Patents by Inventor Andrew Blake

Andrew Blake 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: 9855496
    Abstract: A real-time stereo video signal of a captured scene with a physical foreground object and a physical background is received. In real-time, a foreground/background separation algorithm is used on the real-time stereo video signal to identify pixels from the stereo video signal that represent the physical foreground object. A video sequence may be produced by rendering a 3D virtual reality based on the identified pixels of the physical foreground object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Thore K H Graepel, Andrew Blake, Ralf Herbrich
  • Patent number: 9727135
    Abstract: Calibration of gaze tracking equipment is described, for example, in a desktop computing scenario. In various examples, an explicit calibration phase is carried out, optionally followed by an implicit calibration phase. In examples, the explicit calibration phase comprises requesting and receiving user manual input events associated with specified locations and measuring gaze associated with the manual input events. In examples, the implicit calibration phase is carried out without disturbing other activity of a user in the desktop computing environment, such as operating a graphical user interface. In various examples calibration data is stored in a plurality of buffers and used to control switching between explicit and implicit calibration phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Abigail Jane Sellen, Adam Gary Emfield, Arridhana Ciptadi, Kenneth Robert Woodberry, Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 9351662
    Abstract: Described herein are various technologies pertaining to diagnosing and/or prescribing treatment for osteoporosis. A bone of a patient is subjected to an MRI scan, and the resultant signal is subjected to a likelihood function. The output of the likelihood function are values that are parameters that are employed to ascertain connectivity of trabeculae in the bone of the patient and volumetric trabecular density of the bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Daniel Joseph Holland, Lynn Faith Gladden
  • Publication number: 20160031990
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods of treating HPV-negative tumors comprising administering an effective amount of an antagonist of the PDL-1/PD-1 interaction (e.g., an anti-PDL-1 or anti-PD-1 antibody antigen binding fragment thereof).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Keith STEELE, Marlon C. Rebelatto, John Andrew Blake-Haskins, Paul B. Robbins, James R. Vasselli, Ross A. Stewart, Ramy Ibrahim, Aiman Shalabi
  • Patent number: 9207813
    Abstract: An electronic stylus system includes an electronic stylus and base receiving unit. The electronic stylus includes a first ultrasonic transmitter, a second ultrasonic transmitter, an electromagnetic transmitter, and a writing tip. The base receiver unit includes a first ultrasonic receiver, a second ultrasonic receiver, and an electromagnetic receiver. The ultrasonic receivers of the base unit are operable to receive signals transmitted by the ultrasonic transmitters of the electronic stylus. Similarly, the electromagnetic receiver of the base unit is operable to receive signals transmitted by the electromagnetic transmitter of the stylus. The location of the tip of the electronic stylus relative to a given reference point is determined using the locations of two ultrasonic transmitters relative to the two ultrasonic receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Lyndsay Williams, James Srinivasan, William Vablais
  • Publication number: 20150316981
    Abstract: Calibration of gaze tracking equipment is described, for example, in a desktop computing scenario. In various examples, an explicit calibration phase is carried out, optionally followed by an implicit calibration phase. In examples, the explicit calibration phase comprises requesting and receiving user manual input events associated with specified locations and measuring gaze associated with the manual input events. In examples, the implicit calibration phase is carried out without disturbing other activity of a user in the desktop computing environment, such as operating a graphical user interface. In various examples calibration data is stored in a plurality of buffers and used to control switching between explicit and implicit calibration phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: Microsoft Corportion
    Inventors: Abigail Jane Sellen, Adam Gary Emfield, Arridhana Ciptadi, Kenneth Robert Woodberry, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20150250972
    Abstract: A patient interface face contact (14) element comprises a surface for contacting the face of a patient, and a connection face for coupling the patient interface face contact element to a support (15) using a magnetic coupling (30). The support is also provided as well as the complete patient interface. Headgear strap clips can also be retained magnetically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Haibach, Sander Theodoor Pastoor, Christoph Dobrusskin, Andrew Blake Kittridge, Jerome Matula, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150231490
    Abstract: A real-time stereo video signal of a captured scene with a physical foreground object and a physical background is received. In real-time, a foreground/background separation algorithm is used on the real-time stereo video signal to identify pixels from the stereo video signal that represent the physical foreground object. A video sequence may be produced by rendering a 3D virtual reality based on the identified pixels of the physical foreground object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Thore KH Graepel, Andrew Blake, Ralf Herbrich
  • Patent number: 9020239
    Abstract: A real-time stereo video signal of a captured scene with a physical foreground object and a physical background is received. In real-time, a foreground/background separation algorithm is used on the real-time stereo video signal to identify pixels from the stereo video signal that represent the physical foreground object. A video sequence may be produced by rendering a 3D virtual reality based on the identified pixels of the physical foreground object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Thore KH Graepel, Andrew Blake, Ralf Herbrich
  • Publication number: 20150056594
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for measuring educational inputs is described. A plurality of educational inputs are obtained. The inputs may include at least one formal educational input and at least one informal educational input. A value for each educational input is determined. Each determined value is normalized with respect to other determined values. An educational achievement is determined based on at least one of the determined values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: David Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 8861870
    Abstract: Image labeling with global parameters is described. In an embodiment a pose estimation system executes automatic body part labeling. For example, the system may compute joint recognition or body part segmentation for a gaming application. In another example, the system may compute organ labels for a medical imaging application. In an example, at least one global parameter, for example body height is computed for each of the images to be labeled. In an example, the global parameter is used to modify an image labeling process. For example the global parameter may be used to modify the input image to a canonical scale. In another example, the global parameter may be used to adaptively modify previously stored parameters of the image labeling process. In an example, the previously stored parameters may be computed from a reduced set of training data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jamie Daniel Joseph Shotton, Pushmeet Kohli, Andrew Blake, Inmar-Ella Givoni
  • Patent number: 8787658
    Abstract: Methods of image segmentation using reduced foreground training data are described. In an embodiment, the foreground and background training data for use in segmentation of an image is determined by optimization of a modified energy function. The modified energy function is the energy function used in image segmentation with an additional term comprising a scalar value. The optimization is performed for different values of the scalar to produce multiple initial segmentations and one of these segmentations is selected based on pre-defined criteria. The training data is then used in segmenting the image. In other embodiments further methods are described: one places an ellipse inside the user-defined bounding box to define the background training data and another uses a comparison of properties of neighboring image elements, where one is outside the user-defined bounding box, to reduce the foreground training data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Carsten Curt Eckard Rother, Toby Sharp, Andrew Blake, Vladimir Kolmogorov
  • Patent number: 8655069
    Abstract: Methods of updating image segmentation following user input are described. In an embodiment, the properties used in computing the different portions of the image are updated as a result of one or more user inputs. Image elements which have been identified by a user input are given more weight when updating the properties than other image elements which have already been assigned to a particular portion of the image. In another embodiment, an updated segmentation is post-processed such that only regions which are connected to an appropriate user input are updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Carsten Curt Eckard Rother, Toby Sharp, Andrew Blake, Vladimir Kolmogorov
  • Patent number: 8514264
    Abstract: Existing remote workspace sharing systems are difficult to use. For example, changes made on a common work product by one user often appear abruptly on displays viewed by remote users. As a result the interaction is perceived as unnatural by the users and is often inefficient. Images of a display of a common work product are received from a camera at a first location. These images may also comprise information about objects between the display and the camera such as a user's hand editing a document on a tablet PC. These images are combined with images of the shared work product and displayed at remote locations. Advance information about remote user actions is then visible and facilitates collaborative mediation between users. Depth information may be used to influence the process of combining the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur Agarwal, Antonio Criminisi, William A. S. Buxton, Andrew Blake, Andrew William Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 8503783
    Abstract: A method of labeling pixels in an image is described where the pixel label is selected from a set of three or more labels. The pixel labeling problem is reduced to a sequence of binary optimizations by representing the label value for each pixel as a binary word and then optimizing the value of each bit within the word, starting with the most significant bit. Data which has been learned from one or more training images is used in the optimization to provide information about the less significant bits within the word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Carsten Rother, Victor Lempitsky, Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 8498481
    Abstract: Image segmentation using star-convexity constraints is described. In an example, user input specifies positions of one or more star centers in a foreground to be segmented from a background of an image. In embodiments, an energy function is used to express the problem of segmenting the image and that energy function incorporates a star-convexity constraint which limits the number of possible solutions. For example, the star-convexity constraint may be that, for any point p inside the foreground, all points on a shortest path (which may be geodesic or Euclidean) between the nearest star center and p also lie inside the foreground. In some examples continuous star centers such as lines are used. In embodiments a user may iteratively edit the star centers by adding brush strokes to the image in order to progressively change the star-convexity constraints and obtain an accurate segmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Varun Gulshan, Carsten Rother, Antonio Criminisi
  • Patent number: 8422769
    Abstract: Methods of image segmentation using reduced foreground training data are described. In an embodiment, the foreground and background training data for use in segmentation of an image is determined by optimization of a modified energy function. The modified energy function is the energy function used in image segmentation with an additional term comprising a scalar value. The optimization is performed for different values of the scalar to produce multiple initial segmentations and one of these segmentations is selected based on pre-defined criteria. The training data is then used in segmenting the image. In other embodiments further methods are described: one places an ellipse inside the user-defined bounding box to define the background training data and another uses a comparison of properties of neighboring image elements, where one is outside the user-defined bounding box, to reduce the foreground training data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Carsten Curt Eckard Rother, Toby Sharp, Andrew Blake, Vladimir Kolmogorov
  • Publication number: 20120323110
    Abstract: Described herein are various technologies pertaining to diagnosing and/or prescribing treatment for osteoporosis. A bone of a patient is subjected to an MRI scan, and the resultant signal is subjected to a likelihood function. The output of the likelihood function are values that are parameters that are employed to ascertain connectivity of trabeculae in the bone of the patient and volumetric trabecular density of the bone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Daniel Joseph Holland
  • Publication number: 20120219209
    Abstract: Image labeling with global parameters is described. In an embodiment a pose estimation system executes automatic body part labeling. For example, the system may compute joint recognition or body part segmentation for a gaming application. In another example, the system may compute organ labels for a medical imaging application. In an example, at least one global parameter, for example body height is computed for each of the images to be labeled. In an example, the global parameter is used to modify an image labeling process. For example the global parameter may be used to modify the input image to a canonical scale. In another example, the global parameter may be used to adaptively modify previously stored parameters of the image labeling process. In an example, the previously stored parameters may be computed from a reduced set of training data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jamie Daniel Joseph Shotton, Pushmeet Kohli, Andrew Blake, Inmar-Ella Givoni
  • Patent number: 8249349
    Abstract: An image processing system is described which automatically labels image elements of a digital image. In an embodiment an energy function describing the quality of possible labelings of an image is globally optimized to find an output labeled image. In the embodiment, the energy function comprises terms that depend on at least one non-local parameter. For example, the non-local parameter describes characteristics of image elements having the same label. In an embodiment the global optimization is achieved in a practical, efficient manner by using a tree structure to represent candidate values of the non-local parameter and by using a branch and bound process. In some embodiments, the branch and bound process comprises evaluating a lower bound of the energy function by using a min-cut process. For example, the min-cut process enables the lower bound to be evaluated efficiently using a graphical data structure to represent the lower bound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Carsten Rother, Victor Lempitsky