Patents by Inventor Carlos Hernandez Esteban

Carlos Hernandez Esteban 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: 10027887
    Abstract: The technology relates to transitioning between panoramic imagery and the imagery from which the panoramic imagery was generated. Individual images of a portion of a scene may be combined to create a panoramic image of the entire scene. The individual images may be associated with the portion of the panoramic image which they form. The full panoramic image may then be displayed. Based on user input, a portion of the panoramic image may be zoomed-in on, and the individual image associated with that portion of the panoramic image may be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Robert Anderson, Carlos Hernandez Esteban
  • Publication number: 20180183997
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to capturing panoramic images using a computing device. For example, the computing device may record a set of video frames and tracking features each including one or more features that appear in two or more video frames of the set of video frames within the set of video frames may be determined. A set of frame-based features based on the displacement of the tracking features between two or more video frames of the set of video frames may be determined by the computing device. A set of historical feature values based on the set of frame-based features may also be determined by the computing device. The computing device may determine then whether a user is attempting to capture a panoramic image based on the set of historical feature values. In response, the computing device may capture a panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Alexandros Andre Chaaraoui, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Li Zhang, Steven Maxwell Seitz
  • Publication number: 20180160106
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described include defining, at a computing device, a set of images based on captured images, projecting, at the computing device, a portion of the set of images from a planar perspective image plane onto a spherical image plane by recasting a plurality of viewing rays associated with the portion of the set of images from a plurality of viewpoints arranged around a curved path to a viewpoint, determining, at the computing device, a periphery boundary corresponding to the viewpoint and generating updated images by removing pixels that are outside of the periphery boundary, and providing, for display, the updated images within the bounds of the periphery boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Robert Anderson, Changchang Wu, Michael Krainin
  • Patent number: 9936128
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to capturing panoramic images using a computing device. For example, the computing device may record a set of video frames and tracking features each including one or more features that appear in two or more video frames of the set of video frames within the set of video frames may be determined. A set of frame-based features based on the displacement of the tracking features between two or more video frames of the set of video frames may be determined by the computing device. A set of historical feature values based on the set of frame-based features may also be determined by the computing device. The computing device may determine then whether a user is attempting to capture a panoramic image based on the set of historical feature values. In response, the computing device may capture a panoramic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Alexandros Andre Chaaraoui, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Li Zhang, Steven Maxwell Seitz
  • Publication number: 20180048816
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing omnistereo content for a mobile device may include receiving an indication to capture a plurality of images of a scene, capturing the plurality of images using a camera associated with a mobile device and displaying on a screen of the mobile device and during capture, a representation of the plurality of images and presenting a composite image that includes a target capture path and an indicator that provides alignment information corresponding to a source capture path associated with the mobile device during capture of the plurality of images. The system may detect that a portion of the source capture path does not match a target capture path. The system can provide an updated indicator in the screen that may include a prompt to a user of the mobile device to adjust the mobile device to align the source capture path with the target capture path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Anderson, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban
  • Patent number: 9877016
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described include defining, at a computing device, a set of images based on captured images, projecting, at the computing device, a portion of the set of images from a planar perspective image plane onto a spherical image plane by recasting a plurality of viewing rays associated with the portion of the set of images from a plurality of viewpoints arranged around a curved path to a viewpoint, determining, at the computing device, a periphery boundary corresponding to the viewpoint and generating updated images by removing pixels that are outside of the periphery boundary, and providing, for display, the updated images within the bounds of the periphery boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Robert Anderson, Changchang Wu, Michael Krainin
  • Patent number: 9813621
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing omnistereo content for a mobile device may include receiving an indication to capture a plurality of images of a scene, capturing the plurality of images using a camera associated with a mobile device and displaying on a screen of the mobile device and during capture, a representation of the plurality of images and presenting a composite image that includes a target capture path and an indicator that provides alignment information corresponding to a source capture path associated with the mobile device during capture of the plurality of images. The system may detect that a portion of the source capture path does not match a target capture path. The system can provide an updated indicator in the screen that may include a prompt to a user of the mobile device to adjust the mobile device to align the source capture path with the target capture path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Robert Anderson, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban
  • Patent number: 9807302
    Abstract: Embodiments efficiently account for variations in camera position across an image, when the image is texture mapped from a single position associated with the image. In an embodiment, each pixel of an image is texture mapped to a three dimensional model. A time offset mask for the image and a value representing a speed of the camera are received. The time offset mask and speed values are used to create an offset mask. The offset mask is applied to the texture mapped model to correct for variations in camera position across an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Robert Anderson
  • Patent number: 9734551
    Abstract: Implementations generally relate to providing depth-of-field renderings. In some implementations, a method includes linearizing an image. The method further includes partitioning a depth map of the image into a plurality of depth intervals. The method further includes blurring pixels associated with each depth interval, where the pixels of each depth interval are blurred separately from the pixels of the other depth intervals. The method further includes applying at least one camera response function to the image after the pixels of the plurality of depth intervals are blurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 9654761
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the generation of depth data for a scene using images captured by a camera-enabled mobile device are provided. According to a particular implementation of the present disclosure, a reference image can be captured of a scene with an image capture device, such as an image capture device integrated with a camera-enabled mobile device. A short video or sequence of images can then be captured from multiple different poses relative to the reference scene. The captured image and video can then be processed using computer vision techniques to produce an image with associated depth data, such as an RGBZ image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Sameer Agarwal, Simon Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 9613453
    Abstract: System and method for producing an intermediate image in three passes is provided. An initial image and a final image are identified, each image comprising an associated depthmap and corresponding to a respective camera pose from a respective angular heading. An intermediate image corresponding to an intermediate camera pose with an intermediate angular heading is rendered. A first intermediate image is rendered at a first opacity based on the final image and the associated final depthmap, a second intermediate image is rendered at a second opacity based on the initial image and the associated initial depthmap, and a third intermediate image is rendered at a third opacity based on the final image and the associated final depthmap. The rendered first, second, and third intermediate images, each of which correspond to the intermediate camera pose with the intermediate angular heading, are overlaid to produce a combined image for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Carlos Hernandez Esteban
  • Publication number: 20160352982
    Abstract: Systems and methods are related to a camera rig and generating stereoscopic panoramas from captured images for display in a virtual reality (VR) environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Joshua Weaver, Robert Anderson, Changchang Wu, Michael Krainin, David Gallup, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Matthew Thomas Valente, Christopher Edward Hoover, Erik Hubert Dolly Goossens
  • Publication number: 20160353018
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing omnistereo content for a mobile device may include receiving an indication to capture a plurality of images of a scene, capturing the plurality of images using a camera associated with a mobile device and displaying on a screen of the mobile device and during capture, a representation of the plurality of images and presenting a composite image that includes a target capture path and an indicator that provides alignment information corresponding to a source capture path associated with the mobile device during capture of the plurality of images. The system may detect that a portion of the source capture path does not match a target capture path. The system can provide an updated indicator in the screen that may include a prompt to a user of the mobile device to adjust the mobile device to align the source capture path with the target capture path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Robert ANDERSON, Steven Maxwell SEITZ, Carlos Hernandez ESTEBAN
  • Publication number: 20160353090
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described include defining, at a computing device, a set of images based on captured images, projecting, at the computing device, a portion of the set of images from a planar perspective image plane onto a spherical image plane by recasting a plurality of viewing rays associated with the portion of the set of images from a plurality of viewpoints arranged around a curved path to a viewpoint, determining, at the computing device, a periphery boundary corresponding to the viewpoint and generating updated images by removing pixels that are outside of the periphery boundary, and providing, for display, the updated images within the bounds of the periphery boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Robert Anderson, Changchang Wu, Michael Krainin
  • Publication number: 20160353089
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for defining a set of images based on captured images, receiving a viewing direction associated with a user of a virtual reality (VR) head mounted display, receiving an indication of a change in the viewing direction. The methods further include configuring, a re-projection of a portion of the set of images, the re-projection based at least in part on the changed viewing direction and a field of view associated with the captured images, and converting the portion from a spherical perspective projection into a planar perspective projection, rendering by the computing device and for display in the VR head mounted display, an updated view based on the re-projection, the updated view configured to correct distortion and provide stereo parallax in the portion, and providing, to the head mounted display, the updated view including a stereo panoramic scene corresponding to the changed viewing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: David Gallup, Robert Anderson, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Riley Adams
  • Publication number: 20160344930
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to capturing panoramic images using a computing device. For example, the computing device may record a set of video frames and tracking features each including one or more features that appear in two or more video frames of the set of video frames within the set of video frames may be determined. A set of frame-based features based on the displacement of the tracking features between two or more video frames of the set of video frames may be determined by the computing device. A set of historical feature values based on the set of frame-based features may also be determined by the computing device. The computing device may determine then whether a user is attempting to capture a panoramic image based on the set of historical feature values. In response, the computing device may capture a panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Alexandros Andre Chaaraoui, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Li Zhang, Steven Maxwell Seitz
  • Patent number: 9454796
    Abstract: Systems and methods for aligning ground based images of a geographic area taken from a perspective at or near ground level and a set of aerial images taken from, for instance, an oblique perspective, are provided. More specifically, candidate aerial imagery can be identified for alignment with the ground based image. Geometric data associated with the ground based image can be obtained and used to warp the ground based image to a perspective associated with the candidate aerial imagery. One or more feature matches between the warped image and the candidate aerial imagery can then be identified using a feature matching technique. The matched features can be used to align the ground based image with the candidate aerial imagery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Qi Shan
  • Patent number: 9256948
    Abstract: In one aspect, one or more computing devices receive a set of image frames. Each image frame includes pixels. The computing devices align image frames in order to identify flows of the pixels in the set of image frames. Regions of bokeh effect are identified in each image frame by measuring the sizes of areas of expansion across image frames using a set of assumptions and the identified flows. The computing devices adjust the alignment of the set of image frames based at least in part on the identified regions of bokeh effect. For each image frame, the computing devices generates an index map of focus values for each of the pixels that image frame using the improved alignment. A depth map is generated by the computing devices based at least in part on the index maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Supasorn Suwajanakorn
  • Publication number: 20160005145
    Abstract: Systems and methods for aligning ground based images of a geographic area taken from a perspective at or near ground level and a set of aerial images taken from, for instance, an oblique perspective, are provided. More specifically, candidate aerial imagery can be identified for alignment with the ground based image. Geometric data associated with the ground based image can be obtained and used to warp the ground based image to a perspective associated with the candidate aerial imagery. One or more feature matches between the warped image and the candidate aerial imagery can then be identified using a feature matching technique. The matched features can be used to align the ground based image with the candidate aerial imagery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Qi Shan
  • Publication number: 20150332494
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating image tour are provided. Method includes receiving sequence of images. Each image has associated depth map and is characterized by plurality of parameters. Method includes interpolating flow path containing points corresponding to each image for each parameter. Each flow path relates parameterization to parameter. Method includes identifying rendering artifacts based on sequence of images, associated depth maps, and interpolated flow paths. Method includes identifying slow segments and fast segments in each of interpolated flow paths based on identified rendering artifacts. Method includes determining start/stop times for each of slow segments. Method includes interpolating time curve based on determined start/stop times for each of slow segments and fixed duration of time for each of fast segments. Time curve relates time to parameterization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Yasutaka FURUKAWA, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Steven Maxwell Seitz