Patents Examined by Thomas A Conway
  • Patent number: 8180182
    Abstract: A processing device performs a geometry process as preprocessing for rendering a three-dimensional object on a display by modeling the three-dimensional object using a polygon mesh. The geometry process includes a vertex process that is performed for each of the vertices of the polygon mesh by a different one of a plurality of processors, and processed vertex data obtained by the vertex process is notified among the processors so that a polygon process can be performed in each of the processors. Because each processor can continuously perform the polygon process immediately after the vertex process, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of the unbalance of timing in performing the vertex process and the polygon process, thereby efficiently performing computation while minimizing the wasteful idle time of the processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Yorihiko Wakayama
  • Patent number: 8165344
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus comprises: an input unit which inputs moving image data of frames; a reference information acquisition unit which acquires reference information in accordance with the moving image data of one of the frames inputted to the input unit, the reference information forming a reference for identifying a constituent part of a person; a constituent part region extraction unit which extracts, in accordance with the reference information, a constituent part region where the constituent part of the person is situated, from the moving image data of each of the frames inputted after the frame from which the reference information has been acquired by the reference information acquisition unit; a priority region setting unit which sets, in accordance with the constituent part region, a priority region in the moving image data of each of the frames inputted after the frame from which the reference information has been acquired by the reference information acquisition unit; and a processin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Shirasaka
  • Patent number: 8165404
    Abstract: In an apparatus for creating document data, an acquiring unit acquires a handwritten figure; and a recognizing unit converts the handwritten figure acquired by the acquiring unit into a specific figure and recognizes a layout including the specific figure as a component as a user-specified layout. A storage unit stores therein data to be inserted into a desired one of a plurality of layout models. A selecting unit selects a layout model similar to the user-specified layout model from among the layout models as a similar layout model; and an inserting unit inserts the data stored in the storage unit into the similar layout model selected by the selecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Fabrice Matulic
  • Patent number: 8145012
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a process, with which images of different imaging methods can be registered, for example preoperatively obtained 3D X-ray images (A) and intra operatively obtained ultrasound images (B). First transformed images (A?,B?) are then generated in a data processing device (10), which are aligned to each other with regard to the peculiarities of each imaging method. Particularly from the three dimensional CT-image (A), can be generated a two dimensional image (A?) which adheres to the characteristic means of representation of an ultrasound system, while shaded areas behind bones and/or gas-filled volumes can be blended out. With a feature-based registration of the transformed images (A?, B?) errors are avoided, which are traced back to artifacts and peculiarities of the respective imaging methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Kirsten Meetz, Heinrich Schulz, Jens Berg, Joerg Sabczynski
  • Patent number: 8144920
    Abstract: An implementation of automated location estimation using image analysis is described. In this implementation, an image of a place is obtained and matched with previously stored images. The matching may be achieved by employing methods based on key feature extraction algorithm, color histogram analysis, pattern matching or other image comparison techniques. Upon determining a match, the location information associated with the matched previously stored images provides the location. The location information may be in the form of location tags or location keywords and the location information may be used by the user or other applications for the purposes of location determination. The above technique also allows for the user to enter location information to improve accuracy. The location information may also be assigned to the previously stored images residing in local and remote databases for users and applications to automatically assign information or keywords to images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Aman Kansal, Feng Zhao
  • Patent number: 8126289
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention may relate to a device and a method of enabling an automatic global matching of a plurality of images to provide a substantially consistent planar representation of a fundus. According to some embodiments of the invention, a device for enabling an automatic global matching of a plurality of images to provide a substantially consistent planar representation of a fundus may include a local matching module and a global matching module. The local matching module may be adapted to locally match a pair of overlapping images. As part of locally matching the images, the local matching module may be adapted to provide a best offset vector for the images based upon a matching of features from overlapping portions of the images. The global matching module may be adapted to globally match at least a triplet of locally matching pairs of images whose best offset vector sum is substantially zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ophthalmic Imaging Systems
    Inventors: Noam Allon, Nizan Horesh
  • Patent number: 8107668
    Abstract: A digital differential steganographic system and method includes a master key that is generated from an unmarked media, a mark-point reservoir created from the unmarked media and containing a set of viable candidate mark points for the unmarked media, and a mark-point applicator to insert data into the unmarked media at selected mark-points chosen from the mark-point reservoir creating a digital watermark. The method includes using an original unmarked media, shaping and testing marks in the original media for predictable distortion, verifying embedded marks at point of insertion in the original media, minimizing mark energy and duration for least-perceptible change, and using non-distributed, unmarked media of the original media as a master key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Cryptodyne Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Lowe, Eric L. Ingram, Ed Patterson
  • Patent number: 8107748
    Abstract: A technique for performing motion estimation using an adaptive motion search range includes calculating motion vectors for blocks of pixels in a target image, using the calculated motion vectors to generate a search range associated with a target block of pixels in the target image, and using the generated search range to estimate motion of the target block of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics
    Inventors: Zhourong Miao, James J. Carrig, Marco Paniconi
  • Patent number: 8098879
    Abstract: To provide an information processing device, an image movement instructing method, and an information storage medium for selecting any of a plurality of images in a simple operation and for designating a destination to which to move the selected image or images. The image processing device comprises an image displaying unit for displaying one or more images on a display screen; a track acquiring unit for acquiring a finite track at a position designated by a user on the display screen; an image selecting unit for selecting some or all of the one or more object images based on the track acquired by the track acquiring unit; and an image moving unit for moving the object image selected by the image selecting unit to a position in accordance with an end point of the track acquired by the track acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takanori Murayama
  • Patent number: 8094906
    Abstract: A method of automatically identifying bone components in a medical image data set of voxels, the method comprising: a) applying a first set of one or more tests to accept voxels as belonging to seeds, wherein none of the tests examine an extent to which the image density has a local maximum at or near a voxel and falls steeply going away from the local maximum in both directions along an axis; b) applying a second set of one or more tests to accept seeds as bone seeds, at least one of the tests requiring at least one voxel belonging to the seed to have a local maximum in image density at or near said voxel, with the image density falling sufficiently steeply in both directions along at least one axis; and c) expanding the bone seeds into bone components by progressively identifying candidate bone voxels, adjacent to the bone seeds or to other previously identified bone voxels, as bone voxels, responsive to predetermined criteria which distinguish bone voxels from voxels of other body tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Algotec Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Hadar Porat, Gad Miller, Shmuel Akerman, Ido Milstein
  • Patent number: 8090165
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic system and a method for optimizing gray level value of ultrasonic images used in the ultrasonic system, the method comprises: an acquiring step for acquiring the ultrasonic image; a searching step for searching non-evenly divided sub-areas from the acquired ultrasonic image; analyzing step for analyzing the change of gray level in each of the sub-areas in the direction of depth; and calculating step for calculating an optimized gray level value of the ultrasonic image based on the result of the analyzing step. By implementing the method of present invention, a better image equilibrium effect is obtained in the ultrasonic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Jiang, Qinjun Hu, Jian Dong
  • Patent number: 8090188
    Abstract: A reticle pattern defect correcting apparatus comprises a lithographic emulation system including an optical emulation system and a micromachining defect correcting system including a reticle defect correcting mechanism with a cantilever. Since correction of a reticle pattern defect is carried out while the transferred image is being observed in real time by the optical emulation system, it is possible to achieve an efficient reticle pattern correction while avoiding overcorrection and other problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahito Hiroshima
  • Patent number: 8090144
    Abstract: A computer-based method for adjusting luminance of a light-emitting device on image measuring machine is provided. The method includes reading a model definition curve and model coordinates of an object and a charge couple device (CCD). The method further includes locating the object and the CCD to positions on the image measuring machine, and capturing a digital image of the object. Furthermore, the method includes adjusting a resistance of the light-emitting device to ensure an ordinate deviation corresponding to each abscissa value between a new definition curve and the model definition curve falls in an allowable deviation range. A related system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Kuang Chang, Xian-Yi Chen, Zhong-Kui Yuan
  • Patent number: 8090155
    Abstract: A hand washing monitoring system (1) comprising a camera (2), a processor (4), the processor being adapted to receive from the camera images of hand washing activity. The processor analyses mutual motion of hands to determine if the hands mutually move in desired poses, and if so, the durations of the patterns; and generates a hand washing quality indication according to the analysis. The processor extracts information features from the images and generates feature vectors based on the features, including bimanual hand and arm shape vectors, and executes a classifier with the vectors to determine the poses. The processor uses edge segmentation and pixel spatio-temporal measurements to form at least some of the feature vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Provost Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth Near Dublin
    Inventors: Gerard Lacey, David Fernandez Llorca
  • Patent number: 8086017
    Abstract: A method of creating a classifier for media validation is described. Information from all of a set of training images from genuine media items is used to form a segmentation map which is then used to segment each of the training set images. Features are extracted from the segments and used to form a classifier which is preferably a one-class statistical classifier. Classifiers can be quickly and simply formed, for example when the media is a banknote for different currencies and denominations in this way and without the need for examples of counterfeit banknotes. A media validator using such a classifier is described as well as a method of validating a banknote using such a classifier. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of segmentation maps are formed, having different numbers of segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Chao He, Gary Ross
  • Patent number: 8077965
    Abstract: An object recognition apparatus that processes images, as acquired by an imaging means (10) mounted on a moving object, in a first image plane and a second image plane of different points of view, and recognizes an object in the vicinity of the moving object. The object recognition apparatus comprises: a feature point detection means (42) that detects feature points in first and second image planes of an object image; a fundamental matrix determination means (43a) that determines, based on calculation of an epipole through the auto-epipolar property, a fundamental matrix that expresses a geometrically corresponding relationship based on translational camera movement, with not less than two pairs of feature points corresponding between the first and second image planes; and a three-dimensional position calculation means (43b) that calculates a three-dimensional position of an object based on the coordinates of the object in the first and second image planes and the determined fundamental matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kakinami, Jun Sato
  • Patent number: 8073212
    Abstract: A system and method employing image analysis may provide an objective measure of the state of gingival tissue health. A region of analysis on an image of gingival tissue may be divided into pixels. Each pixel may have an associated color made up of component R, G and B values. A user may obtain an objective measurement of oral cavity soft tissue health by determining an objective measurement of the component color values of a gingival tissue image region and performing statistical analysis on the color values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert Woodrow Gerlach, Roger David Gibb, Michael Eugene Rubush, John Michael Dunavent, Stephen Francis McClanahan
  • Patent number: 8068639
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a face detection section configured to detect a face area from an image obtained by the image pickup apparatus; and a control section configured to detect at least any one of the amount of change in size of the face area detected by the face detection section and a movement speed of the face area, determine whether there is a possibility of occurrence of subject shake blur, which is blur occurring in a captured image due to the movement of a subject, on the basis of information on the detected amount of change in size of the face area or the detected movement speed of the face area, and output a warning when it is determined that there is a possibility of occurrence of subject shake blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ishiwata, Yoshito Terashima, Tetsuo Mise, Ryuji Shibata, Masakazu Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 8064731
    Abstract: A method for rigid registration of ear impression models, including: extracting a canal region from an undetailed ear impression model, the undetailed ear impression model representing an undetailed surface of an ear canal and outer ear geometry; extracting a canal region from a detailed ear impression model, the detailed ear impression model representing a detailed surface of the ear canal; generating an orientation histogram for the canal region of the undetailed ear impression model and an orientation histogram for the canal region of the detailed ear impression model; performing a rotational alignment between the orientation histograms; computing a translational shift between the canal regions after performing the rotational alignment; and performing a registration between the undetailed and detailed ear impression models after computing the translational shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Zouhar, Gregory G. Slabaugh, Gozde Unal, Tong Fang
  • Patent number: 8064663
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for evaluating at least one abnormality in one or more medical images of a subject comprising: (a) determining the location of each abnormality from pre-defined selection, (b) determining the pattern of each abnormality from pre-defined selection, (c) accessing a multidimensional database comprising data of patterns, locations, and conditions associated therewith, in which the database comprises data of each of patterns, locations, and conditions is comprised in separate dimension(s), and characteristic information for patterns, locations, and conditions is organized in the database into discrete categories, (d) extracting from the multidimensional database a list of conditions corresponding to the imaging data determined in steps (a) and (b), (e) providing an evaluation of abnormality using list obtained in step (d). The invention also relates to a database, computer program, system for navigating the database, a method for entering data into a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Lieven Van Hoe
    Inventors: Lieven Van Hoe, Bart Verweire