Patents by Inventor Michel Gangnet

Michel Gangnet 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: 7551181
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced). In addition, the order in which the destination region is filled by example tiles may be configured to emphasize the continuity of linear structures and composite textures using a type of isophote-driven image-sampling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Criminisi, Patrick Perez, Kentaro Toyama, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 7391906
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for interactive construction of an object boundary by minimizing a sum of costs, including costs associated with inconsistency of the image data and costs associated with undesired curve shape properties. A particle filter optimization algorithm is implemented that incorporates a variable strength, intrinsic preference for boundary smoothness. The particle filter generates alternative sequences of random moves, constructed in parallel, to avoid becoming stuck in local minima. Approximate optimization algorithms are utilized, keeping computational burden low, freeing resources to analyze intrinsic costs associated with local curvature. In one embodiment, a user may construct a curve by launching a particle stream, and by choosing visually satisfactory locations on the stream from which to relaunch particles. The user can also provide other input, such as drop down dams to redirect the stream at T-junctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Michel Gangnet, Patrick Perez
  • Patent number: 7158138
    Abstract: A system and method is described for rendering a warped brush stroke using a bitmap brush image, the brush stroke being along a arbitrarily curved guideline. The described system and method generate a piecewise linear approximation to the guideline followed by generating polygons with the aid of the linear segments such that the generated polygons are convex and contiguous linear segments result in contiguous polygons. A mapping is identified between segments of the bitmap brush and the polygons such that the corners or the boundaries of the segments of a segment map to the corners or boundaries of a corresponding polygon. The segment of the bitmap brush is mapped into the corresponding polygon using transformations that do not require visiting a pixel in the rendered warped brush stroke more than once. Examples of such transformations include bilinear transformations and texture mapping in combination with tiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John Bronskill, Michel Gangnet
  • Patent number: 7088870
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Perez, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 6987520
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced). In addition, the order in which the destination region is filled by example tiles may be configured to emphasize the continuity of linear structures and composite textures using a type of isophote-driven image-sampling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Criminisi, Patrick Perez, Kentaro Toyama, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20050237341
    Abstract: A system and method for generating color gradients is provided. The system generates color gradients using techniques from geometric surface modeling. The system and method of the present invention allow designers to specify very complex gradients in a simple way. The system can employ, for example, a vector-based interpolation method and/or a pixel-based partial differential equation (PDE) interpolation methods to facilitate generation of the color gradients. In one example, input boundary curves and/or feature curves are approximated by line segments, which are then utilized to generate a triangulation approximating a smooth color gradient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michel Gangnet, Michael Kallay, Andrew Wu, Eric Stollnitz, Devon Strawn, John Lounsbery, Patrick Perez
  • Publication number: 20050168482
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced). In addition, the order in which the destination region is filled by example tiles may be configured to emphasize the continuity of linear structures and composite textures using a type of isophote-driven image-sampling process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Criminisi, Patrick Perez, Kentaro Toyama, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Patent number: 6856705
    Abstract: A blended result image is computed using guided interpolation to alter image data within a destination domain. The destination domain may be altered based on a guided interpolator that is either dependent or not dependent upon a source image. When blending a source region into a destination region of an image, guided interpolation eliminates or minimizes apparent seams between the inserted region and the rest of the image. A variety of interpolation guides may be used to yield different effects in the blended results image. Such interpolation guides may include without limitation an identity guide, a smooth guide, a filtering guide, a transparent guide, a masking guide, and a weighted average combination of various guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Perez, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20040164996
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced). In addition, the order in which the destination region is filled by example tiles may be configured to emphasize the continuity of linear structures and composite textures using a type of isophote-driven image-sampling process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Antonio Criminisi, Patrick Perez, Kentaro Toyama, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20040165788
    Abstract: A blended result image is computed using guided interpolation to alter image data within a destination domain. The destination domain may be altered based on a guided interpolator that is either dependent or not dependent upon a source image. When blending a source region into a destination region of an image, guided interpolation eliminates or minimizes apparent seams between the inserted region and the rest of the image. A variety of interpolation guides may be used to yield different effects in the blended results image. Such interpolation guides may include without limitation an identity guide, a smooth guide, a filtering guide, a transparent guide, a masking guide, and a weighted average combination of various guides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Perez, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20040165787
    Abstract: An example-based filling system identifies appropriate filling material to replace a destination region in an image and fills the destination region using this material, thereby alleviating or minimizing the amount of manual editing required to fill a destination region in image. Tiles of image data are borrowed from the proximity of the destination region or some other source to generate new image data to fill in the region. Destination regions may be designated by user input (e.g., selection of an image region by a user) or by other means (e.g., specification of a color or feature to be replaced).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Patrick Perez, Michel Gangnet, Andrew Blake
  • Publication number: 20030103682
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for interactive construction of an object boundary by minimizing a sum of costs, including costs associated with inconsistency of the image data and costs associated with undesired curve shape properties. A particle filter optimization algorithm is implemented that incorporates a variable strength, intrinsic preference for boundary smoothness. The particle filter generates alternative sequences of random moves, constructed in parallel, to avoid becoming stuck in local minima. Approximate optimization algorithms are utilized, keeping computational burden low, freeing resources to analyze intrinsic costs associated with local curvature. In one embodiment, a user may construct a curve by launching a particle stream, and by choosing visually satisfactory locations on the stream from which to relaunch particles. The user can also provide other input, such as drop down dams to redirect the stream at T-junctions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Blake, Michel Gangnet, Patrick Perez
  • Patent number: 6469702
    Abstract: A method and system for editing function curves in a computer-based editing or animation environment. The method consists of defining a region having two dimensions. The region contains a number of selected keys associated with one or more function curves. Resizing or moving the region causes the selected keys to be resized or moved accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Avid Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Chilton Sheasby, Rejean Gagne, Sylvain Moreau, Michael Gachet, Daniel Desbois, Michel Gangnet
  • Patent number: 6154221
    Abstract: A method of and system for editing a parametric function curve initializes tangent handles at selected keys, up-dates the parametric function curve responsive to the dragging of one of the tangent handles, verifies whether the up-dated parametric function curve is monotonic, and if not monotonic, repeatedly modifies the tangent handles until the parametric function curve is monotonic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Avid Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Gangnet
  • Patent number: 5694536
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically closing gaps prior to painting a cel in a vector-based computer-aided drawing system. A drawing is processed, as it is entered by a user, to generate a stored planar map containing geometric and topological characteristics of the drawing. The planar map is searched to identify gaps and updated to store synthesized gap-closing vectors for those gaps smaller than a selectable size. The gaps are closed before the painting of the cel, or coloring of the drawing, so as to prevent unintended spill-over of the color into adjacent regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Michel Gangnet, Jean-Manuel Van Thong
  • Patent number: 5574839
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically closing gaps prior to painting a cel in a vector-based computer-aided drawing system. A drawing is processed, as it is entered by a user, to generate a stored planar map containing geometric and topological characteristics of the drawing. The planar map is searched to identify gaps and updated to store synthesized gap-closing vectors for those gaps smaller than a selectable size. The gaps are closed before the painting of the cel, or coloring of the drawing, so as to prevent unintended spill-over of the color into adjacent regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Michel Gangnet, Jean-Manuel Van Thong
  • Patent number: 5337404
    Abstract: Process for making computer-aided drawings for applications such as computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computer-aided design (CAD). A drawing is made in the form of a planar map in all steps of its implementation, and the process proceeds iteratively with insertion, erasure, or coloring operations as the drawing is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Digital Equipment International Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Baudelaire, Michel Gangnet, Jean-Claude Herve, Thierry Pudet, Jean-Manuel V. Thong