Patents Examined by Delomia Gilliard
  • Patent number: 8811754
    Abstract: A method and system for clustering the pixels of a multispectral image is provided. A clustering system computes a maximum spectral similarity score for each pixel that indicates the similarity between that pixel and the most similar neighboring. To determine the maximum similarity score for a pixel, the clustering system generates a similarity score between that pixel and each of its neighboring pixels and then selects the similarity score that represents the highest similarity as the maximum similarity score. The clustering system may apply a filtering criterion based on the maximum similarity score so that pixels with similarity scores below a minimum threshold are not clustered. The clustering system changes the current pixel values of the pixels in a cluster based on an averaging of the original pixel values of the pixels in the cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventor: James Lynn Conger
  • Patent number: 8805085
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method whereby deterioration of effects of filter processing due to local control of filter processing when encoding or decoding can be suppressed. A boundary control flag generating unit 132 of a control information generating unit 112 generates boundary control flags based on system specification information which a system specification managing unit 141 manages. A control unit 171 of an adaptive filter processing unit 113 determines a processing method for filter processing to be performed as to pixels nearby a slice boundary following the value of the boundary control flag. For example, selection is made to perform filter processing straddling slices or to perform filter processing closed at the present slice. The present invention can be applied to an image processing device, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Kondo
  • Patent number: 8798389
    Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of obtaining an image generated by an image pickup system, and performing correction processing for the image by utilizing an image restoration filter generated or selected based on an optical transfer function of the image pickup system. The image restoration filter is a filter configured to reduce a phase degradation component of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koshi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 8798372
    Abstract: Described is a system and method for detecting elevated structures, such as bridges and overpasses, in point cloud data. A set of data from a three-dimensional point cloud of a landscape is received by the system. The set of data points comprises inlier data points and outlier data points. The inlier data points in the three-dimensional point cloud data are identified and combined into at least one segment. The segment is converted into an image comprising at least one image level. Each image level is processed with an edge detection algorithm to detect elevated edges. The elevated edges are vectorized to identify an elevated structure of interest in the landscape. The present invention is useful in applications that require three-dimensional sensing systems, such as autonomous navigation and surveillance applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Dmitriy Korchev, Swarup Medasani, Yuri Owechko
  • Patent number: 8781168
    Abstract: A photometric model includes at least one Gaussian model of a measurable physical magnitude in an image supplied by the camera and it is defined by the mean and the variance of the physical magnitude. A device comprises: means for computing the mean based on the current value of the physical magnitude, these means including a first summer mounted in a closed loop; means for measuring the difference between the mean and the current value of the physical magnitude, these means including a second summer; means for reducing the difference, these means including an automatic regulator. The first summer, the second summer and the automatic regulator are assembled in a closed-loop control of the first summer so as to update the model slowly in a period of stability of the observed scene and rapidly in a period of transition of the observed scene. Application: video surveillance, background subtraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Yoann Dhome
  • Patent number: 8774496
    Abstract: Representations of an object in an image generated by an imaging apparatus can comprise two or more separate sub-objects, producing a compound object. Compound objects can negatively affect the quality of object visualization and threat identification performance. As provided herein, a compound object can be separated into sub-objects. Topology score map data, representing topological differences in the potential compound object, may be computed and used in a statistical distribution to identify modes that may be indicative of the sub-objects. The identified modes may be assigned a label and a voxel of the image data indicative of the potential compound object may be relabeled based on the label assigned to a mode that represents data corresponding to properties of a portion of the object that the voxel represents to create image data indicative of one or more sub-objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Analogic Corporation
    Inventors: Julia Pavlovich, Sergey Simanovsky, Zhengrong Ying, Ram Naidu
  • Patent number: 8774537
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device and method whereby deterioration of effects of filter processing due to local control of filter processing when encoding or decoding can be suppressed. A boundary control flag generating unit 132 of a control information generating unit 112 generates boundary control flags based on system specification information which a system specification managing unit 141 manages. A control unit 171 of an adaptive filter processing unit 113 determines a processing method for filter processing to be performed as to pixels nearby a slice boundary following the value of the boundary control flag. For example, selection is made to perform filter processing straddling slices or to perform filter processing closed at the present slice. The present invention can be applied to an image processing device, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Kondo
  • Patent number: 8774494
    Abstract: In a genome sequencing system and methodology, a protocol is provided to achieve precise alignment and accurate registration of an image of a planar array of nanoballs subject to optical analysis. Precise alignment correcting for fractional offsets is achieved by correcting for errors in subperiod x-y offset, scale and rotation by use of minimization techniques and Moiré averaging. In Moiré averaging, magnification is intentionally set so that the pixel period of the imaging element is a noninteger multiple of the site period. Accurate registration is achieved by providing for pre-defined pseudo-random sets of sites, herein deletion or reserved sites, where nanoballs are prevented from attachment to the substrate so that the sites of the array can be used in a pattern matching scheme as registration markers for absolute location identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Complete Genomics, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan P. Staker
  • Patent number: 8774550
    Abstract: A picture processing device (100) includes: a mask generation unit (110x) which generates a masking picture (110aI) based on an edge in a first picture (101a); a feature point masking unit (111x) which masks extracted feature points with the generated masking picture (110aI); a rotation matrix calculation unit (112) which calculates a positional change between the first picture and a second picture (101a, 101b) using a feature point selected from the feature points as a result of the masking; and a picture correction unit (113) which uses the calculated change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Jun Ohmiya
  • Patent number: 8768010
    Abstract: Disclosed are a distance measuring apparatus which can measure the distance to an object with high accuracy, a distance measuring method, and a program. The distance measuring apparatus is provided with: a light source which emits light; an image pickup unit, which picks up an image of light which has been emitted from the light source and reflected by means of the object; an image distance data converting unit, which converts image data obtained by the image pickup performed by the image pickup unit into image distance data which indicates the distance to the object; an image pickup condition setting unit, which sets first image pickup conditions on the basis of the image distance data; and an image pickup control unit, which controls the light source and the image pickup unit and have an image of the object picked up under the first image pickup conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Korekado, Tomoyuki Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 8755608
    Abstract: Provided is a marker generation device which has a measurement means, an invariant feature conversion means, a singular feature selection means, and a marker generation means. The measurement means measures a change in posture of an object in a background image on the basis of the image. The invariant feature conversion means indicates feature points extracted from the background image in an invariant feature space by means of a predetermined conversion process in accordance with the change in posture. The singular feature selection means selects, as a singular feature, a part in which the feature points are not indicated in the invariant feature space. The marker generation means generates a marker with the use of the singular feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Noboru Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8737757
    Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of generating a first image through restoration processing of an amplitude component and a phase component of an input image, generating a second image that has an equal state of the phase component to that of the first image and a different state of the amplitude component from that of the first image through restoration processing of the phase component without restoration processing of the amplitude component of the input image, obtaining difference information between the first image and the second image, setting a restoration level adjustment factor used to adjust a restoration degree in the restoration processing, and generating a restoration adjusted image by composing the difference information with the second image according to the restoration level adjustment factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koshi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 8737718
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus includes an illumination optical system which irradiates an inspection subject under a predetermined optical condition, a detection optical system which obtains image data by detecting a scattered light from the inspection subject irradiated by the illumination optical system, and an image processing unit provided with a defect candidate detection unit which detects defect candidates with respect to plural image data obtained by the detection optical system under different conditions, and a post-inspection processing unit which executes a defect determination by integrating the defect candidates with respect to the plural image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Sakai, Takahiro Urano
  • Patent number: 8731245
    Abstract: A camera may be positioned to have a direct view of on-coming vehicle traffic from a first perspective. Additionally, a reflective surface, such as a mirror, may be positioned within the viewing area of the same camera to provide the camera with a reflected view of vehicle traffic from a second perspective. The images recorded by the camera may then be received by a computing device. The computing device may separate the images into a direct view region and a reflected view region. After separation, the regions may be analyzed independently and/or combined with other regions, and the analyzed data may be stored. The regions may be analyzed to determine various vehicle characteristics, including, but not limited to, vehicle speed, license plate identification, vehicle occupancy, vehicle count, and vehicle type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Helen HaeKyung Shin, Robert P. Loce, Wencheng Wu, Thomas F. Wade, Peter Paul, Edgar Bernal
  • Patent number: 8731278
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method of processing a microscopy image are provided. A microscopy image is received, and a configuration for an image section that includes a portion of the microscopy image is determined. Multiple image sections are respectively assigned to multiple processing units, and the processing units respectively process the image sections in parallel. One or more objects are determined to be respectively present in the image sections, and the objects present in the image sections are measured to obtain object data associated with the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Molecular Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Avrum Cohen, Dihui Hong
  • Patent number: 8724905
    Abstract: A method for determining with a physical image processing device a visual balance of an image includes assigning a visual weight point to each of a plurality of visual elements within the image with the image processing device, each visual weight point having a weight value based on visual properties associated with the visual element, and determining the visual balance of the image with the image processing device by measuring a vector value at a center of the composition, the vector value being based on a distance of each visual weight point from the center and the weight value associated with each visual weight point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Ron Banner
  • Patent number: 8705864
    Abstract: Provided is a marker generation device which has a singular feature selection means and a marker pattern generation means. The singular feature selection means extracts feature points from an image, indicates the feature points in a predetermined space, and selects, as singular features, a plurality of parts where the number of feature points is equal to or less than a predetermined number in the space. The marker pattern generation means generates a plurality of kinds of marker patterns with the use of the whole or a part of the plurality of singular features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Noboru Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8693786
    Abstract: Provided is a marker judgment device which has a feature storage means and a feature comparison means. The feature storage means disposes feature points extracted from an image in a predetermined space, sets parts in which the number of feature points in the predetermined space is equal to or less than a predetermined number as singular features, and stores the singular features and feature points extracted from an existing mark. The feature comparison means disposes the feature points extracted from the existing mark in the predetermined space, and judges that the existing mark is capable of being used as a marker which is detectable from the image, when the number of feature points that coincide with the singular features is equal to or more than a predetermined number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Noboru Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8693748
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for processing an intraoral image comprises obtaining location data for an intraoral image target and processing an intraoral image in a predetermined manner on the basis of the intraoral image target's location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: PaloDEx Group Oy
    Inventor: Petri Jouhikainen
  • Patent number: 8693770
    Abstract: Provided are an image processing apparatus and method for restoring a high resolution of an image based on acquired image data using color information. The image processing apparatus selects at least one pixel from among pixels corresponding to narrow-band color information of image data, and estimates wide-band color information of the selected pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Guyn Lim, Won-Hee Choe, Byung-Kwan Park, Young-Jin Yoo, Seong-Deok Lee