Patents Examined by David Czekaj
  • Patent number: 8638364
    Abstract: A thermal imaging interface for control of a computer program may obtain one or more thermal infrared images of one or more objects with one or more thermographic cameras. The images may be analyzed to identify one or more characteristics of the objects. Such characteristics may be used as a control input in the computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Ruxin Chen, Steven Osman
  • Patent number: 8633976
    Abstract: Provided is a position specifying system including: a light irradiation section that irradiates light to different positions of a physical body respectively; an image capturing section that captures images of an object existing inside the physical body, by means of the light irradiated to the different positions; and a position specifying section that specifies a depth of the object from a surface of the physical body onto which the light from the light irradiation section is irradiated, based on a difference in the images captured by the image capturing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Kiyohiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8634479
    Abstract: A method of processing a video signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving prediction information of a macroblock and filter information, predicting a current picture using the prediction information of the macroblock, and applying a filter using the predicted current picture and the filter information. Accordingly, accuracy of prediction can be enhanced by applying a filter to a frame predicted before a residual for a predicted frame is coded. As the residual is reduced, efficiency of video signal processing can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joon Young Park, Byeong Moon Jeon, Seung Wook Park
  • Patent number: 8633966
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing device enabling a content of 3D image to be appropriately reproduced from a recording medium. A virtual extent read out from a recording medium recorded with interleaved data obtained by dividing each of a base stream and an enhanced stream into extents Ext1 and Ext2, and arranging the Ext1 and Ext2 in an interleaved manner so that the Ext1 and Ext2 are adjacent to each other, and a file entry of a 2D reproduction file in which the Ext1 is stored in a reproducing order, and a 3D type 1 reproduction file in which the virtual extent is stored in a reproducing order, with a set of Ext1 and Ext2, which are adjacent to each other in the interleaved data, as the virtual extent, is divided into the Ext1 and Ext2 using the file entry of the 2D reproduction file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Kato, Kazuo Yamamoto, Masayoshi Mizuno, Shigeho Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8633986
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of controlling electronics is performed at an apparatus that includes one or more processors, a camera, and a transmitter. In the method, the camera acquires a first image of one or more electronic devices configured for remote control. A database is queried for information regarding the one or more electronic devices, based on the first image. In response to querying the database, the information regarding the one or more electronic devices is received. This information includes specifications for communicating with the one or more electronic devices. User input is received corresponding to a command for a respective electronic device of the one or more electronic devices. In response to the user input, an instruction corresponding to the command is transmitted to the respective electronic device via a signal generated by the transmitter in accordance with the specifications for communicating with the respective electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Hughes
  • Patent number: 8633969
    Abstract: An optical system for capturing three-dimensional images of a three-dimensional object is provided. The optical system includes a projector for structured illumination of the object. The projector includes a light source, a grid mask positioned between the light source and the object for structured illumination of the object, and a first Wavefront Coding (WFC) element having a phase modulating mask positioned between the grid mask and the object to receive patterned light from the light source through the grid mask. The first WFC element is constructed and arranged such that a point spread function of the projector is substantially invariant over a wider range of depth of field of the grid mask than a point spread function of the projector without the first WFC element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paulo E. X. Silveira, Dennis J. Gallagher, Lu Gao
  • Patent number: 8629896
    Abstract: A camera unit capable of taking good visibility images covering a wide field of view, and having a thinner profile includes an imaging optical unit having free-curved surface prisms for forming subject images, a single imaging device for photoelectrically-converting the subject images from a plurality of directions formed by the imaging optical unit, a signal processing unit, a communication unit, and a control unit for controlling operation of the imaging device and the signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Koichi Takahashi, Toshiya Sodeyama, Fumito Orii, Izuru Kiyokawa
  • Patent number: 8625678
    Abstract: A method for estimating motion for the scalable video coding, includes the step of estimating the motion field of a sequence of photograms which can be represented with a plurality of space resolution levels including computing the motion field for the minimum resolution level and, until the maximum resolution level is reached, repeating the steps of: rising by one resolution level; extracting the photograms for such resolution level; and computing the motion field for such resolution level. The motion field is computed through an optical flow equation which contains, for every higher level than the minimum resolution level, a regularization factor between levels which points out the difference between the solution for the considered level and the solution for the immediately lower resolution level. A more or less high value of the regularization factor implies more or less relevant changes of the component at the considered resolution during the following process iterations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giovanni Cordara, Gianluca Francini, Skjalg Lepsoy
  • Patent number: 8624965
    Abstract: A 3D glasses driving method for driving 3D shutter glasses and 3D glasses and a 3D display apparatus using the same, the 3D glasses driving method including: receiving a sync signal from an external device; determining a duty of a driving signal which opens a left eye glass and a right eye glass of the 3D shutter glasses; and opening and closing the left eye glass and the right eye glass of the 3D shutter glasses alternately based on the sync signal and the determined duty. Accordingly, the user is able to watch the 3D image in a descried brightness without experiencing a crosstalk phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-jin Park, Jun-ho Sung, Ki-bum Seong, Nak-won Choi
  • Patent number: 8626504
    Abstract: Signatures that can be used to identify video and audio content are generated from the content by generating measures of dissimilarity between features of corresponding groups of pixels in frames of video content and by generating low-resolution time-frequency representations of audio segments. The signatures are generated by applying a hash function to intermediate values derived from the measures of dissimilarity and to the low-resolution time-frequency representations. The generated signatures may be used in a variety of applications such as restoring synchronization between video and audio content streams and identifying copies of original video and audio content. The generated signatures can provide reliable identifications despite intentional and unintentional modifications to the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Regunathan Radhakrishnan, Claus Bauer, Kent Bennett Terry, Brian David Link, Hyung-Suk Kim, Eric Gsell
  • Patent number: 8619872
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for conducting interlayer texture prediction in encoding or decoding of video signal. The present method constructs a pair of frame macro blocks from a single field macro block or vertically-adjacent two field macro blocks of a base layer, and using texture information of the constructed pair of frame macro blocks in interlayer texture prediction of a pair of frame macro blocks of a current layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Wook Park, Byeong Moon Jeon, Ji Ho Park
  • Patent number: 8619198
    Abstract: A system includes a computing device that includes a memory for storing content of a sequence of frames, and a frame predictor. The frame predictor determines a difference between content of a first frame and content of a second frame, in which the first and second frames are adjacent in the sequence of frames. The difference between the content of the first and second frames is representative of image changes included in the content of first and second frames. The frame predictor is configured to produce an intermediate frame using at least one of the first and second frames, and the determined difference. The frame predictor is further configured to insert the intermediate frame into the frame sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Dmitry Andreev
  • Patent number: 8619881
    Abstract: In one method embodiment, forward transforming a set of co-located blocks corresponding to plural matched frames; computing a difference measure for a subset of coefficients between a set of transformed blocks and a reference block, the computation in a two-dimensional (2D) transform domain; and selectively thresholding one or more of the co-located transformed blocks based on the number of transformed blocks having a difference measure below a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Joel W. Schoenblum
  • Patent number: 8619131
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of illuminating a 3D object 10 with a modified 2D image of the 3D object 10. Further, the invention provides a dedicated projector 40 for performing this method. This projector 40 further comprises an image sensor 60 to capture a 2D image of the object, which may, after modification into the modified 2D image, be projected by the projector 40 on the 3D object 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Anthonie Hendrik Bergman, Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom, Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn
  • Patent number: 8614738
    Abstract: In a stereoscopic image imaging method which captures an image of an object to be displayed as a stereoscopic image, a three-dimensional image is generated in real time from multi-viewpoint images captured by a multi-camera, and is displayed on a viewer provided to the multi-camera, thus allowing a photographer to adjust an imaging condition. The photographer is informed of parameters, which implements a display state adjusted by an observer of a three-dimensional display while observing the three-dimensional image, via the viewer, and the photographer can capture appropriate multi-viewpoint images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Rieko Fukushima, Akira Morishita, Yoshiyuki Kokojima, Yuzo Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8614747
    Abstract: A mark which at least reflects or radiates invisible light of predetermined wavelength other than visible light is added in a space of the real world. A camera apparatus comprises image capturing means for capturing a real image in which an invisible-light image may be discriminating. An image processing apparatus, comprises: mark discriminating means for discriminating at least one condition of a position of image of mark in the captured real image, a orientation of the mark, and a distance from the mark to the image capturing means, and overlaying condition determining means for determining, in correspondence with the discriminated condition, a overlaying condition which is at least one of an overlaying position which is a position of the image of the virtual object overlaid on the captured real image in the real image, an orientation of the virtual object which the image of the virtual object indicates, and a distance from a view point of viewer, of the image of the virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Metaio GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Alt, Peter Meier, Masahiro Ookura, Tobias Eble
  • Patent number: 8614745
    Abstract: The fire hydrant monitoring system provides for the monitoring of the condition of a plurality of remotely installed hydrants, and sending a warning of any accidental or deliberate tampering or damage to the hydrant to a central station. The hydrant-installed component includes a collar divided into four equal quadrants, which are installed around the upper end of the hydrant barrel and below the head or cap of the hydrant. The collar includes a plurality of cameras and lighting for night operation, and an electrical storage battery for power. The battery may be recharged by solar cells. Each hydrant-installed unit also has a transmitter. Signals of the hydrant condition are sent to a central monitoring station. The monitoring station may monitor the condition of a plurality of remotely installed hydrants, each of the hydrants being equipped with one of the monitoring collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Inventor: Wasmeyyah M. A. S. Al Azemi
  • Patent number: 8611424
    Abstract: The present application provides an image processing apparatus, including: a correlation value calculation section configured to determine a correlation value between a target block and a each of reference blocks; a section configured to determine a highest value from among the correlation values; a motion vector detection section configured to detect a motion vector of the target block; and a section configured to calculate an index to reliability of the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Kurata
  • Patent number: 8610768
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for eye detection for use in, for example, installations and systems for tracking eyes and gaze angle/directions. The system includes a plurality of eye detection units connected to an image sensor. The eye detection units are adapted to receive regions of picture elements of a digital image frame substantially in parallel and wherein the eye detection units are adapted to operate substantially in parallel, each eye detection unit being adapted to receive a specified region of the picture elements of at least one digital image frame and including an eye feature extraction module adapted to perform a eye feature extraction process on the received picture elements to identify predetermined eye features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
    Inventors: Johnny Holmberg, Peter Blixt, John Elvesjö
  • Patent number: 8605141
    Abstract: There is presented a system and method for providing real-time object recognition to a remote user. The system comprises a portable communication device including a camera, at least one client-server host device remote from and accessible by the portable communication device over a network, and a recognition database accessible by the client-server host device or devices. A recognition application residing on the client-server host device or devices is capable of utilizing the recognition database to provide real-time object recognition of visual imagery captured using the portable communication device to the remote user of the portable communication device. In one embodiment, a sighted assistant shares an augmented reality panorama with a visually impaired user of the portable communication device where the panorama is constructed from sensor data from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC
    Inventors: Orang Dialameh, Douglas Miller, Charles Blanchard, Timothy C. Dorcey, Jeremi M Sudol