Patents Assigned to University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF)
  • Patent number: 8224068
    Abstract: A method, system, and associated program code, for 3-dimensional image acquisition, using structured light illumination, of a surface-of-interest under observation by at least one camera. One aspect includes: illuminating the surface-of-interest, while static/at rest, with structured light to obtain initial depth map data therefor; while projecting a hold pattern comprised of a plurality of snake-stripes at the static surface-of-interest, assigning an identity to and an initial lock position of each of the snake-stripes of the hold pattern; and while projecting the hold pattern, tracking, from frame-to-frame each of the snake-stripes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF)
    Inventors: Laurence G. Hassebrook, Daniel L. Lau, Charles J. Casey
  • Publication number: 20120113229
    Abstract: A unique computer-implemented process, system, and computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, executable program code and instructions for 3-dimentional (3-D) image acquisition of a contoured surface-of-interest under observation by at least one camera and employing a preselected SLI pattern. The system includes a 3-D video sequence capture unit having (a) one or more image-capture devices for acquiring video image data as well as color texture data of a 3-D surface-of-interest, and (b) a projector device for illuminating the surface-of-interest with a preselected SLI pattern in, first, an initial Epipolar Alignment and ending in alignment with an Orthogonal (i.e., phase) direction, and then shifting the preselected SLI pattern (‘translation’).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION (UKRF)
    Inventors: Laurence G. HASSEBROOK, Charles Joseph CASEY, Eli Ross CRANE, Walter F. LUNDBY
  • Publication number: 20120092463
    Abstract: A computer-implemented process, system, and computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, program code and instructions for 3-D triangulation-based image acquisition of a contoured surface/object-of-interest under observation by at least one camera, by projecting onto the surface-of-interest a multi-frequency pattern comprising a plurality of pixels representing at least a first and second superimposed sinusoid projected simultaneously, each of the sinusoids represented by the pixels having a unique temporal frequency and each of the pixels projected to satisfy I n p = A p + ? k = 1 K ? B k p ? cos ? ( 2 ? ? ? ? f k ? y p + 2 ? ? ? ? kn N ) Eq . ? ( 1.1 ) where Inp is the intensity of a pixel in the projector for nth projected image in a particular instant in time; K is an integer representing the number of component sinusoids (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION (UKRF)
    Inventors: Kai LIU, Yongchang WANG, Daniel L. LAU, Laurence G. HASSEBROOK
  • Patent number: 7844079
    Abstract: A technique, associated system and program code, for retrieving depth information about at least one surface of an object, such as an anatomical feature. Core features include: projecting a composite image comprising a plurality of modulated structured light patterns, at the anatomical feature; capturing an image reflected from the surface; and recovering pattern information from the reflected image, for each of the modulated structured light patterns. Pattern information is preferably recovered for each modulated structured light pattern used to create the composite, by performing a demodulation of the reflected image. Reconstruction of the surface can be accomplished by using depth information from the recovered patterns to produce a depth map/mapping thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF)
    Inventors: Laurence G. Hassebrook, Daniel L. Lau, Chun Guan
  • Patent number: 7725484
    Abstract: An image retrieval technique employing a novel hierarchical feature/descriptor vector quantizer tool—‘vocabulary tree’, of sorts comprising hierarchically organized sets of feature vectors—that effectively partitions feature space in a hierarchical manner, creating a quantized space that is mapped to integer encoding. The computerized implementation of the new technique(s) employs subroutine components, such as: A trainer component of the tool generates a hierarchical quantizer, Q, for application/use in novel image-insertion and image-query stages. The hierarchical quantizer, Q, tool is generated by running k-means on the feature (a/k/a descriptor) space, recursively, on each of a plurality of nodes of a resulting quantization level to ‘split’ each node of each resulting quantization level. Preferably, training of the hierarchical quantizer, Q, is performed in an ‘offline’ fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF)
    Inventors: David Nistér, Henrik Stewénius
  • Publication number: 20100039562
    Abstract: A pixel compositor device for routing an incoming stream of pixel data having been rendered elsewhere and bound for being projected. The device includes a plurality of digital signal inputs each adapted for receiving a plurality of pixel information from the incoming stream of pixel data. The digital signal inputs are in communication with at least one buffer for the pixel information once received by the device. A processing unit is included for image warping the pixel information by performing, on each of a respective of the pixel information: (i) a mapping relating to location of the respective pixel information, and (ii) a scaling function. The geometric mapping can be performed by applying an interpolation technique; and the scaling function can be any of a number of photometric correction functions (alpha-blending, color uniformity correction, image brightness or contrast adjustment, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
    Inventors: Ruigang Yang, Anselmo Lastra