Patents by Inventor Masaaki Obayashi

Masaaki Obayashi 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: 20240046631
    Abstract: A neural network system includes a separable convolution subnetwork. The separable convolution subnetwork includes a plurality of separable convolutional neural network (SCNN) layers arranged in a stack manner in sequence. Each of the plurality of SCNN layers applies a first grouped convolution to an input to the SCNN layer. An input to the first grouped convolution includes a plurality of channels, and the first grouped convolution is a spatial convolution which divides channels of an input to the first grouped convolution into groups in a channel-wise manner, convolves the grouped channels, and couples the convolved channels to generate an output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: MASAAKI OBAYASHI, AKITOSHI YAMADA, YOSHINORI MIZOGUCHI, HISASHI ISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 11373313
    Abstract: An image processing method executed by an image includes acquiring image data, acquiring region of interest data indicating a targeted region in recognition processing for an object included in the image data, acquiring information of a candidate region based on a degree of being similar to an object included in the image data, estimating an object region in the acquired image data based on the region of interest data and the information of a candidate, performing a preview display of a plurality of candidate images to be cropped on a display unit by using information of the estimate object region, and receiving a selection by a user from among the plurality of displayed candidate images. Cropping is performed on the image data that corresponds to the candidate image, for a received selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 11037265
    Abstract: Images are divided into image groups based on time information indicating a time corresponding to each of the images. If the number of the image groups obtained in the dividing is smaller than a predetermined number, the number of the image groups is matched with the predetermined number by increasing the number of the image groups. If the number of the image groups obtained in the dividing is larger than the predetermined number, the number of the image groups is matched with the predetermined number by decreasing the number of the image groups. At least one image included in each of the image groups obtained in the matching is laid out in a template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Obayashi, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masao Kato, Maya Kurokawa, Yoshinori Mizoguchi, Fumitaka Goto
  • Patent number: 10977845
    Abstract: A control method includes executing, in a case that a change instruction is accepted, at least a process for displaying a first post-change layout image on a display unit with a priority over a second post-change layout image with a higher degree of similarity to the pre-change layout image than the first post-change layout image or a process for displaying the first post-change layout image on the display unit in a more emphasized manner than the second post-change layout image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Obayashi, Shinjiro Hori, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Mizuki Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10958796
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first determination unit configured to determine a group of candidate templates usable for a processing target double-page spread in accordance with the number of images allocated to the processing target double-page spread, a second determination unit configured to determine a determination condition for determining whether a template already used and a template included in the group of candidate templates are similar, on the basis of the number of images or the number of templates, a third determination unit configured to determine a to-be-used template to be used for the processing target double-page spread from among the templates excluding any template determined as a similar template with the determination condition, and a layout unit configured to lay out the images allocated to the processing target double-page spread on the to-be-used template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Obayashi, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori
  • Patent number: 10943376
    Abstract: There is provided a technique for dividing a plurality of images into a plurality of image groups using a method which differs according to a predetermined condition. An image processing apparatus divides the plurality of images into the plurality of image groups according to time information corresponding to the plurality of images which are candidates to be laid out on a template. Then, at least one image included in each of the plurality of image groups is laid out on the template corresponding to each of the plurality of image groups. In the dividing, the plurality of images is divided into the plurality of image groups by a method which differs according to the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Publication number: 20210042933
    Abstract: An object region in image data is estimated based on region of interest data for indicating a targeted region in recognition processing for an object included in the image data, and information on an object candidate region, which is extracted from the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventor: Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10796405
    Abstract: The position of a trimming region is decided in accordance with a scene type represented by an image which is a layout target. The trimming region is trimmed at the decided position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori, Ryosuke Iguchi, Masaaki Obayashi, Tohru Ikeda, Fumitaka Goto
  • Patent number: 10742823
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit to obtain a plurality of images, a setting unit to set a first priority mode for a first page if the number of images including an object corresponding to the first priority mode among a plurality of images assigned to a first page is greater than the number of images including an object corresponding to the second priority mode among the plurality of images and set a second priority mode for a second page if the number of images including the object corresponding to the first priority mode among a plurality of images assigned to the second page is less than the number of images including the object corresponding to the second priority mode among the plurality of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Iguchi, Shinjiro Hori, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10740641
    Abstract: At least one apparatus recognizes a first object and a second object associated with the first object in a plurality of images, calculates a score for each of the plurality of images based on a result of the recognition of the first object and the second object, and selects an image concerning the first object from the plurality of images based on the score for each of the plurality of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Iguchi, Shinjiro Hori, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10708446
    Abstract: Based on pixel information of a target image selected from a plurality of images, an information processing apparatus specifies whether the target image is to be used for an album, and sets a template based on a condition for creating the album. The information processing apparatus places on the set template the target image to be used for the album according to the specifying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10649633
    Abstract: An image processing method includes performing an object identification process on a plurality of image data, generating layout data on the basis of at least some of the plurality of image data subjected to the identification process and template data, controlling displaying of a layout image on a display on the basis of the layout data, acquiring setting information relating to a priority of a particular object, and extracting a replacement candidate image in response to a request for replacing an image in the displayed layout image. In extracting a replacement candidate image, the replacement candidate image is extracted on the basis of the setting information relating to a priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinjiro Hori, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Ryosuke Iguchi, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10560601
    Abstract: A technique for laying out images included in a plurality of image groups into which a plurality of images is divided in such a way that an image including an object of a type desired by a user is included in each of the image groups. A user instruction related to the object type is received, and a plurality of images is divided into image groups so that an image including an object corresponding to the object type is included in each of the plurality of image groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Obayashi, Shinjiro Hori, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Ryosuke Iguchi
  • Patent number: 10506110
    Abstract: A control method for an image processing apparatus that generates a layout image by arranging an image in a template includes making an evaluation of a first image data group acquired from acquired moving image data based on a first evaluation axis and making an evaluation of a second image data group acquired from acquired still image data based on a second evaluation axis different from the first evaluation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori, Ryosuke Iguchi, Masaaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 10460494
    Abstract: A control method for an image processing apparatus that generates a layout image by arranging an image in a template includes specifying, as a designated object, at least one object of a plurality of objects including a first object and a second object according to a combination of a plurality of setting values including a setting value regarding the first object and a setting value regarding the second object based on the received input, selecting image data from a plurality of pieces of image data, and outputting a layout image in which an image represented by the selected image data is arranged in a template, wherein image data representing an image that contains an object specified as the designated object is selected in preference to image data representing an image that does not contain an object specified as the designated object from the plurality of pieces of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi, Shinjiro Hori, Ryosuke Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20190327367
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus comprising: a first determination unit configured to determine a group of candidate templates usable for a processing target double-page spread in accordance with the number of images allocated to the processing target double-page spread; a second determination unit configured to determine a determination condition for determining whether a template already used and a template included in the group of candidate templates are similar, on the basis of the number of images or the number of templates; a third determination unit configured to determine a to-be-used template to be used for the processing target double-page spread from among the templates excluding any template determined as a similar template with the determination condition; and a layout unit configured to lay out the images allocated to the processing target double-page spread on the to-be-used template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Masaaki Obayashi, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori
  • Patent number: 10403014
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit setting the number of pieces of image data to be selected, an identifying unit identifying, based on a photographing date and time of each piece of image data of an image data group, a photographing period of the image data group, a dividing unit dividing the identified photographing period into a plurality of photographing sections, a selection unit selecting image data from an image data group corresponding to a target photographing section based on predetermined criteria, and a generation unit generating a layout image by arranging an image based on the selected image data, wherein selection of image data is repeated by setting an unselected photographing section as a next target photographing section to select a number of pieces of image data corresponding to the set number, and wherein the number of photographing sections is determined according to the set number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi, Yoshinori Mizoguchi, Fumitaka Goto, Masao Kato, Maya Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 10402654
    Abstract: An image processing method for selecting an image to be output includes evaluating a plurality of first images having a first attribute and a plurality of second images having a second attribute; performing a plurality of selection processes for selecting a plurality of images to be output from among the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images based on evaluation of the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images obtained in the evaluating; and outputting the selected plurality of images. The plurality of selection processes include a selection process for selecting an image to be output from among the plurality of first images by excluding the plurality of second images from selection candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumitaka Goto, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi, Maya Kurokawa, Yoshinori Mizoguchi, Masao Kato, Tohru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10290135
    Abstract: An image processing method in which a feature amount is analyzed for each of a plurality of images as layout target candidates. First and second image evaluations are performed for an image of the plurality of images, in accordance with first and second (different) evaluation criteria. A main image to be laid out on a main slot in a template is selected from the plurality of images based on the first image evaluation for each of the plurality of images. A sub image is selected to be laid out on a sub slot in the template, which is smaller than the main slot, based on the second image evaluation for each of the plurality of images. The main image is laid out on the main slot in the template, and the sub image is laid out on the sub slot in the template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Mizoguchi, Masao Kato, Fumitaka Goto, Hiroyasu Kunieda, Masaaki Obayashi, Maya Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20190104222
    Abstract: Based on pixel information of a target image selected from a plurality of images, an information processing apparatus specifies whether the target image is to be used for an album, and sets a template based on a condition for creating the album. The information processing apparatus places on the set template the target image to be used for the album according to the specifying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Kunieda, Shinjiro Hori, Masaaki Obayashi