Patents Examined by Victor Kostak
  • Patent number: 9235763
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for generating survey data about a survey site. Aerial photography of at least part of the survey site can be analyzed using photogrammetric techniques. In some cases, an unmanned aerial system can be used to collect site imagery. The use of a UAS can reduce the fiscal and chronological cost of a survey, compared to the use of other types aerial imagery and/or conventional terrestrial surveying techniques used alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Joyce, Troy L. Brown
  • Patent number: 9237337
    Abstract: A new beam deflection approach is provided for displaying images in autostereoscopic format. Conceptually, polarized light from a display is directed into specific viewing regions using a polarization-sensitive beam deflection sub-system that comprises, in exemplary embodiments, an active liquid crystal quarter-wave plate modulator and a passive cycloidal grating element, such as a diffractive waveplate. Specific embodiments may comprise an illumination system that both floods an LCD panel and creates a defined eye pupil region, from within which the display is viewable. Deflecting the pupil region between left and right eye positions in synchronization with displayed frame sequential stereo image data creates desirable autostereoscopic 3D viewing. Other embodiments employ a similar beam deflection sub-system in conjunction with a means of viewing subsets of pixels from different viewing positions, such as a parallax barrier or lenslet array, allowing freedom of head movement while maintaining stereo viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Ramsey, Michael G. Robinson
  • Patent number: 9232214
    Abstract: An optical monitoring device for an optical imaging system having a focal plane, an optical axis and an entry pupil, forming an image of a scene substantially at infinity on an image detector disposed substantially in the focal plane, comprises: a virtually point-like emission source at the periphery of the detector and substantially in the focal plane; a reflecting element with a plane surface upstream of the imaging system relative to the direction of light rays coming from the scene, and according to a position and inclination where a monitoring image of the source produced by the optical system and reflected by the reflecting element is substantially in the focal plane on a detection element connected to a monitoring image analyzer allowing potential optical defects to be identified; the reflecting element having an annular shape allowing passage of light rays coming from the scene and passing through the entry pupil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Blanc, Kamel Houairi, Stephane Garin, Marc Bernot, Arnaud Liotard, Christophe Devilliers
  • Patent number: 9232194
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a position detection unit configured to detect position information of the imaging apparatus, an acquisition unit configured to acquire candidate object information indicating an object which a photographer may desire to capture an image thereof within a search range of position information based on the position information detected by the position detection unit, and a presenting unit configured to present the candidate object information to the photographer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kuroki
  • Patent number: 9230250
    Abstract: A video-based monitoring system may dynamically adjust the resolution or frame rate of video cameras in a materials handling facility in response to changing conditions or events. The resolution or frame rate may be increased when an agent authorized to handle high-value items (e.g., expensive items or those at high risk of being stolen) enters the field of view of a given camera in the facility. The system (or a video camera thereof) may detect the presence of the authorized agent by detecting that his clothing or equipment includes a color or pattern designating such authorization using analytics applied to a video stream captured by the camera. Other pre-defined conditions or events indicating that higher-resolution video monitoring is warranted may trigger an increase in the resolution or frame rate of a camera. The resolution or frame rate may be decreased when these conditions or events no longer apply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik R. Parker, Kenneth C. Macfarlane
  • Patent number: 9224230
    Abstract: A method of displaying a three-dimensional (“3D”) image includes generating a frame image including a plurality of image blocks having a left-eye image and a right-eye image which are alternately arranged, the frame image displayed on a display panel and driving each of a plurality of shutter blocks in an active 3D panel as a first mode corresponding to the left-eye image or a second mode corresponding to the right-eye image so that left and right eyes of the viewer view the left-eye image and the right-eye image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gyeong-Ub Moon
  • Patent number: 9219885
    Abstract: A system for detecting characteristics of a surface includes multiple sources of lights, a platform structure configured to support the surface, a lens aligned with the platform structure, a cropping aperture, and an image receiver. The platform structure is configured to receive light from the source of light and the lens is positioned such that the source of light is not in focus, but the detected surface is in focus. The cropping aperture is configured to crop light reflected from the surface, and the image receiver is configured to receive the light conditioned by the cropping aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Kexiang Ken Ding, Michael Anthony Laver, James Frandsen, Samer Kabbani
  • Patent number: 9215425
    Abstract: A side camera is combined with a conventional optical metrology system to image the object during the focusing scan performed in normal focusing procedures. The camera is positioned in fixed spatial relation to the objective and with its focal plane in substantial alignment with the optical axis of the objective so as to image the object during the scan. The camera is used to monitor the illumination spot formed on the object by the beam projected through the system's objective. The in-focus position is found by moving the object such that the illumination spot coincides with the objective's focus seen through the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: BRUKER NANO INC.
    Inventors: Colin Farrell, Jan van Burken
  • Patent number: 9215383
    Abstract: An automated system is configured to enhance live video in real time by adding virtual graphics to imagery obtained from a moving camera, where the added virtual graphics can represent real yet not visible attributes such as wind speed and direction and non-real attributes such as lines indicative of racing advantages. The displayed positions of the virtual graphics are dependent on sensor measurements of the locations and/or attitudes in a real world 3D coordinate system of objects and of the movable camera The displayed positions of the virtual graphics are functions of corresponding locations in the real world 3D coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SPORTSVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Milnes, Stanley K. Honey, James O. McGuffin, Richard H. Cavallaro, John R. Borton, Rand Pendleton
  • Patent number: 9215454
    Abstract: A testing system and a method thereof are provided. The testing system includes an audio/video playback apparatus and a testing apparatus. The audio/video playback apparatus is configured to receive an audio/video signal, and analyze the audio/video signal to generate a signal analysis result and a processed audio/video signal. The processed audio/video signal is configured to be displayed on a screen of the audio/video playback apparatus. The testing apparatus includes a switching module and a determining unit. The switching module controls at least one audio/video transmission interface of the audio/video playback apparatus, so as to select and transmit the corresponding audio/video signal to the audio/video playback apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Yang Zhou
  • Patent number: 9214119
    Abstract: A display includes: a display section; and a display driving section driving the display section based on a first image data set and a second image data set that alternate with each other. The display driving section drives the display section by performing a first scan with use of a first block as a driving unit in accordance with the first image data set and a second scan with use of a second block as a driving unit in accordance with the second image data set. The first block is composed of a plurality of consecutive pixel lines, and the second block is composed of a plurality of consecutive pixel lines and is different from the first block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: JOLED Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoya Yano, Shoji Araki, Hidehisa Shimizu, Munenori Ono, Fumihiko Fujishiro
  • Patent number: 9215352
    Abstract: A pixel clock generator is provided. The pixel clock generator includes a phase-locked-loop (PLL) circuit that generates, from an oscillation signal having a first frequency of tens of MHz, a multi-phase oscillation signal having a second frequency of several GHz; and a frequency/phase adjusting circuit that synchronizes the multi-phase oscillation signal with a horizontal sync signal to generate a first oscillation signal, frequency-divides the first oscillation signal to generate a second oscillation signal, and adjusts a phase of the second oscillation signal to generate the pixel clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kang-Yeop Choo, Do-Hyung Kim, Tae-Ik Kim, Jong-Bin Moon, Sang-Don Jung
  • Patent number: 9210353
    Abstract: Electronic equipment and methods for permitting quick control of the operating state of a source equipment side from sink equipment. A television receiver (sink equipment) 100 and an amplifier (repeater equipment) 200 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 610, and the amplifier 200 and a DVD recorder (source equipment) 300 are interconnected over an HDMI cable 620. Each of the pieces of equipment includes, in addition to an HDMI receiving unit and an HDMI transmitting unit, a high-speed data line I/F included in a bidirectional communication unit that uses predetermined lines of the HDMI cable. The bidirectional communication unit is used to transmit channel selection information, a remote control code instructing recording, “theater mode” designating information, a remote control code, or the like from the television receiver 100 to the audio amplifier 200 or DVD recorder 300.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Nakajima, Hidekazu Kikuchi, Takamichi Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 9210300
    Abstract: A plurality of video acquisition units 100-1 to 100 N acquire videos. A plurality of visual event detection units 101-1 to 101-N provided corresponding to the plurality of video acquisition units analyze the videos acquired by the plurality of video acquisition units 100-1 to 100-N to detect visual events, and generate visual event detection information including time information on when the visual events occur. A visual event integration means 102 integrates the visual event detection information generated by the plurality of visual event detection units 101-1 to 101-N and generates time synchronization information which is used to synchronize the times of the videos acquired by the plurality of video acquisition units 100-1 to 100-N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoma Oami, Hiroo Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9193356
    Abstract: A lane monitoring method for a vehicle includes: detecting a lane of the vehicle with the aid of a camera of the vehicle; recording driving status measuring signals of the vehicle; evaluating the driving status of the vehicle according to at least one lane departure criterion; upon meeting the lane departure criterion, checking whether decision criteria for detecting an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver have been met; and generating a lane departure warning signal as a function of the evaluation according to the lane departure criterion, the output of the lane departure warning signal being suppressed if an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 9188523
    Abstract: A system for estimating size distribution and concentration of aerosols in an atmospheric region includes a digital camera, a sunlight attenuation filter, and a processor. The filter is aligned between the sun and the camera's aperture. Image processing is performed on an image captured when the filter and the sky are in focus of the camera. The image includes (i) sunlight passing through the filter, and (ii) sunlight scattered by the atmosphere and not incident on the filter. The image processing compares intensity of a first portion of the image defined by the sunlight so-scattered to Mie and Rayleigh scattering computations generated for aerosols of known size distributions where a closest match is indicative of size distribution of aerosols. The image processing determines total solar irradiance in a second portion of the image defined by the sunlight so-passed through the filter as an indication of total concentration of aerosols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark R Schoeberl
  • Patent number: 9188437
    Abstract: In the machine tool (10) pertaining to the present invention, the contour lines (51) of a tool (20) are displayed on a display screen (S). When an operator measuring the dimensions traces a contour line (51) on the display screen (S) of a touch panel (45) with a finger, it is possible to automatically identify, on the display screen (S), the site to be measured (i.e., the contour line (51)) on the tool (20). In this way, an operator can measure the dimensions of the tool (20) in an extremely simple manner. Additionally, it is possible to automatically measure the tool diameter or the blade position of the tool (20) as the operator designates a specific position on the contour line (51) of the tool (20). Thus, with such a method for measuring the dimensions of the tool (20), it is possible to easily identify an unexpected site to be measured on a tool having complex contour lines, such as a multi-stage tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 9185386
    Abstract: Provided is a video processing device that quickly identifies a distribution mode of a stream of display data, e.g., subtitles, and reproduces the data according to the distribution mode. The video processing device receives a transport stream including additional information and a data stream of display data to be displayed along with a 3D video, the additional information indicating whether the transport stream further includes left-view and right-view data streams generated from left-view and right-view data used for displaying the display data; determines whether the transport stream includes the left-view and the right-view data streams based on the additional information; and reproduces the left-view and the right-view data from the left-view and the right-view data streams when the transport stream includes the left-view and the right-view data streams, and reproduces alternative left-view and right-view data when the transport stream does not include the left-view and the right-view data streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuka Ozawa, Toru Kawaguchi, Hiroshi Yahata, Yasushi Uesaka, Tomoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9185287
    Abstract: One embodiment of an apparatus includes a reference position receiving unit configured to receive intermediate or end panorama reference position information input by a user, and a control unit configured to control an imaging device to begin generating a plurality of images to be used to generate a panoramic image based on the intermediate or end panorama reference position information input by the user after the reference position receiving unit receives the intermediate or end panorama reference position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Sento
  • Patent number: 9179119
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an image processing device includes: a first acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of parallax images having parallax between one another; a second acquiring unit that acquires identification information of a parallax image to be observed from a predetermined observing point position in each of a plurality of regions into which a display area on which three-dimensional image is configured to be displayed is divided, each of the regions including at least one element image, and the element image including each pixel in the plurality of parallax images; a corrector that corrects pixels at positions corresponding to the regions in the parallax images into pixels of parallax images identified by the identification information; and a first generator that generates the three-dimensional image from the parallax images resulting from the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nao Mishima, Takeshi Mita