Patents Examined by David N. Werner
  • Patent number: 9900526
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided to compensate for and/or update ineffective (e.g., stale) calibration terms due to calibration drifts in infrared imaging devices. For example, a virtual-shutter non-uniformity correction (NUC) procedure may be initiated to generate NUC terms to correct non-uniformities when appropriate triggering events and/or conditions are detected that may indicate presence of an object or scene to act as a shutter (e.g., a virtual shutter). Scene-based non-uniformity correction (SBNUC) may be performed during image capturing operations of the infrared imaging device, for example, when a virtual-shutter scene is not available. Further, snapshots of calibration data (e.g., NUC terms) produced during the virtual-shutter NUC procedure, the SBNUC process, and/or other NUC process may be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Kostrzewa, Vu L. Nguyen, Theodore R. Hoelter, Nicholas Högasten, Mark Nussmeier, Eric A. Kurth, Katrin Strandemar, Pierre Boulanger, Barbara Sharp
  • Patent number: 9874334
    Abstract: A modularized smart home-care lighting device includes a lighting device including a base and a swappable assembly. The base is provided therein with a plurality of LEDs and an insertion slot. The insertion slot allows for installation and connection of a swappable assembly that has a camera for panoramic surveillance and monitoring. The camera has a circumference in which a detection module that detects an environment outside the lighting device and an ancillary module corresponding to the detection module to provide reminder and alarm. The swappable assembly is readily inserted into the base to establish secured connection therewith. Through electrical connection with the main control panel in the swappable assembly, the lighting device is allowed for expansion for diverse functions, which in combination with automatic connection with household electrical appliances, allows family members to be well taken care of to achieve the purpose of smart home care.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Kaipo Chen
  • Patent number: 9870685
    Abstract: An image signal processing DSP subjects an image captured by an imaging element having a zoom lens to image processing for identifying a tracking target. In accordance with zoom information generated by the image signal processing DSP, the main CPU controls the zoom lens and controls a turn table that moves the imaging element in panning and tilting directions in accordance with pan and tilt information, to track the tracking target. During tracking of the tracking target, a determination is made, from information about movements of the tracking target generated by the image signal processing DSP, as to whether or not the target to be tracked has intruded the inside of the area from the outside. In a case where the target has intruded the inside of a preset area from the outside, an alarm command is produced when the target continually remains in the area for; e.g., one second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Mori, Yasuji Nakamura, Kazutaka Higuchi, Satoru Ooyabu
  • Patent number: 9854641
    Abstract: A smart home-care lighting system includes a lighting device having a portion that is light transmittable. The lighting device receives therein an illumination module for purpose of illumination, a detection module for detecting an outside environment, an alarm module and a sound effect module operable in combination with the detection module for indication and alarming, and an image pickup module for capturing and recording images. The lighting device also includes, arranged therein, a microprocessor and a main control module for transmitting and storing personal habits and health information. The device is arranged such that image can be captured in ranges that does not overlap to provide a surveillance range of 360-degree full view and operation can be made with the main control module for determination for proper action to be taken and may be used in combination with household appliances to construct a smart home-care system that benefit home members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Kaipo Chen
  • Patent number: 9838701
    Abstract: One exemplary method for decoding a scalable video stream, including a base layer frame and at least an enhancement layer frame corresponding to the base layer frame, has the following steps: decoding the base layer frame; and before the base layer frame is fully decoded, decoding the enhancement layer frame. Another exemplary method for decoding a scalable video stream, including a base layer frame and at least an enhancement layer frame corresponding to the base layer frame, has the following steps: decoding the enhancement layer frame, and decoding the base layer frame; wherein a start point of decoding the enhancement layer frame is earlier than a start point of decoding the base layer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Tsu-Ming Liu, Yung-Chang Chang, Chi-Cheng Ju
  • Patent number: 9813738
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing in-loop reconstructed video using an in-loop filter is disclosed. In the recent HEVC development, adaptive loop filtering (ALF) is being adopted to process in-loop reconstruction video data, where ALF can be selectively turned ON or OFF for each block in a frame or a slice. An advanced ALF is disclosed later that allows a choice of multiple filter sets that can be applied to the reconstructed video data adaptively. In the present disclosure, pixels of the in-loop reconstructed video data are divided into a plurality of to-be-filtered regions, and an in-loop filter from a filter set is determined for each to-be-filtered region based on a rate-distortion optimization procedure. According to one embodiment of the present invention, computation of cost function associated with the rate-distortion optimization procedure is related to correlation values associated with original video data and the in-loop reconstructed video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: HFI Innovation Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Yang Tsai, Chih-Ming Fu, Ching-Yeh Chen, Yu-Wen Huang, Shaw-Min Lei
  • Patent number: 9811944
    Abstract: The invention relates to visualizing freeform surfaces, like NURBS surfaces, from three-dimensional construction data via Virtual beams from a virtual camera are sent out of a virtual image plane in a scene having at least one object and at least one freeform surface. Lighting values are calculated for each point where a beam intersects the freeform surface. The lighting values are then attributed to the pixels associated with the different points of intersection. The freeform surface is defined by two parameters (u, v), and related equations define all points of the surface of the freeform surface The subdivision of the freeform surface for determining the intersections with the beams based on the two parameters (u, v) is regular, so that the surface fragments form meshes of a two-dimensional grid of the freeform surface in the parameter space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: AUTODESK, INC.
    Inventor: Oliver Abert
  • Patent number: 9807407
    Abstract: Techniques are described where a device that includes a video decoder outputs information identifying a picture to a device that includes a video encoder. The video encoder may determine pictures that could have been used to inter-prediction encode the identified picture and/or pictures following the identified picture in coding order. The video encoder may inter-prediction encode a current picture based on one or more of the determined pictures and/or the identified picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Siping Tao, Muhammed Zeyd Coban, Marta Karczewicz
  • Patent number: 9788017
    Abstract: A method for performing video analytics includes receiving at a source end video data including first video data relating to an event of interest. Using video analytics, other than a data compression process, pre-processing of the video data is performed at the source end to reduce the bandwidth requirement for transmitting the video data to below a bandwidth limit of a Wide Area Network (WAN) over which the video data is to be transmitted. The pre-processed video data is transmitted to a central server via the WAN, where other video analytics processing of the pre-processed video data is performed. Based on a result of the other video analytics processing, a signal is generated for performing a predetermined action, in response to an occurrence of the event of interest at the source end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Laganiere, William Murphy, Pascal Blais, Jason Phillips
  • Patent number: 9781449
    Abstract: An offline quantization module is used to optimize a rate-distortion task. The offline quantization module calculates a quantization kernel for a range of computable block parameters and a range of rate-distortion slope values representing the rate and complexity of a coded video. A quantization kernel is utilized by an encoder application for content-adaptive quantization of transformed coefficients. The quantization kernel includes a block data model, a quality metric model, and an entropy coding model. The quantization kernel is suitable for existing and future coding standards. A rate-distortion slope selection process is performed on a per-frame basis for improved rate-distortion performance. The slope is selected by referring to the block model parameter value within the quantization kernel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Korman, Andrey Sinitskiy
  • Patent number: 9779307
    Abstract: A computing system processes a video recording to identify a plurality of motion events, each corresponding to a respective video segment along a timeline of the video recording. The computing system identifies at least one object in motion within a scene depicted in the video recording and stores a respective event mask for each event. The computing system receives a definition of a zone of interest within the scene. In response to receiving the definition, the computing system determines, for each motion event, whether the respective event mask of the motion event overlaps with the zone of interest by at least a predetermined overlap factor, and identifies one or more events of interest from the plurality of motion events, wherein the respective event mask of each identified event of interest is determined to overlap with the zone of interest by at least the predetermined overlap factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Jason N. Laska, Gregory R. Nelson, Greg Duffy, Hiro Mitsuji, Cameron Hill, Martin Davidsson, Michael D. Montalbo, Tung Yuen Wan
  • Patent number: 9773169
    Abstract: The invention provides an image capture system, apparatus and method for capturing a biometric image in high ambient light environments. Reflections from ambient light can introduce unwanted environmental pattern noise that can interfere with extracting information from a captured biometric image. The invention performs attenuation of ambient light without requiring employment of shielding to prevent ambient light from reflecting off of a surface being imaged. As a result, the invention can be deployed into environments with varied indoor or outdoor lighting characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: CROSS MATCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Fulmer, George W. McClurg, John M. Burgan, James L. Cambier, Donald E. Russ, Daniel H. Raguin
  • Patent number: 9759995
    Abstract: Diffuse image measurement system and digital image formation method. The system includes a source of light with time-varying intensity directed at a scene to be imaged. A time-resolved light meter is provided for receiving light reflected from the scene to generate time-resolved samples of the intensity of light incident at the light meter. The temporal variation in the intensity of light incident at the light meter is associated with a function of a radiometric property of the scene, such as a linear functional of reflectance, and a computer processes the samples to construct a digital image. The spatial resolution of the digital image is finer than the spatial support of the illumination on the scene and finer than the spatial support of the sensitivity of the light meter. Using appropriate light sources instead of impulsive illumination significantly improves signal-to-noise ratio and reconstruction quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ghulam Ahmed Kirmani, Vivek K. Goyal
  • Patent number: 9740943
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object detection device can enhance the accuracy in detecting a three-dimensional object regardless of the brightness in the detection environment. The device has an image capture means that captures an image of a predetermined area and an image conversion means that converts the image through a viewpoint conversion into birds-eye view image. A first three-dimensional object detection means aligns positions of bird's-eye view images at different times obtained by the image conversion means, counts the number of pixels that exhibit a predetermined difference on a differential image of the aligned bird's-eye view images to generate a frequency distribution thereby creating differential waveform information, and detects a three-dimensional object on the basis of the differential waveform information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Osamu Fukata
  • Patent number: 9726847
    Abstract: Disclosed is a camera module. The camera module includes a lens assembly comprising a plurality of lens units having a polygonal outer peripheral portion, a lens barrel receiving the lens assembly, a fixing unit fixing the lens assembly to the lens barrel, a housing coupled with the lens barrel, and a sensor unit in the housing. The lens barrel is provided in a lower portion thereof with a receiving groove, and the receiving groove has a shape corresponding to a shape of the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myoung Jin An, Seung Man Jeong, Jin Han Song, Kee Tae Um
  • Patent number: 9728055
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for monitoring activity at a location, provides receiving a first data signal and a second data signal, wherein the first and second data signals are related to activities detected at a location, and reproducing the first and second data signals in a chronology that indicates relative timing of receipt of the first and second data signals via a user interface. This may accelerate review and inspection of multiple data signals recorded over time, including data signals of various types. The coincidence of patterns in the data signals may be detected and brought to the user's attention for closer review, such as via transmission of a message or transmission of a segment of recorded data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9729899
    Abstract: An encoding device evaluates a plurality of processing and/or post-processing algorithms and/or methods to be applied to a video stream, and signals a selected method, algorithm, class or category of methods/algorithms either in an encoded bitstream or as side information related to the encoded bitstream. A decoding device or post-processor utilizes the signaled algorithm or selects an algorithm/method based on the signaled method or algorithm. The selection is based, for example, on availability of the algorithm/method at the decoder/post-processor and/or cost of implementation. The video stream may comprise, for example, downsampled multiplexed stereoscopic images and the selected algorithm may include any of upconversion and/or error correction techniques that contribute to a restoration of the downsampled images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Athanasios Leontaris, Peshala V. Pahalawatta, Kevin J. Stec
  • Patent number: 9716828
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for performing spherical panorama shooting in an electronic device are provided. The method includes, displaying, if it is determined that the electronic device is positioned in an outdoor environment, a first summary guide corresponding to the outdoor environment, and displaying, if it is determined that the electronic device is positioned in an indoor environment, a second summary guide corresponding to the indoor environment. The first summary guide and the second summary guide are graphic User Interfaces (UI) for informing a spherical panorama shooting progress, and the second summary guide has a number of image shootings that are required for generating a spherical panoramic image, different from the number of image shootings in a case where the first summary guide is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyeon Yoo, Sung-Dae Cho, Dae-Sung Kim, Jung-Ik Seo
  • Patent number: 9709255
    Abstract: A smart home-care security device includes a security device that includes a master control board and installed for home use. The master control board is electrically connected with an image-taking module that recognizes a target body, a communication module connectable with multiple electrical appliances, and a detection module, and a reminder module for indicating and reminding. The detection module includes: a microwave measurement module using microwave to detect blood pressure data of the target body; a biological recognition module using microwave to detect a physiological signal of the target body; and a water quality measurement module installed in home water supply facility to inspect and wirelessly transmit water quality. The security device uses the detection module to conduct remote monitoring of the target body in order to establish detailed data of the target body and allow the communication module to provide voice control and wireless connection with the electrical appliances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Kaipo Chen
  • Patent number: 9674548
    Abstract: A solution is provided to estimate motion vectors of a video. A multistage motion vector prediction engine is configured to estimate multiple best block-matching motion vectors for each block in each video frame of the video. For each stage of the motion vector estimation for a block of a video frame, the prediction engine selects a test vector form a predictor set of test vectors, computes a rate-distortion optimization (RDO) based metric for the selected test vector, and selects a subset of test vectors as individual best matched motion vectors based on the RDO based metric. The selected individual best matched motion vectors are compared and a total best matched motion vector is selected based on the comparison. The prediction engine selects iteratively applies one or more global matching criteria to the selected best matched motion vector to select a best matched motion vector for the block of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: FastVDO LLC
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, Hye-Yeon Cheong, Pankaj Topiwala