Patents by Inventor Manfred Ernst

Manfred Ernst 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: 20250191145
    Abstract: A method may include obtaining a plurality of images. Each respective image of the plurality of images may include a corresponding representation of a scene captured by a camera on a vehicle. The method may also include determining, for each respective image of the plurality of images, a corresponding sharpness metric indicative of a sharpness with which the respective image represents the scene. The method may additionally include determining, for each respective image of the plurality of images, a corresponding weight based on the corresponding sharpness metric of the respective image. The method may further include determining an output image by combining the plurality of images according to the corresponding weight of each respective image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Publication date: June 12, 2025
    Inventors: Xiao Geng, Xiaoying He, Manfred Ernst, Matthew Thomas Daniel Rinehart, Joseph Patrick Warga
  • Patent number: 11087540
    Abstract: An HMD device identifies a pose of the device and identifies a subset of a plurality of camera viewpoints of a light-field based on the pose. The HMD device interpolates image data of the light-field based on the pose and the subset of the plurality of camera viewpoints to generate an interpolated view; and displays at the HMD device an image based on the interpolated view. By interpolating based on the subset of camera viewpoints, the HMD device can reduce processing overhead and improve the user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Daniel Erickson, Harrison McKenzie Chapter
  • Patent number: 10325403
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a computer-implemented method can include identifying a plurality of pixel samples included in a layered depth image (LDI) representation of a scene for rendering in a three-dimensional (3D) image in a virtual reality (VR) space, grouping, by a processor, a subset of the plurality of pixel samples into a block of data, including extracting each pixel sample included in the subset of the plurality of pixel samples from the LDI representation of the scene for inclusion in the block of data based on an error metric associated with the respective pixel sample, creating, by the processor, a texture map for a block of data, the texture map being associated with the block of data, storing the block of data and the texture map, and triggering a rendering of the 3D image in the VR space using the block of data and the texture map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Milton Pharr, Manfred Ernst, Puneet Lall
  • Publication number: 20190088023
    Abstract: An HMD device identifies a pose of the device and identifies a subset of a plurality of camera viewpoints of a light-field based on the pose. The HMD device interpolates image data of the light-field based on the pose and the subset of the plurality of camera viewpoints to generate an interpolated view; and displays at the HMD device an image based on the interpolated view. By interpolating based on the subset of camera viewpoints, the HMD device can reduce processing overhead and improve the user experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Manfred ERNST, Daniel ERICKSON, Harrison McKenzie CHAPTER
  • Patent number: 10089788
    Abstract: An HMD device identifies a pose of the device and identifies a subset of a plurality of camera viewpoints of a light-field based on the pose. The HMD device interpolates image data of the light-field based on the pose and the subset of the plurality of camera viewpoints to generate an interpolated view; and displays at the HMD device an image based on the interpolated view. By interpolating based on the subset of camera viewpoints, the HMD device can reduce processing overhead and improve the user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Daniel Erickson, Harrison McKenzie Chapter
  • Patent number: 10089796
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a method can include combining a partition polygon and a generated texture map to form a model of a scene for rendering in three dimensions in a virtual reality space. The generating of the texture map can include projecting a Layered Depth Image sample in a partition polygon to a point in a source camera window space, projecting the point back into the partition polygon as a surface element (surfel), projecting the surfel to a surfel footprint in a target camera window space, projecting from the target camera window space to the partition polygon, sub-pixel samples included in pixels covered by the surfel footprint, projecting the sub-pixel samples from the partition polygon and into the source camera window space, and applying a color weight to each sub-pixel sample based on the location of the sample in the source camera window space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Silviu Borac
  • Publication number: 20180061119
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a computer-implemented method can include identifying a plurality of pixel samples included in a layered depth image (LDI) representation of a scene for rendering in a three-dimensional (3D) image in a virtual reality (VR) space, grouping, by a processor, a subset of the plurality of pixel samples into a block of data, including extracting each pixel sample included in the subset of the plurality of pixel samples from the LDI representation of the scene for inclusion in the block of data based on an error metric associated with the respective pixel sample, creating, by the processor, a texture map for a block of data, the texture map being associated with the block of data, storing the block of data and the texture map, and triggering a rendering of the 3D image in the VR space using the block of data and the texture map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew Milton Pharr, Manfred Ernst, Puneet Lall
  • Publication number: 20170345213
    Abstract: An HMD device identifies a pose of the device and identifies a subset of a plurality of camera viewpoints of a light-field based on the pose. The HMD device interpolates image data of the light-field based on the pose and the subset of the plurality of camera viewpoints to generate an interpolated view; and displays at the HMD device an image based on the interpolated view. By interpolating based on the subset of camera viewpoints, the HMD device can reduce processing overhead and improve the user experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Daniel Erickson, Harrison McKenzie Chapter
  • Publication number: 20160350214
    Abstract: A computing device schedules software garbage collection for software applications during processor idle periods. A future idle period of time during which a processor will be in an idle state during execution of one or more software applications is determined and an allocation of memory is measured for the future idle period of time. One of a plurality of predetermined software garbage collection events is based on the determined future idle period of time and the estimated allocation of memory, and scheduled to be performed during the future idle period of time. The selected software garbage collection event is then performed during the future idle period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Hannes PAYER, Jochen Mathias EISINGER, Manfred ERNST, Ross Cameron MCILROY
  • Patent number: 8669977
    Abstract: Compression methods and systems that encode the bounding volume hierarchy (BVH) and the triangles of a scene in one compact data structure. Efficient on-the-fly decompression is performed and may be used in interactive ray tracing. Quantized vertices and triangle strips may be stored in BVH leaf nodes. The local vertex positions and vertex indices may use a small number of bits that are encoded in bit strings. During traversal, the geometry may be decoded by an optimized algorithm allowing for random access with minimal overhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Benjamin Segovia
  • Publication number: 20110080403
    Abstract: Compression methods and systems that encode the bounding volume hierarchy (BVH) and the triangles of a scene in one compact data structure. Efficient on-the-fly decompression is performed and may be used in interactive ray tracing. Quantized vertices and triangle strips may be stored in BVH leaf nodes. The local vertex positions and vertex indices may use a small number of bits that are encoded in bit strings. During traversal, the geometry may be decoded by an optimized algorithm allowing for random access with minimal overhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst, Benjamin Segovia
  • Patent number: 4483554
    Abstract: A splash guard ring insures the safe exist of liquid underline pressure from pipeline without splashing and without the dangerous projection of the stream of liquid. The features of the splash guard ring provide for the division of the area enclosed by the ring itself and the flanges of adjoining pipe members in the pipeline. The divided areas are interconnected such that liquid flowing from the pipeline is diverted into smaller streams partially opposing and/or crossing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Inventor: Manfred Ernst
  • Patent number: 4032603
    Abstract: A process for the purification of a phosphorus oxy compound selected from the group consisting of phosphoric, phosphonic and phosphinic acid esters and phosphine oxides, comprising mixing the impure phosphorus oxy compounds with an oxidizing agent, subsequently reacting the mixture with at least one of water and an alcohol, and separating the purified phosphorus oxy compound. The oxidizing agent may be any of those known in the art including chlorine, bromine, iodine, and carbon tetrachloride plus a base. Oxidation can be effected in aqueous media and/or the product washed in aqueous media to neutrality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1977
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Kaschuba, Manfred Ernst