Patents Examined by Michelle K. Lay
  • Patent number: 7197184
    Abstract: A method for entering ZhuYin symbols and tone marks into electronic text is provided. The method comprises receiving an input symbol and providing a candidate list comprising the input symbol and the Chinese characters associated with the input symbol. After the selection of the input symbol from the candidate list, the selected input symbol is entered to the electronic text, and the tone marks of the ZhuYin symbol set are provided. After the selection of a tone mark, the selected tone mark is entered to the electronic text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Mikko Repka
  • Patent number: 7193629
    Abstract: A communication line is connected between a client terminal apparatus 2 and a game server apparatus 3 via a network 1, and an Internet game system, which runs a pre-determined network game in a virtual space provided by the game server apparatus 3, adds blurring to objects other than the object of attention when a view point is moved in the virtual space. Accordingly, since the object of attention is clearly displayed with regard to other objects, it is possible to make the object of attention stand out even when view point moving is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kake, Akio Ohba
  • Patent number: 7190331
    Abstract: A method for determining registration accuracy of an augmented reality system is provided. The method includes the steps of providing an input device for inputting a position of a user's touch; registering the input device with a workspace coordinate system of the augmented reality system; displaying a virtual object in a known position; recording a user's touch position in response to the user attempting to touch the virtual object; and calculating a registration error of the augmented reality system by comparing the user's touch position to the known position of the virtual object. The input device may be a passive device used in conjunction with a tracking system of the augmented reality system or an active device, such as a touch-sensitive device, coupled to the augmented reality system which outputs the user's touch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Corporate Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Yakup Genc, Nassir Navab, Mihran Tuceryan, Erin McGarrity
  • Patent number: 7184062
    Abstract: Statistically-based image blending methods and systems for pasting a plurality of digital sub-images together into a single final pasted image are described herein. One embodiment comprises methods for blending a plurality of digital sub-images together into a single pasted image, comprising utilizing a statistically-based image blending technique to blend pixel intensities of at least two digital sub-images together to create a single pasted image thereof. In embodiments, the statistically-based image blending technique comprises utilizing the pixel intensities themselves, instead of utilizing only the locations of the pixel intensities, to blend the pixel intensities of the at least two digital sub-images together. Computer-readable mediums encoded with programming for blending a plurality of digital sub-images together into a single pasted image, and digital radiographic imaging systems comprising such programming, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Vianney Pierre Battle
  • Patent number: 7180517
    Abstract: A method of providing a graphic display (SD) of an electrical distribution network (N) to provide network personnel insight as to network operation comprising. A segment of the network is monitored to obtain information about predetermined types of incidents which occur. The information is then processed to ascertain where the incidents occurred and the number of incidents which occur over a predetermined period of time. The results are presented in a graphical display which includes the number of incidents occurring at each location within the network segment, and the number of incidents which occurred at each location during previous period of time at the respective locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Distribution Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Donald Haynes
  • Patent number: 7177480
    Abstract: There is disclosed a graphic processing method in which a first figure skeleton apart from an outline of a figure by each equal distance in a central direction of the figure is calculated using at least one of a medial axis and a chordal axis with respect to a figure representing the outline of the object shape reflected in a digital image by a set of points, branch lines to the skeleton from a vertex of the figure in the calculated first figure skeleton are removed to obtain a second figure skeleton, and a curve coordinate system is defined using the second figure skeleton as one coordinate axis and using a distance between the second figure skeleton and the outline of the figure as the other coordinate axis with respect to data obtained by one circulation of the outline of the figure using one end point of the second figure skeleton as a start point and using the other end point as a terminal point to transform the coordinate of points on the outline of the figure into the other coordinate axis of the curve
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takahiro Ikeda, Koji Hashimoto, Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 7177466
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for providing color corrected images to a user over a network. The user's computer and its associated devices may be remotely calibrated and or characterized and the data made available over the network to permit multiple image providers to provide color corrected images to a user. A notification technique is also provided to notify a user when the image or images being displayed is color corrected. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Lightsurf Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Bernard, Peter G. Engeldrum, James Ellis Deutch, Cornelis P. van Prooijen, Joel D. Mattox, William J. Hilliard, Thomas L. Strother
  • Patent number: 7176943
    Abstract: A system and method for bumping graphical components between display regions of a graphical computer interface are provided. The present invention bumps a selected graphical component in response to a signal from an input device. Bumping involves locating a destination location for the graphical component to be bumped, and moving the graphical component to the destination. The destination can be determined in any one of a number of different manners. Destinations can be located at a predetermined distance from an original location of a graphical component, at an “analogous” location on another display region, or at an open location in the same display region or another display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Meyers, Tim Regan, Greg Smith, Mary Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 7170533
    Abstract: A medical imaging device and method having a display screen, a processor for processing image data in order to display the data in the form of a 3D model, and a user interface. The processor acquires at least two points positioned in the 3D model via the user interface; deduces the positioning of an axis defined by the two points in the 3D model, and reorients the 3D model in such a manner that the axis as indicated in this way is to be found in a predefined orientation relative to the plane of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Laurent Launay, Yves Lucien Marie Trousset, Cyril Riddell
  • Patent number: 7162068
    Abstract: A medical image displaying device for displaying a plurality of image data obtained by photographing a patient, includes: a plurality of display formats for designating at least one selected between each display size of the plurality of image data and each display position of the plurality of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichi Akagi
  • Patent number: 7158150
    Abstract: An image wipe method includes the steps of defining at least a first reference point to divide a screen area into several sub-areas according to the first reference points, selecting at least one sub-area, and performing a first image process on the selected sub-area. In addition, an image wipe device for executing the method is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jackie Hsiung, Sheng-Che Tsao
  • Patent number: 7158158
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for nonlinear scaling of video images. To match the aspect ratios of a video image and the target display area, at least one embodiment of the present invention scales the video image according to one or more nonlinear functions along the horizontal direction and/or the vertical direction. In one embodiment, the nonlinear functions are such that the original aspect ratio of the video image is preserved near the center region (or strip) of the image and the image is gradually stretched (or compressed) as it is mapped to the edges. In one example, the scaling is implemented by the texture mapping functionality of OpenGL using graphics hardware. In one embodiment of the present invention, the nonlinear mapping is constructed according to a polynomial mapping; and, the coefficients of the polynomial are adjustable by a user to trade off distortion between the image center and the image edges, giving the user control over the location and the amount of distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Fleming, Ralph T. Brunner
  • Patent number: 7148905
    Abstract: A system and method for annotating three-dimensional electronic documents. A user specifies, on a two-dimensional screen, a portion of a page of a three-dimensional document as a specific page area to be annotated. The annotation is displayed to the user with the transparent polygon technique, the vertex coloring technique and/or the texture coloring technique. These display techniques support highlighting annotations, free-form annotations, and text annotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Lichan Hong, Stuart K. Card, Jock D. Mackinlay
  • Patent number: 7142224
    Abstract: A polygon drawing apparatus and method draws a polygon by performing intensity processing on a polygon to be drawn so as to smoothly draw each edge portion of the polygon, by performing intensity processing on a polygon to be drawn so as to smoothly draw each edge portion of the polygon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Funakubo, Yasuhiro Enomoto
  • Patent number: 7139006
    Abstract: A method presents a set of input images on a display device. First, a set of display images is selected from the set of images. A 3D layout is assigned to each selected image, and a 3D trajectory is assigned to a virtual camera. A set of active images of the set of display images is rendered according to the layout and the trajectory. The set of active images includes a collector image. The collector images is rendered statically in a collector frame of an image plane of the display device, while remaining images in the set of active images are rendered dynamically on the image plane. Then, the layout and trajectory are animated according user input, and the rendering and animating is repeated until a termination condition is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc
    Inventors: Kent B. Wittenburg, Thomas R. Lanning, Clifton L. Forlines, Alan W. Esenther
  • Patent number: 7136066
    Abstract: Generation, coding and transmission of an effective video form, scalable portrait video. As an expansion to bi-level video, portrait video is composed of more gray levels, and therefore possesses higher visual quality while it maintains a low bit rate and low computational costs. Portrait video is a scalable video in that each video with a higher level always contains all the information of the video with a lower level. The bandwidths of 2–4 level portrait videos fit into the bandwidth range of 20–40 Kbps that GPRS and CDMA 1X can stably provide. Therefore, portrait video is very promising for video broadcast and communication on 2.5 G wireless networks. With portrait video technology, this system and method is the first to enable two-way video conferencing on Pocket PCs and Handheld PCs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Jiang Li, Keman Yu, Tielin He, Yunfeng Lin, Shipeng Li
  • Patent number: 7133050
    Abstract: Automated electronic document design systems and methods for combining identified images and layouts into electronic product templates for displaying to a user. A plurality of images and a plurality of layouts are retained. Stored images are identified based on keyword input by the user. Stored layouts contain one or more image containers and are identified based on product type and number of layout images input by the user. Images are automatically sized and cropped to fit image containers. Sizing and cropping constraints are applying to control image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Vista Print Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Alexander K. Schowtka
  • Patent number: 7126600
    Abstract: A system for traversing and rendering a graphic primitive, comprising a setup engine that outputs representative values of a graphic primitive; and a raster engine that receives the representative values of the graphic primitive and forms therefrom representative pixels, the raster engine having at least a scan module that scans only pixels within the graphic primitive and assigns data values to each of the pixels and a look-ahead module that identifies pixels that are inside of the primitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Mark C. Fowler, Kevin M. Olson
  • Patent number: 7116339
    Abstract: A parameter setting unit sets a parameter used in a predetermined interpolation calculation. A calculating unit performs the predetermined interpolation calculation based upon an input parameter. A feedback unit feeds back a value obtained through the predetermined interpolation calculation to the parameter setting unit. Then, the parameter setting unit resets the parameter based upon the value obtained through the predetermined interpolation calculation. Accordingly, an image rendering apparatus easily implements nonlinear interpolation by DDA processing which performs linear interpolation using polygon node coordinates in, for example, computer graphics, and implements rendering of, for example, curved line portions quickly and with light processing loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Shinya Wada
  • Patent number: 7109990
    Abstract: A circuit and method for automatically compensating display contrast for temperature changes allowing user preference setting. The invention can be applied to any device having a display, but in one embodiment, portable electronic devices such as palmtops, other portable computers, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, portable web browsers, remote controls, pagers, etc. are described herein. The invention allows a user to set a desired contrast preference and provides display feedback to the user as the preference setting is being made. Once the preference is set, the invention automatically compensates the contrast adjustment based on variable temperature conditions to maintain the display according to the user preference. For instance, as the temperature falls, the invention automatically detects this and adjusts the contrast in a first direction to maintain the user preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Palm, Inc.
    Inventors: Van Oler, David Mai, Ken Kelly