Patents Examined by James Thompson
  • Patent number: 9208605
    Abstract: Multisampling techniques provide temporal as well as spatial antialiasing. Coverage for a primitive is determined at multiple sample locations for a pixel. In one embodiment, coverage is determined using boundary equations representing a boundary surface of the primitive in a three-dimensional space-time. A shading value for the primitive is computed for the pixel and stored for each coverage sample location of the pixel that is covered by the primitive. The sample locations are distributed in both space and time, and multiple sample locations share a single shading computation. The multisampling techniques are extendable to other dimensions that correspond to other image attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Cass W. Everitt, Rui M. Bastos
  • Patent number: 9202426
    Abstract: A driving method of a display unit includes: executing a first display procedure, for displaying a first frame on a display unit of the display driving circuit, and executing a counting mechanism; determining, if a second display procedure for displaying a second frame on the display unit is confirmed to be executed, whether or not a counting value of the counting mechanism is larger than a predetermined value; sequentially executing a specific display procedure and the second display procedure if the counting value is larger than the predetermined value; and directly executing the second display procedure if the counting value is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value. A display driving circuit applicable to be used by the display unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Feng-Sheng Lin, Chun-Chi Lai, Kuo-Hsing Cheng
  • Patent number: 9201004
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of acquiring OCT tomographic images that can be captured by an OCT imaging apparatus configured to scan a target to be captured with low-coherence light along a predetermined main scanning line. The image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of OCT tomographic images of the target to be captured along a plurality of main scanning lines that are different in direction, and a display control unit configured to display the plurality of OCT tomographic images on a display screen using a layout that can express differences in the direction of each main scanning line so as to reflect a relative relationship between respective main scanning line directions with respect to the target to be captured in respective OCT tomographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Sakagawa
  • Patent number: 9189884
    Abstract: A method and system for video encoding assets for swivel/360-degree spinners is disclosed. Still images of a 3D object from different perspectives about the 3D object may be stacked and then video encoded to generate video frames of the object from the different perspectives. The video-encoded assets may be stored on a server or other network-connected device, and later retrieved by a connected client device for display processing by a swivel/360-degree spinner on the client device. The swivel/360-degree spinner may utilize native video processing capabilities of the client device and/or of a browser running on the client device to display video motion of the object moving through different angular orientations in response to movement of an interactive cursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Chaitanya Gharpure, James J. Kuffner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9191659
    Abstract: A collimated stereo display system is provided. The system comprises: an image generator enabled to provide a stream of stereoscopic images comprising left eye images and right eye images; at least one image modulator enabled to receive the stream of stereoscopic images from the image generator and form light into the stereoscopic images for viewing at a viewing apparatus for filtering the light into the left eye images and the right eye images respectively thereby providing a three dimensional rendering of the stereoscopic images when viewed through the viewing apparatus; and, collimation apparatus enabled to receive and collimate the light from the at least one image modulator, such that rays of light are substantially parallel when the stereoscopic images are received at the viewing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Harris, Lawrence Stewart Paul, Roy C. Anthony
  • Patent number: 9189148
    Abstract: There is provided a display control device including an operation detection unit configured to detect an enlargement operation on any image displayed within a display screen among a plurality of images having a predetermined relation, and a display control Unit configured to determine a display area of the image based on the detected enlargement operation and to cause a portion corresponding to the display area to be enlarged and displayed for each of the images displayed within the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kei Yoshinaka
  • Patent number: 9189253
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for implementing reentrant compositing window manager applications are described. In general, techniques are disclosed for using a second application to composite portions of hierarchically structured objects and the window manager to composite certain other portions of the same object. More particularly, a window manager application may be used to composite objects of a first type (e.g., application backing store bitmaps) and then call or invoke a second application to composite objects of a second type (e.g., hierarchically structured objects). The second type of object includes information (e.g., a reference) of the composite window manager's output buffer at the time the second application was invoked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Harper, Geoffrey Stahl, Assana M. Fard
  • Patent number: 9185289
    Abstract: Generating a composite geo-referenced panoramic field of view image of a geographic area is provided. Geodetic coordinates are generated for each of a plurality of pixels in a digital image capturing the geographic area based on a corrected amount of image distortion in each line of pixels in the plurality of pixels in the digital image. Each of the plurality of pixels in the digital image with the calculated geodetic coordinates is mapped to a geo-referenced map corresponding to the geographic area based on the calculated geodetic coordinates of each pixel. The composite geo-referenced panoramic field of view image of the geographic area is generated based on the mapping of each of the plurality of pixels in the digital image with the calculated geodetic coordinates to the geo-referenced map corresponding to the geographic area captured in the digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Quanfu Fan, Sachiko Miyazawa, Sharathchandra Pankanti
  • Patent number: 9177529
    Abstract: A method for determining the afterimage level of a display is used for solving the problem in the conventional technology that the accuracy is very low as the afterimage level of the display can only be determined by human-eye observation. The method comprises: determining a brightness variation index and an area index of an afterimage displayed by the display device after an afterimage test; and determining the afterimage level of the display device according to the determined brightness variation index and the determined area index. Because both the brightness variation index and the area index of the afterimage can be determined objectively, the means of human-eye subjective observation is not required any more and the afterimage level of the display can be determined objectively, and hence the accuracy of determining the afterimage level of the display can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yujuan Zhan
  • Patent number: 9173632
    Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis system that generates virtual endoscopic image data on a lumen of an organ of an object based on volume data acquired by three-dimensional scanning of the object, includes: a unit that sets a three-dimensional region of interest for the volume data; a unit that sets a center line of the lumen of the organ in the volume data based on the acquired volume data; a unit that detects a reference point at which a reference plane of the three-dimensional region of interest and the center line intersect with each other; a unit that sets a viewpoint and a view direction based on the reference point; a virtual endoscopic image data generating unit that processes the volume data based on the viewpoint and the view direction to generate the virtual endoscopic image data; and a display unit that displays the generated virtual endoscopic image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiichi Shiki, Yoshitaka Mine
  • Patent number: 9172945
    Abstract: A method of creation of a virtual three dimensional image to enable its reproduction on at least one planar substrate includes creating a virtual three dimensional space that includes a ground plane. A virtual model of an object is merged into the virtual three dimensional space and located at a desired position on the ground plane. A first virtual camera is placed at a first position in the virtual three dimensional space. Virtual lighting is added to the virtual three dimensional space to create shadows of the virtual model on at least the ground plane. The first virtual camera is used for rendering of the virtual model and the shadows to obtain a rendered image. The virtual model is removed and the rendered image is projected onto the ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventors: Azmi Bin Mohammed Amin, Chong Joo Jimmy Bong
  • Patent number: 9164884
    Abstract: A display controller is provided that includes a processing unit configured to process input data, a memory unit configured to store some of the processed input data before a transition signal is enabled, a memory management unit configured to map consecutive virtual addresses of an image displayed on a display panel to physical addresses of data stored in the memory unit, and a control unit configured to control the processing unit and the memory management unit in response to a control signal and configured to provide a range of virtual addresses designated by the transition signal in response to enablement of the transition signal such that the image is displayed on the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-Hun Han, Kyong-Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 9165408
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for constructing a zoom path between a predetermined viewing point Pn+1 in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space and a target point P0 in the 3D space, and for zooming in or zooming out along the zoom path. The target point is assigned control points in the 3D space, and the zoom path of the invention is nonlinear and passes through at least one of the control points. During zooming, the viewing direction is continuously selected to provide an aesthetically acceptable zooming effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: VISUAL DOMAINS LTD.
    Inventor: Yoav Shefi
  • Patent number: 9159166
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method, a system, and a mobile device that incorporate augmented reality technology into land surveying, 3D laser scanning, and digital modeling processes. By incorporating the augmented reality technology, a 3D digital model of internal elements concealed behind an external element can be visualized on a live view, aligned to the orientation and scale of the scene displayed on the mobile device. In an embodiment, a marker can be placed at a predetermined set of coordinates on the external element, determined by surveying equipment. The 3D digital model of the internal elements can be retrieved by the mobile device and overlaid in relation to the marker position, orientation, and size so that it is seen at a calculated distance in depth behind the external element as they would exist hidden behind the external element in the real environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: F3 & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Finn, Carlo Caparas, Eric Horbatiuk, Mike Heitman
  • Patent number: 9159150
    Abstract: A method of distributing map data from a map server to a wireless communications device entails generating a bitmap array representative of the vector map data for a given zoom level, computing attributes of the bitmap array to determine which map features to retain and which map features to suppress, and then transmitting to the wireless device only the map data for the map features to be retained. By counting the number of bitmap cells representing a polygonal map feature such as a park, lake, or island, the approximate area is quickly estimated. If the area falls below a threshold, the map data for the small polygon is discarded. Similarly, if a polyline map feature overlaps (or is too proximate to) another polyline map feature, one of the polyline map features is discarded. The map data actually transmitted is thus reduced, thereby economizing bandwidth without unduly sacrificing map detail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Eric Johnson, Xiaming Xi
  • Patent number: 9153195
    Abstract: The technology provides contextual personal information by a mixed reality display device system being worn by a user. A user inputs person selection criteria, and the display system sends a request for data identifying at least one person in a location of the user who satisfy the person selection criteria to a cloud based application with access to user profile data for multiple users. Upon receiving data identifying the at least one person, the display system outputs data identifying the person if he or she is within the field of view. An identifier and a position indicator of the person in the location is output if not. Directional sensors on the display device may also be used for determining a position of the person. Cloud based executing software can identify and track the positions of people based on image and non-image data from display devices in the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin A. Geisner, Darren Bennett, Relja Markovic, Stephen G. Latta, Daniel J. McCulloch, Jason Scott, Ryan L. Hastings, Alex Aben-Athar Kipman, Andrew John Fuller, Jeffrey Neil Margolis, Kathryn Stone Perez, Sheridan Martin Small
  • Patent number: 9142054
    Abstract: A system and method for digital hair coloring is described. A starting image of a subject including a hair region is obtained. At least one foreground selection of the starting image is obtained, the foreground selection including a portion of the hair region. At least one background selection of the starting image excluding the hair region is obtained. A matte defining a calculated foreground area of the starting image is calculated based on the foreground selection and the background selection. A target color distribution based on a target hair color is obtained. A color image is generated by applying a color transformation based on the target color distribution to at least the calculated foreground area of the starting image. An output image is generated from the colored image and the starting image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TAAZ, INC.
    Inventors: Satya P. Mallick, Hui Qiao, David Kriegman
  • Patent number: 9135738
    Abstract: A novel algorithmic framework is presented for the simulation of hyperelastic soft tissues that drastically improves each aspect discussed above compared to existing techniques. The approach is robust to large deformation (even inverted configurations) and extremely stable by virtue of careful treatment of linearization. Additionally, a new multigrid approach is presented to efficiently support hundreds of thousands of degrees of freedom (rather than the few thousands typical of existing techniques) in a production environment. Furthermore, these performance and robustness improvements are guaranteed in the presence of both collision and quasistatic/implicit time stepping techniques. The result is a significant advance in the applicability of hyperelastic simulation to skeleton driven character skinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Rasmus Tamstorf, Andrew Selle, Aleka McAdams, Eftychios Sifakis, Joseph Teran
  • Patent number: 9135894
    Abstract: A data access method applicable to a storage apparatus for reducing or eliminating an image tearing effect includes defining at least one write check point; comparing an actual write speed for writing data into the storage apparatus with a predetermined write speed at the write check point; and adjusting the actual write speed when a difference between the actual write speed and the predetermined write speed is larger than a predetermined value, for adaptively reducing the difference to be smaller than or equal to the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Chih-Hao Chang
  • Patent number: 9129404
    Abstract: An image of an environment including an object (i.e., object in reality, physical object) can be captured and be displayed by a computing device. The size of an image representation of the object can be determined. Information about a physical size of the object and about a distance between the computing device and the object in the environment can be obtained/determined. A comparison of the size of the image representation of the object and the physical size of the object can be used to calculate a scale for converting between an actual size of a real-world item and a size of the item as displayed. The information about the distance can optionally be used to determine/adjust/modify the scale. A virtual article depicting/representing a real-world article/item/object (i.e., real-world correspondence) can be displayed with the captured image. The virtual article displayed can be scaled to an appropriate size using the scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Garnet Wagner