Patents by Inventor Harry Lee Task

Harry Lee Task 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: 9773183
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically assessing a resolution of an optical sensor. An image is obtained from the sensor. The obtained image is thresholded to generate a binary image of black and white pixels using a first threshold value. A target area is selected from the binary image. The first threshold value is increased to generate a second threshold value. The target is thresholded using the second threshold value. At least one pixel is tagged at a center of the target area. Pixels surrounding a tagged pixel are processed, tagging white pixels. If a tagged pixel is at an edge of the target area, an orientation of an object in the target area is determined based on that edge. And, if no pixel is tagged at the edge of the target area, the second threshold value is decreased and the thresholding, tagging, and processing steps are repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Alan R Pinkus, David W Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: 9679216
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for assessing a resolution of an optical sensor. An image is obtained from the optical sensor. A target area is selected from the image. The selected area is subjected to a thresholding process to generate a binary image. Pixels at a center of the binary image are tagged. The remaining pixels of the binary image are looped through, where pixels that are not already tagged, are touching a tagged pixel, and are of the same color of previously tagged pixels are tagged. A plurality of distances associated with each corner of the binary image is calculated from the corner to the nearest tagged pixel in a row or column of pixels. At least two shortest distances of the calculated plurality of distances are selected to determine an orientation of an object defined by the tagged pixels in the generated binary image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Alan R Pinkus, David W Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Publication number: 20160328626
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for assessing a resolution of an optical sensor. An image is obtained from the optical sensor. A target area is selected from the image. The selected area is subjected to a thresholding process to generate a binary image. Pixels at a center of the binary image are tagged. The remaining pixels of the binary image are looped through, where pixels that are not already tagged, are touching a tagged pixel, and are of the same color of previously tagged pixels are tagged. A plurality of distances associated with each corner of the binary image is calculated from the corner to the nearest tagged pixel in a row or column of pixels. At least two shortest distances of the calculated plurality of distances are selected to determine an orientation of an object defined by the tagged pixels in the generated binary image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Alan R Pinkus, David W Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Publication number: 20160330438
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatically assessing a resolution of an optical sensor. An image is obtained from the sensor. The obtained image is thresholded to generate a binary image of black and white pixels using a first threshold value. A target area is selected from the binary image. The first threshold value is increased to generate a second threshold value. The target is thresholded using the second threshold value. At least one pixel is tagged at a center of the target area. Pixels surrounding a tagged pixel are processed, tagging white pixels. If a tagged pixel is at an edge of the target area, an orientation of an object in the target area is determined based on that edge. And, if no pixel is tagged at the edge of the target area, the second threshold value is decreased and the thresholding, tagging, and processing steps are repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Alan R. Pinkus, David W. Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: 9342883
    Abstract: A method and system are provided to assess a resolution of an optical sensor. The method includes placing a target at a distance from a focal plane of the optical sensor. The target is oriented in a first orientation and includes a grid and a plurality of test objects having different sizes and orientations. An image of the target is acquired from the optical sensor. The target grid in the acquired image is identified. Each test object of the plurality of test objects is identified using the identified grid and an orientation of the identified test object is determined. The determined orientations of the identified test objects of the plurality of test objects are compared to a ground truth and presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: David W Dommett, Alan R Pinkus, Harry Lee Task
  • Publication number: 20150187074
    Abstract: A method and system are provided to assess a resolution of an optical sensor. The method includes placing a target at a distance from a focal plane of the optical sensor. The target is oriented in a first orientation and includes a grid and a plurality of test objects having different sizes and orientations. An image of the target is acquired from the optical sensor. The target grid in the acquired image is identified. Each test object of the plurality of test objects is identified using the identified grid and an orientation of the identified test object is determined. The determined orientations of the identified test objects of the plurality of test objects are compared to a ground truth and presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: David W. Dommett, Alan R. Pinkus, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: 8620069
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product are presented for detecting an image. Ring contour images are created by blurring the image, posterizing the blurred image at a plurality of levels and creating the ring contour images from each of the posterized images. Convex hull images are created by creating a plurality of corner images from corners within the image located by at least two different corner algorithms, finding a bounding rectangle that encompasses the ring contour images, cropping the corner images using the bounding rectangle, applying a threshold to the cropped corner images, and creating the convex hull images by generating a convex hull from the corners in each of the cropped corner images. A plurality of triangles is created by fitting a triangle with an orientation to the ring contour images and the convex hull images. Finally the orientation of the triangle is determined from the plurality of triangles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Alan R. Pinkus, David W. Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: 8483486
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product are presented for determining an orientation of a Landold C in an image containing a plurality of pixels. A center of the Landolt C is determined. A plurality of rays is extended from the center of the Landolt C radially outward. A plurality of distances is determined, where each distance of the plurality of distances represents a distance from the center of the Landolt C to a darkest pixel along each ray of the plurality of rays. A peak in the plurality of distances is identified. And the orientation of the Landolt C is determined based on the peak in the plurality of distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Alan R. Pinkus, David W. Dommett, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: 5712709
    Abstract: A portable and potentially computer-controlled aircraft windscreen or the like test arrangement for quantitative determination of haze and energy transmissivity characteristics in the windscreen material. The test arrangement includes two portable transducer enclosures which lend to convenient use in tested aircraft environments and provides optical assistance in achieving a desired alignment of these transducer enclosures prior to testing. Improved sensitivity over prior haze evaluation arrangements is achieved through use of this accurate alignment and through capture of a large fraction of a haze generated optical signal with an efficient transducer configuration. The testing arrangement also includes optical filtering capability and laser signal modulation assistance in excluding ambient illumination interference with measurement-related optical signals. A plurality of use environments are contemplated including military and non-military uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Harry Lee Task, Peter Marasco
  • Patent number: D730476
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: David W Dommett, Alan R Pinkus, Harry Lee Task
  • Patent number: D769401
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: David W Dommett, Alan R Pinkus, Harry Lee Task