Patents by Inventor Daniel E. Potter

Daniel E. Potter 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: 11948330
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide localization systems and methods using surface imaging. In one implementation, a raw image of a target surface is captured using at least one imager. The raw image is encoded into a template using at least one transform. The template specifies a course direction and an intensity gradient at one or more spatial frequencies of a pattern of the target surface. The template is compared to a subset of reference templates selected from a gallery stored in one or more storage media. A location of the target surface is identified when the template matches a reference template in the subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew E. Last, Ricardo da Silveira Cabral, Daniel E. Potter, Paul Furgale
  • Patent number: 11858413
    Abstract: A system may have system controls that are used in controlling the system. The system may have sensors that gather information on speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed, information on risks of a collision, and other status information and operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display, information on speed, relative speed, status information, custom light information or other user-selected information, or other information on status and the operating environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Arthur Y. Zhang, Albert J. Golko, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Collin J. Palmer, Daniel E. Potter, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner
  • Patent number: 11600075
    Abstract: Systems and methods for night vision combining sensor image types. Some implementations may include obtaining a long wave infrared image from a long wave infrared sensor; detecting an object in the long wave infrared image; identifying a region of interest associated with the object; adjusting a control parameter of a near infrared sensor based on data associated with the region of interest; obtaining a near infrared image captured using the adjusted control parameter of the near infrared sensor; and determining a classification of the object based on data of the near infrared image associated with the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lucian Ion, Daniel E. Potter, Evan C. Cull, Xiaofeng Tang
  • Publication number: 20220242343
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve projecting an interactive scene onto a surface from a projecting object. In one particular embodiment, the interactive scene is projected from a vehicle and may be utilized by the vehicle to provide a scene or image that a user may interact with through various gestures detected by the system. In addition, the interactive scene may be customized to one or more preferences determined by the system, such as user preferences, system preferences, or preferences obtained through feedback from similar systems. Based on one or more user inputs (such as user gestures received at the system), the projected scene may be altered or new scenes may be projected. In addition, control over some aspects of the vehicle (such as unlocking of doors, starting of the motor, etc.) may be controlled through the interactive scene and the detected gestures of the users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Mira S. Misra, Clarisse Mazuir, Malcolm J. Northcott, Albert J. Golko, Daniel J. Reetz, Matthew E. Last, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner, Christopher J. Sataline, Michael A. Cretella, Collin J. Palmer
  • Publication number: 20210387568
    Abstract: A vehicle may have vehicle controls that are used in steering, braking, and accelerating the vehicle. The vehicle may have sensors that gather information on vehicle speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed between the vehicle and a following vehicle, information on risks of a collision between a vehicle and an external object, and other vehicle status information and vehicle operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display braking information, information on vehicle speed, the relative speed between a vehicle and a following vehicle, autonomous driving mode status information, custom brake light information or other user-selected information, or other information on vehicle status and the operating environment of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Arthur Y. Zhang, Albert J. Golko, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Collin J. Palmer, Daniel E. Potter, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner
  • Publication number: 20210383569
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide localization systems and methods using surface imaging. In one implementation, a raw image of a target surface is captured using at least one imager. The raw image is encoded into a template using at least one transform. The template specifies a course direction and an intensity gradient at one or more spatial frequencies of a pattern of the target surface. The template is compared to a subset of reference templates selected from a gallery stored in one or more storage media. A location of the target surface is identified when the template matches a reference template in the subset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew E. Last, Ricardo da Silveira Cabral, Daniel E. Potter, Paul Furgale
  • Patent number: 11117535
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve projecting an interactive scene onto a surface from a projecting object. In one particular embodiment, the interactive scene is projected from a vehicle and may be utilized by the vehicle to provide a scene or image that a user may interact with through various gestures detected by the system. In addition, the interactive scene may be customized to one or more preferences determined by the system, such as user preferences, system preferences, or preferences obtained through feedback from similar systems. Based on one or more user inputs (such as user gestures received at the system), the projected scene may be altered or new scenes may be projected. In addition, control over some aspects of the vehicle (such as unlocking of doors, starting of the motor, etc.) may be controlled through the interactive scene and the detected gestures of the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Mira S. Misra, Clarisse Mazuir, Malcolm J. Northcott, Albert J. Golko, Daniel J. Reetz, Matthew E. Last, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner, Christopher J. Sataline, Michael A. Cretella, Collin J. Palmer
  • Patent number: 11104267
    Abstract: A vehicle may have vehicle controls that are used in steering, braking, and accelerating the vehicle. The vehicle may have sensors that gather information on vehicle speed, orientation, and position. The sensors may also gather information on relative speed between the vehicle and a following vehicle, information on risks of a collision between a vehicle and an external object, and other vehicle status information and vehicle operating environment information. Control circuitry may use light-based devices to display braking information, information on vehicle speed, the relative speed between a vehicle and a following vehicle, autonomous driving mode status information, custom brake light information or other user-selected information, or other information on vehicle status and the operating environment of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Clarisse Mazuir, Arthur Y. Zhang, Albert J. Golko, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Collin J. Palmer, Daniel E. Potter, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner
  • Patent number: 11100673
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide localization systems and methods using surface imaging. In one implementation, a raw image of a target surface is captured using at least one imager. The raw image is encoded into a template using at least one transform. The template specifies a course direction and an intensity gradient at one or more spatial frequencies of a pattern of the target surface. The template is compared to a subset of reference templates selected from a gallery stored in one or more storage media. A location of the target surface is identified when the template matches a reference template in the subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew E. Last, Ricardo da Silveira Cabral, Daniel E. Potter, Paul Furgale
  • Publication number: 20210201048
    Abstract: Systems and methods for night vision combining sensor image types. Some implementations may include obtaining a long wave infrared image from a long wave infrared sensor; detecting an object in the long wave infrared image; identifying a region of interest associated with the object; adjusting a control parameter of a near infrared sensor based on data associated with the region of interest; obtaining a near infrared image captured using the adjusted control parameter of the near infrared sensor; and determining a classification of the object based on data of the near infrared image associated with the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Lucian Ion, Daniel E. Potter, Evan C. Cull, Xiaofeng Tang
  • Publication number: 20210165141
    Abstract: A retroreflector system including an outer body panel coupled to a vehicle, wherein the outer body panel is configured to allow a radar signal originating from an external radar device to pass through the outer body panel. The retroreflector system also includes a plurality of retroreflectors embedded in the vehicle, where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to reflect the signal to the external signal source as a reflected signal, and where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to have a peak reflectivity for a radar wavelength range or a light detection and ranging (lidar) wavelength range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Randol W. Aikin, Malcolm J. Northcott, Daniel E. Potter, Matthew E. Last
  • Patent number: 10949679
    Abstract: Systems and methods for night vision combining sensor image types. Some implementations may include obtaining a long wave infrared image from a long wave infrared sensor; detecting an object in the long wave infrared image; identifying a region of interest associated with the object; adjusting a control parameter of a near infrared sensor based on data associated with the region of interest; obtaining a near infrared image captured using the adjusted control parameter of the near infrared sensor; and determining a classification of the object based on data of the near infrared image associated with the region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lucian Ion, Daniel E. Potter, Evan C. Cull, Xiaofeng Tang
  • Patent number: 10908328
    Abstract: A retroreflector system including an outer body panel coupled to a vehicle, wherein the outer body panel is configured to allow a radar signal originating from an external radar device to pass through the outer body panel. The retroreflector system also includes a plurality of retroreflectors embedded in the vehicle, where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to reflect the signal to the external signal source as a reflected signal, and where the plurality of retroreflectors is configured to have a peak reflectivity for a radar wavelength range or a light detection and ranging (lidar) wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Randol W. Aikin, Malcolm J. Northcott, Daniel E. Potter, Matthew E. Last
  • Patent number: 10891745
    Abstract: A system for real-time depth sensing includes a structured-light stereo device, a time of flight device, and a computing device. The computing device executes instructions that cause the computing device to determine depth measurements of a scene using information received by the structured-light stereo device and to determine time of flight measurements of the scene using information received by the time of flight device. The computing device executes further instructions that cause the computing device to generate a depth map using the depth measurements, to generate calibration points using the time of flight measurements, and to update the depth map using the calibration points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Bryce J. Remesch, Chensong He, Xiao Geng
  • Patent number: 10860142
    Abstract: A light-based device may provide images and other light output to a user and may gather user input. The device may include a light guide array formed from a bundle of fibers. The light guide array may have an entrance surface that receives light emitted by a light-emitting device. The light-emitting device may include one or more light-emitting diodes and may be a display having an array of pixels. Light from the light-emitting device may be conveyed from the entrance surface to the exit surface by the light guide array. The exit surface of the light guide array may have a compound curvature. Optical structures may be formed over the exit surface. The light-based device may form light-field display, may form a touch sensor, may form a controller, and may form other structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm J. Northcott, Daniel E. Potter, Clarisse Mazuir, Weisong Toh, Piyush Prashant Dondeti
  • Patent number: 10776613
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying customers aboard a cruise ship for provision of products and location access and for embarkation or disembarkation. Systems can include a data store on the cruise ship storing customer profiles of customers, a plurality of networked computing devices including image capture devices, and a processor in communication with the data store and the networked computing devices. The processor receives access requests in conjunction with images of the requestors, uses facial recognition software algorithms to identify the requestor as a customer entitled to the requested access, based on facial recognition data stored for the customer, and causes access to be granted to the customer. Confidence levels of facial recognition results may be improved by combining initial facial recognition results with additional cruise-specific information associated with customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignees: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Tascent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Schneider, Joey Hasty, Gregory Morwick, Timothy Klauda, Eunha Kim, Alastair R. Partington, Joseph J. Pritikin, Daniel E. Potter, Keith W. Hartman, Kevin R. Strouse
  • Patent number: 10558866
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, devices, and the like, for controlling the projection of an array of lights or an image from a headlight of a vehicle in response to information provided by one or more sensors or user inputs. The projection may be utilized to highlight an object in or near the path of travel of a vehicle. In another example, the headlight may be controlled to adjust the contrast across the field of view of the headlight. In addition, the system may project one or more images onto an object or surface either in the path of the vehicle or within the field of view of the headlight, projecting a “next step” in a series of navigation instructions onto the road, and/or projecting an indication of a movement of the vehicle to warn people around the vehicle of the movement of the vehicle. One or more visual effects may also be incorporated into the system to enhance the visibility of objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Clarisse Mazuir, Matthew E. Last, Ricardo da Silveira Cabral, Paul Furgale, Christy F. Cull, Daniel J. Reetz, Matisse J. Milovich
  • Patent number: 10482594
    Abstract: A system includes a processor to capture a first image of a scene by a first imaging device of the array of imaging devices, capture a second image of the scene by a second imaging device of the array of imaging devices, perform image analysis of the first image and the second image and determining that an object is present in the first image and the object is present in the second image, the first image representing a first perspective of the object and the second image representing a second perspective of the object different from the first perspective of the object, classify the object with a classification based on a list of known objects and weight an object portion of the first image and an object portion of the second image based on the classification, compress the first image and the second image based on the weighting, encode the first image and the second image as multi-perspective image data, and store the multi-perspective image data in the non-transitory computer-readable medium based on the clas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Arthur Y. Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190164344
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve projecting an interactive scene onto a surface from a projecting object. In one particular embodiment, the interactive scene is projected from a vehicle and may be utilized by the vehicle to provide a scene or image that a user may interact with through various gestures detected by the system. In addition, the interactive scene may be customized to one or more preferences determined by the system, such as user preferences, system preferences, or preferences obtained through feedback from similar systems. Based on one or more user inputs (such as user gestures received at the system), the projected scene may be altered or new scenes may be projected. In addition, control over some aspects of the vehicle (such as unlocking of doors, starting of the motor, etc.) may be controlled through the interactive scene and the detected gestures of the users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel E. Potter, Bivin J. Varghese, Christopher P. Child, Mira S. Misra, Clarisse Mazuir, Malcolm J. Northcott, Albert J. Golko, Daniel J. Reetz, Matthew E. Last, Thaddeus Stefanov-Wagner, Christopher J. Sataline, Michael A. Cretella, Collin J. Palmer
  • Publication number: 20190095721
    Abstract: Systems and methods for night vision combining sensor image types. Some implementations may include obtaining a long wave infrared image from a long wave infrared sensor; detecting an object in the long wave infrared image; identifying a region of interest associated with the object; adjusting a control parameter of a near infrared sensor based on data associated with the region of interest; obtaining a near infrared image captured using the adjusted control parameter of the near infrared sensor; and determining a classification of the object based on data of the near infrared image associated with the region of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Lucian Ion, Daniel E. Potter, Evan C. Cull, Xiaofeng Tang