Patents Examined by Behrooz Senfi
  • Patent number: 9071827
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, devices, and non-transitory computer readable media that relate to stereoscopic image creation. A camera captures an initial image at an initial position. A target displacement from the initial position is determined for a desired stereoscopic effect, and an instruction is provided that specifies a direction in which to move the camera from the initial position. While the camera is in motion, an estimated displacement from the initial position is calculated. When the estimated displacement corresponds to the target displacement, the camera automatically captures a candidate image. An acceptability analysis is performed to determine whether the candidate image has acceptable image quality and acceptable similarity to the initial image. If the candidate image passes the acceptability analysis, a stereoscopic image is created based on the initial and candidate images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Huang, Samuel Kvaalen, Peter Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 9066650
    Abstract: A medical control system comprises: first and second controllers; a touch panel operation unit which receives an operation to the controllers; a switching unit which selectively switches a connection state between first and second states. The operation unit has a touch signal transmission unit which transmits a signal to the first controller when and the operation unit is touched in the first state. The first controller has a first operation command transmission unit which transmits to a peripheral equipment an command in which an operation content of the peripheral equipment is specified by the signal, a first connection state detection unit which detects a change of connection state from the first state to the second state by the switching unit during a period the operation unit is being touched, a first control unit which stops a transmission of the command in accordance with a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 9066061
    Abstract: A plurality of I- or P-pictures for displaying video images with the same data as the last frame of the main data of the content are added as reproduction synchronization adjustment frames after the last frame of the main data; when reproduction leads a reference reproducing device, more synchronization adjustment frames are reproduced (ST11); when reproduction lags, fewer synchronization adjustment frames are reproduced (ST9). Reproduction can be synchronized among a plurality of reproducing devices (42) that read data from a storage medium and reproduce the data, or receive data by network delivery and reproduce the data, under conditions where system clock correction by use of PCR is impossible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Ryu, Satoshi Minami
  • Patent number: 9057943
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a sound recording arrangement comprising a sound recording arrangement and a method in the sound recording arrangement for amplifying sounds in a primary gaze direction of the user of the sound recording arrangement. The method comprises the actions of recording sounds arriving at a sound recording unit from objects in the field of view of the user, and recording a first set of images of the head and/or the eyes of the user, and determining a primary gaze direction of the user based on the first set of images, and amplifying sounds arriving in the primary gaze direction compared to sounds arriving from other directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications AB
    Inventors: Pär Stenberg, Karl Ola Thörn, Magnus Jendbro, Pär-Anders Aronsson, Magnus Landqvist, Martin Ek
  • Patent number: 9060168
    Abstract: Overlapped block disparity estimation and compensation is described. Compensating for images with overlapped block disparity compensation (OBDC) involves determining if OBDC is enabled in a video bit stream, and determining if OBDC is enabled for one or more macroblocks that neighbor a first macroblock within the video bit stream. The neighboring macroblocks may be transform coded. If OBDC is enabled in the video bit stream and for the one or more neighboring macroblocks, predictions may be made for a region of the first macroblock that has an edge adjacent with the neighboring macroblocks. OBDC can be causally applied. Disparity compensation parameters or modes may be shared amongst views or layers. A variety of predictions may be used with causally-applied OBDC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Athanasios Leontaris
  • Patent number: 9055198
    Abstract: A system and method for obtaining biometric imagery such as iris imagery from large capture volumes is disclosed wherein a substantially rotationally symmetric mirror such as a cone or sphere is rotated at a constant velocity about a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: EYELOCK, INC.
    Inventors: Keith J. Hanna, George Herbert Needham Riddle, David James Hirvonen, David Hammond Sliney
  • Patent number: 9049452
    Abstract: In HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), a 2N×2N coding unit can be partitioned into various partition types hierarchically. The coding system uses a criterion to determine the best partition, where RD-rate is often used as the criterion. N×N partition at level k becomes redundant if 2N×2N at level k+1 will be evaluated. In order to eliminate the above redundancy, the allowable partition sizes are constrained according to a method previously disclosed. In the current invention, the complexity is further reduced. According to one embodiment, N×N partition is not allowed for any INTER mode regardless of the coding unit size. Furthermore, flexibility is provided so that either the method and apparatus with further complexity reduction can be selected or an alternative method and apparatus can be selected. Syntaxes to support embodiments according to the present invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Shan Liu, Yu-Wen Huang, Shaw-Min Lei
  • Patent number: 9049351
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a remote video inspection device. The method includes: applying an insulating coating to an exterior surface of a conduit; forming an imager housing on one end of the conduit using an overmolding process, the imager housing having a cavity configured to receive a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed thereon; feeding wires through the conduit and electrically coupling the wires to the circuit board assembly; inserting the circuit board assembly into the cavity of the imager housing; affixing a cap over the cavity of the imager housing; sliding an insulating finger guard over an opposing end of the conduit; affixing the finger guard along the conduit at a location proximate to the opposing end of the cable, such that the finger guard extends radially outward from the cable; and attaching a connector to the opposing end of the conduit. In this way, the remote inspection device has been designed to meet certain electrical safety standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Inspectron, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Lyons, Al Boehnlein, Tye Newman, Jeffrey C. Schober, Aaron Scarth, Jeff Plane
  • Patent number: 9041776
    Abstract: A 3-dimensional depth image generating system and method thereof are provided. The 3-dimensional depth image generating system includes a first and a second camera devices and an image processing device. The first and the second camera devices are apart for a predetermined distance, and respectively captures an object to obtain a firs and a second images. The image processing device is connected with the first and the second camera devices and respectively obtains a first and a second partial images, wherein the first and the second partial images both include a first predetermined portion and a second predetermined portion of the object, and sizes of the first partial image and the second partial image are respectively smaller than that of the first image and the second image. Wherein, the image processing device combines the first and the second partial images to generate a 3-dimensional depth image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Te Chou, Shou-Te Wei, Chih-Hsuan Lee
  • Patent number: 9042455
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving original encoded video stream as one input, accessing encoded data divided into slices which are further divided into blocks, receiving the list of possible changes or watermarks as another input, accessing at least one block, decoding each slice, setting down each slice, extracting from the list those changes that apply to the at least one block, and constructing propagation maps from inter-prediction or intra-prediction using changes for the at least one block. The method can further comprise decoding luminance data using the propagation maps, comparing the luminance data to a fidelity threshold, and applying possible changes or watermarks to those not exceeding the fidelity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Shan He, Jeffrey Adam Bloom, Dekun Zou
  • Patent number: 9031127
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a data signal that includes a plurality of encoded frames in a first access unit, receiving a data message indicative of a similarity between a portion of a first one of the plurality of encoded frames and a portion of a non-successive second one of the plurality of encoded frames in a second access unit, and decoding the portion of the second one of the plurality of encoded frames from the portion of the first one of the plurality of encoded frames when the data signal is corrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l
    Inventor: Miska Hannuksela
  • Patent number: 9025666
    Abstract: A video decoder includes an entropy decoding device that includes a first processor that generates first entropy decoded (EDC) data from a first portion of an encoded video signal and further that generates second EDC data from a second portion of the encoded video signal. A general video decoding device includes a second processor that generates a first portion of a decoded video signal from the first EDC data and that further generates a second portion of the decoded video signal from the second EDC data. A shared memory includes at least one buffer that is accessed by the general video decoding device via absolute memory addressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Vixs Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Limin (Bob) Wang, Yinxia (Michael) Yang
  • Patent number: 9020030
    Abstract: In one example, an apparatus includes a video encoder configured to partition a block of video data into a first partition and a second partition using a geometric motion partition line, calculate a prediction value of a pixel in a transition region of the block using a filter that applies a value for at least one neighboring pixel from the first partition and a value for at least one neighboring pixel from the second partition, calculate a residual value of the pixel in the transition region of the block based on the prediction value of the pixel in the transition region, and output the residual value of the pixel. In one example, a video decoder may use a similar filter to decode an the encoded block after receiving the residual value for the encoded block, and using a definition of the geometric motion partition line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Peisong Chen, Xianglin Wang, Marta Karczewicz
  • Patent number: 9020046
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for adaptively reducing blocking artifacts in block-coded video are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes processing logic at least capable of deblock filtering at least a portion of a line of video data based, at least in part, on edge information and texture information to generate at least a portion of a line of deblocked video data, and an image data output device responsive to the processing logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jorge E. Caviedes, Mahesh M. Subedar, Khasim S. Dudekula
  • Patent number: 9014270
    Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system for a rapid motion search applied in template matching are disclosed. The method includes: selecting motion vectors of blocks related to a current block as candidate motion vectors of the current block; after the uniqueness of a series of the candidate motion vectors of the current block is maintained, calculating the cost function of the candidate motion vectors in a corresponding template area of a reference frame, and obtaining the motion vector of the best matching template from the candidate motion vectors of the current block. In the embodiments of the present invention, there is no need to determine a large search range and no need to determine the corresponding search path template, and it is only necessary to perform a search in a smaller range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sixin Lin, Lianhuan Xiong, Yingjia Liu, Steffen Kamp, Mathias Wien
  • Patent number: 9008191
    Abstract: A video compression encoder which does not require a video frame buffer is disclosed. Without a frame buffer, incoming pixels can not be compared to pixels previously sent to the decoder. Instead, the disclosed encoder only stores check values for groups of pixels sent. If a group's check value has not changed, the encoder sends a command to the decoder not to change that pixel group. Also, without a frame buffer, an incoming video frame can not be captured and later sent to the decoder as network throughput permits. Instead, if throughput is insufficient to send an encoded group of pixels, the encoder leaves the check value for that group unchanged and sends a command instructing the decoder not to change those pixels. This defers updating that group until the next screen update is sent to the decoder. Grouping of pixels can be done in any fashion, for example; a group can be a single video line, a portion of a line, multiple lines or screen rectangles containing portions of multiple lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Avocent Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Dambrackas, Mario Costa, George Richard Goodley
  • Patent number: 8994802
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an objective optical system at a distal end of an inserted portion to acquire a subject image; a part that splits the subject image into two optical images focused differently; an imaging device that acquires two images by simultaneously capturing the optical images arranged on an imaging surface; and a part for cutting out at least abutting portions of the optical images on the imaging device, wherein A+B>C+D, where A is half the maximum length of light-receiving regions for the optical images at the imaging surface; where TW is an entry angle at the imaging surface when A is at the maximum image height and d is an optical-path-length difference between the optical images, B=d×tan TW; C is half the length of the light-receiving regions in a direction of the optical images arranged on the imaging surface; and D is a distance between the two light-receiving regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Takeshi Suga, Hiroshi Tsuyuki, Mitsujiro Konno
  • Patent number: 8994801
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with: a first feature value calculating section calculating a first feature value for each of pixels constituting an image obtained by picking up an image of a subject; a region dividing section dividing the image into multiple regions on the basis of the first feature values; a second feature value calculating section calculating a second feature value for each of the divided regions; a classification section performing classification with regard to which of multiple kinds of attributes each region of the multiple regions has, on the basis of the second feature value; a judgment section judging whether a region having a predetermined attribute exists or not; and a diagnostic support information calculating section correcting an attribute value of the region having the predetermined attribute to calculate diagnostic support information for supporting a diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Kenichi Tanaka, Hirokazu Nishimura
  • Patent number: RE45541
    Abstract: A tactile sensor includes a photosensing structure, a volume of elastomer capable of transmitting an image, and a reflective skin covering the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is illuminated through the volume of elastomer by one or more light sources, and has particles that reflect light incident on the reflective skin from within the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is geometrically altered in response to pressure applied by an entity touching the reflective skin, the geometrical alteration causing localized changes in the surface normal of the skin and associated localized changes in the amount of light reflected from the reflective skin in the direction of the photosensing structure. The photosensing structure receives a portion of the reflected light in the form of an image, the image indicating one or more features of the entity producing the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Edward Adelson
  • Patent number: RE45578
    Abstract: A tactile sensor includes a photosensing structure, a volume of elastomer capable of transmitting an image, and a reflective skin covering the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is illuminated through the volume of elastomer by one or more light sources, and has particles that reflect light incident on the reflective skin from within the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is geometrically altered in response to pressure applied by an entity touching the reflective skin, the geometrical alteration causing localized changes in the surface normal of the skin and associated localized changes in the amount of light reflected from the reflective skin in the direction of the photosensing structure. The photosensing structure receives a portion of the reflected light in the form of an image, the image indicating one or more features of the entity producing the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Edward Adelson