Patents Examined by Jamie Atala
  • Patent number: 10119808
    Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention estimate depth from projected texture using camera arrays that includes at least two two-dimensional arrays of cameras each several cameras; an illumination system configured to illuminate a scene with a projected texture; a processor; and memory containing an image processing pipeline application and an illumination system controller application. In addition, the illumination system controller application directs the processor to control the illumination system to illuminate a scene with a projected texture. Furthermore, the image processing pipeline application directs the processor to: utilize the illumination system controller application to control the illumination system to illuminate a scene with a projected texture capture a set of images of the scene illuminated with the projected texture; determining depth estimates for pixel locations in an image from a reference viewpoint using at least a subset of the set of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Kartik Venkataraman, Jacques Duparré
  • Patent number: 10116870
    Abstract: This invention provides a single-camera vision system, typically for use in logistics applications, that allows for adjustment of the camera viewing angle to accommodate a wide range of object heights and associated widths moving relative to an imaged scene with constant magnification. The camera assembly employs an image sensor that is more particularly suited to such applications, with an aspect (height-to-width) ratio of approximately 1:4 to 1:8. The camera assembly includes a distance sensor to determine the distance to the top of each object. The camera assembly employs a zoom lens that can change at relatively high speed (e.g. <10 ms) to allow adjustment of the viewing angle from object to object as each one passes under the camera's field of view (FOV). Optics that allow the image to be resolved on the image sensor within the desired range of viewing angles are provided in the camera lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Laurens Nunnink, Esther Oteo Lozano, Richard Reuter, Matthew D. Engle
  • Patent number: 10110926
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for filtering pixels during video coding and decoding operations. Similar operations are performed at a video encoder and a video decoder. For a target pixel in a block of a video frame represented by the encoded bit-stream, a value of the target pixel is compared with neighboring pixels to produce a plurality of comparison results. A particular offset value for the target pixel is derived based on the plurality of comparison results. The target pixel is filtered using the particular offset value. This process is performed for some or all of the pixels of blocks of a video frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Steinar Midtskogen
  • Patent number: 10097828
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a target number of bits (target bitrate) for encoding a frame of video that will satisfy a buffer constraint in a parallel video encoder. The quantization parameter (QP) for a given encoding process may be determined for the frame based on the target bitrate to maintain a suitable average bitrate. In some embodiments, the bitrate used for one or more prior frame is estimated. In some embodiments, a buffer fullness update is made based on an estimated bitrate. In some embodiments, a bitrate to target for each frame is determined based on the frame type, estimated bitrate of a prior frame(s), and the updated buffer fullness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ximin Zhang, Sang-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 10096235
    Abstract: Alert directives and focused alert directives allow a user to provide feedback to a behavioral recognition system to always or never publish an alert for certain events. Such an approach bypasses the normal publication methods of the behavioral recognition system yet does not obstruct the system's learning procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Omni AI, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Kenneth Cobb, Ming-Jung Seow, Gang Xu, Kishor Adinath Saitwal, Anthony Akins, Kerry Joseph, Dennis G. Urech
  • Patent number: 10091493
    Abstract: Device and method for scanning an object outline image are provided. The scanning device includes a light source, an optical sensor and a processor. The scanning method includes: providing a polarized projection light beam; projecting the polarized projection light beam to an object, and correspondingly reflecting a polarized reflection light beam by the object according to the polarized projection light beam; capturing an image of the polarized reflection light beam; calculating polarization state of target according to the polarized projection light beam and the polarized reflection light beam, the polarization state of target having a plane angle from normal projection and a corresponding point position; and restoring an outline image of the object according to the polarization state of target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Metal Industries Research & Development Centre
    Inventors: Chia-Ming Jan, Chung-Li Tsai, Po-Chi Hu, Chao-Yung Yeh, Chi-Cheng Yang
  • Patent number: 10091504
    Abstract: Variations of rho-domain rate control for video encoding or other media encoding are presented. For example, in some of the variations, an encoder sets a rho value for a unit of media based at least in part on a bit allocation for the unit. The encoder also computes transform coefficients for the unit using a frequency transform having multiple location-dependent scale factors, sets a value of quantization parameter (“QP”) for the unit using a mapping of QP values to rho values, and uses the value of QP for the unit during quantization of the transform coefficients of the unit. When the QP-rho mapping is determined, a location-independent scale factor that approximates the multiple location-dependent scale factors is used and/or certain scaling operations are integrated, which reduces computational complexity while still supporting accurate rate control decisions. Implementations of such variations of rate control can exploit opportunities for caching and parallel computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lihua Zhu, Shir Aharon, B. Anil Kumar, Sridhar Sankuratri, Jeroen E. van Eesteren, Costin Hagiu
  • Patent number: 10084959
    Abstract: A video capture device may include multiple cameras that simultaneously capture video data. The video capture device and/or one or more remote computing resources may stitch the video data captured by the multiple cameras to generate stitched video data that corresponds to 360° video. The remote computing resources may apply one or more algorithms to the stitched video data to adjust the color characteristics of the stitched video data, such as lighting, exposure, white balance contrast, and saturation. The remote computing resources may further smooth the transition between the video data captured by the multiple cameras to reduce artifacts such as abrupt changes in color as a result of the individual cameras of the video capture device having different video capture settings. The video capture device and/or the remote computing resources may generate a panoramic video that may include up to a 360° field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsz Ho Yu, Jim Oommen Thomas, Cheng-Hao Kuo, Yinfei Yang, Ross David Roessler, Paul Aksenti Savastinuk, William Evan Welbourne
  • Patent number: 10080019
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods are described including operations for performing, via a frame division module, frame division of video frames into sections to form a first frame section stream and a second frame section stream; and/or encoding, via a first and a second encoder, the first frame section stream via the first encoder and the second frame section stream via the second encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Yaniv Frishman
  • Patent number: 10070136
    Abstract: A method of statistical multiplexing digital video is provided enabling use of an encoder pool. The method includes loading a mapping curve into memory at a statistical multiplexor controller (SMC) for each of a plurality of encoders in a heterogeneous encoder pool, each mapping curve being specific to a type and/or configuration of encoder and associating target bitrates with need parameter values, receiving a need parameter value at the SMC from each encoder in the heterogeneous encoder pool, determining a target bitrate associated with each need parameter value received at the SMC, by looking up target bitrates for each need parameter on mapping curves specific to each encoder in the heterogeneous encoder pool, and sending the target bitrate from the SMC to each encoder in the heterogeneous encoder pool in a bitrate assignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventor: Pierre Seigneurbieux
  • Patent number: 10061130
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a foveated imaging system capable of capturing a wide field of view image and a foveated image, where the foveated image is a controllable region of interest of the wide field of view image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunyu Gao, Hong Hua
  • Patent number: 10045008
    Abstract: Disclosed an apparatus for processing images in a stereo vision system including: an image capturing unit including first and second cameras for obtaining image information by capturing a subject, and a lighting unit for emitting a flash during the image capturing; and a camera controller for controlling the image information to be obtained by cross-acquiring images of the subject in a predetermined time interval without the synchronization of the first and second cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GOLFZON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gee Hwan Kwon, Yong Won Sung
  • Patent number: 10037474
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to coordinating motion-capture of a hand by a network of motion-capture sensors having overlapping fields of view. In particular, it relates to designating a first sensor among three or more motion-capture sensors as having a master frame of reference, observing motion of a hand as it passes through overlapping fields of view of the respective motion-capture sensors, synchronizing capture of images of the hand within the overlapping fields of view by pairs of the motion-capture devices, and using the pairs of the hand images captured by the synchronized motion-capture devices to automatically calibrate the motion-capture sensors to the master frame of reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Leap Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 10033979
    Abstract: A video surveillance system, device and methods may accurately model the shape of a human object monitored by a video stream. 3D human models, such as a coarse 3D human model and a detailed 3D human model may be estimated by mapping individual body part components to a frame. For example, a coarse 3D human model may be obtained by mapping the cylindrical body parts to a plurality of skeleton pose estimates on a part by part basis. A detailed 3D human model may be estimated by mapping detailed human body parts to respective the cylindrical body parts of the coarse 3D human model on a part by part basis. The detailed 3D human model may be used to detect accessories of the human object being monitored, as well as overall dimensions, body part dimensions, age, and gender of the human object being monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: AVIGILON FORTRESS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atul Kanaujia, Niels Haering, Mun Wai Lee
  • Patent number: 10034005
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating inhibiting banding in video data, in part by anticipating when banding may occur given certain encoder parameters. An example method includes receiving an input stream of video data; extracting feature information characterizing the stream of video data; using a feed-forward neural network to process the feature information to estimate when a particular block of the stream of video data will exhibit an artifact when encoded using certain Quantization Parameters (QPs); incorporating the indication into metadata associated with the stream of video data; and transferring the stream of video data and metadata to a video encoder. In a more specific embodiment, the feature information includes color information and texture information, and the neural network includes a feed-forward neural network that includes a classifier with a sigmoid activation function, and which has been trained using a cross-entropy cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xun Xu, Peng Ye
  • Patent number: 10019793
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, A test system includes: a moving unit configured to move a test object, the test object including a first surface, a mark being printed on the first surface; a first imaging device configured to photograph the first surface of test object to obtain a first image; a cutter configured to scratch the first surface; a first unit configured to attach a tape to the first surface; a second unit configured to detach the tape from the first surface; a second imaging device configured to photograph the first surface after detaching the tape to obtain a second image; and a controller configured to compare the first image and the second image to output a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Iizuka, Kohei Noma
  • Patent number: 10009542
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide methods for sharing and viewing part of an environment of a computing device, such as a head-mountable device (HMD). An example method involves: (a) determining a still photo panorama of an environment, (b) receiving a video stream of a first portion of the environment from a video camera on a sharing device, (c) determining a registration data stream, where the registration data stream indicates a location and an orientation of the video stream within the still photo panorama of the environment; and (d) transmitting the video stream and the registration data stream to one or more viewing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Mark Nathan Billinghurst, Matthew David Tait
  • Patent number: 10009628
    Abstract: Video data with high frame rates may be displayed on devices with limited resources (e.g., decoder and/or display resources). These devices may have their resources devoted to other tasks or may not be capable to display the video data at the high frame rates. The coding method may include coding the frames such that additional droppable frames are included in the encoded video data. The decoding method may include dropping droppable frames before the encoded video data is decoded to reduce the number of frames that will be decoded and displayed. These methods may be applied to video data that has a variable frame rate and may be combined with processing the image sequence for slow motion playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Samuel Bushell, Davide Concion, David Saracino, Erik Turnquist
  • Patent number: 10009632
    Abstract: A device configured to code video data includes: a memory configured to store video data, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to: code information indicating whether a block from a current picture will flicker. A determination of whether the block from the current picture will flicker is based on the block in the current picture in a display order and a collocated block from a next picture in the display order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajan Laxman Joshi, Xiang Li, Marta Karczewicz, Krishnakanth Rapaka
  • Patent number: 10003804
    Abstract: The quantization unit calculates the number of bits of location information determined based on the location of a coefficient level to be significant first in order of transmission and included in the image block, calculates the number of value information bits of a coefficient level to be significant, and sets a coefficient level to be significant in which the number of location information bits and the number of value information bits meet a predetermined condition to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Tokumitsu, Keiichi Chono