Patents by Inventor Frederick C. Mertz

Frederick C. Mertz 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: 8351770
    Abstract: Embodiments of an imaging station and method for repeatable alignment of images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the imaging station includes a rotatable stage and a monostand. The rotatable stage may include a structure to support sets of handles for positioning of a subject's hands for at least some of the body poses. A camera is positioned on the monostand for capturing images of the subject and is configured to allow the camera to be repeatably positioned with respect to the rotatable stage for each body pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Raytheon Company, Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
    Inventors: Lawrence C. DePaula, Karleen G. Seybold, Frederick C. Mertz, Robert K. Pina, Ivans S. Chou, Clara Curiel
  • Patent number: 8194952
    Abstract: Embodiments of an image processing system and methods for aligning features suitable for use in early skin-cancer detection systems are described herein. Corresponding skin features between a reference image and a later-captured image are precisely aligned. Curvatures are used to align body outlines of corresponding images using body-background masks. An initial-displacement flowfield map, generated from the aligned body outlines, may be applied to a filtered version of the later-captured image to generate a pre-warped image. The pre-warped image and a filtered version of the reference image are divided into a plurality of overlapping chips and a correlation is performed between corresponding chips. A transformation map may be generated based on the chip correlations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Frederick C. Mertz, Robert K. Pina, Ivans S. Chou, Karleen Seybold
  • Publication number: 20100232773
    Abstract: Embodiments of an imaging station and method for repeatable alignment of images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the imaging station includes a rotatable stage and a monostand. The rotatable stage may include a structure to support sets of handles for positioning of a subject's hands for at least some of the body poses. A camera is positioned on the monostand for capturing images of the subject and is configured to allow the camera to be repeatably positioned with respect to the rotatable stage for each body pose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Lawrence C. DePaula, Karleen G. Seybold, Frederick C. Mertz, Robert K. Pina, Ivans S. Chou, Clara Curiel
  • Publication number: 20090327890
    Abstract: Embodiments of a graphical user interface (GUI), display module, and method for displaying and comparing skin features are generally described herein. A pose panel may display a body outline or thumbnail image of one of several body poses and may identify one or more alerts. Each alert may identify skin features that have been identified as changed. An alert image panel may display a higher-resolution image of the alert selected in the pose panel showing identified skin features. An alert information panel may display alert data associated the alerts and may indicate a review status associated with the alerts. An alert notes panel may display notes associated with a selected alert. The GUI may be configured to systematically display the alerts associated with the poses in sequence to automate and help expedite the process of reviewing identified skin-features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Frederick C. Mertz, Robert J. Francis, Clayton W. Bowersox, Paula J. Solima, Karleen Seybold
  • Publication number: 20090304243
    Abstract: Embodiments of an image processing system and methods for aligning features suitable for use in early skin-cancer detection systems are described herein. Corresponding skin features between a reference image and a later-captured image are precisely aligned. Curvatures are used to align body outlines of corresponding images using body-background masks. An initial-displacement flowfield map, generated from the aligned body outlines, may be applied to a filtered version of the later-captured image to generate a pre-warped image. The pre-warped image and a filtered version of the reference image are divided into a plurality of overlapping chips and a correlation is performed between corresponding chips. A transformation map may be generated based on the chip correlations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Frederick C. Mertz, Robert K. Pina, Ivans S. Chou, Karleen Seybold