask and pixels in the source mask are identified and the pixels in the target mask are changed working from the periphery of the target mask to the center of the mask. Color noise is eliminated in the filled region of the target mask and, if desired, random color noise is added to the filled target mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Patent number: 8217931
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20120032948
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to recreate a camera. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images taken by the camera. Once the virtual camera has been formed, the camera may be used in the process of generating stereoscopic three dimensional images of the scene within the 2D images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20110227917
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for compensating for clipped portions of one or more objects in an image provide a boundary mask portion adjacent to one or more edges of an image display. The boundary mask portion is used to display information which will fill clipped portions of the objects in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Christopher L. Simmons, Gregory R. Keech, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20110169827
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Publication number: 20110169914
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20090256903
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Patent number: 7542034
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Publication number: 20080259073
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20080246836
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to recreate a camera. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images taken by the camera. Once the virtual camera has been formed, the camera may be used in the process of generating stereoscopic three dimensional images of the scene within the 2D images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20080225040
    Abstract: A two dimensional image which has a semitransparent object in the foreground of the image has three contributions to the final color shown in a pixel where the semitransparent object is present. Properties of a semitransparent object and background in the given two dimensional image are processed to determine the contribution of the background color of the image, the foreground color of the object, and the alpha channel of the object. Once these properties are determined, the accurate stereoscopic rendering of the semitransparent object in front of the background allows the two dimensional image to be converted to three dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Simmons, Gregory R. Keech, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20080226160
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The systems and methods fill in light among image frames when object have been removed or otherwise changed. In one embodiment, light is treated as an object and can be removed during image processing. The light is added back during the rendering process using the created light object. In other embodiments, light from other frames is filled in using weighted averaging of the light depending upon temporal distance from a particular frame and a base frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20080226128
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion and/or generation. The methods and systems use auto-fitting techniques to create a mask based upon tracking features from frame to frame. When features are determined to be missing they are added prior to auto-fitting the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20080228449
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes receiving an image and masking the objects in the image using segmentation layers Each segmentation layer can have weighted values for static and dynamic features. Iterations are used to form the final image which, if desired, can be formed using less than all of the segmentation layers. A final iteration can be run with the weighted values equal for static and dynamic features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe, Jonathan Adelman