Patents Examined by Thomas A James
  • Patent number: 9117305
    Abstract: A processor-based apparatus for computing stream vectors for an area of interest divides the area of interest into a number of hydrologic unit code (HUC) areas. The processor calculates stream vectors from lower resolution digital elevation map (DEM) data. For those HUC areas where higher resolution DEM data is available, the processor merges the lower resolution and higher resolution DEM data. Stream vectors are calculated from the merged DEM data and used to replace those stream vectors calculated from the lower resolution DEM data. Attributes of stream vectors that receive upstream flow from an adjacent HUC area are corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Leslie G. McWethy, Zhenkui Ma
  • Patent number: 9058663
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for the automatic recovery of two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) poses of multiple subjects interacting with one another, as depicted in a sequence of 2D images. As part of recovering 2D and 3D pose estimates, a pose recovery tool may account for constraints on positions of body parts of the first and second person resulting from the correlated activity. That is, individual subjects in the video are treated as mutual context for one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mykhaylo Andriluka, Leonid Sigal
  • Patent number: 9047668
    Abstract: A global position of an observed object is determined by obtaining a first global position of an observed object with at least one positioning device. A determination is made as to whether a set of stored visual characteristic information of at least one landmark matches a visual characteristic information set obtained from at least one captured image comprising a scene associated with the observed object. In response to the set of stored visual characteristic information matching the obtained visual characteristic information set, a second global position of the observed object is determined based on a set of stored location information associated with the at least one landmark and the first global position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Norman Haas, Ying Li, Charles A. Otto, Sharathchandra Pankanti, Yuichi Fujiki, Hoang Trinh
  • Patent number: 9042660
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an acquirement unit and a reporting unit. The acquirement unit is configured to acquire an image captured by a image capturing section. In a situation that a similarity representing a degree with which the image of an object captured by the image capturing section is similar to the reference image of each commodity meets a condition of determining a captured commodity as one commodity in the commodities corresponding to the reference image, the reporting unit is configured to report a situation that the captured commodity is determined as the commodity meeting the condition and corresponding to the reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiro Naito, Hiroshi Sugasawa, Hitoshi Iizaka
  • Patent number: 9036865
    Abstract: A global position of an observed object is determined by obtaining a first global position of an observed object with at least one positioning device. A determination is made as to whether a set of stored visual characteristic information of at least one landmark matches a visual characteristic information set obtained from at least one captured image comprising a scene associated with the observed object. In response to the set of stored visual characteristic information matching the obtained visual characteristic information set, a second global position of the observed object is determined based on a set of stored location information associated with the at least one landmark and the first global position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Norman Haas, Ying Li, Charles A. Otto, Sharathchandra Pankanti, Yuichi Fujiji, Hoang Trinh
  • Patent number: 9025819
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for tracking a position of a peripheral vehicle. The apparatus includes: a processor; memory; an image obtaining unit configured to receive one or more images from one or more cameras disposed on a vehicle; a peripheral vehicle detecting unit configured to analyze the one or more images to detect a peripheral vehicle in the peripheral one or more images; a position tracking unit configured to track the peripheral vehicle detected in the peripheral one or more images; a view converting unit configured to generate a view-converted image by converting a view of the peripheral image based on the tracked position of the peripheral vehicle; and an output controlling unit configured to output the view-converted image to a display provided in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Kap Je Sung, Joong Ryoul Lee, Jun Sik An
  • Patent number: 9014450
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for executing reconstruction of a tomographic image from a plurality of radiation projection images by using a reconstruction filter comprises an obtaining unit that obtains the radiation projection images obtained by detecting X-rays irradiated from a plurality of positions by a digital radiation detector; a reconstructing unit that executes the reconstructing process of the tomographic image on the basis of the obtained radiation projection images and the reconstruction filter; and a processing unit that reduces an influence on a first pixel value of a pixel obtained by the reconstruction filter, that influence having been exerted by a second pixel in which a difference between a pixel value of a target pixel of a filtering process in the radiation projection image and a pixel value of a peripheral pixel of the target pixel is larger than a predetermined threshold value in the reconstructing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Noda
  • Patent number: 9008415
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to modifying an automatically predicted adjustment. In one embodiment, the automatically predicted adjustment may be adjusted, for example, based on a rule. The automatically predicted adjustment may be based on a machine learning prediction. A new image may be globally adjusted based on the modified automatically predicted adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Sylvain Paris, Jen-Chan Chien, Vladimir Leonid Bychkovsky
  • Patent number: 8989446
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for recognizing characters within a distorted image. According to a one aspect, a method for recognizing one or more characters within a distorted image includes rendering one or more imitation images, the imitation images including simulations of the distorted image, applying one or more distortion models to the imitation images, thereby generating distorted imitation images, comparing the distorted imitation images with the distorted image in order to compute similarities between the distorted imitation images and the distorted image, and identifying the characters based on the best similarity. According to other aspects, the systems and methods can be configured to provide recognition of other distorted data types and elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: RTC Vision Ltd.
    Inventors: Sefy Kagarlitsky, Joseph Rubner, Nir Avrahami, Yohai Falik
  • Patent number: 8989476
    Abstract: A method for automatically rapidly analyzing biological cells includes continuously capturing a plurality of image frames of a suspension including a plurality of biological cells according to a predetermined time interval within a predetermined time using a low-magnification optical image amplification device of a image capture device; transmitting each of the plurality of image frames to an operation processing device; the operation processing device utilizing an image identification technology to detect a number of the plurality of biological cells in an image frame and a static data of each biological cell of the plurality of biological cells according to at least one parameter; and the operation processing device generating a dynamic data of each biological cell in the image frame according to the static data of each biological cell in the image frame and the static data of each biological cell of a previous image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventors: Hsian-Chang Chen, Chun-Shui Huang
  • Patent number: 8983114
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for detecting a channel system comprises importing channel data, wherein the channel data includes intensity measurements associated with locations in the channel system. The method further comprises calculating, by a processor, directional first derivative data of the intensity measurements; selecting a plurality of localized test wavelets; calculating, by the processor, a plurality of fit-measures, wherein the plurality of fit-measures indicate correlations between the directional first derivatives and the plurality of localized test wavelets; and determining a plurality of selected wavelets from the plurality of localized test wavelets based on the plurality of fit-measures, wherein the plurality of selected wavelets model the channel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Eitan Shelef, Jesse Lomask, Andrea Fildani
  • Patent number: 8971573
    Abstract: A method for tracking a moving vehicle includes detecting the vehicle by acquiring a series of temporal related image frames. In an initial frame, the detecting includes locating a reference feature representative of a vehicle. The method further includes setting the reference feature as a full-size template. The method includes tracking the vehicle by searching a current frame for features matching the full-size template and at least one scaled template. The tracking further includes setting as an updated template one of the full-size and scaled templates closest matching the feature. The method includes repeating the tracking using the updated template for each next frame in the series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Wencheng Wu
  • Patent number: 8971576
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus acquires a plurality of geometric features and normals at the respective geometric features from a target object arranged at the first position. The information processing apparatus also acquires a plurality of normals corresponding to the respective geometric features of the target object from a shape model for the target object that is arranged at the second position different from the first position. The information processing apparatus calculates direction differences between the acquired normals for respective pairs of corresponding geometric features of the target object and shape model. The information processing apparatus determines whether or not occlusion occurs at each geometric feature by comparing the calculated direction differences with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Nakazato
  • Patent number: 8953860
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus may include an obtaining unit to obtain a number of users from information on detection of a face region including a face in a captured image provided at the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a setting unit to set a display region for content and a display region for a captured image in a display screen; and a display image generation unit to generate a display image to be displayed in the display region for a captured image, in accordance with the information on the detection, the number of users, and the display region set for a captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Sakai, Masao Kondo
  • Patent number: 8942415
    Abstract: A system and method is provided wherein, in one aspect, a processor determines whether multiple street level images have captured a nearly-identical face. If so, the images are processed to determine whether the face appears to be part of an advertisement. Once it is determined that the face is displayed on an advertisement, the boundaries of the advertisement may be determined and the location of the advertisement is stored for future use, e.g., potentially replacing the advertisement in the image with a different advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Andrea Frome
  • Patent number: 8929681
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus for carrying out a plurality of correction processes on an input image, a multi-dimensional histogram of the input image is calculated, and a feature amount of the input image for which a specific correction process has been carried out is analyzed based on the multi-dimensional histogram. Then, based on the result of the analysis, correction parameters to be used for another correction process are calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Umeda, Ryosuke Iguchi
  • Patent number: 8923605
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a system for detecting an object on a road. The method comprises a step of simultaneously capturing two depth maps, and then calculating a disparity map; a step of obtaining, based on the disparity map, a V-disparity image by adopting a V-disparity algorithm; a step of detecting an oblique line in the V-disparity image, and then removing points in the disparity map, corresponding to the oblique line so as to acquire a sub-disparity map excluding the road; a step of detecting plural vertical lines in the V-disparity image, and then extracting, for each of the plural vertical lines, points corresponding to this vertical line from the sub-disparity map as an object sub-disparity map corresponding to this vertical line; and a step of merging any two rectangular areas of the object sub-disparity maps approaching each other, into a rectangular object area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ganmei You, Yaojie Lu, Jichuan Zheng
  • Patent number: 8903152
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods, systems and non-transitory computer readable media for tomographic imaging are presented. 3D TOF projection data is processed to generate corresponding data in a designated format that allows for computationally cheaper image reconstruction than the 3D TOF projection data. Further, one or more preliminary images are reconstructed from the processed data using a particular image reconstruction technique for one or more iterations. To that end, one or more imaging parameters are iteratively varied every one or more iterations. The imaging parameters, for example, include the designated format, the image reconstruction technique and one or more image quality characteristics. One or more intermediate images are reconstructed from the one or more preliminary images using the iteratively varying imaging parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Evren Asma, Ravindra Mohan Manjeshwar, Steven Gerard Ross, Sangtae Ahn, David Erik Chevalier
  • Patent number: 8891854
    Abstract: A device for transforming 2D images into 3D images includes a position calculation unit and an image processing block. The position calculation unit generates multiple start points corresponding to multiple pixel lines of a panel according to a display type of the panel. The image processing block reshapes multiple input enable signals into multiple output enable signals according to the start points. The pixel lines of the panel displays the output data signal as multiple image signals respectively according to the output enable signals. The image signals include multiple left-eye image signals and multiple right-eye image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chun-Hsing Hsieh, Hsu-Jung Tung, Chia-Wei Yu
  • Patent number: 8873827
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments enable determination of spatial proximity between two or more features in biological tissue. An exemplary method includes identifying a morphological feature in an image of the biological tissue based on expression levels of a first biomarker indicative of the morphological feature, and receiving a result of a segmentation analysis performed on the image of the biological tissue identifying a set of morphological units in the image external to the morphological feature. An exemplary method includes determining an expression level of a second biomarker corresponding to each unit in the set of morphological units in the image of the biological tissue, and determining a spatial distance between the morphological feature and each unit in the set of morphological units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Colin Craig McCulloch, Christopher James Sevinsky, Jingyu Zhang