Patents Examined by Ishrat Sherali
  • Patent number: 7151851
    Abstract: An advanced cosmetic color analysis system) analyzes the color of a three dimensional object to produce a plurality of color values for distinct subsets of a portion of the object, and a cosmetic analyzer combines the color values to produce a cosmetic color determination that has relative weightings of multiple cosmetic colors. Contemplated systems are particularly useful for determination of suitable cosmetic products (or composition thereof) to achieve a particular and desired cosmetic appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Inventor: Mahmoud Ladjevardi
  • Patent number: 7149370
    Abstract: A method and system for allowing a client to carry out image surfing. After connecting with a server, the client can select an image category of images to surf from. Upon request by the client, the server sends a set of thumbnails of images to the client, allowing the client to specify one of them for surfing. The client has a GUI interface by which the client can move a selection box to select a portion of the specified image for viewing. If the client wishes to zoom in, zoom out, or enhance the quality of the viewed area, the client sends a request to the server so that the server can send the client the necessary image sub-component to achieve the zoomed or enhanced image portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Willner, Fehmi Chebil, Asad Islam
  • Patent number: 7149329
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique for creating a 3D face model using images obtained from an inexpensive camera associated with a general-purpose computer. Two still images of the user are captured, and two video sequences. The user is asked to identify five facial features, which are used to calculate a mask and to perform fitting operations. Based on a comparison of the still images, deformation vectors are applied to a neutral face model to create the 3D model. The video sequences are used to create a texture map. The process of creating the texture map references the previously obtained 3D model to determine poses of the sequential video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zicheng Liu, Zhengyou Zhang, Michael F. Cohen, Charles E. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7149330
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique for creating a 3D face model using images obtained from an inexpensive camera associated with a general-purpose computer. Two still images of the user are captured, and two video sequences. The user is asked to identify five facial features, which are used to calculate a mask and to perform fitting operations. Based on a comparison of the still images, deformation vectors are applied to a neutral face model to create the 3D model. The video sequences are used to create a texture map. The process of creating the texture map references the previously obtained 3D model to determine poses of the sequential video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zicheng Liu, Zhengyou Zhang, Charles E. Jacobs, Michael F. Cohen
  • Patent number: 7149351
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus having general versatility, for flexible quantization on multivalue image data of two or more colors to image data having a reduced number of bits in correspondence with the number of bits to be quantized, by using an error diffusion scheme. When two color multivalue data are inputted, errors distributed to the position are added to the data and inputted as I?0 and I?1 into an output determination unit 2. The input data I?0 and I?1 are quantized by using LUTs 7-0 and 7-1 into numerical values of less-value representation. The two data from the LUTs 7-0 and 7-1 are inputted into an LUT 4, as coordinate values in a two-dimensional coordinate system, and two color binarized bit data (total 2 bits) are outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takatoshi Ota
  • Patent number: 7149348
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for testing image conversion precision. An original image in an original state is provided. The original image includes one or more test colors. Each test color is represented by one or more color component values in an original color space. The original image is converted to a converted image having a different state. The converted image is converted back to a back-converted image having the original state. A test profile is applied to the back-converted image to generate a final image, the test profile is operable to convert test colors to a first color and non-test colors towards a second, different color. It is determined whether any of the test colors in the original image has been converted to a color other than the first color in the final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Lars U. Borg
  • Patent number: 7149347
    Abstract: The present system can perform machine learning of prototypical descriptions of data elements for extraction from machine-readable documents. Document templates are created from sets of training documents that can be used to extract data from form documents, such as: fill-in forms used for taxes; flex-form documents having many variants, such as bills of lading or insurance notifications; and some context-form documents having a description or graphic indicator in proximity to a data element. In response to training documents, the system performs an inductive reasoning process to generalize a document template so that the location of data elements can be predicted for the training examples. The automatically generated document template can then be used to extract data elements from a wide variety of form documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
    Inventor: Janusz Wnek
  • Patent number: 7149350
    Abstract: An image compression apparatus includes a color region judging section which judges a color region of a color image signal and outputs the judgment information as the judgment result, a switch which chooses one compression parameter from a plurality of compression parameters corresponding to the judgment information supplied from the color region judging section, and a compressing section which compresses color image signals corresponding to the compression parameter chosen by the switch, wherein image compression and decompression with general color balance satisfactorily adjusted by appropriately setting the compression ratio that varies in accordance with color regions as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Sunao Tabata
  • Patent number: 7146045
    Abstract: Software of a simple configuration checks whether an original image to be corrected is an image picture, and an image correction process based upon a formed histogram of the original image is not performed for an image different from the image picture. An image processing condition is set in accordance with the formed histogram to perform the image correction process for the original image. An image processing method judges from a shape of the formed histogram whether the original image is an image picture, and does not perform not perform the image correction process for the original image if it is judged that the original image is not an image picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Yamazoe, Nobuo Ogura, Akihiko Uekusa, Kentaro Yano, Tetsuya Suwa
  • Patent number: 7142712
    Abstract: An automatic tone correction apparatus comprises a luminance distribution formation circuit for forming a luminance histogram of an input image; a center-of-gravity calculation circuit for calculating the center of gravity of a low-luminance part of the luminance histogram; a distribution range calculation circuit for calculating a maximum value and a minimum value on an input luminance level axis; a target value storage circuit for holding a luminance correction target value; a correction table formation circuit for forming a correction table for expanding the luminance distribution and, simultaneously, correcting the luminance histogram so that the center of gravity matches the luminance correction target value; and an image signal correction circuit for performing tone correction on the basis of the correction table. Therefore, whether the input image is a forward-light image or a back-lighted image, the apparatus performs tone correction using the same processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kazutaka Maruoka, Fumio Fujimura
  • Patent number: 7142721
    Abstract: A method for image compression is described. The method compresses computer images for efficient transfer of consecutive compressed images through a network. The method comprises loading two consecutive images, fuzzy comparing the two consecutive images, calculating the total different number between the two consecutive images, and determining an encoding algorithm, such as run-length and delta-modulation (RLEDM) or JPEG, according to the total different number. The fuzzy comparison eliminates deviations caused by capturing errors. The RLEDM encoding algorithm of the invention only deals with image differences between the two consecutive images, including line pattern indexes and line patterns, and depends on a minimum encoding size rule to further determine the encoding algorithm, such as a direct encoding, a run-length encoding or a delta-modulation encoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Aten International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sun-Chung Chen, Tzyy-Jenq Lou, Yi-Li Liu
  • Patent number: 7142720
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image data reconstructing apparatus for reconstructing an original image by dividing image data into a plurality of blocks each comprising NXN picture elements, performing two-dimensional orthogonal transform on each of said blocks, quantizing and encoding the result of said transform, decoding the encoded result, dequantizing and two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transforming the above result, wherein an operation associated with the multiplication is skipped if a multiplication by zero is detected when two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transform is performed. Before performing dequantization, two block volume of buffer is provided before or after performing two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transform for executing a pipeline process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukuda, Tsugio Noda, Hirotaka Chiba, Kimitaka Murashita
  • Patent number: 7142698
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique for creating a 3D face model using images obtained from an inexpensive camera associated with a general-purpose computer. Two still images of the user are captured, and two video sequences. The user is asked to identify five facial features, which are used to calculate a mask and to perform fitting operations. Based on a comparison of the still images, deformation vectors are applied to a neutral face model to create the 3D model. The video sequences are used to create a texture map. The process of creating the texture map references the previously obtained 3D model to determine poses of the sequential video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zicheng Liu, Zhengyou Zhang, Michael F. Cohen, Charles E. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7139443
    Abstract: A method for producing interpolated signal values between sampled signal values in a sampled image signal produced by a checkerboard sampling pattern is accomplished by extracting a block of 2N-by-2N signal values that correspond to a block of sampling locations of the checkerboard sampling pattern, providing a set of frequency coefficients by a discrete cosine transform with the block of 2N-by-2N signal values, and providing at least a interpolated signal value that corresponds to the interpolation location by an inverse discrete cosine transform with the set of frequency coefficients. Here, a block of 2N-by-2N signal values is extracted so that sampled signal values exist in all the pixel locations of the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventor: Naoki Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7133562
    Abstract: A foreground extracting section extracts the foreground of each of the first to the N-th frames, and a foreground-accumulated-image configuration section configures a front accumulated image obtained by overlapping the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames viewed from the future side and a rear accumulated image obtained by overlapping them viewed from the past side. A learning section uses the front accumulated image and the rear accumulated image to obtain prediction coefficients used for predicting the foreground of each frame, and a multiplexer outputs the prediction coefficients, the front accumulated image, and the rear accumulated image as the result of encoding of the foregrounds of the first to the N-th frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7133567
    Abstract: A bit-plane processor reads out a code block, which serves as a unit for arithmetic coding, from an SRAM. After converting the code block to the form of a bit-plane, the bit-plane processor supplies bit data to a pass processor. The pass processor includes an s pass processor, an r pass processor and a c pass processor. Each of s pass, r pass and c pass processings are executed in parallel in a state such that start time thereof is shifted by a predetermined unit time by operation of two delay units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsushi Ohyama, Yuji Yamada, Hideki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7133540
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique for creating a 3D face model using images obtained from an inexpensive camera associated with a general-purpose computer. Two still images of the user are captured, and two video sequences. The user is asked to identify five facial features, which are used to calculate a mask and to perform fitting operations. Based on a comparison of the still images, deformation vectors are applied to a neutral face model to create the 3D model. The video sequences are used to create a texture map. The process of creating the texture map references the previously obtained 3D model to determine poses of the sequential video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zicheng Liu, Zhengyou Zhang, Michael F. Cohen, Charles E. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7127102
    Abstract: From profiles of an input color space and an output color space, the specific color data on respective color spaces are obtained, and a color space compression parameter is set based on each specific color data obtained. In other words, the color space compression parameter for appropriately converting data within the input color space into data within the output color space is derived from each specific color data. The color space compression processing (color matching) is performed on an absolute color space using the derived color space compression parameter so that it becomes possible to perform at a higher speed an appropriate color matching that takes into account the characteristics of the input color space and the output color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoko Hiramatsu, Fumiko Uchino, Kenji Masaki, Satoshi Deishi, Toshitsugu Yamamoto, Masahiro Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7106900
    Abstract: A method for generating a block-based image histogram from data compressed by JPEG, MPEG-1, and MPEG-2, or uncompressed image data employing block-based linear quantization to generate histograms that include color, brightness, and edge components. The edge histogram, in particular, includes the global edge features, semi-global edge features, and local edge features. The global edge histogram is based on image blocks of the entire image space. The local edge histogram is based on a group of edge blocks. The semi-global edge histogram is based on the horizontally and the vertically grouped image blocks. A method for generating block-based image histogram with color information and brightness information of image data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention extracts feature information of an image in terms of the block and updates global histogram bins on the basis of the feature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Soo Jun Park, Chee Sun Won, Dong Kwon Park, Dong See Choi, Seong Joon Yoo, Hyun Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 7106910
    Abstract: Embodiments of a color video coding and decoding scheme are disclosed. In one embodiment, an efficient color coding scheme for color video using three dimensional (3-D) discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) employing correlation among different color components is described. At least one of the color components is coded, and an adjustment to at least some of the remaining color components relative to the coded color component are then coded. This adjustment comprises a partial error adjustment based at least in part on a ratio of color components intensities. Other embodiments, for instance for decoding, are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tinku Acharya, Prabir K. Biswas