Patents Examined by Tung Vo
  • Patent number: 9538117
    Abstract: A television apparatus comprises a support frame and a leg member extending from the support frame to support the support frame in an inclined orientation. The television apparatus further comprises a display panel unit having a chassis movably mounted to the support frame via a first coupling assembly mounted between a right side edge portion of the chassis and a right side section of the support frame, and a second coupling assembly mounted between a left side edge portion of the chassis and a left side section of the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Hoo Park, Eui Seok Kim, Hyun Jun Jung, Su-An Choi, Kwang Sung Hwang
  • Patent number: 9538196
    Abstract: A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Shinya Kadono, Satoshi Kondo, Makoto Hagai, Kiyofumi Abe
  • Patent number: 9531924
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device, comprising a camera unit, which is used to record images of the exterior area of a motor vehicle, and a cover element, which can be moved from a closed position to an open position by means of a drive, wherein the camera unit is behind the cover element and inaccessible from outside in the closed position of the cover element and images can be recorded in the open position of the cover element. For this purpose, the cover element has an outer surface facing away from the camera unit, and the drive interacts with a mechanism in such a way that the outer surface is always in the exterior area of the motor vehicle in each position of the cover element during the movement of the cover element between the closed position and the open position .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: HUF HULSBECK & FURST GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Austen Kolar Scudder, Alex Scott Walters, Ulrike Fichert, Shannon Christian Bartlett, Richard Heinz Jungmann
  • Patent number: 9531983
    Abstract: A module may provide codec-independent services including determining frame display order, frame dependency sets, and queuing the dependency frames in advance so as to enable display of a video. The module enables a video to be played forwards or backwards at a variety of playback speeds from any position within the video. In one implementation, a device communicatively coupled to a plurality of decoders accesses a video that includes a plurality of frames. One or more of the frames are decodable by one or more of the communicatively coupled decoders. The device identifies a frame in the video that is to be displayed, and determines a plurality of dependency frames in the video upon which decoding of the frame to be displayed depends. The device provides an indication that one or more associated dependency frames are to be decoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: John Samuel Bushell
  • Patent number: 9528878
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging apparatus including: a spectroscopic measurement section configured to measure a spectral characteristic of a subject; a spectral image capture section configured to capture a subject image separated into a plurality of colors through color separation to create a plurality of spectral images; and a color separation characteristic determining section configured to determine a color separation characteristic to be used for image capturing of the spectral image capture section, based on the spectral characteristic of the subject measured by the spectroscopic measurement section. The color separation characteristic determining section determines a count of color separations in the image capturing of the spectral image capture section and spectral bands corresponding to each of the color separations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanori Mitsui
  • Patent number: 9526351
    Abstract: A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall mounted to the base at an angle. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base. The system may further include an opening defined by the first side wall and the front retaining wall through which product may be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: RTC INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen N. Hardy
  • Patent number: 9531965
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to create and display panoramic images on a mobile device are disclosed. Such a mobile device can be a mobile phone. Apparatus is provided to control the position of a lens in relation to a reference lens. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a panoramic image. A panoramic image may be a static image. It may also be a video image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. An image processor creates a panoramic image from the correct settings provided by the controller. A panoramic camera is applied in a computer gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Spatial Cam LLC
    Inventor: Peter Lablans
  • Patent number: 9532012
    Abstract: In an approach to tracking at least one target subject in a camera network, a search is started to find a target subject on a camera within a camera network. Features are extracted from the target subject and search queries are initiated in other nearby cameras within the camera network. Search queries attempt to detect target subjects and present the finds in a ranked order. Application of aggregate searches in multiple cameras and prior search results are used to improve matching results in the camera network; propagate a search of the target subject to discover the full pathway in the camera network; and project future occurrences of the target subject in subsequent cameras in the camera network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao Long Chen, Na Lv, Zhe Yan, Yun Zhai, Zhuo Zhao
  • Patent number: 9525882
    Abstract: A video decoding method includes extracting offset mergence information of a current largest coding unit (LCU), the offset mergence information indicating whether to adopt a second offset parameter as a first offset parameter of the current LCU; reconstructing the first offset parameter of the current LCU based on the offset mergence information, the first offset parameter including an offset type, an offset value, and an offset class of the current LCU; determining whether the current LCU is an edge type or a band type, based on the offset type; determining an edge direction according to the edge type or a band range according to the band type, based on the offset class; determining a difference value between reconstructed pixels and original pixels included in the offset class, based on the offset value; and adjusting pixel values of reconstructed pixels based on the difference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Elena Alshina, Alexander Alshin
  • Patent number: 9525808
    Abstract: A camera arrangement includes a camera and a prism. The camera includes a camera sensor having an array of pixels. The prism is arranged between a window pane such as a vehicle windshield and the camera sensor. Optical properties of the camera sensor and the prism are matched to one another such that a maximum broadening of a light beam due to dispersion of the prism lies within one pixel of the camera sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Marcus Eickhoff, Gregor Boehne, Frank Blaesing, Ralf Boebel
  • Patent number: 9521374
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system for notification, during flight and on ground, of the relative quality between two redundant optical data distribution networks on an aircraft, which are used for remote surveillance of refueling activities where there is no need to disconnect a fiber optic connection to make the quality assessment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron L. Runge
  • Patent number: 9513367
    Abstract: System for detecting objects protruding from the surface of a body of water in a marine environment under low illumination conditions, the system comprising a gated light source, generating light pulses toward the body of water illuminating substantially an entire field of view, a gated camera, sensitive at least to wavelengths of the light generated by the gated light source, the gated camera receiving light reflected from at least one object, within the field of view, protruding from the surface of the body of water and acquiring a gated image of the reflected light, and a processor coupled with the gated light source and with the gated camera, the processor gating the gated camera to be set ‘OFF’ for at least the duration of time it takes the gated light source to produce a light pulse in its substantial entirety in addition to the time it takes the end of the light pulse to complete traversing a determined distance from the system and back to the gated camera, the processor further setting, for each pulse
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Ofer David, Yehuda Akiva Barukh, Keren Bennet, Alon Sade
  • Patent number: 9516311
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for signaling chroma information for a picture in a compressed video stream are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Arturo A. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9509957
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes an image sensor and image processor. The image sensor is disposed at the vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle for capturing image data of a scene forward of the vehicle. The field of view encompasses at least a portion of a road surface ahead of and in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The image processor processes captured image data. Responsive to image processing of captured image data by the image processor, the vehicle vision system determines the presence of an animal on the road surface within the field of view. At least in part responsive to determination of the animal on the road surface within the field of view, the vehicle vision system at least one of (a) generates an alert and (b) controls the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Higgins-Luthman, Yuesheng Lu
  • Patent number: 9508147
    Abstract: An index detecting section detects an index in a physical space, from a captured image obtained by an imaging apparatus. An erroneous-detection prevention processing section performs erroneous-detection prevention processing, based on information relating to image coordinates of a detected index. An image output section outputs, to a display device, an image having been subjected to the erroneous-detection prevention processing. This prevents an image displayed on the display device from being mistaken for a real index when the display device is in the field of view of the imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Endo, Shiji Uchiyama, Takashi Aso
  • Patent number: 9506839
    Abstract: Inspecting a retaining ring of a dynamoelectric machine includes placing an optical device in a stationary component of the dynamoelectric machine and directing the optical device toward a radial view of the retaining ring. An image is obtained and transmitted of a circumferential portion of the retaining ring, using the optical device during rotation of the rotor. Identification is made of a location of one or more stress cracks forming and visible at the circumferential portion of the annular edge. Further, a structural condition is determined for at least one location on the retaining ring using a metric to identify a value of the metric exceeding a predetermined acceptable value of the metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Jon Clayton, Albert C. Sismour, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9497513
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for use in for use in dynamically adjusting an encoder bit rate according to a determined available bandwidth for wirelessly communicating source data. A method detects a first available bandwidth, determines a first encoder bit rate according to the available bandwidth, encodes a signal at the first encoder bit rate, detects a change in the available bandwidth such that there is a second available bandwidth, determines a second encoder bit rate according to the second available bandwidth, and encodes the signal at the second encoder bit rate. Encoding the signal at the second encoder bit rate can include encoding a subsequent frame of the signal. The method can further wirelessly communicate the signal encoded at the first encoder bit rate in real-time and wirelessly communicate the signal encoded at the second encoder bit rate in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Allan Unger
  • Patent number: 9495763
    Abstract: In an approach to tracking at least one target subject in a camera network, a search is started to find a target subject on a camera within a camera network. Features are extracted from the target subject and search queries are initiated in other nearby cameras within the camera network. Search queries attempt to detect target subjects and present the finds in a ranked order. Application of aggregate searches in multiple cameras and prior search results are used to improve matching results in the camera network; propagate a search of the target subject to discover the full pathway in the camera network; and project future occurrences of the target subject in subsequent cameras in the camera network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao Long Chen, Na Lv, Zhe Yan, Yun Zhai, Zhuo Zhao
  • Patent number: 9497452
    Abstract: Systems and methods that use differential values to represent decoding and presentation times of pictures are provided. Optionally, some of the systems or the methods may use an entropy coding method such as, for example, the Universal Variable Length Code (UVLC) for the differential time stamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: BROADCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sherman (Xuemin) Chen, Alexander G. MacInnis
  • Patent number: 9497487
    Abstract: The techniques for encoding video content are disclosed. In an online game environment, the techniques include obtaining information for a first and second successive frames of video content and information for a position of a virtual camera associated with each frame, determining virtual camera translation information based on the positions of the virtual camera, determining a projected movement between the frames of an object included in each frame, determining the portion of the first frame to be excluded from the second frame and a new portion of the second frame, and providing the determined encoded information for a reconstruction of the second frame based on the provided information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Norihisa Higa