Patents by Inventor John Robert Reinert Nash

John Robert Reinert Nash 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).

  • Method and apparatus for background replacement in still photographs
    Patent number: 8319797
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lifetouch Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BACKGROUND REPLACEMENT IN STILL PHOTOGRAPHS
    Publication number: 20120120281
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: LIFETOUCH INC.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash
  • Method and apparatus for background replacement in still photographs
    Patent number: 8134576
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Lifetouch Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BACKGROUND REPLACEMENT IN STILL PHOTOGRAPHS
    Publication number: 20110134141
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: LIFETOUCH INC.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash
  • Method and apparatus for background replacement in still photographs
    Patent number: 7834894
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Lifetouch Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash
  • Method and apparatus for background replacement in still photographs
    Publication number: 20080246777
    Abstract: A first digital image is acquired of a framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a first lighting condition. A second digital image is then acquired of the same framed area while illuminating the background and foreground object under a second lighting condition. Preferably, the first lighting condition illuminates the background without illuminating the foreground object so that a silhouette of the foreground object is acquired in the first image. The second lighting condition illuminates the foreground object (e.g., with frontal lights). Due to the difference in the illumination between the background and silhouette in the first image, an alpha mask can be created from the first acquired image. Using the mask, the background from the second image can be removed and replaced by virtually any other desired background image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Lee Swanson, Earl John Adolphi, Michael John Surma, John Robert Reinert Nash