Patents by Inventor Kenneth L. Bernier

Kenneth L. Bernier 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: 7619626
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that provide images of an environment to the viewpoint of a display. The systems and methods define a mapping surface at a distance from the image source and display that approximates the environment within the field of view of the image source. The system methods define a model that relates the different geometries of the image source, display, and mapping surface to each other. Using the model and the mapping surface, the systems and methods tile images from the image source, correlate the images to the display, and display the images. In instants where two image sources have overlapping fields of view on the mapping surface, the systems and methods overlap and stitch the images to form a mosaic image. If two overlapping image sources each have images with unique characteristics, the systems and methods fuse the images into a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Bernier
  • Patent number: 7148861
    Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide an image processor that displays enhanced vision images based on a plurality images sources. The image processor comprises both serial and parallel processors. The serial processor performs low data volume calculations needed by the parallel processor for image display. The serial processor precalculates transformations needed to convert source data from each source to a primary coordinate system. The parallel processor uses these transforms and correlates source data with the display on a pixel by pixel basis as each frame from the sources is received to thereby provide display data with decreased latency. The image processor reduces parallax effect and is capable of: 1) stitching images of different fields of view to provide a mosaic image; 2) fusing images taken of the same field of view by different types of sources into a fused image; and 3) correcting anomalies in the displayed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Yelton, Kenneth L. Bernier
  • Publication number: 20040169663
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that provide images of an environment to the viewpoint of a display. The systems and methods define a mapping surface at a distance from the image source and display that approximates the environment within the field of view of the image source. The system methods define a model that relates the different geometries of the image source, display, and mapping surface to each other. Using the model and the mapping surface, the systems and methods tile images from the image source, correlate the images to the display, and display the images. In instants where two image sources have overlapping fields of view on the mapping surface, the systems and methods overlap and stitch the images to form a mosaic image. If two overlapping image sources each have images with unique characteristics, the systems and methods fuse the images into a composite image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Bernier
  • Publication number: 20040169617
    Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide an image processor that displays enhanced vision images based on a plurality images sources. The image processor comprises both serial and parallel processors. The serial processor performs low data volume calculations needed by the parallel processor for image display. The serial processor precalculates transformations needed to convert source data from each source to a primary coordinate system. The parallel processor uses these transforms and correlates source data with the display on a pixel by pixel basis as each frame from the sources is received to thereby provide display data with decreased latency. The image processor reduces parallax effect and is capable of: 1) stitching images of different fields of view to provide a mosaic image; 2) fusing images taken of the same field of view by different types of sources into a fused image; and 3) correcting anomalies in the displayed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Yelton, Kenneth L. Bernier