Patents by Inventor David A. Spooner

David A. Spooner 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: 9082224
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes receiving an image and masking the objects in the image using segmentation layers Each segmentation layer can have weighted values for static and dynamic features. Iterations are used to form the final image which, if desired, can be formed using less than all of the segmentation layers. A final iteration can be run with the weighted values equal for static and dynamic features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe, Jonathan Adelman
  • Patent number: 8878835
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion and/or generation. The methods and systems use auto-fitting techniques to create a mask based upon tracking features from frame to frame. When features are determined to be missing they are added prior to auto-fitting the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Patent number: 8860712
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a three dimensional model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Patent number: 8791941
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. In one embodiment, a mask is generated from an object model of the image. The mask is then used to from a 2-D mesh which is then converted to a 3-D volume mesh. The 3-D volume mesh is then used to produce 3-D image conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Patent number: 8743891
    Abstract: A data packet router enables a mobile communication device to access a WAN such as the Internet via a PC connected to the WAN. The router comprises bearer plug-in modules which each enable connection between the mobile communication device and the computer over a different bearer. The PC is therefore used as an internet access point for mobile communication devices which can use any conventional bearer to connect to the PC (USB, RS232, Bluetooth wireless etc.). Hence, a mobile telephone could gain web access using conventional WAP or, with the present invention, it could also be connected to a PC using a convenient bearer and hence gain access to the internet via the PC. Because the router uses bearer plug-in modules, it is possible to write new bearer modules as and when new bearers are developed and to readily add them to upgrade existing implementations. This is valuable since new connectivity standards (and enhancements to old standards) are continually under development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: David Spooner
  • Patent number: 8655052
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for interactive and iterative reconstruction in a manner that helps to reduce computational requirements by generating a model from a subset of the available data, and then refining that model using additional data. Example embodiments directed to scene reconstruction, reconstruct a 3D scene from a plurality of 2D images of that scene by first generating a model of the 3D scene from a subset a of the 2D images. The model can then be refined using specific characteristics of each image in the subset that are calculated using the other images in the subset. The model is further refined using images not in the original subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Sonny Chan, Christopher L. Simmons
  • Publication number: 20120313940
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The systems and methods fill in light among image frames when object have been removed or otherwise changed. In one embodiment, light is treated as an object and can be removed during image processing. The light is added back during the rendering process using the created light object. In other embodiments, light from other frames is filled in using weighted averaging of the light depending upon temporal distance from a particular frame and a base frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120280989
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D images. The system and method includes a procedure for optimizing occlusion and/or texturing by creating tolerances in which such texturing need not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120275652
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion and/or generation. The methods and systems use auto-fitting techniques to create a mask based upon tracking features from frame to frame. When features are determined to be missing they are added prior to auto-fitting the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120274638
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. In one embodiment, a mask is generated from an object model of the image. The mask is then used to from a 2-D mesh which is then converted to a 3-D volume mesh. The 3-D volume mesh is then used to produce 3-D image conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Publication number: 20120275687
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a three dimensional model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20120275689
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for controlling 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes receiving an image and masking the objects in the image using segmentation layers Each segmentation layer can have weighted values for static and dynamic features. Iterations are used to form the final image which, if desired, can be formed using less than all of the segmentation layers. A final iteration can be run with the weighted values equal for static and dynamic features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe, Jonathan Adelman
  • Patent number: 8274530
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for processing 2-D to 3-D image conversion. The system and method includes erode filling when an object has been removed from an image. In one embodiment, a target binary t image mask of the removed object is used for comparison with a binary source mask of the image. In an iterative process, color differences between pixels in the target mask and pixels in the source mask are identified and the pixels in the target mask are changed working from the periphery of the target mask to the center of the mask. Color noise is eliminated in the filled region of the target mask and, if desired, random color noise is added to the filled target mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Birtwistle, Natascha Wallner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, David A. Spooner, Danny D. Lowe
  • Patent number: 8217931
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher Levi Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20120032948
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to recreate a camera. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images taken by the camera. Once the virtual camera has been formed, the camera may be used in the process of generating stereoscopic three dimensional images of the scene within the 2D images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20110169827
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Publication number: 20110169914
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman
  • Publication number: 20090256903
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Patent number: 7542034
    Abstract: Some representative embodiments are directed to creating a “virtual world” by processing a series of two dimensional images to generate a representation of the physical world depicted in the series of images. The virtual world representation includes models of objects that specify the locations of the objects within the virtual world, the geometries of the objects, the dimensions of the objects, the surface representation of the objects, and/or other relevant information. By developing the virtual world representation, a number of image processing effects may be applied such as generation of stereoscopic images, object insertion, object removal, object translation, and/or other object manipulation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Spooner, Todd Simpson
  • Publication number: 20080259073
    Abstract: Embodiments use point clouds to form a three dimensional image of an object. The point cloud of the object may be formed from analysis of two dimensional images of the object. Various techniques may be used on the point cloud to form a 3D model of the object which is then used to create a stereoscopic representation of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Conversion Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny D. Lowe, David A. Spooner, Gregory R. Keech, Christopher L. Simmons, Natascha Wallner, Steven Birtwistle, Jonathan Adelman