Patents Examined by Tommy P. Chin
  • Patent number: 6356316
    Abstract: Broadcast standard format video signals such as that adopted by the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) or the European standard format of Phase Alternating Line (PAL) and some broadcast “compatible” video signals are used as inputs to a microkeyer to synchronize a microcomputer's display in a manner that allows full and complete merging of the two signals in the broadcast video domain by, for example, additive (mixing) or non-additive (keying) processes. The required synchronization in turn makes possible incorporation in any video space a variety of computer generated visuals such as illustrative graphics, titling and any other data displayed in the video. The merged video signal from this device may then be displayed on a television monitor, or transmitted, or received, or recorded by a video recorder or processed by a standard broadcast means for example. When applied to any common microcomputer display in its most fundamental form, no additional software is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Video Associates Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry B. Mistrot
  • Patent number: 6137524
    Abstract: A communication system allows the transmission of voice, data, and non-compressed video signals over shielded or unshielded copper wire for extended distances. The system includes a transmitter, a wire link, and a receiver. The transmitter in the preferred embodiment amplifies substantially the entire frequency spectrum of the signal, converts the signal from common mode to differential mode, and adds a current to drive the signal over the wire link for extended distances. The receiver in the preferred embodiment provides an offset impedance and an offset capacitance to the signal to compensate for the impedance and capacitance of the wire link, amplifies the signal, converts the signal from differential mode to common mode, suppresses the noise in the signal, removes the current from the signal, and amplifies and refines the signal using sin x/x correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Zekko Corporation
    Inventor: Woody Albert Chea
  • Patent number: 6081298
    Abstract: This MPEG Decoder relates to the decoding of an image that can be of a bi-directional type requiring data from two previously decoded images, each image being displayed in two successive fields corresponding to lines with different parities. Each bi-directional image is decoded twice during its display time, a first time as a first field of the image is being directly displayed, and a second time as the second field is being directly displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
    Inventor: Alain Artieri
  • Patent number: 6081295
    Abstract: The coding or decoding of video data with the associated audio and/or other data can be performed, for example, on the basis of the standards ISO/IEC 11172 (MPEG1) or ISO/IEC 13818 (MPEG2). Such coding and decoding can include the conversion of a primary bit stream coded on the basis of such standards into a secondary bit stream with a different data rate. Since the information content of the motion vectors from the primary bit stream retain their validity in the secondary bit stream, it is not necessary to recalculate motion vectors for transcoding. Instead, encoding of the secondary bit stream is performed with the aid of the motion vectors from the primary bit stream which are reused. In such a case, the encoding of the secondary bit stream is carried out in a restricted prediction mode, i.e. only those prediction modes which are described by respective block type or the motion information of the primary bit stream are allowed in the secondary bit stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Deutsche Thomson-Brandt GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Adolph, Dietrich Westerkamp, Carsten Herpel, Ingo Hutter
  • Patent number: 6078355
    Abstract: A vehicle periphery monitoring system for enabling a driver of a motor vehicle to see traffic on either side of the motor vehicle without requiring the driver to look at a side view mirror includes a display monitor positioned concentrically within the vehicle, and two cameras secured to the opposite sides of the roof of the vehicle and electrically coupled to the display monitor which displays an image reflecting the left and right rear view of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Inventor: John A. Zengel
  • Patent number: 6069654
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for far-field determination of store position and attitude for separation and ballistics. The aircraft is outfitted with two photogrammetric video cameras. The store is dropped from the aircraft and the cameras record data describing the descent of the store while the on-board avionics record data describing the flight path of the aircraft. Following the flight, the data are correlated using a computer to obtain a true store position vs. time while separating from the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Moynihan
  • Patent number: 6069649
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display which enables plural persons to simultaneously observe stereoscopic images includes a color liquid crystal plate for displaying stereo-pairs composed of left and right eye perspectives in time-interlaced manner, a monochrome TV display disposed behind the color liquid crystal plate for displaying binary and inverted binary images of half face of each observer so as to be synchronized with the time-interlaced display of the color liquid crystal plate, and a large convex lens disposed between the color liquid crystal plate and the monochrome TV display so as to focus the observers' optical images on the screen of the monochrome TV display in geometrical agreement with the observers' face images displayed thereby. And an infrared TV camera is disposed so as to take observers' images by way of the large convex lens and input observers' face images to the monochrome TV display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Inventor: Tomohiko Hattori
  • Patent number: 6069656
    Abstract: A method of applying optical stabilization to the problem of laser designation is provided which simulates the action of a viscous damping mechanism while reducing the weight and cost of the tripod and angulation head used in laser designation applications on a tracking mount. A closed loop electro-optical system is utilized by a predictive filter and a slew filter which require only video output (28) representing a target (20) of interest for feedback. In addition, automatic tracking of a particular target (20) and automatic boresighting of a separable laser designator (14) to a sensor module (12) are provided. In an alternative embodiment, optical stabilization is used with a GPS module (82) in a sensor module (20), which transmits information representing the location of the target (20) to a projectile (84). The projectile (84) uses the information in maintaining its trajectory towards the target (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Alan G. Silver
  • Patent number: 6067441
    Abstract: A device is to be coupled and used with a standard non-power providing directional tap and includes a power coupling unit and a power combining unit. The power coupling unit is adapted to be connected to an output port of the directional tap. The power coupling unit filters out RF signals from the output port and outputs an AC power signal from the output port. The power combining unit includes at least two sets of combining circuits with a common input port connected to the power coupling unit so as to receive the AC power signal therefrom. Each combining circuit has an RF input signal port adapted to be connected to a respective one of the RF signal ports of the directional tap so as to receive the RF signal therefrom, and a combined output signal port with an output which is the AC power signal from the common input port and the RF signal from the RF input signal port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Cable Vision Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ying-Huei Pan
  • Patent number: 6064428
    Abstract: An automated track inspection vehicle for inspecting track for anomalies includes a self-propelled car equipped with cameras for creating images of the track. A driver and inspector visually inspect the track and right-of-way through a window in the vehicle. Additionally, the images from the cameras are viewed by an inspector on a video terminal to detect anomalies. When anomalies are detected by the driver, inspector, or various redundant detection systems, a signal is provided to store the video data for later review by an analyst. The analyst will review the stored video data to confirm the presence of an anomaly and generate a track inspection report identifying at least the type and location of anomaly and the required remedial action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: National Railroad Passenger Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Trosino, John J. Cunningham, Alfred E. Shaw, III
  • Patent number: 6061503
    Abstract: A method for assembling data by sorting and filtering new data records and old data records, such as data records that an Electronic Program Guide data provider typically transmits to a head end of a cable television system. New incoming data records are combined with existing stored data records to form combined data records. Each of the data records is assigned an array index value. The combined data records are then sorted into one field of multiple fields. Within each field, each sorted data record is compared with other sorted data records and any conflicting data record is removed. The remaining non-conflicting data records are compared within each field and exact duplicate data records are removed from each corresponding field. The remaining processed data records are compared within each field and any older difference duplicate data record is removed. The filtered data records are then transmitted to a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Adam Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 6049353
    Abstract: An apparatus and method encodes alarm condition data and other data into the vertical interval signals of a plurality security television cameras so that the data may be used to determine which security camera pictures should be stored and retrieved. Television pictures including time and camera identification data are stored in digital format on the disk drive of a computer system. Pictures from multiple security cameras are selectively stored, even though the vertical interval signals of the various cameras are in general not synchronized with respect to one another. The contents of registers where the data is stored are updated field by field. The register updating operation is performed only during vertical intervals associated with each camera. Stored pictures and data are selected and retrieved from a data base according to predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Inventor: Darrell D. Gray
  • Patent number: 6046784
    Abstract: Bit streams are divided on a block-by-block basis based on information of bit numbers and a parity bit added to each bit stream is checked to generate a switching signal. Either each bit stream or a proximate bit stream for each bit stream is selected as an optimum bit stream based on the switching signal, wherein the proximate bit stream is generated based on degrees of proximity for reference bit streams spatially adjacent to each bit stream, and the optimum bit stream is decoded to generate decoded data on a block-by-block basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 6046780
    Abstract: The software of the system has a hierarchical structure. In the highest hierarchical level, a GUI 103, an automation and traffic control 104 that can be designated by the user are disposed. In the next hierarchical level, an application software program 102 is disposed through an I/F or a network. The software program 102 is connected to an MTP 105a and an SMS 105b through a network or a common memory 101c. The software program 102 conceptually substitutes a device into a stream. Thus, the devices are indirectly controlled. Up to this hierarchical level, a real-time characteristic is not required. In the lower hierarchical level than a root IDC 105c, an IDC 111, an I/O 112, and various devices 113 are connected through a network 109. In this hierarchical level, attributes of the devices are considered and the real-time characteristic is assured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Tani
  • Patent number: 6046774
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of compressing and expanding a video signal. The apparatus includes a variable length coder controller and a quantizer. The coder controller compares a bit amount generated in the use of an optimum symbol with that in the use of an existing symbol upon detection of a scene change and outputs a new symbol upon the presence of a gain in accordance with the compared result. A frame delay delays input image data in a unit frame, a subtracter for subtracting an output signal of the frame delay from the input image data, and a scene change detector for detecting a scene change of the input image data. A motion detector detects a motion in the input image data, a main codebook for forming variable sub-codebooks for a still picture, a codebook controller for selecting a specified portion of the main codebook and variable sub-codebooks, and a vector formation unit for forming the input image data into a vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seo Weon Heo, Jong Kyu Kim, In Seop Lee
  • Patent number: 6037975
    Abstract: The photosensitive portion of an image sensor which is used for monitoring a forward view of a vehicle on a roadway is formed that is horizontally elongated with an aspect ratio in a range from 1:1.8 to 1:3.1 adjustable in correspondence with the design speed of the roadway, the minimum radius of curvature R, the maximum longitudinal slope S of the roadway, the braking distance D of the vehicle, and the number of lanes to be imaged. Here, the aspect ratio of the photosensitive portion is set at a ratio within a range from 1:1.8 to 1:3.1 in correspondence with the conditions of the design speed of the roadway and of the number of lanes to be imaged including the lane in which the vehicle is driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Aoyama
  • Patent number: 6037974
    Abstract: A photographic film scanner for scanning a film strip containing a plurality of photographic images. The film strip is continuously advanced through the scanner and a digital image of the film strip is created. Individual images contained in the digital image of the film strip are located and displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Pakon, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Truc, Doug Peterson, James Anderson, Gregg J. Ovsak, Rob McLean, James A. Hogenson, Bradley Johnson, Dennis Deutsch, Peter Wolter
  • Patent number: 6034730
    Abstract: A picture compressing apparatus compresses pictures which are classified into three types of pictures. They are an I picture that is intra-frame coded, a P picture that is forward inter-frame coded, and a B picture that is forward/backward inter-frame coded. An apparatus controlling device checks the ID of existing CPU 2 and the CPU ID of program currently created and determines whether or not they match. When the determined result is No, the apparatus controlling device extracts a compressed code of basic modules and differential modules corresponding to the existing CPU. With reference to a code table 17, a decoder decodes the compressed codes to generate an optimun program for the existing CPU. The picture reproducing apparatus performs the similar process to that of the picture compressing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ueda
  • Patent number: 6031567
    Abstract: A lumber video grading apparatus includes a vision system, processors, a grading station having visual displays, a storage and retrieval device, an identification device, and a timing system. The vision system may include cameras mounted proximate to a lumber transfer for optically acquiring real time images of exposed cut surfaces of lumber pieces conveyed on the lumber transfer. The processors process the real time images into individually identifiable retrievably storable images and also into visually displayable real time images. A selectable lumber grade is correlated at a grading station to selectable pieces of lumber on the lumber transfer. The displayable real time images or later retrieved individually identifiable retrievably storable images are displayable on a visual display at the grading station. The individually identifiable retrievably storable images are retrievably storable on, and selectively retrievably from, the storage and retrieval device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: CAE Electronics Ltd. CAE Electronique Ltee
    Inventor: Emeric Johnson
  • Patent number: RE36761
    Abstract: A variable transfer rate coding apparatus codes moving picture signals of groups of pictures (GOPs). The picture signals are quantized under control of quantization step width and coded. A first code amount per GOP and a second code amount of picture data included GOP are obtained from the coded picture signals. In response to the first code amount, a total code amount of the picture signals of the GOPs are calculated and the total code amount is compared with a reference total code amount, to decide a first target code amount per GOP in order that the total code amount becomes a maximum amount within the reference total code amount. Further, in response to the first target code amount and the second code amount, a second target code amount of the picture data included in each GOP is determined in accordance with the maximum amount. The quantization step width is varied on the basis of the second target code amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Fujiwara