Patents Examined by Eueng-nan Yeh
  • Patent number: 8086044
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for data filling is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving an image and a mask associated with the image and performing a block-based, iterative multi-pass data filling process to fill a layer as part of compound document compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guotong Feng, Michael J. Gormish
  • Patent number: 8081827
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for processing document images. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting one or more features corresponding to one or more objects from a JPM compressed file, including extracting at least one of the one or more features without decoding, ranking document objects based on a task being performed by an application, and the one or more extracted features, and selecting a set of the document objects based on rank and at least one constraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael J. Gormish, Yinqing Zhao, Kathrin Berkner, Martin Boliek, Edward L. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 8073196
    Abstract: Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are described for detecting and tracking a moving object in a scene. One or more residual pixels are identified from video data. At least two geometric constraints are applied to the identified one or more residual pixels. A disparity of the one or more residual pixels to the applied at least two geometric constraints is calculated. Based on the detected disparity, the one or more residual pixels are classified as belonging to parallax or independent motion and the parallax classified residual pixels are filtered. Further, a moving object is tracked in the video data. Tracking the object includes representing the detected disparity in probabilistic likelihood models. Tracking the object also includes accumulating the probabilistic likelihood models within a number of frames during the parallax filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Chang Yuan, Gerard Medioni, Jinman Kang, Isaac Cohen
  • Patent number: 8045816
    Abstract: An image quantization method and apparatus are provided in which a block with a high possibility of having color distortion is more elaborately quantized using a predetermined color distortion removing quantization matrix. The image quantization method includes determining a possibility of color distortion in the block using discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients and pixel values of the block of predetermined size of an image and performing initial quantization on the block using a predetermined color distortion quantization matrix to remove color distortion if the block has a high possibility of color distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi-yeon Lee, Bo-gun Park
  • Patent number: 8041112
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a segmentation process section for performing a segmentation process with respect to image data corresponding to an image to be processed; first and second input tone correction sections each of which performs a density correction process with respect to the image data by referring to a conversion curve which indicates a relation between density before correction and density after correction; and a processing mode control section for switching between (i) a first processing mode in which the segmentation process is performed with respect to the image data having been subjected to the density correction process and (ii) a second processing mode in which the segmentation process is performed with respect to image data having not been subjected to the density correction process. Therefore, the image processing apparatus can perform the segmentation process with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 8036476
    Abstract: The invention provides an image encoding/decoding device and method. An encoding/decoding architecture of the invention includes: encoders for encoding image data into data blocks; a reordering multiplexer for receiving the data blocks and determining an order by which the data blocks are written into a memory according to an order of an achieved percentage of an encoding progress for each encoder; a memory writing unit, a memory dispatcher, a memory controller, and a memory reading unit, for writing the data blocks into the memory and reading the data blocks from the memory; a request demultiplexer for receiving the read data blocks from the memory reading unit and outputting the received data blocks according to data request signals; and decoders for generating the data request signals, receiving the output data blocks from the request demultiplexer, decoding the received data blocks, and then outputting the decoded data blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Wen-Che Wu, Hsien-Chun Chang
  • Patent number: 8036462
    Abstract: Methods and systems for segmenting images, wherein the image pixels are categorized into a plurality of subsets using one or more indexes, then a log-likelihood function of one or more of the indexes is determined, and one or more maps are generated based on the determination of the log-likelihood function of one or more of the indexes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ali Can, Xiaodong Tao, Harvey Ellis Cline, Paulo Ricardo Mendonca
  • Patent number: 8031953
    Abstract: An encoding method to encode image data comprising a sequence of blocks with a predetermined compression rate in one pass is disclosed. The blocks are divided into two sets, a first set and a second set. The blocks in the first set are encoded within the sum of an available bit length and a predetermined lending bit length. The blocks are encoded in the second set within the available bit length. A lending bit length is updated when the current bit length is larger than the available bit length. The left bit length is updated when the current bit length is not larger than the available bit length. The left bit length and the lending bit length are adjusted when the current block is in the second set, the lending bit length is positive and the left bit length is larger than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Fang-Chen Chang
  • Patent number: 8027533
    Abstract: A method of automated image calibration that corrects for non-uniform illumination and calibrates color that is simple, fast, automated, accurate and reliable. A gray balance algorithm is applied to correct for non-uniform illumination and a color calibration algorithm is then applied to calibrate the human subject data. The system has been applied in multiple clinical sites with different instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: STI Medical Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Wenjing Li, Marcelo Soto-Thompson, Ulf Gustafsson, Holger Lange
  • Patent number: 8023746
    Abstract: A method is provided for decoding an image of a pattern on an object to determine a digital identifier. An image of a pattern on the object is received. The image includes a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels having an optical attribute with a corresponding value. The image is divided into a plurality of tiles, each of the tiles containing a contiguous plurality of the pixels of the image. A digital bit is assigned to each of the tiles based on the values of the optical attribute of the pixels in the tile. A digital identifier is determined based on the digital bits assigned to the tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Ackley, Jason Dubin, Nuria E. Romero, Amy K. Van Gilder, Jay D. Williams, Oren R. Aviv, Alexis P. Wieland
  • Patent number: 8019129
    Abstract: An image pickup device can effectively detect a face in accordance with an object without causing a user to do bothersome setting. A speed preference mode and a person-number preference mode both having different detection conditions of a face region are prepared beforehand as face detection modes. The user is caused to select a desired face detection mode, and minimum values of a face size set as detectable in a face detection and a maximum number of face regions to be detected are set to values corresponding to the face detection mode selected by the user. In a case where an image-pickup preparation is set by pressing a shutter key halfway, when the face detection mode is the speed preference mode, the mode is forcibly changed to the person-number preference mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 8014598
    Abstract: A method of changing a pixel color includes determining whether a chrominance of a pixel is in a preference chrominance area, where the preference chrominance area is defined as a conic section in a two-dimensional chrominance plane and an eccentricity of the conic section is not greater than 1, and changing the chrominance of the pixel to a preference chrominance to generate a preference pixel when the chrominance of the pixel is in the preference chrominance area. Therefore, the method may set a preference chrominance area in a simple manner, and hardware for setting the preference chrominance area may be easily implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hwa-Hyun Cho, Bom-Yun Kim, Jong-Seon Kim
  • Patent number: 8014622
    Abstract: M×N attribute data for M×N pixels, where M and N are integer multiple of “L” are input. Data expressed by L bits are encoded, A first encoding control step supplies the M×N attribute data to be encoded in an input order, causing encoding to be executed. A second encoding control step converts the M×N attribute data input into bit planes of bit 0 to bit L?1, extracts L-bit data from one converted bit plane, and supplies the extracted L-bit data for each bit plane, causing encoding to be executed. An amount of encoded data generated by the encoding under the control of the first encoding control step is compared with an amount of encoded data generated in the encoding under the control of the second encoding control step, and encoded data with a smaller amount are selected. The selected encoded data and identification information representing the selected data are then output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ito, Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8009927
    Abstract: A tone correcting apparatus includes: a first acquiring unit that acquires first brightness information indicating brightness of each of a plurality of block regions that are set to cover an entire area of an image; a face detecting unit that detects a face portion where a human face is positioned in the image; a second acquiring unit that acquires second brightness information indicating brightness of the face portion detected by the face detecting unit; and a correction unit that corrects brightness of the image based on the first brightness information and the second brightness information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu Manabe
  • Patent number: 8009902
    Abstract: A background color of a document is detected based on image data of a colormetric system in which brightness and color components are separated. A color plane is divided into color areas, and the number of elements of image data belonging to each color area is counted. The number of elements of image data belonging to each area of a multiple area constituted of mutually adjacent color areas is then counted. A color area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a first threshold is extracted and given a positive evaluation. A multiple area in which the number of elements of image data exceeds a second threshold is extracted and a positive evaluation is given to each color area in the multiple area. A color area receiving a positive evaluation both individually and as part of a multiple area is specified as a background color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Minamino, Naoki Nishioka
  • Patent number: 7983498
    Abstract: Systems and methods for representing low dynamic range data in compressed formats with a fixed size block allow low dynamic range data to be stored in less memory. The compressed formats use 8 bits per pixel to represent 24 bits of low dynamic range data for each pixel. The compressed format includes four or six endpoint values, a partition index that specifies a mask for each pair of the endpoint values, and an index for each pixel in the block. The indices are compressed to allow more bits for the endpoint values. Mode bits are included to distinguish between the different encodings and various blocks within a single compressed image may be encoded differently. Compressed low dynamic range values may be efficiently decompressed in hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Walter E. Donovan
  • Patent number: 7983494
    Abstract: A pixel data compression/decompression system, medium, and method, including determining the similarity between a first pixel data and a second pixel data adjacent to the first pixel data, selecting one of a first compression mode, where a difference between a compression ratio of the first pixel data and a compression ratio of the second pixel data is high, and a second compression mode, where a difference between a compression ratio of the first pixel data and a compression ratio of the second pixel data is low, based on the similarity, and compressing the first pixel data and the second pixel data based on the selected compression mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shi Hwa Lee, Hye Yun Kim, Sang Jo Lee, Do-Hyung Kim, Doo Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7978921
    Abstract: Systems and methods for representing low dynamic range data in compressed formats with a fixed size block allow low dynamic range data to be stored in less memory. The compressed formats use 8 bits per pixel to represent 24 bits of low dynamic range data for each pixel. The compressed format includes four or six endpoint values, a partition index that specifies a mask for each pair of the endpoint values, and an index for each pixel in the block. The indices are compressed to allow more bits for the endpoint values. Mode bits are included to distinguish between the different encodings and various blocks within a single compressed image may be encoded differently. Compressed low dynamic range values may be efficiently decompressed in hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventor: Walter E. Donovan
  • Patent number: 7978920
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a decoder configured to decode an encoded image and an encoder configured to encode the image decoded by the decoder. The decoder includes a decoder adapted to decode the encoded image, and a detector adapted to detect, on the basis of the image, a fade period included in the image and supply a fade information signal indicating a detection result to the encoder. The encoder includes an acquisition unit adapted to acquire the fade information signal, and a changing unit adapted to change a process performed in the encoding of the image in accordance with the fade information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Okazaki, Junichi Tanaka, Kazushi Sato, Yoichi Yagasaki
  • Patent number: 7974471
    Abstract: To identify pixels constituting image elements for generating a labeled image in which pixels are labeled with identification information, a pixel block including four pixels adjacent to one another in two dimensions is inputted as a unit from data including pixels that form an image. All of the on-pixels that are subject for grouping, included in the pixel block are labeled with the same identifier. Since the on-pixels that are included in a pixel block are consecutively connected, such pixels can be labeled with the same identifier without having to calculate whether such pixels are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriyasu Matsuno