Patents Examined by Wengpeng Chen
  • Patent number: 8131096
    Abstract: Coding quantized transform coefficients as occur in image compression combines a position identifying method to identify the relative position of clusters of consecutive non-zero-valued coefficients, an amplitude event identifying method to identify amplitude events in the clusters of non-zero-valued coefficients, and a coding method to code the position events, amplitude events, and signs of the amplitudes in the clusters. The method is particularly applicable to a series of quantized transform coefficients where clusters are likely-to-occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-hsiung Chen, Fang Wu, John A. Toebes, Dov Rosenfeld, Gregory D. Pelton
  • Patent number: 8126213
    Abstract: An imaging system containing an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device detector and line-scan spectrograph is used for identifying wholesome and unwholesome freshly slaughtered chicken carcasses on high-speed commercial chicken processing lines. Multispectral imaging algorithms allow for real-time online identification of wholesome and unwholesome chicken carcasses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Kuanglin Chao, Yud R. Chen, Moon S. Kim, Diane Chan, Chun-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 8103057
    Abstract: A system for capturing images of a target area on which information is recorded includes a boom assembly adapted to extend outwardly from a generally vertical surface. At least one digital camera is mounted on the boom assembly at a location spaced from the surface. The at least one digital camera is oriented so that the field of view thereof encompasses a target area on the surface. A controller is in communication with the at least one digital camera. The controller conditions the at least one digital camera to acquire an image of the target area. The image acquired by the at least one digital camera is conveyed to the controller and is processed to determine if an obstacle blocking the target area is in the captured image. If so, the captured image is not further processed and additional images are acquired until an image of the target area is captured without the obstacle therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: SMART Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Wallace Kroeker, Olugbenga Ayinde
  • Patent number: 8103111
    Abstract: In a method of coding light ray information including information about a position on a predetermined surface and information about an incident angle to the surface when a ray of light from a subject enters the surface, the light ray information is divided into two or more processing unit blocks. In a first coding process, coding are executed for each of the two or more processing unit blocks, and first block unit information composing first image information about the subject is obtained. In a second coding process, coding are executed for each of the two or more processing unit block, and second block unit information composing second image information different types from the first image information is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Kenichi Horie, Seiichiro Sakata
  • Patent number: 8086071
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for identifying objects in an image dataset that occlude other objects and for transforming the image dataset to reveal the occluded objects. In some cases, occluding objects are identified by processing the image dataset to determine the relative positions of visual objects. Occluded objects are then revealed by removing the occluding objects from the image dataset or by otherwise de-emphasizing the occluding objects so that the occluded objects are seen behind it. A visual object may be removed simply because it occludes another object, because of privacy concerns, or because it is transient. When an object is removed or de-emphasized, the objects that were behind it may need to be “cleaned up” so that they show up well. To do this, information from multiple images can be processed using interpolation techniques. The image dataset can be further transformed by adding objects to the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: NAVTEQ North America, LLC
    Inventors: Xin Chen, William Gale
  • Patent number: 8086063
    Abstract: An image display apparatus, that displays a digital image on a screen for check use, includes: an image data storage unit that stores image data of the digital image; an edge detection unit that detects an edge included in the digital image through analysis of the image data; and an image display unit that displays, when the edge being a detection result has a width wider than a predetermined first threshold width, the digital image in a state that the width of the edge is visible on the check screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Aiso
  • Patent number: 8081792
    Abstract: A method, optical arrangement, and apparatus for reading a microbead having a code. The method includes reflecting an incident light from the microbead to provide an output light. The output light is projected on a Fourier plane. The method also includes reading the code from the Fourier plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Moon, Martin A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 8055102
    Abstract: A vector interpolator optimizes the conversion of an interlaced signal to a non-interlaced signal. The vector interpolator improves the visual clarity of slanted features in a displayed image by adjusting the luminance value of each pixel such that the appearance of “steps” or “jaggies” in the features is reduced. For each pixel, the vector interpolator determines a similarity measure for the pixels within a predetermined area around the pixel. From the similarity measure, an angle for interpolation is selected. The luminance value is then interpolated along the selected vector corresponding to the angle and applied to the pixel. One or more ambiguity measures such as a local edge count ambiguity measure may also be computed to indicate the reliability of the computed luminance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Shilpi Sahu
  • Patent number: 8036434
    Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for selecting at least one post-processing method for the post-processing of medical measurement data. In this method, different post-processing components are registered. In addition to the measurement data, context data with respect to the measurement data are acquired and/or derived. Following this, a structured document is evaluated so that at least one post-processing method, for example an optimally designed method, can be selected for the respective measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andrew John Hewett, Helmut König
  • Patent number: 8036415
    Abstract: A method and system for nano-encoding and decoding information related to printed texts and images on paper and other surfaces is provided. The system and method includes a nano-encoder for encoding information related to printed texts and images; and then collocating the encoded information with the related printed texts and/or images. The system also includes a nano-decoder for decoding information encoded by the nano-encoder. The nano-decoder includes a text processing database having a translator database. The translator database includes a definition database; and a summary database. In addition, the system and method includes detecting luminescent nano particles and/or magnetic nano particles; and determining invariant properties of the detected nano particles. The invariant properties are then matched with coded information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dimitri Kanevsky, Dmitri V. Talapin
  • Patent number: 6031940
    Abstract: A video data encoding system and method represents video frame image by an initial array of data. The image data array is processed by a wavelet transform function to produce an array of transform coefficients, sometimes called a processed image data array. The processed image data array is divided into subarrays and each subarray is encoded by generating a plurality of encoded representations of the subarray, and then selecting and outputting the smallest of the encoded subarray representations. The plurality of encoded representations are generated by encoding the subarray using a predefined coding technique; generating a differential array that is equal to the difference, on a coefficient by coefficient basis, between the subarray of transform coefficients and the corresponding subarray from a prior video frame; and encoding the differential array. Each encoded subarray is preceded by a flag to indicate if the encoded data represents the subarray or the differential array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: TeraLogic, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles K. Chui, Lefan Zhong
  • Patent number: 5987194
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a line sensor for reading an image of a document sheet, an A/D converter for converting image data from the line sensor to multi-level image data, a binarization comparator for converting the multi-level image data from the A/D converter to bi-level image data and an image processing IC for selectively outputting the multi-level image data from the A/D converter and the bi-level image data from the binarization comparator. The number of read pixels in the multi-level image data output mode is set to be smaller than the number of read pixels in the bi-level image data output mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kasiha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 5956426
    Abstract: It is intended to determine widths of quantization of respective encoders to prevent deterioration in quality of picture in its entire aspect. A multi-coding apparatus comprises a plurality of encoders 1a to 1n for coding input data at variable rates, a bit allocator 4 supplied with estimated amounts of codes output from the respective encoders 1a to 1n, and a maximum transmission rate controller 3 for supplying a whole allocated amount of bits to the bit allocator 4 on the basis of the amounts of codes output from the respective encoders 1a to 1n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Matsuura, Shoji Shiomoto