Patents Assigned to FotoNation
  • Optical switch
    Patent number: 9008484
    Abstract: An N×N switching apparatus for optical components is provided. A switching apparatus includes a first element that provides for a supply of a length of optical fiber in tension and has an interface component for maintaining an end of the optical fiber in tension at a first position. The switching apparatus further includes a second element that has a coupling component for detachably maintaining the end of the optical fiber at a second position. The first and second elements are arranged such that the end of the optical fiber is movable between the first and second elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Go!Foton Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takeuchi, Qin Zhang, Haiguang Lu
  • Method of improving orientation and color balance of digital images using face detection information
    Patent number: 9008374
    Abstract: A method of generating one or more new spatial and chromatic variation digital images uses an original digitally-acquired image which including a face or portions of a face. A group of pixels that correspond to a face within the original digitally-acquired image is identified. A portion of the original image is selected to include the group of pixels. Values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion are automatically generated, or an option to generate them is provided, in a manner which always includes the face within the one or more new images. Such method may be implemented to automatically establish the correct orientation and color balance of an image. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi
  • Face or other object detection including template matching
    Patent number: 8995715
    Abstract: A template matching module is configured to program a processor to apply multiple differently-tuned object detection classifier sets in parallel to a digital image to determine one or more of an object type, configuration, orientation, pose or illumination condition, and to dynamically switch between object detection templates to match a determined object type, configuration, orientation, pose, blur, exposure and/or directional illumination condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Bogdan Sultana, Stefan Petrescu, Radu Nicolau, Vlad Ionut Ursachi, Petronel Bigioi, Corneliu Zaharia, Peter Corcoran, Szabolcs Fulop, Mihnea Gangea
  • Image processing method and apparatus
    Patent number: 8989516
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is arranged to process a first relatively underexposed and sharp image of a scene, and a second relatively well exposed and blurred image, nominally of the same scene, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources. The apparatus provides a portion of the relatively first underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; and a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter. The adaptive filter produces an output signal from the input signal and the desired signal; and an image generator constructs a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Felix Albu, Adrian Zamfir
  • Digital image processing using face detection information
    Patent number: 8989453
    Abstract: A method of processing a digital image using face detection within the image achieves one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that correspond to an image of a face within the digital image. Default values are determined of one or more parameters of at least some portion of the digital image. Values are adjusted of the one or more parameters within the digitally-detected image based upon an analysis of the digital image including the image of the face and the default values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi
  • Method of improving orientation and color balance of digital images using face detection information
    Patent number: 8989443
    Abstract: A method of generating one or more new spatial and chromatic variation digital images uses an original digitally-acquired image which including a face or portions of a face. A group of pixels that correspond to a face within the original digitally-acquired image is identified. A portion of the original image is selected to include the group of pixels. Values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion are automatically generated, or an option to generate them is provided, in a manner which always includes the face within the one or more new images. Such method may be implemented to automatically establish the correct orientation and color balance of an image. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Yury Prilutsky, Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi
  • Color segmentation
    Patent number: 8983148
    Abstract: A method of skin segmentation of a digital image is operable in an acquisition device. An image is acquired. A value indicative of a redness of a pixel of said image is compared with a face skin pixel redness criterion. The pixel is identified as a face skin pixel if said criterion is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Stefan Petrescu, Mihnea Gangea, Petronel Bigioi, Alexei Pososin, Alexandru Drimbarean
  • Face and other object detection and tracking in off-center peripheral regions for nonlinear lens geometries
    Patent number: 8982180
    Abstract: A technique of enhancing a scene containing one or more off-center peripheral regions within an initial distorted image captured with a large field of view includes determining and extracting an off-center region of interest (hereinafter “ROI”) within the image. Geometric correction is applied to reconstruct the off-center ROI into a rectangular or otherwise undistorted or less distorted frame of reference as a reconstructed ROI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi, Piotr Stec
  • Face recognition using face tracker classifier data
    Patent number: 8977011
    Abstract: A method of determining face recognition profiles for a group persons includes determining with a multi-classifier face detector that a face region within a digital image has above a threshold probability of corresponding to a first person of the group, and recording probability scores which are analyzed for each classifier, including determining a mean and variance for each classifier for the first person. The process is repeated for one or more other persons of the group. A sub-set of classifiers is determined which best differentiates between the first person and the one or more other persons. The sub-set of classifiers is stored in association with the first person as a recognition profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Petronel Bigioi, Peter Corcoran
  • Face detection using division-generated Haar-like features for illumination invariance
    Patent number: 8977056
    Abstract: Faces in images are quickly detected with minimal memory resource usage. Instead of calculating a Haar-like feature value by subtracting the average pixel intensity value in one rectangular region from the average pixel intensity value in another, adjacent rectangular region, a face-detection system calculates that Haar-like feature value by dividing the average pixel intensity value in one rectangular region by the average pixel intensity value in another adjacent rectangular region. Thus, each Haar-like value is calculated as a ratio of average pixel intensity values rather than as a difference between such average pixel intensity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: George Susanu, Dan Filip, Mihnea Gangea
  • Continuous autofocus based on face detection and tracking
    Patent number: 8970770
    Abstract: An autofocus method includes acquiring an image of a scene that includes one or more out of focus faces and/or partial faces. The method includes detecting one or more of the out of focus faces and/or partial faces within the digital image by applying one or more sets of classifiers trained on faces that are out of focus. One or more sizes of the one of more respective out of focus faces and/or partial faces is/are determined within the digital image. One or more respective depths is/are determined to the one or more out of focus faces and/or partial faces based on the one or more sizes of the one of more faces and/or partial faces within the digital image. One or more respective focus positions of the lens is/are adjusted to focus approximately at the determined one or more respective depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Florin Nanu, Cosmin Nicolae Stan, Peter Corcoran
  • Face detection using division-generated haar-like features for illumination invariance
    Patent number: 8971628
    Abstract: Faces in images are quickly detected with minimal memory resource usage. Instead of calculating a Haar-like feature value by subtracting the average pixel intensity value in one rectangular region from the average pixel intensity value in another, adjacent rectangular region, a face-detection system calculates that Haar-like feature value by dividing the average pixel intensity value in one such rectangular region by the average pixel intensity value in the other such adjacent rectangular region. Thus, each Haar-like value is calculated as a ratio of average pixel intensity values rather than as a difference between such average pixel intensity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: George Susanu, Dan Filip, Mihnea Gangea
  • Detecting red eye filter and apparatus using meta-data
    Patent number: 8957993
    Abstract: A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and/film information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation
    Inventors: Michael DeLuca, Yury Prilutsky, Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi, Alexei Pososin
  • Axial chromatic aberration correction
    Patent number: 8953058
    Abstract: A 9 pixel-by-9 pixel working window slides over an input Bayer image. For each such window, a demosaicing operation is performed. For each such window, corrective processing is performed relative to that window to produce relative differences for that window. For each such window for which relative differences have been produced, those relative differences are regulated. For each window, a maximum is found for that window's regulated relative differences; in one embodiment of the invention, this maximum is used to select which channel is sharp. For each window, the colors in that window are corrected based on the relative difference-based maximum found for that window. For each window, edge oversharpening is softened in order to avoid artifacts in the output image. The result is an output image in which axial chromatic aberrations have been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Eyal Ben-Eliezer, Tomer Schwartz, Ehpraim Goldenberg, Noy Cohen
  • Scene enhancements in off-center peripheral regions for nonlinear lens geometries
    Patent number: 8947501
    Abstract: A technique of enhancing a scene containing one or more off-center peripheral regions within an initial distorted image captured with a large field of view includes determining and extracting an off-center region of interest (hereinafter “ROI”) within the image. Geometric correction is applied to reconstruct the off-center ROI into a rectangular frame of reference as a reconstructed ROI. A quality of reconstructed pixels is determined within the reconstructed ROI. Image analysis is selectively applied to the reconstructed ROI based on the quality of the reconstructed pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi, Piotr Stec
  • Modification of viewing parameters for digital images using face detection information
    Patent number: 8948468
    Abstract: A method of modifying the viewing parameters of digital images using face detection for achieving a desired spatial parameters based on one or more sub-groups of pixels that correspond to one or more facial features of the face. Such methods may be used for animating still images, automating and streamlining application such as the creation of slide shows and screen savers of images containing faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran
  • Patch panel assembly
    Patent number: 8939792
    Abstract: A device and a system may facilitate access to communication connectors, adapters, and/or ports that are supported within a housing, e.g., a rack or cabinet. The system may include one or more of the devices, which each include a connection means supporting the connectors, adapters, and/or ports. The system may also include a device that manages, e.g., guides and supports cables that are operatively coupled to the connectors, adapters, and/or ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Go!Foton Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takeuchi, Haiguang Lu
  • Face tracking for controlling imaging parameters
    Patent number: 8934680
    Abstract: A method of tracking faces in an image stream with a digital image acquisition device includes receiving images from an image stream including faces, calculating corresponding integral images, and applying different subsets of face detection rectangles to the integral images to provide sets of candidate regions. The different subsets include candidate face regions of different sizes and/or locations within the images. The different candidate face regions from different images of the image stream are each tracked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Peter Corcoran, Eran Steinberg, Petronel Bigioi
  • Termination assembly for alignment of optical fibers
    Patent number: 8920050
    Abstract: An assembly and method for splicing optical fibers is provided. A termination assembly may include a housing having an engagement element for engagement with an engagement component of a fixture and a support or splicer joint between which a first optical fiber extends in a longitudinal direction. A locking mechanism or a splicer joint may be operable to be biased against the first optical fiber to maintain an end of the first optical fiber at the support or the splicer joint fixed in position and only in a predetermined alignment with an end of a second optical fiber fixedly supported by the support or the splicer joint, such that the end of the second optical fiber is fixed at a predetermined orientation and a predetermined position at the support associated with the predetermined alignment by engagement of the engagement element with the engagement component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Go!Foton Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takeuchi, Haiguang Lu
  • Methods and systems for ergonomic feedback using an image analysis module
    Patent number: 8913005
    Abstract: A display device can be used with an ergonomic sensor comprising an imaging device interfaced to processing hardware to obtain and analyze image data depicting a user of the display device. The ergonomic sensor can be preconfigured with data indicating ergonomic uses of the display device so that the image of the user can be analyzed with minimal or no user calibration or setup. Instead, the ergonomic sensor can analyze the image data to provide real-time feedback, such as warnings or suggestions when the user's behavior falls outside an ergonomic use range for the display device. In some implementations, the ergonomic sensor is integrated with the display device, though in other implementations a separate element or preexisting imaging device can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fotonation Limited
    Inventors: Avinash Uppuluri, Celia Morales, Hari Chakravarthula, Sumat Mehra, Tomaso Paoletti