Patents by Inventor Conrad M. Albrecht

Conrad M. Albrecht 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: 20200226375
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining field boundaries and crop forecasts in each field is provided. The method includes deriving vegetation indices for each geo-spatial pixel of each image of multi-spectral imagery at a plurality of points in time, constructing minimum bounding boxes for each image according to the vegetation indices, and generating, based on a neural network analysis of each image and the minimum bounding boxes, a geo-spatial plot of crops including a predicted plot of future crop usage for an area including each field in the multi-spectral imagery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno, Hendrik F. Hamann, Marcus O. Freitag, Levente I. Klein
  • Patent number: 10706080
    Abstract: A method for clustering time stamps in time series data includes receiving a one-dimensional array of ordered timestamps and an expected frequency; determining a set of time intervals; determining a first binary array that indicates whether each time interval in the set of time intervals is greater than or less than the expected frequency; determining a second binary array of differences between a corresponding pair of adjacent elements of the first binary array; appending an ith timestamp to one of a set of opening interval bounds, a set of closing interval bounds, or a set of isolated points; merging the set of set of opening interval bounds and the set of closing interval bounds into a set of cluster intervals ?; and outputting the set of cluster intervals and the set of isolated points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Marcus Freitag, Theodore Van Kessel, Siyuan Lu, Hendrik F. Hamann
  • Patent number: 10664702
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno, Hendrik F. Hamann, Marcus O. Freitag, Levente I. Klein
  • Publication number: 20200151504
    Abstract: Scalable feature classification for 3D point cloud data is provided. In one aspect, a method for rasterizing 3D point cloud data includes: obtaining the 3D point cloud data; generating a digital elevation model (DEM) from the 3D point cloud data; decomposing the DEM into local and global fluctuations to obtain a local DEM; generating geo-referenced shapes by automatically thresholding the local DEM; cropping and normalizing the local DEM using minimum bounding boxes derived from the geo-referenced shapes and manual annotations from subject matter experts to create a cropped DEM; and linking geo-spatially tagged labels from the subject matter experts to the cropped DEM. These data can be then directly fed into a system having an ensemble of artificial neural networks. By way of example, a scalable ecosystem is presented on the basis of the geo-spatial platform IBM PAIRS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Sharathchandra Pankanti, Marcus O. Freitag, Hendrik F. Hamann
  • Publication number: 20200151272
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes accessing, by a processing unit, an existing layer representing geospatial-temporal data at a selected timestamp. A first overview layer of the existing layer is generated by iteratively aggregating each cluster of cells of the existing layer into a corresponding lower-resolution cell of the first overview layer. The first overview layer therefore has a lower resolution than the existing layer. A query is received related to the geospatial-temporal data in the existing layer, and the query is processed with reference to the first overview layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Marcus Oliver Freitag, Conrad M. Albrecht, Fernando Jimenez Marianno, Siyuan Lu, Hendrik F. Hamann, Johannes Walter Schmude
  • Patent number: 10572976
    Abstract: A system and method to enhance observation resolution using continuous learning include obtaining a first image of a surface area from a first satellite, and obtaining a second image of the surface area from a second satellite. The first image has a lower spatial resolution than the second image, and temporal resolution of the first images obtained by the first satellite is higher than temporal resolution of the second images obtained by the second satellite. The method also includes determining a convolution matrix A or training a neural network, obtaining additional one or more of the first images prior to obtaining an additional one of the second images, and generating a new image from each of the one or more of the first images using the convolution matrix A or the neural network. The new image has a higher spatial resolution than the one or more of the first images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Siyuan Lu, Sharathchandra U. Pankanti
  • Publication number: 20190370966
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for improving farm management by determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area based on crop recognition. The method includes evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments at an interface separating each pixel in at least one pair of adjacent pixels. It also includes connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation. The method further includes generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation as well as generating a farm management plan including the boundary delineation map and a recommended crop type. The farm management plan can be generated based on at least a type of vegetation present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Levente Klein, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno
  • Patent number: 10445877
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Levente Klein, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno
  • Patent number: 10410091
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving one or more training images depicting one or more training geographical regions. One or more environmental characteristic (EC) values are determined for the training images. The EC values include at least one EC value for each of the training images. One or more models are generated for mapping an EC value of an image to a determination of whether an artifact is present in a geographical region depicted by the image, based on the EC values and based on knowledge of which of the training images depict training geographical regions having artifacts present. A new image is received depicting a new geographical region. The models are applied to the new image. A probability that a new artifact is present in the new geographical region depicted in the new image is determined, based on the applying the models to the new image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Marcus O. Freitag, Hendrik F. Hamann, Sharathchandra U. Pankanti
  • Publication number: 20190114744
    Abstract: A system and method to enhance observation resolution using continuous learning include obtaining a first image of a surface area from a first satellite, and obtaining a second image of the surface area from a second satellite. The first image has a lower spatial resolution than the second image, and temporal resolution of the first images obtained by the first satellite is higher than temporal resolution of the second images obtained by the second satellite. The method also includes determining a convolution matrix A or training a neural network, obtaining additional one or more of the first images prior to obtaining an additional one of the second images, and generating a new image from each of the one or more of the first images using the convolution matrix A or the neural network. The new image has a higher spatial resolution than the one or more of the first images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Siyuan Lu, Sharathchandra U. Pankanti
  • Publication number: 20190102449
    Abstract: A method for clustering time stamps in time series data includes receiving a one-dimensional array of ordered timestamps and an expected frequency; determining a set of time intervals; determining a first binary array that indicates whether each time interval in the set of time intervals is greater than or less than the expected frequency; determining a second binary array of differences between a corresponding pair of adjacent elements of the first binary array; appending an ith timestamp to one of a set of opening interval bounds, a set of closing interval bounds, or a set of isolated points; merging the set of set of opening interval bounds and the set of closing interval bounds into a set of cluster intervals ?; and outputting the set of cluster intervals and the set of isolated points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: CONRAD M. ALBRECHT, MARCUS FREITAG, THEODORE VAN KESSEL, SIYUAN LU, HENDRIK F. HAMANN
  • Publication number: 20190057109
    Abstract: A database system includes a processing sub-system having an electronic hardware controller that receives first formatted data, and an electronic file formatting sub-system having an electronic hardware controller that assigns coordinate values corresponding to a second data format to the first formatted data. The file formatting sub-system generates a dual-format data file that fuses together the first formatted data with the coordinate values corresponding to a second data format. The database system further includes a storage sub-system having a data storage unit configured to store the dual-format data file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Marcus O. Freitag, Hendrik F. Hamann
  • Publication number: 20190057110
    Abstract: A database system includes a processing sub-system having an electronic hardware controller that receives first formatted data, and an electronic file formatting sub-system having an electronic hardware controller that assigns coordinate values corresponding to a second data format to the first formatted data. The file formatting sub-system generates a dual-format data file that fuses together the first formatted data with the coordinate values corresponding to a second data format. The database system further includes a storage sub-system having a data storage unit configured to store the dual-format data file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Marcus O. Freitag, Hendrik F. Hamann
  • Publication number: 20190050687
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving one or more training images depicting one or more training geographical regions. One or more environmental characteristic (EC) values are determined for the training images. The EC values include at least one EC value for each of the training images. One or more models are generated for mapping an EC value of an image to a determination of whether an artifact is present in a geographical region depicted by the image, based on the EC values and based on knowledge of which of the training images depict training geographical regions having artifacts present. A new image is received depicting a new geographical region. The models are applied to the new image. A probability that a new artifact is present in the new geographical region depicted in the new image is determined, based on the applying the models to the new image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Marcus O. Freitag, Hendrik F. Hamann, Sharathchandra U. Pankanti
  • Publication number: 20180373932
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno, Hendrik F. Hamann, Marcus O. Freitag, Levente I. Klein
  • Publication number: 20180189954
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining farm boundary delineations within a target geographic area, comprising extracting data from pixels of a satellite image of the target geographic area, evaluating the data using a classification algorithm to generate one or more line segments between adjacent pixels, the one or more line segments being representative of a portion of a boundary delineation, connecting the one or more line segments to an adjacent line segment to form a boundary delineation defining at least one parcel of land within the target geographic area, and generating a boundary delineation map including the boundary delineation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Hendrik F. Hamann, Levente Klein, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno
  • Publication number: 20180039885
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting emission sites include identifying a set of known emitters having visible features and a spectroscopic signature that correspond to sites that emit a substance to form a training set. A classifier is generated based on the training set. New emitters are identified based on the classifier, a spectroscopic signature map, and a map of visible features. An alert is provided responsive to the identification of a new emitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Conrad M. Albrecht, Josephine B. Chang, Levente Klein, Siyuan Lu, Fernando J. Marianno