Patents Examined by M. B. Choobin
  • Patent number: 6370261
    Abstract: Distance image outputted from an image processor is read by a recognition/judgment computer, in which the distance image is divided into strips having a specified interval and a histogram is prepared for each strip. Based on the histogram, the position of solid objects and the distance thereto are obtained and these positional data of the solid objects are classified into groups of solid object and groups of side wall. Further, the position of a wall surface forming a boundary of a road is detected from the data of the groups of side wall. On the other hand, assuming a wall surface model composed of a series of nodes, respective nodes are determined and corrected by the data of side wall. Thus obtained nodes form a successive wall surface along a curved road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiji Hanawa
  • Patent number: 6366685
    Abstract: It is an object to prevent an abuse of a print-out copy image as much as possible even if an image which was optically recorded in a film is printed out. For example, it is an object to enable information of an author to be obtained as much as possible so long as a copy image is used. To accomplish the objects, an image processing apparatus of the invention has optical reading means for optically reading a film and generating image data, magnetic reading means for magnetically reading the film and generating predetermined additional information, adding means for adding the predetermined additional information to the image data so that it is hard to be discriminated by the human eyes, and output means for outputting the image data to which the predetermined additional information was added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Takaragi
  • Patent number: 6363162
    Abstract: A system and process is provided for assessing the quality of a signature within a binary image. The system comprises a mechanism for storing the binary image and a processor for performing various steps with respect to the image, including (1) detecting a background pattern within the binary image, (2) if a background pattern is detected, removing the background image from the binary image, thereby creating a cleaned binary image, (3) detecting discontinuities within a signature portion of the cleaned binary image, and (4) generating a measure of the signature quality for the binary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Moed, Mohamed Mkaouar
  • Patent number: 6353679
    Abstract: The invention recognizes that a probability density function for fitting a model to a complex set of data often has multiple modes, each mode representing a reasonably probable state of the model when compared with the data. Particularly, sequential data such as are collected from detection of moving objects in three dimensional space are placed into data frames. Also, a single frame of data may require analysis by a sequence of analysis operations. Computation of the probability density function of the model state involves two main stages: (1) state prediction, in which the prior probability distribution is generated from information known prior to the availability of the data, and (2) state update, in which the posterior probability distribution is formed by updating the prior distribution with information obtained from observing the data. In particular this information obtained purely from data observations can also be expressed as a probability density function, known as the likelihood function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Tat-Jen Cham, James Matthew Rehg
  • Patent number: 6351550
    Abstract: A seal imprint verifying apparatus for conducting verifying work of a seal imprint more properly than in the past is provided. When an image data of the seal imprint surface of a bill, etc. is acquired by an image reader, a CPU extracts only the image data of the color of the seal imprint out of the image data of the seal imprint surface and takes out the image data of a target seal imprint out of the extraction result. The CPU thereafter compares the image data of the reference seal imprint and the image data of the target seal imprint and thereby determines whether or not both image data agree with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hideyuki Inaoka, Satoshi Kataoka, Eiichi Watanabe, Yutaka Katsumata
  • Patent number: 6345115
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in an area digital imaging system for assays to extract targets on a specimen containing an array of targets that may not be arranged in perfect regularity. A matrix is defined of nominal target locations including a probe template of predefined, two-dimensional size and shape at each of a plurality of fixed, predefined grid points on the specimen, and a determination is made of the most probable location of the probe template corresponding to a specific target by sensing both pixel intensity and the spatial distribution of pixel intensities in an image of the specimen at a plurality of locations in the vicinity of a nominal target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Imaging Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Ramm, Gang Sun
  • Patent number: 6345108
    Abstract: The invention is a statistical method for analyzing exploration data associated with image elements showing physical properties of a complex environment such as subsoil for identifying the spatial relations between image elements. The method comprises successive identification of the spatial structures of the data, separation of these spatial structures with removal of possible redundancies, formation, from initial images, of synthetic images or spatial components that show the spatial structures of the data, providing a typology of the initial images according to the spatial structures shown by the spatial components, and filtering of the initial images in order to suppress the noise and to select one or more identified spatial structures. The method can be used for study of any spatial data, notably in geosciences in order to process seismic images of the subsoil, but also in geography, agronomy, hydrology, geomarketing, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Abdelaziz Faraj
  • Patent number: 6333987
    Abstract: Image areas that have been printed by specific printing plates or areas are coordinated with those specific plates or areas. A counter is coordinated with each specific image area and specific plate or area which prints it. If a predetermined number of faults are counted, a signal is generated and can be used to shut down the press or to advise the press operator of the existence of the recurring fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerald Josef Reinhard, Johannes Georg Schaede
  • Patent number: 6314204
    Abstract: The invention recognizes that a probability density function for fitting a model to a complex set of data often has multiple modes, each mode representing a reasonably probable state of the model when compared with the data. Particularly, sequential data such as are collected from detection of moving objects in three dimensional space are placed into data frames. Computation of the probability density function of the model state involves two main stages: (1) state prediction, in which the prior probability distribution is generated from information known prior to the availability of the data, and (2) state update, in which the posterior probability distribution is formed by updating the prior distribution with information obtained from observing the data. In particular this information obtained purely from data observations can also be expressed as a probability density function, known as the likelihood function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Tat-Jen Cham, James Matthew Rehg
  • Patent number: 6278793
    Abstract: A computerized method of detecting regions of interest in a digital image optimizes and adapts a computer aided scheme for detecting regions of interest in images. The optimization is based on global image characteristics. For each image in a database of images having known regions of interest, global image features are measured and an image characteristic index is established based on these global image features. All the images in the database are divided into a number of image groups based on the image characteristic index of each image in the database and the CAD scheme is optimized for each image group. Once the CAD scheme is optimized, to process a digital image, an image characteristics based classification criteria is established for that image, and then global image features of the digitized image are determined. The digitized image is then assigned an image characteristics rating based on the determined global image features, and the image is assigned to an image group based on the image rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh
    Inventors: David Gur, Bin Zheng
  • Patent number: 6278791
    Abstract: The method and system embeds digital meta-data into an original image in such a way that the meta-data can be completely removed at a later time to allow loss less recovery of the original image. The loss less recovery of the original image allows for a digital signature of the image to be embedded in the image itself and later recovered and used to verify the authenticity of a received image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Chris W. Honsinger, Paul W. Jones, Majid Rabbani, James C. Stoffel
  • Patent number: 6266429
    Abstract: A digital image is divided into a plurality of cells having a first sequence. A random seed is generated and used to produce two sets of pseudo-random numbers. The first set of pseudo-random numbers are used to alter the location and shape of the cells thereby creating a new set of cells that the image is divided into. A measurement is taken for each of these new cells. The second set of pseudo-random numbers creates a second sequence. Each of the new cells corresponding to the first sequence is compared to another new cell corresponding to the second sequence. This comparison is related to a threshold and yields a fingerprint. The resultant fingerprint is transmitted along with the image and the random seed. A receiver performs the same algorithm on its received image. If it produces the same fingerprint as the one it receives, it is assumed that the image has not been altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: William P. Lord, Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb, Michael Epstein
  • Patent number: 6266434
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing spectral artifacts in a computed tomography (CT) system are described. In one embodiment, the CT system includes a plurality of multislice detector modules, a detector housing and a collimator adjacent the detector modules. Each detector module is mounted to the detector housing and includes a scintillator array. The collimator includes a plurality of plates that are positioned so that a x-ray beam shadow is centered over gaps in the scintillator array. In operation, the collimator separates the x-ray beams so that the scintillator gaps are protected and the x-ray beams are prevented from projecting through the scintillator array elements along a shortened length path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas L. Toth, O. Erdogan Gurmen, Bing Shen
  • Patent number: 6256403
    Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing method for determining a noise curve (NC) relating to an image, including acquisition (100) of an intensity image (J0) of pixels in which the noise is dependent on the signal, cutting (101) the intensity levels into substantially uniform (Mk) bands (QMk), determination (111) of statistical rules (f) which link distributions (Hk) of the standard noise deviations at the levels (QSk) to the intensities of said bands (QMk), determination (114), on the basis of statistical rules (f), of standard noise deviations (SBk) as a function of intensities (Mk), and determination (120) of the noise curve (NC) as a statistical rule (g) of the variations of the standard noise deviations (SBk) as a function of the intensity (Mk). The invention also relates to a method of reducing the noise which utilizes the standard noise deviation (SBk) and to a medical imaging apparatus which utilizes the noise reduction method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Raoul Florent, Shérif Makram-Ebeid, Christel Soyer
  • Patent number: 6246779
    Abstract: A gaze position detection apparatus. A dictionary section previously stores a plurality of dictionary patterns representing a user's image including pupils. An image input section inputs an image including the user's pupils. A feature point extraction section extracts at least one feature point from a face area on the input image. A pattern extraction section geometrically transforms the input image according to a relative position of the feature point on the input image, and extracts a pattern including the user s pupils from the transformed image. A gaze position determination section compares the extracted pattern with the plurality of dictionary patterns, and determines the user's gaze position according to the dictionary pattern matched with the extracted pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Fukui, Osamu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6240196
    Abstract: A system for visually detecting unauthorized print value, such as postal indicia on a mail piece. At least one print image is imprinted on a document based upon predetermined relationships and corresponding to a relationship indicator such that the relationship indicator is made known to an authority who may visually inspect the document to detect whether the value was printed by an authorized machine. The relationship indicator may be dependent on valid indicia, geographical location, time of printing, document position, print graphic or like information. The print graphic may also be imprinted in invisible ink for increased security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Meredith B. Fischer, Suzanne N. Grey, Perry A. Pierce
  • Patent number: 6240201
    Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium configured for computerized detection of lung abnormalities, including obtaining a standard digital chest image and a soft-tissue digital chest image; generating a first difference image from the standard digital chest image and a second difference image from the soft-tissue digital chest image; identifying candidate abnormalities in the first and second difference images; extracting from the standard digital chest image and the first difference image predetermined first features of each of the candidate abnormalities identified in the first difference image; extracting from the soft-tissue digital chest image and the second difference images predetermined second features of each of the candidate abnormalities identified in the second difference image; analyzing the extracted first features and the extracted second features to identify and eliminate false positive candidate abnormalities respectively corresponding thereto; applying extracted features from remainin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Arch Development Corporation
    Inventors: Xin-Wei Xu, Kunio Doi, Heber MacMahon
  • Patent number: 6240198
    Abstract: In a computerized method, a moving articulated figure is tracked in a sequence of 2-D images measured by a monocular camera. The images are individually registered with each other using a 2-D scaled prismatic model of the figure. The 2-D model includes a plurality of links connected by revolute joints to form is a branched, linear-chain of connected links. The registering produces a state trajectory for the figure in the sequence of images. During a reconstructing step, a 3-D model is fitted to the state trajectory to estimate kinematic parameters, and the estimated kinematic parameters are refined using an expectation maximization technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation
    Inventors: James Matthew Rehg, Daniel D. Morris
  • Patent number: 6226393
    Abstract: A method for estimating the bone quality, or skeletal status of a vertebrate on the basis of two-dimensional image data of cortical bone, and which is determined from a density variation of the cortical bone. Intra cortical resorption, scalloping, spongiosation, striation, periosteal resorption, and/or endosteal resorption caused by osteoporosis, osteopenia or hyperparathyroidism may be determined as oblong density variations detected by filtering the image data with two oblong Gaussian kernels (using a Difference Of Gaussian technique) or at corresponding frequencies in the power spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Torsana Osteoporosis Diagnostics A/S
    Inventors: Michael Grunkin, Anders Rosholm, Payman Sadegh
  • Patent number: 6215890
    Abstract: A hand gesture recognizing device is provided which can correctly recognize hand gestures at high speed without requiring users to be equipped with tools. A gesture of a user is stereoscopically filmed by a photographing device 1 and then stored in an image storage device 2. A feature image extracting device 3 transforms colors of the stereoscopic image data read from the image storage device 2 in accordance with color transformation tables created by a color transformation table creating device 13, and disassembles and outputs the feature image of the user in corresponding channels. A spatial position calculating device 4 calculates spatial positions of feature parts of the user by utilizing parallax of the feature image outputted from the feature image extracting device 4. A region dividing device 5 defines the space around the user with spatial region codes. A hand gesture detecting device 6 detects how the hands of the user move in relation to the spatial region codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Communications Research Laboratory of Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
    Inventors: Hideaki Matsuo, Yuji Takata, Terutaka Teshima, Seiji Igi, Shan Lu, Kazuyuki Imagawa