Patents Examined by Stephen R Koziol
  • Patent number: 9460532
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device including a recorded image signal exposure information corrector that, on the basis of information related to different exposure times, corrects a recorded image signal recorded with the different exposure times, a mixing coefficient calculator that calculates a mixing coefficient used for mixing the corrected recorded image signal with a mixed image signal, in which recorded image signals recorded with the different exposure times are mixed, retrieved from a storage unit that saves the mixed image signal, and a mixer that outputs the mixed image signal in which the mixed image signal retrieved from the storage unit and the corrected recorded image signal are mixed on the basis of the mixing coefficients, and writes the mixed image signal to the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamaguchi, Katsuhisa Shinmei
  • Patent number: 9460501
    Abstract: An objective assessment method for a stereoscopic video quality based on a wavelet transform fuses brightness values of pixels in a left viewpoint image and a right viewpoint image of a stereoscopic image in a manner of binocular brightness information fusion, and obtains a binocular fusion brightness image of the stereoscopic image. The manner of binocular brightness information fusion overcomes a difficulty in assessing a stereoscopic perception quality of a stereoscopic video quality assessment to some extent and effectively increases an accuracy of a stereoscopic video objective quality assessment. When weighing qualities of each frame group in a binocular fusion brightness image video corresponding to a distorted stereoscopic video, the objective assessment method fully considers a sensitivity degree of a human eye visual characteristic to various types of information in the video, and determines a weight of each frame group based on a motion intensity and a brightness difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Ningbo University
    Inventors: Gangyi Jiang, Yang Song, Zongju Peng, Fen Chen, Kaihui Zheng, Shanshan Liu
  • Patent number: 9460343
    Abstract: A method and system are provided to proactively recognize an action of a road user in road traffic, wherein an image of the road user, which is structured in a pixel-wise manner, is captured by way of at least one camera, and corresponding image data is generated. Image data of multiple pixels is grouped in each case by cells, wherein the image comprises multiple cells. A respective centroid is determined based on the image data within a cell. For each of the pixels, the respective distance from the centroids of a plurality of cells is ascertained, wherein a feature vector that is assigned to the pixel is formed based on coordinates of the respective pixel and the centroids. The feature vector is compared to at least one reference vector cluster, and a pose is associated with the road user based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Suerth, Magdalena Szczot, Joe Lallemand
  • Patent number: 9460335
    Abstract: A method of detecting a venous network in a portion of a human body, the method comprising the steps of capturing an infrared image of said human body portion in order to reveal a venous network of said human body portion; analyzing contrast in the infrared image in order to determine contrast characteristics of the infrared image; and determining whether the human body portion is real on the basis of contrast characteristics determined in the infrared image and of contrast characteristics determined from reference human body portions. A method of biometric recognition with a prior stage of detecting whether a portion of a human body is real.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MORPHO
    Inventors: William Ketchantang, Sylvaine Picard
  • Patent number: 9460338
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with face detection are disclosed. In embodiments, an apparatus may comprise one or more processors, cache memory, a lookup table of feature patterns, and a face detector. The lookup table is to be loaded into the cache memory, during operation, for use to detect whether a face is present in an image. The feature patterns within the lookup table are organized within the lookup table in accordance with relative connectivity of the feature patterns. The face detector to detect whether a face is present in an image, may use the lookup table of feature patterns loaded into the cache memory during detection for the face. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jinwook Lee, Bongjin Jun, Tae-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 9454818
    Abstract: A method for determining three orientational degrees of freedom of a cube-corner retroreflector by obtaining with a photosensitive array an image of a three straight marks on the retroreflector and, with a programmable control device, taking a two-dimensional transform of the image and determining the three orientational degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Peter G. Cramer
  • Patent number: 9454811
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit, a setting unit, an image derivation unit, a luminance condition derivation unit and a display unit. The image acquisition unit acquires a first diffusion-weighted image of a first b value and a second diffusion-weighted image of a second b value. The setting unit sets a target diffusion coefficient and a third b value. The image derivation unit derives a virtual diffusion-weighted image of the third b value based on the target diffusion coefficient, the first diffusion-weighted image and the second diffusion-weighted image. The luminance condition derivation unit derives a luminance condition for displaying the virtual diffusion-weighted image based on the target diffusion coefficient and the third b value. The display unit displays the virtual diffusion-weighted image according to the luminance condition derived by the luminance condition derivation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ZIOSOFT, INC.
    Inventors: Taro Takahara, Satoru Yanagihara, Yutaka Karasawa
  • Patent number: 9454545
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of linking a document image with indexed data is provided. The method may be performed by providing a document image, which is a digitized document having various information. Indexed data is also provided, which is a record that includes information extracted from the document image or a different document image. The process is further performed by identifying a feature of the indexed data and analyzing the document image to determine whether the feature is present within the information of the digitized document. The feature may be information or a characteristic defined by the information extracted from the document image or the different document image. If the feature is present within the information of the digitized document, a determination is made that the indexed data corresponds with the document image and the indexed data is linked with the document image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid, Laryn Brown, Randy Hansen, Mark Oswald
  • Patent number: 9454711
    Abstract: A detection device includes an image acquisition section that acquires an image that has been captured by an imaging section, and includes an image of an object, a distance information acquisition section that acquires distance information based on a distance from the imaging section to the object when the imaging section has captured the image, a feature quantity calculation section that calculates a feature quantity from the acquired image, the feature quantity relating to at least one of a color, a brightness, a color difference, and a spectrum of the object, a learning feature quantity storage section that stores a learning feature quantity calculated by a learning process based on the distance from the imaging section to the object, and a detection section that detects a target area from the image based on the learning feature quantity, the distance information, and the feature quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanori Mitsui
  • Patent number: 9454790
    Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for displaying a watermark on a screen. According to the present invention, when an application is executed or a document is opened by a user's manipulation, it is determined whether a watermark is displayed based on a message generated from an operating system and screen watermark display policies, and when it is determined that the watermark is displayed, the watermark is displayed on a screen. According to the present invention, when the watermark is displayed on a screen, it is possible to provide a user with notification that corresponding content is important content or confidential content. Even when the screen is captured or is imaged using a camera, the watermark is displayed in the captured image or the imaged video. Therefore, it is possible to identify that the corresponding content is important content or confidential content. As a result, it is possible to increase user awareness of security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: FASOO.COM CO., LTD
    Inventors: Nam-Sic Kim, Jeong-Moon Oh, Dong-Seok Han
  • Patent number: 9453904
    Abstract: A positioning server is connected to a collection of access points, base stations, NFC stations, and image or video cameras and the collected data is used for positioning objects. A plurality of electronic devices are paired with an object by tracking the position of the object based on imaging and the position of electronic devices based on RF signals in vicinity of the object. Once a device is paired with an object, the propagation channel profile measured through the electronic device is used to develop and tune a database of channel profiles versus location. This database is used based on signature/profile matching and correlation for positioning devices and objects that do not have pairing or have poor image-based positioning accuracy or reliability. When a device is detected that cannot be paired with any object, or a device that is unpaired from a previously associated object, a theft or loss alert is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: GOLBA LLC
    Inventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
  • Patent number: 9449226
    Abstract: To provide an information processing device for outputting estimated nutrition value information on at least one dish or a drink through simplified processing. The information processing device holds as reference information a captured image of at least one dish or a drink and nutrition value information set for the item of food or drink included in the image so as to be correlated to each other, receives an image including at least one dish or a drink, and retrieves a plurality of images similar to the image received from among the reference information held. Further, the information processing device calculates a statistic of a plurality of nutrition value information pieces correlated to the plurality of respective images retrieved, and outputs the statistic calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Kiyoharu Aizawa, Toshihiko Yamasaki, Keigo Kitamura, Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9448289
    Abstract: For optimal image quality in susceptibility-weighted imaging and accurate quantification of susceptibility, it is necessary to isolate the local field generated by local magnetic sources (such as iron) from the background field that arises from imperfect shimming and variations in magnetic susceptibility of surrounding tissues (including air). We present a nonparametric background field removal method based on projection onto dipole fields in which the background field inside an ROI is decomposed into a field originating from dipoles outside the ROI using the projection theorem in Hilbert space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yi Wang, Ludovic de Rochefort, Tian Liu, Ildar Khalidov
  • Patent number: 9449025
    Abstract: Subjective user-generated data can be utilized to determine visually similar items. Various item descriptors can be determined for a pair of items, which can provide an objective measure of visual aspects of those items, such as how similar those items are in color, style, material, or texture. The ways in which users interact with data for those items, either explicitly or implicitly through user behavior, can provide a level of perceived visual similarity on behalf of these users. The perceived, subjective visual similarity data from the users can be used to adjust a weighting of the various item descriptor factors for a pair of items, or otherwise adjust a visual similarity score, such that items selected as being visually similar more accurately reflect the subjective opinions of the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Q. Phung, Arnab S. Dhua, Ketan R. Deshpande, Sunil Ramesh
  • Patent number: 9446765
    Abstract: Systems and methods use cameras to provide autonomous navigation features. In one implementation, a system includes at least one image capture device configured to acquire at least one image of an area forward of the vehicle. The area includes a plurality of traffic lamp fixtures each including at least one traffic light. The system further includes at least one processing device configured to use at least one indicator of vehicle position, as determined from the at least one acquired image, to determine a relevance to the vehicle of each of the plurality of traffic lamp fixtures. The at least one processing device may determine, based on the at least one acquired image, a status of a traffic light included in at least one traffic lamp fixture determined to be relevant to the vehicle, and cause a system response based on the determined status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Itai Ben Shalom, Eyal Bagon, Yoav Taieb
  • Patent number: 9443127
    Abstract: A cell analyzing apparatus includes: a first histogram acquiring section which is configured to acquire a first histogram of fluorescence intensities by using a result of a measurement of a number of nuclear stained cells; a second histogram acquiring section which is configured to acquire a second histogram that is normalized based on a fluorescence intensity value indicating a maximum value of the first histogram; a determining section which is configured to determine whether cancer cells exist or not, based on one of the first histogram and the second histogram; and an outputting section which is configured to output a result of the determination performed by the determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Sunao Takeda, Hirotsugu Kubo, Takahiro Shioyama, Akane Suzuki, Kenichi Nomura, Yo Kato, Nae Hinata
  • Patent number: 9443308
    Abstract: A method for a six degree of freedom position and orientation determination of a known shape in a scenery is disclosed. The method includes taking a range image with a range imaging camera and a visual picture with a digital camera. The range imaging camera includes a sensor array with a first number of pixels. Determining a 3D cluster of points from range information collected from the sensor array to a point of the scenery. the digital camera comprises an image sensor having a second number of pixels, resulting in a 2D picture. A stored 3D digital representation of the known shape may be fitted in a virtual space to match the reproduction of the known object in the 2D picture and the 3D cluster of points and determining the six degree of freedom position and orientation of the known shape according to the virtual match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Bo Pettersson, Knut Siercks, Eugen Voit, Jürg Hinderling, Benedikt Zebhauser, Klaus Schneider
  • Patent number: 9443168
    Abstract: An object detection method can begin with receipt of an ensemble classifier previously trained upon a binary dataset of images for an object. The ensemble classifier can be defined by a list, W, of N weak classifiers, wn for n=1, . . . , N. The ensemble classifier can be trained as a detector for the object using a training dataset of images; each image can have a set of candidates having one or more known ground truth candidates. As a result of training, the weak classifiers can be reordered, based upon performance, into a new list, W?, and a rejection threshold on candidate rank can be assigned for each detection stage. A cascading algorithm can be performed using the trained detector to detect the object in an image having known object candidates. The rejection threshold for a stage of the cascading algorithm can be applied to a rank of the object candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pawel G. Musial, Nalini K. Ratha, Jordan Soet
  • Patent number: 9443293
    Abstract: An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor that includes an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of processing the image data from each of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels. The electronic device may also include a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels and causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image. The electronic device also includes deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry and capable of processing the image data from each of the plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels to produce processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Dale R. Setlak, Martin Subert, Ondrej Konopka, Petr Kohout, Pavel Mrazek, Giovanni Gozzini
  • Patent number: 9442958
    Abstract: A method includes identifying, in an image, a shelf, a price tag affixed to the shelf, a first group of one or more first products resting on the shelf and positioned on a first side of the price tag, and a second group of one or more second products resting on the shelf and positioned on a second side of the price tag. One or more first candidates are identified for the one or more first products, and one or more second candidates are identified for the one or more second products. Upon receiving information indicating expected locations for the first and the second candidates, determining, an identity of the first products can be determined based on the expected locations and the one or more first candidates, and an identity of second products can be determined based on the expected locations and the one or more second candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Amir Geva, Mattias Marder, Yoav Nahshon, Amnon Ribak