Patents by Inventor Kenneth Robert Wood

Kenneth Robert Wood 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: 20150086177
    Abstract: A small wearable recall device is provided to capture images triggered by a combination of a detection of a capture condition (e.g., changes in motion, temperature or light level) followed by a relatively stable period, as detected by an accelerometer. By triggering on the combination of a detected capture condition followed by a detected stability condition, a clearer image of the environment of an interesting event is expected to be captured. The small size of the recall device makes it possible to integrate it into common portable consumer products, such as MP3 players, purses, clothing, hats, backpacks, necklaces, collars, and other human-wearable products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Lyndsay Williams, Kenneth Robert Wood, Kevin Michael Schofield
  • Patent number: 8886298
    Abstract: A small wearable recall device is provided to capture images triggered by a combination of a detection of a capture condition (e.g., changes in motion, temperature or light level) followed by a relatively stable period, as detected by an accelerometer. By triggering on the combination of a detected capture condition followed by a detected stability condition, a clearer image of the environment of an interesting event is expected to be captured. The small size of the recall device makes it possible to integrate it into common portable consumer products, such as MP3 players, purses, clothing, hats, backpacks, necklaces, collars, and other human-wearable products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lyndsay Williams, Kenneth Robert Wood, Kevin Michael Schofield
  • Patent number: 7778462
    Abstract: A technique is provided for classifying images in a library (1) for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented (2) into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analysed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared (4) with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet, is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged (5) in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed (7) to form an index (8) of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image (10) is analysed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system (12) for detecting matches with entries in the index (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Investments UK Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Sinclair, Kenneth Robert Wood
  • Publication number: 20090214124
    Abstract: A technique is provided for classifying images in a library (1) for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented (2) into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analysed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared (4) with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet, is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged (5) in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed (7) to form an index (8) of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image (10) is analysed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system (12) for detecting matches with entries in the index (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: David Andrew Sinclair, Kenneth Robert Wood
  • Patent number: 7545980
    Abstract: A technique is provided for classifying images in a library (1) for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented (2) into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analysed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared (4) with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet, is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged (5) in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed (7) to form an index (8) of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image (10) is analysed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system (12) for detecting matches with entries in the index (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: AT&T Investments UK Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Sinclair, Kenneth Robert Wood
  • Patent number: 7239746
    Abstract: A technique is provided for classifying images in a library (1) for subsequent selective retrieval. Each library image is segmented (2) into a plurality of coherent regions. Each of the regions is analyzed in respect of a plurality of visual properties, each of which is ascribed a number according to the value of the visual property. The property numbers are then compared (4) with bands of the available property range and a computer-readable character, such as a letter of the alphabet is ascribed to each of the property values. The characters are then arranged (5) in a predetermined order to form a region character string. The strings for each region are then indexed (7) to form an index (8) of the images by region character string. For image retrieval, a target image (10) is analyzed in the same way to form region character strings which are then supplied to a text retrieval system (12) for detecting matches with entries in the index (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T Laboratories-Cambridge Ltd.
    Inventors: David Andrew Sinclair, Kenneth Robert Wood
  • Patent number: 6389175
    Abstract: A method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of n rows and m columns which define a plurality of cells (n×m) and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value. The method is useful for compressing bitmapped images to be rendered by the simplest of graphics engines. Thus the method is particularly suited to the transmission of images to a relatively slow client on which the images are to be rendered in real time and on which any complex decompression would be too costly for such rendering. Raw compression ratios are comparable to those obtained with standard runlength encoding, but the number of drawing primitive calls required to render the compressed images directly is substantially less. If the size of the largest area exceeds predetermined limits it is subdivided into smaller areas automatically without having to specify the size and position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: AT&T Laboratories, Limited
    Inventors: Kenneth Robert Wood, Tristan John Richardson
  • Patent number: 6347158
    Abstract: A method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of n rows and m columns which define a plurality of cells (n×m) and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value. The method is useful for compressing bitmapped images to be rendered by the simplest of graphics engines. Thus the method is particularly suited to the transmission of images to a relatively slow client on which the images are to be rendered in real time and on which any complex decompression would be too costly for such rendering. Raw compression ratios are comparable to those obtained with standard run-length encoding, but the number of drawing primitive calls required to render the compressed images directly is substantially less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: AT&T Laboratories - Cambridge, Limited
    Inventors: Kenneth Robert Wood, Tristan John Richardson
  • Publication number: 20010012406
    Abstract: A method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of n rows and m columns which define a plurality of cells (n×m) and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value. The method is useful for compressing bitmapped images to be rendered by the simplest of graphics engines. Thus the method is particularly suited to the transmission of images to a relatively slow client on which the images are to be rendered in real time and on which any complex decompression would be too costly for such rendering. Raw compression ratios are comparable to those obtained with standard run-length encoding, but the number of drawing primitive calls required to render the compressed images directly is substantially less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Kenneth Robert Wood, Tristan John Richardson
  • Patent number: 6192159
    Abstract: A method for encoding digital information to be transmitted from a first device to a second device, wherein the digital information is mapped according to a map of n rows and m columns which define a plurality of cells (n×m) and wherein each of said cells has a pixel value. The method is useful for compressing bitmapped images to be rendered by the simplest of graphics engines, Thus the method is particularly suited to the transmission of images to a relatively slow client on which the images are to be rendered in real time and on which any complex decompression would be too costly for such rendering. Raw compression ratios are comparable to those obtained with standard run-length encoding, but the number of drawing primitive calls required to render the compressed images directly is substantially less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: AT&T Laboratories, Cambridge, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenneth Robert Wood, Tristan John Richardson