Patents Examined by Anh Hong Do
  • Patent number: 8290256
    Abstract: A mesh generation unit divides an object area into respective meshes and obtains position information, gradient information, and color information of each vertex, which forms the meshes. An encoding unit obtains the color of each of the meshes using the color information and gradient information of each vertex. The encoding unit obtains the difference between each obtained color, and a color in a region in the object area that corresponds to each of the meshes. The encoding unit determines whether the sum of obtained differences is not smaller than a threshold. When the sum is smaller than the threshold, the encoding unit encodes the position information, gradient information, and color information of each vertex. When the sum is not smaller than the threshold, the encoding unit subdivides each mesh into submeshes, and encodes color information at a position in the object area that corresponds to each vertex of the submesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Kitago
  • Patent number: 8285042
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining sexual content in moving image content are provided. The method includes: detecting a motion area from a plurality of moving image frames forming the moving image content; detecting skin estimation areas that are estimated to show a person's skin, based on brightness values of pixels included in each of the plurality of moving image frames; and determining whether each of the plurality of moving image frames contains sexual content, based on a ratio of the skin estimation areas to the entire motion area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-suh Park
  • Patent number: 8285040
    Abstract: Adaptive contrast enhancement of image data is provided. In one embodiment a method for adaptive contrast enhancement includes receiving image data for a first frame, determining a pixel distribution for at least one color space component of the first frame based on luminance values of the pixels in the at least one color space and calculating an average picture level in the at least one color space based on the pixel distribution. The method additionally includes adjusting a look-up table (LUT) associated with the pixel distribution based on the average picture level, converting luminance values of the pixels in the first frame in the at least one color space based on the LUT to generate an enhanced image frame and outputting the enhanced image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksandr Movshovich, Katherine Kuan, Oscar Ayzenberg
  • Patent number: 8285055
    Abstract: Determining correspondence between image regions includes identifying first and second regions of visual content including pixels in a computer system. The first region includes a first patch of pixels having a first mapping to a second patch of pixels in the second region. Iterative evaluations of the first and second regions are performed, each including at least (i) a first evaluation phase selecting a best mapping for the first patch, according to a distance metric, the best mapping selected from among the first mapping and a second mapping obtained from mappings of nearby pixels, and (ii) a second evaluation phase selecting one of the best mapping and a third mapping obtained by perturbing the second mapping. A result of the iterative evaluations is recorded in the computer system that indicates a third patch of pixels in the second region identified in the iterative evaluations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Connelly Barnes, Dan Goldman, Elya Shechtman
  • Patent number: 8280181
    Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently applying a filter to image data are disclosed. For efficiently applying the filter, a filter type including coefficient values for each pixel in the image data is identified. A sub-matrix corresponding to the size of the filter is selected in the image data. The sub-matrix includes the plurality of pixels that can be represented in a 2N form. Each coefficient value is a number that is in a 2M form. The system calculates an average value of multiplications of pixel values with the corresponding coefficient values of each of the plurality of pixels. The multiplication of a pixel value and corresponding coefficient value is calculated by shifting a binary representation of the pixel value M bits, and a division to calculate the average value is performed by shifting a binary representation of a sum of the multiplications N bits. The average value is then applied to the center pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Barinder Singh Rai
  • Patent number: 8275210
    Abstract: Disclosed is method of encoding a set of data values (205-245). Each data value corresponds to a pixel position (205,210, 220,225) within an image (100). The method operates on a current (230) said data value at a current pixel position. The method creates (605) a context set (215,225) for the data value (230), the context set including a data value at a pixel position (225) in the set immediately preceding the current pixel position in an encoding order, wherein the immediately preceding pixel position is not adjacent said current pixel position within said image. The method then encodes (500) the data value (230) using the created context set (215,225). A corresponding decoding method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ekaterina Stefanov, David Robert James Monaghan
  • Patent number: 8275201
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides beneficial systems, methods, devices, and apparatuses that enhance and/or analyze images, and that can be configured to provide users an assessment and/or recommendation based on the enhanced and/or analyzed images. In an embodiment related to medicine, the assessment and/or recommendation is based on a patient situation, dimensions of patient organs/lumens, or the like in order to achieve personalized medicine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventors: Hussain S. Rangwala, Douglas James Duchon
  • Patent number: 8275208
    Abstract: Provided are method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image by using a bit plane-based image encoding method and a block-based image encoding method respectively on bit planes based on the n-m most significant bits of an input image including n-bit pixel values and an image based on the m least significant bits of the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-ho Moon, Woo-sung Shim, Sung-bum Park, Dai-woong Choi, Jong-bum Choi, Jae-won Yoon, Jung-hyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 8275209
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, overlap operators are applied during encoding and/or decoding of digital media, where the overlap operators have reduced DC gain mismatch and/or DC leakage between interior overlap operators and overlap operators at the edge and/or corner. In other embodiments, information indicating a selected tile boundary option for overlap processing can be encoded and/or decoded. The selected tile boundary option indicates one of a hard tile boundary option and a soft tile boundary option for processing with overlap operators. Overlap transform processing can then be applied based at least in part on the selected tile boundary option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Schonberg, Shankar L. Regunathan, Shijun Sun, Gary J. Sullivan, Zhi Zhou, Sridhar Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8265388
    Abstract: A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image includes acquiring a first image, and analyzing one or more partial face regions within the first image. One or more characteristics of the first image are determined. One or more corrective processes are identified including red eye correction that can be beneficially applied to the first image according to the one or more characteristics. The one or more corrective processes are applied to the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
    Inventors: Florin Nanu, Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran, Alexei Pososin, Petronel Bigioi, Alexandru Drimbarean, Stefan Petrescu, Mihnea Gangea, Adrian Capata, Mihai Ciuc, Adrian Zamfir
  • Patent number: 8265391
    Abstract: An adaptive histogram equalization-based approach improves contrast in a video signal. For each video frame, the histogram of the pixel luminance values is calculated. The calculated histogram is divided into three programmably-sized regions that are equalized independently of each other. The equalization is performed in a controlled fashion by clamping the peaks of the histogram thereby ensuring limited stretching of sharp peaks. The equalized values are averaged with the original pixel values with a weighting factor that is different for the three regions chosen such that the darker regions are enhanced more than the brighter ones. To ensure smooth enhancement, programmable guard band regions can be defined between the three divisions of the histogram. The statistics calculated from one frame may be used to enhance the next frame to eliminate the need for frame buffers. Many of the calculations may be performed in the inactive time between two frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Sujith Srinivasan, Nikhil Balram
  • Patent number: 8265406
    Abstract: A method of entropy encoding image or video data may include entropy encoding a number of blocks independently and in parallel to generate a number of bit streams. At least one of the number of bit streams may include an assumed value in place of a value that would be determined by another bit stream. The method may also include selectively correcting the assumed value based on a value in another one of the number of bit streams. The number of bit streams may be combined into an output, entropy encoded bit stream corresponding to the number of blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Reese
  • Patent number: 8260074
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for measuring the depth of an object in a scene and a method for computing image defocus and blur status are provided. An image analysis unit receives a plurality of reference blurred images, analyzes the reference blurred images, produces reference grey-scale distribution data, where the reference blurred images corresponds to a plurality of reference depths, respectively. A blur comparison module produces a blur model according to the reference grey-scale distribution data and the corresponding reference depths. The image analysis unit receives a target blurred image, analyzes the target blurred image, and produces and transmits target grey-scale distribution data to the blur comparison module for comparing the target grey-scale distribution data according to the blur model, and producing depth information. Moreover, the present invention further produces the corresponding blur status data, used in defocus and blur computations, according to the defocused and blurred image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
    Inventors: Huei-Yung Lin, Kai-Da Gu, Hung-Chia Wang
  • Patent number: 8260046
    Abstract: A method for pixel color correction includes the steps of determining a gray degree of a designated pixel; generating an adjusted color correction matrix according to the gray degree of the designated pixel; and applying the adjusted color correction matrix to the designated pixel to correct color errors of the designated pixel. The gray degree is generated according to a ratio of the chrominance information to the luminance information. A weighted sum of a reference color correction matrix and a unity matrix is calculated to generate the adjusted color correction matrix, and weighting factors of the reference color correction matrix and the unity matrix are determined by the gray degree, wherein the unity matrix is a fundamental matrix without color correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Miaohong Shi, Amit Mittra
  • Patent number: 8254704
    Abstract: A “Remote Display Generator,” as described herein, provides various techniques for providing high-fidelity displays with highly responsive interactive application experiences to clients across a wide range of network bandwidths for remotely hosted applications. In general, the Remote Display Generator uses a compression-friendly remote display architecture as a core. With this compression architecture, actual screen data from a remote server is read out from the display buffer frame by frame, and then compressed with a unified screen codec. Other technologies, including timer-driven screen update models and adaptive transmission mechanisms, are then integrated with various embodiments of the Remote Display Generator to improve overall user experience by improving display quality and responsiveness to user interaction with remotely hosted applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Lu, Huifeng Shen, Feng Wu, Shipeng Li
  • Patent number: 8254674
    Abstract: A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image includes acquiring a first image, and analyzing one or more partial face regions within the first image. One or more characteristics of the first image are determined. One or more corrective processes are identified including red eye correction that can be beneficially applied to the first image according to the one or more characteristics. The one or more corrective processes are applied to the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
    Inventors: Florin Nanu, Stefan Petrescu, Mihnea Gangea, Adrian Capata, Mihai Ciuc, Adrian Zamfir, Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran, Alexei Pososin, Petronel Bigioi, Alexandru Drimbarean
  • Patent number: 8254705
    Abstract: A graphic data encoding method and apparatus generating a bitstream by encoding a header having at least one piece of first information determined in consideration of a predetermined graphic profile from among multiple pieces of encodable first information; and encoding a payload having at least one piece of second information determined in consideration of the predetermined graphic profile from among multiple pieces of encodable second information. A graphic data decoding method and apparatus decode the generated bitstream. Irrespective of the functions that can be performed by the graphic data encoding apparatus and the functions that can be performed by the graphic data decoding apparatus, the graphic data decoding apparatus, which is in accordance with a graphic profile, can completely restore a 3D mesh model described in the bitstream generated by the graphic data encoding apparatus that is satisfactory to the graphic profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-hwan Ahn, Mahn-jin Han
  • Patent number: 8249340
    Abstract: A dimensionality reduction method and system for efficient color transform compression is disclosed. A multi-dimensional color transform with an n-dimensional input color space can be received. A projection operator can be derived and applied to the n-dimensional input color space to form a k-dimensional input color space. A functional approximation can be designed to the n-dimensional input color space and can be evaluated on the k-dimensional input color space to form an m-dimensional output color space. The projection operator and the approximation function can be combined to form a compressed transform by mapping the n-dimensional input color space to m-dimensional output color space. Such an approach provides a significant reduction in size of the color profile with respect to storage and speeds-up real-time computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Vishal Monga, Raja Bala
  • Patent number: 8238652
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a feature extracting unit configured to extract a feature in each local area from an image including a plurality of colors in bands of visible radiation and non-visible radiation, the feature having elements representing ratios between a reference color and individual colors; and a discriminating unit configured to discriminate an object in each local area by using the feature extracted for the local area by the feature extracting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ono
  • Patent number: RE43649
    Abstract: A method of image compression includes significance switching of DCT coefficients in block-based embedded DCT procedures. Bitwise digitized DCT coefficients are passed through successive significance sweeps of the whole image from the most significant down to the least significant coefficient bit planes. With each new sweep, newly significant coefficients may appear within a block, and block-masking is used to transmit the addresses of those newly significant coefficients. An off-mask may also be used. The invention further relates to a hardware or software-based image encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ayscough Visuals LLC
    Inventor: Donald Martin Monro