Patents by Inventor Albert J. Ahumada

Albert J. Ahumada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8711462
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the visual blur of an object being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration. In various embodiments of the present invention, the visual blur is reduced through stroboscopic image modulation (SIM). A SIM device is operated in an alternating “on/off” temporal pattern according to a SIM drive signal (SDS) derived from the vibration being experienced by the observer. A SIM device (controlled by a SIM control system) operates according to the SDS serves to reduce visual blur by “freezing” (or reducing an image's motion to a slow drift) the visual image of the viewed object. In various embodiments, the SIM device is selected from the group consisting of illuminator(s), shutter(s), display control system(s), and combinations of the foregoing (including the use of multiple illuminators, shutters, and display control systems).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Mary K. Kaiser, Bernard D. Adelstein, Mark R. Anderson, Brent R. Beutter, Albert J. Ahumada, Jr., Robert S. McCann
  • Patent number: 8675922
    Abstract: A method of measuring motion blur is disclosed comprising obtaining a moving edge temporal profile r1(k) of an image of a high-contrast moving edge, calculating the masked local contrast m1(k) for r1(k) and the masked local contrast m2(k) for an ideal step edge waveform r2(k) with the same amplitude as r1(k), and calculating the measure or motion blur ? as a difference function, ?=S(?x?k|m1(k)?m2(k)|?)1/?. The masked local contrasts are calculated using a set of convolution kernels scaled to simulate the performance of the human visual system, and ? is measured in units of just-noticeable differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Andrew B. Watson, Albert J. Ahumada
  • Patent number: 8408707
    Abstract: A method for generating a visual acuity metric, based on wavefront aberrations (WFAs), associated with a test subject and representing classes of imperfections, such as defocus, astigmatism, coma and spherical aberrations, of the subject's visual system. The metric allows choices of different image template, can predict acuity for different target probabilities, can incorporate different and possibly subject-specific neural transfer functions, can predict acuity for different subject templates, and incorporates a model of the optotype identification task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    Inventors: Andrew B. Watson, Albert J. Ahumada
  • Patent number: 6717525
    Abstract: a plurality of bi-color lights is mounted to the stern of a ship such as an aircraft carrier. The lights are arranged so that they are visible from an escort ship that is following the aircraft carrier while attempting to maintain a selected range and angular position relative to the aircraft carrier. The lights are arranged such that the number of lights of each color that are visible from the escort ship depends upon the angular position of the escort ship relative to the aircraft carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Thomas V. Evanoff, William K. Krebs, Thomas H. McCord, Albert J. Ahumada, Jr.