Patents Examined by Eueng-nan Yeh
  • Patent number: 8699810
    Abstract: Techniques are described to approximate computation of an inverse discrete cosine transform using fixed-point calculations. According to these techniques, matrixes of scaled coefficients are generated by multiplying coefficients in matrixes of encoded coefficients by scale factors. Next, matrixes of biased coefficients are generated by adding a midpoint bias value to a DC coefficient of the matrix of scaled coefficients. Fixed-point arithmetic is then used to apply a transform to the matrixes of biased coefficients. Values in the resulting matrixes are then right-shifted in order to derive matrixes of pixel component values. Matrixes of pixel component values are then combined to create matrixes of pixels. The matrixes of pixels generated by these techniques closely resemble matrixes of pixels decompressed using the ideal inverse discrete cosine transform (“IDCT”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Yuriy Reznik
  • Patent number: 8682090
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an image information decoding apparatus adapted for performing intra-image decoding based on resolution of color components and color space of an input image signal. An intra prediction unit serves to adaptively change block size in generating a prediction image based on a chroma format signal indicating whether resolution of color components is one of 4:2:0 format, 4:2:2 format, and 4:4:4 format, and a color space signal indicating whether color space is one of YCbCr, RGB, and XYZ. An inverse orthogonal transform unit and an inverse quantization unit serve to also change orthogonal transform technique and quantization technique in accordance with the chroma format signal and the color space signal. A decoding unit decodes the chroma format signal and the color space signal to generate a prediction image corresponding to the chroma format signal and the color space signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Teruhiko Suzuki, Akira Sugiyama, Kyohei Koyabu
  • Patent number: 8675976
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an image information encoding apparatus adapted for performing intra-image encoding based on resolution of color components and color space of an input image signal. An intra prediction unit serves to adaptively change block size in generating a prediction image based on a chroma format signal indicating whether resolution of color components is one of 4:2:0 format, 4:2:2 format, and 4:4:4 format, and a color space signal indicating whether color space is one of YCbCr, RGB, and XYZ. An inverse orthogonal transform unit and an inverse quantization unit serve to also change orthogonal transform technique and quantization technique in accordance with the chroma format signal and the color space signal. An encoding unit encodes the chroma format signal and the color space signal to generate a prediction image corresponding to the chroma format signal and the color space signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Teruhiko Suzuki, Akira Sugiyama, Kyohei Koyabu
  • Patent number: 8675958
    Abstract: A photographic subject determination method includes: a binarization step of creating a plurality of binarized images of a subject image, based upon color information or luminance information in the subject image; an evaluation value calculation step of, for each of the plurality of binarized images, calculating an evaluation value that is used for specifying at least one of a position, a size, and a shape of a photographic subject within the subject image; and a photographic subject specification step of specifying at least one of the position, the size, and the shape of a photographic subject within the subject image, based upon the evaluation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 8666150
    Abstract: A pixel processing method includes: selecting a first plurality of color component values of a first plurality of pixels within a pixel block in a buffering device, performing a first color component process upon a first target pixel in the first plurality of pixels to determine a first target color component value of the first target pixel; and selecting a second plurality of color component values of a second plurality of pixels within the pixel block at the same time as the first color component process is performed, and performing a second color component process upon a second target pixel in the second plurality of pixels according to the second plurality of color component values to determine at least one underdetermined target color component value of the second target pixel, wherein the second target pixel has been processed by the first color component process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Silicon Motion Inc., Silicon Motion Inc.
    Inventor: Yung-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8660353
    Abstract: A method for modeling an object, particularly suited to complex objects such as anatomical objects, and manipulating the modeled object in a CAD environment includes obtaining volumetric scan data of a region and segmenting the scan data to identify a first object to produce a first set of signed distance values on a grid. Wavelet analysis of the first set of signed distance values provides a function-based representation of the object. A signed distance value model of a second object is obtained, and one or both sets of signed distance values are manipulated to perform a CAD operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventors: Duane W. Storti, Mark A. Ganter
  • Patent number: 8660325
    Abstract: An apparatus for delineating a structure of interest includes: a plane selection interface (32, 70) for selecting a contouring plane of selectable orientation in a three-dimensional image or map (80); a contouring interface (32, 72) for defining a contour in the selected contour plane; and a mesh constructor (74, 76) configured to construct a three-dimensional polygonal mesh (90) delineating the structure of interest in the three-dimensional image or map. The mesh constructor positions constrained vertices (102, Vc) on or near a plurality of non-coplanar delineation contours (84, Ccor, Cobl) defined using the contouring interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Michael R. Kaus, Laura A. Dawson
  • Patent number: 8644640
    Abstract: Methods and a processing device are provided for reducing purple fringing artifacts appearing in a digital image. A linear filter may be applied to a digital image to identify purplish candidate regions of pixels. Ones of pixels that are in any of the purplish candidate regions and are within a predefined distance of a high gradient/high contrast region may be identified as damaged pixels. A map of the damaged pixels may then be created, or formed. The damaged pixels may be reconstructed based on interpolation of values from undamaged pixels on a fringe boundary with guidance from a green channel. In various embodiments, the damaged pixels may be reconstructed based on a Poisson blending approach, an approximated Poisson blending approach, or a variety of approaches based on interpolation of values from undamaged pixels on a fringe boundary, with guidance from a green channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Denis Demandolx
  • Patent number: 8606010
    Abstract: A processor and method make use of multiple weak classifiers to construct a single strong classifier to identify regions that contain text within an input image document. The weak classifiers are grouped by their computing cost from low to median to high, and each weak classifier is assigned a weight value based on its ability to accurately identify text regions. A level 1 classifier is constructed by selecting weak classifiers from the low group, a level 2 classifier is constructed by selecting weak classifiers from the low and median groups, and a level 3 classifier is constructed by selecting weak classifiers from the low, median and high groups. Regions that the level 1 classifier identifies as containing text are submitted to the level 2 classifier, and regions that the level 2 classifier identifies as containing text are submitted to the level 3 classifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Jing Xiao
  • Patent number: 8594391
    Abstract: Finger-based identification systems and methods are described. In one aspect, a two-dimensional fingerprint image of a person's finger contacting an input surface is captured. Finger trace data is captured from movement of the person's finger over the input surface. Based on the captured two-dimensional fingerprint image and the captured finger trace data, a determination is made whether the person corresponds to an enrolled person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Machida
  • Patent number: 8577134
    Abstract: A system and method of facilitating search by color processes an image of an item to obtain its color space parameter values and/or color names based on the color space parameter values, and adds the color space parameter values and/or color names as color attribute of the item. When a user inputs a color as a search criterion, the method searches the color attributes of items, and returns a list of items matching the color selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Sundeep Tirumalareddy, Hayrettin Kolukisaoglu
  • Patent number: 8571261
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a non-transitory processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions to cause a processor to smooth a current image of a scene to produce a smoothed image and subtract pixel values of a background image of the scene from corresponding pixel values of the smoothed image to produce an altitude difference image. Pixel values of the altitude difference image are weighted to produce a weighted difference image. The weighted difference image is convolved to produce a convoluted difference image. A threshold is applied to each pixel of the convoluted difference image to produce a thresholded difference image. Pixels having a value less than the threshold are removed from the thresholded difference image and classified as background pixels. Foreground pixels are determined based on the thresholded difference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: CheckVideo LLC
    Inventors: Nikhil Gagvani, Alexei Gritai
  • Patent number: 8571340
    Abstract: Techniques are described to approximate computation of an inverse discrete cosine transform using fixed-point calculations. According to these techniques, matrixes of scaled coefficients are generated by multiplying coefficients in matrixes of encoded coefficients by scale factors. Next, matrixes of biased coefficients are generated by adding a midpoint bias value to a DC coefficient of the matrix of scaled coefficients. Fixed-point arithmetic is then used to apply a transform to the matrixes of biased coefficients. Values in the resulting matrixes are then right-shifted in order to derive matrixes of pixel component values. Matrixes of pixel component values are then combined to create matrixes of pixels. The matrixes of pixels generated by these techniques closely resemble matrixes of pixels decompressed using the ideal inverse discrete cosine transform (“IDCT”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Yuriy Reznik
  • Patent number: 8565538
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting and labeling places recognized in a video stream using change-points detection. The system includes a segmentation module and a label learning module. The segmentation module is configured to receive a video stream comprising multiple digital representations of images. The video stream is represented by a measurement stream comprising one or more image histograms of the video stream. The segmentation module segments the measurement stream into multiple segments corresponding to place recognized in the videos stream. The segmentation module detects change-points of the measurement stream and computes probability distributions of the segments over multiple pre-learned place models. The label generation module is configured to generate place labels for the places recognized by the place models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ananth Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 8559717
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting and labeling places in a video stream using change-points detection. The system comprises a place label generation module configured to assign place labels probabilistically to places in the video stream based on the measurements of the measurement stream representing the video. For each measurement in the segment, the place label generation module classifies the measurement by computing the probability of the measurement being classified by a learned Gaussian Process classifier. Based on the probabilities generated with respect to all the measurements in the segment, the place label generation module determines the place label for the segment. In cases where a Gaussian Process classifier cannot positively classify a segment, the place label generation module determines whether the segment corresponds to an unknown place based on the perplexity statistics of the classification and a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ananth Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 8559719
    Abstract: A spectral anomaly detection method includes the steps of segmenting a panchromatic image, obtained from a hyperspectral sensor into cluster data sets. Principal component analysis can be separately performed on each of the cluster data sets to produce a plot of principal components. An anomaly detection algorithm can be applied to an adaptively selected subset of principal components for each of the cluster data sets to produce cluster detection scores. Finally, separate detection thresholding algorithms can be applied to each of the cluster detection scores, and the results of the detection thresholding algorithms can be combined into a single detection plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Andrey V. Kanaev, Jeremy Murray-Krezan
  • Patent number: 8553996
    Abstract: The present invention is an image transmission terminal including: an image capture unit (17, 47) that outputs pixel signals; an image data generating unit (18, 48) that generates and outputs image frame data; a first image data compression unit (19, 49) that compresses and outputs the image frame data; a second image data compression unit (21, 51) that either leaves the image frame data uncompressed or else compresses and outputs the image frame data; an image selection unit (11, 13, 41, 43) that receives an operation input from a user, and selects the image frame data; an image data storage unit (22, 38, 52, 69) that stores the image frame data output from the second image data compression unit; and an image transmission unit (20, 50, 38) that wirelessly transmits the image frame data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Shinya Kawasaki, Takemitsu Honda
  • Patent number: 8548266
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image compression and decompression method, in particular in the areas of computer image processing and data compression. The currently, the process speed for which JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group, a compression standard) is applied, it's not all too satisfactory. One aspect of the present invention is simplify compression process based on particular features of an image, thus achieve the aim of accelerate the processing speed. Apply the process described in the present invention, the processing speed for JPEG compression/decompression would rise, without suffers quality reduction compare to current JPEG compression/decompression method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd., Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd., Peking University
    Inventor: Jian Wang
  • Patent number: 8548236
    Abstract: A method for matching colors including comparing the appearance of a first white color associated with a first color imaging system and a second white color associated with a second color imaging system, wherein the tristimulus values of the first and second white color are similar; determining a fixed correction to the tristimulus values of the second white color to achieve a visual match to the first white color; measuring a first set of spectral values for a first color associated with the first color imaging system; determining a first set of tristimulus values from the first set of spectral values; measuring a second set of spectral values for a second color associated with the second color imaging system; determining a second set of tristimulus values from the second set of spectral values; applying a correction to the tristimulus values of the second color; determining a difference between the tristimulus value of the first color and the corrected tristimulus value of the second color; and adjusting th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher J. Edge
  • Patent number: 8538148
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for a brightness enhancement method, system and apparatus for low power architecture. A histogram of a contrast image may be generated. One or more parameters may be set based on the histogram. A tone mapping for the contrast image may be determined based on the one or more parameters. An output pixel may be determined based on the tone mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Jianping Zhou