Patents by Inventor Douglas P. Hart

Douglas P. Hart 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: 20130003078
    Abstract: Various improvements to inflatable membranes for use in three-dimensional imaging of interior spaces are disclosed. These improvements include, among other things, equipping the inflatable membrane with desirable optical features, such as fiducials, optical coatings, etc., that can be used to improve data acquisition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Douglas M. Johnston, Manas C. Menon, Daniel Vlasic
  • Publication number: 20130002426
    Abstract: Various improvements to three dimensional imaging systems having inflatable membranes are disclosed. These improvements include, among other things, a proximity sensor that can be used to warn a user of the device when approaching a feature in a cavity, such as an eardrum in an ear canal; or optical sensors with an optical coating matching the refractive index of the medium in which the optical sensors are deployed, to improve data acquisition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Douglas M. Johnston, Manas C. Menon, Daniel Vlasic
  • Publication number: 20120327427
    Abstract: Various improvements to inflatable membranes are disclosed. These improvements include, among other things, features on the membrane that can mitigate hazards such as bubble formation or frictional damage during inflation of the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Douglas M. Johnston, Manas C. Menon, Daniel Vlasic
  • Publication number: 20120327426
    Abstract: Various improvements to inflatable membranes are disclosed. These improvements include techniques for advantageously controlling the inflation of a membrane within a cavity, such as a human ear canal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Douglas M. Johnston, Manas C. Menon, Daniel Vlasic
  • Patent number: 8319184
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Patent number: 8310560
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Publication number: 20120057000
    Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging system uses a single primary optical lens along with various configurations of apertures, refocusing facilities, and the like to obtain three offset optical channels each of which can be separately captured with an optical sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Janos Rohaly, Douglas P. Hart
  • Patent number: 8116854
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Patent number: 8116853
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Patent number: 8112146
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Patent number: 8107086
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Publication number: 20110290005
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain dynamic three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Douglas M. Johnston, Manas C. Menon, Daniel Vlasic
  • Publication number: 20110128412
    Abstract: An actively addressable aperture disposed ahead of the rear surface of a camera lens allows the camera to capture a full-resolution, five-dimensional (5D) light field that describes every possible view from every possible angle of the scene being imaged. Shifting the aperture over the entire aperture plane and acquiring an image at each step yields a 2D grid of 2D images of the scene, otherwise known as a 4D parameterized light field. Estimating the 3D depth of the objects in the imaged scene yields a 3D model with 2D surface irradiance patterns, which is the full, non-parameterized 5D light field. The 5D light field can be used to display perspective changes in a way that mimics cognitive processing of the same scene or object. 5D light fields can also be used to create high-precision, 3D depth maps suitable for 3D movies, interactive displays, machine vision, and other applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas B. Milnes, Douglas P. Hart
  • Patent number: 7912257
    Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein provide real time display of three-dimensional dental data acquired intraorally from a dental patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Eric B. Paley, Janos Rohaly, Joseph Boerjes, Douglas P. Hart, Micah J. Rosenbloom, Steven V. Weeks
  • Patent number: 7819591
    Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging system uses a single primary optical lens along with various configurations of apertures, refocusing facilities, and the like to obtain three offset optical channels each of which can be separately captured with an optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Janos Rohaly, Douglas P. Hart, Thomas J. Brukilacchio
  • Patent number: 7746568
    Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging system uses a single primary optical lens along with three non-collinear apertures to obtain three offset optical channels each of which can be separately captured with an optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Janos Rohaly, Douglas P. Hart, Thomas J. Brukilacchio
  • Patent number: 7742635
    Abstract: Accuracy of a three-dimensional imaging system is improved through the use of model-based calibration and lookup tables to resolve distance according to, e.g., x-displacement, y-displacement, or image disparity data. In an embodiment, the lookup table(s) stores localized parameterization data used to calculate calibrated results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Janos Rohaly, Douglas P. Hart, Tong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20100067756
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Publication number: 20100065793
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini
  • Publication number: 20100042002
    Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Douglas P. Hart, Federico Frigerio, Davide M. Marini