Patents Examined by Yon Couso
  • Patent number: 9754190
    Abstract: System and method for image classification based on Tsallis entropy are provided. An image may be segmented to obtain image regions. The image regions may be analyzed to generate histograms. The histograms may be analyzed to compute Tsallis entropy values. The image regions may be associated with categories based on the Tsallis entropy values. Image regions associated with a first category may be classified to obtain classification information. The classification information may be transmitted to an external device. Information related to image regions associated with a second category may be transmitted to the external device. The external device may be configured to classify the image regions associated with the second category based on the transmitted information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Seematics Systems Ltd
    Inventor: Moshe Guttmann
  • Patent number: 9741099
    Abstract: Systems and methods for local tone mapping are provided. In one example, an electronic device includes an electronic display, an imaging device, and an image signal processor. The electronic display may display images of a first bit depth, and the imaging device may include an image sensor that obtains image data of a higher bit depth than the first bit depth. The image signal processor may process the image data, and may include local tone mapping logic that may apply a spatially varying local tone curve to a pixel of the image data to preserve local contrast when displayed on the display. The local tone mapping logic may smooth the local tone curve applied to the intensity difference between the pixel and another nearby pixel exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein, Guy Cote, Steven David Hordley, Graham Finlayson, Weichun Ku, Joseph P. Bratt
  • Patent number: 9741133
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to identifying shapes in an image. For example, a shape identification system may identify an unknown shape represented by a Bézier path that has at least one Bézier curve. The shape identification system may also identify a stored Bézier path that has at least one stored Bézier curve, for example, in a database of known shapes. Using the Bézier curve of the unknown shape and the stored Bézier curve of the known shape, the shape identification system can determine a transformation matrix that transforms the transforms the Bézier curve of unknown shape to the stored Bézier curve of the known shape. Then, the shape identification system can compare the transformed Bézier curve to the stored Bézier curve to determine whether the unknown shape matches the known shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Fan Yu, Frederic Thevenet
  • Patent number: 9727956
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image acquirer configured to acquire an image, a function acquirer configured to acquire a plurality of optical transfer functions relating to an optical system, a function reviser configured to revise the plurality of optical transfer functions based on information relating to an image pickup element, a converter configured to convert the plurality of optical transfer functions revised by the function reviser into a plurality of point spread functions, and an image restorer configured to perform restoration processing on the image by using the plurality of point spread functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9727969
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing device including a dividing unit which divides a captured image of skin into regions in a multidimensional manner, a feature value calculating unit which calculates a feature value of a color property in each region divided by the dividing unit, and an evaluating unit which calculates an evaluation value of the skin using the feature values calculated by the feature value calculating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Suzuki, Shinichiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 9721325
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an exaggeration unit configured to perform on an original image including a hand-drawn element an exaggeration process that expands the hand-drawn element to generate an exaggerated image; and a reduction unit configured to reduce the exaggerated image to generate a reduced image of a predetermined size smaller than a size of the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aiko Otsuka, Atsushi Itoh
  • Patent number: 9723204
    Abstract: Dynamic motion path blur techniques are described. In one or more implementations, paths may be specified to constrain a motion blur effect to be applied to a single image. A variety of different techniques may be employed as part of the motion blur effects, including use of curved blur kernel shapes, use of a mesh representation of blur kernel parameter fields to support real time output of the motion blur effect to an image, use of flash effects, blur kernel positioning to support centered or directional blurring, tapered exposure modeling, and null paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregg D. Wilensky, Nathan A. Carr, Alan L. Erickson, Yuyan Song, Manish Kumar, Bradee Rae Evans, Sarah A. Kong, Michael J. Orts, Meredith L. Stotzner, Heather M. Dolan, Yukie Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9721181
    Abstract: A system for detecting clouds and cloud shadows is described. In one approach, clouds and cloud shadows within a remote sensing image are detected through a three step process. In the first stage a high-precision low-recall classifier is used to identify cloud seed pixels within the image. In the second stage, a low-precision high-recall classifier is used to identify potential cloud pixels within the image. Additionally, in the second stage, the cloud seed pixels are grown into the potential cloud pixels to identify clusters of pixels which have a high likelihood of representing clouds. In the third stage, a geometric technique is used to determine pixels which likely represent shadows cast by the clouds identified in the second stage. The clouds identified in the second stage and the shadows identified in the third stage are then exported as a cloud mask and shadow mask of the remote sensing image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: The Climate Corporation
    Inventors: Wei Guan, Pramithus Khadka, Jeffrey Gerard
  • Patent number: 9721323
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes an image input unit 11 and an image output unit 12. The image input unit 11 receives first image data from a camera 91 and outputs second image data to a memory unit 93 through a shared bus 130. The image output unit 12 receives the second image data stored in the memory unit 93 through the shared bus 130 and outputs third image data to a monitor 92. The third image data is generated by performing an affine-conversion on the first image data. Magnification processing in the affine-conversion is not performed in the image input unit 11. In this way, it is possible to provide an excellent semiconductor device suitable for image processing or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Hamasaki
  • Patent number: 9710927
    Abstract: A method for determining data enabling generation of a user profile and an apparatus configured to perform the method are described. The apparatus comprises an analyzer for analyzing one or more available images to determine image metadata related to at least one of colorimetric data and data about image capturing conditions. The determined image metadata are then made available to a user profile generator via a data interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Walter Arrighetti
  • Patent number: 9710896
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing chrominance (chroma) noise in image data are provided. In one example of such a method, image data in YCC format may be received into logic of an image signal processor. Using the logic, noise may be filtered from a first chrominance component or a second chrominance component, or both, of the image data, using a sparse filter and a noise threshold. The noise threshold may be determined based at least in part on two of the components of the YCC image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Mark Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9704227
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for image enhancement. In particular, there is provided a method for image enhancement, the method comprising: estimating unsharpness of the image (S201-S204); determining a protection level of at least one pixel in the image based on the unsharpness (S205); and modifying a value of the at least one pixel to enhance the image, an amount of the modifying being determined at least in part based on the protection level (S206-S210). A corresponding apparatus and user device are disclosed. The invention may be applied to fog or haze removal from images or video without producing over-removal artifacts. In some embodiments, the invention may also be used to remove noise from low-light images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jiangwei Li, He Yan, Kongqiao Wang
  • Patent number: 9691127
    Abstract: In an example embodiment a method, apparatus and computer program product are provided. The method includes calculating directionality values for pixels of a first image and pixels of a second image, where a directionality value for a pixel is calculated based on gradient differences between the pixel and a plurality of neighboring pixels. The method includes determining a plurality of similarity values between the first image and the second images for a plurality of alignment positions of the first image and the second image based on the directionality values for the pixels of the first image and the directionality values for corresponding pixels of the second image. The method further includes selecting an alignment position from among the plurality of alignment positions for aligning the first image and the second image based on comparison of the plurality of similarity values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Alexander Lindskog
  • Patent number: 9691163
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring distances related to a target object depicted in an image and the construction and delivery of supplemental window materials for fenestration. A captured digital image is obtained containing a scene with a target object whose dimension is to be measured. The digital image may contain a target object dimension identified by one or more ancillary objects and a reference object in the same or different planes. Image processing is performed to find the reference object using known fiducial patterns printed on the reference object, metadata supplied by a user and/or by the detection of colored papers in the scene of the captured image. Adhering objects aid in keeping the reference object applied to an item in the scene such as a wall, while contrast objects aid the image processing to locate the reference object in low contrast reference object/background situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: WexEnergy Innovations LLC
    Inventors: Ronald M. Wexler, John P. Spence
  • Patent number: 9684980
    Abstract: Described herein are technologies for facilitating three-dimensional imaging based on prior image data. In accordance with one aspect, deformable registration is performed to align three-dimensional (3D) image data to a sparse set of two-dimensional (2D) projection image data of at least one structure of interest. An iterative reconstruction scheme may then be performed to minimize a difference between the aligned 3D image data and the 2D image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Royalty, Sebastian Schafer
  • Patent number: 9684963
    Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for a system and method to dynamically co-register images captured by two or more separate imaging modules. For example, in one embodiment, a method includes: capturing a thermal image of an object; capturing a visible light (VL) image of the object; determining a plurality of thermal image reference points from the thermal image; determining a plurality of VL image reference points from the VL image; determining a geometric transform based on the plurality of thermal image reference points and the plurality of VL image reference points; and applying the geometric transform to the thermal image or the VL image to align the thermal image and the VL image. In another embodiment, an imaging system comprises two or more separate imaging modules and one or more processors configured to perform the method above to dynamically co-register images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Grant, Nicholas Högasten, Scott McNally, Richard Cagley
  • Patent number: 9674555
    Abstract: A method for providing real time service of huge and high quality digital image on internet is disclosed, wherein data relevant to a general life such as a general photo, an advertising leaflet, and a pamphlet and professional image data exhibited in an art gallery, exhibition grounds, a pavilion are made into huge and high quality digital image or scanned and photographed to be digital, thereby processing real time service as an interactive browsing form. In the present invention, data are directly made, edited, constructed, and uploaded on internet, thereby providing various additional information with image through hyperlink and processing high quality digital image service on network without speed delay for huge image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: INNOTIVE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sung-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 9672629
    Abstract: A fluorescence image processing apparatus for enhancing a fluorescence image includes an image segmentation unit, a background determination unit a background reduction unit, and an image enhancement unit. The background and the area of interest of a glass slide are first segmented and then this segmentation is used to enhance the contrast between both areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jelte Peter Vink, Marinus Bastiaan Van Leeuwen
  • Patent number: 9672063
    Abstract: A method of rasterizing a document using a plurality of threads interprets objects of the document by performing interpreting tasks associated with the objects. Objects associated with different pages are interpreted in parallel. A plurality of rasterizing tasks associated with the performed interpreting tasks are established, each performed interpreting task establishing a plurality of rasterizing tasks. The method estimates an amount of parallelisable work available to be performed using the plurality of threads. The amount of parallelisable work is estimated using the established rasterizing tasks and an expected number of interpreting tasks to be performed. The method selects, based on the estimated amount of parallelisable work, one of (i) an interpreting task to interpret objects of the document, and (ii) a rasterizing task from the established plurality of rasterizing tasks, and then executes the selected task using at least one thread to rasterize the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Paul William Morrison
  • Patent number: 9672650
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a digital processing unit that performs digital processing on accepted one or at least two images, thereby acquiring one or at least two processed images; a physical property information acquiring unit that acquires physical property information, which is information relating to a physical property that has been lost compared with one or more physical properties of a target contained in the images, in the one or at least two processed images; a physical property processing unit that performs physical property processing, which is processing for adding a physical property corresponding to the physical property information, using the one or at least two processed images; and an output unit that outputs a processed image subjected to the physical property processing. Accordingly, it is possible to reproduce lost physical properties of a target expressed in an image, to the fullest extent possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: I-CUBED RESEARCH CENTER INC.
    Inventor: Tetsujiro Kondo