Patents Examined by Katrina Fujita
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Patent number: 8064671Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that displays an image acquired from an examination object. The apparatus includes an acquisition unit that determines image acquisition parameters and acquires the signal values of the examination object; a conversion unit that uses a transfer function to convert the acquired signal values into brightness values that are displayed in the image; a unit for extracting the image acquisition parameters; and a storage unit that has data records in which at least one transfer function is stored in relation to the image acquisition parameters. The conversion unit compares the image acquisition parameters with the image acquisition parameters stored in the storage unit and selects the transfer function as a function of the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2006Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Michael Deimling, Sultan Haider
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Patent number: 8050446Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for digital watermarking of multimedia signals. The input multimedia signal is represented using an inverse difference pyramid decomposition. Spectrum coefficients may be calculated for each level of the pyramid using a new kind of complex Hadamard transform, the matrix of which is distinguished from the known ones by the fact that only one-fourth of its coefficients are complex numbers. The phases of a previously selected part of the low-frequency coefficients are modified with the watermark data, limiting the angles of the phase changes in a gap of several degrees only. After an inverse complex Hadamard Transform, the values of the coefficients from all pyramid levels are summed up and the result is the watermarked signal. The watermark can contain multiple independent levels for each level of the pyramid.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2005Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of ArkansasInventors: Roumen Kirilov Kountchev, Vladimir Todorov Todorov, Roumiana Atanassova Kountcheva, Mariofanna Geourgieva Milanova, Charles Wesley Ford, Jr.
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Patent number: 8050469Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of digital imaging, in particular to the field of estimating geometrical properties of an anatomical object. According to the present invention, geometrical properties are automatically measured and geometrical properties which have a definition based on sub-parts of the object are derived. To do this, additional geometrical information is integrated into a surface model. Geometrical properties are included into the surface model by identifying and labelling sub-parts of the surface model and fitting geometric primitives to these sub-parts. This advantageously allows to identify these sub-parts on an unseen object surface and to automatically extract relevant geometric properties.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2003Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Koninklijke Philips ElectronicsInventors: Michael Kaus, Jürgen Weese, Steven Lobregt
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Patent number: 8041091Abstract: An image analysis system allows users to import digital color fundus images over time, and group such images for processing so as to generate analyses. Analyses are information modules based on a selected group of images and, optionally, related information. An analysis tool allows users to view and manipulate the analyses via a graphical user interface for aid in identifying and classifying microaneurysms and other symptoms related to retinopathy and, more generally, to allow for the detection of retinal changes over time.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Critical Health, SAInventors: João Diogo de Oliveira e Ramos, Nélson Augusto de Sousa Vilhena, Frederico Teles de Campos Costa Santos, João Paulo da Silva Pinto
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Patent number: 8009859Abstract: Provided is a method of selecting test stimuli for use in evaluating performance of a video watermarking algorithm, including the steps of: calculating an image complexity rate (ICR) for each of a plurality of test stimulus candidates and classifying them into L (where L is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels based on the calculated ICR values; calculating an energy distribution rate (EDR) for each of the plurality of test stimulus candidates, and classifying them into M (where M is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels based on the calculated EDR values; calculating a motion rate (MR) for each of the plurality of test stimulus candidates and classifying them into N (where N is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels of the calculated MR values; and selecting at least one test stimulus from each of the L levels, M levels, the N levels of the test stimuli, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2005Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Weon Geun Oh, Ik Hwan Cho, Dong Seok Jeong, Hae Gwang Kim
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Patent number: 8005259Abstract: Various improvements and applications for digital watermarking technology are detailed. One concerns techniques for making watermarks resistant to malicious attacks. Another involves using digital watermarking with ID cards and credentials, such as a watermarked driver's license conveying a user's cryptographic PKI. Still another uses digital watermarks in connection with automated compliance audits for corporate users of electronic content. A variety of other technologies are also detailed.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2010Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Digimarc CorporationInventors: Kenneth L. Levy, Ravi K. Sharma, Lance Lixin Shen, John Stach
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Patent number: 7991183Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic watermark editor for a compressed video that can efficiently carry out editing such as deletion or rewriting of electronic watermark data. DCT coefficient values are extracted while applying all templates to video contents, and a template where a total sum of relative absolute value differences between pairs of the DCT coefficient values is maximized is judged to be an applied template. The pairs of DCT coefficient values extracted by the applied template are processed by a smoothing process section so that the relative differences are reduced and so as to reduce individual relative differences recursively until significant differences between the coefficient value pairs are statistically eliminated. In addition, the pairs of DCT coefficient values extracted by the applied template are replaced with new editing bits.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2006Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: KDDI CorporationInventors: Shigeyuki Sakazawa, Yasuhiro Takishima
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Patent number: 7978898Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample by a micro image acquiring unit, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample by the micro image acquiring unit include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Shigeru Uchiyama, Takayuki Inoue, Masatoshi Okugawa, Jeremy Cooke
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Patent number: 7881502Abstract: Methods and systems for three-dimensionally imaging an apical dome located at the cotyledon end of a plant embryo are provided. Three-dimensional information of an apical dome can be obtained by scanning the apical dome at varying focal planes along an axis of the embryo, or by using multiple cameras arranged in a confocal manner to image the apical dome. It can also be obtained by irradiating the apical dome with polychromatic light, wherein light beams of multiple wavelengths are focused at multiple focal planes along the axis of the embryo so that the dome's height information can be obtained based on the wavelength of the light precisely focused and reflected at each surface point of the dome. The three-dimensional information is used to ascertain various morphological features (e.g., size, shape, texture, etc.) of the apical dome, which are in turn used to assess the embryo's germinant vigor.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2004Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR CompanyInventors: William Carlson, Edwin Hirahara, Paul Roger Spencer
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Patent number: 7864980Abstract: The Video Motion Anomaly Detector addresses the problem of automatically detecting events of interest to operators of CCTV systems used in security, transport and other applications, processing CCTV images. The detector may be used in a number of ways, for example to raise an alarm, summoning a human operator to view video data, or to trigger selective recording of video data or to insert an index mark in recordings of video data.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2003Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Roke Manor Research LimitedInventor: Richard John Evans
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Patent number: 7860341Abstract: In one example of an embodiment of the invention, a method to correct for ring artifacts in an image is disclosed. A first Cartesian image is reconstructed based on data received from an imaging device, and the first Cartesian image is transformed into a first polar image. A first low-pass filter is applied to the first polar image, in the radial dimension, to form a second polar image, and the second polar image is subtracted from the first polar image to generate a third polar image. A second low-pass filter is applied to the third polar image, in an angular dimension, to form a fourth polar image, and the fourth polar image is transformed to Cartesian coordinates to form a second Cartesian image. The first Cartesian image is corrected based, at least in part, on the second Cartesian image.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2006Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.Inventors: Josh Star-Lack, Hassan Mostafavi, John Pavkovich
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Patent number: 7840053Abstract: The present invention is a tomographic reconstruction algorithm, which is highly effective improving image quality and accuracy by reducing or eliminating artifacts within images produced by limited data tomography. Using algebraic reconstruction techniques (ART), depending on whether or not an object has higher or lower densities, a current threshold value is set to either a high or low threshold parameter and then decreased or increased, respectively, to reduce or eliminate the artifacts in a reconstructed image.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Inventor: Hstau Y. Liao
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Method for quantitative video-microscopy and associated system and computer software program product
Patent number: 7826650Abstract: A method of determining an amount of at least one molecular species in a sample from an image of the sample captured by an image acquisition device is provided, each molecular species being indicated by a dye. A dye space representation of a plurality of dyes is formed by orthogonally adding the correspondence tables of the dyes, each correspondence table having a plurality of normalized RGB triplets and incrementally extending from 0% to 100% transmittance. The dye space representation has one dimension for each dye and provides a reference model for a combination of the plurality of dyes. Each pixel of an image of the sample stained with the combination of the plurality of dyes is compared to the reference model, each pixel having a color defined by an RGB triplet, so as to determine an optimal combination of normalized RGB triplets from the respective correspondence tables of the dyes producing the color of the respective pixel.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2009Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: TriPath Imaging, Inc.Inventors: Raphaël Marcelpoil, Didier Morel -
Patent number: 7813528Abstract: A method detects an object left-behind in a scene by updating a set of background models using a sequence of images acquired of the scene by a camera. Each background model is updated at a different temporal scales ranging from short term to long term. A foreground mask is determined from each background model after the updating for a particular image of the sequence. A motion image is updated from the set of foreground masks. In the motion, image, each pixel has an associated evidence value. The evidence values are compared with a evidence threshold to detect and signal an object left behind in the scene.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2007Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Fatih M. Porikli, Yuri A. Ivanov
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Patent number: 7801352Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample S by a micro image acquiring unit, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample S as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample S by the micro image acquiring unit include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample S, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample S.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.Inventors: Shigeru Uchiyama, Takayuki Inoue, Masatoshi Okugawa, Jeremy Cooke
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Patent number: 7801351Abstract: An interactive user interface (UI) for managing digital medical images is disclosed. The UI includes a first display panel for displaying more than one of the digital medical images and a point on each digital medical image located in associated regions for stitching pairs of the digital medical images together, and a second display panel for displaying a composite image comprising the stitched digital medical images. The UI provides means for a user to modify the location of the points and means for applying an algorithm to regenerate the composite image in response to the location of the points.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yogesh Srinivas, Kadri Nizar Jabri, Rathinasabapathy Ramalingam, Tabb Alan Patz, Nicholas Louis Marinelli
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Patent number: 7778447Abstract: A method, device and computer program for mobile object information management program includes obtaining a first image by photographing identification information of a mobile object, executing character recognition process on the first image to obtain a first character recognition result, determining accuracy of the first character recognition result, registering, as the identification information corresponding to the mobile object, a plurality of first character recognition results, for each of which the accuracy is determined as low, and outputting the first character recognition results registered.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2004Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Kunikazu Takahashi, Kazuyuki Yasutake, Nakaba Yuhara
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Patent number: 7756304Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasonic imaging system acquires image data for at least two frames at each of multiple positions, each frame identified with a respective phase of a physiological cycle. A multiphase 3-D or extended field of view data set is constructed from the image data. Then a plurality of images are generated from the multiphase data set. Each image is associated with a respective phase of the physiological cycle, and these images are displayed in sequence to a user.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1999Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.Inventors: John A. Hossack, Linyong Pang, Thilaka S. Sumanaweera
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Patent number: 7747056Abstract: An image data area extracting system includes: a threshold value setting unit configured to set a threshold value for three dimensional image data of an object; an area managing unit configured to extract a threshold value area from the three dimensional image data based at least in part on the threshold value; a three dimensional projection image display unit configured to display an image, the image being constructed from the three dimensional image data; a starting point designating unit configured to designate a starting point for a connected area to be deleted from the image; and an extract connected area deleting unit configured to remove the connected area from the image.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2005Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems CorporationInventors: Kaoru Suzuki, Jeffrey Hall
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Patent number: 7724936Abstract: An artificial image used for comparison with a medical image can be generated efficiently and accurately. A medical image including anatomically characteristic structures obtained by radiography of a predetermined part of a subject such as a human body is classified into segments having similar anatomic characteristics represented by the structures. The artificial image is generated for a specified one of the segments regarding the structures in normality.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2005Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Akira Oosawa