Patents Assigned to Sharp Laboratories
  • Patent number: 8655108
    Abstract: A method for scaling an image includes providing a set of filters based upon a low-resolution data set and a high-resolution data set suitable for up-scaling a low resolution image to a high resolution image. The filters are collectively representative of at least a portion of an image space and a substantial number of the filters are representative of a different at least one selected from a volume and a shape within the image space. A low-resolution image is received and generates a corresponding high-resolution image based up the filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Pan, Xinyu Xu
  • Patent number: 8655277
    Abstract: A workspace energy management method and system control the power state of workspace appliances using multi-factor presence detection and mobile phone identity verification. Multifactor presence detection substantially reduces the risk that workspace appliances will be powered-up in response to erroneous detection of presence at the workspace (e.g., false positive). Mobile phone identity verification, which verifies that the office worker's mobile phone is at the workspace (and thus that the office worker is also likely at the workspace) before workspace appliances are powered-up, prevents workspace appliances from being inadvertently powered-up by personnel other than the office worker, but without compromising worker privacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Basil Isaiah Jesudason, Craig Thompson Whittle, Mary Louise Bourret
  • Patent number: 8655382
    Abstract: A wireless event notification system that selectively notifies members of events based on their location and/or interests, and devices and method for use therein. The wireless event notification system provides single or multifactor filtering based on one or more of proximity to an event, membership in a subgroup to which an event pertains and/or desire to receive events at the severity level of an event. Superfluous notifications are thereby reduced. Location-based filtering may be done by a notification server device to which member locations are reported or, to enhance member privacy, by wireless client devices using unreported member locations. Additionally, in some embodiments, wireless client devices are distributed by a system administrator to members after the system administrator has registered the members with the system to remove device acquisition, device compatibility and member registration hurdles that can present obstacles to universal participation in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Eric Helvick
  • Patent number: 8656202
    Abstract: A method and system for managing a plug network based on appliance identification. In a basic implementation, when a new appliance is activated on the plug network, a power usage profile for the new appliance is computed based on current and voltage measurements. The new appliance is classified into an appliance class based on the power usage profile. A power management action message respecting the new appliance is generated based on the class and is outputted. By judiciously configuring the power management actions applicable to different appliance classes, a business can monitor which types of appliances are attached by employees to power outlets and/or set the terms and conditions under which such appliances operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Burlingame, Craig Thompson Whittle
  • Publication number: 20140044353
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for determining a skew angle associated with a document image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated for at least one layer in a vertical-edge buffer and a horizontal-edge buffer. According to a second aspect of the present invention, a rotation vector may be estimated directly from the vertical-edge buffer and the horizontal-edge buffer using a fixed-sized, progressively constrained histogram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Dolan
  • Publication number: 20140045543
    Abstract: A User Equipment (UE) for allocating power for uplink transmission to an evolved Node B (eNB) is described. The UE includes a processor and memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. Executable instructions are stored in the memory. The UE obtains a power headroom. The UE also obtains a threshold. Also, the UE reduces power consumption if the power headroom is less than the threshold. The power headroom is based on the difference between a maximum uplink transmit power and an estimated uplink transmit power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishii, Louis Joseph Kerofsky, Sachin G. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 8648328
    Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a light emitting diode (LED) using three-dimensional gallium nitride (GaN) pillar structures with planar surfaces. The method forms a plurality of GaN pillar structures, each with an n-doped GaN (n-GaN) pillar and planar sidewalls perpendicular to the c-plane, formed in either an m-plane or a-plane family. A multiple quantum well (MQW) layer is formed overlying the n-GaN pillar sidewalls, and a layer of p-doped GaN (p-GaN) is formed overlying the MQW layer. The plurality of GaN pillar structures are deposited on a first substrate, with the n-doped GaN pillar sidewalls aligned parallel to a top surface of the first substrate. A first end of each GaN pillar structure is connected to a first metal layer. The second end of each GaN pillar structure is etched to expose the n-GaN pillar second end and connected to a second metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Albert Crowder, Changqing Zhan, Paul J. Schuele
  • Patent number: 8648780
    Abstract: A backlight display has improved display characteristics. An image is displayed on the display which includes a liquid crystal material with a light valve. The display receives an image signal and modifies the light based upon motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiao-Fan Feng
  • Publication number: 20140037222
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimation of compression noise in an image or in a video sequence are provided. Difference values in a first direction are computed, and a plurality of statistical feature values for the difference values are computed in association with a plurality of offsets. At least one feature value is computed using the plurality of statistical feature values, and a compression-noise estimate may be determined in accordance with a criterion based on a comparison of the at least on feature value and an associated threshold and an additive noise estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Anustup Kumar Choudhury, Christopher A. Segall
  • Publication number: 20140037202
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for estimation of additive noise in an image or in a video sequence. An additive-noise estimate may be computed based on a first significant peak in a histogram of standard-deviation values of patches of an image-channel image associated with an input image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Anustup Kumar Choudhury, Christopher A. Segall
  • Publication number: 20140038044
    Abstract: A transition metal hexacyanometallate (TMHCM)-conductive polymer (CP) composite electrode is provided. The battery electrode is made up of a current collector and a transition metal hexacyanometallate-conductive polymer composite overlying the current collector. The transition metal hexacyanometallate-conductive polymer includes a AXM1YM2Z(CN)N.MH2O material, where A may be alkali metal ions, alkaline earth metal ions, ammonium ions, or combinations thereof, and M1 and M2 are transition metal ions. The transition metal hexacyanometallate-conductive polymer composite also includes a conductive polymer material. In one aspect, the conductive polymer material is polyaniline (PANI) or polypyrrole (Ppy). Also presented herein are methods for the fabrication of a TMHCM-CP composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Andrew Vail, Yuhao Lu, David Russell Evans, Jong-Jan Lee
  • Publication number: 20140038000
    Abstract: A metal flow-through battery is provided, with ion exchange membrane. The flow-through battery is primarily made up of an anode slurry, a cathode slurry, and a hydroxide (OH?) anion exchange membrane interposed between the anode slurry and the cathode slurry, The anode and cathode slurries are both aqueous slurries. The anode slurry includes a metal, and associated oxides, such as magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), or zinc (Zn). The cathode slurry includes a chemical agent such as nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), nickel (II) hydroxide (Ni(OH)2), manganese oxide (MnO2), manganese (II) oxide (Mn2O3), iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3), iron (III) oxide (FeO), iron (III) hydroxide (Fe(OH)), or combinations of the above-referenced materials. A method is also provided for forming a voltage potential across a flow-through battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhao Lu, Jong-Jan Lee, Hidayat Kisdarjono
  • Patent number: 8644375
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for intra prediction. According to one aspect of the present invention, a macroblock may be partitioned into two, or more, sets of blocks. The pixel values for a block within a first set of blocks may be predicted using reconstructed values from only neighboring macroblocks. The pixel values for a block within another set of blocks may be subsequently predicted using reconstructed values from blocks in previously reconstructed sets of blocks and/or reconstructed values from neighboring macroblocks. The block residuals for the first set of blocks may be signaled, and the block residuals for subsequently predicted blocks may be signaled. The pixel values for blocks within a set of blocks may be predicted in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Segall, Jie Zhao
  • Patent number: 8643590
    Abstract: A system for modification of an image to be displayed on a display includes receiving an input image and adjusting a luminance level for a backlight of the display for displaying the input image based upon an ambient lighting level and a visual system responsive model to the ambient lightening level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Joseph Kerofsky, Xinyu Xu
  • Patent number: 8643922
    Abstract: A method is provided for gamut clipping with preprocessing enabled as software instructions stored in a computer-readable medium and executable by a processor. The instructions provide a color in a color space defined by at least three attributes. If the color lies outside a gamut boundary in the first color space, a distance is measured from the color to the gamut boundary. In response to the measured distance, a weight is calculated for an attribute of the color. Then, it is determined if the attribute of the color is to be shifted. If so, an attribute shift amount is derived. The attribute shift amount of the color is modified by applying the weighting. The attribute of the first color is shifted by the weighted attribute shift amount, creating a post-processed color. The post-processed color is then clipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dairymple, James Zhixin Chang, Chizu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140028662
    Abstract: An auto stereoscopic display includes a plurality of views thereby providing a perceived three dimensional image to a viewer. The display includes a sensor that determines the position of the viewer with respect to the display and modifies the plurality of views to provide an improved perceived three dimensional image to the viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Miao LIAO, Chang YUAN
  • Patent number: 8638862
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for upsampling images and design of upsampling filters. Some aspects relate to a determination of a phase offset position in a higher resolution picture relative to a lower resolution picture. Interpolation filter coefficients for some filters may then be selected based on the filter offset. Other aspects relate to selection of coefficients for filters that are not dependent on the phase offset. In certain implementations, a weighting factor may be used to combine the effects of a phase-offset-dependent filter and an independent filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Shijun Sun
  • Publication number: 20140025311
    Abstract: Physiological signal quality classification methods and systems designed to improve ambulatory monitoring. Physiological signals are classified as good, noisy or weak based on signal properties. Once classified, signals are processed differently depending on their classification in order to encourage reliance on reliable physiological data, discourage reliance on unreliable physiological data and induce action to improve signal quality. For example, for a good signal, physiological data may be extracted from the signal and displayed to a person being monitored. For a noisy signal, a noisy signal notification may be displayed to the person in lieu of extracted physiological data. For a weak signal, a weak signal notification may be displayed to the person in lieu of extracted physiological data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongji Fu, Te-Chung Isaac Yang
  • Publication number: 20140023146
    Abstract: An electronic device for sending a message is described. The electronic device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The electronic device determines whether a picture is a random access point (RAP) picture. The electronic device also determines whether the picture is associated with a broken link access (BLA) with decodable leading pictures (DLP) network access layer (NAL) unit type if the picture is a RAP picture. The electronic device further generates a message including a RAP coded picture buffer (CPB) parameter flag and an initial additional CPB removal delay parameter if the BLA with DLP NAL unit type is present. The electronic device additionally sends the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sachin G. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 8634345
    Abstract: A method for multiplexing uplink control information (UCI) on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) is described. Control data is coded with user data repetition. The coded control data is mapped to a PUSCH resource. A data block base for the coded control data is also mapped in the PUSCH resource. The UCI may include channel quality indicators (CQI)/precoding matrix indicators (PMI), acknowledgement/negative-acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) and rank indicators (RI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhanping Yin, John Michael Kowalski