Patents Examined by Matthew J Anderson
  • Patent number: 8743198
    Abstract: A method for detecting occupancy status of a plurality of conference rooms in real time is provided. The method enables, firstly, monitoring a first output signal of a first sensor. Secondly, the method enables monitoring a second output signal of a second sensor. The method further enables comparing the first and second output signals with one or more predetermined thresholds within a predetermined time. Furthermore, the method enables correlating the comparison results to identify any uncertainty in detecting the occupancy. Furthermore, the method enables processing output from one or more image and/or video sensors based on the correlation to obtain occupancy status information when there is uncertainty in detecting occupancy. Finally, the method enables displaying the occupancy status information on one or more user devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Infosys Limited
    Inventors: Kumar Padmanabh, Sanjoy Paul
  • Patent number: 8730314
    Abstract: A method of monitoring radiation treatment employs a video camera directed to at least a portion of a patient and/or patient support and at least a portion of a radiation machine. The direction of movement of the radiation machine and/or clearance between at least a portion of the radiation machine and the patient are determined by a control system. Graphics indicating the direction of movement of the machine and/or the clearance between the machine and the patient are overlaid on the video images. The video images overlaid with graphics displayed on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ross B. Hannibal, Julie Clift
  • Patent number: 8723918
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a driving unit for displacing one of a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis, and a controller for causing the driving unit to displace one of the lens unit and the imaging device, in response to the motion of the image capturing apparatus. When, with a shooting direction being moved, captured images are generated so that a panoramic image is generated from the captured images, the controller displaces the position of the lens unit or the imaging device at the start of exposure of each image to be captured in a direction based on a direction in which the shooting direction is moved. In addition, a displacement amount at the start of the exposure is set in response to the length of an exposure time period so that the displacement during the exposure time period becomes small and the quality of an image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Patent number: 8723947
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for aligning containers, in particular bottles, in a labeler, the apparatus having rotatable holders for containers to be aligned, and a camera unit for imaging the containers as well as a proximity switch for triggering an imaging function of the camera unit. This allows a precise alignment in combination with a reduced expenditure of time and reduced space requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Anton Niedermeier, Karl Aichinger
  • Patent number: 8717430
    Abstract: A system for performing a medical procedure on a patient is provided. The system can include an imaging head defining a field of view relative to the patient. The imaging head can include at least one transmitter that emits at least one signal in the field of view, and at least one receiver that receives at least one reflected signal from the field of view. The at least one reflected signal received can be based on at least one electrical property of at least one material in the field of view. The system can further include a workstation, which can determine, based on the at least one reflected signal received by the at least one receiver, a location of at least one boundary of the material within the field of view. The system can include a display that displays an image of the location of the at least one boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Simon, Andrew Bzostek, Steven L. Hartmann, Brandon Merkl
  • Patent number: 8718145
    Abstract: A relative quality score is provided that takes into account properties of an encoded version of a source video. For example, one such quality score calculates a difference of higher and lower quality transcoded versions of the source video, and computes quality metrics for each to evaluate how similar the transcoded versions are to the source video. A relative quality score quantifying the quality improvement of the high-quality version over the low-quality version is computed. The relative quality score is adjusted based on a measurement of the quality of the source video. If the relative quality score for the video indicates a sufficient quality improvement of the high-quality version over the low-quality version, various actions are taken, such as retaining the high-quality version, and making the high-quality version available to users, e.g. via a video viewing user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Huiseng Wang, Xiaoquan Yi
  • Patent number: 8711204
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for stereoscopically editing video content. In one embodiment, image pairs of a sequence may be stereoscopically modified by altering at least one image of the image pair. The at least one image may be altered using at least one mapping function. The at least one image may also be altered based on a saliency of the image pair. The at least one image may also be altered based on disparities between the image pair. Advantageously, stereoscopic properties of video content may be edited more conveniently and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Aljosa Aleksej Andrej Smolic, Oliver Wang, Manuel Lang, Alexander Hornung, Markus Gross, Wojciech Matusik
  • Patent number: 8692867
    Abstract: An image acquisition device having a wide field of view includes a lens and image sensor configured to capture an original wide field of view (WFoV) image with a field of view of more than 90°. The device has an object detection engine that includes one or more cascades of object classifiers, e.g., face classifiers. A WFoV correction engine may apply rectilinear and/or cylindrical projections to pixels of the WFoV image, and/or non-linear, rectilinear and/or cylindrical lens elements or lens portions serve to prevent and/or correct distortion within the original WFoV image. One or more objects located within the original and/or distortion-corrected WFoV image is/are detectable by the object detection engine upon application of the one or more cascades of object classifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
    Inventors: Petronel Bigioi, Alexandru Drimbarean, Mihnea Gangea, Piotr Stec, Peter Corcoran
  • Patent number: 8693536
    Abstract: Disclosed is a server apparatus including a conversion unit which, in case another terminal takes part anew in a group of terminals, during a time of transmitting the copied stream or packet, converts a video frame to a non-predictive frame and transmits the non-predictive frame and transmits a video signal following the non-predictive frame, as it is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8692887
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for determining variable thickness of a coating on a surface of a substrate using in part a flash-lamp source, capable of generating a thermal pulse at the coating surface, and a image capture and processing device capable of capture sequential image frames of the coating surface, whereas each sequential image frame corresponds to an elapsed time and comprises a pixel array, and wherein each pixel of the array corresponds to a location on the coating surface. A method of calculating coating thickness is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight
  • Patent number: 8670029
    Abstract: A depth camera illuminator with a superluminescent light-emitting diode (SLED) in a motion tracking system. One or more SLEDs have a sufficient power, such as 75-200 milliwatts, to extend in a field of view in an area such as a room in a home. To correct for chromatic aberration which would otherwise exist due to the wider range of wavelengths which are emitted by an SLED compared to a laser, an achromatic diffractive optical element is used to disperse the light over the field of view. The achromatic diffractive optical element can have a stepped multi-level profile with three or more levels, or a continuous profile. Based on a tracked movement of a human target, an input is provided to an application in a motion tracking system, and the application performs a corresponding action such as updating a position of an on-screen avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Scott McEldowney
  • Patent number: 8605150
    Abstract: An image processing system includes an object illuminated by a pre-determined first spectrum of light and an array of fringe lines, an imaging device configured to capture an image of the object including the first spectrum of light and the fringe lines reflecting from a surface of the object, and a processor in signal communication with the imaging device to receive an input data representing the image of the object, wherein the processor: generates a first data model based on the input data; removes a DC-component from the first data model to create a second data model; and performs a two dimensional Fourier transform profilometry based on the second data model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Hoft
  • Patent number: 8564647
    Abstract: Color correction of an autostereoscopic color display capable of displaying multiple views of one scene. Multiple viewing regions of the autostereoscopic color display are identified. The multiple viewing regions together comprise the whole of an operating viewing zone for the autostereoscopic color display. A respective plurality of color correction LUTs are constructed. At least one color correction LUT is constructed for each different viewing region. Color correction LUTs corresponding to current viewing regions are selected based on information regarding viewer location. The selected color correction LUTs are applied to the autostereoscopic color display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Siu-Kei Tin
  • Patent number: 8531517
    Abstract: We describe a method and apparatus for monitoring the dripping speed in IV process, as well as detecting the its end. The apparatus includes a camera and a processing unit to analyze the information from the acquired video. Features from the image sequence are extracted and the dripping speed is computed accordingly by discrete Fourier transform. The apparatus is also capable of detecting the end of the dripping process by finding the location of liquid surface in the drip chamber. We also describe the use of barcode to provide information to the monitoring device and program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Inventor: Kai Tao
  • Patent number: 8462208
    Abstract: System and method for tridimensional cartography of a structural surface. Two wires are extended in front and along the structural surface so as to define a reference surface. A measuring unit comprising a laser arrangement and a camera is moved in front of the structural surface so as to progressively scan the surface. Tow distinct light planes directed toward the structural surface are projected by means of the laser arrangement. Images of the structural surface containing lines resulting from an intersection of the light planes with the structural surface and four reference points resulting from an intersection of the light planes with the wires are captured by means of the camera. The images are processed to determine the 3D coordinates of the lines defining the mapping in a reference system bound to the reference surface considering the position and the orientation of the measuring unit based on the reference points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hydro-Quebec
    Inventors: François Mirallès, Régis Houde, Julien Beaudry, Bruce Hazel, Jean Cöté, Michel Blain, Serge Sarraillon
  • Patent number: 8446458
    Abstract: A miniaturized Holographic Fourier transform imaging spectrometer HFTIS, made from simple all-reflective components and with no moving parts, is provided. This HFTIS includes an all-reflective two beam interferometer, which provides two interfering beams; a two-dimensional detector array to detect the interference pattern created by the beams; a computing machine for correcting the distortions in the pattern and calculating the spectrum from the corrected interferogram. The same principle can be used to build spot spectrometers, line-scan imaging spectrometers (also called array spectrometers or line-scan hyperspectral cameras) as well as two-dimensional instantaneous imaging spectrometers (also called staring hyperspectral cameras). In all variants of HFTIS that can be built using this invention, the wave-signal collecting element can also be built of all-reflective components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventor: Hamed Hamid Muhammed
  • Patent number: 8416293
    Abstract: A plasma monitoring device includes a plasma supplier including a power supply, a reaction gas supply line, and an emission nozzle for emitting plasma, which is generated therein, toward an object; a camera unit for obtaining an image of the plasma emission state; and a controller for obtaining a measurement value by converting pixel information of the image into a numerical value and comparing it with a reference value, which is a measurement value in a normal emission state, to check the plasma emission state. The camera unit obtains an image of the plasma emission state, and the controller analyzes the image to obtain a measurement value, which is used to monitor the state of plasma in real time and control the amount of reaction gas supplied to the plasma supplier and the plasma discharge condition, so that plasma is evenly emitted from the plasma supplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: SNU Precision Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Heung Hyun Shin, Woo Jung Ahn