Patents Examined by Michelle Entezari
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Patent number: 8842893Abstract: A system and method for a procedure that can be performed on any appropriate subject. Procedures can include assembling any appropriate work piece or installing members into a work piece, such as an airframe, autoframe, etc. Regardless of the subject, generally the procedure can have a selected result that is efficacious. The efficacious result may be the desired or best result for the procedure. The system and method can be used in confirming a selected result that can be efficacious.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2010Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.Inventors: Robert Teichman, Eric Potts, Robert J. Reddy
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Patent number: 8837857Abstract: The invention concerns image processing that includes the estimation of the optical depths of points in image data in order to enhance the image data. In particular but not limited to, from the optical depth noise present in the image due to aerosol in the scene, such as fog or haze, can be reduced. The invention concerns determining a first cost for each point independently based on a determined metric (60) and then a second cost based on an expected correlation in neighboring points (70). The two costs are then optimized (80) to determine an estimated optical depth for each point (80) that is then used to reduce the effect of aerosol in the image (84). Applications of the invention include, but is not limited to, surveillance systems so that objects in the scene of the image can be better identified once the image data has been enhanced to reduce the estimated noise. Aspects of the invention include a method, software, computer apparatus and a field programmable gate array.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: National ICT Australia LimitedInventors: Richard Hartley, Robby Tan, Peter Carr
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Image processing device, image processing method and storage medium storing image processing program
Patent number: 8831372Abstract: An image processing device for performing edge-preserving smoothing includes a reducing unit for reducing an input image; a reduced image smoothing unit for performing a smoothing processing on a reduced image generated by the reducing unit with edges preserved; and an edge-preserving enlarging unit for enlarging an image generated by the reduced image smoothing unit with the edges preserved. The edge-preserving enlarging unit performs a filtering processing by determining a pixel value of a target pixel for the filtering processing based on weighted addition of pixel values of respective reference pixels. Weighting coefficients for the pixel values of the respective reference pixels is set based on differences between a pixel value of the input image corresponding to the target pixel and pixel values of the respective reference pixels and based on distances between the target pixel and the respective reference pixels.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventor: Naoyuki Akiyama -
Patent number: 8831380Abstract: A system for displaying hybrid image data produced by embedding additional media objects within street-level panoramic images includes a user interface through which a user may view, search for, and/or navigate through additional media objects in the context of browsing a virtual environment of a location at street level. In response to user input indicating a request to view a geographic location and/or an additional media object, street-level panoramic image data associated with the geographic location, in which one or more additional media objects also associated with the geographic location have been embedded, may be provided for display through the user interface. The user interface may be provided by a client device including one or more processors that receive hybrid image data produced by one or more processors of a server and display the image data to the user.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Eyal Ofek, Michael Kroepfl, Julian R. Walker, Gonzalo A. Ramos, Blaise Hilary Aguera y Arcas
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Patent number: 8824761Abstract: A method to generate a final image with a medical imaging system, wherein the final image highlights suspect regions in a tissue matrix and wherein the final image is generated from a first image and from previously acquired images of the tissue matrix is provided. The method comprises: creating a 3D map of suspicion from the previously acquired medical images; generating a 2D map of suspicion by projecting all or part of the 3D map of suspicion onto a plane from a point reproducing the conditions of acquisition of the first image; and generating a final 2D image of the tissue matrix from the first image and/or from the 2D map of suspicion, wherein the final 2D image highlights suspect regions in the tissue matrix.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Giovanni Palma, Razvan Iordache, Sylvain Bernard
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Patent number: 8818131Abstract: Three dimensional models corresponding to a target image and a reference image are selected based on a set of feature points defining facial features in the target image and the reference image. The set of feature points defining the facial features in the target image and the reference image are associated with corresponding 3-dimensional models. A 3D motion flow between the 3-dimensional models is computed. The 3D motion flow is projected onto a 2D image plane to create a 2D optical field flow. The target image and the reference image are warped using the 2D optical field flow. A selected feature from the reference image is copied to the target image.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Adobe Systems IncorporatedInventors: Jue Wang, Elya Shechtman, Lubomir D. Bourdev, Fei Yang
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Patent number: 8811763Abstract: A system and method for generating a series of frames of a subject comprising measuring light reflected from the subject into at least one first receiver at first points in time; receiving spatial information relating to the light source illumination independent of interaction with the subject at second points in time into at least one second receiver, at least some of second points occurring before or after the first points in time; transmitting a measured value from the at least one first receiver to a processor; transmitting the spatial information relating to the light source illumination from a second receiver to a processor; correlating the measured values from the at least one first receiver at the first points in time with the spatial information derived from the at least one second receiver at the corresponding second points in time; and creating frames of a subject.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Ronald Everett Meyers, Keith Scott Deacon, Arnold Tunick
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Patent number: 8811768Abstract: A method and system for imaging information comprising at least one processor for processing information; a light source for illuminating first and second locations; a spatial receiver located at the second location for receiving the illuminating light comprising an array of pixel locations for detecting high resolution spatial information concerning the illuminating light; the spatial receiver being operatively connected, to the at least one processor and operating to transmit high resolution spatial information correlated to specific intervals of time to the processor; the at least one receiver operatively connected to the processor(s) and operative to receive light reflected from a subject and operating to transmit low resolution spatial information to the processor correlated to specific intervals of time; the processor operating to correlate a response by the at least one receiver with spatial information derived from the spatial receiver at correlating time intervals to create a high resolution image.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Ronald Everett Meyers, Keith Scott Deacon
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Patent number: 8787706Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, and method. In an embodiment, a human wearable apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an annotation environment capture device operable to generate information indicative of a recognizable aspect of an item and an annotating device operable to generate information indicative of a user expression associated with the recognizable aspect of the item.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2005Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLCInventors: Alexander J. Cohen, Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, Jr.
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Patent number: 8768104Abstract: The present invention is related to the processing of data, and more particularly to a method of and system for processing large volumes of Earth observation imagery data. A system for processing a large volume of Earth observation imaging data is described, comprising a computer including a visual display and a user interface, a plurality of servers, an image database storing said Earth observation imaging data as a plurality of separate image data files, and a network for interconnecting the computer, plurality of servers and image database. The plurality of servers is operable to process the separate data files in a distributed manner, at least one of the plurality of servers is operable to process the separate data files in a multiprocessing environment and at least one of the plurality of servers is operable to collate the processed separate data files into a single imaging result.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2009Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: PCI Geomatics Enterprises Inc.Inventors: Robert Moses, David Stanley, Louis Burry, Richard Pollock
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Patent number: 8761525Abstract: A method and system for compressive color image sampling and reconstruction. A sample set of data generated by transforming and sampling an optical property of an original image in a spatial basis, wherein the transformation effected is substantially diagonal in the spatial basis is received. A compressive sensing reconstruction technique is applied to the sample data to produce a set of inferred original image data. A data processing apparatus is adapted to receive such a sample set of data and apply a compressive sensing reconstruction technique to the sample data to produce a set of inferred original image data. In a preferred embodiment a imaging system uses a color filter array (CFA) wherein colors are randomly or pseudo-randomly arranged over an image sensor. The image is inferred from the sensor data and the CFA pattern using compressive sensing sparse solution search techniques.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2010Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Inventors: Tripurari Singh, Mritunjay Singh
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Patent number: 8761543Abstract: In various embodiments, systems and methods are provided for using an expanded image format to facilitate image transformations. The expanded image format can include at least a first set of boundaries and a second set of boundaries. The first set of boundaries corresponds to the image for transform, while the second set of boundaries provide a region beyond the image that can assist a graphics processing unit with performing a transform. Optionally, the expanded information can also include pixel value information for pixels in the region between the image boundary and the overboundary.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jeffrey R. Bloomfield, Michael Vincent Oneppo, Stephen P. Proteau
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Patent number: 8761504Abstract: Presented are new alternatives to the Bayer pattern for spatial subsampling in color imaging. One aspect relates to a new design paradigm for spatio-spectral sampling The proposed scheme offers the potential to significantly reduce hardware complexity in a wide variety of applications, while at the same time improving output color image quality. In some embodiments, a framework for CFA design in presented. In one embodiment the physical characteristics of the CFA are generated so that the spectral radii of luminance and chrominance channels are maximized. The physical characteristics of CFA design are constrained to require physically realizable CFA(s). Alternatively, certain physical characteristics can be emphasized to generate easier to manufacture CFA(s).Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeInventors: Keigo Hirakawa, Patrick J. Wolfe
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Patent number: 8755630Abstract: An object pose recognition apparatus and method. The object pose recognition method includes acquiring first image data of an object to be recognized and 3-dimensional (3D) point cloud data of the first image data, and storing the first image data and the 3D point cloud data in a database, receiving input image data of the object photographed by a camera, extracting feature points from the stored first image data and the input image data, matching the stored 3D point cloud data and the input image data based on the extracted feature points and calculating a pose of the photographed object, and shifting the 3D point cloud data based on the calculated pose of the object, restoring second image data based on the shifted 3D point cloud data, and re-calculating the pose of the object using the restored second image data and the input image data.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2011Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hyo Seok Hwang, Kyung Shik Roh, Suk June Yoon
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Patent number: 8750641Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for correcting distortion of an image. The method includes finding center point vectors including lens distortion center information about an image and dividing the image into at least two blocks on the basis of the center point vectors, and determining representative directions of the at least two divided blocks and removing outlier vectors not indicating the representative directions from the blocks to estimate a lens distortion center. Accordingly, accurate image correction is enabled by estimating distortion centers of images generated by devices equipped with any lens. Also, image content improving lens distortion correction performance is differentiated from image content degrading the same by picking out image content improving lens distortion center estimation performance, so that a superior image correction effect to other image correction techniques can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Postech Academy—Industry FoundationInventors: Moon Kyu Song, Hyun Woong Cho, Byoung Kwang Kim, Woo Jin Song
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Patent number: 8737769Abstract: A dense guide image or signal is used to inform the reconstruction of a target image from a sparse set of target points. The guide image and the set of target points are assumed to be derived from a same real world subject or scene. Potential discontinuities (e.g., tears, edges, gaps, etc.) are first detected in the guide image. The potential discontinuities may be borders of Voronoi regions, perhaps computed using a distance in data space (e.g., color space). The discontinuities and sparse set of points are used to reconstruct the target image. Specifically, pixels of the target image may be interpolated smoothly between neighboring target points, but where neighboring target points are separated by a discontinuity, the interpolation may jump abruptly (e.g., by adjusting or influencing relaxation) at the discontinuity. The target points may be used to select only a subset of the discontinuities to be used during reconstruction.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2010Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Mark Finch, John Snyder, Hugues Hoppe, Yonatan Wexler
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Patent number: 8731327Abstract: An image processing system performs a position-matching operation on first and second images, which are obtained by photographing the same object a plurality of times. A plurality of shift points are detected in the second image. The shift points correspond to fixed points, which are dispersed throughout the whole of the first image. The second image is divided into a plurality of partial images, the vertices of which are positioned at the same coordinates as the fixed points in the first image. Each of the partial images are shifted to the shift points to transform the partial images so that corresponding transformed partial images are produced. The transformed partial images are combined to form a combined image.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.Inventor: Hiroyasu Uehara
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Patent number: 8712188Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of detecting document orientation includes capturing a document image, binarizing each subimage of the document image to retain textual content and eliminate graphic and noise content from the document image, detecting portrait or landscape orientation based on values computed from strip-based projection profiles, and detecting up or down text orientation based on a text-asymmetry ratio computed from strip-based projection profiles.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Vandana Roy, Kadagattur Gopinatha Srinidhi, Yifeng Wu, Peter Bauer
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Patent number: 8699827Abstract: An imaging apparatus controls an input/output path of a memory differently for normal image generation and for wide dynamic range image generation. For normal image generation, image signals are stored into and read from a memory after image correction. For wide dynamic range image generation, image signals are stored into and read from the memory before the image signals are corrected.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Yutaka Sato
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Patent number: 8699755Abstract: Systems, devices, features, and methods for determining geographic features corresponding to a travel path to develop a map database, such as a navigation database, are disclosed. For example, one method comprises emitting light from a light source, such as a LIDAR device, while on the travel path. Returning light is received based on the emitted light. The returning light is used to generate data points representing an area about the travel path. The data points are filtered as a function of a return intensity value to identify a feature associated with the travel path, in which the feature is treated with a retroreflective substance.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2009Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Navteq B.V.Inventors: Matei Nicolai Stroila, Xin Chen, Masha Kamali Moghaddam, Victor Lu, Bradley Dean Kohlmeyer