Patents by Inventor Christopher Buehler

Christopher Buehler 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).

  • Publication number: 20240251378
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using computing devices to perform automated operations for using generated building information to further generate and present visual data enhancements on images that are captured by and displayed on a mobile device in the building (e.g., concurrent with capture of the images by a camera of the mobile device, such as in a real-time or near-real-time manner with respect to image capture), such as using descriptive information about a building that is generated from analysis of acquired building images and optionally other building information (e.g., floor plans), and such as to improve navigation of the building (e.g., for autonomous vehicles) and provide other functionality as the mobile device moves through the building. The descriptive building information may include structural elements and other objects identified in the building and other determined attributes of the building, and automatically generated textual descriptions of the objects and other attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Sean P. Cier, Joshua Weisberg, Christopher Buehler
  • Publication number: 20230409766
    Abstract: Techniques are described for computing devices to perform automated operations related to using images acquired in a building as part of an automated generation process of a floor plan or other mapping information for the building, in some cases without using depth information from depth-sensing equipment about distances from the images' acquisition locations to objects in the surrounding building, and for subsequent use in further automated manners, such as controlling navigation of mobile devices and/or for display to end users in a corresponding graphical user interface. The analysis and assessment of the building images may, for example, include performing an automated assessment of one or more characteristics of the mapping information generation process (e.g., a predicted amount of time for completion) and to provide automated instructions (e.g., to adjust image acquisition device settings) or other feedback to improve the generation process (e.g., reduce that predicted time).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Manjunath Narayana, Christopher Buehler, Ivaylo Boyadzhiev
  • Patent number: 11836973
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automated operations related to analyzing visual data from images captured in rooms of a building and optionally additional captured data about the rooms to assess room layout and other usability information for the building's rooms and optionally for the overall building, and to subsequently using the assessed usability information in one or more further automated manners, such as to improve navigation of the building. The automated operations may include identifying one or more objects in each of the rooms to assess and one or more target attributes of each object, and generating and providing instructions to cause the capture of images and optionally additional data about those objects and target attributes for further automated analysis, such as instructions provided to an automated image acquisition device in the room and/or an associated user. Once received, the captured images and other data is then analyzed accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MFTB Holdco, Inc.
    Inventors: Lambert E. Wixson, Christopher Buehler
  • Patent number: 11797159
    Abstract: Techniques are described for computing devices to perform automated operations related to using images acquired in a building as part of generating a floor plan for the building, in some cases without using depth information from depth-sensing equipment about distances from the images' acquisition locations to objects in the surrounding building, and for subsequent use in further automated manners, such as controlling navigation of mobile devices and/or for display to end users in a corresponding GUI (graphical user interface). In some cases, the MIGM system interacts with an MIGM system operator user, such as by displaying a GUI showing information related to the images and/or a floor plan being generated, and by receiving and using input submitted by the user via the GUI to assist with the generating of the floor plan, such as to specify interconnections between particular rooms via particular inter-room wall openings of the rooms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: MFTB Holdco, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuguang Li, Pierre Moulon, Lambert E. Wixson, Christopher Buehler, Ivaylo Boyadzhiev
  • Patent number: 11592969
    Abstract: Techniques are described for computing devices to perform automated operations related to using images acquired in a building as part of generating a floor plan for the building, in some cases without using depth information from depth-sensing equipment about distances from the images' acquisition locations to objects in the surrounding building, and for subsequent use in further automated manners, such as controlling navigation of mobile devices and/or for display to end users in a corresponding GUI (graphical user interface). In some cases, the MIGM system interacts with an MIGM system operator user, such as by displaying a GUI showing information related to the images and/or a floor plan being generated, and by receiving and using input submitted by the user via the GUI to assist with the generating of the floor plan, such as to specify interconnections between particular rooms via particular inter-room wall openings of the rooms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MFTB Holdco, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuguang Li, Pierre Moulon, Lambert E. Wixson, Christopher Buehler, Ivaylo Boyadzhiev
  • Patent number: 11501492
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automated operations to analyze visual data combined from multiple images captured in a room to determine the room shape, such as by iteratively refining alignment of the multiple images' visual data into a common coordinate system until alignment differences satisfy one or more defined criteria, and for subsequently using the determined room shape information in further automated manners. The images may be panorama images in an equirectangular or other spherical format, and determined room shapes for one or more rooms of a building may be fully closed three-dimensional shapes and used to improve navigation of the building (e.g., as part of a generated building floor plan)—the automated room shape determination may be further performed without having or using information from any distance-measuring devices about distances from an image's acquisition location to walls or other objects in the surrounding room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Zillow, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuguang Li, Will Adrian Hutchcroft, Ivaylo Boyadzhiev, Christopher Buehler
  • Publication number: 20220269885
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automated operations related to analyzing visual data from images captured in rooms of a building and optionally additional captured data about the rooms to assess room layout and other usability information for the building's rooms and optionally for the overall building, and to subsequently using the assessed usability information in one or more further automated manners, such as to improve navigation of the building. The automated operations may include identifying one or more objects in each of the rooms to assess and one or more target attributes of each object, and generating and providing instructions to cause the capture of images and optionally additional data about those objects and target attributes for further automated analysis, such as instructions provided to an automated image acquisition device in the room and/or an associated user. Once received, the captured images and other data is then analyzed accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Lambert E. Wixson, Christopher Buehler
  • Publication number: 20220252030
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump includes a pressure-limiting valve that opens from a high-pressure region of the high-pressure fuel pump towards a compression chamber or towards a low-pressure region of the high-pressure fuel pump. The pressure-limiting valve includes a valve body with a valve seat surface that tapers against the opening direction of the pressure-limiting valve, a spherical valve element, and a valve spring, which presses the spherical valve element against the opening direction of the pressure-limiting valve towards the valve seat surface. When the pressure-limiting valve is closed, the valve element and the valve seat surface bear against one another over a contact line, and a gap is formed between the valve element and valve body, next to the contact line. This gap is asymmetrically narrower upstream of the contact line than downstream of the contact line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Christoph Buehler, Wolfgang Bueser, Markus Goeke, Thomas Fritzsche, Rainer Kornhaas, Lorenz Drutu, Lars Gonnermann
  • Publication number: 20220114291
    Abstract: Techniques are described for computing devices to perform automated operations related to using images acquired in a building as part of generating a floor plan for the building, in some cases without using depth information from depth-sensing equipment about distances from the images' acquisition locations to objects in the surrounding building, and for subsequent use in further automated manners, such as controlling navigation of mobile devices and/or for display to end users in a corresponding GUI (graphical user interface). In some cases, the MIGM system interacts with an MIGM system operator user, such as by displaying a GUI showing information related to the images and/or a floor plan being generated, and by receiving and using input submitted by the user via the GUI to assist with the generating of the floor plan, such as to specify interconnections between particular rooms via particular inter-room wall openings of the rooms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Yuguang Li, Pierre Moulon, Lambert E. Wixson, Christopher Buehler, Ivaylo Boyadzhiev
  • Publication number: 20190311258
    Abstract: Strategies for improved neural network fine tuning. Parameters of the task-specific layer of a neural network are initialized using approximate solutions derived by a variant of a linear discriminant analysis algorithm. One method includes: inputting training data into a deep neural network having an output layer from which output is generated in a manner consistent with one or more classification tasks; evaluating a distribution of the data in a feature space between a hidden layer and the output layer; and initializing, non-randomly, the parameters of the output layer based on the evaluated distribution of the data in the feature space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Lei ZHANG, Rong XIAO, Christopher BUEHLER, Anna Samantha ROTH, Yandong GUO, Jianfeng WANG
  • Publication number: 20180330272
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first classifier trained on a first dataset having a first dataset class, the first classifier having a plurality of first parameters, obtaining a second dataset having a second dataset class, loading the first parameters into a second classifier, merging a subset of the first dataset class and the second dataset class into a merged class, and training the second classifier using the merged class.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Yuxiao Hu, Lei Zhang, Christopher Buehler, Cha Zhang, Anna Roth, Cornelia Carapcea
  • Publication number: 20080265054
    Abstract: An injector in which it is possible to switch a pressure booster on or off so that it is possible to control not only the injection duration, but also the progression of the injection pressure within a broad range during the injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Christoph Buehler, Juergen Frasch, Christoph Butscher, Michael Fleig, Stephan Wehr
  • Publication number: 20070211914
    Abstract: A computerized method of video analysis including receiving image data for a plurality of video frames depicting a scene that includes at least one of a plurality of background features. Each video frame includes s a plurality of image regions and at least one video frame has an object within at least one of the image region. A plurality of background classifications is provided that correspond to one of the background features in the scene. At least one image region is assigned a background classification based at least in part on the location of the object relative to the image region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventor: Christopher Buehler
  • Publication number: 20070182818
    Abstract: An integrated surveillance system combining video surveillance and data from other sensor-based security networks is used to identify activities that may require attention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventor: Christopher Buehler
  • Patent number: 7121476
    Abstract: A fuel injection device, which has: a nozzle needle, guided displaceably in a nozzle body, which as a function of its position opens or closes at least one injection opening, in which a control chamber, to which fuel can be delivered under pressure via an inlet throttle and from which fuel can be diverted, controlled by a control valve, via an outlet throttle, is provided at a piston face of the nozzle needle facing away from the injection opening, and in which in operation, the position of the nozzle needle is controlled by a pressure difference between the pressure in the control chamber and the pressure of the fuel at the end, toward the injection opening, of the nozzle needle, is characterized in that the nozzle needle is surrounded, over at least part of its length, during operation by fuel at high pressure, such that only in the regions of the nozzle needle near the injection opening and in the control chamber can a lower pressure, differing from the high fuel pressure, occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Buehler, Juergen Frasch, Christoph Butscher, Michael Scheurer, Stephan Wehr
  • Publication number: 20060138040
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel filter, which in particular comprises a rodlike filter body which can be used in a common rail system, for filtering soiled fuel before it enters an injector. The filter body has outlet openings on its circumference that are preferably produced by means of a laser process and which have rounded places, produced by a hydroerosive process, in the region of the transition from the inner wall to the outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventor: Christoph Buehler
  • Publication number: 20060097067
    Abstract: A fuel injection device, which has: a nozzle needle, guided displaceably in a nozzle body, which as a function of its position opens or closes at least one injection opening, in which a control chamber, to which fuel can be delivered under pressure via an inlet throttle and from which fuel can be diverted, controlled by a control valve, via an outlet throttle, is provided at a piston face of the nozzle needle facing away from the injection opening, and in which in operation, the position of the nozzle needle is controlled by a pressure difference between the pressure in the control chamber and the pressure of the fuel at the end, toward the injection opening, of the nozzle needle, is characterized in that the nozzle needle is surrounded, over at least part of its length, during operation by fuel at high pressure, such that only in the regions of the nozzle needle near the injection opening and in the control chamber can a lower pressure, differing from the high fuel pressure, occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Christoph Buehler, Juergen Frasch, Christoph Butscher, Michael Scheurer, Stephan Wehr
  • Publication number: 20050265582
    Abstract: A computerized method of video analysis that includes receiving several series of video frames generated by a number of image sensors. Each image sensor has a field-of-view. The image sensors monitor a portion of a monitored environment. The computerized method also includes concurrently tracking, independent of calibration, multiple objects within the monitored environment as the objects move between fields-of-view, at least two of which overlap, and multiple objects within one field-of-view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Christopher Buehler, Neil Brock, Jehanbux Edulbehram, Patrick Sobalvarro
  • Patent number: 6923388
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve for internal combustion engines has a valve body in which a pistonlike valve member is longitudinally displaceably disposed in a bore. The valve member is surrounded, over at least part of its length, by a pressure chamber that can be filled with fuel. On its end toward the combustion chamber, a valve seat is embodied in the bore, on which seat the valve member comes to rest with a valve sealing face in a closing position, so that the pressure chamber is disconnected from at least one injection opening located downstream of the valve sealing face. First and second parallel annular grooves are formed in the end region of the valve member disposed axially toward the valve seat and the valve sealing face is disposed between these two annular grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Buehler
  • Patent number: 6901915
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has one high-pressure fuel pump and one fuel injection valve for each cylinder of the engine. The fuel injection valve has a first hollow injection valve member and a second valve member guided displaceably, inside the first valve member for controlling first and second opening(s), respectively into the associated engine cylinder. The second valve member is movable by the pressure prevailing in a pressure chamber in an opening direction counter to a closing force and is acted upon at least indirectly by the pressure prevailing in a fuel-filled control chamber, which pressure is controllable as a function of operating parameters of the engine such that the second injection valve member, by means of the pressure prevailing in the control chamber, can be blocked, independently of an opening motion of the first injection valve member in a position that closes the at least one second injection opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Winter, Maike Sander-Potz, Gerhard Mack, Christoph Buehler, Friedrich Moser, Thomas Kuegler, Philippe Allio, Peter Boehland, Detlev Potz